It’s a brand spanking New Year, and here at JAM Towers we couldn’t help but notice that the media has been awash with diet news to help you get the body of your dreams for 2014.
Not only that, but it appears that sugar has become Enemy No.1 according to press reports. From damaging levels of sugar in our favourite everyday snacks (The Guardian), to advice for swapping out your foods for healthy alternatives (Change 4 Life), it seems we’re being actively encouraged to make a change for the better when it comes to our body this year.
And it couldn’t come sooner. According to a report on the State of the Nation’s Waistline from the National Obesity Forum, half the British population will be obese by 2050, confirming that the country is well and truly in the grip of an obesity epidemic.
So as attention turns to whipping the nation back into shape for the year ahead, we’ve taken a look at some of the diets that have made news so far in 2014:
•The Paleo Diet
Apparently the key to the perfect physique is taking a lesson from our cavemen ancestors, by cutting out sugar, processed meats and simple carbs. Yet, The Huffington Post has reported that teeth from 52 skeletons dating back between 13,700 and 15,000 years showed tooth decay in hunter-gatherers, which proves that a diet rich in foraged seeds and nuts had an adverse effect on teeth. Something to bear in mind if you’re looking to this for dieting salvation.
•5:2 diet / fasting
Eat 500 calories for two days of the week, and whatever you fancy for the other five. Fasting was all the rage towards the end of 2013. Now there’s a Chicago-based scientist who reckons that the 4:3 method of fasting can be just as effective. Research also shows that those who eat what they like (including all the foods they love) during off days see better results than those who avoid high fat foods, due to increased satiation. Not bad!
•Sugar Detox
The book making headlines at the moment is The Sugar Detox by Brooke Alpert and Patricia Farris. Apparently the best route to looking younger and losing weight is going cold turkey and cutting out the sweet stuff. Full stop. One for those with awesome willpower.
•The ‘Hand Diet’
Keep your portions in control with these simple tips. Having pasta? Make sure the portion is no bigger than your fist. Serving up cheese? Two fingers worth should do the trick. The Mail Online says we all need to be more mindful about our portion control – something which can be tricky when there’s cookies floating around the office!
And if all this talk of dieting is giving you a headache, just bear the advice of this doctor in mind.
