Dieting—Informal Vocabulary

When in informal situations, the language we use can be quite different to the language we use in formal situations. Don�t get caught out and use the wrong language in the wrong situation! Recently, diets, health, and wellbeing in general have become extremely popular. The way we talk about it has of course also changed. New words and phrases are appearing all the time. Learn a few of them here!

carbs

→ a more common and informal way to refer to ‘carbohydrates’ (bread, pasta, etc.)

be/go vegan

→ to not eat ANY animal products (not even honey/milk, etc.)

be/go gluten-free/sugar-free

→ to not eat foods containing gluten or sugar

gain/put on weight

→ to become heavier due to eating excess food (’put on’ = UK, ‘gain’ = USA)

shed weight

→ to lose a lot of weight quickly

go up/down a dress size

→ to lose/put on a certain amount of weight so that your clothing size changes

a cleanse/detox

→ to start a new diet (temporary)

go on a diet

→ to start a new diet

eat clean

→ to only eat fresh food with no ‘junk food’

watch what one eats

→ to choose what one eats carefully and consider whether it is healthy before eating

count calories

→ to only eat a certain amount of calories every day.

Why not use these words and phrases next time you�re hanging out at the gym, or eating tofu with your friends at a vegan restaurant?

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Description Questions Bonus Content

Want to talk to your friends about your recent weight loss? Or maybe you've started 'eating clean'? Brush upon your dieting vocabulary and improve your speaking skills.

Do you think counting calories or eating clean is better?
What’s the silliest fad diet you’ve ever heard of?
Do you find it easy to put on/lose weight?