MOTIVATION: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE

The best thing I ever did to help reach my fitness goals was to create an Instagram account. I had been training for over 15 years when I discovered the power of social media to both help motivate and keep me accountable. Instagram got me excited about training again and now I’m in the best shape of my life.

The simple act of sharing parts of my workout, what I was eating and drinking, and also connecting with other like-minded people has created a sense of accountability and helped me establish new healthy habits.

Here are a few tips on how you can use social media to help you reach your wellness goals:

1. Share as much as you can – Don’t worry about the likes and who’s watching. Even if no one ever sees it, it’s a great way for you to have a visual log of all your hard work you’ve been putting in towards your goals. Commit to posting a minimum of 3x per week.

2. Engage with other fitness accounts – There’s a reason the hashtag #fitfam exists. There are plenty of other people just like you that are into working out and living a healthy lifestyle. Follow them, get inspired, comment and reach out. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

3. Set goals and document them – Whether it’s completing a 5K run, performing a physical feat, or simply drinking more water everyday. Document the process and share your accomplishments with others. Most people will be genuinely happy for you and a little support goes a long way.

We all know it’s not always easy to take time to yourself to reboot and recharge, so Flow Water’s ‘From Canada With Love’ contest is offering consumers a chance to win a trip for 2 to the ultimate wellness retreat! Entering is easy: just pick up a specially marked Flow (available at Loblaws, Whole Foods or Pusateri’s) with a UID number and visit fromcanadawithlove.ca. Contest is open until Aug. 30th. Good luck!