This Blogger’s Photo Reveals The Truth Behind ‘Fitspo’ Selfies On Instagram

Good angles, bad angles, good lighting, bad lighting, high waisted pants, NOT high waisted pants, morning abs, post-dinner bloat, snap filters, #nofilter… what else am I missing? Surely, there’s so much more. So much more that goes into getting “the” perfect photo. Guys, I take dozens of photo before getting the one I like. I look for good lighting, I pose, I loooove high waisted pants and ya, they also lift my booty and make my waist look smaller than it is. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, but the fact is that so much of what you see is contrived. My photos are contrived. But I will also share these photos on the right because I don’t want you to think I’m only ever like on the left. We can love getting done up and posing and finding the best photos we took, but that doesn’t mean the less done up versions of ourselves is any less beautiful. If you want to go get “the” perfect photo of you, go for it girl just be sure you’re not letting that be the standard of your beauty or reason not to love YOU as much as you deserve to. (Which is A LOT) #fbggirls www.annavictoria.com/guides

A post shared by Anna Victoria (@annavictoria) on Apr 18, 2017 at 6:39pm PDT

“Good angles, bad angles, good lighting, bad lighting, high waisted pants, NOT high waisted pants, morning abs, post-dinner bloat, snap filters, #nofilter… what else am I missing?” she writes. “Surely, there’s so much more. So much more that goes into getting ‘the’ perfect photo.” Anna points out that she, like most people, takes “dozens” of photos before getting one that she likes.

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“I don’t think that’s a bad thing, but the fact is that so much of what you see is contrived,” she adds, including, she admits, her own photos. That’s why she says she shares her not-as-flattering pics—she doesn’t want her fans to think she only ever looks like she does with her best lighting and poses.

“We can love getting done up and posing and finding the best photos we took, but that doesn’t mean the less done up versions of ourselves is any less beautiful,” she says. Anna also says people should absolutely try to get the “perfect photo” if they want—“just be sure you’re not letting that be the standard of your beauty or reason not to love YOU as much as you deserve to. (Which is A LOT).”

Your body does some pretty amazing things—check out these fascinating facts about the female anatomy!

Her latest message echoes the one she wrote in January, in which she showed what her abs look like when she’s standing (tight and lean) and sitting (stomach rolls). “Me 1% of the time vs. 99% of the time. And I love both photos equally,” she captioned the photos. “Good or bad angles don’t change your worth.” (Dance like nobody’s watching with Women’s Health’s High-Intensity Dance Cardio DVD!) 

Anna regularly posts funny and inspiring messages on Instagram to encourage her fans to stay motived and, most of all, to love themselves:

Mood just enjoyed a delicious cheat meal. No regrets #fbggirls #balance #8020 www.annavictoria.com/guides

A post shared by Anna Victoria (@annavictoria) on Mar 15, 2017 at 12:48pm PDT

Lighting. Is. Everything. 99% of pictures you see on social media are taken in the best possible lighting and that ain’t no accident so when I got into the elevator with the lighting on the right, I zoned in on the cellulite on the back of my arms. Yes, cellulite on your arms is a thing! I’ve had it since the beginning of my journey and while it’s lightened up since then, it’s still not totally gone… because I’m human. Seriously, girls, stop thinking you’re the only one with cellulite and that it’s some kind of disease! Yes, it absolutely can be reduced through healthy diet, exercise and proper water intake, but another component which you can’t control is genetics, and just being human. It’s not bad to want to reduce the sight of cellulite just like it’s not bad to want to lose weight and feel more confident overall, but don’t set out to lose weight JUST to have less cellulite. It can be a cherry on top of all the other amazing benefits. If you ask me how to reduce the appearance of cellulite, my answer will be: healthy diet, regular exercise and proper water intake – that’s it. I will not suggest creams or wraps or whatever else the current fad is because those are only short term fixes (IF that..) and perpetuate the idea that health/results can be found in a bottle/package. So, do I love the look of my arms on the right? No, but I don’t hate it or myself for it, either. And you shouldn’t either #fbggirls #realtalk #cellulite www.annavictoria.com/guides

A post shared by Anna Victoria (@annavictoria) on Feb 19, 2017 at 12:34pm PST

In a world of filtered-to-oblivion #fitspo selfies, we’d like to thank Anna Victoria for keeping it real.