At the beginning of 2022, Joe Rogan revealed to Business Insider his new experiment diet for January: meat — and only meat. Rogan said the carnivore diet helped with mental clarity and weight loss, but also blamed it for giving him intense diarrhea. His detailed dietary account isn’t a new occurrence. On the internet, several users, from bodybuilders to influencers, participate in a trend called “What I Eat in a Day” (WIEIAD). Often labeled as vlog-type content, the name defines viral videos in which celebrities, influencers and other users share their day-to-day diets. Videos under this hashtag have amassed billions of views on TikTok, featuring celebrity pantry tours, vegan meal plans and Division 1 athlete nutrition tips, becoming a widely recognized genre. 

Viewers typically enjoy these diet-related videos because they can get an inside scoop on the eating habits of people they look up to, whether viewers envy their lifestyle or admire their relatability. Despite the seemingly positive nature of these videos, trainers and dieticians warn of potential dangers, such as the promotion of unrealistic body types, restrictive eating habits and lack of expert advice. 

The WIEIAD trend traces back to 1999, beginning as a column in The Daily Express’s weekly Sunday issue, featuring the refrigerator contents of politicians and writers alike. Emma, the journalist who created the column, would visit celebrity homes and take note of what was in their fridge, showing readers that many idolized figures ate just like the average person.

The relatability of eating routines is part of what made WIEIADs so popular in the 2000s, as they spread to other magazines and media outlets. As content grew, it soon became apparent that not all interviewees were always honest. Image became important for celebrities who wanted to present a better version of themselves, and the new trend provided a way for famous figures to endorse controversial weight-loss strategies and products. What started as a silly idea quickly changed into curated dishonesty, straying from the original intention.

The raw vegan craze of the 2010s pioneered the documentation of diets centered around large quantities of raw plant food. Vegan influencers motivated other aspiring vegans through YouTube vlogs. Bodybuilding and fitness communities quickly embraced these eating videos, and popular lifestyle YouTube creators later adopted them. Through this, WIEIAD videos became mainstream and turned into an opportunity for people to normalize unique and realistic diets rather than just celebrities revealing the secrets of their kitchens. 

However, much like how celebrities in the 2000s used the trend to promote themselves more ideally, some content creators have contributed to a more toxic diet culture by thumbnailing their videos with pictures of their bodies and cutting out “unhealthy” snacks from footage.

Dieticians today criticize the anecdotal nutrition advice and lack of body diversity of those that participate in the WIEIAD, as many videos include close-up shots of extremely thin or fit women and men — a behavior coined as “body-checking” — as well as calorically restrictive diets and portions. 

Certified personal trainer and yoga instructor Laura Ghiacy reacts to popular celebrity and influencer dieting videos on social media and critiques how people attach a sense of morality to certain foods. She argues that the term “cheat day” in dieting can be incredibly harmful.

“The idea that foods are ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ or that eating ‘clean’ is somehow morally superior creates unnecessary shame around eating,” Ghiacy said. “Food is food. Context, balance and individual needs matter far more than labels.”

Additionally, WIEIADs can promote unhealthy comparison, where viewers may feel self-conscious if their portions are larger or if they’re eating the “wrong” foods. Body-checking can mislead viewers into thinking that the creator’s approach to nutrition will have the same effect on their body composition. 

Nutrition experts have debunked the assumption that eating like one person will achieve the same physical results for another. Columnist, author and registered dietician Samantha Cassetty said that individual factors play a much larger role in personal health, and the WIEIAD fails to render this principle. 

“These videos drastically oversimplify the many determinants involved in weight management, such as age, genetics, health factors, lifestyle circumstances, sleep duration, budget and access to food, and so on,” Cassetty wrote on Today. “Two people of the same height could eat and exercise the same way and still have different body shapes.”

