I will warn you all in advance. Today’s blog is just a chance for me to rip into people on both sides of the word diet. You may ask how are there two sides to diet? That little word has two distinct meanings and people seem to never walk down the middle on it. Diet creates controversy, which in turn creates anger in me.
THE TWO SIDES OF THE WORD DIET
When you look in the dictionary you will find two primary meanings for the word diet:
1: the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
2: a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.
To put these in very simple terms, the first definition means the style of food we most commonly put in our bodies is our diet. For instance, Wendy and I eat keto, so that means we live by a keto diet. If you eat hamburgers and steak, many say you live by an American diet.
The second definition refers to changing your traditional diet in order lose weight or help with your health. This is the meaning that has become synonymous with the term, “I’m on a diet.”
GOOD VS EVIL WITH THE WORD DIET
These two definitions have created a sort of war within the food industry. Definition number one is a friendly all-encompassing term that no one bats an eye at. Definition number two on the other hand has become an evil word that brings about images of eating disorders and Oprah Winfrey.
Both definitions have their place, but if we look at it properly, they are the same. The definition of the word diet doesn’t change… you do. When we as a society come to terms with that, the food and diet space will become harmonious.
KETO VS DIET VS TRADITIONAL
I used to eat a traditional North American diet. Heavy carbs and protein that avoided fats like they were poison. Then I switched to a keto diet that is high fats, moderate proteins and low carbs. However, I can’t call it a keto diet because it infringes on definition number two and brings about negativity.
Wendy and I have avoided the term “keto diet” and use “keto lifestyle,” just so we can get the negativity of diet out of the equation. Simple semantics, but keto has become linked to the second negative definition as opposed to the first which is a way of life.
CHANGE THE NARRATIVE
If we took definition number two out of the dictionary it would be impossible to place a negative connotation to the word diet. The food you eat on that diet would be judged, not the word. Diet would become “what” we eat, not “why” we eat.
Who’s to blame for this cluster that has become the word diet? The usual suspects… humans. We take perfectly good things and complicate them to the point of madness. We teach our kids that diet is bad because we choose to focus on the word, not our actions. Shouldn’t we be teaching our kids what foods within the diet are bad?
MY MEANING OF THE WORD DIET
For myself moving forward I am going to use the word diet to represent the food I put in my mouth. I eat keto. Therefore, I am on a keto diet. My friends that eat their meats and sides from the food guide will be told they follow a traditional North American diet.
Why I eat that way, or why they eat that way has nothing to do with the meaning of the word for me. I’ve been saying keto lifestyle so long it makes me laugh. Other then the way I eat what do I do that is keto in my everyday life? I’m not at the gym doing special keto exercises or going to “high fat bars” with friends. Keto is my food, not my life.
CONCLUSION
What I eat and what I call it are my decision. What you eat and what you call it are your decision. We can disagree on what that looks like and call it good. Your commentary isn’t needed. You won’t find me on message boards telling people how potatoes will kill them, yet you will see people do that on keto boards. Ignore the word diet folks and eat your way.
I’m Bill and I’m proudly on a keto diet.
