From low-fat to keto, the diet industry has seen it all. But what if the key to wellness isn’t another ‘fix,’ but a deeper connection to our body’s wisdom?

If you’ve ever felt caught up in a cycle of trying the latest diet only to feel frustrated or confused, you’re not alone. For decades, nutrition trends have come and gone, each promising a solution. But have they truly helped us, or have they left us more disconnected from our bodies? Let’s take a closer look at the evolution of diet trends—and what they can teach us about a more compassionate approach to wellness.

If you’ve ever swapped butter for margarine or tried a ‘low-carb’ menu to shed a few kilos, you’ve experienced the diet trend rollercoaster. For decades, our understanding of nutrition has been shaped by conflicting advice, bold claims, and even misinformation. This post takes a journey through the history of popular diets and reveals what they can teach us about achieving sustainable wellness—without restrictive rules.

What’s the first diet trend you remember?

A Timeline of Diet Trends

1970s-1980s: The Low-Fat Era

During this time, fat was framed as the villain behind heart disease, and entire food categories were stripped of their natural fats.

• The Claim: Fat, particularly saturated fat, was deemed the enemy of heart health.
• What Sparked It:
  • Ancel Keys’ Seven Countries Study linked dietary fat to heart disease.
    • The low-fat narrative gained momentum after studies like Ancel Keys’ Seven Countries Study, but as Gary Taubes highlights in The Soft Science of Dietary Fat, the research behind these guidelines was more complex—and in many ways, flawed.
  • U.S. dietary guidelines advocated for “low-fat” everything.
• Result:
  • A flood of “low-fat” and “fat-free” products filled supermarket shelves.
  • People swapped fats for refined carbohydrates—often without realizing the impact on blood sugar and metabolism.
• Key Data: Despite lower fat consumption, obesity and diabetes rates began to rise.
• Cultural Reference: This era was marked by margarine replacing butter, skim milk replacing whole milk, and diet fads like “Jane Fonda workouts” emphasizing lean and fat-free eating.

“Did your family jump on the low-fat trend? What’s one product you remember switching to?”

1980s-1990s: Fat-Free Foods and the High-Carb Craze

• The Trend: Low-fat and “fat-free” snacks and processed foods gained popularity.
• The Unintended Consequence:
  • Products were often packed with sugar to compensate for the lack of fat, contributing to blood sugar spikes and crashes.
  • The rise of metabolic disorders and insulin resistance (syndrome X).

“Despite expectations, people didn’t lose weight—in fact, they gained it.”

1990s-2000s: The Low-Carb Revolution (Atkins and Keto)

• The Trend: A response to the failure of low-fat diets—diets like Atkins advocated cutting carbs and increasing fat intake.
• Key Claims: Carbs, not fats, were seen as the true cause of weight gain.
• Outcome:
  • Short-term success in weight loss for many people.
  • Critics raised concerns about sustainability and nutritional balance.
• Cultural Impact: Bun-less burgers, bacon, and eggs became “acceptable” diet staples, while bread and fruit were feared.

“This era taught us that demonizing one food group often leads to an unhealthy pendulum swing.”

Did you ever try cutting out carbs completely? How did it make you feel?

2000s-2010s: The Mediterranean Diet Gains Ground

• The Trend: Focus on whole foods, olive oil, fish, and fresh vegetables.
• Key Study: The Lyon Diet Heart Study showed that a Mediterranean diet reduced cardiac deaths despite similar cholesterol levels.
• Takeaway: This diet was more about balance, lifestyle, and nourishment than restriction.
• Additional Context: The Mediterranean diet also emphasized lifestyle elements like shared meals, slower eating, and social connection—things often overlooked in restrictive diets.

2010s-Present: Modern Diet Trends (Paleo, Intermittent Fasting, Biohacking)

• Key Trends:
  • Paleo: Focused on whole, ancestral foods and cutting out grains, legumes, and dairy.
  • Intermittent Fasting (IF): Promoted eating within certain windows to “reset” metabolism and manage insulin levels.
  • Biohacking: Focused on data-driven experiments with wearables, supplements, and fasting protocols to optimize health.
• Pattern: Many of these trends reflect a desire for control and simplicity in an overwhelming wellness landscape.
• Key Reflection: While some find these diets helpful, they often don’t address emotional eating or body image.

These trends often focus on optimizing the body without addressing the emotional and mental aspects of nourishment. That’s where the non-diet approach shines.

The Turning Point: The Non-Diet Approach to Wellness

Unlike traditional diets, the non-diet approach focuses on tuning into hunger, fullness, and emotional health rather than following rigid rules. It empowers people to make peace with food rather than fear it.

Key principles:

• Rejecting diet culture and food labelling.
• Honouring your hunger and fullness cues.
• Reconnecting with your body’s innate wisdom.

“In my studies, I’ve found that healing starts when we stop fearing food and start reconnecting with our sense of nourishment and balance.”

For example, instead of saying, ‘I shouldn’t eat dessert,’ the non-diet approach encourages you to check in with yourself: Am I truly hungry? Am I eating out of boredom or guilt? Over time, this practice builds self-trust and helps you make decisions without fear or restriction.

Conclusion: Reflection and Empowerment

The history of diet trends teaches us that quick fixes often overlook the complexity of our bodies and lives. True wellness isn’t about rules—it’s about rebuilding trust and compassion for ourselves.

What’s one diet trend you remember trying? How did it make you feel? Let’s start a conversation about what wellness really means.

The truth is, diets come and go, but you have the power to redefine your relationship with food and your body on your own terms.

“Your body knows more than the latest diet trend ever will—trust it.”