Not a diet...

Well it's gotten to that point where change is visible and family, friends, acquaint enhances ask
'Sooooo, what DIET are you doing?'
'You doing one of those super low calorie DIETS?'
'What did you give up for your DIET?'
And I just smile sweetly & say, 'oh no diet. Just some new hobbies...'
Like biochemistry, accounting, nutrition, sports psychology, ethics, economics, and religion.
Hahahahahahaha
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Replies

  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    I follow a calorie controlled diet.
  • AlphaHowls
    AlphaHowls Posts: 1,979 Member
    scolaris wrote: »
    Well it's gotten to that point where change is visible and family, friends, acquaint enhances ask
    'Sooooo, what DIET are you doing?'
    'You doing one of those super low calorie DIETS?'
    'What did you give up for your DIET?'
    And I just smile sweetly & say, 'oh no diet. Just some new hobbies...'
    Like biochemistry, accounting, nutrition, sports psychology, ethics, economics, and religion.
    Hahahahahahaha

    *dew claws up*
  • sunandmoons
    sunandmoons Posts: 415 Member
    scolaris wrote: »
    Well it's gotten to that point where change is visible and family, friends, acquaint enhances ask
    'Sooooo, what DIET are you doing?'
    'You doing one of those super low calorie DIETS?'
    'What did you give up for your DIET?'
    And I just smile sweetly & say, 'oh no diet. Just some new hobbies...'
    Like biochemistry, accounting, nutrition, sports psychology, ethics, economics, and religion.
    Hahahahahahaha

    Ahahaha!!
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,230 Member
    Some people seem to get worked up about the word ' diet'

    To me, you are on a diet OP - a long term calorie counting diet.

    Or lifestyle change if you prefer that terminology.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    Some people seem to get worked up about the word ' diet'

    To me, you are on a diet OP - a long term calorie counting diet.

    Or lifestyle change if you prefer that terminology.

    ^^^^^ yep - it's a diet.

    You've 'given up' additional calories.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    edited November 2015
    When people see someone successful at losing weight they tend to want to know how it is being accomplished. The word Diet is pretty much synonymous with losing weight today although that isn't the true definition of the word.

    I like the OP's answer but I also think we need to stop getting all insulted about people asking us about our "diet". Just tell them what you are doing. No need to go into detail unless they ask for it. No need to get all in a huff over the word diet. And no need to get upset because people noticed your weight loss. People are going to notice when someone loses a significant amount of weight. Your having been overweight wasn't a secret that only you were aware of. If they care about you they might ask questions.

    Try to take that as a good thing.

    Friend: Wow you look great!
    Me: thanks!!
    Friend: what's your secret?
    Me: Just eating less.

    End discussion.

    Friend: wow you have lost a lot of weight. What kind of diet are you on?
    Me: I am restricting my calorie intake using a web app called Myfitnesspal and a food scale to track how much a eating and a Fitbit to track how many calories I am burning each day.
    Friend:Oh... that's great.
    Me: It is. :)

    End discussion

    See not hard.

  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    But...But..."diet" is not as sexy as "life-style change"...

    I am proud of the work that I have put in to lose 75lbs and am appreciative when others commend that hard work. I have never understood why people are offended by someone taking the time to acknowledge that work.

    Sure...maybe they are a bit confused on the method you chose...after all...what you hear about in the media are mainly the fad diets. Even my doctor asked about my method of weight loss and from the look on his face he was a bit surprised when I told him...eat less...move more. That surprise I assumed was because many of his patients wanted to do the fad diets.

    When people ask how I lost my weight...I look at it as an opportunity to share with someone that they can succeed by just eating less and moving more.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    It actually is a diet. Diet = what you eat. Rabbits eat a vegetarian DIET, nobody calls it a "lifestyle" for rabbits. Bears eat a omnivorous DIET.

    My "diet" consists of whatever I want to eat within my daily calorie restrictions. It's a diet. I own it.
  • 42firm03
    42firm03 Posts: 115 Member
    When people see someone successful at losing weight they tend to want to know how it is being accomplished. The word Diet is pretty much synonymous with losing weight today although that isn't the true definition of the word.

    I like the OP's answer but I also think we need to stop getting all insulted about people asking us about our "diet". Just tell them what you are doing. No need to go into detail unless they ask for it. No need to get all in a huff over the word diet. And no need to get upset because people noticed your weight loss. People are going to notice when someone loses a significant amount of weight. Your having been overweight wasn't a secret that only you were aware of. If they care about you they might ask questions.