The high-protein diet, where at least 40% of total daily calories come from protein, has recently become popularized in grocery stores and diet culture. Those who follow this diet may choose items such as meat, protein bars or ice cream with the highest protein content when deciding on their meals and snacks. The macronutrient protein is traditionally masculine, especially in its connotation and benefits for muscle building and body recomposition. In the fitness community, creators frequently frame protein and weight-management videos around their own intentions: either to lose weight, build muscle or stay lean.

Although not inherently harmful, Ghiacy said the filtering of bodybuilding practices, like counting macros and maximizing protein, into mainstream wellness culture can misrepresent nutrition. 

“In my work, I like to highlight balance because all three macros are essential, and demonizing any of them distorts how we see food,” Ghiacy said.

Weight loss culture often recommends reducing fat and carbohydrate intake despite their necessary functions in nutrient absorption, energy and satiation. Not consuming enough of any major food group can have adverse health effects like fatigue, organ dysfunction and nutrient deficiency. 

For Junior Kelani Ramos, maintaining a well-balanced diet and including all food groups has been essential for her performance on the Whitman wrestling and USA Judo Junior World Championship teams. She said that when she first started wrestling in her freshman year, she felt the pressure to drop into a lower weight class, eating very little and dehydrating herself to see results while suffering the negative effects of malnutrition. 

“I was new to the sport, especially to the weight-cutting experience so it was really difficult for me to be fueled with eating a certain amount of calories,” Ramos said. “Now I prioritize more of a balanced diet, more hydration and being at my best rather than just looking at a scale and trying to get my numbers down.”

Maintaining a healthy relationship with food can be challenging in the modern age of social media use, which has gained a reputation for fostering body image issues and eating disorders. A 2023 study showed that image-based social media platforms increased symptoms of body dysmorphia in over 200 participants aged 16 to 18, leading to reports of body dissatisfaction, harsh self-criticism, anxiety and more behavioral changes. According to health teacher Shawn Winans, the Whitman health curriculum teaches strategies to combat negative mental health effects caused by social media.

“We have influencers telling high school kids that you should eat like this if you want to be super jacked and lean and we always tell you to take that with a grain of salt,” Winans said. “We give [students] strategies like ‘maybe don’t follow that influencer if they are giving bad advice and try to change your algorithm.’ And of course, find a trusted adult or counselor who’s going to help you change your mindset.”

As the girls’ flag football and boys’ junior varsity lacrosse coach, Winans’ nutritional advice for athletes concerns meal size and timing. He said WIEIADs can pose benefits in terms of gauging model athlete nutrition.

“It actually is helpful to an extent,” Winans said. “Maybe there are high school students [thinking], ‘I just started playing a varsity sport’ and they look up ‘what I eat today as a varsity or collegiate athlete’ to just get tips and tricks about what to eat.”

Although not free of controversy, WIEAID videos have become a place for individuals to find novel and fun recipe ideas and learn about different cultures’ cuisines. They can also be helpful to gain inspiration when starting a fitness journey.

Junior Erin Blatt said she began bodybuilding in May because she wanted a new goal to work towards and keep her motivated, despite having already cultivated a practice and love for the gym. Blatt said her focus on nutrition has been essential to putting on muscle and making progress in lifting, with WIEIAD videos helping her along the way. 

“I often see healthy recipes on TikTok and I try them out,” Blatt said. “Progress at the gym is all about the mentality you have going into it. It’s not easy at first, but once you see progress, you become obsessed with it.”

Considering the internet’s unpredictability, Ghiacy and Winans recommend approaching WIEIADs with caution. Ghiacy suggests keeping an eye out for certain patterns and avoiding videos that start with body-checking, moralizing language or weight tracking — promoting weight loss through eating. 

By practicing conscious consumption, viewers can steer clear of the negative side of the WIEIAD trend, enjoy the benefits and focus on what makes them feel their best.

“The most empowering thing is learning what makes you feel energized, strong and at peace in your own body,” Ghiacy said. “Health isn’t about copying someone else’s routine, it’s about creating one that feels sustainable and supportive for you.”