Social media is filled with carefully curated selfies that use just the right angle and lighting to hide so-called body flaws. That’s why we love this Instagram from body-positive influencer Tesia Kline, who shared side-by-side photos of her legs—one under lights that hid the cellulite on her thighs, and one in light that highlighted every thigh dimple.
“Sometimes your ‘body goals’ may not always be what they appear to be (especially on IG),” the 27-year-old from Mobile, Alabama, captioned her post. “Thank you, angles and lighting for helping me see that I’m still fcking FLAWESOME from every point of view!! And so are YOU.”
Kline tells Health that she posted the side-by-side images to make a point about the sneaky way social media photos can make the exact same body part look totally different, and she hoped to reach women like herself who have struggled with feeling good about their appearance.
“There was a time when I was obsessed with trying to get rid of my so-called ‘flaws,’” she says. “Cellulite, stretch marks, belly rolls, loose skin (from weight loss). I have used tons of creams and gels to get rid of those things. They never worked.”
Kline attributes some of her body image issues to the prep work she had to do for body-building competitions, which included “endless amounts of cardio” and a restrictive diet. But even after working out like crazy in the gym and tracking her eating habits carefully, her insecurities didn’t go away.
“I realized that even at my absolute leanest, I still had those ‘flaws,’” she says. “So practicing self-love and a [having] a positive body image really helped me overcome my insecurities and gave me all the confidence I could ever dream of! Now I just focus on being strong and healthy. No more strict diets or harsh workout routines. Just me, my body, and my mental health.”
Self-love and focusing on being strong and healthy—what’s more flawesome than that?
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