Blogger’s Empowering Side-by-Side Photos Show Instagram vs. Reality

Marie-Claire Dorking
·Contributor
A blogger has been trying to encourage people not to believe everything they see on social media [Photo: Instagram/saggysara]
A blogger has been trying to encourage people not to believe everything they see on social media. (Photo: Instagram/saggysara)

First, blogger Sara Puhto took to Instagram to share a photo of her unshaved armpit hair in a bid to highlight the unrealistic beauty standards that women face every day. Now the body-positive advocate is trying to show the world that you shouldn’t believe everything you see on social media.

Taking to Instagram once again, the 20-year-old from Finland has been busy sharing side-by-side images to prove how much of a difference angles and posture can make in photos put on social media.

Whether it is sucking in your tummy or being pictured from a certain angle, Sara wants to show that “perfect” images shared online aren’t always what they seem.

Booty pop I was scrolling through my old photos and came across these photos where I was trying to take one of those sandy bum pics I posted the right one back in January, but the left is the reality behind that photo ☺️ I still sometimes get a slight pang of sadness and jealousy when I see all the big beautiful bums on instagram and wish I could magically have what they have. Because sometimes I feel like all my booty gains are gone when I take photos where it looks smaller, but then I remember that I shouldn't compare my body to theirs. I have a great booty and so do they! It's all about posing/angles and nobody looks like that all the time. There's nothing wrong with posting a good photo of your booty, you should post it if you feel like it! Just remember that when you're scrolling through social media and see all the posed bums that you too have a great bum and that nobody looks like that 24/7 ☺️ It seems like big butts are the thing that so many people want currently. But remember that you don't need a big booty to be beautiful. All butts are good butts ☺️ All of our bodies are different and you don't need a specific body type to fit into what society defines as beautiful!! It's stressful and so messed up that body parts and types are going in and out of style- before it was being really thin, now it's having a big booty. That shouldn't be a thing. It causes so much stress and self hate to people who do not have these things. I know it's hard but instead of trying to obtain these things, love how you look now. Not how you'll look if you loose X amount of weight or get a bigger booty. Because trust me when you get to those things you'll just want something more. Be comfortable in your own skin no matter what angle, posed or unposed, and you'll radiate beauty! ☀️ —————————————— . . . #bopowarrior #bootypop #allbodiesaregoodbodies #bootyfordays #bootybuilding #instagramvsreallife #beforeafter #selfconfidence #youareyou #dontchange #acceptyourself #bodypositive #lawofattraction #everyoneisbeautiful #selflove #bepresent #findyourself #dontcare #cellulite #effyourbeautystandards

A post shared by Sara Puhto (@saggysara) on Jul 27, 2017 at 3:26am PDT

In one post, Sara wore the same bikini in two side-by-side images. In the picture on the left, she stood in a natural stance that she deemed “Reality.” On the right, she stood tall with her back arched and her arms raised in a pose she called “Instagram.”

“I was scrolling through my old photos and came across these photos where I was trying to take one of those sandy bum pics. I posted the right one back in January, but the left is the reality behind that photo,” she wrote in the accompanying caption.

“I still sometimes get a slight pang of sadness and jealousy when I see all the big beautiful bums on Instagram and wish I could magically have what they have,” she continued. “Because sometimes I feel like all my booty gains are gone when I take photos where it looks smaller, but then I remember that I shouldn’t compare my body to theirs. I have a great booty and so do they! It’s all about posing/angles and nobody looks like that all the time.”

Sara went on to say that although there’s nothing wrong with posting a photo of yourself that’s taken from a great angle or is deceptive, you should keep in mind that other people are doing the same.

“Just remember that when you’re scrolling through social media and see all the posed bums that you too have a great bum and that nobody looks like that 24/7,” she wrote.

Siting down sucking in vs sitting down and relaxing ☺️ I used to be so self conscious about my fat showing while I sat down. I'd always suck it in and wear high waisted jeans while trying to hold that posture when I noticed people were looking at me but you know what?! Who cares! We all have fat, it's perfectly normal and okay! We need that fat layer on our tummies to protect our vital internal organs. You can still be fit/healthy and have fat! It's an absolutely normal thing that you should not be ashamed of! So next time you sit down and see that protective layer, thank it for saving you from not dying But in all seriousness, you don't need a "flat tummy" to be beautiful, you don't need to waste your energy sucking in your tummy! Humans come in all different shapes and sizes and regardless of that you are beautiful. It's your body, do whatever makes you happy and comfortable, if that means wearing high waisted jeans, then wear high waisted jeans! Don't let anyone tell you what you should and shouldn't wear or do to make your body "better". Because you're beautiful and unique the way you are now!! I hope you guys have a lovely Friday and an amazing weekend, I'll be flying on a plane to Finland tonight! ❄️ Sports bra from: @movebytwenty3

A post shared by Sara Puhto (@saggysara) on Apr 7, 2017 at 2:31am PDT

She finished her post by encouraging her 143,000 followers to remember that all bodies are different and that you don’t need a specific body type to fit into what society defines as beautiful.

“Be comfortable in your own skin no matter what angle, posed or unposed, and you’ll radiate beauty!”

Instagram vs real life If I saw the photo on the left a year ago I would've instantly thought so negatively about my body, that all my hard work from working out was non existent, that if someone looked at me they would've never thought I've been working out for 2 years and think I wasn't trying hard enough. But the thing is is that all bodies look different. Nobody's booty looks round and peachy from all angles. Nobody's body looks the same from all angles. Don't eat less or miss out on your favorite meals/drinks or over exercise to "look good for a holiday" or to "look good in bikini photos" because there will always be angles that are "unflattering" that might make you feel bad when you see them. Instead workout and eat healthy because it makes you feel good, not as a punishment. Start loving and accepting your body at all angles with all your "flaws", instead of trying to fit into societies image of 'beauty' because that image isn't inclusive of all individuals, which is so messed up. Don't hate yourself just because of bad photos, they do not define you as a person. You look the best when you're living life to the fullest and happiest. There's no point in missing out on things and stressing yourself out so much. Life isn't meant to be a competition on who can look the best and we should normalize not having to "look perfect" all the time because it's a ridiculous concept. You are perfect the way you are ☀️ —————————————— . . . #instagramvsreallife #beforeandafter #lawofattraction #bodypositive #bekindtoyourself #lifeisgreat #dowhatyoulove #veganbooty #youareenough #progressnotperfection #bodyimage #vegansofig #girlswhoworkout #selflove #youarebeautiful #veganfitness #loa #fitnessjourney #bopo #bodyacceptance #bodyconfidence #effyourbeautystandards #bepresent #justbe #moderation #balanceddiet #staypositive #thinkpositive

A post shared by Sara Puhto (@saggysara) on Jul 8, 2017 at 5:09am PDT

Since she posted the empowering message, it has received more than 9,600 likes and hundreds of comments from fans praising the blogger for her refreshing body-positive stance.

“Haha, for real, it’s way too stressful tryin’ to remake or BE like ‘those’ girls–bc even THOSE girls have imperfections. Be like you, have a body like YOURS only,” one fan wrote.

“This post literally just changed my life in a serious and legitimate manner,” another wrote. “I hated myself for not looking like the picture on the right all the time and only now — through this — I am realizing how not everyone looks perfect all the time. Thank you so much for this.”

We can’t wait for Sara’s next sprinkling of body positivity. Go girl!

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