What Does "DIET" Mean to you?
loseit4good52
Posts: 127
Just finished reading a post on a discussion forum about "cheats" vs. "indulgences"...and how the simple WORD used to name these food choices influences how we view them...and how they will affect us and influence our future choices and views of ourself.
So...maybe we should also look at the word..."diet" and maybe that will give some idea as to why a "diet" so often fails:
1. A diet is something that you DO to correct some "dysfunction" or "imperfection": People go on a diet to correct weight issues, metabolic dysfunctions (diabetes), or other physiological problems (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.). In essence, something is WRONG with you so a diet is necessary to "fix" it.
2. A diet is a "finite" process; you START it today...and will END it when you reach some "goal" that either you or someone else has created for you (loss a particular amount of weight, or reached a particular size, or the lab test numbers are where they should be).
3. A diet is mostly about appearances or the number on the scale: Diets deal with numbers (weight, size, test results). How you FEEL, energy levels, etc. are very seldom part of the equation. Diest are just another way to assure that outward appearance is "king". Diets restrict and skew the view of true health (does the term "skinny fat person" ring a bell?)
4. Diets can be broken: When you make a food choice that is not part of the diet, you have CHEATED...you have BROKEN your diet. You are BAD for that choice. And...if you are bad...why continue with that diet...you'll just FAIL again?
5. Diets are based on restrictions: All diets are based on the notion that to follow it, you must be deprived of something; usually it's something that you like. Heck, that's why you NEED the diet in the first place, right? Diets are not based on healthy food choices made by you with the knoweldge you have gained but rather unnatural restrictions prescribed by someone else.
6. Diets are usually "mandated" by someone: Either you, your parents, or a physician...a diet is GIVEN to you , as stated above, to correct some fault you have. We all know how much adults love to be told what to do by anyone.
7. Diet is a verb: We go on a diet. We do it...and, therefore, if it gets too hard, just isn't working, or we just don't want to anymore, we can simply stop doing it. There is no commitment to suceed. There will be other diets to try on another day.
8. Oh yeah...and diet...is just "D.I.E" with a "T" on the end !
Interesting, when viewed this way, no wonder "diets" don't work. Look at all the negativities that are conjured when that word is used. We, as humans, cannot suceed or grow when surrounded by such negativity.
I am on whats Called Clean Eating: Clean Eating, thankfully, is not, nor should it ever be, called a "diet". It is a lifestyle.
1. It is not meant to correct some fault. It's purpose is continued growth and improvement. LIfestyles do not assume faults; they recognize areas for improvement.
2. It is an ongoing journey...full of experiences, successes, and even some failures. There is no beginning or end. Lifestyles change and become...just as we do.
3. It encompasses ALL of us, not simply those pesky numbers; lifestyles encompass how we feel, how we view ourselves and others, how we live.
4. It cannot be broken; LIfestyles change and move as we go on, continually seeking improvement.
5. It is not restrictive but truly liberating. There are a never ending array of food choices. Pretty much anything that is loved can be adapted to fit this lifestyle.
6. It is not mandated. We are all here because we have opened our minds and our hearts. We have read and obtained knowledge about the beauty of this lifestyle and we have embraced it.
7. Lifestyle is a NOUN. Again, it is not something to do...it is who we are.
8. And finally..."L.I.F.E": the most precious gift we have all been given and that we have to give to others; "S.T.Y.L.E": the personal, living expression of the beauty that is...YOU!
Just wanted to share this with you! I feel more than ever that I will succeed this time because I am NOT on a DIET, but a Lifestyle change that I will stay with for the rest of my life.
So...maybe we should also look at the word..."diet" and maybe that will give some idea as to why a "diet" so often fails:
1. A diet is something that you DO to correct some "dysfunction" or "imperfection": People go on a diet to correct weight issues, metabolic dysfunctions (diabetes), or other physiological problems (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.). In essence, something is WRONG with you so a diet is necessary to "fix" it.
2. A diet is a "finite" process; you START it today...and will END it when you reach some "goal" that either you or someone else has created for you (loss a particular amount of weight, or reached a particular size, or the lab test numbers are where they should be).
