Top 25 Social Sites for Weight Loss and Maintenance

“Lose together or gain alone” is the motto of one of the social networking sites listed below for weight loss and and/or fitness to gain and maintain that new slim and healthy physique. Many nurses who proceed from the BSN to MSN degree, including those receiving grants and scholarships, will doubtless benefit from knowing about these sites — if not for their own use, then for patients and clients.

In the list that follows, weight-loss-focused sites are followed by fitness/maintenance-focused sites, and listed in alphabetical order within those two categories.

Weight-loss-focused sites:

1. Budge the Pudge is a site geared predominantly toward women. The site will help you “Lose weight and create a lighter brighter you” with the help of EFT-Emotional Freedom Technique. You can learn about this methodology through seven free audios. Members join to blog their successes.




2. Diet.com, “your nutrition and health solution,” offers videos about many weight loss, diet, and fitness topics when you visit the site without registration. It is the home of the “Personality Type Diet,” and you can be a free or “premium” member to participate. You also can receive coaching from experts and connect with other dieters via blogs, boards, and groups.




3. DietTV boasts “Now you can eat anywhere,” and gives tips on eating out, eating frozen foods, etc., as well as offering meal plans and shopping guides for 87 famous diets. There is a monthly fee to personalize your diet progress with the site, but sign-up is free.




4. Extra Pounds is a social network that offers “Weightloss Support and Motivation” through diet blogs and support groups. Members use weight loss tools and keep a food diary, and can use a Google map to find members located near them.




5. Fat Secret, “all things food and diet,” is for people who want to achieve their food, diet, and exercise goals. You can connect your FatSecret profile with Facebook, iGoogle, or your cell phone. Fat Secret uses member feedback and experience to find what really works for you.




6. My Weight Loss Solutions advertises “Real solutions for real people.” Members are given facts and seek solutions; they interact with other members by commenting on articles and business profiles. You must sign in to interact with experts and other weight-losing peers.




7. NAWLS Network is a social and professional network for the community of weight loss surgery patients and professionals. Members receive daily inspiration, support and friendship and can read member blog posts and access resources.




8. Sparkpeople has over 8 million members and a book about its secrets called The Spark. “Make Your Life an Adventure,” is the motto. The personalized weight loss and fitness plan is free, as well as all the tools. You can be as solitary or interactive as you want.




9. The Biggest Loser League is modeled after the TV reality show by the same name; members form teams and cheer each other on to weight loss goals, just as the teams do on the show. NBC offers team challenges and sometimes offers prizes.




10. The Daily Plate will calculate your calorie goal before you even register at the site. It has a vast library of foods and activities; you can track your calorie intake and burn rate to achieve weight loss goals. This site is sponsored by Livestrong.com.




11. Weight Circles is a community for learning healthy habits and weight control. You can meet others and share weight loss stories, blog, or ask weight loss questions. Circles can be open — anyone can join — or private. When you create a private circle, you decide who may join.




12. Weight Loss Bloggers is a community of bloggers who are committed to a healthy lifestyle through good eating habits and physical fitness. You may chat with other bloggers or explore the site’s resources once you register.




13. Weight Loss Buddy offers a free profile page, free team page, free diet planning and 3D chat. The site features video and audio clips on various weight loss topics, and you can ask experts questions about your weight-loss mission.




14. Weight Loss Wars suggests that you compete with friends and family or join a public competition to lose weight. Update your goal motivators weekly and track your progress with free tracking tools, where you can record anything from your weight to calories to exercise minutes.




15. WeighIns is a site where members write reviews and vote on the top diets; links to the diets are provided as well as some discussion about specific diets. Learn more immediately about the top ten diets, or explore other options.




16. Wellsphere invites members to form groups that learn about different topics such as weight loss and fitness. Ask a health maven a question, read member articles and watch videos.

Fitness-and-Maintenance-Focused Sites

17. Daily Burn promises that its 300,000+ members lose, on average, 6.2 lbs. of fat or gain 5.75 lbs. of muscle. Track what you eat, record your workouts, and find people to help keep you accountable to your goals.




18. FitLink is a community for achieving diet and weight loss goals. The “Fit” part gives you tools to get in shape, the “Link” part gives you tools to connect with others. You can connect with workout partners and personal trainers, too.




19. FitMarker is a Digg-like social website which helps users find the best fitness information from around the web. The site is fully community driven and users can vote up, vote down, comment and share posts on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write your own fitness articles and share it with the community.




20. iStats is a site for getting motivated by sharing your progress with others. Enter your exercise details, print your program for the next exercise session, review your progress, and share tips and compare results with your friends.




21. My Fit Tribe calls itself “an island of fun, fitness, and friends.” You can download the site’s “JamCore workout” exercise videos to your iPhone and take them to the gym. Connect with other tribe members, blog, and read articles and health and fitness information.




22. PEERtrainer can help you lose weight through a “Tip of the Day,” a personal assessment quiz, weight loss support groups, the PEERtrainer “Point of No Return Program,” or a review and overview of popular diets. Read success stories or receive coaching on the site, join groups and teams.




23. RunningAHEAD is all about “achieving goals through better information.” The site offers free tools for more effective training, emphasizing the training log. You can join in discussion forums or user groups, or share your training data with friends on Facebook through RunningAHEAD’s Facebook application, or use the Handy Runner’s Android application to track running workouts by GPS.




24. Traineo is a site for help and support to lose weight. You may set a weight loss goal without registering at the site. Traineo offers online weight loss tools and a support network of motivators who may be friends and family or members of the community.




25. Walkingspree is a site devoted to walking, “the #1 health initiative prescribed by health professionals.” it includes a corporate wellness program, a program for everyone, and a tool: a pedometer, with which you can upload data automatically.