Brits are giving their whole life an overhaul
The 5:2 diet has seen incredible success, and now it seems we're extending it to the rest of our lives.
Half of Britons, equivalent to 26 million people will 5:2 their lives in 2014, according to new research by The Future Laboratory, a leading trend forecasting, consumer insight and innovation consultancy.
According to The Future Laboratory, the 5:2 approach, also known as ‘The Polarity Paradox’, is set to become an even bigger trend for 2014 as consumers binge and purge multiple aspects of their lives.
Chris Sanderson, CEO of The Future Laboratory, said: “Last year’s diet phenomenon has become this year’s hottest lifestyle trend. Brits are no longer satisfied with the middle ground and are using extremism to challenge themselves and add definition to their lives.”
Initially a diet phenomenon popularised by Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, Britons are now using the extreme ‘binge-purge’ trend to improve other aspects of their lives, with half saying it makes their goals feel more achievable.
The top five areas Brits are now applying the 5:2 approach to their lives include:
- Improving relationships, e.g. sitting down with family, friends or partner for dinner twice a week
- Saving money, e.g. five days saving to fuel two days spending
- Losing weight, e.g. two days fasting a week
- Reducing alcohol intake, e.g. abstaining from drinking alcohol two days a week
- Improving fitness, e.g. extreme gym sessions for two days a week
Chris continued: “The 5:2 trend, which we call ‘The Polarity Paradox’, has caused a significant shift in consumer behaviour over the past 12 months. Abstinence and indulgence has become the new model of self-restraint and this is changing the relationship between people and brands. Consumers now expect brands to challenge and surprise them, so brand managers need to ensure they are tapping into peer-to-peer networks too if they want to connect with this new consumer mindset.”
“This way of living is taking hold because we feel overwhelmed by the amount of choice and sheer content that is out there,” says Emma Cook, author of 5:2 Your Life: How the Revolutionary 5:2 Approach can Transform Your Health, Your Wealth and Your Happiness. "People talk about detoxes and retreats, but this is a form of doing that within your daily and weekly living. It enables us to have it both ways – and that is a tempting proposition."