While we all love a good filter, sometimes the Instagram fitness industry can get a little crazy with its photo editing.

Big brands and fitspo influencers alike could occasionally be accused of using the slimming and blending tools to create an unrealistic silhouette. 

One Instagram fitness guru and psychologist Stacey Lee has taken it upon herself to showcase the dramatic differences that photoshop can make, to highlight the negative effects the unrealistic, digitally sculpted physiques we see on social media have on our self esteem. 

 

A post shared by Stacey Lee (@psychandsquats) on May 29, 2017 at 2:08pm PDT

'How many times have you looked at a photo of yourself and thought negatively about it? How many times have you compared yourself to the models in the magazine, or more likely, the 'models' on Instagram and social media and thought 'nope I don't look like that'?, she said, captioning one snap of her before and after photoshop image. 

'How many times have you been tempted to add a filter, tweak the cellulite, remove the blemish, maximise the booty, in order to portray a more 'socially acceptable' version of yourself to the world?'

'Because you feel you aren't 'enough' as you are. Subconsciously we are primed to find certain body types more acceptable.'

 

A post shared by Stacey Lee (@psychandsquats) on May 8, 2017 at 2:10pm PDT

'Because you feel you aren't 'enough' as you are. Subconsciously we are primed to find certain body types more acceptable.'

'This can be very subtle changes to photographs seen on a daily basis. But these small changes resonate deeply within our minds.'

'Shaping our beliefs about the way we 'should' look, and therefore creates unrealistic comparisons and perpetuates negative self talk which becomes low self esteem. Recognising the signs of a photoshopped image is important for our mental health.'

'Understanding that sometimes what we are looking at is simply a fantastical image created on something designed to suit virtual reality, NOT the real world.'

Preach girl, preach.