Welcome back to Rebuilding Trust With Your Body, I’m Katy Harvey…and we made it past Christmas!! I’m actually recording this right before Christmas, but by the time you listen it will be after and I hope you had a nice holiday if you celebrate, and that you’re able to enjoy a little down time. 

In this episode we’re looking back on 2025, and the trends in the diet and wellness industry. I’m going to share which ones I actually liked, or didn’t mind – and which ones are a hard no for me. There are a couple that I couldn’t decide, because I both like them and loathe them.

A couple quick housekeeping things, and we’ll dig in:

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2. I would LOVE to hear from you…what do you want me to cover in the New Year on this podcast? Are there topics you’re curious about, things you’re struggling with, or something you’d like to hear my take on? I’m excited about planning for the podcast in the New Year, and I always want to be able to make it as helpful and applicable for you as possible – so tell me: What do you want to hear? What do you need help with? You can DM me on FB or IG, or email me katy@katyharvey.net.

Now, there isn’t going to be a Wellness Woo segment today, because this whole episode is pretty much about wellness and a lot of it will be wellness woo. So buckle up, because we’re looking back on this year in diet and wellness culture – and I’m going to share my predictions about what I think we’re in for in 2026.

We’re going to start with wellness trends I kind of liked. And this list is far shorter than the trends I loathe – which says a lot. 

Wellness Trends I Liked:

• Cottage cheese
• Emphasis on protein.
  • According to retail data, there was an increase in ready to drink protein beverages, protein fortified snacks and everyday foods, and a decline in people purchasing protein powders.
• Fiber
• Beans
• Strength for women

Wellness Trends I Loathed:

• CGM’s, biohacking
• Electrolytes
• Colostrum, and while we’re talking about all things bovine (aka cows) – putting beef tallow on your face just seems like we’re taking it too far for me
• Fasting
• Carnivore
• Longevity and “cellular health”
• Religious diets like The Apostolic Diet, the David Diet. This is not only cringe, but it’s dangerous and manipulative.

Tie for Both:

• This one is controversial – and I feel like we can’t NOT talk about it when it comes to the wellness trends right now: GLP-1s. If this discussion is too triggering for you, feel free to fast forward a few minutes to where I’m going to share my predictions for 2026.
  • I love them for people with metabolic dysfunction, such as diabetes, pre-diabetes, PCOS, fatty liver, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, people with high risk for cardiometabolic issues. There’s a lot of good evidence for really powerful health effects for all of this. These drugs are protective of the pancreas when it comes to diabetes, the kidneys for people with diabetes, and the heart. There’s also evidence suggesting it could be helpful for brain health and things like Alzheimer’s prevention. I think we’ll continue to see a lot of interesting data come out about this – because a lot of chronic diseases are actually tied to metabolic dysfunction and blood sugar issues in particular. So the fact that GLP-1’s treat this is a big deal. I love that for people who receive genuine health benefits.
  • I LOATHE the use and abuse of GLP-1’s for people who aren’t good candidates for the drug in the first place. The volume has gotten cranked back up on thinness, and associating weight loss with health, and the pressure to lose weight. I’ve had a lot of people say to me that they feel like everyone around them is shrinking, and everyone they see on TV is shrinking – and it can feel like you’re missing out, or doing something wrong by not jumping on the bandwagon. I hate the way that diet culture has co-opted these medications. It’s actually more gross to me than when diet culture’s main schtick was purely diet pills which were more blatantly and obviously unhealthy and ineffective. This conversation around GLP-1’s is so nuanced because of the genuine benefits they offer – and the way that’s gotten taken to a whole new level by diet and wellness culture purely in the pursuit of thinness. I think it muddied the waters further on that distinction between what’s the difference between the pursuit of weight loss and the pursuit of health. Because let’s remember that weight and health are not the same thing. 
  • And if you’re on a GLP-1, I’m not mad at you, and I’m not shaming you. A lot of my clients are on GLP-1’s and for some of them it’s been a game changer for their health and even their relationship with food. For other people, it’s not supportive of their mental or physical health – and that’s the concern I have. 
  • I also have a lot of concern for people who are on GLP-1’s (whether it’s for good or bad reasons) who haven’t received guidance on how to eat to get their body’s nutrition needs met, how to prevent muscle and bone loss, as well as nutrient deficiencies, and how to prevent their hair from falling out. I think we’re going to start seeing more and more fallout from people who went on these drugs and became literally malnourished from it because they didn’t know that there are certain things nutritionally that they need to be paying attention to, and in most cases some supplements they should be taking to protect their health (and I say that as someone who doesn’t even really like supplements – this is one of those times that they’re pretty crucial).
  • Ok let’s move on…another trend that I both liked and loathed
• AI for food and wellness ideas

My Diet and Wellness Trend Predictions for 2026

1) GLP-1s aren’t going anywhere

2) “Fiber frenzy” becomes a full product cycle

Expect a big 2026 wave of fiber-forward launches (including beverages), because it hits gut health, satiety, and GLP-1-adjacent outcomes

3) Protein gets more specific (muscle maintenance, life stage, GLP-1 users)

We’ll see “protein for a purpose”: midlife muscle retention, perimenopause framing, strength + recovery, and GLP-1 muscle-preservation positioning—less generic “20g protein!!” shouting.

4) UPFs and food labels carefully marketing around this

Brands will respond with simpler ingredient decks and more careful claims

5) My final HOPE and prediction for 2026: 

Women recognizing that they don’t want to diet anymore – and that they want strength and energy which I think is awesome.

I also see women recognizing that it’s ok to seek guidance and strategies for their health, and that it’s more of an ongoing long-term process and not a quick fix. I think women are getting savvier about that, and more skeptical of the outlandish claims out there….I know that you’re one of these women because you’re listening to this podcast!! 

Well, that is a wrap! We looked back on 2025, ahead to 2026, and I don’t know about you but I’m ready for the fresh energy of a new year – but without the “New Year, New You” B.S. I’m here for the New Year, SAME you…MORE of you. Because you are worthy just as you are. We’ll talk again in 2026!

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