Many people aim to look good by cutting down a few inches and seeing a lower number on the weighing scale. To achieve that, it is highly likely that you may have ended up following diet tips from a celebrity or the food diary of your favorite social media influencer – for example, starting your day with a green smoothie because Kim Kardashian swears by it. Here is the truth – you will not look like Kim Kardashian if you eat like her, and the simple reason behind it is that there is no one diet that fits all.
Restrictive Diets and Cleanses Are Disordered Eating in Disguise
Many of the practices and parameters of celebrity-touted fad diets and cleanses fall under what is called “disordered eating”. Disordered eating is a term used to describe a range of irregular eating behaviors that may or may not warrant a diagnosis of a specific eating disorder. Disordered eating can lead to detrimental consequences, including a greater risk of adverse health patterns like weight cycling, binge eating, bone loss, gastrointestinal disturbances, electrolyte and fluid imbalances, and low heart rate and blood pressure, as well as increased anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Engaging in disordered eating patterns also increases risk for developing an eating disorder.
Detoxes and Scientific Evidence
Diets or detox cleanses that put rigid parameters around what and when to eat or involve an intense “detoxification” process through supplements, prolonged fasting, or other extreme measures are not healthful or evidenced-based. A healthy eating pattern and relationship with food involves variety, balance, and moderation. It simply does not arbitrarily omit food groups. What is more is that detox cleanses are unnecessary thanks to our liver and kidneys, so cleanses will not magically cure the body of toxins – although they often result in unfortunate digestive discomfort. There is a wealth of scientific evidence that demonstrates the ineffectiveness of restrictive diets.
Short-Term VS. Long-Term
It is not surprising that there is an allure to adopting the same diet as our favorite actor, athlete, or influencer, but it is important to remember that celebrities are under an incredible amount of pressure to look, move, act, and eat a certain way. Often, they hire entire teams to facilitate their picture-perfect images. Understanding the fact that many celebrities feel required by their industries to look a certain way is not to justify their food and diet choices, but it can provide us with more context surrounding their decisions. Remember that when you see celebrities adopting a strict diet or detox cleanse, it is usually done for extreme weight-loss purposes and to make money via endorsements – not for overall health.
While it is tempting to believe that what works for one person will work for all of us, nutrition is not a one-size-fits-all thing. Restrictive diets and cleanses are often disordered eating in disguise, lacking in scientific evidence, and only focused on short-term weight loss, not long-term health and well-being. At the end of the day, it is best to focus on your own nutritional needs and to steer clear from overpromising fad diets and cleanses – they are just not worth the hype.