I’m not exactly the hugest Lady Gaga fan-girl, but earlier this week, she did something pretty cool. After her cover photo from “Glamour” was released, she made a public statement that the image of her was unrealistic and that she doesn’t really look like that when she wakes up in the morning. She even went so far as to point out that spreading unrealistic images of women around is pretty crap for the overall self-confidence of everyone who looks at them. And you know what, she is freaking right.
It’s no cover of Glamour Magazine, but when my pics from the NY Fashion Week Oiselle Runway show were posted, a lot of people commented that it was pretty crazy to have my body change that much in three months. And yeah, it was a little crazy but in real life, people don’t walk around spray tanned and flexed. Out of the thousands of photos taken at the runway show after all that tanning and primping and posture-holding, one or two of them looked good. A lot of them looked pretty gnarly. Weird facial expressions, lumpy bits, zombie walks…but nobody would ever know…
So in the spirit of Lady Gaga, I want to post some pictures that were taken the same week as the Runway Show, in much less flattering positions. Who needs “Us Weekly” to capture unflattering images when you can post them on the internet yourself!
For comparison, Runway Shot first:
Cropped parts of photos taken later that week.
This is what I looked like with my belly not turbo-flexed and sucked in:
This is my actual posture when I’m not on stage:
This is what my inner thigh looks like when I squeeze it (not recommended):
So there you go. Never take the photos you see on magazine covers or online too seriously. Everyone has thigh cheese. It’s part of life. Nobody is perfect. 
xx
Lauren
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Update 1/26/14
A few commenters below are skeptical of my photos because of my weird belly button. When I suck in, it’s an innie. When I relax and let my belly hang out, it’s an outie. It was my “stupid human trick” for cross country camp. Truly a gift. A few pics to illustrate are below. As for the truly cynical, all I can say is my words are true. Thanks to everyone for your comments and encouragement, and even the couple of you who posted your own pics online to #keepitreal!
Thanks for the inspiration to be real Lauren!
That was honest, Lauren. But, as your male fan, I like your runway shot better
I don’t think that ladies should participate in #keepingitreal. There is no reason to point at the “rolls”
What’s wrong with the “rolls” and why do they deserve their own special quotes? Runway ready or rolls & thigh cheese, Lauren kicks butt!!
the reason it’s important for women who seem “perfect” to point out their own imperfections is because it allows others who look up to them to understand that they are normal women with normal imperfections just like the rest of us. it allows the barriers that our society and media have created for this insane and unattainable “perfect woman” to be broken down. it allows normal women to love themselves… baby bellies, fat rolls, outie belly buttons, cellulite and all! that is why it is important that lauren wrote this blog post.
there are teenage (and younger) girls out there that believe the airbrushing they see in magazines is real life and it leads to low self-esteem, eating disorders, and all kinds of other things. there will never be a time that these girls/women will look like the ones they see in magazines. it’s all fake. therefore, yes… it is vitally important that the women they look up to write these sorts of things and show them that they are just like us.
thank you lauren for doing just that.
Wow. Today’s greatest example of completely missing the point…
stupid comment stacking – my initial comment was of course to Half Horse Half Man…
Yeah you missed the point completely…
Spoken like a man (or a half horse/half man) who thinks a woman is there for his viewing pleasure. Suck it up and work on your own self, sir.
Half Ass Half Ass
this man has the mentality of a child. it will come back to haunt him one day. shallow people are not happy especially as they get older and realize they have nothing and lived for nothing.
No one cares about your opinion. Women don’t exist to serve you and please you and look good for you. Women are keeping it real for the benefit of other women; to prevent other girls and women from comparing themselves to a fake image of an ideal body and feeling like they’re not enough.
This society places appearance in the highest regard. In this culture, a woman’s worth is based on what she looks like. Women are expected to value appearance above all else. (As a side note: who created this culture? men.) Feeling like you are worthless because you don’t measure up to beauty ideals is heartbreaking and crippling. Keeping it real breaks these expectations and gives us women more freedom and peace of mind.
ITS NOT ABOUT YOU.
Thank you
wow, this has actually just blown my mind. And here I was, thinking that something was wrong with me because I do a lot of sport but I have a belly and could never see my abs.
Thanks so much for clearing up the thing with the right flexing for photo shoots
You rule so much for doing this! Showing everyone what REAL is. THANK YOU!
This is so encouraging and wonderful! Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability. This has done the opposite of every single picture I compare myself to, I feel good!!
Thank you. Just, thank you.
Women are supposed to have a layer of fat over there tummy, the lower part. This is so they easier can get pregnant. I don’t remember why, maybe to protect the eggs which would be logical. Anyway, the way your tummy “hanging” over your pants ( mine is bigger lol) is very natural and also to your benefit.
It’s very good to show what’s real and not, coz the young have such press on them to look like the pics in magazines. Layers of make ups on young already perfect beautiful girls and now even boys. It’s sad.
So you all rocks…. Bear hugs and love
I don’t know about you, but I have six-pack abs, under excess packaging, of course. Rock on, Lauren! Pobody Nerfect … we all have imperfections and we should celebrate them and embrace them. In my life, REAL means Realize Every Asset Ladies!
I like that!
