There are many definitions of this word, yet it seems that it has become synonymous with losing weight.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/diet+
For those that don't click the above link, the first definition on the list defines diet as food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and its effects on health.
I was ALWAYS on a diet. Since my teens I was 'watching what I eat', depriving myself of foods I love, pills, starvation, Atkins, South Beach, etc. You name it, I've researched it and in many cases, tried them for myself. It was when I stopped using diet as a verb and put the emphasis on the idea as a noun that I began losing the weight.
My diet is the food that I use to fuel my day. Food does not have control over me. It does not feed me if I am not hungry. I have learned to listen to my body. I don't eat by the time on the clock. This is learned behavior that has taken me years to develop. Now I am in the habit of eating every three to four hours. Small meals around 300-350 calories. I base what I eat and how I eat on what I'm going to be doing for the next three to four hours of my life. My breakfast almost never changes. However, I don't always have a mid-morning snack. Lunch is almost always my largest meal of the day. I usually workout after my lunch. I have a post workout snack and light dinner. If I'm in need of a snack after dinner then I reach for fruit, but most of the time I just sip my tea after dinner. This is my diet. A balanced way of eating for the effects it has on my health.
No magic, no secrets. Just healthful, sensible eating after years of struggling to reach an unrealistic ideal. I no longer view food as my enemy. I LOVE to eat, experiment with food and remake old favorites in a healthier fashion. The world of food has endless possibilities. My diet is a drastic change than the way I ate even three years ago, but it works with the lifestyle I choose to live. You are the only one responsible for creating the life that you want. That includes what happens in the kitchen.
Eating is something that should not be dreaded. It should not be something that induces feelings of guilt, anger or disappointment. Food does not have that power over you unless you give it permission. Take back the control. Educate yourself about what you are really eating. Be honest about the reasons why you are eating. As I always say--If hunger is not the problem, then food isn't the solution. Food is meant to nourish the body and soul. Put food in it's proper place and let your diet be in conjunction with the life you want to live.