Why I’m not so keen on before & after photos…

Let’s start with the side-by-side photos, which have become particularly trendy over the past year for a number of reasons. 

Sometimes there is something special about the side-by-side post that is meant to inspire or educate followers. Maybe it’s a trainer revealing how you’re doing exercises wrong. Left is incorrect and on the right is how to do it correctly. But I find so many of these side-by-side collages are posted to showcase how easy it is to manipulate your figure and therefore attempt to show the reality of Instagram. These images often show what happens if a person has used a filter, flexes and doesn’t flex, poses and doesn’t pose, to name a few. 

It’s an important message, yes. But why must images of a person’s body be the vehicle to share inspiring messages or important information? Especialllllly if the person sharing these “inspiring” images is already a size 8 and shows that “they have rolls too when slouching!!!!!” I mean, give me a break! 

And then there are the transformation photos or videos, which usually show a body “before” and then a few months “after” their weight loss or fitness journey, showing how much their body has changed.

Sometimes it’s a way to share their success, or sometimes it’s made with the goal of inspiring others to do the same (or worse, to buy a diet or fitness programme!) But, again, I’ve never understood why an image of your body should be the way you measure success.

For starters, they’re so easy to manipulate with poses, lighting and camera angles! But more to the point, from both my personal experience and talking to others over the years, I’ve found these types of photos can make us extremely critical of ourselves – and it turns out psychology experts actually agree.