What Does Diet Really Mean?

When someone says they are going on a diet, they usually mean they are trying to lose weight.  They also are usually thinking in terms of something temporary.  Once they lose the amount of weight they want, they will go off their diet.  But what does diet really mean?

The word “diet”, as it is commonly used, has a very negative connotation.  It carries the implication that you are giving up foods you like, while constantly feeling hungry. When you are “on a diet”, food becomes an obsession.  If you have denied yourself certain foods, they instantly become the things you want most in the world!

So what does diet really mean?

Your diet is what you eat. Monkeys live on a diet of bananas; that doesn’t mean that all monkeys are trying to lose weight!  People who are on a vegetarian diet don’t eat meat; they aren’t necessarily trying to lose weight.  If you exist on junk food, then that is your diet.

Diet should not mean a temporary thing, that you abandon after you reach a certain goal.  This is especially true of a healthy diet, because that means that just when you have achieved a really beneficial change in your life, you throw it all away.

A healthy diet should be your permanent life style.  Instead of thinking “Just 10 more pounds and I can stop this”, think in terms of “This is the way I am going to eat for the rest of my life”.  Instead of thinking negative thoughts about what you are giving up, you can concentrate on the healthy changes you are making in your life.  Make it a challenge to find delicious ways to enjoy healthy foods.

So, what does diet really mean?  It should mean the life style that you choose to follow. Go to http://finallyadietthatworks.com to find out what a healthy diet consists of and to get help in designing your new healthy life style.