All These End-of-Year Trends…

December 18, 2010 in Culture

Do you see a trend in the images above? (no pun intended)

I personally love reading trends. I like being in the loop… in the know… whatever you want to call it. But sometimes, towards the end of the year, these type of articles start to become a little overwhelming. Everyone is in the mood to review the year that has past, in hopes of figuring out which things worked, and which haven’t. But how do you know if the trend article itself is accurate? How can you trust a review – what things do you look for?

I’ll tell you what I look for:

  1. A credible source.
  2. Factual evidence.
  3. Real-life examples. (i.e. tested by unbiased people from the general public).
  4. Lack of exaggeration.
  5. A commitment to the holistic approach when it comes to food and fitness (i.e. avoidance of processed methods as much as possible).

Now I’d like to share my favorite trends in food and fitness pooled from several different sources:

1. P90x

I’ve talked to enough of my friends who have tried this to know that it’s legit. The infomercials look a little sketchy – especially because some of the before-and-after footage looks so dramatic. According to this Yahoo trend article, “The hype machine of the infomercial doesn’t change the fact that P90X is a really solid, well-rounded, old-school weight and cardio program that will deliver great results to anyone who has the dedication to push themselves through the workouts and, most importantly, reel in their diet.”  It’s all about the commitment though… I know people who haven’t seen almost any results, simply because they’ve done maybe three days of the workout.

2. Real Food, All the Time

According to the Food Network 2010 Food Trends, # 1 trend is ‘Keeping it Real’: “It is about pure, simple, clean and sustainable. It is—dare we say—a shift from convenience foods to scratch cooking, now that we have more time than money and more food knowledge and concerns.” If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’d know by now that I believe that eating real food made with ingredients that are as unprocessed as possible is of utmost importance. In fact, I personally wouldn’t call it a ‘trend’ simply because I see it more as a way of life. This is not to diminish the fact that I’m relieved to finally see that many people are becoming more attuned to their bodies and realizing that they really are what they eat!

3. American Food Develops a Global Flavor

Expanding the palate and flavors of ‘American food’ to include spices and fusion dishes from different cultures is a very exciting trend. It’s time we became more creative with ‘American food’ – the burger-and-fries combo is getting old and the menus at many ‘contemporary American’ restaurants can benefit from a little variety. The Food Network seems just as excited about this trend as I am: “It’s not just about restaurants, of course. The true American ethnic is a merging of flavors at home. We’re taking those old recipes, and we’re applying our own cooking knowledge and available spices to make them ‘original’ all over again. We’re pairing things differently, too—a little from this country, a little from that, and we have a new flavor and texture combination that is distinctly American. It’s a great time to be a spice.”
4. Fusion Yoga

Several years ago, yoga was practiced by only a few people in big cities. It seems that in the past couple of years and especially in 2010, it has grown like wildfire… everyone practices yoga for fitness and ease of mind. A big trend in 2010, according to Well & Good NYC, is fusion yoga – or yoga that incorporates other dances like the Brazilian Capoeira or break-dancing. This type of yoga may not be as ‘calming’ as regular yoga with poses sustained for a long time, but it sure is a work out. I’ve tried Vinyasa once and I’m not even sure if it incorporated any other dances or movements, but it sure was vigorous!
5. Mainstreaming Sustainability

More people are realizing that organic, locally-produced foods should be the rule rather than the exception and the trend is catching on. People are finally beginning to prioritize buying quality ingredients over eating out regularly. They are beginning to see value in finding food that is bought locally: “Eating local will be recognized as a sustainable way to eat. Eating seasonal and fresh is sustainable. Biodegradable packaging is sustainable. Grass fed beef—something we predict you’ll see more of in 2010—is all about sustainability as well as flavor. We are assimilating sustainability and making it work for us instead of fighting it” (Food Network).
So there you have it – my favorite food and fitness trends from 2010! What are yours?
*This post was sponsored by Love Reading.*

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