Logging into Instagram lately, it’s easy for women to feel as though their bodies are not “on point.” Today, Instagram has become the easiest way for bloggers and models to make a name for themselves and gain a huge following.
While it pays off for them, for others, it doesn’t. Many young women have dealt with body issues due to the increase in “perfect” women online–or, what seems to be perfect. We all know how many filters Instagram offers and, most women take professional photos from flattering angles to take their game up another level. One health blogger, Sarah Puhto, is using her account to raise awareness about “bloggers” and their seemingly perfect bodies.
Puhto posts “before and after” photos with the captions “Instagram,” and “Reality” to show women that the photos are not always real. In fact, she posts long, insightful, and motivational captions with every photo to tell women they are enough the way they are. Like, for example:
I used to feel like I was the only one who would compare my body to those on Instagram. I would constantly look at these pictures and felt like I wasn’t good enough. But I was comparing my everyday body to all the “perfect” posed pictures on Instagram. It was silly that I thought that I wasn’t normal.
But the thing is, the smallest changes in position, lighting, flexing make us look so different. Don’t let ‘bad photos’ make you think you aren’t worthy or make you think less of yourself. Learn to laugh at these ‘bad’ photos. Learn to realise that they aren’t actually bad photos, because you shouldn’t view any aspect of how your body looks as ‘bad’. Don’t let society make you think you aren’t worthy because you don’t look like airbrushed, photoshopped, or posed people we see all over media. You can’t compare yourself to that because they are not an accurate representation of how bodies look 24/7.
You are living for yourself. Nobody else. There is no need to constantly feel pressured to impress other people, be yourself and be proud of yourself. Because your uniqueness is so beautiful. ?☀
Puhto takes all opportunities to share how from any angle, positioning your body right can make anyone’s body look like a fitspo model’s.
Puhto’s message behind all of her photos and posts is that:
Being you and having confidence is what makes you beautiful. Not what some beauty magazine portrays as beautiful.
Preach, girl!