Do You Track What You Eat Every Day?

People are filming popular videos showing what they eat in a day. Here's how they can be harmful.

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By Paola de Varona, Associate News Editor Food trends have taken the internet by storm over the past year. Remember the whipped coffee craze? Now, it seems everyone has moved on to making the viral salmon rice bowl.   I myself am not immune to influencers and food. A few months ago I discovered the magic of putting pesto in my eggs thanks to TikTok. And I even joined in on the baked feta pasta fad— though I have to admit it was pretty mediocre.   But one trend that I've never been able to get behind is influencer food vlogs. Every time I see one pop up on my screen, I cringe. Watching someone catalog what they eat in a day inevitably stirs uneasy feelings about dieting and body comparisons for me. Turns out, dietitians kind of feel the same way. Let's dive in. Today's Top Story Why Are We So Obsessed With What Other People Eat? "What I Eat In a Day" videos are exploding in popularity online. The videos are self-explanatory: People film everything they eat throughout the day. Sometimes it's a bagel at breakfast, midday snacks, a colorful salad for dinner, and yogurt for dessert.   Some will only film their food. Others will speak over the videos to include the number of calories, carbohydrates, and fats in the foods they're eating. While some influencers are using the trend to promote intuitive eating, others are showing off restrictive diets and unhealthy food challenges.   Sure, these videos can be fun to watch for some meal inspiration. But experts warn that basing your nutritional decisions on these influencers is a bad idea.   "People's fascination with what other people are eating is a little voyeuristic," says Abbey Sharp, RD, CEO of Abbey's Kitchen Inc. who has gathered a social media following for reviewing "What I Eat In a Day" videos. "It has a hint of disordered eating kind of flavor to it." Know More It's nearly impossible to compare people's diets. The same food can have drastically different impacts on different people. One study found that even identical twins can respond to food in distinct ways. Metabolism, appetite, and even socioeconomic status can all impact your ability to lose and gain weight. Feel Better Sharp suggests you steer clear from fixating on what someone is eating online and focus on yourself instead. What foods make you feel satisfied, energized, and happy? Center your meals around those foods. If you still enjoy watching the occasional food vlog, look to them for recipe inspiration, but nothing more. READ MORE This Video Game Can Help Your Child Manage Their Anger If you have a child that loves video games, this might be the next one they should play. Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital created a video game that can respond to the player's heartbeat in real-time through a pulse oximeter. The more frustrated a player gets, the worse they perform in the game. In a clinical trial, they found it helped kids manage their anger and stress alongside more traditional treatments like therapy. READ MORE Goodbye COVID? Here's some good news: COVID cases are dropping nationwide. After peaking at the beginning of September, the number of new daily cases in the U.S. has fallen by 35%. This is the first consecutive drop since the summer. And experts say the authorization of vaccines for kids in the coming weeks may be a game-changer. Let's not get too ahead of ourselves, though. This isn't the first time cases have declined.   "We're not out of the woods just yet," says Syra Madad, DHSc, MSc, senior director for the system-wide special pathogens program office at New York City Health and Hospitals. "With the holiday season around the corner, which drives more people together, we may be in for another wintery surge, though we all certainly hope that won't be the case." READ MORE   While aerobic exercise like running and cycling is great for your heart health, you shouldn't skip the weight room altogether. Jim Pivarnik, PhD, a professor of kinesiology at Michigan State University, shares why it's important to do both. Absolutely people should engage in resistance exercise. If, for no other reason, activities of daily living—pushing, pulling, sweeping, carrying, lifting—all require muscular strength and endurance. This is particularly key as individuals age. Jim Pivarnik, PhD Professor of kinesiology at Michigan State University   Keep Reading   ■ The Golden Age of Junk Science Is Killing Us. Men's Health     ■ In a First, Surgeons Attached a Pig Kidney to a Human — and It Worked. The New York Times     ■ Unvaccinated people should expect to catch COVID-19 every 16 months. The Hill More From Verywell Is My Sore Throat Allergies or COVID? 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