Blog 5:

A social networking site allows people to construct a public profile in a system that has boundaries. Although networking between individuals is possible on these sites, it’s not their only use.

A social networking site which I use to track my progress is ‘Myfitnesspal’. One of the uses of this site is to keep a food diary. In this diary, you are set a calorie allowance based on what you are looking to achieve. You then add everything you eat during the day and complete the diary. When you complete your diary for the day it will calculate how much you are expected to weigh a month later. It also tracks how much fat and carbohydrates, etc that you have had.

 

When using the site you can also include how much exercise that you have done and it even tracks your steps.

There are also many videos which are regularly posted to the app. These videos are taken of personal trainers whilst they are at the gym and each one is about a different topic, such as; ‘On Cheat Meals’ and ‘On Couples Nutrition’. Each video is short, a couple of minutes long but informative and relatable.

The site also has their own website and blog and they regularly post workout videos to YouTube: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-best-free-workout-videos-on-youtube/

I find the app a key part of my progress and motivation with eating healthy and going to the gym as it makes feel excited about how much of a difference a small change can make.

 

 

Bibliography:

Boyd, D. and Ellison, N. (2010). Social network sites: definition, history, and scholarship. Engineering Management Review, 38(3), pp.16-31.

Under Armour. (2018). The Best Free Workout Videos on YouTube | MyFitnessPal. [online] Available at: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-best-free-workout-videos-on-you [Accessed 13 Mar. 2018].

Mental health is heavily affected by the way we look and therefore by the gym and social media.

I find myself happier since going to the gym as I am more motivated and productive. Going to the gym has improved my work ethic when completing essays and this, in turn, has contributed to me feeling less stressed in the day-to-day.

The reduction of stress has improved my sleeping pattern, which has had a positive effect on my mood and increased my productivity even further.

However, going to the gym can result in self-obsession and this would have a negative effect on an individual’s mental health because individuals fixate on the physical results rather than the other benefits which are something I try not to do.

There are many pages on social media which can give you support and are helpful for tips and advice on staying healthy mentally which advice exercise. A top Facebook page to follow for advice and to take part in their marathon to help others which I am very interested in is with the mental health foundation; https://www.facebook.com/mentalhealthfoundation/ and there is also a Facebook page specifically for students of the University of Brighton that I find interesting; https://www.facebook.com/peaceofminduob/

Since joining the gym my self-esteem has also improved which has contributed to the positive effect on my mental health. This is because my perception has improved of the way I see myself and by knowing I am working to improve has improved my feeling of self-worth.

Bibliography:

Facebook.com. (2018). Mental Health Foundation. [online] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/mentalhealthfoundation/ [Accessed 13 Mar. 2018].

Facebook.com. (2018). Peace of Mind: UoB Mental Health Society. [online] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/peaceofminduob/ [Accessed 13 Mar. 2018].

Mental Health Foundation. (n.d.). How to look after your mental health using the exercise. [online] Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-using-exercise [Accessed 12 Mar. 2018].

 

 

As I am still fairly new to the gym, I’m still developing a workout plan in order to achieve my goals. For the first few weeks of my membership, I mainly focused on cardio. Cardio interests me as it is good for weight loss and I want to improve my stamina. My older sister, Charlotte, is also a motivation of mine to work hard at cardio. I am especially keen on running on the treadmill as my sister often takes part in charity 10K’s and this is something I aspire to take part in as well.

More recently I have grown in confidence and began using the weighted machines for working out, which I find very beneficial. I have learned very quickly that every day cannot be a day of a little bit of everything as it will hinder my workout for the next day. Through research, I discovered that the best way to effectively work out at the gym is to rotate what part of my body I work out each day. Every day I aim to do some sort of cardio and then I rotate between leg day, abs day and arm day and I’ve found this much more effective as each day I change focus, what I am focusing on for that day feels refreshed.

I decided to further my research on making the gym more effective by finding more common gym mistakes to avoid so that I can advance my workout. I was shocked to find that one of the biggest issues is focusing too much on getting results. Personal trainer Charlotte, at That Girl London says: “When we start an exercise programme it is natural to have goals, these drive your behavior, but it is also really important to not become obsessed with results. Instead learn to love the process rather than keeping score, be consistent and you will exceed all of your expectations and gain more satisfaction than any amount of goal achieving. “ I am glad to have found this article because I am lucky enough to have friends to go to the gym with and we keep each other motivated as we enjoy our sessions and don’t solely focus on the results.

Bibliography:
Blair, O. (2017). The 12 common habits you should never actually do in the gym. [online] The Independent. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/personal-trainers-12-gym-mistakes-fitness-wrong-health-lifetstyle-weights-cardio-a7596126.html [Accessed 10 Mar. 2018].

For this blog post, I have chosen to explore the influence of social media on individuals who go to the gym.

I am a person who is heavily influenced by social media and the appearance of celebrities and friends. When scrolling through Instagram I always find myself looking at celebrities on the beach and friends posting throwback images of their summer bodies. This is a huge motivation for me to go to the gym as I want to be able to look like one of those people.

This week at the gym I decided to find out what motivates other people to work out and improve their fitness. In order to do this, I asked a small group of girls what their motivations and goals are and who they wish they could look like.

A girl named Lucy, aged 21 said: “I’d love to look like Emily Ratajkowski, I think she’s stunning.” I then asked Lucy how she stays motivated to achieve this and she said that she follows Emily on Snapchat and Instagram and it easy not to stray from her goals as Emily posts regularly. Other girls in the group had similar opinions and also have said they follow ‘fitness girls’ on Instagram, who post tips on beneficial exercises and healthy eating, as well as pictures of themselves in sports-wear and bikinis.

Social media re-emphasises the inequalities of people and networking sites offer a mediated perception of reality. The endless creative potential of social networking sites that is mobile and interactive presents a mythic world. This opinion furthers my views that individuals try to achieve the unattainable figure that social networking provides. (Curran et al. 2012)

 

Bibliography:

Curran, J. Fenton, N. Freedman, D. (2012). Misunderstanding the internet. Routledge, pp.123-137.

 

I finally joined the gym a few weeks ago after a long time of saying I would. Summer is just around the corner and every year I say I’ll look good for it but compulsive snacking and laziness just doesn’t allow it. Joining with a few friends has kept me motivated to go regularly, as does the price tag when you’re living off a student loan.

 

My initial aim is to become healthier. I’m already a healthy eater but I know that’s only half the battle when it comes to being physically healthy. I’ve found that the hardest part of going to the gym is finding the motivation to leave the house, however, once I’m there I’m motivated to put in the work.

 

In order to track my progress, I regularly review my weight and body fat to ensure that I am progressing and not regressing which is common. Regression is something I worry about as I’m aware that people often gain weight when joining the gym as although calories are burnt, exercise releases the hormone ghrelin which promotes hunger.

On days when I have gone to the gym, I notice beneficial changes in my mood and motivation towards other tasks. Exercise can help fight problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress by releasing endorphins, changing neural growth and reducing inflammation in the brain. These are all benefits which I have noticed within myself since going to the gym.

 

My aim is to both make myself feel healthier and to look somewhere between Jennifer Lawrence and the Rock by June. These dreams have been shot down.

 

Bibliography:

Denis Faye, M. (2018). Working Out But Gaining Weight? 4 Reasons why | The Beachbody Blog. [online] The Beachbody Blog. Available at: https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/ask-the-expert-why-do-you-gain-weight-when-you-start-working-out [Accessed 5 Mar. 2018].

 

Helpguide.org. (2018). The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise: The Exercise Prescription for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress. [online] Available at: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm [Accessed 5 Mar. 2018].