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Home / Lifestyle

Australian model Steph Smith stuns fans with 'real' body selfie

By Rebekah Scanlan
news.com.au·
3 Oct, 2019 07:19 PM3 mins to read

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Steph Claire Smith is one of Australia's most popular fitness faces. Photo / Instagram

Steph Claire Smith is one of Australia's most popular fitness faces. Photo / Instagram

She's one of Australia's most popular fitness models, posing for huge brands such as Adidas and Bondi Sands and even gracing the cover of Women's Health magazine in the UK.

But despite her seriously impressive physique, Steph Claire Smith has proven she's just like the rest of us after sharing a series of selfies that reveal her "real" body.

The co-owner of fitness program Keep It Cleaner told her 1.5 million Instagram followers she suffers with bloating, sharing two photos of her "puffy" stomach during a bout of suffering.

READ MORE: • Australian model Steph Smith reveals how she's been shamed for being 'too big'
• Model reveals social media tricks to 'change' body shape
• Australian Instagram star: 'I bought my first house at 23'
• Eggs, gluten and fruit: Eight common food myths busted

"Guess what. We bloat. We fluctuate. We're puffy one day and feeling like lean beans the next," she wrote.

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Fitness model Steph Claire Smith has been praised by fans for her "real" selfie. Photo / Instagram
Fitness model Steph Claire Smith has been praised by fans for her "real" selfie. Photo / Instagram

Steph, who is just 24, went on to explain that she was often struck with the health complaint when her period is due, which makes her weight "fluctuate".

"I've been more bloated than usual, looking like the left photo when I'm relaxed all day, and snacking like crazy because it's what my body wants every month," she said.

"Don't let changes stress you out, or question your health or your journey. No matter where you're sitting, even in your healthy weight range you will fluctuate. That's the beauty of the body."

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The 24-year-old runs a successful fitness empire and regularly models for some huge Aussie brands. Photo / Instagram
The 24-year-old runs a successful fitness empire and regularly models for some huge Aussie brands. Photo / Instagram

Naturally her fans have been quick to commend the post, calling it "brave" and thanking Steph for her "honesty".

"I needed this. So bloated every month... I have to remind myself that's why!!!" one said.

"Such a good reminder not to be hard on myself or my body," another agreed.

"Love you for sharing this," one added.

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It isn't the first time the fitness model has got real with her fans. Last year she shared the "trick" influencers use to change their body shape, revealing it was all down to angles and lighting.

Steph snapped herself wearing the exact same gym outfit and shared the varying results in a post titled, "just a little insta vs. reality reminder for you all" and used the comparison as a message to her followers not to compare themselves to models they see on social media.

The 24-year-old runs a successful fitness empire and regularly models for some huge Aussie brands. Photo / Instagram
The 24-year-old runs a successful fitness empire and regularly models for some huge Aussie brands. Photo / Instagram

"Sure I look fine in both pictures of course, but remember that lighting, angles and posing can make the world of difference sometimes," she wrote alongside the images.

"We all do it and that's okay. But for those of you who constantly look at what's on Instagram and compare your lives to what you see. Don't."

Her post was met with more than 40,000 likes and almost 500 positive comments when it was shared in May 2018.

"This is important to remember! Instagram is not real life, usually just the most prettiest moments," one person wrote.

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"Nailed it! Love #realposts like this," another added.

Recently, Steph — who runs her fitness business with pal Laura Henshaw — copped some flak over a typo on the packets of some of their healthy treats.

Steph has previously shared brutally honest snaps with her fans. Photo / Instagram
Steph has previously shared brutally honest snaps with her fans. Photo / Instagram

The Aussie best mates were left "embarrassed" after an eagle-eyed Sydney shopper spotted two spelling mistakes on their "all natural and vegan" protein balls which are sold in supermarket stores Coles and Woolworths.

The errors, which saw "doughnut" spelled as "doghnut" and "beetroot" as "betroot" on the packaging, were mocked online, with some branding the mistakes "unprofessional".

The word "beetroot" was spelled incorrectly. Photo / Supplied
The word "beetroot" was spelled incorrectly. Photo / Supplied
As was the word "doughnut". Photo / Supplied
As was the word "doughnut". Photo / Supplied
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