Feeling Confused By Influencers?

When Wellness Feeds Make You Unwell: Navigating Overwhelming and Contradictory Advice

We are living in a time where information is available at our fingertips 24/7—and that’s both a blessing and a curse. Especially when it comes to food, our health, and fitness. One scroll through social media and you’re bombarded with conflicting advice:

• “Carbs are the enemy.”

• “Carbs are life.”

• “Just eat intuitively.”

• “Track everything you eat.”

• “Everything in moderation.”

• “There are no bad foods.”

If you’re in recovery from food addiction or disordered eating, it’s not just confusing—it can be dangerous. The very voices that claim to promote “freedom” and “balance” can become triggers that awaken the eating disorder voice you’ve worked so hard to quiet.

So what do you do when the information overload starts to mess with your head?

1. Recognize that conflicting information is normal.

Different people have different experiences, bodies, goals, and mindsets. What works for one person might absolutely not work for you—and that’s okay. But just because something is popular or said with confidence doesn’t mean it’s the truth for you.

You don’t need to sort through all the information. You only need to stick to what supports your recovery and well-being.

2. Curate your feed intentionally.

If someone’s content—even if it’s well-meaning—consistently makes you question your food freedom, it’s okay to mute, unfollow, or walk away. You don’t owe anyone your attention, especially if their message activates your ED voice, shame, guilt, or prompts you to return to old patterns.

There’s no shame in protecting your peace. If someone constantly posts about “moderation,” but you know that moderation leads you straight back to bingeing or obsessing, that’s not a message meant for you.

If someone insists “there are no bad foods,” but you know that certain foods hijack your brain and send you spiraling, then that narrative is invalidating your lived experience.

Your recovery isn’t up for debate.

3. Get clear on your values and what’s true for YOU.

A lot of the overwhelm comes from being disconnected from your own truth. Before you take in more information, ask yourself:

• What is working for me right now?

• What makes me feel mentally and physically well?

• What do I need to stay consistent in recovery?

When you’re clear on what serves you, it’s easier to spot what doesn’t. You start recognizing when something is just noise and not nourishment.

4. Anchor yourself in lived experience, not just theories.

There are so many influencers who have never struggled with the things you have. They may mean well, but their advice doesn’t come from the battlefield you’ve walked through.

You don’t need to be lectured on “balance” by someone who’s never experienced the torment of food obsession or the rollercoaster of food addiction.

You need support from people who get it—who understand that “just one bite” isn’t harmless, and that there are foods that are bad for us—not because of morality, but because of the damage they do to our brains, bodies, and peace.

5. Remember: You’re allowed to do what’s right for you.

You don’t need permission to unfollow someone. You don’t need to argue or explain why their content doesn’t work for you. You can choose recovery over popular opinion every single time.

You are allowed to build a life and a feed that supports your healing—not your relapse.

Recovery is already hard enough without the noise of a thousand contradictory voices. Be ruthless about protecting your mind and your peace. Surround yourself with voices that remind you who you are, not who you should be.

And if you ever feel overwhelmed or lost in the flood of information, take a deep breath and come back to this truth:

You are allowed to heal in the way that truly works for you.

Even if it’s unpopular.

Even if it’s misunderstood.

Even if it means logging off and tuning in to yourself.

That’s not weakness. That’s wisdom.

Grab your free copy of my Beginner’s Guide to Food Sobriety by clicking on the image below.