Instagram fitness star Anna Victoria (@annavictoria) has long been vocal about the B.S. that goes down on Instagram, like posing in ridiculous positions just to look super slim.

She recently posted two photos of herself to drive home the idea that images on social media aren't always what they seem, overturning the notion that before-and-after pics are as cut and dry as you'd think.

Anna captions the post, "my transformation," but goes on to explain that her real transformation actually can't be seen. That's because the biggest difference between the photo of her on the left, which was taken about five years ago, and the photo on the right, which was snapped more recently and shows off Anna's signature abs, took place behind the scenes (where any change worth your while will occur).

"My transformation was more about how I felt on the inside, about my health, and that's not something I can show you in a picture," she wrote. "There's always room for physical improvement, and there's always someone who looks better than you, and those two facts can be freaking exhausting if it's all you're concerned with."

It's why Anna — who makes her living from exercise guides and her status as a fitness influencer — doesn't obsess over her appearance and doesn't want you to either. After all, there's something more important than rock-hard abs and a lower body fat percentage, she says: enjoying life.

Follow Elizabeth on Twitter and Instagram. From Cosmo US.

From: Cosmopolitan US
Headshot of Elizabeth Narins
Elizabeth Narins
Senior fitness and health editor

Elizabeth Narins is a Brooklyn, NY-based writer and a former senior editor at Cosmopolitan.com, where she wrote about fitness, health, and more. Follow her at @ejnarins.