Social media has changed the way we communicate and receive information. It is now much easier to keep in contact with friends, communicate with loved ones and stay informed about current events. An automatic connection to a wealth of information is in the palm of our hands. For this reason, many of us have difficulty putting our smartphones and tablets down and disconnecting. It turns out, a social media addiction may be the path to achieving your fitness goals.
As with most things in life, staying fit is easier when you have the support of your friends and loved ones. Social media provides the perfect way to get motivation, encouragement and tips to accomplish fitness goals. Incorporating the following into your health and wellness routine can help to reach your goals faster:
1. Sharing Recipes
Have you found the perfect way to incorporate quinoa into your diet? Are you confused about how to prepare quinoa but interested in learning? Were you reading this and thinking, “what exactly is quinoa?” Researching and sharing recipes on Pinterest and other sites is a great way to find healthy food options or a new approach to a favorite dish. For many people, one of the hardest things about getting fit is finding healthy foods that they enjoy. Having photos and reviews of meals can help you identify new flavors and inspire new ideas. Let’s face it, no one wants to eat chicken and brown rice every night. Sharing recipes also helps to foster a feeling of community, it’s much easier to adjust to eating better when you know you’re not on the journey alone.
2. Track Your Progress
One of the best things you can do to reach your fitness goals is to use an app to track your progress. In the beginning, you may have had difficulty getting in 5,000 steps a day. As you progress, it’ll be good to see how far you’ve come from getting winded walking a short distance to being able to jog a 5K. When paired with an activity tracker, an app can help to improve your overall fitness and health. Even if you don’t have an activity tracker yet, you can still track your activity with the Withings Health Mate app for free.
The Withings Pulse Ox tracker in conjunction with the power of the Health Mate app provides a way to effortlessly track your progress and keep in touch with your friends and family. The Pulse Ox can track the numbers of steps you’ve taken, the distance you’ve traveled and the number of calories you’ve burned. All of this information is tracked on the smart phone Health Mate that integrates with Facebook and Twitter. And the app’s leaderboard provides a way to cheer on your friends and family and engage in some friendly competition.
3. Find Support
Support groups provide a way to share stories, discuss struggles and to provide encouragement. Communities can be found on a variety of social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter. Online health and wellness sites such as myfitnesspal.com allow people to discuss their experiences from the comfort of their mobile devices. On these sites you’re free to comment anonymously and to use the forums in a way that best supports your goals.
4. Share Your Story
Chances are your friends and family are also thinking about getting fit, but may not know where to start. By posting online about your experience, you can be the catalyst for someone else starting their fitness journey. Posting photos of healthy activities on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter may be just the spark someone else needs to begin their fitness journey. You can actually have a chance to be published on this blog by sharing your story with our community. Just click here
This article was written by Bek Clerk, a recent contributor to the Health Boosters.
Bek Clerk is a freelance writer, blogger and social media enthusiast. When she’s not at her laptop she can be found working in her garden and spending time with her husband and two year old daughter.
