Diet...???

5kgLifter · 01-27-2009, 08:47 PM

What does the word diet conjure up when you hear it?

For me the word diet just means the foods I eat in a day/week, I've never really thought of the word as relating to a 'fad' diet, or a restricted calorie diet. I was once asked, "Are you allowed to eat chocolate when you're on a diet?", this was after informing a guy that my diet was going well. I had to explain to him that 'diet' to me means whatever I'm eating as part of my daily plan at any particular time in my life, and that, yes, of course I can eat chocolate....and that I could eat anything I wanted. I was 8stone 4 pound and was eating everything in sight, pretty much every day...so I was not restricting foods at all. He was a bit confused, since he had the thought pattern of 'diet' meaning restricted foods, or just eating bowls of cabbage soup...

So, the word 'diet' is really not a good word to use, since society seems to see it as a restrictive thing, anyone else come across this.

almostfit · 01-28-2009, 07:14 AM

It makes me think of the last fad diet I tried, Tony Ferguson, and that feeling of your stomach eating itself, or feeling so weak that I couldn't finish my work out. Never again.

sheri · 04-16-2009, 10:09 PM

Yeah, I find that when you use the word "diet" people immediately think of what you CAN'T have.

I prefer to use terms like nutritious eating, healthy lifestyle. Something that brings to mind longterm, healthy habits, not a presribed amount of time of limiting and restriction!

Eating and cooking healthy can be sooo enriching. It brings so much more to your life than a "diet" ever can!

ddktt · 04-18-2009, 01:41 AM

I agree with what Sheri wrote.

I think words are powerful. I avoid the word diet. I will say that's not on my plan or program when passing something up. Just a choice I am making for myself. Kim

lizadeller · 04-18-2009, 02:29 PM

Yeah... i would like to eat more 'real food' but work commitments and traveling etc don't allow. I eat more 'real food' at the weekend.

On cardio days meal 1 is missed out as i believe it's better to carry out early morning cardio on an empty stomach. I then add the oatmeal to meal 2.

Since posting this i've shifted 2lb so i'm hoping things are moving in the right direction, just hope i'm not losing any muscle.

*Links deleted*

thecatsmother · 04-19-2009, 06:22 PM

I agree that the word diet sounds bad and "a diet" is something you're always on or off.
I have changed around all the foods I can eat, whole grains,fruit,veggies,dairy,protein and small amounts of fat...the rest-sugar,white flour or processed foods are no longer on my menu...if this is a diet I'm on it,but I look at it as those foods are not for folk like me ever again.It may look as if I'm depriving myself(as in a diet) but just because some food company produces it does not make it food

WS09 · 08-18-2009, 10:02 AM

I agree, the word "diet" does have a negative meaning. It does sound like hard work and going without your favourite foods. It shouldn't be like that! I think its eating more healthly and still including some of your favourite foods in moderation so you don't feel deprived. For example one of my treats is having two small squares of chocolate in the evening. I also feel it's not about continously jumping on the scales. Surely this will make you feel more happy in yourself?

DORKtoDIVA · 08-21-2009, 03:10 PM

It's weird how this happened. Of course we all eat a diet. I assume magazines in the 1950's started talking about specific diets, like the "grapefruit diet" and then it got shortened from "I'm on a ___ diet" to "I'm on a diet."

Terms change, so I guess those of us who consider the word "diet" as "habitual food intake" have to get used to the fact that it now means "restricted intake."

Aha, I looked up on an etymology site:

Quote:

"regular food," c.1225, from O.Fr. diete, from M.L. dieta "parliamentary assembly," also "a day's work, diet, daily food allowance," from L. diaeta "prescribed way of life," from Gk. diaita, originally "way of life, regimen, dwelling," from diaitasthai "lead one's life," and from diaitan, originally "separate, select" (food and drink), freq. of *diainysthai "take apart," from dia- "apart" + ainysthai "take," from PIE base *ai- "to give, allot." Often with a sense of restriction since 14c.; hence put (someone) on a diet (c.1440). The verb meaning "to regulate oneself as to food" (especially against fatness) is from 1660. An obsolete word for this is banting (q.v.). The adj. in this sense (Diet Coke, etc.) is from 1963, originally Amer.Eng.

So I guess while I was right that the base meaning refers to a regular food intake, the connotation of restriction is actually older than I thought.

becki · 10-30-2009, 02:35 PM

I totally agree with with you. Most of the people mean "diet" in restricted sense. Diet is not about starving yourself. I never restrict or starve myself to lose weight. My trainer recommended me a "Diet Program" - Bistro MD diet meals. It's not restrictive at all, as a matter of fact it tastes better than my daily food. It's just that they prepare it in a way that makes it low on calories. It works really well for me.