Sarah Michelle Gellar found herself embroiled in a heap of backlash after reminding herself not to overeat on Thanksgiving. The comment in question proved to spark mixed feedback from fans who either disagreed with her sentiment or recognized that she wasn't in the wrong.
Gellar, 41, took to Instagram on Monday to share a throwback photo with fans of her 2007 cover shoot for Maxim. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum wore black lingerie and a white button-down shirt for the Maxim shoot. She also boasted a flat tummy and tight abs.
"I'm just going to pin these up all over my house as a reminder not to overeat on Thursday #thanksgivingprep," Gellar wrote on Instagram. She shared multiple shots from the Maxim cover shoot.
Gellar's comment was likely posted as a way to encourage healthy eating on Thanksgiving. The practice of chronic overeating is a dangerous health condition that could result in problems such as unhealthy weight gain. However, according to Reader's Digest, overeating on Thanksgiving could bring about issues like the body's inability to experience deep sleep and lead the heart to work harder than normal.
Many fans weren't amused by Gellar's remark. They voiced their dissatisfaction within her Instagram photo's comments section. One fan argued how they "don't agree with the packaging of this inspiration." A second person suggested Gellar shared a "ridiculous and irresponsible message."
"You can live a 'healthy life style ' and also take pleasure in a holiday without body shaming yourself," a third fan commented. "Also double check your definition of advice. She gave none."
There were fans who came to Gellar's defense. One person asked opposers to "leave her alone" as they pointed out Gellar didn't suggest her followers shouldn't eat at all. Another thanked her for "promoting a healthy lifestyle" because they felt it's possible for people to "enjoy Thanksgiving without going crazy."
"If someone looks at this and says, 'Oh I'm going to do what she does' then you have a problem," a fan wrote. "She's not obligated to please anyone on her social media but herself. If you don't like it then block her. Scroll along and got to the next."
Gellar is married to fellow actor Freddie Prince Jr. In 2016, he co-authored a cooking book with food writer Rachel Wharton, titled Back to the Kitchen. Gellar, in fact, wrote the foreword of Prince Jr.'s book.
The former Scooby-Doo star co-authored a cookbook with her business partner Gia Russo in 2017, called Stirring Up Fun with Food. While promoting this book, Gellar spoke with Good Housekeeping about what she enjoys most about cooking.
"It's quality time we wouldn't get if I prepared meals while they watched TV in another room," she said. "I love every minute in the kitchen with my kids, even the mess (I've learned to embrace it!)."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Dory Jackson is a New York-based entertainment journalist from Maryland. She graduated from Randolph-Macon College—in May 2016—with a focus in Communication ... Read more
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