Insights from the Editor

For the last few months, I've been using an smartphone app called RunKeeper. It's a great tool to keep track of runs, walks, hikes and bike rides. The app plots routes with the phone's GPS and tracks details like pace, time doing an activity and distance.

There are literally dozens of applications for the iPhone that do similar things--cycling apps, couch-to-5k apps, weight-loss diaries. They do something else, too--allow you to share details of your activities on Facebook and Twitter.

For some people, this level of sharing is a bit too much. Letting RunKeeper take over my Facebook status to announce that I just ran 3.2 miles, telling people how much I weigh today or tweeting that I just rode 80 miles on my bicycle rubs some of my social media friends the wrong way.

For them, the updates remind them of the thin woman who is always moaning about needing to lose weight or the guy who frequently mentions how much weight he can bench.

Others find exercise and dieting updates on social media sites to be inspirational when others do it--and use the same tools for accountability in their own efforts.

I have to confess, I'm stuck square in the middle. I'm excited when I hear about someone else reaching a milestone--losing weight, running a marathon or getting off the couch for the first time. And I like the feedback I receive when I mention a long ride or share a funny moment from a run.

But I'm a little annoyed with automated updates that sometimes resemble Farmville and Mafia Wars requests on Facebook and sponsored messages on Twitter.

There's no official etiquette for Facebook or Twitter, although there are conventions for both. Here are some suggestions from my social media friends that will allow you to share your milestones without drawing the ire of others:

• Post updates when you're seeking motivation, but don't brag.

• Workout updates, like game requests, shouldn't be your only contributions to social media. People aren't interested in only that part of your life.

• Turn off the automatic updates on your exercise apps; tell people in your own words what you did.

• Add a unique fact or share something funny. I use my iPhone to snap photos on my runs and bicycle rides.

• Create a Facebook group of willing friends with which to share your weight loss and exercise milestones. Then post to the wall of that group instead of using your status updates to tell everyone about what you just did. The group function is handy: You can use it to coordinate exercise activities with others or for moral support.

• On Twitter, use hash-tag conventions. For example, I tweet my exercise updates under #sweatbetes, a tag which helps other people with diabetes keep me honest about workouts.

Finally, look at the application you use to track your exercise or dieting successes. Some of them have great communities on their websites where it's appropriate -- expected -- to share exercise and diet information. RunKeeper, for example, allows you to create "Street Teamates," who see your activities when they log into their page. When I'm there, I don't mind sharing and I don't mind others telling me what they've done.