The Word "Diet" Has Mistakenly Assumed a Short-Term Connotation - Let's Get it Right!
- Dr. Zachary Laboube
- Sep 7
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 12
The word “diet” has been hijacked.
But don't worry, I've located it and paid the ransom. I'm bringing diet back -YEAH!
Somewhere along the way, it stopped meaning “the way a person habitually eats” and started meaning “a temporary sprint to lose weight before a vacation.” But here’s the thing—your diet isn’t just a quick fix or a New Year’s resolution. It’s your relationship with food, and like any relationship, if it’s built on restriction, punishment, or resentment… it’s going to fall apart.
It’s time we take that uncomfortable word back!
Because until we do, we’re just going to keep yo-yoing through programs, gimmicks, and “challenges,” hoping that this time will be different. That said, I actually have a different perspective on what most negatively refer to as Yo-Yo Dieting, but that is for another discussion.
A Diet Should Be a Framework—Not a Deadline
When someone tells me they’re “starting a new diet,” my first question is always:“And what’s your exit strategy?”
Because if your plan ends after 30 days, 75 days, or however long your willpower holds out, then it was never a sustainable lifestyle—it was a countdown. And you’ll likely be right back where you started (or worse) not long after.
Here’s the truth:
👉 A real diet doesn’t have an end date.
It’s a set of habits, values, and behaviors that support your long-term health and wellness goals.
The HCG 2.0 Protocol Works—But It’s Just the Beginning
I created HCG 2.0 because I believe in structure. I believe in results.
And I know that when people see results fast, they’re more motivated to stay the course. HCG 2.0 offers exactly that - fast results. In fact, the most exaggerated weight loss on HCG 2.0 happens in the first two weeks.
But even I will tell you—the HCG 2.0 protocol is just the beginning.
It’s your launchpad. Your momentum-builder.
It’s the 30-40 days you need to reset your biology and reconnect with intention.
The real success comes when you use those weeks to build habits that last long after the scale stops moving. It's when you actually learn to enjoy eating healthy.
So don’t just count calories. Don’t just hit your macros. Learn how to eat again. Learn how to shop, prep, and fuel your body with purpose. However, you already know all of this so it's less about learning than it is about creating new habits. It's about lifestyle change. You've heard me say it before and I'll say it again, taste is an acquired sense. You an change it to make it work for you. That's the real trick!
Learning to enjoy eating vegetables and healthy whole foods are what will keep the scale running sideways.
If You’re Not Planning for After… You’re Planning to Start Over
You don’t want to live your life in calorie jail. You don’t want to count every carb for the rest of your life. And I don’t want that for you either.
What I want is for you to build a diet that:
✅ Keeps you satisfied
✅ Keeps your energy stable - AKA sustainable
✅ Supports your goals
✅ Makes you feel proud, not punished
And more than anything…I want your diet to reflect who you are, not just who you're trying to be for 30-40 days of sacrifice and scale-watching.
Eat Like the Best Version of You
I say this all the time—taste is an acquired sense.If you can train your tastebuds to crave garbage, you can absolutely train them to crave vegetables, whole foods, and clean ingredients. It just takes time, consistency, and a little creativity in the kitchen. And maybe a little more of your budget - but be real, is there anything more worthy of your budget than the food you put on the table 3 days per week 365?
So stop thinking of your “diet” as a temporary sacrifice.Start thinking of it as a vote for the person you want to be.
Don’t just eat for today.
Eat for next year.
Eat for the version of you who’s not just fit, but vibrant, focused, and fulfilled.
Lastly you need to be the example for your family. Your children will develop the exact same eating habit as you.
Let’s Reclaim the Word “Diet”
So the next time someone asks you what diet you’re on, don’t say “HCG” or “keto” or “low carb” or “I’m trying this new thing I saw on TikTok.”
Say:
I’m building a way of eating that works for me. I'm learning to enjoy grocery shopping and food prep and I'm falling in love with vegetables.
That last part might be weird, but you get the point. You can then elaborate by describing how simple it actually is...
Eating fresh.
Shopping permitters.
Avoiding processed garbage.
Allocating adequate time for meal prep (you MUST make the time to eat healthy - if you don't, that's when you open the door to fast food and fish sticks).
Adequate, but proper budgeting.
Additionally, when you begin to get it right, you'll also begin to enjoy planning nights out and indulgences. That's another word that has been abused and might need a recovery effort. A daily indulgence is called a habit - that bad kind. When make clean eating the norm, the indulgences are fun. You can enjoy them without the guilt - as an indulgence should be.
If you find this appealing, join our private group by clicking the link here. By joining you also receive immediate discounts. If you refer a friend or loved one, you get BIG discounts.
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