Here are four ways to make your feeds work harder for you:
Follow tweeters with tips. The real-time stream of quick-hit motivation and can-do advice shared by nutritionists and weight loss bloggers appears to be more helpful than static sources of weight loss and goal setting advice (like podcasts), suggests a study published last month in Translational Behavioral Medicine. People who are active on Twitter, have large followings, and post regularly have an impact on people’s behavior, says Dr. Turner-McGrievy. You can also use Twitter’s advanced search to find people tweeting about nutrition, exercise, or weight loss in your city or state. (@PreventionMag is a good place to start if you're not following us on Twitter already!)
Have a visual feast. You’d think your pal’s Pinterest dessert board or the Instagram shot of Joy the Baker’s chocolate donuts would set you up for constant cravings. But the opposite is actually true: Looking at photos of foods with similar flavors to your worst cravings (like sweet or salty) can dull your appetite and make the real thing seem less enjoyable, finds a recent Journal of Consumer Psychology study. Follow indulgent food bloggers and fill up on mouthwatering photos instead of that nighttime bowl of ice cream.
Manage your Facebook friends. It’s not just friends boasting about their amazing vacations that can make you feel like you’re missing out—and potentially derail your progress. “Hearing about someone who got up at 4 AM for a 10-mile jog can make you feel deflated,” says Dr. Turner-McGrievy. Set up filters so you’re not subject to posts by either of these types of friends, and focus instead on encouraging friends who post about healthy habits that feel more doable, such as taking a post-dinner walk or making a green smoothie for breakfast. By selecting “Get Notifications” for them in your settings, Facebook will even tell you every time they post something new.
Use your smartphone. Yes, the screen is smaller and the keyboard more typo-prone than your laptop. But according to new research published in the International Journal of Medical Informatics, people who check their social feeds with a mobile device are more engaged than computer users, and shed more pounds as a result. Smart call? We’d say so.
More from Prevention: 7 Ways Technology Helps You Lose Weight
