If you're looking to shift some weight and live a longer, healthier life, then you might want to try the 'Blue Zones Diet' this year.
The eating approach is based around 'blue zone' areas in the world, where people live considerably longer lives than the rest of us.
In 'blue zones', you can often find octogenarians, nonagenarians centenarians, and even some supercentenarians (people who have reached the age of 110).
The overall idea of the 'Blue Zones Diet' is that you eat and drink what the world's healthiest rely on.
The 'Blue Zones Dietis based around 'blue zone' areas in the world, where people live considerably longer lives than the rest of us (stock image) - they eat plenty of wholegrains
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On the diet, meat is limited to just five times per month, while the approach is predominantly plant-based with a daily serving of half a cup of beans (stock image)
Where are the world's healthiest locales?
The 'Blue Zones Diet' was created bylongevity expert Dan Buettner, who travelled around the world to find out who was healthiest and who lived longest.
After much research, the National Geographic journalist found that those who live the longest come from eitherOkinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece, or Loma Linda, California.
Those who live in all the blue zones areas share nine specific lifestyle habits that he later called the Power 9.
What are the nine habits that form the Power 9?
The 'Power 9' are the nine habits that the world's healthiest share.
They include moving naturally, having a purpose and ensuring you have a routine in place to combat any stress.
People from the world's 'blue zones' also swear by the 80 per cent rule, whereby they stop eating when they are 80 per cent full up.
They favour plant-based foods, and only eat meat around five times each month.
Elsewhere, those who live in the 'blue zones' do drink regularly, but never more than one or two glasses of wine each day.
They put their loved ones first, have some sort of beliefs system and form social circles that support their healthy behaviour patterns.
Fish on the other hand is hugely popular, and often consumed three times each week. Oily fish is especially popular (stock image)
What are the 'Blue Zone' food rules?
1. Eat plant-based:
People in the blue zones eat an impressive variety of garden vegetables when they are in season, and then they pickle or dry the surplus to enjoy during the off-season.The best-of-the-best longevity foods are leafy greens such as spinach, kale, beet and turnip tops, chard, and collards.
2. Cut down your meat:
People in four of the five blue zones consume meat, but they do so sparingly, using it as a celebratory food, a small side, or a way to flavour dishes. Five times a month would be the ideal.
3. Eat some fish:
If you must eat fish, fewer than three ounces, up to three times weekly.In the world's blue zones, in most cases, the fish being eaten are small, relatively inexpensive fish such as sardines, anchovies, and cod.
4. Reduce dairy:
Milk from cows isn't really included in any blue zones diet.
5. Eat eggs:
People in all of the blue zones eat eggs about two to four times per week. Usually they eat just one as a side dish with a whole-grain or plant-based dish.
6. Eat beans every day:
Eat at least a half cup of cooked beans daily. Beans reign supreme in blue zones. They're the cornerstone of every longevity diet in the world: black beans in Nicoya; lentils, garbanzo, and white beans in the Mediterranean; and soybeans in Okinawa.
7. Slash sugar:
Consume only 28 grams (7 teaspoons) of added sugar daily. People in the blue zones eat sugar intentionally, not by habit or accident.
8. Snack on nuts:
Eat two handfuls of nuts per day. A handful of nuts weighs about two ounces, the average amount that blue zones centenarians consume.
9. Eat the best bread:
Eat only sourdough or 100 percent whole wheat.
10. Eat wholefoods:
Choose foods that are recognisable. People in blue zones traditionally eat the whole food.
11. Drink mainly water:
Never drink soft drinks (including diet soda). With very few exceptions, people in blue zones drank coffee, tea, water, and wine.
Source: Blue Zones
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What is a typical 'Blue Zone Diet'?
When it comes to what people in these 'blue zones' eat, dietitians say it's all about plant-based foods 95 per cent of the time and plenty of wholegrains with every meal.
While they do not avoid meat per se, those who live in 'blue zones' will only eat meat around five times each month, and never very much.
'Meat - mostly pork - is eaten on average only five times per month. Serving sizes are 3-4 oz., about the size of a deck of cards,' the Blue Zoneswebsite reads.
Fish on the other hand is hugely popular, and often consumed three times each week.
Oily fish is especially good, with many loading up on salmon, sardines, herring and anchovies.
Dairy is something to be limited, but it's recommended that you eat half a cup of beans each day.
Those who live in the 'blue zones' merely drink coffee (ideally black), water, tea and one alcoholic drink (stock image)
What do those in 'Blue Zones' drink?
As for liquids, if you are a fan of sugary or artificially flavoured beverages, you might need to think again.
Those who live in the 'blue zones' merely drink coffee (ideally black), water, tea and one alcoholic drink.
'People in all blue zones drink alcohol moderately and regularly,' the Blue Zones website states.
'Moderate drinkers outlive non-drinkers. The trick is to drink 1-2 glasses per day (preferably Sardinian Cannonau wine), with friends and/or with food. And no, you can't save up all week and have 14 drinks on Saturday.'
Speaking previously to FEMAIL, sports scientist Drew Harrisberg (pictured) said the diet is suitable for anyone and everyone
Who does the 'Blue Zones Diet' suit?
Speaking previously to FEMAIL, sports scientist Drew Harrisberg said the diet is suitable for anyone and everyone.
'If you care about your health, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare, a predominantly plant-based diet is the way of the future,' he said.
'Blue zone populations also have lower BMIs indicating that they can effortlessly maintain healthy body weight without counting calories or restricting their food intake.
'A plant-based diet is a highly satiating and very nutritious way of eating.
'It is very difficult to overeat calories on a wholefoods plant-based diet because it is naturally fibre-rich, calorically sparse, and nutrient dense.'
What are the nine habits that form the 'Power 9'?
1. Move naturally:
The world's longest-lived people don't pump iron, run marathons or join gyms. Instead, they live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without thinking about it - whether that's gardening or walking.
2. Have a purpose:
Those in the blue zones have a purpose and always know why they wake up in the morning.Knowing your sense of purpose is worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy, the Blue Zones website reports.
3. Have a stress routine:
While they can't avoid stress overall, those in the blue zones instead always have a routine in place that means they never get too stressed.
4. They follow the 80 per cent rule
People in blue zones stop eating when their stomachs are 80 percent full. The 20 per cent gap between not being hungry and feeling full could be the difference between losing weight or gaining it.People in the blue zones eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early evening and then they don't eat any more the rest of the day.
5. They eat mostly plants:
Plants make up 95 per cent of blue zones' diet, while meat is only eaten five times each month.
6. Drink regularly:
People in all blue zones drink alcohol moderately and regularly. Moderate drinkers outlive non-drinkers. The trick is to drink 1-2 glasses per day, ideally with food.
7. Have a community:
While it doesn't matter what you follow, being part of a community or faith can reportedly lengthen your life.
8. Put your loved ones first:
Those in the blue zones commit to a partner, which can add three years to your life, and put their loved ones first.
9. Find your tribe:
The world's longest lived people chose - or were born into - social circles that supported healthy behaviours.
Source: Blue Zones
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