Women Are Posting Naked Yoga Photos On Instagram for an Important Reason

Anyone else been noticing pictures of naked women in various yoga poses popping up on Instagram? If you've been wondering what's up with that, it just so happens to be the latest body positive social media trend.

The posts are all inspired by the popular Instagram account Nude Yoga Girl. The account, featuring photos of an anonymous woman doing yoga poses naked, began back in November 2015 and gained over 30,000 followers within the first month.

"With my account I want to inspire people to realize that everybody is very beautiful and capable of [doing] amazing things with their bodies." she told The Cut in an email interview back in 2015. "I want to inspire people to try yoga, and maybe they can also find body acceptance from there."

"My favorite place is inside your hug." ❤

Since then she's amassed over 660,000 followers and recently started the hashtag #NYGYoga encouraging hundreds of other women to post their own naked yoga photos. So far, the hashtag has inspired over 300 posts focused on body positivity and self-love.

We shall all be different, love our bodies and be comfortable in our own skin. Hey yogis, @nude_yogagirl is raising awareness through #NYGyoga , inspiring us to love and accept our bodies fully because she believes we are all unique. So, love the skin you are in and come as you are!

As for whether you should get in on the trend, there's no specific research suggesting naked yoga will bring you any physical health benefits—but we do know that naked-ness and yoga have, on their own, been shown to have their fair share of pluses. Case-and-point, sleeping in the nude comes with a damn impressive list of health benefits. Yoga does, too, including increased muscle strength, tone and helping with mindfulness.

If the photos below don't motivate you to at least start working on your flexibility, then hopefully they simply inspire you to love the skin your in.

I like to think that I'm quite a strong woman nowadays. Maybe because I don't want that life is always easy, stable and nice. That kind of life doesn't teach. I have always wanted to experience many different kind of moments. Through them I can get to know myself better and become stronger. ❤ Today I've talked a lot with my friend about how difficulties make us stronger, how we can turn our negative experiencess to positive. Many times it seems that everything is easier for the strongest ones. That they are lucky, life has given them a lot... ❤ In my experience when I've got to know those kind of people better, I've seen how many or how big difficulties they've had to overcome. How much they have done, how much they've had to put up with, endure, suffer and experience. Because of those difficult experiences, they have become stronger. ❤ "A strong woman stands up for herself. A stronger woman stands up for everybody else."

4/10 The most unusual and special place for practice Wednesday ❤ 😁 🙏 #yogisontheloose . . . Hosts: @_loca4yoga_ @fitness_muse @je_taimeyoga @seasonschange03 Sponsors: @ristroller @shredly @lexi_rina @mammachia @mamarooyoga @karmawellnesswater @omgoddess.clothing #yogaathome #yogacommunity #yogachallenge #yoga #yogagirl #igyoga #instayoga #fitfam #yogaeverywhere #yogalife #yogaeveryday #yogapose #yogini #yogi #beggineryogi #igyogafamily #yogalove #yogaeverydamnday #yogapractice #yogainspiration #yogaaddict #feeltheyogahigh #namaste #practicedaily #yogafun #igyogafamily

fold. fold into the space you create. i am still taking time off my phone, but i wanted to add myself to the beautiful gallery of #NYGyoga because she was part of my inspiration for posting myself practicing yoga the way i prefer it, bare, vulnerable, and strong. thank you @nude_yogagirl for your light and your warm presence 💛

Find creative INSPIRATION *************************************** Inspired by the MasterOfShapes @kericyoga 🖤 one of my biggest sources of creativity !!! *************************************** ... a little bit late ... but the magic is still in the air ... #MagicAsanaMonday 💫 with the amazing @leighemily ✨ !!! *************************************** #IGYogisUnite , #IGyogacommunity , #yoga , #bikiniyoga , #crazysexyyoga , #bodypoetry , #yogagrace , #openyourheart , #nudeyoga , #fineartnude , #yogaisart , #abstractyoga , #yogaart , #artyoga , #artyourself , #yogalove , #makingshapes , #yogashapes , #beagoddess , #yogapose , #skaterpose , #pistolsquat , #instayogachallenge , #myyogajourney , #yogainspiration , #yogaphotography , #blackandwhitephotochallenge , #ShivaShaktiShapes , #NYGyoga

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."...And sometimes all you need is a new perspective. 😊❤️

Be in harmony with yourself 🙌 Photo 📸 @cristian.andrei.photography Inspired by @nude_yogagirl 💕 #NYGyoga #yoga #nude_art #photography #art #of #life #yogalove #yogainspiration #yogagirl #happy #live #lifestyle #healthy #healthylife #positive #mind #soul #body #fit #iuliafit #fitnessjourney #yogalife #yogajourney

One question once a week... Where exactly are you reading this?😊 ❤️ I just arrived in New York after a long flight. Now I'm laying on the bed in a beautiful minimalistic apartment with white walls.😍

Continuing to play 💜

Feeling artsy. I've been trying to get back into yoga, but am struggling to find time. I usually do yoga in the morning, but with the changing of seasons, early AM's are getting harder and harder! How do you early birds do it? Post inspired by @nude_yogagirl. . . . #yoga #health #fitness #fitspo #yogi #wellness #yogamotivation #art #motivation #NYGyoga

My life in numbers, because some of you have asked me this questions... 😉 1. I'm 176cm tall. 2. My "lucky number" is 9. 3. I speak 2 languages well, but I have studied 4 overall. And I've learned 1 more a little bit by living in the country. 4. I have 4 siblings. 5. We've been together with "Him" (my boyfriend, who is the one who takes all the photos) 3 years. 6. I was a professional model for 10 years and worked in 6 different countries. 7. I've studied 3 different subjects in university. 8. I've travelled in 22 countries. 9. I have and I am currently running 2 companies. 10. I have 574K sweetest and wisest followers, thank you. 😘

My photo for @nude_yogagirl who is inspiring with #NYGyoga to love the skin we are in. No shame. No judgement. No social constraints. Our bodies are a work of art. Every shape, age and color. Not one is the same as the other. And every one is beautiful in their own way. #loveyourbody #nudeyoga #nakedyoga #lotus #yogalotus #yoga #yogaart #photography #photographyart #body #humanbody #yogabody #nudeart #womanbody #love #selflove

Gratitude for this skin, this body. For the imperfections and limitations, that teach and humble me. For the strength and the softness. For the vessel of experience, the imprints proof of living. It's good to be here.