If you remember the shake weight, the sauna suits, or to be honest, any kind of diet pill, then you probably have a good idea of some crazy (and sometimes ridiculous) fitness fads that have come to pass.
Unfortunately, many of these so-called ‘fads’ are completely misleading and tend to only work temporarily, if at all.
However, not every fitness trend out there is a complete flop. In fact, I’ve tried many of these so-called ‘trends’ and have absolutely loved the results. Here are a few of my personal favorites:
1. Raw Foods Diet
Photo by Helena Yankovska on Unsplash
A raw foods diet consists of uncooked, unprocessed, and mostly organic foods. This means that no food is cooked, but rather eaten in its raw, natural state. Think fresh vegetables and fruits that can be put in salads, smoothies, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains.
The idea behind a raw foods diet is so that all of the foods are easier to digest in their raw form, which saves you energy. Additionally, according to many studies, up to 50 percent of vitamins and minerals can be lost in cooking foods, such as vegetables.
Biggest Pro: You will feel AMAZING. And I mean, absolutely amazing. The idea of this diet is you’re eating all live foods, which in turn really does make you feel more alive! When I’m eating all raw foods, my energy levels are up, my mood is high and my overall appearance looks more healthy.
Biggest Con: This diet tends to be expensive! You’re buying all fresh, high-quality and organic produce, which definitely adds up. This diet also requires a lot of prep-time, cooking and planning out meals (unless you want to just chomp on raw carrots for dinner).
2. Hot Yoga
I started practicing hot yoga about ten years ago, far before it became ‘trendy’. However, I actually love the fact that it’s trending because it’s a practice that I think everyone can benefit from. I commonly hear that yoga is just ‘stretching’, but assure me when I tell you it can be an amazing workout. More specifically, I recommend taking a vinyasa flow or hot based power class if you’re looking for a great workout. My body changed completely when I started practicing yoga. I became much more slender, toned, and even my skin started clearing up! The added heat to a yoga class allows you to get your heart rate higher which helps you burn more calories, it allows you to stretch deeper because your muscles warm up quicker, and you will SWEAT — a lot — which rids your body of toxins.
Biggest Pro: You will feel amazing after a hot yoga class. It’s a great workout, your body will become much more flexible and limber, and you’ll also feel much less stressed and anxious due to the meditative effects of a yoga class.
Biggest Con: Sometimes it’s hard to commit to a yoga class in a hot room if you already live in a hot climate. Also, plan on being super sweaty after a hot yoga class, so I would recommend either finding a studio with showers, or just make sure you don’t have any hot date plans after you take a class.
3. CoolSculpting
Photo by Christopher Campbell on Unsplash.
I haven’t had the chance to try this personally yet, but my coworker has and loved it. CoolSculpting is a fairly newer technique that helps get rid of stubborn fat cells. I’m sure you’ve heard of liposuction or other fat-removing methods, but the best part of CoolSculpting is that it’s non-invasive and you don’t have to go under the knife. Basically, CoolSculpting literally cools, or freezes your fat cells until they die. Your body will then process those fat cells and eliminate them over time, ridding your body of the fat cells altogether. If you’re interested, read more about the procedure and prices here.
The Pros: This is by far the safest and effective way to get rid of those stubborn fat cells (ahem, love handles). Additionally, there are little to no side effects, so as soon as you're done 'sculpting' you can go right back to normal life.
The Cons: If you're looking for an over-night change, this isn't for you. Following this procedure, you might look the same for a few days or even a few weeks as the body eliminates the fat out of your body. Your body will naturally slough off the fatty tissue over a few weeks, and your slimmer body will emerge.
4. Keto Diet
This diet has been trending for at least the past year now, and is very popular due to its amazing benefits. Not only do people lose tons of weight on this diet, but it will increase your energy levels as well. A Keto diet is basically a high-fat, low carb diet. The reduction in carbs and increase of fats forces your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, which means your body will use fats as energy instead of carbs. If you’re using this diet to lose weight, this guide will tell you how quickly you’ll lose some pounds. Typically, if you have weight to lose, you’ll lose most of your weight within the first week. I have many friends who have used this diet simply for more energy as well, so don’t be fooled that the keto-diet is only good for the lose weight fast mentality.
Pros: One word: CHEESE. You get to be on a diet and eat delicious foods, like bacon? Sign me up. This diet restricts carbs but encourages fats, so you definitely won’t go hungry. A typical meal is filled with cheese, meats, and cream.
Cons: Say goodbye to fruit! If you’re a fruit lover, then you should re-think going on a keto diet. Even though fruits are good for you, they’re very high-carb, which means they’re not allowed with a keto diet.
5. Barre
Yet another trendy fitness class to come to the market — but this one actually works! Barre classes range in style depending on where you take them, but they all have one common denominator; a bar. Not a bar that serves alcoholic drinks, but a bar like you'd imagine in a ballet class. In these barre classes, you'll do a series of exercises that typically focus on your legs and your booty.
Biggest Pro: You'll get the legs and booty of a dancer, without having to do any dance. In fact, many of the exercises you'll find in a barre class you'll also find in a ballet class.
Biggest Con: You won't be able to walk the next day.