    Try to take that as a good thing.

    Friend: Wow you look great!
    Me: thanks!!
    Friend: what's your secret?
    Me: Just eating less.

    End discussion.

    Friend: wow you have lost a lot of weight. What kind of diet are you on?
    Me: I am restricting my calorie intake using a web app called Myfitnesspal and a food scale to track how much a eating and a Fitbit to track how many calories I am burning each day.
    Friend:Oh... that's great.
    Me: It is. :)

    End discussion

    See not hard.

    I don't think it's so much being insulted by folks noticing the weight loss, it's actually the inability to convey, simply, that you've just eaten less and moved more. If the conversations went like your example then great, most ime don't. Often it is hopeless to convey/ get the other person to hear. They want magic to be involved. Not work!
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    edited November 2015
    Sometimes I think people ask "what diet are you on" because they want to know what your "secret" is, what magic weight loss solution you've found. If you tell people that you're counting calories and/or weighing food, they lose interest because it sound like too much work.

    A co-worker once asked me what I was doing. I explained about calorie counting. She said that sounded crazy and obsessive and that she just "tries to watch" what she eats.

    What I said (with a sweet smile): That's great!
    What I wanted to say: Well, I've lost [at the time] 30 lbs, and you've been trying to lose the same 5 lbs since I've known you, so....

    Now when people ask me I just tell them "eating less and moving more". Most of the time, that answer disappoints them. But I'm not doing this for their benefit or for their entertainment, so who cares?
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    edited November 2015
    That's it! When people ask about your 'diet' what they're usually asking is what's your silverbullet/hallpass/magicfaeriering/goldenticket/skittlepoopingunicorn 'secret.'
    And really, there are no secrets...
    Which is why I have new hobbies!
  • dhimaan
    dhimaan Posts: 774 Member
    What is your secret?
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    Oh wouldn't you like to know! ;-)
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    You've been eating pages from accounting books?!? EMMA RIGHT?!?
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    Absolutely. But I find the philosophy tomes provide greater satiety between pages...

  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    edited November 2015
    And I have to respectfully disagree on 'diet'
    I see it as a very loaded word.
    It implies illness, elimination, restriction, exclusion and disfunction.
    Really what I'm doing is closer to 'feeding.'
    Feeding for satiety. Feeding for performance. Feeding for homeostasis.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    scolaris wrote: »
    Absolutely. But I find the philosophy tomes provide greater satiety between pages...

    Voltaire....anything during the Enlightenment period really.

  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
    When people see someone successful at losing weight they tend to want to know how it is being accomplished. The word Diet is pretty much synonymous with losing weight today although that isn't the true definition of the word.

    I like the OP's answer but I also think we need to stop getting all insulted about people asking us about our "diet". Just tell them what you are doing. No need to go into detail unless they ask for it. No need to get all in a huff over the word diet. And no need to get upset because people noticed your weight loss. People are going to notice when someone loses a significant amount of weight. Your having been overweight wasn't a secret that only you were aware of. If they care about you they might ask questions.

    Try to take that as a good thing.

    Friend: Wow you look great!
    Me: thanks!!
    Friend: what's your secret?
    Me: Just eating less.

    End discussion.

    Friend: wow you have lost a lot of weight. What kind of diet are you on?
    Me: I am restricting my calorie intake using a web app called Myfitnesspal and a food scale to track how much a eating and a Fitbit to track how many calories I am burning each day.
    Friend:Oh... that's great.
    Me: It is. :)

    End discussion

    See not hard.

    Whenever I say I counted calories using MFP, it's always met with "oh the calorie counting app where you enter all your food?" People seem to know what it is and how it can help :)

    It's actually quite refreshing to see a lot of people okay with the word "diet". I could easily eat double my calories and be very happy. Very, very happy.
  • vegmebuff
    vegmebuff Posts: 31,389 Member
    The word 'diet' after all should be regarded as a noun...not a verb.
  • gradchica27
    gradchica27 Posts: 777 Member
    Annie_01 wrote: »
    Even my doctor asked about my method of weight loss and from the look on his face he was a bit surprised when I told him...eat less...move more. That surprise I assumed was because many of his patients wanted to do the fad diets.

    My husband would love you as a patient! He always tells his that it all comes down to energy in/energy out--they need to eat less and (ideally) move more. Few have taken him up on that advice...and their bodies are not thanking them.

    Relatives ask me how I lose my pregnancy weight each time and my answer is always "I run a lot. And don't eat as much." ::crickets::