Does instagram motivate you?
 

This is for all the people who are trying to/have lost weight.

I find it difficult and demotivating when I keep seeing people with amazing bodies showing themselves off on Instagram or Facebook. Of course, they've worked hard to get there and I really commend them for it. But as someone who is on a fitness journey, which is never a straight path there are always ups and downs, I sometimes feel like I'll never get there or look as good. Particularly when I'm not seeing the progress as I want to.

Do you agree? Do you think it's better if I follow people a similar size to me on their journey for motivation?

Thanks!

Hi, mahbahhee -

I do follow a number of people on Instagram and find it very motivating to see their weight loss transformations. Especially when someone posts a before and after when they've only lost 12-15 lbs. and you can see the difference. That helps keep me going. For me, it takes about 15 lbs. to move from one size jeans into the next smaller size.

Instagram doesn't do much for me as far as inspiration for fitness and weight loss (I mostly follow artists and book reviewers because I'm a big ol NERD). It seems like most people who Insta about weight loss and fitness are, for one thing, way younger than me. I can work out all day, my but is never going to be 22 again. I just can't relate.

I do get a lot of motivation and inspiration from WW Connect. Overall, the comments are usually a lot more positive. Seeing someone who was 280 and is now 240 and running is WAY more inspirational to me. I also love pictures that show "only" a ten or "only" twenty pound loss because it's hard to see it in yourself, but easy to see in others. I think Connect has made a huge difference in my WW experience this time around, and I don't even really participate that much. I just read.

Sometimes I have to remind myself that looking for inspiration is great, but as someone smarter than I once said, comparison is the thief of joy. Find inspiration where you can, but don't compare yourself. Their journey is not your journey. You don't see their struggles (or know how many filters they used :p).

I love seeing all the transformations on social media sites. I need all the motivation I can get so I started my own Instagram, Doing_it_for_me79 and my own facebook group search groups wwmotivation (facebook.com/groups/wwmotivation) for those of you who want to join my page or follow me. I have only been with WW about 11 weeks. I'm down 12.2 lbs so far, and still a ways to go.

Nope, and neither does Oprah. There have been studies that show that social media makes people depressed when they see how "perfect" everyone else's lives are compared to their own, be it weightloss, marriage, kids, job whatever. No one is that perfect and it's unattainable. Oprah does not inspire me because my life of being disabled since 2006, two kids(19 and 28), husband who retired this year(so read SSDi and limited income from retiring) and no personal chef or trainer, has nothing in common with her and her love for bread. Pffffffttttt. I ditched FB(never was on instagram or twitter) almost 3mo ago and have not missed it a single bit, I am actually much more content just having my small group of message board friends and not being involved in all the drama. But that's just me. I like hearing weightloss success stories but I don't want to know everyone's thoughts every minute of the day or see pics of their cats, dogs, grandkids, mailman etc. LOL