Spot the difference? Steph Claire Smith shows how angles do a lot on social media. Photo / Instagram
Fitness influencer Steph Claire Smith has shared a side-by-side snap of herself to show social media users the subtle methods influencers often use to change the look of their body.
Smith, who snapped herself wearing the exact same gym outfit, posed to show how her body changed shape with certain lighting and different angles.
The 24-year-old, who titled the post "just a little insta vs. reality reminder for you all", used the comparison as a message to her followers not to compare themselves to models they see on social media, reports news.com.au.
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"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.
"We all put up some sort of shield before sharing things with others, and that's okay but I think anyone with a certain amount of following should remember it's important to be real and relatable ... and show that life isn't always as perfectly put together as we post it to be on our feeds."
Her post was met with more than 40,000 likes and almost 500 positive comments.
"This is important to remember! Instagram is not real life, usually just the most prettiest moments," one person wrote.
"Nailed it! Love #realposts like this," another added.
Smith, who is a body positive advocate and founder for exercise and diet program Keep it Cleaner, has shared body comparison images previously on her social media accounts.
Last month, she shared an eye-opening side-by-side image of how her body has changed since she was 18 — a photo she called 'a different kind of before and after'.
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"[First image] I was 18, ate whatever I wanted (a lot of junk)," she captioned next to the photo.
"[Second image] me now, age 24 eating a balanced diet going off the 80/20 rule majority of the time (weigh about 10kgs more).
"Point of this post? It's for all the girls out there who may be going through what I went through between these before and afters ... when my metabolism slowed down, I gained weight and couldn't get away with eating whatever anymore.
"I went through a stage of being incredibly confused and upset — I couldn't understand why when I started eating well and exercising. my body was still not going back to how it was when I was 18.
Smith, who has 1.3 million followers, said it took her several years to understand her body, and accept her shape changes during maturity.
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"[It] took me a long time to realise that it was just my body developing into its womanly figure," she explained.
"Everyone is different, every woman's body is different, some change a lot over time, some have the same body type their whole life, but for me, I went from being lanky and skinny to curvy and muscular.
"Through the pressures I put on myself through modelling I continued to get upset at the thought of never having those measurements again. "Makes me sad thinking back at that mental state of mine. I feel strong, fit, healthy and confident now but it really was a journey.
"Being the best you isn't the skinniest/smallest you ... being the best you can be comes from being healthy and happy and embracing what you've got.
"How boring would the world be if we all looked the same? Embrace your body in all its forms, and embrace change when it comes."
New York Times: The internet is reframing the humble fizzy drink as an indulgent escape.