Beyond diets: The extreme and everyday methods of modern weight-loss

Weight-loss culture in America is changing fast. With the rise of GLP-1 medications, traditional dieting programs are competing with dazzling tech-fueled weight-loss programs and the latest influencer-backed supplement regimens. But even as prescription weight-loss drugs go mainstream, millions are still relying on old-school calorie tracking and exercise alongside more extreme methods like liquid cleanses or ultra-low calorie diets.

To understand the modern weight-loss landscape, we surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults about the methods they've used or considered in the past year. The data reveals a broad spectrum of weight-loss behaviors—from the everyday to the extreme—and shows where generational gaps, income divides, gender differences, and cultural pressures are shaping who tries what.

Key takeaways

• Three-quarters of Americans (76%) have tried to lose weight in the past year, but only 31% have lost it and kept it off.
• 40% of Americans spent less than $100 on weight-loss efforts in the past year, while 1 in 4 spent more than $500—a figure that climbs to 1 in 3 among millennials.
• Nearly 1 in 3 Americans (33%) say friends or family most influenced their interest in GLP-1 medications, ahead of the desire for fast results (26%), social media (25%), and medical advice (24%). Among Gen Z, social media leads at 43%.
• Nearly a third of Americans (29%) have skipped eating for 24+ hours in hopes of losing weight—and it’s even more common among Gen Z (38%).
• 51% used calorie tracking and 45% tried intermittent fasting as their go-to methods. Women were up to 50% more likely to try them.
• One in four Gen Zers (25%) is interested in buying weight-loss injection medication online without a prescription.

Sticking with the classics: Tech, tracking, and fasting

Not all Americans are abandoning tried-and-true methods for weight loss. A majority still rely on familiar strategies like calorie tracking (51%), intermittent fasting (45%), and exercise-only approaches (42%). Other common tactics include meal replacements (37%) and low-carb or keto diets (25%).

GLP-1 medications have gained attention, but remain secondary—just 22% of adults said they’ve used them, meaning four in five aren’t currently taking prescription weight-loss drugs. Women were more likely than men to use structured diets and calorie tracking, while 35% of all respondents said they still follow a structured diet and 20% said they’ve never followed one.

Gen Z reported the highest engagement with self-directed methods—61% track calories and 52% practice intermittent fasting—while 20% reported using GLP-1s, the highest rate among all generations.

Weight-loss drugs: Are they a buzzword or a revolution?

Prescription weight-loss drugs have dominated the cultural conversation for a few years now, but adoption remains uneven. Nationally, 25% of adults have used a GLP-1 medication, 37% have considered it, and 33% wouldn’t consider it, while 5% remain unfamiliar. Some are embracing a future with GLP-1s, while others are skeptical—or even distrustful.

Millennials are the most receptive generation, with 27% having used and 39% having considered GLP-1s—nearly two-thirds engagement overall. Gen Z follows closely with 26% having used the medications and 37% having considered it.

Men (27%) were more likely than women (23%) to have used a GLP-1 medication, though women (35%) were slightly more likely to have considered it. These gaps may reflect not only how different genders and generations approach weight loss, but how they define a healthy body on the whole.

The fringe factor: Who’s trying extreme weight-loss methods?

While most Americans stick to mainstream tactics like calorie tracking or increased exercise, a notable share are turning to far riskier methods. Nearly one in three (29%) have fasted for 24 hours or longer, 30% have used supplements or weight-loss aids, and 26% have tried ultra-restrictive diets capped at 1,000 calories a day.

Gen Z stands out for its higher rates of extreme behaviors—38% reported fasting for more than 24 hours, 33% tried 1,000-calorie diets, and 26% used influencer-promoted pills or powders. Men were also more likely than women to try liquid-only or juice cleanses (29% vs. 19%). Supplements do not have to be approved by the FDA before being marketed to the public, and trying viral weight-loss supplements can be anywhere from unhelpful to downright dangerous. This shows the need for health literacy efforts among Gen Z to protect their long-term well-being.

