Advice for New SparkPeople Members

Earn SparkTrophies for Reaching Your Goals. Start Earning and Displaying Your Virtual Awards Today! SparkTrophies are motivational tools designed to reward you for activities you perform at SparkPeople.com, from earning SparkPoints to losing weight. The trophies will be displayed on your SparkPage in two places: 1. On the main page of your SparkPage, your five most recent trophies will scroll through under the "Awards" section on the left side of the page (below your photos).
2. Under the "Awards" tab at the top of the page, you'll find all of your trophies to date.
Here is the current list of trophies you can receive...

to learn more click the link below:

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivat
io
n_articles.asp?id=752

What are Spark Streaks?

You probably familiar with the concept of rewarding yourself when you reach a goal weight or accomplish a fitness feat. Sometimes it's even more motivating to reward yourself for the journey, not just the destination. Seeing how consistently you've been taking steps to reach a goal (and knowing others can see it, too), can help boost your resolve and keep your motivation going strong. This is especially true when you've done your part but the scale hasn't budged, even though you've been making the right choices every day. That's why we created SparkStreaks—a SparkPeople tracking tool that can motivate you to stay on track and help you reach some amazing goals! Start Streaking in 5 Easy Steps ....

to learn nmore click the link below:

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivat
io
n_articles.asp?id=988

What are Goddies?

You can use the SparkPoints you earn on the site to buy virtual “goodies” for yourself and other SparkPeople members. Use them to reward yourself for working hard to achieve your healthy goals (with a vacation, a new wardrobe, or haircut), to thank other members for their advice and support (with greeting cards, balloons, and flower bouquets), or to decorate your own SparkPage with more of your own interests (a guitar, hybrid car, or knitting needles).

to learn more about Goodies click the link below and read an article:

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivat
io
n_articles.asp?id=1018

My name is Darlene and I've been a widow for 7 yrs and I have 2 married daughters and the youngest one had 2 daughters.
Darlene

READING AND REPLYING TO POST IN A FORUM

1. Put your cursor on the title of a forum, such as The General discussion forum, put your oursor right on those words.

2. Click your mouse on the words or name of a forum.

Use the below steps to read or tyoe a comment to a post within the forum.

*****HOW TO RELY WITHIN A FORUM*****

follow the directions above then:

- look for the words: rely above the comments which were typed

- once you have found the reply tab and have clicked it type within the box provided

- after you have completed what you wanted to type click the tab which says post message

How do I use my start page and what are all the features that my startpge contains?

Your start page contains many short cuts to all the things you may want to do on this web site. Watch the video contained in the link below to find out all types of information about your start page.

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos-
de
tail.asp?video=104

SparkPeople Tutorial Videos

Step-by-Step Instructions to use tools on Sparkpeople. Within the link below you will find videos on the: food tracker,start page, and fitness tracker & the Sparkpeople communty.

click the link below to watch these tutorial videos:

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivat
io
n_articles.asp?id=1182

Edited by: GLITTERGIRL69 at: 8/31/2012 (18:31)

How do I use the food tracker?

Keep track of all the calories that you eat. Use the data base which contains 1,000s of food! Breat lists of your favorite foods, and create meal plans, store recipes with the calories for each recipe.

The food tracker is one of the 2 best tools on Sparkpeople and most widely used tool on Sparkpeople. More members lose weight by using the fitness tracker & the food tracker than any other tool on sparkpeople!

click the link below to learn how to use your food tracker

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos-
de
tail.asp?video=17

I am more than willing to do whatever it takes to help you learn how to use this valuable tool. Please email me if you have any questions.

How do I use my fotness tracker?

The fitness tracker will track all of your exercises that you do & tells youl how how many calories you have burned. The fitness tracker lists 100s of variirties of exercises. The fitness trqcker is one of the 2 best tools on Sparkpeople and most widely used tool on Sparkpeople. More members lose weight by using the fitness tracker & the food tracker than any other tool on sparkpeople!

click the link below to watch this video on how to use the fitness tracker:

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos-
de
tail.asp?video=73

I am more than willing to do whatever it takes to help you learn how to use this valuable tool. Please email me if you have any questions.

