In a world where Reese Witherspoon, Eva Longoria and other stunning celebrities 'fess up to wearing Spanx on the red carpet, you'd think regular women wouldn't be ashamed of their belly bloat.
Of course, that's not the case, as Belfast-based fitness and lifestyle blogger Tiffany Brien knows all too well. Brien, the ultra-fit former Miss Northern Ireland, took to Facebook to let women know that bloating is normal — and she did so using side-by-side pics of her own belly.
"No I'm not 6 months pregnant. It's just my food baby," joked Brien in the candid post. "These two photos are 12 hours apart, left before bed and right when I woke up."
Brien encouraged women to understand that while it's smart to stay physically fit, aiming for perfection is a losing battle.
"We are not all what we seem on social media," she wrote.
Brien told TODAY via email that she wanted to show her social media followers that she's a real person with "issues," too.
"I normally receive such wonderful praise and support from people through my blog, which is so lovely and I'm so grateful," Brien said. "I decided I would share a bad day because I am aware that bloggers and Instagrammers are perceived as 'perfect.' But nobody is perfect!"
The fitness expert also admitted that bloating sometimes happens to her over the course of one night out on the town.
"On a (sic) evening out for dinner in a lovely tight dress," she wrote. "I could be half way into my main course and I suddenly feel uncomfortable and now really unattractive with a big bloated belly!"
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"Relax and be happy," Brien wrote. "It'll be OK, you're not alone. Promise."
Brien told TODAY that she wishes women wouldn't be so hard on themselves.
"Sometimes you need to step back and be grateful for what you've been given and enjoy life in the skin you're in, whatever shape or size."