Diets Are Dead – How to Thrive with the $100B Lifestyle Wellness Shift
- Brainz Magazine
- Jul 2
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 3
Caroline Sciberras is a recipe creator and holistic wellness advocate behind Wellbeing Barista. With a background in AI and product management, she blends Mediterranean flavours with data-driven insights to make healthy eating effortless and engaging. Her philosophy? 'Food should be joyful, not stressful.’
The dieting era is collapsing under its own weight. What once dominated headlines, hashtags, and health advice is now quietly being replaced by a smarter, more sustainable movement: lifestyle wellness. It's not about restriction anymore, it's about identity.
“You can’t hate yourself healthy. But you can become someone who loves living well.”
The era of dieting is over, and here's why
For decades, starting a diet was practically a cultural rite of passage. Yet in 2025, this ritual is rapidly fading into irrelevance. Not because we’re thinner, but because we’re wiser.
In a meta-analysis of 29 long-term weight loss studies, more than 50% regained their weight within 2 years, whilst approximately 80% of dieters regained lost weight within 5 years (Hall & Kahan, 2018). The issue isn’t willpower, it’s that diets are temporary by design. They demand restriction, label foods as good or bad, and often leave individuals caught in cycles of guilt and failure. Lifestyles, on the other hand, stick, because they become part of who we are.
The phrase “going on a diet” has been replaced by something much more powerful: “I live a lifestyle.”
The rise of lifestyle wellness
Unlike diets that begin with a start date and end with burnout, lifestyle wellness is about sustainable, daily practices that align with personal values. It’s rooted in identity, not obligation.
Wellness isn’t about counting calories anymore, it’s about embodying habits that foster joy, performance, emotional balance, and longevity. Whether it’s choosing olive oil over spray butter, embracing Sunday farmers' markets, or enjoying tech-free dinners, the movement toward lifestyle wellness prioritises rituals over restrictions.
As nutritionist Mia Rigden aptly states, “The future of wellness isn’t a 30-day plan, it’s a daily practice.”
The identity revolution in wellness
James Clear, in Atomic Habits, explains that habits rooted in identity are far more likely to stick than those driven by motivation alone (Clear, 2018). Instead of asking, “What do I want to achieve?”, a more powerful question is, “Who do I want to become?”
You don’t just “do” Mediterranean, you are Mediterranean. You don’t try to eat better, you see yourself as a healthy person.
Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. When your identity and behaviour align, habits no longer feel like a struggle, they feel natural.
BJ Fogg’s Stanford research, outlined in Tiny Habits, adds that celebration, feeling good in the moment, helps wire new habits faster (Fogg, 2019). Once established, habits rely less on motivation and more on cues from your environment.
For instance, seeing your coffee maker doesn’t spark a debate, it simply triggers brewing. Likewise, keeping fruit visible on the counter naturally increases consumption (Mazar & Wood, 2018). Small cues reinforce identity, making healthy living almost automatic.
Data reveals the cultural shift
The cultural pivot away from dieting is supported by data:
Searches for “diet” have dropped 30% since 2019
“Intuitive eating” is up 500%
“Mediterranean lifestyle” searches rose 300%
Hashtag AntiDiet has over 2.4 billion views on TikTok
These numbers confirm a powerful transition: wellness is no longer about restriction, it’s about identity and self-trust.
Generation wellness shifts
Gen Z: Food freedom as rebellion
Raised on Instagram perfection, Gen Z is dismantling toxic diet culture. They prioritise body autonomy, listen to hunger cues, and mix kale and Doritos without shame.
Their manifesto:
“Clean eating” = intuitive eating
Wellness = self-trust, not sacrifice
Health = diverse, joyful, and real
Millennials: From diets to data
Millennials embrace tools like CGMs, gut kits, and Oura Rings. For them, wellness is about optimizing cellular performance, not losing weight. They're shifting from weight loss to metabolic health – asking, “How does this food affect my cortisol, my microbiome, my focus?”
Boomers & Gen X: Slowly evolving
Older generations still lean on “doctor-recommended diets,” like diabetic plans or cholesterol control. But even these groups are transitioning to lifestyle models, as physicians increasingly recommend the Mediterranean lifestyle and other whole-health approaches.
How brands are adapting to the post-diet era
The most successful wellness startups, like Zoe, Levels, and Oura, aren’t selling weight loss. They’re selling belonging.
These platforms invite users into membership-based ecosystems that foster identity, empowerment, and ongoing transformation. They don't hand out meal plans – they co-create rituals and communities.
“Brands that say ‘enough’ instead of ‘less’ aren’t just woke – they’re rich.” – Shelby Stover, Brand Strategist
Why traditional diets fail: 3 core traps
1. The willpower paradox
Diets rely on restraint, but human psychology isn’t built for constant self-denial. Most diets are abandoned within weeks due to reliance on willpower rather than sustainable habit change (Mann et al., 2007). This isn’t due to laziness or lack of commitment, it's because relying on willpower is unsustainable.
When individuals are asked to constantly resist cravings, they burn out. The post-diet backlash is now clear: people don’t fail diets, diets fail people.
2. The shame spiral
Many traditional diets are based on guilt-driven marketing. They push perfection, encourage food rules, and turn every bite into a moral decision. This fuels disordered eating and long-term emotional harm.
Gen Z is increasingly rejecting traditional diet culture and leaning into body-positive, emotionally attuned approaches to health (The Protein Works, 2024; Christoph et al., 2021). The rise of the #AntiDiet movement is a response to this, one that promotes self-trust, body neutrality, and healing.
3. The identity gap
The final trap? Diets are something you do. Lifestyle is who you are. Behavioural science shows that change sticks when it's rooted in identity. If someone starts identifying as a “clean eater,” “plant-based athlete,” or “intuitive eater,” their actions begin to align naturally with those labels.
