The Best Diet & Exercise Trends for a Healthier 2024

Around 50% of Americans will make a New Year’s resolution to exercise more, lose weight, eat healthier, or get in shape in 2024. But how? Alarming health statistics show the average American adult is overweight and leading an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Diseases connected to poor diet and inactivity — like diabetes and heart disease — are on a rapid rise. It’s clear a wellness intervention is needed.

The new year brings no shortage of new diet and exercise trends that can help Americans finally achieve their health goals. This article will highlight the most popular ones worth considering. 

First up? A body cleanse to hit the reset button and prepare your system for positive changes ahead. Juice cleanses, intermittent fasting, and colon cleanses can remove toxins and improve digestion in just days or weeks. 

With a refreshed body primed for nutrient absorption, you’ll better transition onto a healthier diet plan like the Mediterranean Diet or ketogenic diet. 

Pair that nutritional overhaul with 2024’s hottest exercise trends — high intensity interval training, virtual workouts, and wearable tech — and you have a comprehensive plan primed for life-changing success all year long. 

So, read on to learn how the newest wellness trends can help you become the healthiest version of yourself in 2024!

Body Cleanses

A body cleanse is a process of removing toxins and waste from your body through different methods. Doing a cleanse can “reset” your system and prepare it for adopting a new diet regimen. A cleansed body absorbs nutrients better and allows changes to take effect faster.

Popular types of cleanses include:

Juice Cleanses

These cleanses involve only consuming fruit and vegetable juices for a period of time, allowing your GI tract to rest while flooding your body with micronutrients. Juice cleanses typically last 3-5 days. They help eliminate toxins, improve digestion, and increase energy.

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting has emerged as more than just a weight loss tool. It gives your body a break from digestion, allowing it to heal and regenerate. Fasting prompts cells to recycle waste material and removes damaged cells. Popular fasting schedules include 16:8 (16 hours fasting, 8 hours eating) or alternate day fasting.

Colon Cleanses

Colon cleanses use supplements, enemas, or colon irrigation to flush out your intestinal tract. Many claim health benefits like improved gut health and nutrient absorption, though more research is still needed. Talk to your doctor before attempting a colon cleanse.

Doing a cleanse 1-2 weeks before changing your diet can better prepare your body and set you up for success. It lets you start fresh with better digestion, reduced bloat, fewer cravings, and an eager absorption of coming nutrients.

When choosing a cleanse, opt for one lasting 3-5 days at most. Only juice or intermittent fast if you have no underlying conditions. And always talk to your doctor before attempting a colon cleanse. Starting 2024 with a reset cleanse can pay dividends all year long.

Top Diet Trends in 2024

Switching up your diet is one of the most impactful ways to improve your health. The new year brings a bevy of popular eating plans that promise weight loss, disease prevention, and increased wellbeing. Should you jump on the Mediterranean diet bandwagon? Or test out that ketogenic diet your friend has been raving about? Here’s a breakdown of 2024’s leading diet trends to help you decide.

Mediterranean Diet

Hailed for its bounty of health benefits, the Mediterranean diet comes out on top once again as 2023’s best overall diet. This regional plan mimics the traditional cuisine of Greece, Italy, and other coastal countries — think olive oil, nuts, fish, beans, fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and wine. Research shows followers have lower risks of heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. Plus, the diet ranks high for sustainability and affordability.

Allowed Foods

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes:

• Fruits, veggies, beans, lentils
• Whole intact grains like brown rice or quinoa
• Nuts, seeds
• Legumes
• Herbs and spices
• Seafood 2+ times a week
• Poultry, eggs in moderation
• Low-fat dairy like yogurt or cheese
• Red wine in moderation

Tips for Following

Transitioning to this regional plan takes some acclimation at first. To make it stick:

• Stock up on olive oil and signature herbs
• Sub out butter for heart-healthy fats
• Cook seafood 1+ times a week
• Make produce the star of your meals
• Drink water or wine instead of soda or juice

Research shows even just increasing a few Mediterranean staples creates measurable health improvements — so don’t be intimidated. With its flexibility and bounty of benefits, this regional plan can boost nearly everyone’s wellness.

Ketogenic Diet

If you’re looking to burn fat fast, the ketogenic diet promises just that. This ultra low-carb plan puts your body into ketosis — a state where you burn ketones rather than glucose for fuel. The diet has exploded in popularity due to its rapid weight loss effects. But is it safe long term? Here’s what you need to know before hopping on the keto bandwagon.

The ketogenic diet typically limits carbs to just 5-10% of daily calories. To put your body in fat-torching ketosis mode, carbs must stay under 50 grams per day. That means saying goodbye to sugar, grains, legumes, starchy veggies, and most fruits. Protein makes up about 20% of calories, with 70-80% from fat — mostly in the form of olive oil, nut butters, avocado, fatty fish, bacon, heavy cream.

