Tweeting to be Thin

Posted: Jan 08 in Weight Management Strategies by Dr. Lazarus

What your latest status update might be doing for your weight loss goals.

You want to lose weight, so you research diet and weight loss programs and decide on a medical weight loss plan that will fit your lifestyle. What is the next thing you do? Without giving the matter another thought, many people would whip out their smart phones or flip open their laptops and update their friends on their decision. We live in the age of social media, and our constant connection to one another through Facebook and Twitter is impacting our lives in countless ways.

Social media can impact your ambition and determination to lose weight. Online networking has made it possible to access support at the touch of a button. Whereas once you might have been alone at lunch and forced to face the decision of what to eat on your own, now you can turn to a couple hundred of your closest friends—if not more!

This has changed the game for many people who are trying to lose weight. Suddenly, all of Los Angeles is at your fingertips. In just a moment you can connect with family, friends and even members of a weight loss support group and push yourself to overcome temptation and stay strong.

Sharing Your Weight Loss Goals

Social media is driven by the concept of sharing. You can share interesting information found online just as easily as you can share a photo of what you’ve been up to all day. You can share ideas, frustrations and happy memories for all of your friends to see.

When you are trying to lose weight your efforts to become healthier are going to be at the front of your mind. Every time you head to the gym, every time you stop for a bite to eat and every time you make an appointment to follow-up with your weight loss doctor you will be thinking about your health and wellness goals. When weight loss becomes a big aspect of your life, it is worth sharing. Sharing your weight loss goals with your friends can give you an emotional boost to stay strong and focused on meeting your wellness goals.

Here are a few reasons social media works so well for weight loss:

• Accountability: Sharing with friends adds accountability to your weight loss program. Suddenly your friends are expecting you to keep up with your goals, not skip your workouts or indulge in fast food.
• Support: When the going gets tough, your friends are right there for you. Sharing moments of weakness grants friends the opportunity to support you in times of need. As you lose weight this could mean encouraging you to get to the gym or to make a healthy eating choice.
• Camaraderie: When you put it out there that you are trying to lose weight, don’t be surprised when friends you haven’t heard from in a while tell you they are doing the same. You might even be able to rekindle an old friendship while finding a weight loss buddy.

You don’t need to tweet out every bite you take to benefit from using these platforms during your weight loss program. Start small by just letting some friends know you are trying to lose weight and ask for ideas. Let everyone know that you welcome encouragement during this time. You might be surprised by how much positive feedback you get!