Is anyone else sick of hearing the work 'diet'?

almc170

Is it a sign that I've been on MFP too long if I've come to prefer "diet" to "lifestyle change"?

lemur_lady

Whatever.


I'm more ..... not annoyed but..... derisively amused at the constant use of the phrase "lifestyle change" by people who have only changed their.... guess what?..... diet. The paleo thing isn't a diet it's a lifestyle. Vegetarian lifestyle, low carb lifestyle. And when I ask these people what, other than diet, is involved in this lifestyle I get accused of being a smartass. The only "eating thing" I can think of off the top of my head is being vegan because you don't wear leather or fur or use any animal products in any aspect of your life. Paleos can't claim that.

Two years ago when I sold my little place in the country where I was raising sheep and goats and llamas and had neighbors with chickens and cows and stuff and moved into the suburbs with neighbors close by and an HOA that "frowns upon" gunfire in the back yard. That was a "lifestyle change". Not getting the single meat instead of the double meat or only getting the humane cage free organic strawberries or cutting out white potatoes (unless because of some master race ideology that goes further than just food) doesn't really constitute a "lifestyle change" - unless your definition of lifestyle is narrow and lame.

If whatever you're changing or adding or subtracting from your life is completely made up of what or how you eat then diet is the operative word.

But call it what you want. It's your gurney :flowerforyou:

I think its more because people use the word 'diet' to mean a short term thing. People say 'I am on a diet' not 'I have changed my diet'. Calling it a lifestye change shows you are commiting to it for the long term and understand that eating healthy is not a temporary thing.

Often when people do change their diet longterm their habits change. Not neccesarily the things they eat but how mucht hey have, how much exercise they do, their attitudes towards food change.

I dont like using the word diet for what I am doing. But really its only because after years and years of fad dieting I now associate the word diet with being hungry and miserable (albiet temporarily). I use the somewhat cornier phrase 'lifestyle change' because I guess it is more accurat to what I am doing and how im feeling.

I get what your saying though

SLLRunner

Whatever word you use to describe it, it's only temporary. Remember you're eating at a caloric deficit to lose weight. It should not be a permanent lifestyle change. You'll be off your *insert whatever word you use to describe this* when you hit your goal weight, even if that is the same foods but an increase in portion.

Well, not really.

Once you get to maitenance you will still be on a *whatever word you want to call it* - sure, the calorie allowance will increase but if you don't watch what you eat and how much you eat then you will re gain the weight.

This. You have to stay conscious of calories.

SLLRunner

Whatever word you use to describe it, it's only temporary. Remember you're eating at a caloric deficit to lose weight. It should not be a permanent lifestyle change. You'll be off your *insert whatever word you use to describe this* when you hit your goal weight, even if that is the same foods but an increase in portion.

Well, not really.

Once you get to maitenance you will still be on a *whatever word you want to call it* - sure, the calorie allowance will increase but if you don't watch what you eat and how much you eat then you will re gain the weight.

Agree to disagree, that wont be the case for me. My foods havent changed since losing weight.

I think you misunderstood. It's the "temporary calorie" counting that this poster and I disagree with. Even when you eat st maintenance you need to stay aware of how much you eat or you'll gain the weight back.

Agree that calories restriction or no, just eat what you love.