3. A diet is mostly about appearances or the number on the scale: Diets deal with numbers (weight, size, test results). How you FEEL, energy levels, etc. are very seldom part of the equation. Diest are just another way to assure that outward appearance is "king". Diets restrict and skew the view of true health (does the term "skinny fat person" ring a bell?)
4. Diets can be broken: When you make a food choice that is not part of the diet, you have CHEATED...you have BROKEN your diet. You are BAD for that choice. And...if you are bad...why continue with that diet...you'll just FAIL again?
5. Diets are based on restrictions: All diets are based on the notion that to follow it, you must be deprived of something; usually it's something that you like. Heck, that's why you NEED the diet in the first place, right? Diets are not based on healthy food choices made by you with the knoweldge you have gained but rather unnatural restrictions prescribed by someone else.
6. Diets are usually "mandated" by someone: Either you, your parents, or a physician...a diet is GIVEN to you , as stated above, to correct some fault you have. We all know how much adults love to be told what to do by anyone.
7. Diet is a verb: We go on a diet. We do it...and, therefore, if it gets too hard, just isn't working, or we just don't want to anymore, we can simply stop doing it. There is no commitment to suceed. There will be other diets to try on another day.
8. Oh yeah...and diet...is just "D.I.E" with a "T" on the end !
Interesting, when viewed this way, no wonder "diets" don't work. Look at all the negativities that are conjured when that word is used. We, as humans, cannot suceed or grow when surrounded by such negativity.
I am on whats Called Clean Eating: Clean Eating, thankfully, is not, nor should it ever be, called a "diet". It is a lifestyle.
1. It is not meant to correct some fault. It's purpose is continued growth and improvement. LIfestyles do not assume faults; they recognize areas for improvement.
2. It is an ongoing journey...full of experiences, successes, and even some failures. There is no beginning or end. Lifestyles change and become...just as we do.
3. It encompasses ALL of us, not simply those pesky numbers; lifestyles encompass how we feel, how we view ourselves and others, how we live.
4. It cannot be broken; LIfestyles change and move as we go on, continually seeking improvement.
5. It is not restrictive but truly liberating. There are a never ending array of food choices. Pretty much anything that is loved can be adapted to fit this lifestyle.
6. It is not mandated. We are all here because we have opened our minds and our hearts. We have read and obtained knowledge about the beauty of this lifestyle and we have embraced it.
7. Lifestyle is a NOUN. Again, it is not something to do...it is who we are.
8. And finally..."L.I.F.E": the most precious gift we have all been given and that we have to give to others; "S.T.Y.L.E": the personal, living expression of the beauty that is...YOU!
Just wanted to share this with you! I feel more than ever that I will succeed this time because I am NOT on a DIET, but a Lifestyle change that I will stay with for the rest of my life.
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Replies
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i completely agree! diets are no good. lifestyle change all the way!0
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I diagree
Diet by definition
1. The usual food and drink of a person or animal.
2. A regulated selection of foods, as for medical reasons or cosmetic weight loss.
3. Something used, enjoyed, or provided regularly.
Everybody needs to be on a healthy diet eating foods in moderation.
You just happen to be on a clean eating diet.
Nothing wrong with that, But I don't want any implication that because I am not on a clean eating diet like you, that I will fail because of your definitions.
I plan on eating like this for the rest of my life. This is my diet. (usual food and drink of a person of animal)
No hard feelings, just a little of my opinion.0 -
To me DIET is a 4 letter word, enouph said.0
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I diagree
Diet by definition
1. The usual food and drink of a person or animal.
2. A regulated selection of foods, as for medical reasons or cosmetic weight loss.
3. Something used, enjoyed, or provided regularly.
Everybody needs to be on a healthy diet eating foods in moderation.
You just happen to be on a clean eating diet.
Nothing wrong with that, But I don't want any implication that because I am not on a clean eating diet like you, that I will fail because of your definitions.
I plan on eating like this for the rest of my life. This is my diet. (usual food and drink of a person of animal)
No hard feelings, just a little of my opinion.
I'm sorry, I did not mean to imply that because I am not on a so-called Diet that I was coming down on people who are and who are not on a clean eating program like I am. I was simply stating what diets are and how you should make it a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Sorry for the misunderstanding!0 -
Surely diet is simply what you eat - the diet of a jungle dweller may be berries and bugs.
