Top Health and Nutrition Trends of the Year
This Year’s Top Health and Nutrition Trends
The refine YOU Program
7 week, online, customized nutrition plan to help you reach your health and fitness goals
The health and fitness industry has a lot of conflicting information therefore it can be hard to figure out what is safe and that will work for you vs. another fad or diet that won’t work.
The key to evaluating these trends when it comes to health and fitness is that you should look for things that are realistic for you to work into your life… LONG TERM. If it isn’t something you can maintain the rest of your life then its not worth spending your time on it and working it into your life. This just continues the never-ending cycle of yo-yoing all over the place and feeling that you always have to be on a diet.
Health and nutrition is not and should not be one size fits all. Each person is unique all the way down to the cellular level. Be sure that you consult your healthcare provider before you start to change things up, especially when it comes to losing weight. One technique is not appropriate for every single person so one thing you should really pay attention to… customization.
Here is a list of some of the health and nutrition trends for this year.
Functional Nutrition
Functional nutrition is the approach that I have used for my clients for years with Refine YOU. It is a holistic approach to what you eat focusing on food as fuel and promoting health (what is good for you). The pandemic was a reminder that our health is important and it can change at any time. What you eat is the most important factor thing you can do that affects your overall health and wellness. The food you eat is your body’s fuel to run and function optimally. If you do not fuel your body with the nutrition it needs, it will not run efficiently and effectively. This is just like fuel for your vehicle… if you do not use the right fuel for your car, it will not run very well and might do harm. You wouldn’t put diesel gas into a car that requires unleaded gas, right? Same goes for your nutrition and your body is way more important than your car. You only get the body you are given. You can’t go out and get a new one.
If you fuel your body with unhealthy, processed foods, your body cannot run optimally. These foods like chips, soda, and most snacks contain calories but these calories are what we call “empty calories.” This means calories you are eating are made up of minimal vitamins and nutrients. In addition to avoiding processed foods, avoid drinking alcohol regularly. Too much alcohol consumption can weaken your immune system and put you at higher risk of getting sick.
On the other hand, if you eat healthy foods that are “nutrient dense” or nutritious, they are full of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients and are just what the body needs work properly and are good for your immune system. Foods that contain beta-carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin D, and Zinc are good foods to boost your immunity.
In addition, eating healthy is a key component in managing weight. Maintaining a healthy weight directly correlates to your health and your immunity. There is no question that obesity leads to an increased risk of disease, and infection.
Movement is Medicine
Exercise is good for your mental and physical health and should not be solely done to lose weight or as punishment for what you ate. Exercising regularly has huge health benefits that protect you against heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and can also be an immune system booster. Exercise also benefits your mind and spirit by giving you an endorphin rush and the satisfaction that you have done something good for yourself. Exercise can help relieve stress, help you feel more relaxed, and boost your mood.
Most people think that to lose weight you have to exercise all of the time when in fact, what you eat has more to do with losing weight than exercise. However, exercise is important for your health. To start a new exercise routine, the key is to start implementing small changes at a time vs. a huge change that you will most likely not stick to.
Don’t take advantage of what you have been given…
You don’t have to exercise, you GET to exercise! Remember, you woke up this morning!
Mental Health
Mental health along with physical health should be a top priority for all. I feel that this is so important that I have even worked this into The Refine YOU Program for years. You cannot control what happens to you, or what happens around you. The only thing you have control over is with your actions, reactions, and how you deal with stress.
Exercise can be a great way to relieve some stress. Try to put on some of your favorite music and go for a walk or jog. Movement is medicine is not only good for the body, it is good for the mind and spirit.
Sleep plays a huge role in your health and happiness. How do you feel when you are sleep deprived? If you are like me, you have more cravings, your thinking is impaired, and you are more irritable. During sleep your body repairs and restores itself. It heals itself by rebuilding tissue and eliminating toxins. Sleep also regulates your hormone levels. If you do not get enough sleep, you put your body in more stress which can activate your body’s stress response. Be sure you are getting enough sleep every night. Everyone needs a different amount but most studies indicate about 7 hours of sleep, but everyone is different. What amount is your sweet spot? Be honest with yourself and try to get that every night.
