As part of my business and as a blog owner, I am on social media all the time. All. The. Time. It is the place to be to promote your business or to keep in touch with friends and family. It is easy, convenient, and on your timeframe. It may get bad press from those who feel a more intimate form of communication is lost due to the emergence of social media, but I disagree. I think it helps connect families, friends, and network. It gives a person a wider audience and more ways to connect. In my time online, I have seen friendships made, goals met, even co-authored a book through people I met online. But, it can get to be a bit much and begin to take up more time then it should. Balance is always key. So, is there another way to use social media to enhance our offline life rather then cut away from it?
One method of using social media to enhance your offline life is through communicating with others who have weight loss goals. Relationships online are different then those offline. Online forums force you to participate or you are simply not part of the group. There is not showing up at a weight watchers meeting and not telling your story when you are online. You either fess up or no one will know you are there. Even the most introverted person finds a voice online. Relationships are formed quicker and often people are more open about their struggles because they are not face to face. We are more willing to talk about our failures when we either do not know the people or do not have to face the people. It can also be therapeutic to just type it out. So use this phenomenon of social media to kick start a fitness group or forum with those you know online. If you are on Facebook you can form a page or group for your fitness club without spending a dime. I know several people online who have formed groups and who are losing weight. The accountability and forced participation is working!