I don't look at my weight loss journey as "a diet" as whatever I put in my mouth is merely part of my daily diet.
I try to look at things a little more as fuelling my body as a means to an end, all being well ultimately to live a long and healthy life.0 -
well i guess I will be on a diet for LIFE... since you have called me to have a imperfection with myself.
i made my "lifestyle" change when I had my insides cut on..
I was put on a strict "DIET" by a surgeon for the rest of my life , so that I do not cause any health issues to myself or harm myself by eating the wrong things. ( alot of things that are in the clean eating list I will never eat again, as my body does not process them now)
So I dont see myself on a diet or currently still making a lifestyle change or a mistake. Im just going thru the changes of life and enjoying everyday I have left on earth.0 -
I agree 100% with your post. I have battled with obesity my whole life and as I quickly approach middle age realized I have been doing it wrong all along. Diet as a lifestyle based on making choices that are based on self-love and respect and to promote physical and mental health has allowed me to lose and maintain a 70 lbs wt loss in the last year and a half. No more restrictive diets for me, no more counting grams of fat or points or other ridiculous ways of obsessing about weight and the scale numbers. Exercise has become something I do because I love the way I feel about it not because I have to. I took on cycling because I remember the feeling of exhilaration and freedom I felt when I was a kid and got on my bike. I have recaptured the same feelings as a 47 years old man, especially after completing difficult challenges and rides. I feel somehow liberated by just being me and being able to go out and meet friends for dinner and not feel like its the end of the world or that I am doing something wrong or " breaking" a diet etc because there are always choices in any restaurant that are healthy and no longer I go or crave for the less healthy choices not because they are " bad" choices but because I know by experience some foods make me feel achy and bring down my energy levels and they are not worth the calories.
Thanks for a great post.0 -
Noun - Factually correct
Verb - Transitory and probably doomed to failure0 -
Noun - all the food you eat
Verb - eating at a deficit. I still don't get why this is a hang up... I see the word diet the same way I see the word cut when used as a verb. Neither is panty twisting to me :shrugs:0 -
Diet is a noun. Everyone on the planet that consumes food or drink has a diet.
We will all have a diet for the remainder of our lives-assuming we continue to consume food or drink for the remainder of our lives.
The food/drink choices that make up that diet can either be something we view as maintainable forever, or some short-term deprivation. Those of us choosing to adapt long-term maintainable eating habits (regardless of what those are) still have a diet.
My "plan" is to eat in a way that allows me to maintain the proper caloric intake for my weight/activity level while getting the appropriate macro & micro nutrients. That is my diet. Forever.0 -
A diet to me is food intake, not a negative word. I haven't cut anything out of my life, so when I talk about my diet, I mean it in a sense of what I am eating.0
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What does "DIET" mean to me? It's my normal way of eating.0
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Diet is a clever way to separate stupid people from their money.
Rigger0 -
"Diet" is a noun...your diet is simply comprised of what you eat. Your diet can be for **** and nutritionally void...or it can be awesome, delicious, and nutritious.0
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Diet is a nutrition lifestyle, doesn't matter if it's comprised of "junk", organic food, vegan or it's simply restrictive in order to lose weight/lower blood sugar etc.- it's still a diet.
I wish more people would use it correctly, not as some general derogatory term.0 -
Diet is an often misused word. That is why it has such negative context.
Diet is what you eat, it can be defined as a "poor" diet or a "good" diet, "well balanced" diet etc.0 -
To me diet means restriction, hunger and stress. I have tried many diets and despised all of them so much I last about 2 days average.
Than God for MFP.0 -
My diet is all I eat and drink. No positive or negative connotation. It is what keeps me alive and going. It is what keeps your blood flowing and your heart beating. It is what I can sustain for the rest of my life, not something that is popular right now and you can only do for 2-3 weeks.0
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a lot of it's going to be individual.... but if you have negative associations in your mind with the word "diet" then if you call it that it's going to affect your mindset and motivation in a bad way............. so I agree with renaming it to something that has positive associations for you.
not everyone will have negative associations with the word diet though.... so this advice won't work for everyone. But it is something that everyone should consider, even if they decide that calling their own way of eating "a diet" isn't having any negative effect on them so they carry on calling it that.0 -
Diet to me means whatever I eat and anything I want to eat.0
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A diet to me is food intake, not a negative word. I haven't cut anything out of my life, so when I talk about my diet, I mean it in a sense of what I am eating.
