To ask what you would think of a colleague posting on social media?

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I have lost quite a lot of weight and started running. I initially started posting about running about a month ago on social media as a way to keep me accountable, but it’s sort of taken off and I’ve gained 1200 followers in a month. I’m really enjoying posting and sharing, and I’ve got quite a little community going with other women.

But I’m a little bit worried about my colleagues finding out. Not because I’m embarrassed of what I’ve posted (it’s mainly just photos or short videos), but because I feel like it’s quite cringeworthy until you hit a decent amount of followers. So what would you think if you found out about your colleague doing this?

YABU - shut it down, you’re an adult and don’t need to post.

YANBU - keep posting, it’s great.

That sounds fair enough. If you don't even mention the online side nobody would know unless they chose to seek you out online. But I can't imagine anyone being so mean spirited as to dislike you or think you unprofessional for doing it. It's not harming anyone!

There's nothing embarrassing about what you're posting, it's promoting exercise and trying to get/stay fit and healthy! Be proud of yourself OP

That's the thing, it's a healthy hobby that harms absolutely no-one else.

If it makes you happy do it. Life Is too short to care about what other people think. Sounds like it's been a great motivation for you and you have gained a little community to discuss with.

I wouldn’t really care either way, then I don’t use social media so I wouldn’t know. I suppose if I was told about it, I would be mildly pleased for you.

You should just care less what people think of you. You’ve clearly done great and 1200 are interested in it.

I would think well
done and probably follow you. Don’t worry about what others think

I had an Instagram account like that for running, it was great and I met lots of my followers over the years at races etc. No one at work ever followed me, maybe because I didn’t use my full name. I do get what you mean, my running persona is different to my work one….. my running friends didn’t know what I did for work and my work friends knew I ran a lot, but less of the details that I shared online. It was great for accountability, support, advice etc. (long Covid finished my running career off for years, I actually just started posting a bit about running again recently)

It's going to depend on your colleagues surely, who knows what they will think but easy enough to block them assuming you don't have 100s of them

What I would think would be dictated by what I thought about the colleague and the content, it certainly wouldnt be one standard view for all of them

I think as long as you have interactions from people ie comments, and you’re not just talking to yourself then it’s fine.

My daily feed regularly has colleagues and friends sharing Hyrox events, challenges, training - I give a ‘like’ here and there and don’t give it any more thought, no idea how many followers they have and have no idea why this would in anyway be a factor.
Do what ever you need to do to stay motivated but don’t overthink it, a very large number of social media followers are bots anyway.

My colleague has a running blog. I have never looked at it. I have no idea or interest in whether he has 5000 followers, 50000 or the only person that reads it is his mum. I assume he writes it for his own benefit.

I’d think ‘good for you’ and give it no more thought

I have a colleague who posts endless selfies of running and swimming so I have muted. It’s a bit dull TBH and she’s started putting photos on LinkedIn too which makes me
winder how much validation she needs from randoms… it’s all ‘ here’s what getting up at 5am to get in the sea has taught me about B2B sales’ and a selfie in a swimsuit which feels a bit weird but people can mute you.
So you do you. People can mute or unfollow. And if you need the ‘likes’ for some reason then you do I suppose.

You wouldnt be bothered if you had a non cringeworthy number of followers?

Much as I detest running, I don't see what's cringeworthy about a social media account about it, presumably aimed at interaction with other runners? How can you reach the acceptable subscriber numbers without going through the "cringe" lower ones?

I've got colleagues who have social media accounts about fitness, gardening, crafting and other interests. Never occurred to me to start cringing over it.

Can you filter your audience when you post? I do that sometimes on Facebook (am very old school) as I have a few colleagues on there and don't always want them to have a window into my life.

Though running and fitness is pretty innocuous. If people are interested they will look/like/comment. I don't think it's cringeworthy if some of them are colleagues. If they're not interested they will scroll past and forget about it 5 seconds later.

Wow. You okay hun? Where was I nasty?

It’s not cringe at all. I have a book account on Instagram with half that amount of followers and my colleagues follow me! Who cares, if they like running they might follow along and if they don’t they won’t - don’t even think anything of it!

I would say don’t over think it. If it were my colleague I’d be happy for them and support their page

Rolling eyes running to other colleagues to tell them about it. Its very mean girl

In that case it's nothing to do with your colleagues.

If it was something that interested me then I would look but if it didn’t I wouldn’t.

Do what makes you happy.

I Googled a new colleague the other day and found out he has over 2 million followers on TikTok. I was a bit surprised but thought ‘good for him’ and haven’t really thought about it since until reading your post. It isn’t something I would bring up with him unless he mentions it first.

So what I’m saying is - I don’t think people will care much, regardless of how many followers you have. Continue posting and don’t waste your time worrying about what others think.

One of my colleagues has quite a lot of followers for her craft stuff on Instagram, I’m pleased for her & vaguely interested but that’s it.

If the woman skipping on Oxford Street is British but says she’s ’jumping rope’, that’s cringey.

So you didn't roll your eyes and then run to tell your colleagues