A fitness blogger and personal trainer has posted two side by side photos to highlight the problem with women comparing themselves to bodies on social media.
Anjuli Mack shared the images with her 153k followers on Instagram, saying they were taken seconds apart.
She wrote: "This is not a before and after.
"Although it wouldn't surprise me if fad diet, keto detoxes and random overseas supplement companies use it to promote their own agenda
Advert
"IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. Companies prey on people desperate for a quick fix but in reality this is just puffing out and then sucking in. Seconds apart as seen on my video post yesterday."
She explained that she often gets DMs from followers saying that they ask her for quick fixes and how to stop having normal things like rolls of skin when they bend over.
She said: "So a few key things I wish I knew when I started & what I want all of you to know is...
"1. You cannot outwork your nutrition. In order to lose fat from anywhere you need to be in a caloric deficit (eating less calories than your body requires to maintain).
Advert
"2. Carbs are not the enemy. You can eat bread and pasta. But the key is in moderation & alignment with your goals.
"Social media and magazines are NOT real life. It is curated to what someone wants you to see. You will never see 100 percent of someone's life online.
"Focus on YOU. Don't try to copy XYZ, fad diets or waste money on juice detoxes. Just get a plan in place & stick to it. Trust your coach & the process. I wish I had got a coach from day one.
"Be kind to yourself! Years from now you won't care about the occasional night you 'fell off your diet' with friends or the holiday with family where you felt bad for eating at the breakfast buffet.
Advert
"You want to remember the life time memories made with loved ones."
The 26-year-old said that she has suffered from bad body image in the past, telling Daily Mail Australia in 2019: "I ended up developing a really unhealthy relationship with food and exercise as I was trying so many different things that weren't working."
She now runs a page that promotes health, fitness and body positivity.
Featured Image Credit: