Its frightening that many of us set our fitness goals based on distorted reality from social media. What you see on Instagram is what people choose to show you, which can be very far from reality.
Here are four of the most common misconceptions we should be wary of:
Thigh Gap
This is has become a trend- the desire to have thigh gap at all cost has led to some cringey photo shopping decisions, awkward leg stances [one leg back, one far forward] and in the worst case scenario [used by many models] pinching the skin on the back of the leg so the legs appear further apart. Below is a major photoshop fail, you be the judge of the authenticity of the thigh gap.
Defined Muscles
On Instagram, lots of males and females brood over individuals with toned bodies and defined muscles . That’s fantastic and this is not a ploy to belittle or diminish others, but not all that glitters is gold. There are many tricks that can enhance one’s appearance, photoshop and airbrushing are two of the most common. Taking a picture right after a workout can also exaggerate muscle definition, with good lighting one can appear to be more toned than in reality.
“I decided to take my own transformation photos to see what was possible with just a few easy tweaks. About six months ago I was around 185 pounds and about 16 percent body fat. I was feeling particularly bloated on the day, so I asked my girlfriend to take a before shot. I then shaved my head, face and chest and prepared for the after shot, which was about an hour after I took the before shot. I did a few push ups and chin ups, tweaked my bedroom lighting, sucked in, tightened my abs and BOOM! We got our after shots.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-dixon/weight-loss-secrets_b_3643898.html
Figure 8 & Big bum
The way one stands can highlight and flatter various areas of the body. The angle of the camera can also help.
Fake before and after photos
Many of us despair at our slow progress when we see amazing transformations going on on Instagram, we are convinced we are doing things incorrectly- we are not.
There are many tricks used by the fitness industry to siphon money from unsuspecting people. The fake transformation is one, the pictures above were taking within fifteen minutes of each other. For her first unflattering picture (left), the trainer ate a big breakfast, wore her tight bather bottoms and let her body sag.
But within 15 minutes, she is transformed through applying a few tricks: She changed her bottoms from red to a bigger pair in black.
She clipped in long hair extensions, stood up a bit taller, sucked in her stomach, stood with legs wide and her hand on her ‘popped’ hip, pulled back her shoulders and wore a ‘cheeky’ grin.
Do not be deceived by magazines & Instagram. The best way to change your body is not by buying into the misleading ‘two week progress’ weight loss shots, but to learn about nutrition, come up with achievable goals and constantly reassess them .
Also remember thinner doesn’t always mean you’ll be happier, lasting transformations take time, and good lighting can make a sumo-wrestler look like they have a 6 pack .
Watch out for the upcoming Gym exercise routines :p