In the world of health and wellness, fad diets come and go. Some stick around for a while, while others are quickly forgotten. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular fad diet by each year for the last ten years.
2012: The Dukan Diet The Dukan Diet is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that was created by French nutritionist Dr. Pierre Dukan. It gained popularity in 2012 when Kate Middleton reportedly followed the diet before her wedding to Prince William. The diet consists of four phases, with the first phase being the most restrictive.
2013: The Paleo Diet The Paleo Diet, also known as the “caveman” diet, focuses on eating whole, unprocessed foods that were available to our ancestors during the Paleolithic era. The diet is high in protein and healthy fats and restricts processed foods, grains, and dairy.
2014: The 5:2 Diet The 5:2 Diet involves eating normally for five days of the week and restricting calorie intake to 500-600 calories for the other two days. This diet is based on the idea that intermittent fasting can have health benefits, such as weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity.
2015: The Alkaline Diet The Alkaline Diet is based on the idea that certain foods can affect the pH levels in your body and that by eating alkaline foods, you can improve your health. The diet restricts acidic foods like meat, dairy, and processed foods and promotes alkaline foods like fruits, vegetables, and legumes...and has mostly been disproven by scientific research.
2016: The Ketogenic Diet The Ketogenic Diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that is designed to put your body in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of glucose. The diet has been shown to be effective for weight loss and can also have other health benefits, such as improved blood sugar control. Sustainability is questionable with this diet, so if it's something that interests you make sure its something you could stick to LONG term.
2017: The Whole30 Diet The Whole30 Diet is a 30-day program that focuses on eating whole, unprocessed foods and eliminating sugar, grains, dairy, and legumes. The diet is designed to help reset your body and improve your overall health.
2018: The Plant-Based Diet The Plant-Based Diet is a diet that focuses on eating whole, plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. The diet is based on the idea that plant-based foods are more nutrient-dense and can help improve overall health.
2019: The Mediterranean Diet The Mediterranean Diet is based on the traditional eating patterns of people living in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The diet is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats like olive oil and nuts.
2020: The Flexitarian Diet The Flexitarian Diet is a flexible, plant-based diet that allows for occasional meat consumption. The diet is designed to be sustainable and emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods.
2021: The Intermittent Fasting Diet Intermittent Fasting is not a diet in the traditional sense, but rather a pattern of eating that involves alternating periods of fasting and eating. The most popular form of intermittent fasting involves restricting calorie intake for a set period of time, such as 16 hours, and then eating normally for the remaining eight hours.
In conclusion, fad diets come and go, and it’s important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to nutrition. It’s best to focus on eating a balanced diet of whole, unprocessed foods and finding a sustainable eating pattern that works for you.
In Good Health,
Dan, NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist
Life’s complicated. Your Health Shouldn’t Be.