Wellness influencer Liv Schmidt stands by her controversial weight loss advice even after TikTok barred her from the app.
“For me and my personal aesthetic, I like to be skinny and there’s nothing wrong with that,” Schmidt, 22, told the Wall Street Journal in a Monday, September 16, profile. “Weight is a touchy topic, but that’s what the viewers want.”
She continued, “A lot of people want to know what people eat. I’m honest about how it is hard work.”
The model had nearly 700,000 followers on the social media app, where she posted clips about her fitness and diet hacks, including her respective “Skinny Girl Essentials” and “What I Eat in a Day” series. While speaking to the WSJ, Schmidt revealed why she thinks her content was “successful.”
“I don’t have any food off-limits,” she explained. “I’m not dairy-free. I’m not vegan. I’m not gluten-free. I’m not a health freak.”
However, many critics, including several licensed dietitians, claimed that Schmidt’s uploads promoted disordered eating habits. As a result, TikTok shut down Schmidt’s account for violating community guidelines.
Schmidt, however, still stands behind her content and told the outlet that she wanted to “save America from obesity one person at a time.”
“I’m trying to build a genuine thing,” Schmidt told the WSJ, adding that she “felt misunderstood” and “upset” by TikTok’s decision. “We all have the option to follow or block any content we want.”
Schmidt previously struggled with body dysmorphia, which inspired her social media content.
“If you look around and every single person around you is blonde and skinny, you’re gonna definitely feel more peer pressure to fit into that stereotype,” she told the newspaper, describing her “personal aesthetic” as “skinny.”
While Schmidt’s TikTok profile is no longer active, she continues to post wellness content on YouTube and Instagram and her “burner” TikTok account.
“Habits are a slay because they’re how I lost my weight successfully,” she said in a TikTok video earlier this month. “Successfully, healthy [and] all of the above. My bloodwork is amazing. I feel amazing.”
According to Schmidt, she lost weight when she “dropped” fats and “went back to the basics” by overhauling her diet and workout regimen.
“One thing [about me] is I don’t really think about my body,” she stressed at the time. “It’s just based on how I feel and how I feel is based on how I look — and how I look is based on how I feel.”
In the comments, fans also asked why her original account was removed.
“Idk so much for freedom of speech tbh,” Schmidt replied.
If you or someone you know struggles with an eating disorder, visit the National Alliance for Eating Disorders website or call their hotline at +1 (866) 662-1235. Text “ALLIANCE” to 741741 for free, 24/7 support.