Eleven Fitness and Diet Trends That Aren't Actually New
You might be surprised to learn that many of this year’s hottest fitness and diet trends are not new at all!
People have been trying to get the perfect body in all sorts of ways for thousands of years.
Let’s take a look at some of this year’s diet and fitness hot-takes that will make you say, ‘haven’t we done this before?’
Not-so-new Fitness and Diet Trends:
1. Intermittent Fasting
On the fitness social media circuit? Then you’ve probably heard of IF or Intermittent Fasting. Intermittent Fasting is commonly recommended for weight loss and involves consuming calories within a short time window. Although it’s all the rage now, fasting for health reasons has been popular for centuries and is common in many cultures and religions.
2. Veganism
Veganism has long been hailed for its diet and fitness benefits. In recent years, vegan influencers and nutritionists have also cited veganism as a cure-all for common diseases. Whether you believe the hype or not, it is worth noting that the ancient Greeks used to recommend a plant-based diet for certain chronic conditions. It's also possible to make some delicious, high-protein snacks.
3. Keto Diet
If you hate carbs but love meat and cheese, the oh-so-trendy ketogenic diet could be for you. The diet and fitness world is full of keto fans who tout its potential benefits, like weight loss, increased energy, and enhanced mental focus. However, the keto diet is suspiciously similar to the popular low-carb, Atkins diet from the 1990s.
4. Yoga and Meditation
Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness are modern fitness buzzwords. However, yoga is an ancient practice that stretches back thousands of years, and that originated in Indian culture. Regardless of what you know about history, however, the calming mental benefits of yoga and meditation cannot be overstated.
5. Paleo Diet
If you want really ancient diet and fitness tips, you could investigate the paleo diet. Taking its name from the palaeolithic period, the paleo diet aims to emulate our cave-dwelling ancestors’ diets of hunted or foraged food. This diet tends to be heavy on meat, fish, and nuts, but light on grains and processed foods.
6. Lifting Heavy
If you’ve ever seen Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1977 documentary, Pumping Iron, then you’ve seen the precursor to modern high-volume training. Bodybuilders and fitness influencers still swear that lifting volume is the key to a great physique. In fact, many personal trainers now include heavy lifting in their diet and fitness programmes.
7. HIIT
If you enjoy diet and fitness content, then you’ve no doubt heard of HIIT (high-intensity interval training). HIIT is everywhere these days and is a great tool if you want to use diet and fitness for weight loss. The concept of interval training isn’t new, however, and was also popular in the 1970s.
8. Bodyweight Burn
Bodyweight workouts are all over YouTube and are great for when you’re on the go. However, bodyweight workouts go back a long way. In 1929, Charles Atlas developed a hugely popular bodyweight programme that promised to give customers a toned body.
9. Dance Workouts
Dancing is one of the oldest forms of expression and entertainment in human history. With workouts like dance aerobics peaking in popularity in the 1980s, the return of YouTube dance workouts brings the past back around. Dancing is an excellent exercise, and one of the best cardio workouts there is.
10. The Juice Cleanse
Detoxification may sound modern, but cleanses are an ancient art. Historians have documented evidence of people going on cleanses in ancient Egypt and the Roman period. Although the jury is out on their health benefits, juice cleanses are still all the rage.
11. The Booty Burner
Remember a couple of years ago, when you couldn’t move for fitness influencers posting the peach emoji. It was the age of the booty workout. However, growing your glutes is not just Instagram territory. The trend actually started around 15 years ago, when Selene Yeager’s book drew attention to the importance of having strong glutes for overall health.
Final Thoughts on These Fitness and Diet Trends
Throughout history, people have always been fascinated by diet and nutrition. After all, who doesn’t want to feel great and have an amazing figure? Whether you follow the hottest new fitness and diet trends or stick to the old classics, find a diet and fitness regime that works for you!
Want to work with a personal trainer that specialises in a specific type of workout or diet? Just head to the ukfitness.pro homepage, enter your location into the search box, and use the filter to identify a personal trainer that has the expertise you’re after.
Author’s Bio:
Kevin has been writing content for about 3 years. He really wants to share his experiences and advice with anyone who cares about health and fitness. He enjoys helping people achieve their fitness goals with simple instructions and overcoming any obstacles on the way.