This for me as well0 -
To me the word diet mostly means the food consumed by a group of people within a culture or by the people of a country, as in " a kosher diet" or " the Spanish diet ".
Since I have been here in MFP, I have started to call it " cuisine ", since so many people use the word diet so interchangeably.
When I studied nutrition we were told to use the word " regimen " or " diet plan " when it comes to a more personal way of eating. Admittedly that was a couple of decades ago and now might be obsolete.0 -
I don't use the word "diet" as a word to describe depriving myself in any way. My 'diet' is what I eat every day to fuel my body for whatever activities I'm going to participate in. If I'm going to sit at my desk most of the day, I need less fuel than if I'm going to do a 60 minute workout before work and be on my feet all day. My diet consists of meat, vegetables, fruits, dairy, breads and pasta, and desserts. A 'proper diet' has to have limits or you will gain weight, but it doesn't have to mean restriction, deprivation, starvation, etc.0
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Meh, without dieting I would have been obese at an early age. I come from a long family history of obesity and overeating.
What "DIET" means to me is breaking the family cycle. It means having my 52nd birthday with no bone loss, no diabetes, no high BP or cholesterol, no daily meds, no risk factors that I can control. It means being able to keep up with my grandkids. It meas wearing clothes I feel pretty in. It means a healthy sex life. It means health and happiness.
DIET may be "die" with a "t". But that T is what keeps me alive. For me, DIET means LIVING instead of just being alive.0 -
The way people use it out there, a 'diet' is a special way of eating, anything out of the ordinary. People say "I'm on a diet" all the time as a shortcut. Even though technically any manner of eating can be called a diet, I try to avoid the word due to its negative connotation. When people ask me what I do to lose weight, I say that I count my calories.0
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I use the word "diet" in two ways:
1) My diet - meaning my dietary habits/requirements/choices
or
2) I am on a diet - meaning, I have restricted my calorie intake in order to lose weight.
That is all that little four little word means to me and I place no more emphasis on it that is needed.0 -
Some people will say to keep away from diets with a name... That's what I think of as a captital D diet. Paleo, southbeach, Atkins, etc...
I've been on diets before and as soon as I stopped depriving myself of what ever was taken away to make a named diet my efforts were for naught.
In my current diet (lower case d and I'm not on any kind of a Diet) the only restriction is the amount of whatever I eat, but I eat whatever,
I can do this for the rest of my life. I was only able to eat vegetarian so long, and while I still follow a lot of the tenants of south beach I dont fear sugar or anything else it disallowed, I just don't go crazy.0 -
Diet is a noun. Everyone on the planet that consumes food or drink has a diet.
We will all have a diet for the remainder of our lives-assuming we continue to consume food or drink for the remainder of our lives.
The food/drink choices that make up that diet can either be something we view as maintainable forever, or some short-term deprivation. Those of us choosing to adapt long-term maintainable eating habits (regardless of what those are) still have a diet.
My "plan" is to eat in a way that allows me to maintain the proper caloric intake for my weight/activity level while getting the appropriate macro & micro nutrients. That is my diet. Forever.
Yes, this. The way diet is defined in the original post is actually correct, but incomplete. When I refer to "my diet" in the sense of definition number one, below, it simply means the food and drink I take in, regardless of content, quality or quantity.
In regard to the the post, however, yes....I am not "on a diet."
di·et1
ˈdī-it/Submit
noun
1.
the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
"a vegetarian diet"
synonyms: selection of food, food, foodstuffs; More
a regular occupation or series of activities in which one participates.
"a healthy diet of classical music"
2.
a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.
"I'm going on a diet"0 -
I wonder if the deactivated OP from 2 1/2 years ago will ever come back to read this?0
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I wonder if the deactivated OP from 2 1/2 years ago will ever come back to read this?
nice catch lol0
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