The Dark Side of Before & After Pictures: A Therapist's Perspective

Unpacking the Problem with Before & After Photos

Aug 22, 2024

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When scrolling through social media, it is almost impossible to avoid comparative full-body pictures of people known as Before & After pictures. These images often populate fitness accounts that are promoting weight loss through pictures of people before they lost weight and after. You will also find these images on accounts of individuals trying to hold themselves accountable in recovery from a restrictive eating disorder, posting pictures before and after gaining weight. While these posts are mostly well-intentioned, Before & After pictures can be detrimental to the well-being of the content consumer, whether they are trying to recover from their body image struggles or not. It’s no lie that these images can provide motivation for some, but we shouldn’t overlook their potential negative effects:

1. Before & After pictures idealize being thin (and not just in the way you might think!)

Typically, the Before pictures are taken at the mentally worst moment of the person or at least, a moment they are feeling awful about their body. This moment is also when the person is at their highest or relatively higher weight, captured in terrible lighting, not particularly taken from a flattering angle, and in the least complementary clothing for their body. The person usually has a flat facial expression or look like they are trying to hold back from a big frown just for the sake of the picture.

In contrast, the After pictures showcase t he person at a lower weight, captured in better lighting, striking a flattering pose, and wearing more complementary clothing for their body. The person usually has a big smile on their face, giving the impression that they are happier.

Now think about the pictures next to each other and consider the emotional contrast these side-by-side images create : The Before picture evoke negative associations around being in a larger body (sad, bad angle and lighting), while the After picture evokes positive associations around being in a smaller body (big smile, better “looking” body due to better conditions) implying that being in a smaller body equates to more happiness, reflected by their smile. These pictures are also marketed as “transformation”, which implies that the person has transformed their lives just by losing weight. That they became happier, more successful and confident through their weight loss journey, which is not necessarily true.

2. The pictures are just the tip of the iceberg.

Whenever I come across a Before & After picture post, I cannot help but wonder about the journey that isn’t shown. I’m looking at a mere snapshot of someone’s life, one that doesn’t really capture the whole process a person goes through losing weight. As pictures that are taken of a specific moment in time, they do not and cannot truly reflect how the person in the picture put in blood, sweat and tears for months. I guess this is why people share it in the first place, to show the “hard work” that led to the After picture. They want to be praised for the discipline and self-control they demonstrated. While these are admirable qualities and looking for praise is an absolutely valid need of every one of us, I just can’t stop myself from thinking of the price paid and how these things will come back to bite them if they pursued weight loss from a disordered approach.

The two pictures we quickly scroll past online aren’t representative of the full reality of the person’s life, yet they are often presented as if they do. By framing these images as evidence of a life transformation, the subliminal message given is that you will be happier, more confident and successful when you are in a smaller body. This can easily become a misguided source of motivation, pushing someone to lose weight with the goal of of “tranforming” their life and overcoming difficulties in their live, in the hopes of weight loss magically fixing all their problems. But in reality, true transformation happens when we address the underlying difficulties head-on, ask for support, develop emotional awareness, and learn coping skills. Without this deeper work, any “transformation” will remain superficial, confined to physical changes, while the mental and emotional struggles persist.

3. Before & After pictures fuel comparison and therefore, competition.

Sometimes, the Before & After pictures depict weight loss, while other times, they show someone comparing their “sick” body to their healthy body. This is especially tricky for those already vulnerable due to body image issues or disordered eating habits. Whether it’s about weight loss or comparing sick bodies, these images foster comparisons over how much weight has been lost, body types, body parts, numbers on the scale; basically creating competition between individuals about things they have zero control over, making it seem as if they do. Great tactic, diet culture! Make people believe they can control their body shape if they try hard enough, pushing them into an endless battle that is impossible to win. Almost like as if the pictures say “ See, someone else could do it. Why can’t you? What is your excuse? ”- all to keep the diet industry thriving.

4. These pictures can lead to feelings of failure, if a certain goal isn’t achieved/can’t be achieved.

Before & After pictures encourage black-and-white thinking, a cognitive distortion where we see things in extremes. It is about placing judgments in one of two categories -good or bad-, with no room for anything in between. **In the context of Before & After pictures, the weight loss goal is either achieved or not - leaving no room for shades of grey. But in reality, weight loss is a journey full of ups and downs. **There will be days when someone eats more than planned, doesn’t exactly stick to their routine, feels bloated or sees the number on the scale fluctuate. It is a journey that requires you to appreciate all the small steps you are taking -if it is done from a healthy mindset. And viewing it in such extremes -success of failure- sets one up for disappointment and frustration.

5. Before & After pictures often lower your self-esteem rather than motivating you.

While the intent behind these images might be to inspire, they can easily have the opposite effect. Rather than feeling motivated, many people end up feeling worse about themselves, comparing their bodies and their journeys to those in the pictures. It’s a setup for feeling inadequate, especially if the "After" seems unattainable or if the person doesn’t see similar results.

Rethinking the Impact of Before & After Pictures

Next time you come across a Before & After picture, pause and consider the full story behind it. Ask yourself: What might be missing from this narrative? How can I celebrate my own progress without falling into the trap of comparison? By shifting your focus away from these images, you can reclaim your self-worth and define success on your own terms.

Let’s move away from the superficial and start embracing the deeper, more meaningful aspects of personal growth. After all, the most important transformation is the one that happens within.

🌱I give online and in-person (Leiden, the Netherlands) therapy and counselling sessions for eating disorders, body image struggles and more. Send me a message via realisticbodytherapist.com