Regular exercise, the right diet, and ample rest help you shed those unwanted pounds, but according to a study on the Huffington Post, a little help from social media may go a long way, too.

Researchers asked a total of 96 overweight participants to join in a six-month fitness program. All were required to tune in to weekly podcasts on exercise and nutrition, while half of them were recommended to use mobile apps to track and share their progress.

The results showed that all of the participants brought their weight down by three percent, but those who used Twitter managed to lose 0.5 percent for every 10 tweets they sent.

This may be due to the fact that Twitter is an easy way to connect with others for emotional support. It helps promote honestly, especially about updates on goals met and cheats done. So if you want to go on a diet or exercise, but can’t seem to fully commit to it, try doing it with a friend who can support you and whom you can support. Having a companion online or offline may help make losing those extra pounds easier.

(Photo by Hank Mitchell via Flickr Creative Commons)