2 Interesting Ways to Track Your Weight Loss Using Twitter

Twitter evolved incredibly since it was launched. Actually (and ironically), the service itself hardly changed at all, unlike the way people have been using it.

Started merely as a “What are you doing now?” concept, the service has now such an overwhelming number of alternative uses that you could never believe it! You can use Twitter as a poll or a survey tool, as a money management tool and now also as a way to track weight loss.

But why use Twitter to track your weight?


Well, first of all, because it’s fun! Sometimes having some fun is the key to achieving your weight loss goals – this helps you to stay motivated and enjoy keeping fit.

And secondly, you are on Twitter anyway! Why not use it to get reminded of your weight loss stats? It can be an easy way to record and track your weight, so give it a try!

Now let’s take a look at the tools I managed to find:

1. Track Weight Loss With Twackit

Twackit is a fun tool I found through this post listing some cool Twitter apps for fitness. It allows you to use your Twitter account to track any metric (like your weight!) and watch trends over time with help of a Google-driven chart.

The good thing is that it needs no registration. Just tweet a numeric value and a hashtag to @twackit:

track weight loss

The bad thing is that the process is totally public. Everyone sees your weight and aside from that, everyone can go to the site to see your weight loss chart (just in case you are one of those who, quite understandably, thinks that this data should be private).

Once you’ve started twacking, view your report at

http://www.twackit.com/your-username/your-hashtag

track weight loss

Another similar tool that tracks various metrics you Tweet and requires no registration is gtFtr but it mostly focus on workouts and supports a limited number of hashtags/commands:

  • Stats (or Day or Daily) – this has to come first so the parser knows it’s recording daily stats.
  • Steps 9000 ““ How many steps did you take today? You can also use S or Step for short.
  • Cals 800 – How many calories did you burn (that’s what it’s all about after all)?
  • Dist 3.9 – How far you went?

2. Weight Loss Charts

Weight Loss Charts is another interesting Twitter-based tool which my friend, Eric of buildmuscle.org found for me. I don’t think I would be able to find it myself as it appears to be quite new.

It does require registration which went quite smoothly. On signing up, you are offered to add Twitter and Gtalk bots to your buddy list. After waiting a while, the bots add you as their friends. You will also need to set your preferred unit of measuring (I am using kilogram).

Now all you need to do is to send any of the bots your daily weight and the info will be recorded on the site.

One of the most useful features of the tool is its reminder because it is really not easy to remember to record your weight on a daily basis. If you forget to tweet your weight, the Twitter bot will remind you to.

track weight loss

You can access your weight loss (hopefully) chart any time after logging in:

Let me know if you would use any of those tools to track weight loss! Also, if you’re not already following MakeUseOf on Twitter, you really should.

Tagged: • • • •

Ann Smarty

Ann Smarty is an SEO Consultant, Internet marketing blogger and active social media user. Please follow Ann on Twitter as seosmarty

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  • http://thedailybuggle.com ænon1mus

    I suppose this is easier than using a dedicated program. This way, you can track your weight on the go.

  • ænon1mus

    I suppose this is easier than using a dedicated program. This way, you can track your weight on the go.

  • Anonymous

    Why not just have your scale tweet your weight? http://www.withings.com/en/bodyscale/sharing

  • smikwily

    Why not just have your scale tweet your weight? http://www.withings.com/en/bod…

  • http://www.proactol.co.uk/medicallybacked.php Lou

    I like the fact that it is so much easier to track weight loss now, I don’t use twitter but have downloaded the iphone app that tells me the amount of calories in whatever I eat and I have the graph one, I find I use the calorie counter no end it really helps me keep track of what I eat.

  • Lou

    I like the fact that it is so much easier to track weight loss now, I don’t use twitter but have downloaded the iphone app that tells me the amount of calories in whatever I eat and I have the graph one, I find I use the calorie counter no end it really helps me keep track of what I eat.

  • http://completelifetime.wordpress.com CompleteLifetime

    This is very cool because it would allow you to record your weight more often which is suggested for a more accurate representation of your weight. I want to give this a try in the near future, but i’m still trying to get the basics down with twitter. I only started using it today.

  • CompleteLifetime

    This is very cool because it would allow you to record your weight more often which is suggested for a more accurate representation of your weight. I want to give this a try in the near future, but i’m still trying to get the basics down with twitter. I only started using it today.

  • http://www.stefanaschan.com stefan aschan

    Thank you for posting this article. Any help regarding weight loss is a step closer to success.

    Although tracking of your food input and calories is so much easier now still education regarding making better food decisions starts by making better choices.

    Yes, you can lose weight by eating 1.200 calories. Yet, there is a difference if you are eating only those calories from chocolate or a 3-day rotational food program.

    For example, there is a difference to between dried and fresh fruits. http://strength123.com/2010/04/16/dried-vs-fresh-fruit/.

    Stay focused.

    Stefan

  • stefan aschan

    Thank you for posting this article. Any help regarding weight loss is a step closer to success.

    Although tracking of your food input and calories is so much easier now still education regarding making better food decisions starts by making better choices.

    Yes, you can lose weight by eating 1.200 calories. Yet, there is a difference if you are eating only those calories from chocolate or a 3-day rotational food program.

    For example, there is a difference to between dried and fresh fruits. http://strength123.com/2010/04…

    Stay focused.

    Stefan

  • http://free-diet-forum.site90.com/ Ben

    I think these tools could be really useful to keep people motivated.

  • Ben

    I think these tools could be really useful to keep people motivated.

  • Fat Burning Furnace Reviews

    Thats an awesome list of tips to lose weight from twitter. I liked it, makes me more motivated as well

  • http://www.weightlossunit.com Jemma Hall

    Maybe the fact that Twackit results are not kept private isn’t that bad. In the case of some success community can cheer you up and encourage you keep going or if you’re not so successful, you could expect some support.

  • Jemma Hall

    Maybe the fact that Twackit results are not kept private isn’t that bad. In the case of some success community can cheer you up and encourage you keep going or if you’re not so successful, you could expect some support.

  • http://www.fatburningfurnacescamorreal.com/ Jessica Connors

    Awesome Idea, a cyber way to loose way. Internet has come a long way to help people even loose weight. Nice post

  • Jessica Connors

    Awesome Idea, a cyber way to loose way. Internet has come a long way to help people even loose weight. Nice post

  • Anonymous

    Great ideas, although I imagine I would end up spending so much time on twitter and tracking my Weight loss that I wouldn’t be doing nearly enough exercise or dieting that I could be doing lol. But I’m going to give it a go anyway.

  • revolution9

    Great ideas, although I imagine I would end up spending so much time on twitter and tracking my Weight loss that I wouldn’t be doing nearly enough exercise or dieting that I could be doing lol. But I’m going to give it a go anyway.

  • new york weight loss center

    interesting use of twitter, i agree i’d not want things public but perhaps people can make a private twitter account for such tracking?

    for any interested, our site has free weight loss tools, though not for twitter (though you’re welcome to follow us for updates) our site has free calorie calculator and bmi obesity calculator, plus our blackberry weight loss assistant app is also free — http://weightlossnyc.com/weigh…