What's the big deal with Before and After Photos?
As a personal trainer who values health over weight and body size, I have opted to never share before and after photos. I shared one of myself at the start of my journey but even then it made me uncomfortable, only by researching diet culture have I worked out why. This choice automatically sets me aside from other personal trainers who use these photos of clients in order to sell their weight loss focused services. Are these photos inspirational or demoralising?
Being critical of before and after photos often implies that you have an issue with people losing weight - I have no issue with someone losing weight. If you are finding movement you enjoy, considering gentle nutrition and generally looking after yourself, weight loss may come as a side effect. Equally, it may not and that is also valid. What makes me somewhat uncomfortable is when the before and after photos are put next to each other. It suggests that the ‘before’ body is inferior, something to be ashamed of or change - the ‘after’ body is something we should be striving for, that person has achieved their goals and is now ‘happy’.
When I was in the midst of chasing weight loss, I found these photos massively inspiring. I used them to spur on my own efforts, marvelling at the ‘transformations’ - I even made some of my own to show how far I’d come. I found myself looking down on the ‘before me’, often thinking about how much better I am now I am slimmer. But to be honest, I wasn’t any better. In fact, I was involved in a lot of disordered eating behaviours and over exercising in order to keep losing more weight. How ever much weight I lost, I was still unhappy with my body.
Since then, I have become acutely aware that hitting my weight loss goals did not made me any happier. What has actually helped me deal with my anxiety and low moods is finding exercise I enjoy and looking at gentle nutrition. My physical and mental health would have improved by engaging in these health promoting behaviours without ever losing any weight.
A simple body photo does not show someone’s health levels - our health encompasses so many different factors, it should include our physical and mental health. It makes me angry that these photos encourage us to only look at our outer appearance - they suggest that if you are not striving to look like the ‘after’ photo then you are failing or lazy. They suggest that only goal should be making ourselves smaller, leaner or more muscular.
Transformation photos also feed into the false idea that everyone can control their weight and manipulate their body with the ‘right food or diet and exercise plan.’ As I said above, these photos are often used to sell services - ‘follow my diet plan and you’ll look like this.’ No. If we all ate and exercised in the same way, we would all look different. There are so many other determinants of health that are simply not considered. The person in the photo might be single, living with family and currently unemployed, they have plenty of time to dedicate to their new regime. You might be a single parent looking after two children with a full time job and you can only find time to exercise once a week. You cannot compare yourself to a photo as you do not know their circumstances, don’t compare yourself to a photo without context.
I like to encourage body autonomy - it is YOUR body. You do with it what you wish. Please do not let these before and after photos make you think that you need to lose weight or change your body. That is your choice - you are not a ‘before’ picture, you are a person with the ability to make your own choices. Ignore anything that is trying to tell you different, you are worthy or respect regardless of your body type. If you would like to take steps to improve your health, you can do so without taking a transformation photo, stepping on the scale or getting out the measuring tape. Use internal measurements, how do you feel, does engaging in health promoting behaviours energise you? Trust yourself to know what is best for you and your body.