Every year, like clockwork, people start off with new personal goals for the new year — many of which include new changes to diet and fitness. Now that 2013 is coming to a close, we wanted to look back at some of the hottest and strangest fitness and diet trends of this past year.

1. The Tabata Protocol — A Four-Minute Workout

The four-minute workout was released by fitness experts last April claiming to shape anyone up by working out only three days a week for four minutes at a time. The routine was created by a Japanese scientist, Dr. Izumi Tabata. The workout consists of high-intensity, interval training in order to kick-start a person's metabolic rate.

Click here for the full story: Tabata Protocol; Four Minutes, Three Days A Week For Your Ideal Body

2. The Seven-Minute Scientific Workout

Researchers from Florida found that lucky number seven might be the key digit for the amount of time needed to work out. Using a person’s own body weight as resistance, this routine is also high-intensity, and it only takes seven minutes to complete.

Click here for the full story: Researchers Publish The 7-Minute Scientific Work Out

3. The Dopamine Diet

This diet claims to help boost weight loss naturally by a person regulating their dopamine levels. The higher your levels of dopamine, the better your chances are of losing weight by choosing the rights foods. The lower your dopamine levels, the more likely you are to lose control of your diet and what you eat. Satisfying your hunger cravings in order to prevent later binge-eating and late-night snacking is key. Want to kick start your dopamine diet? Start with these food options: fava beans, duck, chicken, edamame, oats, and chocolate.

Click here for the full story: Dopamine Diet: Naturally Control Hunger Cravings And Boost Weight Loss

4. The Ketogenic Diet

After Amanda revealed her one-year long weight loss transformation on Reddit, users could not help but wonder what her secret was. Her diet consisted mostly of eggs, fish, pork, chicken, beef, vegetables, and nuts, causing Amanda to lose 88-lbs. in one year. The ketogenic diet consists of high fats, moderate protein, and low carbs.

Click here for the full story: Time-Lapsed Video Shows Woman’s Transformation With Ketogenic Diet: 88 Lbs. Lost In 5 Seconds

5. The Mediterranean Diet

The New England Journal of Medicine claimed that up to 30 percent of heart attacks, strokes, and deaths were reduced among people at high risk after starting the Mediterranean diet. The diet consists of olive oil, vegetables, nuts, beans, and grains, with a low consumption of red meats. Eating these types of foods that are unprocessed is one of the best ways to prevent heart disease.

Click here for the full story: Mediterranean Diet Benefit: Olive Oil And Nuts Dramatically Reduce Heart Disease Risk

6. The Raw Food Diet

The title speaks for itself, eating nothing but raw fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds every day. A 29-year-old yogi, named Susan Reynolds claimed that it is the only thing that has kept her looking young and healthy for the past seven years.

Click here for the full story: Raw Food Diet Is Secret To Eternal Youth, Good Health, Claims 29-Year-Old Susan Reynolds

7. The Genetic Diet

Following an eating plan tailored to a person’s genetic type, Russian scientists believe that analyzing genetic markers can indicate specific weight-gaining tendencies. By doing this, a person can eat and exercise to fit his or her body the best, and in turn, prevent the development of certain diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.

Click here for the full story: Genetic Diet For Weight-Loss? Russian Scientists Say You Can Maintain Optimal Weight By Heeding Your DNA

8. The Rice Diet

The rice diet consists of consuming healthy carbohydrates that are either unprocessed or minimally processed, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans. The diet begins by detoxifying the person’s body with a 1,000-calorie diet — an extremely low caloric intake — until the goal weight loss is achieved. During the final phase of the diet, there is a calorie increase, but the intake should still remain low in calories and fats.

Click here for the full story: The Rice Diet: Weight-Loss Plan Helps Combat Obesity, Weight-Related Diseases

9. The Cotton Ball Diet:

After receiving popularity on many social media outlets, the cotton ball diet left health professionals worried. Cotton balls are either soaked in orange juice or lemonade to add taste, and they are consumed throughout the day instead of eating regular meals. Doctors have warned against this diet stating that it can cause a number of health complications including, clogged intestines, and malnutrition.

Click here for the full story: Cotton Ball Diet Trend Is Extremely Dangerous: How Some Replace Food With Cotton To Stay Slim

​10. Thigh Gap Trend

The personal blogging site, Tumblr turned the “thigh gap” fad into a trend for young girls. The "thigh gap" refers to the space between a person’s thighs when his or her feet touch together. Some girls started to starve themselves and embark on crash diets in order to achieve this body type. The “by any means possible” diet outlook can lead to unhealthy and long term consequences. Many health care professionals say to not focus on one body part as they claim that can lead to eating disorders and a distorted self-perception of body image.

Click here for the full story: The 'Thigh Gap': An Elusive And Dangerous Weight-Loss Trend Fueled By Social Media

11. Eau De Toast: Bread-Scented Perfume

As a way of combatting carbs, The Federation of Bakers, a British group who represents large baking companies created a bread-scented perfume. Their idea behind this product was to combat the idea that bread was the enemy when it came to a healthy diet.

Click here for the full story: Eau De Toast: Combating Low-Carb Diets Through Bread-Scented Perfume