"Buffy, please don't." Why a 'throwback' Instagram photo of Sarah Michelle Gellar has many women upset.

Turkey, pumpkin pie, candied yams. Thanksgiving is the American holiday of indulgence.

But when Sarah Michelle Gellar joked about the way she was trying to avoid over-eating this Thursday, she drew some criticism from fans.

The 41-year-old actress posted two throwback photos of her in lingerie from her 2007 appearance in men’s magazine Maxim. However, it was what she planned to do with those photos that upset some followers, forcing her to later defend herself.

“I’m just going to pin these up all over my house as a reminder not to overeat on Thursday #thanksgivingprep,” she wrote.

 

View this post on Instagram

I’m just going to pin these up all over my house as a reminder not to overeat on Thursday #thanksgivingprep

A post shared by Sarah Michelle (@sarahmgellar) on Nov 18, 2018 at 10:04am PST

Using photos of skinny women as an (unhelpful) motivational tool is nothing new – but it for some reason hit a nerve with followers, who labelled the mum-of-two’s post “shaming”.

“Buffy, please don’t promote diet culture. Not the kind of message we should be sending,” one fan wrote. “Usually love your posts but I’m seriously against ‘thinspiration.’ It’s a core of most eating disorders.”

“This the first time I’ve seen you shame or shade people on your instagram and then pass it as a joke,” commented another.

“I think she’s great and obviously very beautiful, but the caption was pretty sad and disappointing but that’s just my opinion and I’m pretty sure it was a joke,” another wrote.

Others defended their idol, pointing out that the post was in line with Gellar’s sense of humour and that she regularly talks about eating well.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Orange you glad it’s #nationalcreamsicleday?!? Never met a pun I didn’t like. Orange you glad we are friends?? See this is why I could never work in an orange juice factory. I would get canned. Wouldn’t concentrate. (Who has some good ones for me?!?)

A post shared by Sarah Michelle (@sarahmgellar) on Aug 14, 2018 at 2:57pm PDT

“You totally don’t need to apologise. Anyone who knows you, has been following you, and anyone with a sense of humour would know it was meant as a joke and also know that you of all people like to eat. It was also written as a reminder to yourself and not pointing fingers at anyone else,” one commenter said.

“I’m sorry, but people are WAY too sensitive! Good grief, she was teasing!!! @sarahmgellar just live your life! You’re awesome no matter what!” insisted another.

As thousands of comments amassed on the image, Gellar herself commented on the post to defend herself.

“It’s come to my attention that some people think I was ‘fat shaming’ with this post,” the Buffy star wrote. “That could not be further from my intentions.

“I love Thanksgiving and unfortunately my eyes are often bigger than my stomach, and I tend to eat so much I make myself sick. This was a joking reminder to myself not to do that.

“I’m terribly sorry that people were offended by my attempt at humor. Any one that knows me, knows I would never intentionally ‘shame’ any one on any basis. I am a champion of all people.”

What do you think of the Gellar’s post? Let us know in the comments.