Blaðamaðurinn og einkaþjálfarinn Danae Mercer hefur vakið gríðarlega mikla athygli á Instagram síðustu vikur og mánuði fyrir að sýna og sanna fyrir fylgjendum sínum að raunveruleikinn birtist ekki á breyttum og bættum myndum á samfélagsmiðlum.

Mercer er mjög opin á einlæg á Instagram-síðu sinni og hefur sjálf reynslu af því að berjast við óöryggi og skakka líkamsímynd. Hún barðist við átröskun í fjölda ára og hefur talað opinskátt um það, eins og sjá má til dæmis hér:

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TW – NEW YOUTUBE – Eating Disorder relapse – My story There’s so much I want to say. Most of it I talk through in this video (link in bio): How it’s so common to have disordered thoughts around food; how it’s normal to battle healing; how sometimes we deny we have a problem for days and weeks and years. How getting better is worth it. How you’re not alone if you find yourself wobbling in a grey area where body image and mental health and external pressures collide. I relapsed once, four years ago. It happens and it’s horrible and yet. Yet. We are resilient. How it will be ok. And yet I’m not quite sure how to say so many things, now more than ever. Because I’m realizing eating disorders are more complicated than I ever knew. And that there are entire communities who are left out of the healing, the research, the representation. Maybe you’re stumbling through these things too. Maybe you’re that girl. So for now, let me say this: If you’re struggling, know that recovery is possible. If you’ve recovered, remind yourself constantly your why. And if you’re feeling alone, know that you are not. Not now. Not ever. It will be ok. It will be ok. . . . #EDrecovery #eatingdisorderrecovery #edawareness #selflove

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Í dag hefur hún náð að finna sjálfstraustið sitt og vill bera út boðskap sjálfsástar.

Mercer er dugleg að birta alls kyns efni þar sem hún sýnir nákvæmlega hvernig hægt er að blekkja á samfélagsmiðlum, en þetta gerir hún svo fylgjendur hennar missi ekki sjónar af því hvernig raunveruleikinn er.

Hér fer Mercer yfir hvernig áhrifavaldar taka myndir af kviðvöðum:

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Social media IS NOT real – even when it comes to SITTING DOWN. Just check out these three popular INSTA-POSES. And if you’re feeling brave, try the first one. I dare you. It took me 10 minutes and lots of falling to figure it out 😂❤️. Today I just wanted to remind you gals how filtered this online world is. How casual poses are rarely actually RELAXED. And how you’re GREAT exactly as you are. Now if you fancy taking your own snaps at home, here’s how it all worked: All the insta poses involve arching my back, exhaling, squeezing my core, and lifting an arm. All super flattering things. Plus I’m using SIDE LIGHTING. There’s a window on my right. The light comes in sideways and creates that great shadow/bright contrast on the CORE. PLUS I’m shooting in a mirror. Mirror + side light = the best situation for fierce selfies. So there we go! Just a reminder today about how all this stuff works. A little pulling back of the curtain. And a big reminder about how amazing you are: Whether you’ve got abs all the time (like certain hard working fitspo I know ❤️), sometimes, never, or whatever. However your body is shaped, what matters the most is that YOU are YOU. And that’s pretty incredible indeed. x #posing #socialmediavsreality #selfies #fitspo #posingtips #instavsreallife #bodyconfidence Top @womensbestwear

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Hún bendir einnig á að lýsing skipti miklu máli:

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LIGHTING changes PHOTOS – But also, it doesn’t change a THING ABOUT YOU. First, the technique: In the shadows, my cellulite disappears. In the harsher direct window light, it pops out to say hello. And this is pretty common. It’s the same thing as sunrise / midday. At sunrise, soft side light tends to whisk away lumps and bumps. By midday that light is top-down and pretty aggressive. Cellulite and stretchmarks are on full display. And now, the actual message: Next time you start to compare yourself to a stranger on social media, remember this. Remember how lighting can be manipulated to create ‘perfection’. The same for angles. Posing. Squeezing. Camera position. Mirror types. Oil on the skin. And so on, and on, and on. So don’t compare your thousands of angles, your billions of moments, to their PERFECT SECOND SNAPSHOT. You, lovely lady, you’re great in all lights. You’re wonderful from all angles. And you’re incredible in all moments. Because you’re already you. And that’s more than enough. #selflove #weartheshorts #selfacceptance #feminist #instagramvsreality #bodyconfident #womenirl

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Hér má sjá hvernig margir breyta myndum af sér fyrir samfélagsmiðla:

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Let’s talk EDITING APPS. This transformation took all of two minutes. I smudged out stretchmarks and swapped my bloating for a bum, brightened my eyes and smoothed that great lil mid-forehead vein. In just 120 seconds, I became a SHINIER, GLOSSIER version of myself. And it was incredibly easy. I used to edit my photos like this. When I was recovering from my relapse, I felt delicate. Insecure. So I would use apps like these to make myself THINNER. Always, always thinner. Because in my mind, thin was perfect. And maybe if I was perfect, everything would be ok. Maybe I would be loved. So I have NO anger towards people who use these. No anger. Because I’ve been there. Instead I want to stress to YOU how OFTEN it happens. How in addition to posing and lighting and outfit swaps and all the shiny things I talk about on here, there’s always this lil side of technology. And I want to say that if you’re someone who uses these often, Who changes your body or changes your skin or changes YOU, Know you are seen. You are worthy. And you are LOVED, EXACTLY as you already are. No technology-sponsored changes required. Stay safe out there gals. We’re in this together. Original photo @chiclebelle #instagramvsreality #feminist #beforeandafter #instavsreality #iweigh #bodyacceptance #selflove

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Og hvernig má sýna rassinn sem „best“:

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How do influencers get GREAT BOOTIE PHOTOS? But also – SOCIAL MEDIA is NOT REAL. Seriously. It’s not. Look how much my bumbum transforms just by how I’m standing. PLUS I’m in SHADOW, which hides my cellulite and stretchmarks. And I’m filming on a LOW RES FRONT CAM, which does the same. Here’s how I did it. THE BIKINI: You usually see this pose in TRAVEL SNAPS, with a tanned beach bum framed against a blue sky. Sometimes there’s a guy’s hand reaching up. HOW: Bikini high for longer leg lines; step my feet apart; pop my hips back; arms overhead so waist looks longer; and bam take photo. It looks crazy from the side though 😂❤️. THE WORKOUT WEAR: Bonus points for light coloured leggings and/or bum rusching, which adds to this. HOW: Face away from camera, legs in a line. Rotate over one shoulder. Squeeze back bum cheek. Arch hips back. Squeeze core. Arms overhead for long waist. Bam! Take photo. So there you go. Look, if you want to run around taking all the bumbum photos and rocking all the angles, go for it. But more importantly, remember this: SOCIAL MEDIA is not REAL. It’s POSED. FILTERED. PERFECTED. Especially with aesthetic photos. So don’t compare yourself. Don’t be hard on yourself. You’re doing great – no bootie pose required x . Also top is @womensbestwear @womensbest.me . #instagramvsreality #socialmediavsreality #fitspo #bodyconfidence #selflove #posing

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