Weight Loss Technology – Foursquare
January 26th, 2012A few years ago, I downloaded the Foursquare app to my iphone/ipod touch. Foursquare is a web 2.0 application where friends indicate where they are by checking in. The more you check-in, the more points you earn. If you check in to the same place enough times, you become the mayor of the location. [1]
Stores and restaurants offer discounts to the people who check-in and to the mayor of the location, but for the most part being mayor is for bragging rights.
Three years ago, I visited my brother in India. While there, I checked in with Foursquare so my friends could visit India vicariously through me. A benefit of Foursquare in India was the ability to map where I was. I didn’t know Mumbai, so I didn’t really know where in the city I was. Foursquare showed me my location on a map and showed where I’d been.
Now you may be asking, “Mike how does Foursquare relate to your weight loss/getting healthy journey?”
Well, I check-in each time I go to the gym, and Foursquare keeps track. According to Foursquare, I have checked in to the gym 57 times (29 in last 2 months). Foursquare also shows that I have been to the gym 19 straight weeks.
Foursquare has awarded me with a mayor-ship of the gym and has even awarded me a badge for being a Gym Rat (10 trips in 30 days). As a bonus, Foursquare gives me extra points when I check-in multiple times in the same week (I checked in 8 days in a row to end 2011).
As I have discussed in previous postings, I “trick” myself into working out. Foursquare helps me by keeping track of my workouts and giving me badges and points, which is use as motivators. In next week’s post I’ll discuss additional motivators Foursquare and LoseIt provide me that help me with my weight loss journey.
Reference:1: Foursquare – Web 2.0 Tools – New Possibilities for Teaching and Learning – Confluence
