was on a diet vs had been dieting

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Was on a diet' is used to talk about a specific period when someone was following a diet plan. 'Had been dieting' is used to refer to a past action that was happening over a period of time before another event took place.

Last updated: March 31, 2024 • 1249 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used to refer to a specific period when someone was following a diet plan.

"was on a diet"

This phrase is used to describe a past period during which someone followed a specific diet plan to control their food intake.

Examples:

Last year, I was on a diet to lose weight.
She was on a diet for three months before her wedding.
He was on a diet that restricted his sugar intake.

Show examples from the web [+]

This one time I was on a diet pill and I stayed up for 67 hours.
No! No! Didn't you say you was on a diet, Mom?
I was on a diet.
He was raised on a diet of western television And airport novels.
Or like she was on a liquid diet.
When Jackie fell on her head during cheerleading, she was on a liquid diet for days.
At first she said she was putting me on a diet for my own good.
In my defense, I was on a few diet pills at the time.
Found out he was on a popcorn diet.
I probably should've told you she was on a steady diet of juniper.
The last one we had here, seemed like she was on a liquid diet.
She was on a real strict liquid diet.
Earl tells me to go on a diet.
And I've been considering a diet...
Sorry, I was thinking I should go on a diet.
You do not need to be on a diet.
Leena's got me on a diet.
She had a diet 7 up and exploded.
A diet soda please that would be great.
Think that I had been on a diet.

Alternatives:

followed a diet
stuck to a diet
maintained a diet

This phrase is correct and is used to refer to a past action that was happening over a period of time before another event took place.

"had been dieting"

This phrase is used to describe a continuous action of following a diet over a period of time before a specific point in the past.

Examples:

She had been dieting for six months before she reached her goal weight.
By the time he went to the doctor, he had been dieting for a year.
They had been dieting together for a while before they saw any results.

Show examples from the web [+]

The girls and I have been dieting.
The girls and I have been dieting today.
Especially since I've been dieting.
She's been dieting to fit into herjumpsuit.
Alright. I have been dieting all day long.
I've been dieting my whole life for this!
So... how long have you been dieting?
No extreme dieting and no intensive workout regimen.
In my condition there's no use dieting.
Dieting's only half of it.
I want to be surviving rather than dieting right now.
She was weak from dieting, though.
Successful dieting doesn't lower your set point.
Children are especially vulnerable to this cycle of dieting and then binging.
Can help you lose more weight than dieting alone.
Aworld war, dieting... and movies.
Five months of dieting to fit into this dress.
Bry, we have to talk about your dieting.
How dare you take dieting so lightly?
Even at its best, dieting is a waste of time and energy.

Alternatives:

had followed a diet
had stuck to a diet
had maintained a diet

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was on a diet vs had been dieting

"was on a diet"

"had been dieting"

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