Online Desk:  Welcome to the exciting world of food vloggers, where every day is a colourful panorama of creativity, flavours, taste, and textures. Imagine discovering a world where the aromas of sizzling spices, freshly brewed coffee, and freshly baked goods blend perfectly. Food vloggers are engaging creators of content that entices viewers with mouthwatering cuisine, and they project an image of a luxurious and appealing lifestyle. But reality is not as flawless as it seems on screen, particularly regarding their health. Food vloggers struggle with a variety of health problems behind the scenes.

A typical day for a food vlogger is filled with eating, filming and editing. This practice is the bread and butter of food vloggers. “We enjoy the process because we’re passionate about food. Even before starting the channel, we were always foodies, and that love for food translates into our content. You can’t create great food content without having a genuine interest in the subject,” shared RasifShafique, content creator of Petuk Couple.

They taste food for hours, take perfect and appealing food shots, and consume enormous quantities solely for the camera. After filming is over, the real task starts, which is editing. Hours are spent carefully reviewing the recordings, chopping, adjusting, and perfecting them to ensure that every piece of footage is flawless.

Overeating is one of the main issues that food vloggers deal with. Meer RaihanMasud from Raihanism Travel & Food said, “I haven’t yet faced any health issue, but sometimes I eat more than enough.” RasifShafique also noted in the same manner, “We haven’t faced any health concerns because we practice moderation. Just like everyone else, we eat 2-3 meals a day. The difference is that we film ourselves enjoying those meals.”

Although they attempt to visit recently launched restaurants based on their interests, they receive food PR at home and invitations from restaurants to give food reviews. Tasting fast food regularly leads to too many calories, which can cause weight gain and other health problems.

Food vloggers sometimes find themselves hooked to their chairs, editing videos after spending hours preparing, eating and recording. Their health issues may worsen as a result of their lifestyle, which raises their chance of developing diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. RasifShafique addressed, “This is an area we’re working on improving. A lot of our time after shooting goes towards editing videos, which can be quite sedentary. We recognise physical activity’s importance and plan to incorporate more of it into our routine.”

Well, physical health is not the only struggle, as mental health issues are there as well. Meer RaihanMasud said, “Sometimes when I get fewer views than expectations, I feel irritated, but it’s a very temporary feeling. My vlogging depends on my mental state; when I feel happy and fresh, I do. Otherwise, I do not.”

Anxiety, tension, and even burnout can result from a never-ending search for perfection and audience approval. In a field where views and likes are the main parameters of success, the fear of lagging can cloud individual feelings of happiness and worth.

Food vloggers can prioritise their well-being using various strategies, even in the face of several obstacles. “We prioritise healthy eating, and film food vlogs only a few days a month, so it doesn’t disrupt our daily routine. There might be a misconception that we indulge in unhealthy food all the time, but that’s not true,” Rasif explained.

Portion management is essential. Vloggers usually eat smaller quantities while recording or even share food with friends and family afterwards as an alternative to excessive consumption of huge meals. This encourages conscious eating practices and helps with overall calorie restriction.

Mr Raihan follows another strategy. “I plan my vlog according to my food timing, like lunch, dinner, or evening snack time.”

Food vloggers may combat the lengthy hours of sitting that accompany their schedule by planning frequent breaks for physical activity. Whether it’s stretching at their desk, doing yoga, or taking a quick stroll, even little intervals of exercise may benefit greatly.

RasifShafique described how he and his wife, Ipsha, plan to manage this issue, “We’re currently in the process of establishing a workout routine. We haven’t started yet, but we have a treadmill at home and plan to use it for walks or runs, aiming for 30 minutes to an hour per session,” he said.

On the other hand, RaihanMasud said, “I am an enthusiastic trekker. I have trekked a lot, and I consciously try to maintain 10k steps a day.”

The importance of mental and emotional self-care cannot be overstated. Food vloggers will likely benefit from making time in their hectic schedules for enjoyable and restful activities. The most profound change that food vloggers can make is to adopt a more positive mentality. They might redefine success to include personal contentment and well-being rather than focusing on measures like view numbers and engagement.

“We started this channel because we genuinely love food; that passion translates into our content. We avoid taking on overwhelming projects, and we focus on creating enjoyable content,” Rasif described about managing stress.

In terms of regular health check-ups, the Petuk Couple seems to be active. “We do get check-ups occasionally, but we acknowledge it’s something we should do more regularly. We believe regular health screenings are important for everyone,” he elaborated.

Food vloggers may assist everyone in making healthier eating choices if they recognise their influence over what others consume. Food vloggers can concentrate on advising us to eat a balanced diet with a wide variety of foods in addition to showcasing their beautiful dishes.