20 Common Ways You’re Justifying Your Diet

Have you ever caught yourself justifying your diet to someone, even when they didn’t ask? Maybe a friend raises an eyebrow at your lettuce-wrapped burger, or your colleague wonders why you’re skipping the office cake. 

Instead of simply saying, “I’m on a diet,” you launch into an elaborate justification, even though maybe deep down you know it doesn’t quite make sense. Sound familiar? 

I thought I’d have some fun with this and share with you some of the funniest and most common diet justifications I’ve heard. Be warned – my very best sarcastic side is coming out for this one!

If you want to hear me go into a bit more detail about these (and have a good sarcastic rant too) then have a listen to the podcast episode for this one, here:

For each of these you can start the example with this one line:

“No, my diet is good for me because…”

1 … it teaches me discipline and self-control

 Ah yes, because food should be a moral test of willpower rather than something that fuels your body. And also, you don’t need willpower around food. Check out my other blog post on this, here.

2 … I’m only cutting out “bad” foods that my body doesn’t really need.

Which foods are “bad,” exactly? The ones you enjoy? The ones with actual nutrients? Let’s be real – if your body craves it, it probably needs it on some level.

3 … I’m not restricting, I’m just making “better” choices.

Translation: I actually really do want that slice of cake, but my diet book says no, so I’m eating this dry rice cake instead.

4 … I feel so much lighter when I don’t eat carbs/sugar/dairy.

 That’s called hunger, my love, or at least a lack of eating to a point of fullness. It could also be dehydration. Or maybe just the absence of the joy that carbs bring.

5 … everyone in my group is doing it, so it must be right.

Just because a room full of people is doing something doesn’t make it healthy. Cults exist, after all.

6 … I can eat whatever I want, as long as I track it properly.

 There really is nothing like spending 20 minutes scanning barcodes just to eat a sandwich is there? Totally normal behaviour.

7 … being hungry just means it’s working.

 Or… it means your body is begging for food and you should probably listen to it. 

8 … I’ll gain it all back if I don’t stick to the plan.

You mean the plan that isn’t actually sustainable? The one where you have to count every bite forever? Yeah, no surprise there. If you’re gaining weight back after stopping a diet your body was being forced into a state it isn’t comfortable in.

9 … my coach/leader says this is the healthiest way to eat.

Are they a registered dietitian? Or did they just take an online course in weight loss motivation? Did they do any nutritional training? Or did they just learn what the diet club wants them to tell you? Never take nutritional advice from a diet club consultant!! 

(btw, I had an incredible time talking to an ex Slimming World consultant where she told me all about how much nutritional training they have. You can find that here)

10 … it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle!

 If it has a name, a rulebook, and a membership fee, it’s probably a diet.

Self-justification, therefore, is not only about protecting high self-esteem; it’s also about protecting low self-esteem if that is how a person sees himself.

Elliot Aronson

11 … my body just needs to get used to eating this way.

Or maybe your body is literally begging you to stop torturing it.

12 … I’m cleansing my system and getting rid of toxins.

Good news! Your liver and kidneys already do this for free, no detox teas, juices, or cleanses required.

13 … I’m just committed to my goals, I’m not obsessed.

If you’re thinking about food 24/7, avoiding social events, and panicking about going “off-plan,” that’s not commitment. That’s diet culture’s grip on you.

14 … it’s science – calories in, calories out!

If only bodies worked on simple math equations alone. But they don’t. That equation doesn’t allow for your genetics, your health, your energy needs that day etc etc.

15 … I don’t even feel hungry anymore.

That’s not a win. That’s your body shutting down hunger signals because it’s given up trying to get you to listen. Listen to this podcast episode (using the player above) if you want to hear a great analogy of why ignoring your hunger is like ignoring your next door neighbour.

16 … I’m just resetting my metabolism.

Metabolisms don’t have a reset button, but wouldn’t that be nice?

17 … it worked for my friend, so it’ll work for me.

Your friend also might have a different genetic makeup, activity level, and relationship with food. What works for one person isn’t guaranteed to work for another.

18 … I need to stick to this or I’ll lose control.

If a diet makes you feel like the only alternative is chaos, it’s bad. And that “losing control” is simply your body trying to get you to eat the things it’s been missing.

19 … I’m doing this for my future self

Your future self might just want to enjoy a pizza without guilt, actually. Your future self might not want you to be writing down or tracking every last thing you eat!

20 … it’s the only way I can stay accountable.

Accountable to whom? The diet industry? Your fitness tracker? Karen from Slimming Club?

Breaking free from justifying your diet

Did you have a good chuckle at some of those? That’s good. I wanted you to.

But if you also found yourself nodding along because you’ve said some of these, don’t panic. It’s not your fault. Diet culture is sneaky and it convinces us that justifying your diet is normal. 

You don’t need to explain or justify your eating habits to anyone though. You don’t need a set of rules to eat. You don’t need to punish yourself for enjoying food.

Next time you catch yourself saying one of these things ask yourself: Do I actually believe this? Or is this just diet culture talking?

You deserve better than endless food rules, excuses and justifications. You deserve freedom. And yes, you deserve that slice of cake if you want it.

Want to break free from diet culture and build a healthy, guilt-free relationship with food? Join Eat From Within, my membership community where we explore intuitive eating, body confidence, and leaving the nonsense behind. 

And tell me, what’s the funniest excuse you’ve heard (or used) to justify a diet? Message me on WhatsApp and let me know.