PLANT THE SEEDS OF SEASONAL FAT LOSS

A quarterly update of your shopping list could see you harvest far quicker results

If you’ve ever managed to stick to a prescriptive healthy eating plan for any length of time, we applaud your good intentions. But before you meal-prep a third batch of salmon and broccoli, consider a recent study, which suggests that swapping your adherence to a strict meal rota for a more seasonally attuned approach can give your weight loss a healthy fertilising.

A study that followed nomadic tribes in Tanzania, published in the journal Science, found that a diet based on seasonal availability contributed to a measurable increase in gut microbiome diversity, a quality that’s linked to better mental health, increased energy and healthy metabolic function. Separate studies show that lean men have more gut bacteria and a greater variety of strains than their larger peers.

Researchers believe a cyclical eating plan consisting of updated ingredients encourages the growth of weight loss-promoting microbial cultures that are not found in the heavily processed diets of most westerners. But you needn’t regress to huntergatherer tactics just yet. You might try ditching supermarket fruit and veg, where ingredients are often imported, for your local grocer’s offerings instead; this can help to make you more aware of the changing seasons and the ingredients you need. Which, in turn, will diversify your diet and stop you from becoming reliant upon a repetitive shopping list.

Cast your net (or reusable shopping bag) closer to home. It might just prove to be the smartest way to flick your gut’s evolutionary fat-loss switch.