BEOLW ARE MORE HELPFUL LINKS REGARDING EXERCISING:

Click on the link below to see videoS exercise demonstrations:

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/exercis
e_
demos.asp?exercise_type=core

Free Sparkpeople exercise videos click below to find them:

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos.
as
p

Fitness Maps

Do you ever wonder how far you've walked, run or biked outside? Finding out is as easy as clicking points on a map! Plus, you can calculate your speed, calories burned, share your map with others and add your workout to your Fitness Tracker!

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness
_m
aps_home.asp

Edited by: GLITTERGIRL69 at: 8/31/2012 (18:21)

Click on the HELP/FAQ Link below to have many questions answered about this site:

www.sparkpeople.com/community/help.a
sp


THE HELP/FAQ PAGE WILL ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW & MANY MORE:

How do I unsubscribe from emails or change my email address, user name, or password?

How do I add or edit the weight loss ticker, profile picture and/or a signature to my message board posts?

How do I close my account?

I want to totally restart my program. How do I reset my goals?

Where can I track my weight and measurements on the site?

How do I change my weight goal?

HERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL USEFUL INFORMATION:

SparkTeam "How To" Guide

Tips for Using Your SparkTeam Page
By SparkPeople

If you've joined a SparkTeam and want to become an active member of the Team, but aren't sure where to begin, then this guide is for you! We'll explain the SparkTeam basics so you can get the most out of your SparkTeam experience.

Finding and Accessing Your SparkTeams

You can access your SparkTeams in two easy ways. Both options will only work when you are logged in to SparkPeople.com.

Option 1:
From your Start page. Under the green "My Community" column on the right side of the page, you'll see the SparkTeams you belong to (in alphabetical order) in a box drop box.,

Option 2: From the Community tab on the orange tool bar at the top of the page . You can scroll over the Community tab at the top of any page on SparkPeople. From the dropdown menu, click on "SparkTeams" to get to your main SparkTeams page.

At the top of your main SparkTeams page, you'll see a list of all the SparkTeams that you belong to. Next to each Team are three checkboxes that you can check or uncheck at any time based on your preferences.

Check off "New Member Notification" if you want to be emailed each time a new person joins your Team (otherwise, leave it unchecked). Check off "New Topic Notification" if you want to be emailed each time a new thread (message board topic) is started in your Team (otherwise, leave it unchecked). Check off "Show On Team Map" if you want your location (based on zip code) to show up on your Team's map (otherwise, leave it unchecked). Click on the name of a Team to go to that Team's page.

~ Using Your SparkTeam Page

1. SparkTeam Huddle

You'll find your Team's Huddle on the right hand side of the team. It is under the names of the team leaders. You may notice there is an area on this page which moves. Comments made by other team members will scroll across the page providing movement. To learn more about Huddling and how to do it, click on the "What Is a Huddle?" link. Click "View Huddle Wall/Huddle Now" to see all comments and post your own.

2. SparkTeam Forums

Team Forums (message boards), which take up the largest amount of space on your Team page. Here are a few terms you'll see used in your Team forums on a regular basis:

3. Forum: A collection of related topics.

For example, the "Introduce Yourself" Forum contains threads where new members introduce themselves to the Team.

4. Thread- One topic of discussion in a forum. For example, "Hello, I'm Amy!" might be a new thread in the Introduce Yourself Forum.
Post- A response to a thread. For example, I might make a post to respond to Amy by saying, "Hello, Amy! Welcome to the Team!"

~ How your team page is organized

1. Depending on how your Team is organized, your Team may have two, three or four forums. By default, every SparkTeam has two forums: General Team Discussion Forum (typically used for a variety of topics) and Introduce Yourself to Team Forum (where new members to the Team post their introductions). Our team has three more additional forums:Healthy Lifestyle, Exercise (lists articles to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle) Video Of The Day (Free videos from Sparkpeople to do which help you lose weight) ,& Strength Through Jesus forum. Team leaders have the ability to add up to two more forums of their choice. For best organiz( posts from members about God) write posts, comments or questions in the these Forums.

