I had a great time putting this list together because these diet culture buzzwords are like nails on a chalkboard to me. You know the ones—the words that make you cringe every time someone says them, but for some reason, they just won’t go away. Let’s roast some of these repeat offenders, shall we?
1. “Cheat Day”
Let’s be real, “cheat day” sounds like something from a spy movie. Are you sneaking behind your diet’s back, wearing sunglasses, scarfing down a donut in a dark alley? The whole idea makes food sound like it’s off-limits, something you can only enjoy when you’re “cheating.” Last time I checked, pizza wasn’t illegal.
Here’s the thing—yes, I want people eating mostly nutrient-dense foods. But looking at anything less nutrient-dense as a “cheat” is only feeding into a poor mindset. You shouldn’t feel like you’re breaking the rules every time you enjoy something a little indulgent. Life is all about balance, not deprivation. Let’s ditch the idea that food is something we have to sneak around with.
2. “Guilt” (or “Guilt-Free”)
If there’s one thing I refuse to feel guilty about, it’s food. The term “guilt-free” slapped on everything from protein bars to ice cream is trying way too hard to make me feel bad about every other food I eat. But here’s the reality: when people see “guilt-free,” they often think it means they can eat more of it without any consequences. That’s just not how it works.
Whether it’s “guilt-free” or not, it still has calories. And if your goal is to lose body fat, what matters is the calorie deficit—not whether the food has a shiny “guilt-free” label slapped on the packaging. Overeating “guilt-free” snacks can still lead to weight gain if you’re not mindful of your overall intake. So, let’s ditch the guilt and the mindset that certain foods have no consequences just because they have a catchy label.
3. “Good” vs. “Bad” Foods
This one’s a classic. “Good” foods and “bad” foods, like it’s some kind of high school clique drama—kale’s the straight-A student, and cookies are the rebellious troublemaker. Spoiler alert: there are no “bad” foods! Well, unless you’re eating rocks or dirt, in which case, we need to have a different conversation.
Labeling foods as “good” or “bad” just sets you up for a guilt trip. Let’s leave food moralizing in the past and embrace the idea that all foods can fit into a balanced lifestyle—yes, even the “bad” ones like ice cream and fries.
4. “Clean Eating”
“Clean eating” sounds like it’s suggesting that other foods are, what? Filthy? Did my sandwich roll around in the mud before I ate it? No? Cool, then it’s fine.
The whole concept of “clean eating” is supposed to make you feel virtuous, but it can quickly spiral into an obsession with only eating “pure” foods. Here’s the thing—eating well and hitting your goals doesn’t have to be boring or complicated. You don’t need to survive on chicken breast and broccoli forever. Honestly, you shouldn’t—variety is great for your gut and overall health. A diverse diet helps support gut health, which is crucial for digestion and overall well-being. But you also can’t expect to eat like an unhinged toddler on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, then crush your goals during the week. Balance, people! Food isn’t clean or dirty, it’s just food. Enjoy it, make it work for you, and let’s stop making dinner feel like it needs to pass a white-glove test.
5. “Detoxes” and “Cleanses”
Ah, detoxes and cleanses, the ultimate buzzwords in the world of diet culture. If you believe the hype, your body is full of mysterious “toxins” that can only be expelled through an expensive juice cleanse or a week of drinking lemon water with cayenne pepper. Newsflash: your body already has a built-in detox system, and it’s called your liver and kidneys.
You don’t need a magic potion to cleanse your system—your body is perfectly capable of handling that job. If you’re already dialing things in, eating well, and staying consistent, but still have issues, then test, find the root cause, and treat it. But randomly deciding to drink a magic poop tonic can do more harm than good. These detoxes are often just a way to sell you overpriced juices that leave you hangry and regretting all your life choices. Instead, drink some water, eat a balanced diet, and your body will take care of the rest—no cleanse required.
6. “Fat-Burning Foods”
The idea of fat-burning foods is another favorite in the diet culture world. Apparently, somewhere out there exists a magical food that torches fat while you sit on the couch eating it. Let me save you some time: it doesn’t exist.
Sure, some foods may slightly increase your metabolism for a short period, but the whole “fat-burning” food concept is overblown. Grapefruit and chili peppers aren’t going to turn your body into a furnace. The real key to burning fat is a balanced diet combined with regular exercise. No food can singlehandedly melt fat away, despite what the Internet might tell you. Sorry, but you’re still going to have to do more than just eat spicy foods to see real results.
7. “Burn It Off”
Ah, “burning it off,” the idea that you can eat whatever you want as long as you do an extra-long workout to cancel it out. Look, the human body isn’t a math problem, and fitness trackers are notoriously bad at calculating exactly how many calories you’ve burned. They’ll have you believe that walking your dog burned off half a pizza when, in reality, you’ve barely worked off a slice.
Thinking you can “earn” your food by exercising a certain amount of calories is setting yourself up for failure. Not only are those tracker numbers way off, but exercising just to eat more will turn your workouts into a punishment rather than something you enjoy. Plus, trying to play calorie ping-pong almost always ends with you overestimating the burn and underestimating the food—trust me, it’s not a game you can win.
Instead of using exercise to burn off indulgences, focus on moving your body because it makes you feel good, and enjoy food for what it is—fuel and pleasure, not something that needs to be balanced on a calorie see-saw.
8. “Willpower”
Ah yes, “willpower.” Diet culture loves to tell you that the only thing standing between you and your dream body is sheer willpower. If you struggle with sticking to a diet, it’s not because the diet is unrealistic or overly restrictive—it’s because you suck at saying no, right? Wrong!
The truth is, most people struggle with “willpower” because they’re using a diet strategy that’s not sustainable or healthy. It’s not a personal failing if you can’t stick to a 1,200-calorie-per-day plan that requires you to eat steamed broccoli for lunch every day. That’s a sign the diet is the problem, not you. Building a healthy relationship with food is about finding balance and long-term habits, not muscling through hunger because your diet is setting you up for failure.
9. “Motivation”
Let’s get one thing straight: no one is motivated all the time. I don’t care how many Instagram quotes about “hustle” you see, motivation is not a bottomless well you can tap into whenever you want. That’s why success isn’t about always feeling motivated—it’s about discipline and building habits.
Start small. Don’t aim for some wild, unsustainable overhaul of your entire lifestyle. Find a few changes you can stick with, turn them into habits, and then build from there. Motivation might get you started, but discipline is what keeps you going. So, on those days when you’d rather eat the entire box of donuts, remember that motivation is overrated—habits and discipline are where the magic happens.