What’s driving weight-loss decisions

Americans lose weight for a variety of reasons. While many Americans try to lose weight due to medical and health reasons, social pressure seems to be a more influential driver of weight loss—and that’s not limited to IRL interactions. Online comments and culture are shaping the way people decide when and how to lose weight, and it’s giving younger generations emotional fatigue.

Friends and family are the top influence overall (33%), followed by a desire for fast results (26%) and social media (25%). About one in four (24%) say medical advice from a healthcare provider guided their approach, while roughly one in five point to difficulty with traditional methods (23%) or news coverage (21%). Celebrity endorsements rank last at just 9%, showing that personal networks and everyday motivations carry far more weight than star power.

This same pattern appears in how people engage with newer prescription options like GLP-1s. More than half of Gen Z respondents (55%) had either used or considered using these medications, yet 35% said they weren’t confident in understanding the medical risks. Nearly half (43%) pointed to social media as their primary source of information—far surpassing medical advice—highlighting how online influence blurs the line between credible guidance and viral health trends.

Emotional and financial costs of weight-loss

Nearly half of Americans (47%) say they have little or no trust in the weight-loss industry, an understandable sentiment given the constant cycle of new fad diets and workout plans. Yet even the skeptical are trying out new weight-loss strategies, and paying the emotional toll if they don’t work as promised. Millennials are spending more than other generations, while Gen Z is most likely to report emotional burnout. With the cost of living crisis affecting millions of Americans, many say it’s getting too expensive to lose weight, even if they still want to try.

While 40% of Americans spent under $100, one in five spent over $500. Among millennials, that number jumps to one in three. Emotional strain is also coloring people’s experiences, with 39% of Gen Z saying their weight-loss efforts were emotionally exhausting, and 29% describing them as obsessive or hard to control. Gen Z’s social media usage and online influence may be contributing to an obsessive attitude toward weight loss in some.

The everyday barriers to weight-loss

Even for those motivated to make changes, staying consistent is the hardest part of weight loss. Nearly half of Americans (46%) said maintaining motivation was their biggest hurdle, while 30% pointed to the financial burden of programs, food, or memberships, and 28% said time constraints got in the way.

Other barriers can keep people from hitting their goals. About one in five (22%) cited mental-health struggles, while 19% pointed to the social pressures that come with food-centered gatherings. Gen Z stood out as the most time- and emotion-constrained generation—40% said work or family demands got in the way, and 29% mentioned mental-health challenges. Gen X, on the other hand, was more likely to face physical limitations (23%).

Do we want fast results or long-term health?

Across generations, Americans are torn between sustainable changes to their lifestyle and cultural pressure for quick results. While many people want to improve their long-term health, they might turn to a less-healthy system that promises fast—but unsustainable—results.

Gen Z exemplifies this divide: 42% say they focus on long-term health, yet 39% still feel pressure to lose weight quickly. Social media influences these attitudes significantly, with 60% of Gen Z saying it makes them feel pressured to try fast-result methods.

Despite these tensions, most people agree that health is about more than just weight loss. Four in five Americans (80%) believe the industry should shift its focus toward sustainable health over rapid results, including 76% of Gen Z and 82% of millennials.

What this means for the future of weight loss

The weight-loss landscape is becoming increasingly fragmented. Americans largely know that fad diets and trendy workouts aren’t the answer, but they aren’t sure what else to try. With the average American spending nearly two and a half hours on social media each day, more people are getting their health information online than ever before. Online influencers and personalities must be responsible with what they market, in the interest of long-term public health. While GLP-1s and weight-loss drugs are becoming more popular, people still have some skepticism toward them that may only go away with time and more clinical backing. In the meantime, the health and wellness industry must strive to create online spaces that are safe, credible, and fact-checked.

Methodology

This article is based on a national survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted in 2025. All percentages reflect the highest value between raw and stratified data. Generational, gender, and income-based findings were extracted from demographic splits.

About Shed

Shed is a modern wellness brand helping people take control of their weight-loss journey with evidence-backed tools and transparent education. We help you cut through the clutter of health advice online and find personalized solutions that fit your needs and your lifestyle.

Fair Use Statement

This article is based on proprietary research conducted by Shed. You may reuse this content for noncommercial purposes with proper attribution and a link back to our original article.