go on a diet

Meaning

To change your eating habits, usually by eating less or eating specific healthy foods, in order to lose weight or improve your health. It refers to starting a structured eating plan.

Examples

• I'm planning to go on a diet after the holidays are over.

  I'm planning to go on a diet after the holidays are over.

• Have you ever tried to go on a diet and failed after three days?

  Have you ever tried to go on a diet and failed after three days?

• My doctor advised me to go on a diet to lower my cholesterol.

  My doctor advised me to go on a diet to lower my cholesterol.

• She decided to go on a diet that cuts out all processed sugar.

  She decided to go on a diet that cuts out all processed sugar.

• Before you go on a diet, you should consult a nutritionist.

  Before you go on a diet, you should consult a nutritionist.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to make a diet to lose weight.

  ✓ I need to go on a diet to lose weight.

  The correct verb collocation is 'go on a diet', not 'make a diet'.

• ✗ He is going to a diet.

  ✓ He is going on a diet.

  You must use the preposition 'on' with this expression to show you are starting or following a diet.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I think I need to ___ before summer starts.

  💡 This means to start a restricted eating plan to lose weight.

  Show answer

  go on a diet

• It is hard to ___ when you love baking cakes.

  💡 This means trying to restrict your food intake around delicious treats.

  Show answer

  go on a diet