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO YOU SEE MORE POST BY CLICKING -THE SEE MORE TOPIC TAB

2. Next to name of each forum is a number, such as 5/20. In this instance, 5/20 means you're seeing the 5 most recent threads on your Team's main page, but there are a total of 20 threads in that particular forum. So don't forget that what you're seeing on the main Team page is not everything! For each of the other sections, you'll see the 3 most recent threads, and need to click on the forum title to see the rest of the discussions.

The topics you see below each Forum title are threads.
Threads with the most recent activity (posts) will appear on the top, while older threads will appear below. Some Teams also have "sticky topics" within their forums. Team Leaders have the ability to make up to three topics in each forum "sticky," which simply means that the Leader thinks that thread is important and wants everyone on the Team to see it. Sticky topics will always remain at the very top of the Forum, with a red "Sticky Topic" icon next to them. When you join a new Team, it's important to check out these sticky topics before you start posting. Many times they will give you information about how the Team runs, suggestions of where to post, the purpose of each forum, etc.

If you want to respond in a thread:

1. click on the thread title. At the top of the next page
2. click on the "Reply" button to compose a response

If you want to start a new thread:

1. click on the forum title (such as General Team Discussion) that best fits the topic of your post.

2. At the top of the next page, click the "Create a New Topic" button to compose your message.

SparkTeam Map

Below the Team goals is a red button that says "View Team Map." By clicking here, you can see where other Team members are from (based on zip code). This is optional, so not every member will show up on the map.

Newest SparkTeam Members

At the very bottom of your Team's page is a section called "Newest Team Members." Here, you'll be able to see the 12 most recent people to join your SparkTeam, along with links to each of their SparkPages (if they have one). You can click on the red "View All Members" for a complete list of all Team members (and links to their SparkPages) too.

I hope this helps explain how SparkTeams work and how you can use them to help you reach your goals! If you have questions about your Team or aren’t sure where to post, contact your Glittergirl69- just send me an email. I am always here to help!

The answer to your question: how to account for a yoga class on the fitness tracker?

This is also how you can look up any type ot calories burned for any exercises on your My Fitness page.

1) go to the My Tools tab at the top of this page.

2) clck the My Fitness tab

3) in the provided search box, which will say- what did you do today type the exercise you want to know about in your case yoga

4) There will be a box underneath the search box which will deplay different kinds of geberal types of exercises all pertaining to what you have typed in the search box
look for the exercise that best fits the desripition of exercise that you typed

5) below this area you will see more info and a tab to click which says: see calorie burner

6) click this tab

HERE IS LINK TO A VIDEO WHICH EXPLAINS HOW TO USE THE FITNESS TRACKER:

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos-
de
tail.asp?video=73

Edited by: GLITTERGIRL69 at: 8/31/2012 (16:39)

After a couple of years of observing, I am ready to commit to using all that Spark has to offer! I know I will have a lot of questions, but my first one is how to account for a yoga class on the fitness tracker?

HOW TO JOIN A GOAL:

1. Go to the team page
2. look toward the bottom of the team page right above the list of new members you will find the team goals
3. look at the list of team goals on the right hand side of each goal you will see the words

TRACK A GOAL:

You can track a goal 2 different ways . If you join a goal you should always track that you are doing it. Each time you have accomplished something within a goal you should track that you have done it.

1. You can track a goal while you are on the team page.
A. Look at the bottom of the team's page.
B. Find the goal you have joined.
C. On the right hand side the gaol it will say- track goal

In order to see the words, track goal, you must first join the goal. If you haven't joined the goal already these words will not appear.

2. Another way to track you goal: You do not have to be on the team's page to track your goal/s. If you go to the start page.


A. Look in the, my tools tab
B. The first tab within my tools tab is the start tab
C. Click the start tab
D. Once you have clicked the start tab you see be at your start page. In the first row you will see the words,my tools. Look down until you see the words, my sparkstreaks. It will look something like this:

My Sparkstreaks

Log in and spin the SparkPoints wheel
Ask God to help you lose weight 1 time or more per day

See More SparkStreaks

Click the words, see more sparkstreaks, once you do that you will be able to track your goals without going to the team's page.

If you have ANY questions PLEASE contact me. I would be more than happy to help in any way that I can.

You asked ,"How do I get to the forums?" I am guessing you mean how to you write a rely and read post within each forum.

Use the below steps to read or tyoe a comment to a post within the forum.

