What I Eat in a Day: Inspiring or Toxic?
We’ve all been there. Scrolling reels, watching endless videos of three perfectly curated
dishes and snacks being prepared in someone’s aesthetically clean kitchen (forgive me, Nara
Smith). They’re kept with the intention of inspiration later, only to rot in the “saved” folder for
all eternity. “What I Eat in a Day” (WIEIAD) has brought up much contention on the Internet,
particularly in the eating disorder recovery community.
Some advocate for WIEIAD as motivation in eating disorder (ED) recovery. Many
content creators intentionally consume “challenge” foods for their ED patient audience.
Challenge foods contrast safe foods and are had with the intention that the more they’re eaten,
the greater the fear surrounding them dissipates. People supporting WIEIAD also argue that it’s
aspirational. If people engage with this content, they’ll be more inclined to prepare healthy,
balanced meals – that’s the theory.
However, many influencers endorse brands that give equipment, utensils, and food to
them for free while the non-influencers pay full price, making the relatability of their content
somewhat redundant. Some content creators also affirm different diets like Keto, Atkins, low-fat,
low sugar, etc. This could be upsetting for patients early in their recovery from disordered eating
and might trigger a relapse (retreating back to disordered eating behaviors). Also, many
influencers spread misinformation on food and diet, which can be confusing for a person
developing their nutritional education. For example, why buy a juice detox when people have a
functional liver and kidneys that do this for them at no extra charge?
These videos can also breed unnecessary comparison. Eating disorder recovery is
multidimensional and may come in many different phases. A person starting out in recovery
might be hesitant to eat all the foods that their recovered counterparts enjoy. On the other hand,
someone might need to eat considerably more early on in their recovery to get them out of a state
of mental food insecurity. It’s not fair to compare one’s eating habits at Phase Two to someone
on their journey in Phase Twelve. Plus, there are varying degrees of disordered eating and not
everyone starts from the same place. Also, people have different energy needs day-to-day.
Athletics, health status, mental state, and activities are just some of many factors that can dictate
a person’s energy needs. Certain foods and ingredients may also hold nostalgic value. People
tend to have a wide variety of food likes and preferences. Not even identical twins will eat the
same. These factors often don’t translate to the context of a curated feed. So, if we don’t know
why a person eats the way they do, why compare?
WIEIAD videos may have some productive applications when content creators
emphasize satisfying, nutrient-dense meals that provide adequate energy. They may be helpful
for normalizing fear foods and could provide a template for healthy eating patterns for a person
embarking on their ED recovery. However, like most Internet phenomena, it’s a double-edged
sword. Comparison is a losing game and if everyone eats differently anyway, why compare one’s
own plate to the next? The most gratifying relationship with food is the one where an individual
is honoring their own unique needs in the moment. WIEIAD is all about application—it can be a
powerful tool or a self-sabotaging weapon.
Katie Stoufflet, Dietetic Student & HAES® Intern.
