Thelife- Sam Cutler, a health and nutrition creator, faced intense backlash for her wedding day food diary.
- She sipped smoothies and distributed bloat pills, as commenters suggested she was promoting unhealthy eating.
On Thursday, health and nutrition influencer Sam Cutler shared a "what I ate on my wedding day" video on TikTok, which chronicled her fastidiously healthful wedding in Boca Raton earlier this month as a gluten and dairy-free bride.
The clip, which has been viewed 4.5 million times, has sparked fierce backlash on the app, with many commenters disgracing Cutler for what they believed was promoting unhealthy eating habits.
The video begins with Cutler, who creates content under the moniker The Fit Fatale, sipping two different smoothies and being fed a grain salad by her maid of honor in the makeup chair. At the party, she notes a bottle of Arrae bloat pills have been distributed to guests, and says her chocolate wedding cake is "gluten, dairy, and sugar-free."
@thefitfatale WHAT I ATE ON MY #WEDDINGDAY as a #glutenfree & #dairyfree health focused #bride #weddingtiktok #fitbride #healthyliving #wieiad #whatiate ♬ This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) - Natalie Cole
Cutler, 31, told Insider she had no idea the video would cause such a stir, given how similar it is to the rest of her content. Commenters were not only offended — some seemed angry.
"So you forced your ED on all your guests and bridesmaids," a commenter wrote. She's now being called "an almond mom," a term popularized on TikTok to describe adults with restrictive eating habits, and her ceremony, "an almond wedding."
The comments were "low, hurtful, and harmful," the influencer said
Roughly nine years ago, the Toronto resident quit her corporate job to become a creator. She began documenting her journey to "rebuild" her heath in the face of several issues that arose in her twenties, including chronic bloating and adult acne.
She also endured a serious fall from a pilates class.
"I was bedridden for about three months and really dove into trying to heal my gut and my brain at the same time," she said.
Nevertheless, as the video blew up over the weekend, it resulted in a spew of what Cutler called "bullying and harassment."
Many top commenters argued that a wedding marks a prime opportunity for indulgence and that Cutler was depriving her guests. Some went as far to say that she would be a terrible mother.
"LMFAO i cannot imagine having an eating disorder themed wedding," reads one of the video's top comments, with 20,000 upvotes.
Cutler responded to this jab in a separate video, saying it was "extremely low, hurtful, and harmful" to label or diagnose someone who could possibly have mental health or body image issues.
"If somebody is actually suffering, I think that that makes them feel more isolated," she told Insider.
@thefitfatale Replying to @Lilith! TW if you struggle with mental health challenges or eating dissorders. I hope this can inspire some to find what works for their bodies proudly without shame, and others to rethink the way they judge, speak and communicate with human beings. Sending so much love #mentalhealth #mindfulness #healthylifestyle ♬ Emotional Piano for the Soul (Inspirational Background Music) - Fearless Motivation Instrumentals
Cutler said she didn't force guests to adhere to her diet
If anything, Cutler's intention was to inspire people with food intolerances to incorporate healthy habits when celebrating special occasions, she said.
"I've never actually had anyone comment or attack me for eating disorders or promoting that in any way, shape, or form until this video," she said. Cutler added she has never been diagnosed with any type of eating disorder.
The creator believes some of the furor boils down to the mistaken notion that she forced her guests to hew to her diet. But guests had choices and ate standard fare, and many said it was some of the best wedding food they'd ever had, she said.
"There was regular bread, we had multiple entree options that everyone was allowed to choose from at their table," she said. "We had a lavish, top-shelf open bar."
The bloat pills were optional too — stemming from a sponsorship with supplement brand Arrae, a longtime partner. ("Weddings are a really expensive time," Cutler said. "If there's something you love and you can limit cost in any way, I think all the power to it.")
At the end of the day, Cutler stands by the video and says she's confident in knowing what works best for her body.
"I'm not going to eat gluten and feel sick because it will make someone else comfortable," she said. "I think the real conversation here is around removing food-shaming from social platforms … Everyone should be making the choices that work for them."