*****HOW TO RELY WITHIN A FORUM*****

follow the directions above then:

- look for the words: rely above the comments which were typed

- once you have found the reply tab and have clicked it type within the box provided

- after you have completed what you wanted to type click the tab which says post message

Edited by: GLITTERGIRL69 at: 8/31/2012 (18:44)

DON'T GIVE UP. ALWAYS TRY UR BEST. 1 BAD CHOICE DOESN'T RUIN UR WHOLE PROGRAM.
ALWAYS ASK FOR HELP WHEN IN NEEDED.

I'm back & starting over I was koookie01.This is very hard for me this time know the 1st time I came I was amazed at how God Helped me to loose weight.
I have a buddy,hopefully she'll join.
We have signed up for membership at a gym.
Again with God's help I can achieve my goals.
Sharon

Thank you my dear friend for encouraging our team members!

Dearest New SparkBabies,
1) Never get discouraged.One bad day,week,month is nothing compared to the courage you exhibited on starting this Life's Journey for a Healthier you.Take one day at a time;This is how God gives them.
2) Remember you are not alone. You have a great big SparkFamily that loves you & we are cheering each other on & keeping one another in prayer.
3)Give God the Glory for bringing you to SparkPeople. He is so Awesome &knows exactly what we need to help us with the hardest of problems.
4) Be Proud of yourself.
Have A Blessed Spark Day!! Connie

SparkPeople Community Guidelines
Standards & Guidelines

-- By Jen Mueller, SparkPeople Community Leader
SparkPeCommunity Standards and Guidelines

We are all here to work towards achieving our goals and helping others to do the same. In order to create a supportive and positive environment, there are some guidelines we observe when posting on the Message Boards. By making posts, you are agreeing to abide by the following standards:

Respect everyone’s opinions. Even though you might not agree with someone, that doesn’t mean they are wrong or deserve to be belittled. Remember that what works for you may not work for everyone else. Give everyone the same courtesy you would expect in return.
No profanity or explicit content.

No profile pictures that might be considered "inappropriate".
No posts that could be interpreted as threatening or harassment.
No advertising or product promotion is permitted. Any posts created with commercial intent will be removed.

No links that solicit for donations, contest votes, advertise a product, or promote a direct competitor's website are allowed in Message Board posts or on SparkPages.

No “posting for points”- meaning you cannot post messages multiple times (whether it is the same message or not) with the goal to get as many points as possible.
SparkPeople has the right to remove a post if it does not meet these standards.
You have the right to edit any of your posts.

If you have started a thread (such as a journal) that you want to close, please post a message indicating "THREAD CLOSED". We do not typically delete threads on request.
Understand that posts made by members do not necessarily reflect the views of SparkPeople and should not be taken as medical advice.

Posts submitted to the SparkPeople Message Boards are not considered confidential. These posts may be used by SparkPeople for any purpose without requiring permission from the originator.

Message Boards on the SparkPeople website will contain information that can be posted and viewed by anyone on the Internet. Please keep this in mind when sharing personal information on the site.

The Message Boards are a place to get advice and support from your fellow members. Our experts are not qualified to deal with serious issues like depression, suicide or other harmful situations. If you are involved in a situation like this, we recommend you contact a professional in your area , a trusted friend or family member, or call 911 (when the danger is immediate).

All SparkPeople diet advice has been approved by a Registered Dietician because it is considered to be a serious health issue. Because of this, please be careful about what you recommend to others, as it could be dangerous if you go outside of medically-accepted boundaries. We encourage members to help each other using the SparkPeople recommendations.

When posting news reports or articles, including articles appearing on the SparkPeople.com site, please post only a few sentences for the reader’s information and reference, and include a link to the rest of the content on the original site. Do not post articles, news reports, copyrighted photographs, graphics, images, audio, or other copyrighted material in its entirety unless you have obtained written permission from the relevant copyright owner(s).

All of these guidelines above also apply to our other Community features, such as blogs, SparkPages, SparkMail messages, article comments, and SparkTeams.

