There are currently more than 42m shots tagged with #Fitspo on Instagram (plus a further 27m for #muscle and 17m for #gains). That’s a whole lot of bulging, Creatine-fueled stacksmen feeding our fascination and skewing our perception of bodily ideals.

But are these images of perfection an accurate depiction of fitness? Not according to Dr Pippa Hugo, a consultant psychiatrist at the Priory Hospital. “A healthy ideal for men is difficult to determine but is certainly far from the ideal that is commonly portrayed,” she says.

Hugo adds that in today’s image-obsessed world, many men are engaging in unhealthy levels of exercise to pursue what is often an impossible goal, and sometimes with severe consequences. We spoke to experts across the board to paint the real picture of health.

Different Strokes

Unsurprisingly, we’re not all naturally born with a Cristiano Ronaldo frame, and as such, we can’t expect to carve the same body.

“I have many patients that come in various sizes, and people’s muscles develop in different ways,” says Dr Spencer Nadolsky, a physician that specialises in fitness and nutrition. “There are no specific muscles that show someone is at a peak fitness, as every body shape is completely individual.”

It’s What’s On The Inside

Good looks are only skin deep. It’s what lies beneath that counts: in this case, visceral fat, which is the kind stored within the abdominal cavity and around vital organs.

“[VF] is important when considering health as it’s mostly hidden away,” says Nadolsky. “High levels can trigger elevated glucose, impaired glucose tolerance and dyslipidemia – a factor in coronary heart disease.”

Although visceral fat is out of sight, it shouldn’t be out of mind. Nadolsky adds that while there isn’t a recommended percentage (though many suggest below 13 as optimum), even the most superficially pleasing of bodies can hide high amounts.