Why Celebrity & Influencer Diets Aren’t Worth Your Attention (& What to Focus on Instead)

It’s almost impossible today to scroll through Instagram or TikTok without being bombarded by health influencers telling you:

• Exactly what you should eat
• Which supplements you must buy
• Which clothes you need to wear while working out to look and feel your best

And how about all the magazine covers you walk by in the checkout line at the grocery store that promise you quick weight loss results in big bold letters… “MUST TRY cayenne pepper cleanse to get a body like Jennifer Aniston’s in just 5 weeks!”

…Sold.

Sometimes we get so caught up on the image portrayed that we forget to realize what is actually realistic for our body to accomplish. Foodies, fitspos, fitspiration, meatheads, and celebrities LOVE to be the first ones to advise you on what’s best for you.

“They’re ripped, so they HAVE to know what they’re talking about!” Or “She has my dream body… I need to eat EXACTLY like her.” These are valid thoughts that may unfortunately take us down an unrealistic path due to pictures and captions that suggest a fantasy of external perfectionism.

That’s not to say all health influencers are liars or that there isn’t some great content out there to help guide you to eat healthier and work towards your body composition or weight loss goals.

However, fantasizing over celebrity bodies or trying to eat exactly what the chiseled man on Instagram (who is also on steroids) is eating in a day is not the best idea. Here’s why:

Your “why” to dieting becomes revolved around looking like somebody that’s not you.

These individuals often give the message that your ideal body cannot be achieved without following their advice. But image editing, certain lighting, and emphasizing certain body parts are almost always a part of both health influencers and celebrity posts!

Often these individuals are under-fueling or aren’t partaking in sustainable, realistic dietary practices. Find your “why” and let it be your own.

Every individual has a different body with different needs.

Gender, height, weight, muscle mass, body fat, activity level, health status, weight loss (and gain) goals, and genetics ALL contribute to how many calories you need to consume in a day.

Oftentimes health influencers don’t post the amount of food they are actually eating. One slice of beautiful avocado toast with an egg on top looks beautiful on a plate… but I’ll take two, please! Even individuals with fat loss goals need to ensure they are hitting their targeted calorie range. Undereating will often times derail progress!

Results definitely won’t come as quickly as promised.

The hardest parts about fat loss are patience and consistency. No detox, cleanse, shake, pill, or small amount of daily food will leave you with lasting results in just one week!

As a Registered Dietitian, I tell patients time and time again: a half a pound to two pounds per week is recommended for sustained weight loss. Any individual or product that promises quick weight loss is a hoax. I’m taking that one to my grave. With promised quick results comes high expectations. Health influencers or celebrity diets may cause you to give up early or even give up completely on your health journey or weight loss goals.

They don’t take into account your food preferences!

You deserve to eat foods you enjoy. Oftentimes people will blindly eat what an influencer online tells them to eat simply because they claim it’s healthy. Well, what is “healthy”? What’s healthy for you may not be what’s healthy for me. Incorporating your favorite foods into your diet regimen is key to achieving your goals.

For instance, FitspoJim77 claims he has a coconut water kale smoothie for breakfast every morning to stay lean. But what if I work from home every day and breakfast is my favorite meal!? You better believe I’m having a beautiful veggie omelet with some air fried potatoes or toast, and hopefully some fresh fruit on the side!

But again: that’s just me! What are your preferences when it comes to eating? Don’t ever feel like you “have” to eat a certain way.

Before you go eating a certain way to achieve quick results, take a moment to assess your current nutrition habits and ask yourself:

• How many meals do I eat in a day?
• How many of my meals are homemade? How many are out?
• How many snacks do I eat in a day? What do these snacks look like? Are they packaged or convenience foods?
• What beverages am I sipping on all day long? Do they contain added sugars?
• Do I get a lean source of protein with breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
• Are fruits and vegetables a large part of my diet?
• What do my portion sizes look like? Do I go for seconds without considering how full or satisfied I am?
• Which foods can I not live without?
• Which foods don’t really agree with my stomach?

Answering these questions will give you an idea of (1) what your typical routine looks like in a day and (2) what some areas are that you can easily improve on (some of the best changes to make are the easiest changes to make).

If your goal is to be healthier, lose some weight, or get in better shape, here’s a much better way: 

✓ Challenge yourself to cook more of your own food. (Yes, microwaving a bag of frozen vegetables is considered cooking in my book!) But this means getting to the grocery store, with an actual LIST of foods you’ll need for the week.

✓ Plan out your weeks. Calendars and planners have a place to pencil in meal prep or grocery shopping! Know where there will be time crunches or temptations to eat out or grab something quick during your week. Having cold shrimp, rice, and vegetables waiting in the fridge to heat up takes all but 5 minutes…and is a much better choice than the Taco Bell drive through!

✓ Plan out your snacks. Whole fruits, Greek yogurt, rice cakes and peanut butter, hummus and vegetables, string cheese and whole grain crackers, protein bars, turkey wraps… MUCH better options than Takis, Doritos, Oreos, Snicker’s bar, and Skittles.

✓ Eliminate the drinks with added sugars – Juices, Soda, Sports Drinks, pre-made smoothies….our bodies don’t want to process the added sugars these drinks provide, and they contribute a lot of added calories.

✓ Stay active. Whether that looks like going for daily walks or whether that means Olympic power lifting twice a day…. all activity is beneficial! Our bodies like to move. Get into a routine that works with your schedule. Adding in physical activity to your daily regimen helps keep the motivation to eat healthy alive.

---

Again, not all health influencers or celebrity diets are “bad.” Here are some ways they CAN be used to your advantage:

• To discover new, alternate, or cheaper foods to add to your grocery list
• To learn how to make new recipes and try new things
• To learn how to make healthy substitutions
• To discover new, fun workout ideas
• To provide general motivation to achieve a healthier lifestyle

Improving your diet takes work. Improving your relationship with food takes work. Don’t rely on empty promises made on magazine covers or by the Instagram bodybuilder you follow. Work with a nutrition coach or a Registered Dietitian to have that two-way dialogue that will help you create and achieve your own personal goals!