Kim Kardashian says the flu helped her lose weight for an event

anwar danjaji

April 20, 2017 9:08 AM

Maybe it's weird, but we can't help but be intrigued when any famous person with a bangin' body shares what they do, eat, or don't eat to get in amazing shape.

Kim Kardashian.

Here’s why that claim is so not legit.

Maybe it's weird, but we can't help but be intrigued when any famous person with a bangin' body shares what they do, eat, or don't eat to get in amazing shape. But Kim Kardashian's latest weight-loss tweet left half the internet rolling its eyes.

Earlier today, Kim tweeted, "The flu can be an amazing diet. So happy it came in time for the Met lol #6lbsdown." Can we just add #faceplam to that?

The tweet, which has since been deleted, was probably a joke (she did use "lol," after all). But still, we knew we had to dispel this Devil Wears Prada-esque dieting advice.

The truth is that having the flu is totally miserable—and any weight you lose when you're sick isn't permanent.

"The weight you lose during a bout with the flu is mostly water weight (via diarrhea or vomiting or—poor thing—both) and indicates some level of dehydration," says Rachel Meltzer Warren, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian nutritionist. And, as you probably know, water weight comes back just as quickly as it left, which means that six-pound drop on the scale means nothing.

"You've also likely not been eating, and burning more calories than normal to help fight off the bug, which can equal a change on the scale," says Meltzer Warren. "But don't expect to see these losses maintained once you begin eating normally again"

If you do get the flu, Meltzer Warren recommends resting and rehydrating. Electrolytes are particularly important for recovery, to help replace lost fluids. So Pedialyte might be your new BFF.

Here's hoping she fully recovers in time to enjoy the ball on May 1st.

anwar danjaji