Danica Patrick Shares Inspiring Message With Real Vs. Produced Pics of Her Abs

Race car driver shows how lighting and angle can totally transform a photo

She's got strong abs and a powerful message!

Danica Patrick took to Instagram earlier today to prove an important point about the reality behind fitness photos. The outspoken personality also made sure to call out that photos like hers should be used to inspire instead of flagellate one's self.

The 35-year-old stock car race driver posted side-by-side images of her fit form, which were taken at different angles, in a sports bra and biker shorts. Along with the photos, she wrote, "I kinda love when people do real vs produced shots. The difference between the two is lighting, pose, and clothes adjustments."

Patrick added, "We all want to look our best at all times, no shame in that. But don’t let someone else’s body put yours down. Use it for motivation.”

I kinda love when people do real vs produced shots. The difference between the two is lighting, pose, and clothes adjustments. We all want to look our best at all times, no shame in that. But don't let someone else's body put yours down. Use it for motivation. ??Keep digging friends to be the best you! You own that! We all know when we are treating our bodies with the respect it deserves. It's the one and only thing we own for life. ??????

A post shared by Danica Patrick (@danicapatrick) on Jun 20, 2017 at 8:36am PDT

.......because minimal retouching has been important to me with ALL the pictures, from lifestyle to fitness to food for @prettyintensebydanica ...... I wanted to show you the raw image from when I was deciding which one to use for the cover. Many of you thought it was highly retouched and the main thing they do is even out the skin tone, mostly on the legs. I worked very hard. Anyone can be lean and muscular if they want to.....but you have to put in the work and learn how to eat right. It's all possible, believe in yourself.

A post shared by Danica Patrick (@danicapatrick) on Jun 7, 2017 at 2:46pm PDT

??Cover! My book is available for preorder. I have worked my ass off on it. There is 3 parts mental/physical (with 12 week workout program that I wrote and tested)/food (along with 50 recipes written and photographed by me). The more I think about it the more I think that this is just the first phase of what I hope to continue for many books to come. It's all the things I have learned though growth in the mind and body. ????

A post shared by Danica Patrick (@danicapatrick) on Jun 7, 2017 at 9:57am PDT

The driver, who shot to fame in the male-dominated profession, continued, "Keep digging, friends, to be the best you! You own that! We all know when we are treating our bodies with the respect it deserves. It's the one and only thing we own for life."

Patrick's plea for a healthy mentality around body image comes as she promotes new diet and exercise book, Pretty Intense: The 90-Day Mind, Body and Food Plan that will absolutely Change Your Life, which is due out December 2017.

 Earlier this month, the brunette posted the highly chiseled cover image of the book on her Instagram. Hours after the post, she jumped back on social media to defend commenters' accusations that the image was highly altered. 

Patrick posted the unaltered "raw" image (which looks extremely similar to the original) and wrote, "Because minimal retouching has been important to me with ALL the pictures, from lifestyle to fitness to food for @prettyintensebydanica ...... I wanted to show you the raw image from when I was deciding which one to use for the cover."

She continued, "Many of you thought it was highly retouched and the main thing they do is even out the skin tone, mostly on the legs. I worked very hard. Anyone can be lean and muscular if they want to.....but you have to put in the work and learn how to eat right. It's all possible, believe in yourself."

That sure shut the haters down!

You can watch Patrick in action when NASCAR returns to NBC on July 1, live from Daytona for the Coke Zero 400.