Shed Tip: Tweet What You Eat

I’ve already written about my love for Twitter, but I realized the other day how it is good for so much more than networking and/or celeb gossip and/or self-promotion for your reality show aspirations. Twitter is also a great tool for healthy living!

This occurred to me the other day when I Tweeted that I was going to do my Core Fusion Challenge workout. As soon as I sent that into cyberspace, I realized…I had to! I couldn’t come back and Tweet later “Didn’t do Core Fusion; watched Platinum Weddings and read my horoscope for an hour!” I mean, I could say that, but that would be so disappointing!

Maybe you’re the kind of person who thinks about having a food blog but you don’t have the time to post a lot…but goddamnit, sometimes your dinner is so pretty, you know people should see pics. Or maybe sharing your healthy moments with others — OMG! Just skipped the Girl Scout Cookies and had yogurt instead! — is something that keeps you really motivated. This is the perfect way to use a Twitter account. If you don’t want to use your professional account, make a separate one like “KatieGetsHealthy” or “JCWontEatCrap.” Use it like you would a food journal or a calendar and note your successes! I am kind of surprised by how accountable I feel to Twitter. I Tweet “Going to the gym” at 2:00 and Tweet from my Blackberry how good I feel when I’m done at 2:45. It’s great! And unlike Facebook, people choose to follow you, so no one is like “OMG STFU about how much you love the gym!” They encourage it!

The other great way you can use it is to connect with other healthy/attempting to be healthy people. Again, come hang out with me @ShedItAndGetIt and get to know some of my awesome Tweeps! We chat all day long! You can pose a question to the Twitter crew, seek motivation, or whine about your sore quads. Use a hashtag like #recipe or #diet…it helps like-minded people find you!

Also, if you’re just dying to share your fab food pics, you can upload them to a site like TwitPic. It’s weird, but I know sometimes you have the urge to whip out our camera phone and shoot your super-healthy lunch, and now you can. Send it into cyberspace where everyone will ooh and ahh over your gorgeous salad and sweet potato!

I also love this list of Twitter tips from @DrKal, a physician who lost 140 pounds. Some of his great ideas for using Twitter to meet healthy goals:

• Get informed on the latest health news by following healthy heavyweights like Dr. Oz and Women’s Health Mag.
• Connect with people who have been there. There are people who have lost major weight out there so holler @ them if you ever feel overwhelmed or discouraged.
• Laugh your ass off! Yes, OK, we all know how I feel about LOLs. I’m going to go ahead and say that I make people LOL on Twitter, but if you don’t think I’m funny, there are 18 million other people on Twitter. You’ll surely find something funny…if not me, then @ShitMyDadSays.

If you don’t know where to start, start with ME! and some of my followers and the people I am following. I hang out on Tweet Deck, which makes Twitter a million times better — it makes it easier to update frequently and see your replies, which is the whole point. You can also work multiple accounts from Tweet Deck, which is nice if you’re leading a double life as a lowly assistant and a healthy-living goddess.

I know a lot of people don’t “get” it, but I had an account for a good six months before I “got” it. So, here. I’m helping you get it! Start Tweeting and connecting with people who encourage you and motivate you and you will get it soon enough!

Have a great day!

Tagged as: Facebook, goals, health journal, Healthy Habits, Motivation Conversations, positive attitude, social media, Twitter