There are a lot more than five nutrition trends that need to be left in 2019. But, here are Kelsey Girlie’s top 5 things that need to be left in 2019.

Anything ‘Detox’

The first nutrition trend that needs to be left in 2019 is detoxing.

Have a liver? Check. Have kidney’s? Check. You are all detoxed up. If these are not working for you, you need way more than a detox tea to solve your problem. You need to see a Doctor, the medical kind. In the flesh.

The word ‘detox’ is overused when it comes to fixing bad habits. So much so, it’s done wonders for the market of skinny teas, detox supplements, and juicing products . All which do no good except spread the false notion that we need to perform a detox every once in a while.

So, what’s the big deal? It’s a waste of money, for one. Two, I just have a real big problem with purposely spewing false claims and inciting fear for personal profit. Unless you really love celery juice or that flavor of tea, have at it! Just please stop calling it a detox.

What do we need instead? Perhaps practice saying ‘no’ to things you feel like you overindulge in. Or a “not today”. You could also try limiting exposure to things that are hard to say no to. This practice may even cause some feelings of empowerment, like you really are in charge of your own life and don’t need to be restrained from yourself (aka a detox).

Sugar is Bad

#2 Nutrition trends that needs to be left in 2019: thinking sugar is bad.

You’d think sugar causes cancer the way it’s been drug through the mud in 2019. Or wait, was that actually a claim? It first occurred to me that the Sugar=bad thinking was getting out of hand when I watched a video of a self proclaimed health coach explain that it was important to look at the amount of carbohydrates in a food because in the body it is turned Straight. To. Sugar…..**gasp**! She said it with such conviction and with shame on sugar that I was even like, OMG no way!!

Then I took a moment to think logically. Yo, that is what is supposed to happen. Carbs are broken down, digested, and turned into sugar (glucose) in the body. Glucose is our bodies main source of energy. Energy necessary to move around and for vital organ function.

Sugar has gotten such a bad rap that logic and a basic understanding of how the body works went out the window for this girl. I’m sure she wasn’t meaning to cause confusion or use fear mongering as a tactic, but I wouldn’t put it past the supplement brand she was a health coach for.

What needs to happen instead? First, we all need to be re-educated on how the body works, what we need to survive, and nutrient rich vs. energy dense foods. Then we should probably focus more on nutrient density than giving food a moral label of good or bad. This will allow us to chill out about eating fruit (fructose) and consuming milk (lactose) and maybe limit more energy dense, less nutritious foods like donuts, cakes, and cookies.

 We all need to be re-educated on how the body works, what we need to survive, and nutrient rich vs. energy dense foods. Then we should probably focus more on nutrient density than giving food a moral label of good or bad. 

Saying ‘Chemicals’ and ‘Toxins’

The third nutrition trend that needs to be left in 2019: saying chemicals and toxins.

I’ll repeat: I have a real big problem with purposely spewing false claims and inciting fear for profit. The most irritating thing about this is that ‘health food’ companies have been pushing this for so long that the general population now refers to most processed foods as having chemicals and toxins in them.

Literally, everything is a chemical. So, let’s leave that term in 2019 please. See Top Nutrition Myths to visit more of the research on organic products vs. conventional.

What should we focus on instead? Our overall health. Achieving and maintaining a healthy body composition, focusing on nutrient dense foods, and limiting overly processed foods will impact our quality of life way more than worrying about the chemical make up of a certain food.

Diet Cults

The fourth of five nutrition trends that needs to be left in 2019 is diet cults.

“I’m Gluten Free” “I’m Vegan” “I’m Keto” “I’m Carnivore”

Can we please stop trying to identify as a diet?

Let’s just eat what we prefer and what makes us feel good? It’s food for goodness sake. It’s not a religion. We do not have to live within the confines of a certain diet. What works for one person does not work for everyone.

I rejoice for those that have found a diet that fits! But I do warn that flippantly saying “Try X diet, it works for me” does not help your co-worker. They could try it, not like it, and then feel like a failure for after trying yet another diet, which causes stress or even depression. A more helpful insight could be just talking with someone struggling and asking “what are your goals”, “what do you plan to do about them?” Sometimes, all we need to do is talk things through.

If you feel like you are running through all the diet trends and still do not have a good grasp of what works for you, that is what Basic Body Solutions is all about. It may be time to speak with a coach.

All or Nothing Thinking

The fifth of 5 nutrition trends that needs to be left in 2019 is the All or Nothing approach to dieting and exercise.

You’re either on a diet or not. You’re either on a workout plan or not.

I’ve spoken with enough clients to know being ‘All In’ is most likely a set up for disaster. Those declarations just don’t seem to cut it when trying to override lifelong behavioral habits. You may be fine for a few days, but once life hits and those die hard old habits creep back up, pesky feelings of failure and defeat fill your mind. I HATE THAT.

Set SMART Goals, make realistic plans, be patient with yourself and strive for consistency over perfection. It may be time to speak with a qualified coach.

Conclusion

The main point I am trying to make with all the trends we need to leave in 2019 is that I overall just want to stop all the things that make people scared to eat something, feel bad for liking food, and the perpetual thoughts that our bodies may be broken.

We are resilient and can withstand more than we realize. Health can take time. Weight loss can take time. Changing our behaviors definitely takes time. It can happen in 2020 too! If we leave these five trends in 2019.