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It is probably due to the sedentary lifestyles comprising long work hours with sitting or the rise in the awareness for physical well-being that many in the city are making sure to get up and exercise everyday.

    It’s become common to see many taking their dogs for a walk, going to the gym, working out at home or even running marathons to stay fit.

However, every bit of their progress in their fitness regimes is backed by
encouragement from their friends on social media.

There is an increase in gym-goers who stand in front of the mirror to take a selfie or get one of their fellow gym buddies to take a picture of them working out. They post this on social media and look forward to the number of ‘likes’ on the post.

Danny Joseph, the owner of ‘Xtreme Sports Bar’, frequents the gym about five to six times a week.

He says that it is important to stay fit, especially as he is in the F&B industry.
“I try to hit the gym when it is not too crowded. After a busy day, shedding my calories and lifting some weights is a good thing. Not too often, but I do update my progress on social media. I send videos to my friends on WhatsApp and encourage them to join the gym as well,” he adds.

This idea, he says, has motivated his friends to follow his footsteps.
Social media has an influence on many of us. Consciously or unconsciously, the ‘likes’ that a post gets does make one feel good about it. Personal trainer Jeetu Naidu sees a lot of people taking selfies and other profile shots to share with others.
He says, “While working out has its own health benefits, uploading a picture or sharing a video of your progress boosts one's confidence. It will also help one build confidence.”

Ashik Madhu, an entrepreneur, used to feel insecure before he lost weight. 
He shares, “I was overweight before I started going to the gym regularly which was five years back. I used to feel insecure and not too confident. But when I started shedding weight, I got the confidence to share my pictures on social media. It worked as a positive reinforcement.”

He now enjoys sharing his progress on social media and hopes that someone else will also be encouraged by his healthy lifestyle. 

“I think social media is a great source of inspiration if one is humble and body positive about it. If you’re bragging about it, it is another scenario,” says Dharini Dilip Kumar, a content writer.