10 Influencers Who Expose Instagram Vs Reality Scenarios With Posts That Appeal For More Body Positivity

Danae Mercer is a former Women's Health editor-in-chief turned body positivity influencer with over 2 million followers on Instagram.

In a video posted on May 13, she showcased her thighs and arms jiggling as she worked out on a beach in the UAE while wearing a bikini.

In the second slide of the same post, she demonstrated how that very same body could appear sculpted, with no visible signs of fat.

"You don't hate your body. You're just comparing yourself to posed pictures," she told her viewers.


Image credits: danaemercer

In another post, she criticized the lighting in a women's dressing room, saying it was designed to highlight only bellies and thighs—the two areas where women commonly store fat.

A follower agreed in the comments, writing, "This happened to me several times and forced me to go on a diet."

While some may view that as a positive outcome, Dr. Yellen warned that dieting solely due to dissatisfaction with one's body can eventually lead to "restrictive or excessive eating." 

"Over time, these patterns can increase the risk of developing eating disorders," she added.

"You know when you take a picture of a sunset & say, 'The picture just doesn't do it justice?' The same thing goes for you," Spencer Barbosa said in one of her posts.

According to her February 2023 interview with CTV, Barbosa's struggles with body insecurity began in high school. 

The Ontario, Canada, native told her home news network that she felt she was the only girl with body hair and a prominent belly and back rolls.

"So for so long, I felt so alone," she said.


Image credits: spencer.barbosa

During COVID, Barbosa, who previously had a career as a finance influencer, switched to creating body positivity content.

One of her videos showing her body hair went viral, amassing more than 4 million views.

A comment under that post that read, "Oh my gosh, you have back hair too," encouraged Barbosa to embrace her insecurities more freely online.

Dr. Yellen was equally appreciative of the work of creators like Barbosa, saying they "do an incredible job of reshaping the narrative and what it means to be beautiful."

According to the expert, current beauty ideals—such as portraying women with already-shaved legs in razor advertisements—have a significant impact on women's "mental health and self-esteem."

Social media only worsens the issue through targeted ads, leading women to engage in "constant comparison," which can make them experience "anxiety."

As a result, "natural body features are increasingly viewed as flaws that need to be corrected."

Australian self-love influencer Bree Maddison often shares side-by-side comparisons of the photos she posts on Instagram and the ones she deletes while searching for the "perfect" shot.

The images that make it to her grid show her stomach looking more toned, with her arms strategically positioned to make her look slimmer, while the ones that get discarded are the exact opposite.

Maddison is also unafraid to put her cellulite on display for her 1 million followers, encouraging them to be more appreciative of their bodies.

"You are so much more than the sum of all your body parts & perceived flaws," she wrote in a post dated June 23.


Image credits: breeelenehan

Dr. Yellen, who works as the Director of Training and Supervision at Upper East Side Psychology, agreed with the sentiment, saying that cellulite and body fat—whether on the arms, belly, or elsewhere—are "normal aspects of the human anatomy and do not need to be corrected.”

Sara Puhto describes herself as a "titanium-spined girlie who helps you accept ur body."

In a video posted last month, she warned viewers not to believe everything they see on social media by using AI to give herself an unnaturally snatched waist and flawless skin.

Calling the increasingly advanced editing tools available for photos and videos "unfortunate," she reminded viewers, "You are worth it as you are."

"This is so important," one fan commented in response.


Image credits: saggysara

Another, meanwhile, pointed out the difference between “growing up now and growing up in the 1980s and '90s.”

"If you look at the pictures of people back then, everyone looked real. Not constantly perfect. Social media has definitely increased vanity and narcissism," they wrote.

Dr. Yellen also believes that children and teenagers, who are in "critical periods of development," struggle to accept themselves "as they are," in the digital age. 

Once young people develop body image issues, those beliefs may "persist into adulthood, contributing to feelings of shame, insecurity and perfectionism," she added.

Lait is a plus-size personal trainer who not only encourages women to embrace their fuller bodies but also promotes healthy habits through a plant-based diet and regular exercise.

To endorse the former, she collaborated with PETA UK in March 2025, and to support the latter, she launched a line of activewear designed specifically for women her size.

Called J Luxe, the apparel has been created to "meet exactly where you are right now and help you bloom into the version of yourself you want to be."

