Last week, I wrote about creating a diet you love. Not a restrictive plan — something different. Something delicious.
A "diet" in the original sense.
The word diet comes from the Greek word diatia, which means "way of life."
Your diet isn't just about what you eat — it's how you eat too. How you shop, cook, and gather around the table — it's your lifestyle around food. The right diet is simple: cooking real food, savoring it slowly, and eating together.
In fact, that's one of the secrets behind the French Paradox and the health and longevity of people who live in the Blue Zones: their routines are built around pleasure, not restriction. They use quality ingredients, eat slowly, and share meals. It's a lifestyle that values and prioritizes connection and enjoyment — and it's one reason they experience fewer health issues than we do in the U.S.
In the States, it seems we're always looking for diet fixes: diet plans, food programs, and medical prescriptions. Restrictive diets to lose weight and regulate health issues are the norm instead of a consistent balance of delicious, quality food and a passion for enjoying mealtimes.
But a better diet doesn't mean constantly redesigning what we eat or eating less — it means eating better. We need to change our eating habits and our "diet" to fix this. I learned that from living in France over thirty years ago.
The French approach inspired me to cook, to eat with pleasure, and to keep it all simple. Just good food, good rhythm, and time at the table.
So how about you?
Is your diet serving you?
How do you feel?
Is there anything you'd like to change?
Maybe you want to cook with more fresh foods and still eat what you love. Or find more ease in the kitchen. Maybe you want meals to feel joyful again — not just one more thing to manage. It starts with little things:
If you want a better diet, you don't need less food. You need to move beyond the “convenient fixes” and establish a good routine to enjoy the way you eat.
And it's more than what's on your plate — it's about having a practical kitchen, knowing what to cook, and having a system that works for your life. It all comes together to create the perfect diet — nothing complicated, just a few simple routines and a few minutes.
The non-restrictive diet theme is a foundation of Return to The Table, and we have more to talk about. I want to help you create your delicious "diet," and it’s all in my book (coming soon!), where I’ll help you do it step by step — including finding the time to cook!
If you want to know when the book comes out, sign up for updates here. In the meantime, I'll keep posting ideas and suggestions to help you design your delicious life.
For now, I wrote this piece so you can think about your "diet." Take two minutes. Grab a piece of paper and jot down:
What's something you want to change?
What's something you miss?
What would help?
If you need a little refresh, start here:
Next week, we’re going to make The Best Cookout!
