I asked my Instagram audience to pick my next nutrition self-experiment, and of course… they chose the hardest, most sensational one: a 12-week bikini shred.

Think strict food tracking, chicken breasts and egg whites, progress pics in your underwear, and living in a constant state of low-grade hunger... all for that one glossy “after” photo.

In this episode, I walk you through why I seriously considered it (yes, I found a coach), and why in the end, it’s an absolute no for me.

I share my pros-and-cons list (um, it’s all cons), the dangerous mental toll of before/after photos, what “willpower culture” does to women, and why I believe crash diets -- even/especially the fancy, Instagrammable ones -- set us back in every possible way.

Here are the 16 reasons I can't do a bikini shred diet (and maybe neither should you):

1. 📸 Before Pics are Sad

2. 🔍 Progress Pics Would Ruin Me

3. ⚖️ I’ll Never Measure Food Again

4. 🍽️ Living in Low-Grade Hunger? No.

5. 💪 Willpower is a Finite Resource

6. ❓ Will a Shred Even Work for Me?

7. 🥩 Losing Food Joy Isn’t Worth It

8. 🚫 What Would I Even Be Allowed to Eat?

9. 😬 The Danger Of The After Photo

10. 🔄 The “After After” Nobody Talks About

11. 🔔 Losing Trust in Hunger Signals

12. ➗ Trusting Math Over Your Body

13. 🪞 Am I Attractive Enough Yet? ...How About Now?

14. 🎉 Being Cheered for Unsustainable Results

15. 👙 Looking Good in a Bikini Isn’t My Goal

16. 😩 Having to Pretend I'm Enjoying It

If you’ve ever been tempted by the promise of quick results or felt haunted by the idea of looking “good in a bikini,” this conversation will help you see through the dysfunction and remind you why sustainable, peaceful fat loss is worth more than any spray-tan photoshoot.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro & Audience Poll: Choosing the next nutrition experiment

01:41 - The Four Options: Wegovy, Octavia, Dairy-Only, Bikini Prep

03:21 - Why Bikini Prep Won the Poll

05:17 - My Backstory & Body Image Reality

08:50 - Why Crash Diets Aren’t for Me (or You)

10:29 - The Pros & Cons List (Spoiler: All Cons)

12:59 - The Problem with Before Pictures

15:23 - Progress Pics & Mental Health

18:16 - Why I Refuse to Measure Food

20:41 - The Dangers of Restriction & Hunger

24:15 - Willpower: Why I’m Done With It

28:46 - Would a Bikini Shred Even Work for Me?

31:03 - Food Joy & Boring Diets

34:24 - The After Picture Trap

39:10 - What Happens After the Shred?

42:30 - Losing Trust in Hunger Signals

45:10 - Will I Only Feel Attractive When Thinner?

47:30 - Why Looking Good in a Bikini Isn’t My Goal

49:00 - The Willpower Warrior Myth

51:00 - Final Thoughts: Why It’s a No for Me