The weird phenomenon with your belly button is likely due to diastasis recti… abdominal separation. It can be fixed with the correct exercises.
This is the body’s natural reaction to cutting weight. Cutting weight is when someone doesn’t eat or eats very litle for about a day or more and also dehydrates them selves to look skine. Once someone begins to eat and drink again there body is almost completely depleted of glcuse so the body over compinsats to make up for the depletion causing bloating. Also an athlet who has just cut weight will often over compinsates by over eatting. When some one over eats the food sits in the stomach until it can be digested.
Don’t believe me, look at a wrestler in season and two weeks after the season.
you are amazing!!! a very real person in a very fake world. you are a light my friend.
As a mother of three (including a set of twins), I must say thank you! I saw that you shared these photos months ago and it made me a fan of yours, for life. Thanks for being real.
Thanks so much for posting this, as a strong, athletic girl who has been consuming the messages that my body needs to fit into this mold of perfectly toned smallness, I appreciated your candor.
Thank you for your honesty; that was really brave and inspiring. It reminds us not to compare ourselves to pictures in magazines – that stuff isn’t real. And even though sure, there are people who look like that… there’s no “perfect” body. People need to learn how to be comfortable and happy in their bodies. If they don’t like it, work harder to change it. But it needs to be what makes them happy, not comparing themselves to others.
How come you can come up with this?
google.com
Lauren, thank you so much. You have no idea how much I needed to read this post today.
Thank you for doing this. I have been anorexic & bulimic for 16 years and am now working on attempting recovery. You have no idea how powerful and inspiring this is for me and I only wish more women would celebrate and embrace their bodies, whatever their shape and size. The unrealistic standards created by the fashion industry, media and western culture have created generations of women shamed by their natural beauty and I hope women like you are a sign of a turning tide where 00 photoshopped models become a thing of the past. You are beautiful in all your pictures, tummy and all, and again, thank you for bravely showing this off to the world.
asics singapore
My gal and I relish our post-run food babies. It’s evidence of a fire well stoked.
We went to Lancaster this season and took 500 travelling fans.Meanwhile,One reads ‘for you, Watford and Northampton. as this proves,35 if paid within 14 days, 5.Why should a foetus be treated any differently? One even called him a ‘sanctimonious, Naebody celebrates defeat like the Scots.
Wow Lauren! My opinion as a guy is I think you look good in both guises,. Think it’s really cool how you can do the innie/outie thing
Thank you SO much for posting this! It meant so much to me right now! I’m a distance runner and over the past year I had to gain weight because I was anorexic and since I’ve struggled with body image so much even though I know it’s what’s healthy and good for you, but I still struggle because I see athletes and how perfect they look so to see this and read this absolutely meant so much to me and makese want to forget about anorexia and just embrace and be confident in myself!!! Truly amazing that you did this! Thank you soooo much!!!
My story is similar to yours, dear sister. <3 Keep fighting the good fight against ED. You're strong and brave and beautiful.
Song of Songs 4:7
Mind blown.
Thanks for this post! As a dad of two daughters and a second dad to others I applaud your transparency and courage! The world needs more of this! God bless!
You are AMAZING! Thank you for this much-needed dose of reality and inspiration.
Lauren, you are my spirit animal! <3
I suffered with anorexia for 7 years. When I wasn't starving, I was "exercise bulimic." Needless to say, my self-esteem about my body has pretty much SUCKED for most of my life. As a 29 year old woman who LOVES running (and God used it to save my life, tbh), I look to athletes because I admire your strong and beautiful bodies. And I often look at mine and think, Yuck, not an athlete. You being vulnerable enough to post these pictures is literally an answer to my prayers, begging God for healthy perspective.
You are an inspiration, and I love your approach to this body-image thing. It helps girls like me. Thank you.
WOW, thanks Lauren that was very brave of You. Nobody is perfect and you just have to accept who you are. Lots of Love x x
OMG. Thank you thank you thank you. I’ve been struggling constantly with this type of thing lately. In my head all the time, “I run 1/2 marathons, I ran my first full marathon last summer, I run on average 30 miles a week during none training season. I eat (pretty) healthy, because I get out of my body what I put into it, so why the heck do I have rolls and a belly?? I’m so fat!’ Which of course I know is ridiculous, if I was fat could I run 26 miles at a time? No. But that doesn’t stop my brain from thinking it. Sometimes it just helps knowing that others struggle with the same thing. “Badass” does not mean “a six pack” or “no cellulite” it means kicking butt and taking names Every. Single. Day.
you ,my dear, are badass.
” you ,my dear, are badass.” <—Takes one to know one. I'm rocking the walking, that's as far as I get to your world. Props
You are my hero. Thanks so much for posting this!!
Thanks so much for that. I needed to see that perfectly fit healthy women have belly pooches.
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Give me reality any day over the crap we see on the newsstands. I guess there’s someone out there for everybody, but I want my woman to be real with me. Nicely done Lauren!
A friend of mine sent me this because I was beating myself up over a picture from a bad angle. Thank you for this. You brought me back down to earth.
I have a link to this post on my phone’s home screen for quick sanity checks every month or so. While still strong, I hit 43 and experienced an inevitable change in body type. Your post continually provides a pragmatic voice. Thank you!