Why I’ll Never Post Before/After Photos
Before/after photos are not a new concept. On weight loss drug commercials, on the feeds of fitness influencers from Instagram, and occasionally from people in real life who feel the need to boast: I was fat, now I’m not, and that makes me better.
I can’t say that I’ve always ignored this. Scrolling through Instagram one day, I saw a post that caught my eye because I could see myself in the "before" photo. Not only that, but I saw the positive results from other people who bought into these exercise guides that promised weight loss and happiness and health. I bought the guides and, to my disappointment, nothing happened.
When it comes down to it, I was never like the girl from the post. Or rather, I was never going to look like her “after.” We have different bodies, lifestyles, and resources, to name a few reasons.
She now lives in L.A. and pushes green juice and low-cal, low-carb keto. And frankly, I’m disappointed in her.
I’m always appreciative of my friends, family, and clients offering suggestions on how I can better market my business. However, one idea I’ll never entertain is before/after photos. This suggestion comes with good intentions! These images can show people that I’m relatable, credible, and knowledgeable. However, the negative implications of this type of marketing are not worth it. Let’s talk about why.
These Pictures Can Cause Unhealthy Comparison
Seeing someone’s before/after photos might be inspiring or motivating, but it’s more likely that we end up comparing ourselves to these images. We might think the "before" photo looks like us, or that we’ll never look like the “after” photo. This is especially harmful to people already struggling with disordered eating habits or poor body image.
“After” photos are generally supposed to be “better,” and seeing similarities between yourself and someone’s "before" image can worsen your relationship with your body.
After trying those workout guides and never getting the results I wanted, I continued to scroll through this influencer’s Instagram and compare myself to every before/after she posted, both herself and those who used her guides. Of course, none of them made me feel better. I felt like a failure and couldn’t understand what I was doing wrong.
The answer, of course, is I was doing nothing wrong. What works for one person won’t necessarily work for another. But that didn’t stop me from digging myself into a deeper struggle with my self-image and self-esteem.
They’re Fatphobic
Though many of us are very conscious about fatphobia and are actively educating ourselves and fighting the stigma, there are a lot of people who don’t realize how deep the bias runs. Maybe they would never publicly shame someone for their weight, but they still fight to avoid being fat or feel uncomfortable with fatness.
With this internalized fatphobia, people see what they’re supposed to see in a before/after image: the "before" is something to be ashamed of and something for others to judge. The "after" is something to celebrate.
“You look amazing!” and “Your hard work paid off!” and similar words of praise fill the comment sections on these images, but there’s an underlying message: these people didn’t look good in their bigger bodies. A learned belief continues to be pushed that fat people can’t and don’t look good, are not attractive, and often are somehow morally wrong. Before/after photos reinforce weight stigma and anti-fat bias.
They Emphasize Appearance Over Health
While people might believe that before/after photos show the product of hard work and healthy habits, here’s what I think they do: show you that being skinny/fit/not fat is one of the most important things you can do, regardless of what you have to do to get there.
This ties in a little bit to the fact that before/after photos are fatphobic. Yes, generally the people who post before/after photos do so to highlight a weight loss product, diet, or exercise routine; in essence “weight loss for health purposes.” But the idea that thinness is important is a very present danger to the healthcare of fat people. In addition, it causes many people to develop disordered eating habits, if not an eating disorder, and worsens their relationship with their body.
This concept reminds me a little of the many stories I’ve heard of people who have been complimented for losing weight, though the cause of their weight loss included trauma, illness, and depression. Without realizing it, people are praising others who are so grief-stricken that they can’t eat, are too depressed to get out of bed, let alone make a meal, or are too sick to keep anything down. Any weight loss is seen as good weight loss.
“Do anything you can to get the weight off,” a doctor once said, “then worry about keeping it off.” I often think about how scary this advice actually is.
Photos Don’t Tell the Whole Story
This could tie into the idea that before/after photos emphasize appearance over health. When we see two images side-by-side, we’re not getting the whole story. All we know is that someone used to look a certain way, and now they look “better.”
Though the person in the photo might claim it was exercise, a change of diet, or some miracle drug, they’re not necessarily telling the whole story. There might be additional information they’re leaving out for a variety of reasons, perhaps to seem more independent on their journey, make it look easier than it was, or hide unhealthy and dangerous behaviors that helped them get to where they are.
Without knowing the whole story, we might be left feeling ashamed thinking that someone achieved their goals a lot easier than we did. It can also be disheartening to think that someone tried the same tools as you but they got results while you didn’t. It’s important first to recognize that no two people are the same, therefore the way their bodies work won’t be the same either. Along with that, we must remember that what we’re being shown isn’t always the whole picture, and there’s no need to judge ourselves for the little we see of others.
The Takeaway
Before/after photos can be fun when they aren’t based on weight loss. However, those images focused on celebrating a change in physical appearance, from “bad” to “better,” have no place in my personal practice or social media feed.
It’s not that people can’t or shouldn’t be proud of reaching their goals. It’s valid to want to change your body, and wanting to lose weight isn’t wrong and doesn’t make you a bad person. However, it’s important to do some deeper thinking about weight-based goals. Is it about health metrics like high blood pressure? Is it a desire to be more active? Or is it rooted in the desire to be skinny simply because that’s what everyone is supposed to want?
Through scientific studies and research, we are learning and unlearning a lot about how our physical composition and lifestyles affect our health. More information on the difference between weight and health continues to be gathered and, though the health and wellness industry and many doctors and other individuals are still fighting it, we know that being fat in and of itself does not make a person unhealthy, or morally wrong, or deserving of inhumane treatment.
If you’re interested in talking more about this topic, contact me! I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Photo by ROBIN WORRALL on Unsplash