Weighing the Options
Whether it’s for inspiration, support, connections or simply accountability, people are weighing the option to join weight-loss communities more than ever in 2013. The trend reflects an evolving society where consumers place higher priority on the opinions of bloggers and peers than that of experts like doctors and dieticians. Both online and off, skinny-hopefuls are turning to their peers for information about food and exercise, eating habits, dietary needs and health/fitness tricks.
Brands have taken notice, facilitating weight-loss challenges, support groups and community chat rooms to feed the consumer appetite for new product formats, related technology and most importantly results! Notable developments include interactive food packaging linking via smartphone to online content, a rise in brands using social media to crowdsource and a development of the accountability and community trend.
Many sites which host these communities have enhanced their allure by providing activity and graphic weight logs, an analysis of weight change and hundreds of other forums which ensure weight loss efficiency. These features allow users to have a clearer picture of their diet and exercise breakdown, while also serving as a network for member bloggers (rather than doctors) to share foods, recipes and advice.
More brands will eat up the opportunity to position their products at the center of weight-loss communities this year following suite of brands like Kellogg’s (SpecialK Challenge where you can lose up to 6 pounds in 2 weeks) and Yoplait Light (with 33 dessert flavored yogurt options replacing breakfast and lunch). Even Progresso has committed to using NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” as a platform to back its soup this year.
If your New Years resolution is the same as the rest of ours, but you’re still skeptical about the support of a weight-loss community, you should know that most sites are conducive to spectators, meaning you can browse content without commitment or a membership. Happy losing!
Sources
“Progresso Soup Feeds ‘Biggest Loser'” MediaPost Publications 12/24/2012. Web. 07 Jan. 2013.
“Yoplait Yogurt for Weight Loss.” LIVESTRONG.COM. Web. 07 Jan. 2013.
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