Before-and-after photos on Instagram can be mesmerizing — and discouraging. While you can logically understand all the work and time that went into a dramatic body transformation, a quick glance at both photos can make the changes seem sudden and effortless. But one fitness Instagrammer wants you to know that not all the transformation photos you scroll through tell the full story.
Known by her handle plankingforpizza, 26-year-old Jess chronicles her fitness endeavors on Instagram. On Tuesday, she posted what looks like a before-and-after selfie set, but with a surprising caption: "This is not a transformation photo," she wrote. "This week, I've decided to do the 30-second transformation photo. These pics were taken second[s] apart this morning."
She went on to explain that the photo on the left was taken with bad posture and an unflatteringly positioned bikini.
So why did Jess choose to debunk the myth of the "perfect" before-and-after Instagram shot? She explained that she wants people to know that "fitness and health is not a fix" and that it's okay to show the world the parts of yourself that you consider the "worst."
"I am not a before picture. I am not an after picture. I am not fat, nor am I perfect," she wrote. "I'm flawed. I'm scarred. I'm insecure. But I'm learning and I'm hopeful that one day, I'll fully love me."
The photo tricks Jess exposes may seem obvious to some, but everyone needs a good reminder now and then that there's no such thing as "perfect" — even if well-positioned camera angles and targeted poses can sometimes make you believe otherwise.