While low-carb diets will remain popular this year, it’s predicted that consumers will be welcoming back fat with open arms.
Unlike the Atkins diet, which encouraged followers to increase foods such as cheese and butter, this is all about choosing the right sort of fat.
So you are looking at plenty of oils, avocados, eggs, and so-called fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel. And carbs are also encouraged.
Make sure you stock up on seeds and nuts too, as most registered dieticians named these as the superfood that will reign supreme in 2015.
The secret behind fat-loss success lies in fuelling your body with nutrient-dense meals. Start by going back to basics.
Number one on the list is fibre, both soluble and insoluble. Fibre helps slow digestion and recharges your body with a steady stream of energy, but worryingly, a whopping 90% of British women don’t eat enough roughage.
Eat meals high in protein, which helps preserve lean muscle mass, and omega-3 fatty acids. These turn on fat-burning enzymes in your cells and regulate the hormone leptin, which keeps you satiated.
Finally, spice up your meals for a metabolism kick. Chilli and paprika both contain capsaicin, which helps speed weight loss, while cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar and reduce cravings.
Feeling stuffed after that Christmas feast?
If you seriously need to work on that belly bulge and want to get back into a healthy eating plan, then here are some simple slimming strategies to get you back on track.
1. You’ll need to eliminate all processed, packaged foods over the next four weeks to help kick-start your liver, the main channel of detoxification.
2. Make sure to eat at regular intervals. You should eat three meals plus two snacks, one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon to avoid blood sugar dips.
3. Avoid caffeinated and fizzy drinks. Swap tea and coffee for decaffeinated versions and sip on herbal teas including green tea, fennel tea and nettle. Increase your intake of water to a minimum of two litres a day. Liven up water by adding slices of cucumber or a squeeze of liver-boosting lemon.
4. Avoid eating meals in front of the computer or TV and try to concentrate on what you’re eating, taking a break in between bites.
5. Allow yourself one treat each week. Choose from a small glass of red wine, a small bar of dark or raw chocolate, lemon sorbet or a small pot of frozen yoghurt.
If you’re not already a fully paid-up member of the kale fan club, its low-calorie, high-fibre and zero-fat profile should tempt you to get on board.
As well as being a great addition to any weight-loss plan, kale is ideal for digestion and will help keep your system moving as it contains around 5g fibre per 100g.
Kale is an excellent source of iron – and, in fact, it contains more iron than beef per serve! That’s important for anyone with anaemia or heavy periods, or just looking for more energy, as it helps to form haemoglobin, the molecules that carry iron within our red blood cells.
Kale is also high in calcium, giving milk a run for its money with fewer calories. If you’re dairy intolerant or vegan, this veg will give you a good dose of bone-strengthening calcium.
Vitamin K, which helps to protect against certain cancers, is also found in high quantities in kale, along with heaps of antioxidants. This all-important, but lesser known vitamin is needed for a whole host of bodily functions, including the health of your bones, preventing blood clotting and keeping cholesterol in check.
Kale can help fight inflammation as it contains omega-3 fatty acids, so make sure you’re eating kale regularly if you have an injury, arthritis or asthma, as it will help to reduce the effects and speed recovery.
Vitamins A and C are two more vitamins found in kale. Vitamin A is important for vision and vitamin C for your immune system, but both of them are brilliant skin vitamins so dose up to help keep wrinkles at bay.
And if all of this wasn’t enough, kale is also a great way to cleanse your body, containing both fibre and sulphur, which are involved in the detoxification process.