Instagram is lying to you about weight loss
weight loss journey, weight loss coach, weight loss dietitian, functional nutrition, kansas city dietitian nutritionist
Instagram is full of weight loss success stories, perfectly curated meal plans (does everybody have a ton of natural light in their home?!), and transformation photos that make it all look so easy. Scroll for a few minutes, and you’re overwhelmed with one-size-fits-all advice that promises a slimmer, more toned you if you just cut your calories, buy all the supplements and sit in the sun all day. But here’s the truth: Instagram has a habit of lying. I know you KNOW that… but do you always believe it? Here are some reasons to convince your subconscious that instagram is full of BS :)
1. It Doesn't Consider Your Thyroid Health
Your thyroid plays a massive role in regulating your metabolism, which directly impacts your weight. If you have an underactive thyroid, it can be almost impossible to lose weight no matter how much you diet or exercise. Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t ask to see your thyroid labs before giving you advice. Even worse, your doctor might look at your thyroid labs, but isn’t looking for optimal ranges. You will hear something like, “your labs are all normal” even though you don’t feel normal.
If your thyroid is out of balance, simply eating less and working out more isn’t going to move the needle. You could be doing everything “right,” but without addressing your thyroid health, you're likely spinning your wheels. This is why many of the calorie plans you see on IG won’t work (or didn’t) for you.
2. It Ignores Underlying Digestive Issues
Your gut health impacts everything—from nutrient absorption to hormone balance and even your metabolism. If you're dealing with conditions like IBS, leaky gut, or chronic bloating, these digestive issues could be slowing your weight loss goals.
When digestion is compromised, your body struggles to absorb the nutrients it needs from the food you eat. This can lead to deficiencies that make it harder to burn fat, stay energized, and regulate your appetite. I will say instagram does talk a lot about gut health, but it doesn’t always get to the root cause of gut problems. It typically takes you to the latest detox or supplement without knowing why you have gut issues in the first place. This is important because the gut impacts your metabolism.
3. It Overlooks a History of Undereating
Many women have been conditioned to think that eating less is the key to weight loss, but the reality is that long-term undereating can slow down your metabolism and make it even harder to lose weight. There are also situations where women are undereating without even realizing it, but it still leads to the same problems.
Chronic dieting or undereating sends your body into survival mode, slowing your metabolism to conserve energy. This leads to stubborn weight gain or plateauing. If you've been on restrictive diets for years, eating more mineral and vitamin rich foods is often part of the solution to heal your metabolism.
4. It Fails to Address Hormonal Imbalances
Instagram diet culture rarely addresses the complex hormonal factors that influence weight. If your hormones are out of whack—whether it’s from postpartum changes, stress, or other factors—it can be incredibly difficult to lose weight.
Social media will give you an overwhelming amount of information about different diets you can try (keto, low carb, no meat, all meat etc), but it won’t mention how critical balancing your cortisol, estrogen, and insulin levels is for sustainable weight loss. To take that even a step further, it also doesn’t talk about WHY your hormones are out of balance in the first place. Remember, hormones are messenger and are not the root cause.
5. It Doesn't Consider YOU as a Whole Person
The most annoying part of social media? It often suggests a cookie cutter weight loss program, without any regard for your unique biology, history, or lifestyle. The truth is, you are not like anyone else. Your body, your past, your health—all of it plays a role in how your body responds to food and exercise.
Weight loss isn’t just about calorie counting and exercise; it’s about uncovering the root causes behind why your body is holding onto weight in the first place.
What to Do Instead
If you’ve been struggling with weight loss and feel frustrated by overwhelming and confusing advice on social media, it’s time to take a step back and look for the root cause. Instead of trying the latest fad diet or workout program, focus on these key areas:
Check your thyroid: Get lab tests done to see if an underlying thyroid condition is affecting your metabolism. Be sure to have a functional practitioner check (hi, it’s me!) Conventional medicine probably won’t find anything.
Support your digestion: Work on improving gut health with a focus on nutrient-dense foods, probiotics, and addressing any chronic digestive issues. Your gut is where your thyroid hormone is activated. That means your gut has to be healthy for your metabolism to thrive.
Repair your metabolism: If you've been undereating for years, start fueling your body with enough high-quality food to heal and reset your metabolism. This can be so hard to do and even harder to do alone! I coach clients on how to manage this step. Apply to work with me if you want extra support!
Instagram doesn’t see the full picture (we see literally a rectangle), but you have the power to take control of your health and address the root causes behind your weight struggles. Sustainable weight loss is about far more than just what you eat—it’s about supporting your body as a whole. That is why taking a holistic, root cause approach is so important!
Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and that’s honestly amazing. You're uniquely you so your nutrition plan should be too.
