This woman just got seriously real on Instagram about those 'perfect' pool photos

Refreshing AF

Poolside photos
(Image credit: REX/Shutterstock)

Refreshing AF

It's swimwear season which means everyone clogging your Instagram feeds with their holiday snaps. Cue: the wanderlust-inducing panoramic landscape shot, the obligatory sunglasses selfie and, of course, the hot dog legs.

Now, we all secretly know that bikini photos aren't realistic, right? I, for one, will stand on my tip toes to make myself look taller and leaner and obviously you hold your stomach in.

So, next time you see a poolside photo while you're six episodes into a Netflix binge and eating pizza, always remember how staged it is.

Instagram girls are most guilty of doing this and kudos to them, they do look amazing but every so often, it's good to remember the truth.

So when Instagrammer Imre Çeçen posted this on her feed this week, we rejoiced.

A photo posted by on

Reading her caption, she commends women who are able to have the core strength to hover their thighs high enough off the ground that they don't experience what we like to call 'the flat thigh effect.'

So actually, next time you see one of these poolside photos, don't feel self conscious about the fact your legs don't do the same - because no legs actually do that.

'This is the most NORMAL thing ever yet us girls seem to be so self conscious about it,' Imre writes. 'Hello! Your legs are being pushed against a surface, they are supposed to expand! This doesn't mean you're fat. Even muscle will just look like a huge shapeless pile of meat when there's no flexing involved If you don't want your legs to expand maybe invest in stone legs! I'd choose marble ones.'

'Thought I'd take a good comparison pic and I'm pretty sure I've got a hernia now. Creating that thigh gap & skinny legs feel was real hard. I had to arch my back like crazy, hold my legs up (serious ab work was involved) and had to sit on the edge of the pool which caused me to almost fall. Both my camera & I would have drowned in the sadness of insta perfection (I would survive the water though, I can swim!) To people who do sit like this in real life; I admire your core strength & willpower!'

Preach, girl. Preach.

Delphine Chui