Danica Patrick's 'Real Vs. Produced' Photos Of Her Abs Show How Deceptive A Pic Can Be

From Delish

It's no wonder a recent survey found that scrolling social media was more damaging to people's body image than looking at models in magazines, billboards, or on TV. You can dismiss those Photoshopped, slickly produced ads as not being real life, but when they're on your Instagram feed, it feels more real - and easier to go, "Why doesn't my body look like that?"

That's why NASCAR driver Danica Patrick's flipping the script, posting a side-by-side Instagram image that reveals that even when there's zero Photoshopping involved, there's still a huge difference between a candid shot and a produced photo shoot.

"The difference between the two is lighting, pose, and clothes adjustments," she wrote. "We all want to look our best at all times, no shame in that. But don't let someone else's body put yours down."

By leaning to the side, taking the picture from above (rather than straight-on), rolling down her shorts a bit - so they rest against her hips, not the middle of her stomach - and adjusting the light, Patrick's stomach looks leaner and more toned. It's a reminder that when you're sitting on the couch, post-Chipotle food coma, you should stop comparing yourself at that moment to the person who spent five minutes adjusting their clothes, camera, and filters just so to look the way they do.

Patrick's also quick to admit that maintaining her physique takes work, beyond clever camera angles. The NASCAR driver's a devoted yogi and Crossfit fanatic who sticks to a strict Paleo diet. She's detailing her full workout plan - and the recipes that fuel her through it all - in a new book, Pretty Intense, out later this year.

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