It’s one of those dirty four-letter words that many of us have come to downright DREAD: Diet. 
“For most people, the ‘D word’ means a short-term period of deprivation and downright misery, that will inevitably be abandoned,” writes Cynthia Sass, author of “S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim” — the acronym stands for “Simple and Satisfying Solutions.” Sass — hey, her name is the same as her acronym! — purposely avoided using the D-word in her book title because she believes healthy eating is about getting into balance — and temporary, get-thin-quick schemes are best avoided.
In a recent Foxnews.com story, however, Sass offered five questions people should ask themselves before embarking on a diet. Hey, there’s that word she hates! Let’s just remember: She’s saying “diet,” but she means “balance.”
1. Is it one size fits all?
2. Does the premise make sense?
3. Is it safe and healthy?
4. Can I dine out?
5. Can I splurge?
Speaking of splurging, Sass often asks “clients to list which foods they can realistically kiss goodbye, and which they know in their gut they can’t forego forever. … A much saner strategy is to create some balance, like having one doughnut with a skim latte and fresh fruit, rather than three doughnuts and a café mocha. This anti-black-and-white strategy may seem unconventional, but it makes so much more sense, because it allows you to satisfy an urge without feeling stuffed, sluggish, and remorseful.”
To learn more about each of Sass’ five questions and what they mean for the success of your weight-loss plan, check out this foxnews.com article.