Ok, when did using the term 'diet' become a bad word? Why do we have to dumb it down and be politically correct here? Seriously, no matter what way you eat - that is your diet. You go to the doctors office for a check up, she asks "and what about your diet? How and what have you been eating?" You ashamedly admit you go to the drive thru 1 time per week, and indulge in soda's and pizza when its available. Or, you excitedly tell her about how you have been eating a vegetarian meal twice a day, and you have switched from sweetened desserts to fruits. That is a true statement of your diet. Remember the question she asked was not "are you sticking to your diet?" unless you have discussed and worked out a special meal plan. What you eat IS your diet.

True, it is a 'lifestyle' change to take care of yourself. The lifestyle change should not only be to eat properly, but also exercise, and sleep well... but, do we really need to say that we shouldn't call what we are eating a 'diet'?

My suspicion is that this is part of the 'everyone is a winner' mentality, people shouldn't be made to feel badly about their situation... blahblahblah. Win or lose, this is where experience comes from. You will learn something from that experience. Your family, friends, and even health care provider generally wont ask "why didn't you stick to your diet?". The 'everyone is a winner' crowd says this is accusatory, so people try to be overly sensitive (and call this empathy) and not be so direct (but, really that is what they are thinking). Come on and ask yourself this question. Why didn't this work? Was it to restrictive, unrealistic, etc. Learn from it.

Reducing stress about your "physical reality" (rolling eye's) is something you want to do to effectively loose weight, but please don't lie to yourself. You haven't taken care of yourself. Your fat, and it hurts. You have to make these changes. People have a difficult time telling people around them that they are on a diet, because "what if I'm not successful?". This is a defeatist mindset. Its a known fact people generally take more than one attempt to quit smoking. Your going to try again, that is what makes human - we make mistakes. It's good that people around you learn you are working on self improvement, don't be ashamed to tell people. Friends and family will cheer you on, they want you to loose weight and feel better. Oh and guess what? If you start, others will follow... you can support each other and possibly become more successful in your health and weight loss goals.

Oh, and BTW, this is a category I want to be a loser.
Don't be afraid, you too can be a loser.