Similar to sites such as Price Grabber and Consumer Search that offer their customers advice and support in buying consumer electronic products, diet-oriented blogs are becoming increasingly popular as well as effective in creating a support network for people trying to lose weight. CBS’s Hannah Storm reported on a possible correlation between blogging and weight loss in a morning news segment earlier this week (see video). Storm brought expert dietitian Kerri Glassman into the debate to share her thoughts.
The verdict? Blogging does in fact help in dropping the pounds. Glassman described how posting eating and exercise habits on a web site helps an individual maintain healthy weight loss and subsequently offers meaningful support to other bloggers (CBS NEWS). AOL’s blog that’sfit boldly backs up this premise, reasoning with it’s readers, “you know how we’re always telling you how you’ll be more successful at weight loss if you do it with support from a friend or family member? The blogging community offers hundreds of friends who are rooting for you” (AOL’S that’sfit).
As well as creating a support network for dieters, blogging about weight loss is advantageous in terms of the creation process itself. Maintaining a blog is similar to keeping a food journal; as that’sfit.com explains, “documenting what you’re eating and how much you’re exercising…helps you take an honest look at your habits and indulgences” (AOL’S that’sfit). Popular weight loss blogs include; SisterSkinny, DietBlog, 3FatChicksOnADiet, CrankyFitness and also DietBlog.net. In reading through these diet oriented blogs, it is apparent that they all succeed in offering a consistent non-objective and understanding voice of reason to an audience dealing with a sensitive and personal issue: body image.
Diet blogs offer support, advice, discipline, and…consumer electronics? AOL’s November 21, 2007, that’sfit blog includes a promotional post on November 21, 2007, entitled “Pedometers encourage losing weight, make great stocking stuffers”. The post clearly promotes the pedometer, proclaiming it, “the perfect holiday gift for anyone who has had trouble losing weight using multiple methods that never seem to work out” (AOL’S that’sfit). Another example would be www.LeanBlog.org’s August 25, 2007 post, with a headline promoting the Omron HJ-112 Digital Premium Pedometer; the entire thread is filled with consumer reviews outlining the advantages of this particular pedometer. A recent DietPower blog promotes a calorie counting computer software, called Calorie Counter and Diet Coach. Interesting how in this new trend of diet-blogging lies relative and underlying blogging about consumer electronics. Perhaps consumer electronics are the answer to everything, don’t you agree?
By Tessa Rudd -Account Executive – Advertising Media Division, Chitika Inc.