Okay, all of you who mentioned mixing hot chocolate and coffee together are genius! I will have to try that soon. Sounds delicious.

And, I know you all don’t really care, but I’m too happy to not share – the car is finished and gone! Peter’s friend stopped by last night to pick it up after Peter got everything fixed for him yesterday afternoon. Oh, thank goodness. Now I can hopefully have my husband back in the afternoons and weekends.

Last night, like most Tuesday nights, I participated in the #fitblog chat on Twitter. I really enjoyed last night’s discussion as its something I feel incredibly strong about – Is Diet a 4-Letter Word?

The first prompt for discussion helped me realize something. The word “diet” finally does not bother me. Now, I simply use it as a way to describe my eating habits instead of something I need to “go on” or do to lose weight. I think the difference lies in whether or not we view diet as a noun, aka our dietary style, or as a verb, aka “I’m dieting right now”. In my opinion, the verb dieting is not healthy and implies deprivation or making changes for a set period of time instead of for life.

Something about the chat helped me reaffirm myself. After I give birth, I will work hard to take care of myself so my body can get back to a place where I feel strong and optimal in my health. A “diet” will not be part of that. I will simply return to the ways of eating I know suit me best because it truly is my personal eating style…my lifestyle…my “diet as a noun”. That means the way I currently eat, being okay with pregnancy cravings and all, is still part of that lifestyle and can fit into the big picture just fine. A few months out of my lifetime = a blip on the radar = nothing to worry about. In short, #fitblog chats will really get you thinking. 😉

All of this reminded me of an article a friend recently shared as well – “6 Food Mistakes Even Healthy Eaters Make”. Funnily enough, the list all sounds like actions that go along with being on a diet.

• Eating extra added sugars found in popular “health foods” – Things like yogurts, cereals, bars, or even breads can have way more sugar added than originally thought.
• Not getting enough fat – Our bodies need fats to function properly and they help keep us satiated.
• Eating only egg whites – To me, this ties in with eating fat, but the article also mentioned missing out on other important nutrients of which egg yolks are a quality source.
• Waiting too long to have breakfast – Important to refuel after not eating for an extended period and help keep energy levels stable.
• Missing a post-exercise snack – Helps body with recovery.
• Relying on processed/packaged “diet foods” - Not as many nutrients.

Some of the article shares old-school ways of thinking that I don’t completely agree with, but on the whole I can agree that those types of actions can hinder achieving a balanced eating style suitable for life. I agree that taking steps against each of those could improve my eating habits. Luckily, I have no problems with most of them…with the exception of the added sugars one. I know I don’t pay attention to that and likely consume quite a bit extra sugar because of my lack of awareness. Seems like it basically boils down to eating a variety and abundance of wholesome, natural, un-processed foods. Sounds like duh, but it definitely takes practice. Eventually though, those habits become our diet. And not diet in a 4-letter-word way either.

• Does the word “diet” have a negative connotation for you?
• Do you agree with that list of “healthy eating mistakes”? What would you add, subtract, or sub out on the list? Do you struggle with any of the ones mentioned?

Tags: binging, fitbloggin, healthy eating