by Joan Inong

Created on: March 16, 2008

Diet has rapidly become an often misunderstood word. When many people hear the word "diet," they think of quick weight-loss solutions such as the Atkins diet, Mediterranean diet, the South Beach diet, and many others. The Oxford English dictionary has a few good definitions that take us back to the better meaning of the word: "Food; the provisions or victuals in daily use, viewed as a collective whole, especially in relation to their quality and effects" or "Course of life: way of living or thinking" (diet used as a noun) and "To take one's ordinary food, or meals; to feed (on)" (diet used as a verb).

With these definitions in mind, we can answer the question, "To diet, or not to diet?" It's quite simple, actually. Choose to diet, but choose a diet which will become a lifestyle, a life change, or "a diet for life." This is perhaps the easiest diet I can think of, with the best and most healthful results, because there is no need for deprivation and no need to count calories.

When I confront people with the words "moderation," "exercise," "weight loss," and "no deprivation" all in one sentence, they give me a shocked look. Is it possible to lose weight when you don't cut out every single ounce of fat calorie from your diet? Yes, it is possible, and that's why moderation is the key. If we choose to diet, we also choose to diet with a lifestyle change in mind.

A person who has had a diet that consisted of sugary foods, too much trans-fat, and very little exercise, has chosen a diet which is not healthy, and that is obvious to many of us. Why is it not healthy? Because that person has a diet which has no variety, which has no moderation, and which gives way to a sedentary lifestyle. In the same way, a person who has chosen to go on a no-carb or low-carb diet has an unhealthy diet. Why? Because people need carbohydrates, and people need some fat in their daily diets.

Those are the reasons why moderation is the key to successful weight loss, and to a diet which can be lifelong and which can be fruitful. One of the best things about weight loss through moderation is the feeling of control and success that one has. There are no diet pills, no expensive, sugary shakes, no counting calories. It is just a matter of self-control, willpower, and knowledgeability about portion sizing.

So, "to diet, or not to diet?" There is no question. Whether we diet or we don't, our daily eating habits should focus on creating, developing, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Diets should not be restricted to losing weight.

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