Diet Trend: Social Media?

Scrolling mindlessly through your social media accounts doesn’t burn many calories. But, it could be the motivation you need to kick your healthy eating goals into high gear.

Turn your love of all things social to your advantage by using Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook or any other of your favorite social media outlets to share your goals for getting healthier. Nothing screams accountability louder than posting your plan for all to see.

Research shows that sharing your aspirations with others often leads to a higher payoff. For example, a 2013 research study, opens new tab found that people who shared their weight loss progress on Twitter lost more weight than people who kept their success a secret. Other research found that people who share their fitness plans on social media are five times more likely to stick with them than those who don’t.

Here’s how to scroll your way to success:

1. Set a goal, and post it. That’s the easy part.
2. Write down all the small steps you’ll take to reach your goal. As you work through them, let your followers know. For example, if you set a mini-goal to pack a healthy lunch every day for a week, post a pic of what you eat each day.
3. Chances are you have some friends and followers who want to switch up their diet, too. Invite them to join you.
4. Motivate yourself and others by creating a little friendly competition. For example, challenge people to eat a salad for one meal every day for a week, and post a selfie with their salad. Ramp it up, and challenge people to post the most creative salad they’ve tried.
5. Post pics often, and comment on your friends’ pics and progress.
6. When the going gets tough (and it will), swipe through the photos and status updates you’ve posted. They’ll serve as a powerful reminder of how far you’ve come and inspire you to keep going.
7. Share your slip-ups and backslides. Everyone has them.

Find tips for eating healthier and managing your weight on our website.

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