You can't open Instagram these days without seeing a collection of lycra-clad arses. In fact, the problem has become so pronounced that more people than ever before are electing to have surgery in their quest for what they perceive to be the perfect bubble butt.
However, not all is as it seems and there may be a very good reason that your struggling to replicate the arses of all those fitness bloggers and celebs you've been following.
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You see, a lot of what you're actually looking at on Insta is simply the result of a bit of exercise and some clever camera angles.
Trainer Anna Victoria is one of the social media influencers who has spoken out about the issue and is now aiming to show her fans the difference between an 'Instagram Booty' and 'Real Life Booty' in a side-by-side comparison shot.
"The one thing I was most insecure about growing up was my booty," she says.
"I've always been smaller on bottom and I would try to wear long shirts to cover it. One thing I've loved about fitness is the ability to sculpt your body in various ways BUT there's only so much muscle you can build on your butt AND you need to flex it to really show it off."
She says that the majority of these photos use a combination of tricks to look the way they do, including back arching, flexing and wearing high-waisted pants.
"There are so many ways to make it look 10x bigger on Insta than in real life, and I do it too," Anna admits.
"I love posing and admiring the 'Instagram booty' but that's not my real booty. And I'm okay with that. Over time, I've gotten several comments about my lack of a butt, even recently when I actually am so proud of my hard work. It may not look like what someone else would consider an ideal booty, but it's mine - not their's [sic].
"I've had to work hard to love it and to shape it and to love it no matter the shape or size. People are always going to have opinions on your body. Do they hurt sometimes? Yes. But a wise woman once said, 'You could be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world and there will still be someone who hates peaches'. And in this case, I LITERALLY mean peaches."
So, by all means keep hitting the squat rack, but remember, before you get to disheartened, you can always work on your camera angles instead.
Featured Image Credit: Credit: annavictoria/InstagramTopics: Viral, Instagram, Community, Fitness