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Vegan dinner and vegetables on a table
Vegan dinner and vegetables on a table
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Culture > Entertainment

How Emily Mariko has Changed the Game of Tiktok

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Izzie Vinci
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal Poly chapter.

Have you tried the salmon and rice TikTok trend already? Well, then you’ve probably heard of Emily Mariko and her rapid growth on the platform.

Emily Mariko is a 29-year-old lifestyle influencer, who originally got her start on Youtube but now has accumulated a large platform on TikTok with over 5 million followers. She posts healthy eating videos on her account and has gained incredible popularity throughout September. 

So, you’re probably wondering what makes Emily Mariko so different from other healthy lifestyle influencers?

Well, the difference is that Emily never seems to force her lifestyle and influence onto her viewers. Her 30 second TikTok’s in no way, shape, or form glamourize diet culture, restrict cravings, or going into calorie deficits, which are commonly seen on other health and wellness platforms. Instead, Emily posts realistic portion sizes for her body and those alike. She posts what she enjoys eating, what she genuinely eats, and never tries to put on this act that certain foods aren’t “healthy” for you. It’s not uncommon to see her make meals that may traditionally have high amounts of fats and sugars. 

However, in all honesty, everything she does seems to be effortlessly perfect: the way she dresses, how she has decorated her apartment, the way her fridge is organized, and even her recipes. The lifestyle that she lives is one that so many people aspire to have and one of the only unrealistic things about her. It is important to recognize that not everyone can shop at Whole Foods or afford to go to the Farmers Market every Sunday. Fresh produce can obviously be found at any grocery store, but farmers markets and high end super markets are for a specific economic demographic. 

Something that I think her young followers and subscribers need to remember is that Emily is an adult. Not everyone is going to have the same dietary needs and food portions as her. Therefore, it’s okay if you don’t live the life of Emily Mariko. You can still make your way of life your own and authentically you, just like Emily has.

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Izzie Vinci

Cal Poly '23

Izzie Vinci is a 3rd year at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She is a Journalism major concentrating in Public Relations and minoring in Event Planning and Event Management. Izzie enjoys writing about pop culture, fashion, beauty, and sex and relationships. She is the Twitter and Facebook Manager for Her Campus Cal Poly.