If you’ve spent any time on the "skinny" side of social media lately, you’ve definitely seen her. Liv Schmidt. She’s the 20-something New York corporate girlie who basically blew up the internet by saying the quiet part out loud: she wants to be thin, and she thinks you probably do, too.
It’s polarizing. It’s controversial. Honestly, it’s a little bit chaotic.
But what people are really hunting for are the Liv Schmidt before and after photos. They want to see the proof. Did she actually transform, or has she always been this way? Is there a "secret" she’s gatekeeping, or is it just the result of the "skinny mindset" she preaches to her thousands of followers?
The truth is a lot more nuanced than a side-by-side collage on Instagram.
The Physical Shift: From Arizona Student to Manhattan "Skinny"
When you look at the archives—specifically her graduation photos from the University of Arizona—you see a version of Liv that looks, well, normal. She was a healthy, vibrant college student. She’s been open about the fact that she struggled with the "Freshman 15" and felt like she didn't fit the "blonde and skinny" aesthetic of her peers at the time.
Fast forward to her move to Manhattan. The Liv Schmidt before and after photos show a clear, deliberate transition.
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- The "Before" Era: Classic athletic build, softer facial features, and a lifestyle that seemed to revolve around typical college habits.
- The "After" Era: A significantly narrower silhouette, prominent collarbones, and what many call a "hollowed" facial structure. Her jawline became razor-sharp.
She didn't just lose weight; she changed her entire brand. She traded the "fitness influencer" look for a high-fashion, almost 90s-style "heroin chic" aesthetic. It’s a look that feels like a sharp U-turn from the body positivity movement we’ve seen over the last decade.
The Wall Street Journal Moment and the Great TikTok Ban
Things got real in late 2024. The Wall Street Journal published a profile on her, questioning whether her content—which includes tips like "saving calories" for dinner or using mint tea to suppress hunger—crossed the line into promoting disordered eating.
Almost immediately after that article dropped, TikTok pulled the plug.
Her account, which had over 700,000 followers, was wiped for violating community guidelines. TikTok doesn't play when it comes to "promoting disordered eating and dangerous weight loss behaviors." But here’s the kicker: the ban actually made her more famous. It created a "Streisand Effect." Everyone who hadn't heard of her suddenly wanted to see the "banned" content. They wanted to see those Liv Schmidt before and after photos to judge for themselves.
Was it Ozempic? Addressing the Elephant in the Room
Whenever a public figure thins out this quickly in 2025 or 2026, the comments section immediately screams "Ozempic!"
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Liv has consistently denied using GLP-1 medications. She claims her transformation is the result of "natural discipline," extreme portion control, and a massive amount of walking—think 10,000 to 12,000 steps a day, every single day. She credits her "Skinni Société" community (a private group where members pay to get her tips) for keeping her accountable.
Critics aren't so sure. Many dietitians have pointed out that her "What I Eat in a Day" videos show a caloric intake that is significantly lower than what a healthy adult needs. She’s been caught on camera saying she "prayed" for her mom's skinny genes, acknowledging that her look isn't necessarily attainable for everyone.
The Reality of the "Skinny Mindset"
Liv’s philosophy is basically "eat less, move more," but wrapped in a very aesthetic, New York City package. She calls it "Skinny Talk."
She argues that she’s just being honest about what it takes to maintain a model-lean physique. "It’s not a sin to want to be thin," her bio used to read. To her, it’s about control. It’s about not "overeating and calling it healing."
But there’s a cost. People who followed her closely noticed signs of what experts call "disordered habits"—the hollowing of the cheeks, the obsession with "liquid calories," and the demonization of "non-skinny" foods. While she shows herself eating pasta or pastries, she often clarifies she only ate a few bites or half the portion.
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What You Can Actually Learn from the Controversy
Look, the fascination with Liv Schmidt before and after photos says as much about our culture as it does about her. We are in a weird transitional era. We have one side pushing for body neutrality and the other side (led by people like Liv) advocating for the right to pursue extreme thinness as a fashion choice.
If you’re looking at her transformation and feeling a certain way, here are the actual takeaways:
- Genetics are the baseline. You cannot discipline your way into a different bone structure. Liv admits she has the "skinny genes" to begin with.
- Maintenance is a full-time job. Achieving that level of leanness requires a level of restriction that most people with a 9-to-5 and a social life find miserable.
- Aesthetics $
eq$ Health. Just because someone looks like a runway model doesn't mean their hormones, bone density, or mental health are in a good place. - Curate your feed. If seeing someone talk about "saving calories" makes you feel like garbage, hit the block button.
Liv Schmidt isn't going anywhere. Even after the bans, she’s back on new accounts and private platforms, leaning into the "villain" arc. Whether you think she’s a truth-teller or a dangerous influence, her photos remain a lightning rod for the biggest debate in wellness today: where is the line between personal goals and public harm?
If you're trying to reach your own health goals, the most sustainable path usually involves more protein and less "tea for dinner." Skip the "Skinni Société" shortcuts and focus on building muscle—it’s the only thing that actually keeps your metabolism firing in the long run.
Next Step: You can look up the specific community guidelines on TikTok and Instagram regarding "weight loss content" to see exactly where the line is drawn for influencers in 2026.