A quick search of ‘2022 wellness trends’ results in a range of weird and wonderful predictions. It’s always fun to have a look at what’s in store for the year, so when you are offered a mushroom coffee (circa 2021), a turmeric latte (circa 2020), or everyone suddenly started doing burpees (circa every CrossFit class since 2011) you have a heads up as to what’s going on! We sifted through the predictions, and here are our three favourites!
1. Personal Health and Planet Health
Diets that are better for our health, but also better for the planet are taking off. Plant based eating, for example, is increasingly popular. A third of Americans and nearly half of the European population say they’re eating less meat than they did a year ago (Vogue). Many people are consciously making a shift in their eating habits as a way to actively restore and replenish the Earth and its communities and ecosystems. And it doesn’t have to mean a completely meat free diet. The Nordic-diet for instance, emphasises the importance of high-quality and sustainably sourced animal products, such as river-caught salmon and pasture-raised eggs. Other mindful eating trends include flexitarianism (a combination of “flexible” and “vegetarian”) and reducetarian (committing to eating less meat and dairy and fewer eggs). (Marie Clare)
2. Facial Exercises are the New Burpees
According to MindBody 36% of millennials in the US, recently reported an interest in or already participating in facial exercises! Why? The simple answer is it improves your skin tone. Otherwise known as face yoga, options are popping up all over the place. Look out for some classes in Melbourne this coming year, or if you have access to a studio, perhaps get ahead of the game and set some up! Try out this short class from world leading Face Yoga expert Danielle Collins. She combines both ancient techniques and modern evidence backed tools in her videos.
3. Micro-Workouts
The Australian Institute of Fitness (AIF) predicts the rise of the Micro-Workout. Working from home has made it easier to fit in quick bursts of exercise. Kate Kraschnefski, head of compliance and training at the AIF recommends “short bursts of exercise lasting four to 12 minutes – but done at a high intensity in a HIIT style format.. great for people who are time-poor but keen to improve their fitness”. She adds that you need a decent foundation of fitness to start, and that you have to work at your maximum to reap the benefits.
A typical session includes:
- Jump squats, then rest
- Alternating backward lunges, then rest
- Burpees, then rest
- Sprint, then rest
Each exercise is done for 20 seconds; rest for 10 seconds. Do two sets – totalling four minutes. After the first four-min block, take a one-min rest, then repeat two to three times (Sydney Morning Herald).
All pretty cool actually, huh?
The Stable Team.