The mum has won praise online for her stance. Photo / Instagram/breeahncarter
An Aussie mum has been praised online after sharing her "real" body in a series of lingerie snaps.
Breeahn Carter, from Piara Waters, WA, has built an audience of almost 20,000 people by sharing a glimpse into her life as a mum-of-two.
But after noticing other influencers relied on apps and Photoshop to feel confident enough to post their own photos, Breeahn decided to share her unedited body to help others embrace their own.
The 35-year-old told news.com.au the response was "overwhelmingly positive", something she puts down to the fact people are "craving to see everyday bodies on social media".
"We're led to believe that things like skin texture, rolls, folds, pigmentation, hair etc aren't desirable, yet they're all things most of us have," she said.
"So many women were thankful to see a 35-year-old mother-of-two put herself out there and say, 'Yep, this is me.'"
Alongside the four photos of Beeahn in a pink, lacy lingerie set, was a lengthy caption explaining she'd been motivated to share the pictures after stumbling across some videos about massive influencers editing their photos in order to keep their audience "happy".
"It made me sad. These girls were STUNNING. And had millions of followers. We still have a long way to go," Breeahn told her 18,700 followers.
She went on to detail her experience growing up in the '90s, a period in time that was "deep in diet culture".
"The bodies shown to us were slim only and judgment was everywhere. I remember crying in a changeroom cos [sic] my butt stuck out. I don't ever remember a time when I didn't think I should be on a diet …
"I came to the realisation recently that the thinking that diet culture has pressed upon me is exhausting. So I stopped.
"I still want to be fit. I still want to be healthy. But no longer will I turn down cake at the office, or a treat cos I 'shouldn't', or binge on a 'cheat' day."
While she said it has been "freeing", the Perth mum also said the decision to steer away from diet culture presented other issues.
"Am I being lazy? Am I trying to justify being 'bigger' than I've ever been? Am I making excuses? It never ends," Breeahn explained.
"I guess what I am trying to say is that no matter WHERE you are in the 'loving your body as it is' journey you are NOT alone."
The post quickly resonated with thousands of women, including former Bachelor star Alisha Aitken-Radburn who commented: "Love, love, love."
"Oh Bree you're just incredible," another woman wrote.
"What a woman! I love this so much," someone else said.
Others shared their own experiences, with one mum writing she once was "constantly fixated" on her body.
"It is horrible. No one needs that photoshop."
"Gorgeous babe and it's so great seeing other people on social media not editing their faces and bodies," another agreed.
One said: "Thank you for sharing your experience and a real woman's body."
Breeahn told news.com.au she took the snaps in her backyard, using a white sheet hung off her kids' jungle gym as a backdrop.
"My only lighting was the sun, which was shining directly into my eyes so I had no idea what the pics looked like as I was posing for them," she said.
"I expected to look at them and still hone in on my 'flaws'. But I surprised myself. I found myself focusing on things I liked, and I really loved them all.
"That was part of my motivation to post them, I realised although I still have a long way to go, I have come so far from that person who was constantly on a diet and thought she could only succeed if she looked a certain way."