Pros

• Rapid weight and fat loss, especially initially
• Suppresses appetite
• Reduces insulin and blood sugar
• Improves markers for heart disease

Cons

• Difficult to adhere to long term
• Risk of nutrient deficiencies
• GI issues like constipation
• Not suitable for those with kidney issues, diabetes, or gallbladder problems

The keto diet delivers proven results when done correctly. But it’s highly restrictive nature makes it hard to stick to forever. Most use keto short term before transitioning to a more sustainable low-carb diet for weight maintenance. Talk to your doctor before attempting keto, especially if you have an underlying health condition or take medications that the diet may interfere with.

Intermittent Fasting

If you prefer to forget fad diets, intermittent fasting (IF) is the simplest eating plan for sustainable weight loss and overall health. IF has believers fasting for 14-18 hours daily, allowing only a restricted window for food intake (typically 6-8 hours). This cyclic fasting pattern gives your body a break from digestion, prompting restorative benefits. 

Studies show intermittent fasting helps you naturally reduce calories without constant hunger. Other touted benefits include blood sugar stabilization, reduced inflammation, improved brain function, and increased longevity.

Here’s a breakdown of the most popular IF plans:

• 16:8 method: Fast for 16 hours (including sleep), eat within an 8 hour window. Most popular for weight loss.
• Alternate day fasting: Fast every other day. On fast days, limit it to 500 calories.
• 5:2 diet: Fast 2 non-consecutive days a week, eating normally the other 5 days.

Tips to Get Started

Intermittent fasting takes some adjustment but quickly feels normal. Suggested tips:

• Stay hydrated with water, tea, coffee
• Gradually reduce eating window week-to-week
• Accept initial hunger pangs until your body adapts
• Break your fast with protein + veggies to stay full
• Listen to your body; modify if fatigued

Research overwhelmingly supports intermittent fasting for improved body composition, focus, blood markers, and metabolism. Test different fasting schedules to find one that’s sustainable for you long term. Just remember to break fasts gently and stay hydrated.

Plant-Based Diets

Plant-based eating plans like vegetarianism, veganism, and flexitarianism experience a surge in interest every new year. Diets that emphasize mostly or exclusively plants promise a bounty of benefits: weight loss, disease protection, gut health, longer life expectancy, and reduced environmental impact. With proper planning, plant-based regimes can be safe and highly nutritious for all ages.

Variations

Here’s how leading plant-based diets differ:

Vegetarian: No meat, poultry, or seafood. Subgroups include:

• Lacto-ovo – Allows eggs and dairy
• Lacto – Allows dairy
• Ovo – Allows eggs

Pescatarian: No meat or poultry. Allows seafood and other animal products like eggs and dairy.

Vegan: Excludes all animal products including meat, dairy, eggs, honey.

Flexitarian: Mostly plant-based but occasionally eats meat, dairy, eggs or seafood.

Benefits

Research shows plant-forward diets reduce risks for:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Certain cancers
• Hypertension
• Obesity

They also have less environmental impact than standard diets, given plant food production has significantly lower carbon emissions.

Considerations

To stay healthy on plant-based regimes:

• Take B12 supplements if excluding all animal foods
• Ensure adequate protein intake
• Include iron-rich plants like lentils, spinach
• Soak/sprout grains, nuts and seeds to maximize nutrient absorption

With proper attention to nutrients of concern, plant-based diets perform extremely well for health, longevity, weight loss, and sustainability goals. They make smart options for health-conscious folks in 2024.

Top Exercise Trends in 2024

Exercise pairs perfectly with a proper diet for achieving wellness goals. The new year brings innovative workout programs that leverage technology, variety, and efficiency to finally make fitness fun. Here’s the lowdown on 2024’s hottest exercise trends to help you sweat smarter.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Touted for enhancing cardio, torching calories, and optimizing metabolism, high intensity interval training (HIIT) tops exercise lists year after year. HIIT alternates short bursts of intense activity with recovery periods. A typical routine repeats cycles of 30-60 seconds all-out effort followed by 60-90 seconds rest.

Sample HIIT Moves

HIIT can use any exercise, including:

• Sprints
• Jump squats
• Mountain climbers
• Jump rope
• Burpees
• Battle rope slams

Benefits

Research confirms HIIT outperforms steady-state cardio for:

• Increased calorie burn during/after exercise
• Improved aerobic capacity
• Reduced body fat
• Better blood sugar regulation

Beginner Modifications

HIIT is intense by nature, so beginners should modify pacing and volume, including:

• Lengthen intense interval duration
• Shorten recovery periods
• Reduce number of cycles
• Lower intensity (jog instead of sprint)

Leveraging the rapid benefits of HIIT 2-3 times a week accelerates health improvements faster than traditional long and slow cardio. Adjust intensity to your current fitness to prevent burnout.

Virtual/Digital Workouts

The pandemic fueled an explosion of digital fitness resources that make working out more convenient than ever. Streaming services and apps allow accessing instructor-led classes anywhere, anytime. And innovative wearable tech offers hyper-personalized routines. 2024 will see virtual workouts continue rising in popularity for their flexibility and customization.

