2014 was the year that wellness became mainstream. People's way of thinking has started to shift. Working long hours in a high paying job just does not cut it anymore. The trend is now gearing towards balance--a lifestyle that makes people healthy, happy and fulfilled.

This year is expected to be even better for wellness as it moves from being a novelty to becoming the new away of doing things.

Here are some wellness trends that have dominated the year:

 Demise of the Diet

The age of numerous diets--South Beach, Mediterranean, DASH, Atkins--are at an end. People are now going for more realistic approaches to shedding off pounds and having good health. They are abandoning dieting because it does not work and leaves a person in despair. Instead, people are starting to accept that nourishing food, daily exercise, smart lifestyle choices and positive thinking will give them the body they want and the happiness they deserve. 

Express Exercises

Quick workouts that last 20 minutes or less will continue to grow as a trend in 2015. It is a given that most people will have very busy lives, but it does not mean they can forget about exercising. According to Amanda Vogel, a Canfitpro fitness instructor, "exercise is more about quality than quantity. If you work hard for 20 minutes, you can get as much--and sometimes more – accomplished than if you meandered through an hour at the gym." 

Wearable Technology

The arrival of Apple's iWatch has boosted the popularity of wearable technology. And people are using this technology to make healthier lifestyle choices via through downloaded calorie counters, sleep monitors, step counters. Tracking the progress one has made that day provides the motivation to move more, consume less or get more sleep.

Avoiding the Artificial

A study published last year has found a link between artificial sweeteners and obesity, lending more credence to the perception that artificial sweeteners are not the best option for those who want to live a healthy life. More people are starting to embrace the "eat real food" trend, a movement that believes food made in a lab should not be put inside the body. Instead, people are going for natural sweet alternatives like honey, date sugar and maple syrup.

Morning Socializing is In

Going out does not mean staying up all night drinking or doing activities that are detrimental to one's health. In some big cities, the night life has moved to the morning where people can go to a trendy bar to do yoga or attend a morning dance party without any booze. The idea is to make wellness more fun so that people will stick to them.

It is about time that people are shifting gears and opting for a more realistic and sustainable way of staying healthy. Hopefully, more people will jump on this wellness trends before the year ends.