On a particularly gloomy Sunday afternoon two friends, Emily and Molly, decided to meet up at the local Starbucks after their Church service. Molly, being the up-tight perfectionist, is always the first one to arrive and she is already scanning the menu when Emily finally walks in.
“Hey Molly! You look great!” Emily smiles as she approaches Molly to give her a fake hug.
“Thanks! OMG, so do you Emily! You look like you've lost at least ten pounds!”
“Do I? All I have been doing is watching what I’ve been eating lately,” Emily says as she glances at the menu.
“What do you normally get?” asks Emily, looking over at Molly.
“Oh I’m never really here, but I was just going to get the Cafe Americano. Jane, my coworker, says it helps boost your metabolism!”
“Oh really? I think I read something about it in Cosmo last week actually, it sounds good. I'm going to try it also!” Emily smiles. Together they enter the line to order, Molly using her debit card and Emily scrounging around to find a five in the back pocket of her jeans. The coffees takes little to no time, which is no surprise considering there is nothing special in them or added to them. The girls find a comfy corner and instantly begin to catch up on the latest gossip as they barely sip on their drinks. Molly is quite cautious sipping on her drink, as if she is getting nauseous thinking about the calories that are slipping into her empty stomach, while Emily just can't bear the taste of something so bland. Both unsatisfied, they act as if everything is great.
“So what diet have you been following to lose so much weight?” Molly asks.
“Well, for starters I have been eating completely vegan now! I mean it is so easy to do considering I don't have to give up my favorite things, chicken and salmon!”
“Oh really,” Molly smirks. “Didn't I tell you that being Vegan is the best way to go? I mean, I still eat all the things I want, and now people totally know I am a healthy smart person just because I am a vegan. Everyone knows that vegans are, like, the smartest people out there! But anyway, the more important thing is are you eating gluten free like me?”
“Um, actually no. I read something in Women’s Health Magazine that said gluten is good for you this year and that you just need to watch out for non-organic and GMO foods this season to keep the pounds off. So I have been eating fully raw!”
“Well, you realize what you are drinking right now isn't raw Emily?” Molly rolls her eyes, “Besides, that is just too many carbs! You will never be able to keep weight off while eating so many fruits and vegetables Emily!” Molly protests.
“Well I mean I've lost weight so far and I haven't really seen you losing any weight on your low carb, gluten free, vegan diet.” Emily says quickly and quietly. Molly gives her a deathly look, at a loss of words from Emily’s comment. As Molly bluntly changes the topic, obviously heated, Emily becomes very attentive of each word that comes out of her mouth, to ensure she doesn't make another bold move like that. Almost finished with half their coffees, they both decide to throw theirs out, making some comment of how “full” they are before parting ways.
A few days later, Emily gets a random phone call from Molly.
“Hello,” Emily chirps.
“Hey, its Molly,” she snaps. “I have the best new detox that I found and it is so amazing.” she explains. “All you do is drink at least nine cups of vinegar a day, blueberries for breakfast, if you eat breakfast, because they are low carb,” she said in a tone that made Emily feel she already should have known that. “Then you skip lunch or if you have to eat, you would have a salad with ? of an avocado on top. Lastly for dinner, you get to spoil yourself, you get to choose from cheesy flavored kale or beef flavored beets.”
“Wow, that sounds interesting Molly. But I’m on a new cleanse myself. It’s called Banana Island, it has given me so much energy. I ran three miles just this morning and I plan to run another two later.”
“It's the same way with my cleanse! I ran like five miles this morning and I am so ready for pilates later! Plus, eating bananas all day cannot be good for you Emily! I read that having too many bananas can make your butt look fat!” Molly said, concerned for Emily.  Emily not reading into the diet before she started it, didn't have a good response. Flushed, Emily changes the topic to the most current news which is the birth of Kim Kardashian's new baby, Wilde West. Molly all perky secretly knowing she won the battle plays off her victory by talking about how she wishes they would've named the baby Key West instead.
The next day Emily decides to step up her game. She woke up an hour early, went on a mile run, documented her run with a snapchat story with the “basic” emoji, and made a detailed instagram post about her water cleanse that she will be doing for three days. On day two she finds herself telling Molly all about it, as if she didn't comment at the bottom of her post already.
“It’s so great Molly! The diet, I mean cleanse, is 80/10/10, gluten free, vegan, low carb, soy free, antibiotic free, non GMO, Organic, no radiation and fat free!” finally feeling like she outdid Molly.
“That's so funny!” Molly laughed. “I have been on a water cleanse for three days now! I am going to be on it for five days though. I was just going to do it for three days, but then I decided that real will power would show if I can do it for five days,” Molly said.
“You are so right,” Emily squeaked, “I'll join you for the five days! Who knows, I might even do it for a week!”
“Oh awesome, Emily! You will finally be following one of my diets!” Molly casually said. Both the girls gossip minutes more before they say their goodbyes and hang up. Emily, frustrated that she is considered to be “following” Molly’s diet, decides to have another venting session on social media. Showing her transformation of a vegan diet to a water cleanse consisting of ice cubes and purified water. Not leaving a single detail out of how much self love she has for her body and how she is so glad that this lifestyle has found her.
They both can't get their mind off food, but cannot get themselves to eat either. Molly was down 9.3 pounds and Emily was now down 13.5 and they continually were at a race on who could be the skinniest with their always changing “fad” diets. Each girl bragging about something new each day, not realizing none of their other friends wanted to hear about their obsessions anymore. They lost themselves talking about how they ran six miles in ninety minutes or doing ten squats without feeling light headed.
Two weeks later Molly found herself noticeably sick a few days prior to starting the newest fad, the Apple Cider Vinegar cleanse. But Emily, still going strong on her Orange Juice cleanse, has barely had any symptoms of a binge coming her way this week. Noticing Molly has seemed slightly soft lately, Emily decides to call Molly and play a trick on her.
“Molly! You will not believe what happened!” Emily bawled.
“What is it Emily?”
“I have gained FIVE pounds! I binged, I thought I was going to be able to hide it, but it's impossible to hide FIVE pounds!”
“Oh Emily that is terrible! It will be okay, just try to throw it up, that might help you lose some of the weight. But I have to go Emily, talk to you soon,” Molly hangs up suspiciously. Emily instantly gave way with a sly smile as she sits back on a public bench, stalking through a window with full view to Molly’s kitchen. In no time she spots Molly sneaking down with a guilty look across her face. Emily just widens her eyes as she sees Molly enter her pantry one by one bringing out every single kind of food known to man, Ding dongs, hot dogs, pizza, rice krispy treats, popcorn, cinnamon rolls, and chocolate, with no “low carb” foods in sight. Emily watches her devour each calorie she has missed over the past month, plus some. With total shock in her eyes she finally feels victory rush over her. At the same time Molly turns towards the window and notices Emily gawking at her from across the street. With everything out in the open, Molly had no way to hide. She doesn't even try to wipe away the smeared chocolate all over her face. As Emily gives her a sassy smile, with a small wave, she stands up and begins to walk away.