thats what dieting is...but I do agree, OP. seek gradual, healthy change.

There's always a parity between what dieting is. Some people think its starving yourself or cutting out all 'unhealthy' foods straight sway but the best way is gradual change that you can adhere to over the long term. Short term and rapid weight loss is dangerous anyway so combine long term change with exercise and boom you're grand guv'nor.

That isn't dieting. Dieting is what people do over a period of time to lose weight. When you change your eating habits all together permanently to healthier choices for the period of your life that's a healthy life style choice. Healthy life styles are so much better for you to get on, and control your weight. Rather than go on a different diet every time you want to.

Diet means a healthy way or eating. Not starving yourself! What's wrong with wanting o eat healthy??

The problem with the term "diet" is how it's advertised in media, especially in women's magazines. Most of the "diets" that are discussed and shown in magazines and the like are either "no longer eat this specific thing" or "eat mainly this specific thing" types of diets. Stuff like "Smoothie diet", "no-red-meat diet", "banana diet", etc. These are the diets that almost always purely work due to the yoyo-effect: You'll lose weight quickly, but since your body judged your diet to only be a period of starvation/forced malnutrition, he'll forcibly make you gain weight again after your dietary plans are over. And then there's also the fact that none of these diets actually care about appropriate nutritioning, since they don't make any suggestions for where to get your Omega3 fats, proteins, calcium, etc. when the diet prohibits methods of acquiring them.

technically, "diet" means the food you eat. good or bad. diet is an abused word. that being said, OP, you don't have to give up chocolate to be healthy or lose weight. and if any of you are judging while never having to go through the battle of serious weight loss, **** you. you can never understand.

It's hard for some people, having something taken away that you were used to having daily can be difficult to cope with, you shouldn't look down on people like that, at least they're trying

4 days is poor, op needs to learn self control.

That's right it can work because of the 'daily recommended allowance' for calories is about 2000 for males and 1800 for females and if you stay within those boundaries even with chocolate and stuff its fine. You can have more than that if you exercise regularly too and that's what actually maintains or loses weight but don't let the numbers get you worried. Its what you put in that you, in the end, get out.

I thought it was 2500 for men and 2000 for women? Or do you mean those are the recommendations when loosing weight?

Wait.. Drinking alcohol with every meal is unhealthy? Crap, I need to make some changes..

Me too, going to miss my breakfast Bloody Mary, and I thought tomato juice was a good morning choice...