Most New Year’s resolutions are centered around living a healthier lifestyle. From plans to join a gym to drop a few pounds, or incorporate low-calorie cooking into your regime, there are multiple ways to go about kicking off the beginning of the year with a better-looking and better-feeling you. Here are the top diet trends of 2024.
Mediterranean Diet
This popular approach leans more towards a lifestyle choice than a stringent weight-loss regimen, allowing for a balanced and sustainable way of eating without the need for meticulous calorie tracking everyone loathes. The diet is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, and olive oil, and low in saturated fat, reflective of the traditional eating habits of those who live near the Mediterranean Sea. Among its weight loss success, the Mediterranean diet has been recognized as anti-inflammatory, helpful in maintaining healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels, as well as supporting good gut bacteria.
Flexitarian Diet
If you find yourself intrigued by going vegetarian because you have a soft spot for animals but will not bring yourself to refuse one of Mom’s famous meatballs at Sunday dinner, perhaps the flexitarian diet is just the thing for you. This “in-between” diet emphasizes plant-based foods most of the time, but also allows the occasional steak craving. Depending on how you customize a plan to fit your lifestyle, there is room for up to 28 ounces of lean meat or poultry per week; and if you specifically are looking for weight loss results, aim to consume about 1,500 calories per day.
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting works by prolonging the period when your body has burned through the calories consumed during your last meal and begins burning fat. Essentially you follow an eating pattern that alternates between periods of eating and not eating. You can have meals and snacks during a 12-hour window every day (between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., for example) and fast for the other 12 hours. Or you can eat during an 8-hour window every day (between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., for example) and fast for the other 16 hours. Just remember that when you do eat, make sure to choose nutrient-dense foods to ensure you get essential vitamins and minerals—no cheating on eating fast food or sweets if you can help it.
(Modified/Short Term) Ketogenic Diet
“Going Keto” still has some steam behind it: Keto is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet designed to induce a state of ketosis in the body—which occurs when the body shifts its primary fuel source from glucose (derived from carbohydrates) to ketones (produced from fat). This metabolic state has aided people in weight loss and improved energy levels; however, it is not recommended as a long-term diet solution. Sure, loading up on eggs, steak, and other high protein foods sound great, but it’s just not sustainable. Instead, try a moderate amount of carbs and protein to maintain the benefits of the keto diet, while avoiding potential problems like constipation and bad breath.