January is known as “diet” month, and whether you’re perusing your social media feeds, watching the news or reading a magazine, you’re sure to see and hear plenty of buzz about what to eat, what not to eat and how to eat in 2019. Here are some of the biggest diet trends I see for 2019 and my take on each:
Keto: The keto craze continues. Everywhere you turn, another celebrity or athlete is swearing by keto. Keto is a higher fat and less flexible version of Atkins, but it’s not an overnight sensation. It’s been around since the 1920s, when it was developed to treat children with epilepsy. As with Atkins, keto causes your body to shift from burning carbs (and sugar) for fuel to burning fat for fuel.
Pegan: Pinterest searches for the Pegan diet, which is the Paleo diet (where meat, poultry and fish is allowed) combined with some vegan diet principles, were up 337% in 2018. The majority of each Pegan meal (up to 75%) consists of vegetables, nuts, seeds and some fruits, and the other 25% consists of grass-fed, sustainably-raised meat, poultry and eggs, plus fish and healthy fats. You avoid sugar, gluten and dairy, and limit gluten-free grains and legumes. Sound familiar? Other than avoiding dairy, Pegan is similar to a plant-focused Atkins.
Low carb wins over low fat: A new study in JAMA suggests limiting sugary foods and drinks can help reduce fatty liver disease in children. And in another black mark against low fat diets, a study from the University of Leuven in Belgium finds that low fat foods may contribute to obesity when they are labeled “low fat”. The low fat label seems to give people the OK to overeat these foods, even though they have more artificial ingredients, salt, calories and most likely sugar then their full-fat versions.
Eating in instead of eating out: There’s a renewed interest in cooking and eating at home, for good reason. With a just a little planning, eating at home is cheaper and healthier. For over 20 years, Atkins has always emphasized delicious low carb recipes made from whole foods. And when time is time, but you do want to eat at home, Atkins’ low carb frozen meals heat up in minutes. And, if you want to splurge on a restaurant meal, you can learn a lot from these low carb tips for eating out from a few of our Atkins success stories here.
#NoDiet2019: You’ll see this hash tag everywhere. People are starting to realize that a short-term, quick fix diet is not as healthy as making lasting changes to your eating habits. Many people following a low carb eating approach are self starters who have resolved not to diet, and are looking for a program that you can customize to your lifestyle, like Atkins 100.
Have you noticed a common theme with these diet trends? They are all “low carb-ish”. What’s not a trend? The low-calorie guidelines that our government continues to push. This approach is neither practical nor sustainable.
But I am really encouraged by this focus on eating patterns that cycle beyond weight loss. This is an approach to food that becomes a lifestyle, which is what Atkins has been all about for 40 years.