The year in fitness and dieting 2011 was far from uneventful. The introduction of MyPlate, larger conversations about nutrition in school food, and the condemnation of too-thin celebrities kept things interesting and proved that we don’t see diet, nutrition and fitness as just fads, they’re a part of our lifestyles. From our vantage point, there were a few things that will make 2011 memorable and keep the fit-focused conversations moving in 2012.

We’ve identified seven trends that really came in to their own in 2011, and will no doubt carry weight in the new year.

1. Gluten-Free Diet. Throw diet on the end and it sounds like anyone with a few pounds to lose could be benefited by this eating regimen. However, the gluten-free diet is not one-size-fits-all; it’s a necessity for the three million people living with celiac disease, according to University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, or gluten intolerances. This autoimmune disorder affects the digestive process, which is disrupted when they consume gluten, the protein found in grains like wheat, rye, and barley. In the past year, the availability of gluten-free labeling and gluten-free products has made it easier than ever for those who actually need to follow a GF diet to do so.

2. HIIT. This High Intensity Interval Training was all the rage this year, whether people realized they were doing it or not. Programs like P90X, Insanity, Jillian Michaels, and the new PINK Method rely on this style of training, which uses quick bursts of intense exercise followed by brief periods of recovery, in a constant series. HIIT is one trend that actually has staying power, and Liz Neporent, author of 12 fitness titles including The Winner’s Brain, explains why. “HITTS is attractive because you can get a great workout in less time. Instead of  dedicating a full hour to cardio and then an additional 20-30 minutes to weights – you can often pack in an awesome workout and burn tons of calories in as little as 20 minutes.” She explains more about HIITs in this episode of Health Buzz.

3. Juicing and Raw Diets. Our pressed-for-time society found a way to eat right without too much prep time. It’s called the raw diet, and can stand alone or be followed in conjunction with the juice diet. Whether for weight loss, to reverse disease, or to be conscientious about the earth, the raw diet boasts a lot of nutritional benefits for its dedicated followers. “Raw vegan is moving so quickly, even more so than vegetarian did years ago,” says Mimi Kirk, author of Live Raw, about the trend. “Raw restaurants are popping up, the media is covering this subject, and so many wonderful documentaries are in the theaters [i.e. "Sick, Fat, and Nearly Dead"] educating people about the food we consume.” We agree with Mimi’s forecast that we’ll continue to hear a lot more about the raw food movement in 2012. “It’s quite exciting to be part of a conscious group of people who are helping to change themselves and the world for the betterment of all,” added Mimi.
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Maruchy Lachance is president of Running Ninja!, a lifestyle brand for runners by runners. Running Ninja! offers a wide variety of apparel and gifts for runners to keep you happy and inspired while you’re on the run.

Last weekend I ran my second half marathon. It was 13.1 miles of pavement and four bridges on a windy day in Miami Beach. The running joke (no pun intended) in the race circuit is that it’s not so much the 13 miles but the 0.1 that will get you. Truer words had never been spoken.

The entire race was physically challenging, but what I wasn’t expecting was the emotional wave that almost toppled me. This race was in support of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. So every few miles you would see a team of people, pushing a large stroller with a child with a shiny bald head and grin, clearly fighting and winning their battle against cancer.
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By Dana Walsh from FitCeleb.com

The holidays can be a stressful time for sure.

That’s why my family and I make sure we de-stress with a holiday run that our community coordinates every year. It’s a five mile run that takes you throughout the neighborhood. So how does it help with de-stressing?

For one it brings my family together, well mainly me and my cousins, because we all are working towards one thing – making it through the run alive! Hehe. It also becomes a team effort by training together, and helping each other stay motivated leading up to the run. Of course there are those moments where work gets in the way, someone needs to holiday shop or run errands, or kid stuff gets in the way, but it’s the end result that’s rewarding and the journey that we took together.

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by Kelsey Murray

I recently started training for a half-marathon, and in preparation to do so, I asked a friend to watch me run and critique my form. My friend, who has been running for more than 10 years, told me there were a few flaws in my technique and recommended that I look into what a proper form should be.

So far, I’ve gathered that I need to stand up straighter while running, hold my shoulders back and down, and take the proper length strides. But what else can a runner do to improve their stride?

Don’t land on your heels. Making your first contact with the ground with your heels is great for power walking, but when you are running, it can cause pain in your back or knees. “When you walk, you keep one foot in contact with the ground, while running has a moment of weightlessness in the stride,” said running coach Alex Figuerosa. Instead, you should try to land on your midsole or forefoot, which allows your muscles to absorb more of the shock from your landing.

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Why do runners do it? What makes them take a perfectly good day and decide to take an hour to run when you can get great health benefits from walking as well? There must be some reason they do it? There are actually many reasons, here are a few, including some that are a little less known:

Heart Health

The best known benefit to running is the cardiovascular boost runners get. Part of how it improves cardio health is that running lowers your blood pressure and helps maintain elasticity in your arteries. Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, do you need any other reason to go buy those new running shoes?
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