The “Glow-Up” Lies the Internet Keeps Telling You — And Why Experts Say They Might Be Making You Feel Worse

Let’s be real: half your feed is probably promising to fix your skin, flatten your belly, balance your hormones, and turn you into That Girl™ — all by next Tuesday. From viral juice cleanses to “magic” raw salads, TikTok wellness hacks are pitching quick-fix transformations like they’re selling sorcery. But spoiler: most of it is a beautifully filtered lie.

And experts are finally calling it out.

We’re deep in an era of aesthetic wellness, where everything is “natural,” “holistic,” and “healing.” But what’s not always clear is how these routines actually work on real bodies — especially if you’re someone who isn’t living on lemon water and filtered light. Because when your “glow-up” starts tanking your energy, digestion, and cycle, it’s time to ask if that green-juice girlie lifestyle is actually… helping.

Let’s Talk Red Flags:

Cutting Carbs in the Name of Health

Turns out, your body loves carbs. Bread, rice, sweet potatoes — not the enemy. Registered dietitian Wendy Lopez calls the carb-hating trend not only nutritionally risky but deeply damaging for women’s hormones, energy, and (hello?) cultural food traditions. Low-carb = low fuel = a stressed-out body and a sad relationship with food.

“What I Eat in a Day” Videos That Low-Key Promote Starvation

SkinnyTok is out here glamorizing 900-calorie days like it’s a flex. But mimicking someone else’s perfectly plated yogurt bowl can push you straight into disordered eating territory. Dietitian Tracy Lockwood Beckerman warns that blindly following these trends can wreck your hormones, digestion, and mental health — especially if you’re a teen or in recovery.

The Carnivore Diet (Yep, Just Meat)

No fruits, no veggies, no fiber? Just vibes and animal fat? That’s a hard no from nutritionists like Chelsey Amer, who say cutting plant foods not only harms your gut and hormone health, but also leaves you nutrient-depleted and miserable.

Raw Carrot Salad as a “Hormone Fix”

Yes, carrots are great. No, they won’t detox your estrogen like magic. “It’s like duct-taping a leaky pipe instead of fixing it,” says dietitian Wintana Kiros. Hormones are complicated. Fixing them takes more than shredded carrots and hope.

Juice Cleanses as “Detoxes”

Plot twist: your liver already knows how to detox. Juice cleanses? They’ll mostly just tank your blood sugar and ruin your mood. Dietitian Mascha Davis says these cleanses often leave people worse off than when they started — tired, hungry, and convinced that eating solid food is a crime.

So, What Actually Works?

Balanced meals with carbs (yes, really), protein, and healthy fats.
Fiber-rich foods like lentils, berries, leafy greens, and whole grains.
Hydration — preferably water, not celery juice that tastes like regret.
Consistent habits, not panic-fueled 7-day resets.
Celebrating culture, not cutting it out. (Your grandma’s rice dish? That’s health.)
Ditching food guilt. Full stop.

TL;DR:

You don’t need a raw salad with coconut oil to reset your hormones. Or a meat-only plate to feel less bloated. Or a cleanse to be worthy. You need food that fuels you, routines that ground you, and advice that comes from experts, not algorithms.

The wellness world can be overwhelming, but here’s the cheat code: If it shames you, starves you, or scares you, it’s probably not wellness. It’s marketing.