We all have that one friend who used their quarantine time to meditate, drink green juice, and get totally shredded. Then there’s the rest of us. Millions of Americans stress ate and marathon baked their way through the last 10 months. Sadly, the pandemic is far from over, but a new year always brings hope and resolutions. For those of us who would like to lose weight for health reasons or even just clean up our eating habits, here are some popular celebrity diets that may work for you in 2021.
Sirtfood Diet
Adele began her weight loss journey a few years ago but shocked fans in 2020 with a dramatic new look. The Grammy winner hosted SNL in October and joked, “I know I look different than when you last saw me, but because of the COVID restrictions and the travel ban, I had to travel light and I could only bring only half of me, and this is the half I chose.” Rumor has it that in addition to working out, the singer followed the Sirtfood Diet. The eating program was created by two nutritionists who based the diet on research surrounding sirtuins, a type of protein that helps regulate metabolism and inflammation. The foods allowed on the diet are all high in sirtuins and include foods like buckwheat, kale, soy, strawberries, walnuts, and onions. Most people become intrigued by the diet when they discover that red wine, coffee, and dark chocolate are also encouraged. Not so intriguing? The diet’s severe calorie restrictions. Per Good Housekeeping, “For the first three days, dieters are expected to consume just 1,000 calories each day that consist of a single meal and two green juices. Later in the first week, dieters will enjoy 1,500-calorie meal plans for four days that are mostly divided between two meals.” And while it wouldn’t be realistic or healthy to follow the Sirtfood Diet long term, it may work for some people to jumpstart their weight loss.
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Intermittent Fasting
Beyoncé, Hugh Jackman, Reese Witherspoon, Terry Crews, Jennifer Aniston, Halle Barry, and Kourtney Kardashian are all fans of intermittent fasting. And don’t let the word “fasting” freak you out – this technique doesn’t involve going days without eating. The two most popular methods include the 16/8 method and the 5:2 diet. The 16/8 method or “Leangains protocol” requires one to eat their daily foods within an 8-hour time frame and then fast for 16 hours. For the 5:2 diet, you eat “normally” (healthy foods of course) and on two non-consecutive days of the week you consume between 500-600 calories. Unlike many diets, intermittent fasting has research that strongly indicates it will not only help you lose weight but improve your overall health as well. Studies have shown that this type of fasting could reduce your risk for developing diabetes, reduce inflammation, improve heart health, and boost brain function. Well-known dietitian Keri Glassman told US Weekly that while intermittent fasting can be beneficial, it isn’t necessarily the right program for everyone. “The fasting method ‘requires regimented commitment,’ she notes, adding that for some, it can lead to unhealthy eating and ‘set the person up for yo-yo dieting.’ The best candidates, Glassman explains, are already-healthy eaters who don’t mind skipping breakfast and can make solid food decisions even when they’re hungry.”
The 5-Factor Diet
The 5-Factor Diet has been around for almost two decades but remains one of Hollywood’s most popular weight loss methods. It was created by well-known celebrity fitness trainer/nutritionist Harley Pasternak, whose clients have included Ariana Grande, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, Orlando Bloom, Mandy Moore, and Jimmy Fallon. The program contains an exercise component as well and the eating portion is relatively simple: all you need to remember is the number 5! The diet is followed for 5 weeks, you get 5 cheat days, eat 5 meals a day, and each meal should only take 5 minutes to prepare. Most importantly? Each meal has five main components that include healthy fats, fiber, protein, complex carbs, and a sugar-free drink. While it may not be the latest or trendiest diet, Pasternak’s program is still relevant because it’s simple yet effective. And unlike some diet programs, the 5-Factor Diet focuses more on healthy eating than restricting calories.
Weight Watchers
For many of us, Weight Watchers conjures up images of our moms or grandmothers writing down what they ate in food journals and dragging us to “meetings” complete with weigh-ins. But the new Weight Watchers is modern, practical, and easy to follow. Current celebrity brand ambassadors include James Corden, Kate Hudson, and Ciara. Other celebs like DJ Khaled and Jessica Simpson have praised the program for helping them shed pounds. Weight Watchers assigns each food a certain number of points and users are allowed so many points per day. Many foods, like most fruits and vegetables and even some lean meats, are 0 points. This system encourages users to fill up on healthier, low-calorie foods. Members love the points system because of the freedom and flexibility. If you want to have dessert, you can (if it fits into your daily points). The program can be easily followed with the WW app and offers members support in the form of virtual coaches, community chat rooms, and workshops. And for those members who want to connect to others masked face-to-masked face, WW still offers in-person workshops in thousands of locations.
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Plant-Based Diet
Sorry meat lovers, there’s a new diet trend in town and it involves lots of green stuff and zero cheeseburgers. Many celebrities have ditched the Paleo/Keto diets in favor of a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. And they claim that avoiding meat has totally changed their health and body. Ripped cutie Zac Efron told Teen Vogue, “I’ve been experimenting with eating purely vegan. That’s completely changed the way that my body works, and the way that I metabolize food, the way it turns into energy, the way that I sleep. It’s been brilliant.” Beyoncé and Jay Z gave the vegan movement a huge popularity boost in when they began promoting (and investing in) a vegan lifestyle company created by their personal trainer, Marco Borges. The 22 Days Nutrition program is based on Borges’ bestselling book The 22-Day Revolution. Bey and Jay fans were excited to try the plant-based diet after Beyoncé released a video in 2019 detailing how she got in shape after the birth of her twins and before her 2018 Coachella performance. The iconic duo are also part owners of Partake Foods, a vegan cookie company. Sadly, eating lots of vegan cookies won’t help you get thin, but following a healthy, plant-based diet might.
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