If you’re a living, breathing human being, you’ve very likely been on one of these at some time in your life. For women, it’s one of the most dreaded nouns (and verbs) in our vocabulary. And for businesses, it’s one of the most lucrative markets in America.

Diet.

The dreaded d-word. We’ve grown to associate the word diet with synonyms such as “deprivation” and “hunger.” For some, it has come to mean “tasteless” and “unsatisfying.” But while the word diet, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, can mean “an allowance of food prescribed for a special reason (as to lose weight),” it doesn’t have to. Merriam-Webster also defines diet as “food and drink regularly consumed.”

This definition puts a much more positive spin on our least-favorite word. If we focus on diet as being the sum of the food and drink we take in, we can look at it from a different perspective. A diet is not, therefore, about what we give up, or what we choose not to eat, but rather about what and how much we choose to put into our bodies. It is not about deprivation, but about consumption. It becomes a word about more than calories and fat grams. It becomes about health, pleasure, balance and purpose.

From now on, why not stop talking about “going on a diet” and start talking about “your healthy daily diet”? Think of your diet as your daily food intake, and not as that limiting plan you’ll start tomorrow. Then start thinking about how you can make healthy changes to your diet without giving up the things you love.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."