Utilize your support system when you need someone to lean on. Start a meditation or gratitude practice to relive stress. And, of course, don’t be afraid to seek help from your doctor, counselor, or psychologist.
Meal Kits
As people are getting back to work, sports are starting back up again, meal kit delivery services are going to ramp up again with people looking to eat healthy and save time. According to Grand View Research the meal kit delivery market is projected to become a $20 billion industry by 2027.
Meal kits take the prep work out of preparing meals because the shopping, measuring and cutting is already done. A lot of these companies offer meals that cater to different food preferences and ways of eating so everyone can find something they enjoy.
Popular companies
Daily harvest
Hello Fresh
Purple Carrot
The Good Kitchen
Freshly
Most major cities have local companies that provide these types of services so be sure to do a local search for meal prep. This is more costly but if it allows you to prepare healthy meals for you and your family, it pays for itself!
Diet Culture Change
This is something that I have been pushing for YEARS and something that I am most excited about. The whole diet culture is changing, for the better!
Many people are tired of the gimmicks, diets, and supplements that don’t work. People are realizing that restrictive diets and weight loss programs don’t work and are seeking a more balanced approach. YES!
There is finally a shift of people looking at clean eating, and styles of eating that welcome all foods instead of severely restrictive plans that are not sustainable or enjoyable. For example, is it realistic to think you will never eat carbs again, or never have a piece of cake. You should NEVER be nervous or feel guilty about enjoying life which includes enjoying certain food and drinks!
This is what I have been saying for years and is the technique that I use in The Refine YOU Program. It is important to learn how to eat the foods that YOU like to eat and learn which foods should be enjoyed most of the time and which foods that should be save to enjoy occasionally. Beware of companies or products who promote unhealthy diet messages like “loose weight fast” or vilifying certain foods. Carbs aren’t bad for you. Saying, “this food is bad” and “doing that is bad” correlates to you feeling bad and negatively when you eat or drink these things. You are not a bad person if you have cake on your birthday and you shouldn’t feel guilty about it either!
Stay clear of programs that focus on the number on the scale. You should not be able to lose an insane amount of weight in a short amount of time in a healthy sustainable way. For example, “lose 20 lbs. in 2 weeks”, do this “challenge” or “cleanse” etc. You are more than the number on the scale. Getting stronger, healthier and feeling in control are more important than that number on the scale. You should not only focus on the number on the scale as the only measure of success. Your energy levels, hunger levels, measurements, pictures, your relationship with food, your mindset, should all also be measurements of success! I can’t tell you how many clients I have had get upset and frustrated half way though the program that they haven’t lost much weight (even though I tell them not to weight themselves). When the program is over, they may have only lost 4-5 lbs. but they have lost 12 inches off their body and they are stronger, and more energetic.
Thankfully, people are waking up to the fact that diets don’t work long term and there is no magic supplement, pill, or shake that will help you lose weight. It comes from consistency in good nutrition and implementing healthy habits. People are finally shifting the focus off the scale and losing as much weight they can in a short amount of time, and instead looking for a more balanced, long term solution.
Functional nutrition, using a holistic approach, and no more dieting is what I have been preaching for years.
This is what fueled me to start Refine YOU…
To provide people guidance and support in this process and those who don’t know where to start
To help busy individuals find that time for self care and not to put themselves off anymore
To alleviate the frustration of those who have tried and tried and have not gotten the results they want
To turn those plateaus into launching pads
To empower those who feel out of control in regards to their body and health.
My hope is that people start taking a more active role in their own physical and mental self care. You cannot pour from an empty cup. You have to make yourself a priority. Physical and mental self care it isn’t selfish, it is MANDATORY.
If would like any more information about any health, nutrition, or fitness topic follow me on Facebook and Instagram where I provide tons of tips. The Refine YOU website has all the information you need about The Refine YOU Program and the Refine YOU Blog publishes helpful articles like this to help you on your health and fitness journey.
My goal is to help as many people as possible be the healthiest and best they can be, mind, body, and spirit!
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