Think you’re doing your body a favor? You might be making things worse.
From beauty gurus and gymfluencers to biohackers and wellness warriors, Americans are drowning in self-improvement advice — and it’s becoming harder than ever to know what actually works.
Now, an expert is sounding the alarm on one of today’s biggest “healthy” trends, warning that it may be leaving people more stressed, depleted and out of balance than before.
“We’ve become obsessed with the idea that if a little is good, then more must be better,” Dr. Daryl Gioffre, a celebrity nutritionist and gut health specialist, told The Post. “That’s simply not how the body works.”
And yet, the mindset is on full display in 2026, when everyone seems to be “maxxing” something in their life — whether it’s looksmaxxing, fibermaxxing, testosteronemaxxing or even poopmaxxing.
“The goal shouldn’t be to ‘maxx’ everything,” Gioffre said. “It should be to give your body what it needs to function the way it was designed.”
Gioffre said one of the biggest mistakes he sees is people chasing the latest health trend before building a strong foundation.
“Right now, everyone wants to max everything: fiber, protein, supplements, fasting, sleep, biohacking — you name it,” he said. “The problem is, when you try to max everything, you end up maxxing your stress.”
While short bursts of stress can help the body adapt, chronic levels can push it in the opposite direction, keeping you stuck in a prolonged “fight or flight” state.
“If you’re forcing yourself to fast when you’re hungry … or feeling guilty because your smartwatch says you didn’t hit your numbers, you’re working against your body instead of with it.”
Dr. Daryl Gioffre
When that happens, the body starts prioritizing survival over other functions. Digestion is one system that can take a hit, as blood flow is redirected away from the stomach and intestines toward organs like the heart and brain, making it harder to digest food, absorb nutrients and properly recover.
“I always tell my patients that chronic stress is more damaging to your gut than almost anything you can eat or drink,” Gioffre said.
“If you’re forcing yourself to fast when you’re hungry, obsessing over every calorie, or feeling guilty because your smartwatch says you didn’t hit your numbers, you’re working against your body instead of with it,” he continued. “The pursuit of health should reduce stress, not add to it.”
The most influential lifestyle change people can make to improve their wellbeing, Gioffre said, is moving away from extremes and toward consistency.
“The healthiest people I know aren’t chasing every new wellness trend. They consistently do the basics well: eat real food, heal their gut, sleep, move, manage stress,” he said. “Balance beats extremes every time.”
Still, there is one “maxxing” trend he can get behind: greenmaxxing.
“Eat more greens,” he said. “It’s one of the simplest things you can do for your health, yet it’s one of the biggest nutritional gaps I see.”
A recent government survey found that nearly 90% of Americans don’t eat the recommended amount of vegetables.
And even among those who do, research shows that modern farming and processing practices have made some foods less nutrient-dense than they once were.
“You can overdo fiber. You can overdo protein. You can even overdo healthy fats. But you’re not going to overdo greens,” Gioffre said.
After all, they naturally deliver many of the things people are trying to ‘maxx’ anyway, like minerals, antioxidants, micronutrients, hydration, omega-3 fats, fiber, amino acids and protein.
For those who aren’t ready to switch to salads full-time, Gioffre recommends greenifying your drinks — like adding a green juice to your morning routine or mixing a scoop of organic greens powder, such as his brand’s Acid Kicking Greens, into your water or a smoothie.
“Instead of chasing five different wellness trends, start with one habit that benefits nearly every system in your body,” he said.
Stick with that for before adding another habit, building consistency over time.
“Before you know it, you’re making better choices without forcing it. The good starts to outweigh the bad,” he said. “That’s how real health works. Not through willpower. Not through deprivation. Just simple habits you can actually stick with.”
