We love transformation stories.
Whether it's weight loss, plastic surgery, or a great haircut, transformations are amazing and inspiring.
It's important to remember, though, that what you see isn't always what's real.
Transformations are especially popular on Instagram, where there is a large community of users working to get fit.
The accounts that make up the Instagram fitness community love to post transformation shots, comparing how they looked before their journey to how they look now.
These side-by-side comparisons can be incredibly inspiring — but they can also be quite intimidating to look at.
For someone just starting out in the fitness community, it can be overwhelming and discouraging to see those transformations. If you compare your own journey to theirs, it might make you feel bad.
One CrossFit athlete is trying to change that — starting with herself.
Keep scrolling to learn how Jennifer Smith is using Instagram to remind everyone that transformations aren't always what they seem.
[H/T: Buzzfeed]
Thumbnail Photo: Instagram / jensmith008
If you search for transformation photos on Instagram, you'll see how popular they are in the community. It's amazing for people to show off how much their body has changed after lots of hard work — but it's important to remember that it might not always be what it seems.
Jennifer Smith is a CrossFit athlete in the Instagram fitness community, so she sees those transformation posts every single day.
Because of what she does, Jennifer is obviously in great shape — but she wants her 97,000 followers to know that her body doesn't always look this chiseled and toned. Sometimes, the way you look is all down to lighting and posture.
To prove her point, Jennifer posted this side-by-side on Instagram. It may look like a typical transformation shot, but it's actually not. If you look closely at Jennifer's clothes and sunglasses you might realize that these two photos were only taken 15 minutes apart, despite how different her body appears to be.
Jennifer captioned her post with, "the power of lighting, body posture, and a good smile!" She did this to remind her followers that it doesn't take much to make yourself look great in a photo — just some good posture and well-placed lighting can go a long way.
As amazing as transformations are, Jennifer made a great point by reminding her followers that we're all human — and we all have not-so-great angles.
Even the fittest of us can look nonathletic, depending on how we're photographed. A photograph can make someone look fitter, thinner, bigger, or taller than they actually are.
What do you think about Jennifer's "transformation"? I think it's a great reminder — and it makes me feel better about my own journey.
Please SHARE Jennifer's important post with your friends and family on Facebook!