“You don’t ‘do’ Mediterranean. You are Mediterranean.” – Zoe Nutrition user
The 30-day identity experiments for individuals
Want to break free from dieting forever? Try the 30-Day Identity Experiment:
How to start with identity statements
Say this out loud:
“I’m an intuitive eater.”
“I live a Mediterranean lifestyle.”
“I eat to support my energy and joy.”
Shifting your language shifts your identity. When you speak like the person you want to become, your actions follow suit.
Lifestyle signals to try
Category | Old Diet Mindset | New Lifestyle Signal |
Grocery Cart | Spray butter, diet soda | Olive oil, kombucha, seasonal produce |
Social Media | “Fitspo” influencers | Body-neutral creators |
Rituals | Cheat days | Farmers’ markets, tech-free meals |
Self-talk | “I can’t eat that” | “I don’t eat that – it doesn’t serve me” |
The 5-second decision hack
Whenever you face a food decision, ask:
“What would someone who loves their body do right now?”
This tiny mental shift reframes every choice, from one of guilt to one of self-respect.
The psychology of lasting lifestyle change
Behavioural science backs the post-diet movement:
Habit stacking makes wellness routines easier (e.g., lemon water after brushing teeth). In fact, according to James Clear’s Atomic Habits (2018), attaching a new habit to one you already do consistently increases adherence as the trigger is already part of your daily life.
Identity-based changes outperform outcome-based changes by a wide margin, as they lead to greater follow-through. For a proven framework, see how Mediterranean identity habits outperform short-term diets.
Cues override willpower as people automatically follow path-of-least-resistance environments.
Saying “I don’t” vs. “I can’t” improves consistency and self-concept
This is embodiment, not discipline.
How technology supports lifestyle wellness
Wearables and personalised health tools are the new frontiers of lifestyle wellness.
Oura Rings track sleep and recovery
Levels CGMs measure glucose response to meals
ZOE tailors your nutrition to your microbiome with personalised gut testing.
These tools don’t just provide data, they reinforce a wellness identity, turning users into self-aware participants in their health.
Common myths about diet and weight loss
Myth 1: Thin = Healthy
Research consistently shows that metabolic health matters more than BMI. Health at every size isn’t just a movement, it’s science-backed. A study in JAMA found that a significant proportion of individuals classified as overweight or obese are metabolically healthy, while some with normal BMI are not (Gupta et al., 2017). Health shows up in your lab work, not your jeans size. The takeaway:
Thin ≠ healthy: Hidden risks exist at all sizes.
Heavy ≠ unhealthy: Lab tests reveal true health.
Vigilance matters: Research indicates that up to 50% of individuals with metabolically healthy obesity develop metabolic abnormalities over time (Bell et al., 2023).
Myth 2: Calories are king
Not all calories are created equal. What your food does to your blood sugar, cortisol, and gut bacteria matters more than numbers.
Myth 3: You need rules to be healthy
Rigid rules create anxiety and rebellion. Intuition, mindfulness, and joy-based eating promote long-term consistency.
The financial shift: Where the $100B is flowing now
Dollars are moving away from weight-loss plans and into lifestyle ecosystems:
Monthly subscriptions for gut kits, emotional wellness apps, and wearable tech
Digital communities that promote belonging over metrics
Brands that help people feel more like themselves, not less
FAQs about lifestyle wellness
1. Why don’t diets work long-term?
Because they rely on willpower and restriction rather than behaviour rooted in identity. Most people regain weight within 2 years.
2. What is lifestyle wellness?
It’s an approach to health built on sustainable daily habits, emotional well-being, and alignment with one’s identity, not short-term goals.
3. How is intuitive eating different from dieting?
Intuitive eating is based on listening to your body’s hunger cues, not external food rules. It replaces guilt with self-trust.
4. Is Gen Z really leading the anti-diet movement?
Yes. Gen Z prioritises autonomy and authenticity. Their embrace of #AntiDiet and food freedom is redefining health narratives.
5. What are some tools for lifestyle wellness?
Wearables like Oura, gut health kits like Zoe, and apps focused on mental or emotional wellness are becoming lifestyle staples.
6. Can brands succeed without focusing on weight loss?
Absolutely. Brands that centre identity, emotional support, and rituals have higher retention and brand loyalty than those pushing outcomes.
Conclusion: The future isn’t a plan, it’s a practice
The $100B diet industry may not be officially buried yet, but the writing is on the wall. Consumers are trading shame for self-worth, rules for rituals, and outcomes for identity.
If you’re still marketing or living by “eat less, move more,” you’re already behind.
Say it tonight before dinner: “I live a __________ lifestyle.” Notice how that single phrase changes your choices. Because diets were a phase. Living well is forever.
Ready to make identity-based habits stick? Explore the Tiny Habits examples for beginners; a science-backed framework by BJ Fogg that makes change effortless, 30 seconds at a time.
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info!
Read more from Caroline Sciberras
Caroline Sciberras, Data-Driven Wellness & Food Strategist
Caroline Sciberras is a recipe creator and wellness advocate behind Wellbeing Barista. With a background in AI and product management, she blends Mediterranean flavours with research-backed strategies, proving that healthy eating should be effortless and joyful, not restrictive. Through her platform, she has developed over 300 recipes, helping families enjoy nourishing meals without sacrificing taste or convenience.
References:
Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. Avery.
Fogg, B. J. (2019). Tiny habits: The small changes that change everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Generational Attitudes Toward Nutrition (Gen Z Trends): The Protein Works. (2024, February 7). Diet divide: The generational attitudes towards nutrition.
