Well at least I know what WOE stands for now.

I'll stick to the term diet. I don't need a new term to know what I mean...

It's when you call it a "diet" that you get into trouble. If you adopt a new way of eating, then yoyoing isn't an issue, unless you backslide into old eating habits.

Temporary measures produce temporary results, right? You're not surprised about that are you?

Is it easy? Well, after 7 or so years it really requires no thought whatsoever.

"Diet" refers to the type of food one eats. My cat has a diet consisting primarily of cat food. The first definition of "diet" is a generic term meaning, well, something like "way of eating".

Very true. In the beginning 'diet' meant WOE. But, since the - forgive me - volume of people seeking to reverse obesity began escalating, this strange secondary meaning has become common usage: I have temporarily interrupted my normal eating pattern but just until I am permanently fixed by this 'diet'.

Falling back on the original definition can strew some delightful confusion. I tell people I eat a very healthy diet, that my overall energy and health is greatly improved, that I am losing weight. And then I enjoy the looks on their faces if they notice what I am eating.

Of course, their expressions are even more fun when I tell them I am Banting.