We are all getting our bodies bikini ready, so everyone has been hitting up the gym a lot lately, especially when spring has already sprung. But another side to our certain goals to toning up is also dieting and making sure that good things also go into our bodies. A health and wellness communications firm, Pollock Communications, located in New York, surveyed 200 registered dietitians in order to uncover this year’s new dieting trends. Find out which one could work best for you!
Trend 1: Make your ingredients as natural and as raw as possible.
Whole foods are all the rage now. Stay away from processed foods as much as possible. Anything that is packaged was processed, so make sure that you are reading your labels to make sure that the freshest and most natural ingredients were being used to make any product you want to eat. So make sure there are very little or even zero preservatives in your food. Even foods that contain low fat or low carbs can still contain a lot of sugar and salt.
Trend 2: Do a gluten-free diet.
Going gluten-free isn’t for everyone. This diet is the best for people that have specific medical conditions. Those people that may have these types of conditions, like celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is extremely limited.
Trend 3: Your phone can help you become a smarter eater.
Practically everyone has a smart phone, and therefore access to thousands and thousands of phone apps. Many phone apps offer ways that people can get fast information about the amount of calories at common restaurants and fast-food places, like Fast Food Calories. They also keep track of their food intake throughout the day, like Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker by MyFitnessPal. Social media apps such as Twitter also help through tips from actual nutritional experts, like @Nutrition_gov and @TeamNutrition.
Trend 4: Quality over taste.
It won’t be about the quantity of calories this year, but the quality. Although something may taste good, and we all know many foods that are absolutely delicious, like ice cream, brownies, burgers, and fries (just to name a few…), could be absolutely horrible for your body. Instead of worrying about your taste buds, think about the nutritional value of the product and what it does for you body. Pay attention to products with high sugar and salt value. There are some yummy foods that have great nutritional value, which brings us to the next trend.
Trend 5: Fruits and veggies above everything.
Fruits and veggies still remain the best choice that satisfies your nutrition and taste. They follow the first trend because fruits and veggies come great raw and they are full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that benefit your overall wellness. My personal favorite thing to do with fruits and veggies, which is also great for people on the go, is to make my own fruit and veggie smoothie. You can incorporate not everyone’s favorite dark greens like kale and spinach in a common favorite, berry smoothie. Your favorite yummy berry smoothie will mask the taste of dark greens, but you will be getting your serving of fruits and veggies that will give your body the right amount nutrition. Smoothies like this also keep your tummy full and give you a lot of natural energy to get you through a busy day. And the best part is that these smoothies taste great. The Tropical Smoothie Café located on UCF’s campus on Research Parkway offers a kale and spinach smoothie, try one and get a day’s worth of great tasting nutrition.