‘Both photos are taken seconds apart’: Maria Fowler shares comparison snaps of her post-partum figure as she says posts on quick fix pregnancy weight loss are ‘smoke and mirrors’
Maria Fowler has spoken out about how Instagram can be deceiving for promoting how women’s bodies can ‘bounce back’ shortly after giving birth.
The former TOWIE star, 34, who is the proud mum of two daughters Evie, four, and Nellie, three months, took to the social media site on Wednesday to show how two photos taken ‘seconds apart’ showed her post-partum figure differently.
In one photo, Maria looked toned but said she was ‘breathing in to within an inch of her life’, while the other showed her stomach in a relaxed state.
Comparison: Maria Fowler has spoken out about how Instagram can be deceiving for promoting how women’s bodies can ‘bounce back’ shortly after giving birth
Maria wrote: ‘Smoke and mirrors, “How I lost my pregnancy weight in 2 weeks”… I didn’t. Both photos are taken seconds apart.
‘There were no supplements. No crazy diets, skinny jabs, ketones, no quick fixes. All it involved was a better pose.
‘There is nothing wrong with either photo, and nothing wrong with wanting to look your best in photos.
Smoke and mirrors: The former TOWIE star, 34, took to the social media site on Wednesday to show how two photos taken ‘seconds apart’ showed her post-partum figure differently
‘I could post a plethora of photos like the first one, showing you how ‘incredible’ I look 3 months postpartum and but I am aware I have a responsibility to be real with you, I don’t want people to see my page and feel a failure, that you’re not enough.’
Maria told her followers the photo on the left ‘isn’t representative of how I look’ because she stood on her tiptoes and breathed in ‘to within an inch of my life’.
The reality star said she isn’t going to ‘push myself to look like first photo’ but is conscious about eating in moderation and exercise.
She continued: ‘I used to only post photos where I looked perfect and to be honest its quite stressful, you just create so much pressure on yourself.
‘Yesterday I looked back to a photo 4 years ago of me when I just had Evie and I wondered how I looked so good back then and why don’t I look that good now after having Nellie, then I realised I had the high waisted leggings on, I had the perfect pose and lighting – in real life, I didn’t really look like that at all.
Body positive: Maria previously shared a candid snap of her Caesarean scar following the birth of her second daughter
‘If myself (knowing all of the tricks of the trade) can feel rubbish looking at my old perfect pictures after having Evie, I can imagine a lot of you on Instagram feel the same looking at other ‘influencers’ photos.’
Maria said she wanted to remind her followers that the picture perfect posts they see on Instagram is all down to ‘the right pose, the right angle and the right lighting’.
She concluded: ‘This isn’t about bashing photos of perfection, this is just to remind you how it is often achieved and that a lot of what you see online is smoke and mirrors.’
In October Maria revealed she had given birth to her second child. She announced the news on social media and penned: ‘Nellie Maria Batey. 29th September 2020 9.31am 7lb 2oz.’
‘Delivery was incredible. We’re both home and well. Our hearts are so full, she is just perfect. Thank-you to all at Derby Royal hospital for everything, Ward 314 you were all amazing.’
Maria married Kelvin Batey on 27 July 2019, three years after welcoming daughter Evie.
Maria was diagnosed with SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction) a condition that causes pain in the pelvic region and is very common in pregnancy, and needed crutches before the birth of her first child.
Family: The former TOWIE star told fans that without her scars she ‘wouldn’t have her babies’ or be married to a ‘good man’ (pictured with husband Kelvin Batey and their daughters)