It is no secret that social media has taken its place in our lives. I remember exactly when the trend started. I was in college and the first social media network was called www.thefacebook.com. Oh yeah, it had a different name. Then came MySpace and the rest is history. With the vast amount of knowledge there is on social media, it comes with no surprise that Facebook can help you lose weight
Approximately, 2 billion internet users are on social media,with Facebook being the first to hit 1 billion users. Where as newcomer Pinterest (My favorite tool), was the fastest independently launched site to reach 10 million users monthly.
Social network usage by you is highly diverse: platforms such as Facebook or Google+ are highly focused on exchanges between friends and family and are constantly pushing interaction through features like photo or status sharing and social games. Other social networks like Tumblr or Twitter are all about rapid communication and are aptly termed microblogs.
Due to a constant presence in the lives of their users, social networks have a decidedly strong social impact.
In 2006 it was estimated that $188 billion in medical costs were related due to lack of physical activity. The CDC Center for Disease control) have identified a lack of encouragement, support or companionship from family and friends as a major barrier to physical activity.
Online social networks are now actively leveraging companion support in novel ways to over come this barrier. For example, Social platforms facilitate challenges between friends , like step counts and sharing workouts as a way to stay accountable. Users have now embraces physical activity social platforms like Fitocracy, Spark People and run keeper, which currently have estimated 1 million, 15 million and 23 million respectively.
With this trend of lack of physical activity and increase of social network users, it is easy to find encouragement and support. We search platforms for news, information and now have the ability to use it for health and weight loss reasons.
A study compiled research looking at the connection between social networks and finding accountability and support partners. The looked at social network platforms and performed a simple search on each of them. Using keywords like “health” “fitness “workout” or “physical” They took it even a step farther and coupled it with terms like “activity partners” or “activity buddies” . Of the 360 initial search results, they identified 13 websites that met the complete search criteria, Facebook being the largest of the search.
Facebook can be an intimate setting if you want it to be, think about it, There is private messenger and private groups related to health and weight loss, all’s it takes is a simple search to find the right one. As annoying and negative Facebook can feel at times, It can also help you find the direct support and encouragement you need to thrive in your weight loss journey.
With that being said there are also a lot of phonies out there. When you search for a group related to weight loss, you need to make sure it is being backed by an expert with high knowledge and skill to give you accurate information. I have seen A LOT of bad information out on social media. Be very careful who you put your trust in.
I created my own private weight loss group on Facebook in order to encourage, provide accurate weight loss information and create a safe environment for mostly women to discuss weight loss. I have created an environment of support, and accurate weight loss information, not just from me but experts all over the world.
See the pictures below for some of the daily posts I talk about and encourage others to get involved.
While there are no studies that can conclude you can lose a certain amount of weight on Facebook, You certainly can get the right information and encouragement out there to help you on your journey. In my private weight loss group, people are always posting how much weight they have lost even if it is just a few lbs, solely just by being in the group. There may be no study on weight loss on Facebook, but I see it first hand everyday that people do lose weight on Facebook. I urge you to find a group that is right for you even if it isn’t my own. To join click below:
Sources:
Online Social Networks That Connect Users to Physical Activity Partners: A Review and Descriptive Analysis.” Journal of Medical Internet Research, JMIR Publications Inc., Toronto, Canada, www.jmir.org/2014/6/e153/.
Author: Monica Perry
Monica has helped thousands of people lose weight with her online diet programs. She has been a trainer since college where she obtained her exercise science degree. Her 21 day metabolic reboot has received rave reviews from her fans and clients. She loves helping people losing weight and obtaining confidence in eating well for a lifestyle. Check out her Facebook page below or join her private coaching group by clicking on the link. https://www.facebook.com/groups/weightlosstipss/
