If you’re anything like me, you’re on your phone scrolling in the morning and at night. It’s not a healthy habit, but it keeps on happening. Since the start of the new year or so, I’ve noticed exponential spreading of harmful diet culture around social media, and there is a lot of misinformation out there. The creators posting about their health journeys, “What I Eat In A Day” videos, and workout routines are often completely incorrect in what they are saying. My credentials? I’ve been trying to lose weight for about two and a half years, I’ve never been skinny in my adult or teenage life, and I’ve taken anatomy, organic chemistry, and biochemistry. Watching this unfold on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok really infuriates me, because I know that if I had seen all of this 5 years ago, I would’ve fallen for it as a desperate teenager. These people are going to create awful mental images for young girls, and some already have. Here are some of my biggest pet peeves that are spreading like wildfire, and why they aren’t true:
- The Carnivore Diet
The “carnivore diet” involves eating only animal products. That means a lot of meats, eggs, dairy, fish, and cooking with things like tallow rather than oil. Creators are claiming that this diet is the healthiest way to eat, they’ve never felt better, and they’ve been able to lose so much weight doing this diet. This is just a bunch of garbage. These people would rather take a bite out of a stick of butter than eat a piece of broccoli. In what world could that be healthy? These diets contain an absurd amount of saturated fat, absolutely no fiber at all, and an overload of protein (yes, there is such a thing as too much protein). One creator I saw asserted that her body was doing “way better without fiber.” It is imperative to eat fiber. You will have severe intestinal problems if you don’t eat fiber. Yes, it is good to take in lots of protein to help your body build muscle if that’s your goal. But it is very harmful to impressionable minds on the Internet when they see that they “should” be eating chunks of butter and cheese with every meal. That doesn’t even begin to cover the health effects this diet has long-term. Cholesterol isn’t all bad, but when consumed in that high of quantities, we need to reframe our thinking.
- Volume Eating
On the flip side, the “volume eating” craze is equally hurtful. It’s also rooted in truth: eating lower-calorie foods in high quantities is better for weight loss than the same quantities of higher-calorie foods. But let’s not forget that calories are energy, and we can’t completely deplete ourselves of them. Creators are using “volume eating” as a guise for shaming people for eating unhealthy foods. Even if you eat a giant bowl of cucumbers instead of chips, your salty craving won’t be satisfied, and you’ll end up eating the chips anyway. Portion control is important, and filling your diet with some low-calorie foods among your favorites is wonderful, but you can’t “volume hack” your way through everything. This will deplete your body of nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, which help your brain function, and complex carbohydrates, which are the main energy source the body uses to help you move and live each day.
- Protein (and nothing else)
I love protein as much as the next girl. I try my best to eat a lot of protein, but it’s not the only nutrient your body needs. In fact, it’s been suggested that the human body has a difficult time processing over 35 grams of protein in one sitting. Not only is this true, but the body DOES NOT PRIMARILY USE PROTEIN AS AN ENERGY SOURCE. That is what carbohydrates are for. Protein is only used for energy when the body is depleted of glucose. Eating a lot of protein isn’t a bad thing, but we have reached new levels of extreme that are harmful. There is no reason the average person (notice I said average; there are situations which may warrant this) should be aiming for 200 grams of protein a day. Even 100 grams of protein is a lot. Aside from this, nobody seems to care about any other biomolecule besides protein. Fiber is equally as important and helpful- meals and snacks ideally have both to keep you full longer. So it’s not bad to eat a protein bar, especially if you’re on the go and need to stay full for a while, but it shouldn’t be all you live off of.
- “Balancing your hormones”
Girl, can you even tell me what a hormone is? If you want to manage your hormone levels because you think you may have an imbalance, there are some strategies you can use that don’t involve those silly drink packets (which are overpriced Crystal Light with ashwagandha and inositol, by the way). You can get ashwagandha supplements at any grocery store to help combat your stress because stress does affect your hormones. Drink more water. Prioritize sleep. Try and move your body more. All of these things contribute to the natural balance the body maintains. If you truly think you have a hormone imbalance in your body, you need to bring it up with a doctor. No natural remedy is going to help you more than a doctor can. That’s just a fact.
Instead of those harmful ideologies that are contributing to unattainable beauty standards (when coupled with the Ozempic epidemic), we need to remember foundational truths that have stood the test of time. If you want to lose weight the healthy way:
- Everything in moderation. You don’t need to add protein powder to cake to be allowed to eat it, but you also don’t need to eat cake every day. You are allowed to order what you want at McDonald’s; you don’t need to make “protein swaps” that are probably made up by some creator who hasn’t taken a science class since high school. On the other side of that, if you want to make the “protein swap,” go ahead! You choose what is best for your body and make informed decisions about your own health.
- Prioritize real food. The American diet is overrun with ultra-processed food. Choose real foods, and if you want to maintain the healthiest diet possible, limit your intake of highly processed foods. Even though sodium doesn’t directly contribute to the caloric density of foods, it does make your body want to hold onto extra water weight, and if you’re trying to make the scale go down, that will likely hinder you.
- Restricting yourself will just make it worse. If you want to eat chips, eat a handful of chips. Put them in a bowl rather than eating them straight out of the bag. Practice portion control, not complete depletion. Your craving is not going to go away just because you tell it to. Believe me, I’ve tried both ways. One works better than the other (and one leads to binging in the middle of the night after you’ve ‘done so well’ all day).
Divas, we need to take care of ourselves and each other! We need to be mindful of the content we are consuming daily and take advice from scientists and dieticians, not influencers (though sometimes a creator can be both!). Be kind to yourself first and foremost; I know from experience that nothing works if you aren’t leading with compassion for yourself. Remember, it’s your first time living! It’s okay if you don’t do everything perfectly. Take advice with a grain of salt (even mine) and do your own research before you fall into a fad diet trap that could cause you long-term health issues. I believe in you!