Top Apps & Streaming Services

Leading digital fitness platforms include:

• Peloton – streaming cycling, running, HIIT, yoga, strength training
• Apple Fitness+ – personalized programs across HIIT, yoga, cycling, rowing, strength, dance
• Nike Training Club – huge workout library from strength to cardio to yoga
• Aaptiv – audio-based trainer-led classes for indoor/outdoor exercise
• Daily Burn – huge on-demand library across hiit, strength, cardio, dance, yoga

Benefits

Virtual workouts allow:

• Access to unlimited class variety
• Customization for any fitness level
• Trainer instruction/motivation
• Accountability through tracking/sharing

They eliminate barriers like weather, location, or tight schedules. And on-demand libraries mean finding a quick routine anytime.

As wearable tech advances, digital platforms will only get smarter at providing customized, results-driven guidance. Virtual fitness makes getting — and staying — in shape easier than ever.

Wearable Tech

Advanced wearable devices like fitness trackers and smartwatches make exercise hyper-personalized. These tiny computers analyze your workouts, sleep, recovery and lifestyle to serve up optimized routines and suggestions. Leading models even provide on-demand coaching tailored to your current fitness.

Top Devices

Wearable stars include:

• Apple Watch Series 8 – Robust health/fitness tracking with crash detection and medication reminders
• Fitbit Sense 2 – Stress tracking alongside typical exercise metrics
• Garmin Fenix 7X – Top notch runtime metrics for endurance athletes
• Whoop 4.0 – Focused purely on strain, recovery and sleep optimization for athletes
• Oura Ring Gen3 – Sleek profile for continuous health insights 24/7

Customized Feedback

Advanced wearables track an array of workout metrics like:

• Heart rate zones
• V02 Max
• Power/pace
• Rep counts
• Metabolics like lactate thresholds

They then prescribe hyper-personalized recovery times, intensities, or training loads based on your chronic workload, sleep, strain, and readiness scores.

Choose a device aligned to your primary goal, be it general health, weight loss, or hardcore athletic performance. Let wearable tech take the guesswork out of efficient, results-driven exercise in 2024 and beyond.

Putting It All Together

We’ve covered the leading diet and fitness trends that can launch you towards better health in 2024. While variety exists in the wellness space, core fundamentals remain constant when working towards body composition or fitness improvements. 

Here are tips for pairing your diet and exercise plan:

Find Balance

Design a program checks all boxes: cardiovascular health, muscle/bone strength, flexibility, balance. Popular template splits exercise days between HIIT, strength training, yoga. Pair this with a sensible diet full of lean protein, fiber, and healthy fats.

Set Realistic Goals

Don’t expect to burn 30 pounds in 30 days or run a half marathon next month. Set small milestones first before progressing towards bigger long term goals. Maintain realistic expectations to prevent frustration.

Stay Consistent

The best programs fail without consistency over months and years. Calendar workouts to solidify the habit. Tracking progress with an app provides accountability.

Tune In

Listen to subtle signals like fatigue, hunger, cravings or stress. Your body will tell you when it needs more recovery, nutrition, or self-care. Be adaptable and address issues proactively.

Designing a balanced, personalized plan tailored to your needs and lifestyle takes a bit more effort upfront, but sets you up for sustainable success towards your wellness goals not just for 2024, but the long haul.

Conclusion

As we head into a new year, millions pledge renewed health and wellness goals like losing weight, improving stamina, or reducing disease risk. But fad diets and monotone exercise routines often lead to short-lived results and quick burnout. The key is crafting a balanced regimen tailored to your individual needs and preferences — something the influx of new diet and exercise trends can help optimize.

Body cleanses like juice fasting, intermittent fasting, or colonics offer reset potential to clear the slate. Pair cleansing with reduced toxin intake and improved nutrition absorption from trendy diets like Mediterranean, ketogenic, or plant-based plans. Then complement optimized eating with innovative workouts like high intensity interval training, virtual digital platforms promising unlimited at-home routines, or smart wearable devices that learn and adapt to your unique physiology.

While variety exists, core fundamentals remain when striving towards health improvements. Find balance across nutrition and movement patterns. Set realistic goals and timeline expectations. Stay consistent with the regimen while also tuning in to your body’s needs around recovery, fuel intake, stress levels and more. Approach wellness as a lifelong journey rather than a quick fix.

Armed with 2024’s smartest diet and exercise intel, you now have all the tools needed to make this year your healthiest and happiest yet. So what are you waiting for? A stronger, leaner, higher energy you is just around the corner. 

Cathy Wise

Cathy has worked in the supplement industry for over 20 years. Self taught through experience, trial & error and osmosis, having worked side-by-side with amazing practitioners of all backgrounds.  She has diligently learned how to be healthy, listen to her body and be her own advocate when things are not right. A recent battle with severe anemia put everything into perspective: don’t take your health for granted.  Currently she is the VP of all things Acupuncture Atlanta.