Top 10 Things You Should Know About the SparkPeople Community

By , SparkPeople Blogger
As some of you may know, before I became an employee for SparkPeople, I was a member just like you. My husband and I joined SparkPeople on January 1, 2004. Back then, the site was great and had a lot of helpful features, but it was nowhere near what it is today. Today, SparkPeople offers a lot of the same basic features that it did back then, but now it has even more, especially when it comes to the Community features! Can you believe when I started there were no SparkPages, SparkPoints, SparkGoodies or SparkTeams? Crazy, I know!
 
Something that hasn’t changed on SparkPeople throughout the years though, is the fabulous Community. From day one of using the site, I found that the SparkPeople Community was one of the most valuable pieces to my success and keeping me motivated throughout and beyond my weight loss journey. As a member, I made many friends by posting in the Message Board forums (this was before SparkTeams and SparkPages were available on the site). I found a lot of support from other members, along with the SparkPeople Coaches. I truly felt like I was a part of something really special, and honestly, I still do!
 
Many of you may have seen me posting on the Message Boards. As I answer questions on the Message Boards though, I still see this wonderful connection that the SparkPeople Community provides for so many people all over the world. I see so many posts that contain a lot of support, whether it is a reply to someone who was reaching out and needed help or a reply to someone posting a “WooHoo” in celebration.
 
Not only have I seen SparkPeople members give a tremendous amount of support to other members, but I have also seen many friendships develop among them. There have even been members that met on SparkPeople and got married - talk about developing long-lasting friendships/relationships!
 
 
As you can see, I think very highly of the SparkPeople Community, but what if someone asked me what the top 10 things they should know about the SparkPeople Community?
 
Well, it was hard for me to narrow it down to 10 things, but here they are, in no particular order:
 
  • You get a tremendous amount of support. Just about everywhere you look on SparkPeople, you are able to get an encouraging word, SparkGoodie, etc. when needed (and sometimes when it isn’t needed). I think this one really says a lot about how awesome SparkPeople members really are!  
 
  • The SparkPeople Community is a very positive place. Just as we state in our Community Guidelines, “SparkPeople’s vision is to make our community one of the strongest and most positive in the world!” Fortunately for us, we have a lot of wonderful members that make this vision a reality.
 
  • SparkPeople has a lot of members that have been voted as a SparkPeople Motivator. Again, I think this says a lot about how awesome are members are. Any time you need a little motivation, you can go check out the Motivational SparkPages. Or if you find a member that motivates you, but hasn’t been voted as a SparkPeople Motivator yet, you can vote for them on their SparkPage.
 
  • SparkPeople members share their Secrets of Success with the Community. When members have a secret to their success with living a healthy lifestyle, losing weight, etc., they post it for other members to see and use. Perhaps you have a secret of success to share or you want to know what is working for others – the Secrets of Success section is the right place to look for those “secrets” that are no longer secrets.
 
  • SparkGoodies are a great way to reward, congratulate and motivate other members (or yourself). While SparkGoodies are only virtual gifts, they can brighten anyone’s day and are another fun aspect to SparkPeople’s Community. Sometimes I like to send SparkGoodies “just because,” while other times I send them to say “Great job” or even as a “thank you.”
 
  • The SparkPeople Message Boards are a great place to get help and/or support. The Message Boards are just one of the places that you can get support, but they are a fun and easy way to communicate with numerous members on the site. Some members use the Panic Button forum to get some help; others may use the WooHoo forum to post about something they are celebrating about. There are numerous forums to choose from and I’m sure you will find one (or more) that you like, along with finding support if that is what you are looking for.
 
  • SparkTeams are another great place to get support and find others that enjoy similar interests. Joining a local SparkTeam can help you get that local support if that is what you are interested in. Some of the SparkTeams based on location have SparkRallies, which are gatherings for those that want to meet in person. Of course, it’s not required, but it can help you find more support in your health journey, along with possibly finding some fitness buddies.
 
  • SparkPages can help you find a Buddy if you are looking for one-on-one support with another SparkPeople member. You can use the SparkPage Search/Buddy Finder to help you find someone who has similar interests/goals. Even if you aren’t looking for one-on-one support with another member, the SparkPage search function can still be helpful in gaining more support throughout your journey and building long-lasting friendships.
 
  • Blogging on your SparkPage (and commenting on other SparkPeople members’ blogs) is yet another way to get support and build friendships. You may be surprised by how blogging can help you with your health journey. By blogging/writing down what you are going through, what tips you might have, whether you are having a great day or bad day, etc., you can actually help yourself as you write (similar to if you wrote in a journal), but also other members can see it and possibly comment on it and give you an encouraging word, offer some helpful advice, or just tell you that what you are going through is perfectly normal.
 
  • For those that need extra support and want more than some of the previously mentioned SparkPeople Community features, we also offer Live! Online Support & Motivational Meetings. While this feature is not free, it is offered at a low price and includes a free trial week period. With the Live meetings you will interact live online (via video, audio, and chat) with other SparkPeople members and leaders. Each week there is a new topic that is covered and various times that you can join the meeting. So for those that are looking for some more motivation and tips, you may find the Live meetings just what you are looking for.
 
 
I also updated my SparkPeople status in my Friend Feed the other day, asking SparkPeople members to leave a comment with what they liked about the SparkPeople Community and thought others should know about it. I was thrilled to see some of the comments that were posted – they confirmed a lot of what I was already thinking. Below are a few of the comments posted on my status (and might I add that posting a status update is, of course, another great way to get support in the SparkPeople Community – perhaps that is a bonus to my top 10 list).
 
 
 
NEWSTART2018: “I like it because I can interact with the SparkPeople Community.”
 
WHOLEHEARTPAT: “I read the stories of my SparkFriends and I am in awe of the daily shifts from uncertainty to confidence, and the slow, steady transformation from wavering hope to unwavering focus. What SparkGuy started, you all (my fellow team members) have fostered until it has become nourishment and sustenance.


The articles, the tips, the accountability, the recipe helps and advice... I am continually blessed and encouraged by my participation here. But by far, the biggest benefit and surprise has been the welcoming, (and dare I say it? YES!) loving community that has developed around me!”
 
1BEACHWALKER: “I love having the latest articles on medical, nutrition, and exercise! The Interaction, blogs that inspire and support from people from all over the world, including Chris Downie himself! I have lost weight and kept it off for the first time in my life and living a healthier lifestyle because of SparkPeople!”
 
CRAZYDOGLADYBO: “I like to interact with people through their SparkPages and blogs. I also like the support that I receive back. Last, but not least, I really like the challenges and Coach Nicole's videos.”
 
HARPER369: “SparkPeople keeps you headed in the right direction! You may do well one day and then blow it for the rest of the week. Here we come together and share our experiences and advice , logging into SparkPeople daily keeps you aware of the choices and results, It keeps you motivated!”
 
STRINGS58: “My SparkFriends have become a dear and cherished support. I want to work hard for them and encourage them to achieve their goals. I joined SparkPeople for the free trackers, but had no idea that I would feel such a tight bond with people from around the globe! It has created a new neighborhood for me!”
 

There is no doubt in my mind that SparkPeople’s members find so much success with their weight loss and healthy lifestyle goals because of the Community and support that they are able to find on the site. There's no wonder why we have found that members who are active in our Community tend to lose more weight than those who are not as involved.
 

What is your favorite part of the SparkPeople Community? What would you say is the top thing to tell others about the SparkPeople Community? Have you found yourself forming long-lasting friendships from within the SparkPeople Community?