Her clothing line also makes no compromises on aesthetic, as she puts just as much effort into making the pieces attractive as she does into ensuring they're practical.


Image credits: sophthickfitnesss

"I can't wear cute clothes. I'm not skinny?" one of her videos begins before shifting to the encouraging message, "Girl. Yes, you can."

Her advocacy for plus-size women deserving both comfort and style extends beyond her own label, as she frequently models wardrobe staples from other body-inclusive UK brands, including Ivy.

The collections embrace the latest trends, featuring details such as corset bodices and polka-dot patterns.

Danielle helps women who feel self-conscious about their belly rolls become more confident through her social media.

A yoga teacher based in Scotland, she first went viral in June 2023 after posting a photo proudly showing her fuller stomach on Instagram, declaring that “all tummies are cute."

"When I was younger, my biggest insecurity was my tummy, and the majority of my negative thoughts were to do with my belly and not having a flat stomach all the time.

"What I've realized is my belly is really just my cute belly—it doesn't define me, it doesn't affect my worth or beauty," she added.


Image credits: kale.themwith.kindness

Danielle especially encourages women to sit comfortably without worrying about their belly folds becoming visible.

"Bodies don't look perfect 24/7, and that's the way it's supposed to be—no matter what social media makes you believe," she schooled.

"No girl, I'm with you," Chessie said in one of her messages to girls who think they are the only ones without thigh gaps, with legs bigger than men's, a double chin, sagging breasts, or similar insecurities.

She acknowledged the return of SkinnyTok—a trend where women share videos showcasing their lean bodies on TikTok—in another post, while asking her followers whether body-inclusive content needed to make a comeback. 

According to a screenshot of a poll she shared, 96% voted yes.


Image credits: chessieking

"Body-inclusive content better reflects the natural diversity of our society," Dr. Yellen told us.

She thanked influencers working in this direction for helping "followers feel seen and valued."

Sarah Nicole Landry expressed gratitude for everything her body went through during pregnancy in a post shared on November 15, 2025.

"When they grew inside me, I felt a sense of purpose," she wrote in the caption of the post.

The caption also included a poem in which Sarah admitted it took her a decade "to understand that my purpose was never in just being a vessel of life, but to be a vessel of hope and truth and a whole lot more."

Today, she says she views her body as a symbol of "strength and growth."


Image credits: thebirdspapaya

In another post, she proudly put her stretch marks, hip dips, and smile lines on display while on vacation.

Sarah has 2.5 million followers on Instagram, and according to Dr. Yellen, influencers with large followings like hers "can have strong, positive impacts when they share body-inclusive content."

Grace Tutty has always been candid about relying on a glam team when creating content. 

"It took a team of 3 hairstylists, 1 makeup artist, and countless lighting and photography experts for me to look like this," the influencer wrote in text over several photos from one of her shoots. 

In a follow-up post, she shared a comparison titled, "What you see on Instagram vs. what I saw when I opened my phone that morning."

While the first image showed her posing in a body-hugging black T-shirt paired with black jeans and neatly styled wavy hair cascading to her waist, the second revealed a puffy face with freckles across her cheeks.


Image credits: gracetutty

In another post, she made her followers aware of the editing behind her pictures by challenging them to spot six differences in a collage featuring the altered and original versions.

"Messy hair fixed, spine scar removed, arm made slimmer, cellulite smoothed, waist made smaller, butt made bigger," she revealed as the answer.

Grace was labeled the "ultimate girls' girl" by one fan, while another called her the "realest influencer on the internet."

Sophie Liu is a fierce advocate against comparing your current body to your past self.

She has discussed the topic in several posts, including one shared in January 2024 and another in April of the same year.

Her response to anyone who comments on her now fuller appearance is, "Yeah, I'm not 16 anymore," a mindset she encourages others to adopt as well.


Image credits: thesophialiu

Another practice she strongly believes in is not depriving yourself of your favorite foods, and her Instagram grid reflects that philosophy.

It features her enjoying everything from Asian barbeques to ice cream and coffee with milk and syrups.

"It's embarrassing to yuck someone's yum," she says.

Sophie describes herself as "unfiltered and unbothered" and claims she encourages people to "accept yourself." 

Her followers agree, often thanking her in the comments for the regular reminders to love themselves.