Twitter and Health Advice

Twitter has gained popularity over the past year. Many companies have started to enter the world of tweeting. Among other health companies, I follow Women's Health Magazine because they tweet several times a day.The health companies generally post interesting tweets rather than random questions a lot of other companies post. Most apparel companies are always asking followers "what is you favorite place to workout" or "tell us your favorite Nike athlete". Yes, these engage the followers but the information health companies post are of some substantial value to the viewers. For instance, Women's Health Magazine posts recipes, workouts, discounts, and all other types of things that may be of interest to an active female.

Social media has opened a whole new door for companies in the world of getting their messages across. In my opinion, Facebook is utilized more for random engagements with consumers and Twitter is used more for actual information.

The cool thing about Twitter is that you can follow several companies who are of interest to you. Most of the health companies are active tweeters and provide you with random tidbits you would not have otherwise known. Even though a lot of the information I get from health companies on Twitter is not life-changing, I get a lot of entertainment out of the tweets. For example, here is a post by Women's Health Magazine:
"Women are better doctors and investors than men, plus they have better muscular endurance http://ow.ly/6wNqN #womenrule" This tweet is very entertaining but it is not life-changing.

Overall, I feel like the world of Twitter has changed the idea of social media. We have migrated to a type that is more current and by the moment. Hats off to the health companies, they have mastered the world of Twitter one tweet at a time. I can live the rest of my adult life knowing endless amounts of useless trivia.

Facebook's Role in Exercise

As a teenage girl myself, I can attest to the fact that society plays a large role in the way I perceive the world around me and for that matter, myself. Social media has become a large part of most teen's lives now that we carry around Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn in our pockets. Smartphones have changed the game of media as a whole.

The world of Facebook has begun to distort the the female body image among teens. Don't get me wrong, I am an avid Facebook user and see many benefits of the site but there are negative repercussions with use, as well. One of the most popular tabs on Facebook is the "photos" tab. Teens all over the world use this feature to scope out boys, stay up on who is hanging out with who, what girl has gained or lost weight, who has the latest fashions, and the list goes on.

Regardless of whether or not we admit to it or not, seeing people on Facebook effects how we diet and exercise. Especially in the college setting, see girls pictures online of other girls who have "desirable bodies". It has been proven time and time again that social media is having a negative effect on body images in teens across America.

I conducted research this summer that proved women in a college setting base their eating habits and exercise routines more off of how they feel compared to peers rather than doing it to be healthy. Women in the one-on-one interviews claimed they were aware they were being affected by social media and just could not avoid the effects.

Because I, too, fall into the "college girl who uses social media" category, I am probably psychologically affected as well. I have referenced Exercise Plans for Teens several times to get good information on what is healthy for a woman my age who exercises as much as I do.

I highly encourage you to take a look at the above site and find out what is truly healthy for a person your age.

Keep your Facebook, stay in touch with your friends all over the world, but keep in mind everything you see is not always reality. That girl wearing a crop top and booty shorts may be starving herself. To try and look like her is not only unrealistic but also extremely unhealthy. Be yourself!