Community Blog: What is dieting? By Elena

[emili]

What is dieting? By Elena 

Through the years, the word “diet” has become synonymous with restrictions. One is on a diet or is on a low-calorie diet or a restrictive diet. The actual definition of diet in Webster’s dictionary is “food and drink regularly provided or consumed”. There is no mention of restriction. Of course, if you scroll further down, you will get the definition of restrictions and calories. Let’s take a moment and go back to the basic definition. If we think about our diet in plain terms of food and drink we consume, perhaps it will be easier to improve what we eat or drink without the stress of assigning the further scrolled definition of diet.

What we put in our bodies is directly linked to the output of our bodies. Put another way, what would happen if you put diesel in a car that requires regular gasoline? Yep. You will need an engine overhaul before the car will run again. Think of your heart as the engine that keeps you running. Your “engine” runs best on healthy fats, high fiber, low sodium, and low cholesterol. The better the fuel, the more efficient your heart will run. Filling your engine full of fried food, sugar and cholesterol will result in sluggish performance. Your heart pumps blood through your digestive system to help locate good nutrients to send back to the heart and your other major organs. Without good nutrition, nothing will be found and your heart will work double-time to keep searching.

So does this mean that you can never have anything “guilty” again? No, it means those special treats should be the exception, not the rule. Plan your daily meals the same way you plan your work schedule, trips with kids to wherever they need to be, dry-cleaning pickups, and the ten thousand other things we think are more important the fueling the only engine that actually matters most. The next time you put gas in your car, the correct gas for your car, think about what you put inside your engine that day. How efficient will it run for you? How much harder will it need to work to find good nutrients? We care so much about the things we have or buy and tend to neglect the things we have for free that actually require our best effort to maintain.

So let’s go back to the word diet. Your diet is the food and drinks you consume to be your best self. It isn’t restrictions. Plan your meals to include lean protein, lots of colors, low to moderate sodium, lots of herbs and spices to make things fun and once in a while a scoop of double chocolate ice cream in a candy shell.

Your diet is your life, it is what sustains you. Eat in good health!

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Please note that content published here is written by Fitbit Community members and does not reflect any opinions or official positions of Fitbit. The Community Blog entries are published as submitted and are not edited for grammatical or other accuracy. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine.

[Odyssey13]

Very well worded and thanks for putting it terms that I can use to tell my husband. I'm not restricting you, I'm just making sure your engine gets the best fuel possible!

[emili]

@Odyssey13 my pleasure! Thank you so much for reading..

[mikestanley464]

Superb. Thats really great to read this article which consist wholesome view of the dietoing.

[SteveRocke]

Eating healthy with a complete dose of all essential nutrient.

[Itz_steven]

Wonderful...... Bravo

[Joseph1985]

Great! Thanks for sharing!

[LEC2019]

That looks so delicious! 

[absfabs]

yummmmmmmmm

[JohnA67]

Nice recipe 👌.

[MelaniaTaylor]

Amazing insights!
Dieting has sort of become a norm nowadays with almost every lady you come across saying she is 'dieting'

Not many people are aware of how to carry on with a diet or the repercussions that an improper diet can have on one's health. It is vital to know these things before embarking on any such a plan bit.ly/2IZy9ka

[AnaFitbit]

That's an awesome way to explain how our body works with the food we give it 👍

[ivanm11]

what do you think about keto diet ? https://bit.ly/3jVqEIP

[clarkethomson]

Have you ever thought about the relation between depression and nutrition?
Detoxification, intake of essential nutrients, and incorporation of food components from all the different food groups are important for the optimal function of our bodies. It is good to note that our brain needs these foods and nutrients to function properly. We were privileged to have some of the most fantastic and knowledgeable nutritionists, physicians and researchers share their opinions on the relationship between depression and diet.

[AndreaFitbit]

That's very interesting. We use the word diet in the wrong way and think that dieting is having a lot of restrictions when diet is what you eat...

Thanks for sharing this @emili. 😁

Our engines work better if we add the right ingredients. 

[JimATgym]

Hi Elana,

Great article, I have recently taken up road cycling and although I need to lose weight I still have to fuel long rides, so it's a real balancing act.

If anyone has experience of this I would love to hear from you add me up.

Regards

Jim 

[Dorita27]

Hi Emili,

Could you please let me know where can I find the Community Blogs and how am I able to contribute with content? 

There are blogs under blog.fitbit.com but I thought those were written by fitbit employees.... 

Thank you! 😊

[emili]

Hey there. I was a guest blogger for this article. Since then they have all been discontinued...

[Dorita27]

@emili really great blog! 😀 It's a shame it's been discontinued as so many people have a wealth of knowledge on different topics that others could benefit from... Who knows they may restart it one day.  

[maxfalton80]

In my mind, a diet is a set of guidelines for eating that helps people achieve a healthy lifestyle. It involves eating the right types of foods in the right amounts and making sure to get the right nutrients. There are many documentaries on diets that can be watched online to soap2day that explore different diets, the science behind them, and how to follow them. These documentaries can be a great source of information and motivation for anyone looking to make changes to their diet.