Cosmopolitan recently released an article titled “What Candace Cameron Bure Actually Eats to Make 40 Look Like 20,” as Bure gave, in extreme detail, exactly what she eats each day, apparently to make her 40-year-old self look two decades younger. I have absolutely nothing against Bure — in fact, quite the opposite. I’m a lifelong Full House fan and follow her on social media, so I know that she has a busy lifestyle and still manages to kill it in the gym on the regular. As someone who loves to work out, it’s always inspiring to see her posts.
Bure is merely the latest in a long line of celebrities who share their food diaries with their fans — everyone from Kim Kardashian to Carrie Underwood has done it, and I’m flat-out sick of this trend.
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Bure, who is open about the fact that she suffered from bulimia in her 20s, admits she keeps “a fairly strict diet” because her job depends on it. She also adds, “Like most women, I fuss about a few things I wish I could change, but I am at my best weight and fitness level considering my lifestyle.” But here’s the thing the article omits altogether, which is irresponsible and potentially damaging to impressionable readers: She never mentions that though this is what works for her, her specific dietary choices may not work for everyone.
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I also take issue with the fact that Cosmopolitan doesn’t address the obvious differences between Bure and the average reader. Sure, she’s a busy mom, with work that keeps her constantly traveling, but it’s more than likely that Bure has access to trainers, wellness coaches and even a chef (though she says her husband cooks at home most nights), while most normal women simply do not.
I am completely in support of celebrities, including Bure, trying to promote a healthy lifestyle, but these celebrity food diets do nothing more than continue to enforce Hollywood’s unhealthy body ideals.
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What happens if a 40-year-old reader sees this diary and feels bad about herself for not having an “enviable” figure like Bure, who can, apparently, “easily outpace just about any 20-something?” Or the 20-something who didn’t eat an apple “for dessert” last night, but enjoyed some ice cream or a piece of cake?
It’s also unrealistic to expect that a normal person has the resources or the time to put together their food in this way on a daily basis.
I certainly admire anyone’s commitment to living a healthy lifestyle, which includes exercising regularly and putting healthy foods into their body. It’s not easy, and it should be applauded. But this isn’t the way to do it.
Do you think celebrities like Candace Cameron Bure are promoting unhealthy body ideals by sharing their food diaries?
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