On the lighter side….SparkPeople’s vision is to make our community one of the strongest and most positive in the world! Here are some ways you can help us do that:
Be positive and encouraging at every opportunity.
Do everything you can to make others feel welcome.
Keep an open mind as others talk about their beliefs, goals and opinions- you might learn something!
Give everyone the benefit of the doubt that they are trying to help and have good intentions.
Tough love can be a helpful kick in the pants, but "tough" does not equal "mean".
Welcome all types of personalities and encourage people to be themselves.
SparkPeople reserves the right to terminate board participation or membership for failure to comply, or for any other reason we see fit. If you see a post that violates these Standards and Guidelines or have any questions, please contact jen@sparkpeople.com.

I am here as I was lead to two gals Spark pages to-day. I read their Sparkpage and it was at Erins page and read her full page her love in Christ Jesus that was a real inspiration and witness. I am a born again Christian and I love to be in fellowship with other sisters and brothers in the Lord. It was at
Ebloomin's page that I read a comment from Erin who made me think. We can be here to-day and gone to-morrow as my own sister and brothers have now gone in the presence of the Lord and my parents. Also a fire can break out and you have loss all your memories but you can never lose the Lord. So I was touched by Erin and I was touched by Elaines Ebllmin page. Embllmins page was a real eye opener also You never know what you leave in someones heart to want to come to be here to join fellowship and listen to the Love of Christ through others in here.. The title is so real. Can't Do This On My Own. So right. We can do nothing ourselves it is through him that we believe and trust in his strength and peace. His peace conquers all. We may leave him for some time but then he will lead us back. His love is so real. When that happens..

Beesparkle.

Edited by: BEESPARKLE at: 2/28/2011 (14:52)

What a sweet thing to add, thank you!

New Members?

Don't be shy!

Don't be overwhelmed

Snoop around

Log in EVERYDAY

Know that you are among good friends who care

I am very thankful for my Spark Friends and the Spark site.

Sparkpeople's Start Page

How familiar are you with Sparkpeople's start page? The start tab is located in your, My Tools tab. There are all kinds of features which can save you time navigating around this web site.

Click on the link below to find all the features on your start page. Don't forget to turn your speakers on.
www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/team_mes
sa
geboard_thread.asp?board=0x6603x3789R>9298

how to add a SP "pounds lost" icons www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/insider.
as
p?spiid=33

Edited by: GLITTERGIRL69 at: 1/8/2011 (04:07)

Thank you for leaving a comment on the post I created for new members. I am glad that you are enjoying this web site. There is so much help that this site offers. I hope you have a great week end. If you EVER have ANY questions please contact me. It takes time to learn how to do everything, it take me quite a while to figure everything out. There were a 2-3 things things that I did not know how to do a a year to a year in a half. so, you are not alone, we all started out the same way....learning! LOL

Take Care,

Shelly

Thank you for this post, it is comforting to know that I don't have to "do it all" on the first day. Getting frustrated because I can't do all of these things was very scary....I can make a change or two each day, small steps towards my goal. Thank you...

Hello, My name is Erin. I joined SP back in 02/2008. For personal reasons left, but came back shortly after. Have stayed in the shadows so to speak. But have lifted the veil and am back amongst the active and wanted to join a group and of course your is exactly what I am wanting and needing.
I am so glad to be here.
I had lost 65 pounds and have recently regained 12 of it. An emotional roller coaster has sent me into a tail spin, again. I am a reader and read Christian self help books.
To put it as simple as I can; I love the Lord!
Looking forward to joining this group.
Erin

My advice to new Sparklers would be to please jump right on in to your Team and start participating in the discussions. I have gleaned so much in doing that. I hope that helps somebody.

- Berta

Thanks for the warm welmcome on my page those of you who wrote. I really appreciate it!
I have really enjoyed looking through some of this team's message threads.
I am really happy to be here with all of the wonderful support.
Thanks!

Hi everyone! I just wanted to say hi and a big God bless everyone here. I am new here and need some prayers and encouragement! I am 63 yrs old, a widow, a parent of 2 boys ( one in heaven) and a servant of the lord now 50 yrs. Weight loss has always been an issue for me. I know what to do but fail at doing it. So encouragement from others would be awesome. Thank you Diane

I am so glad that this helped you. I don't really know how much people look at it, your one of the few people that have let me know it helped them. Thank you so much for letting me know!

This helped me so much to understand how to post etc. I had joined teams before but there was so much I didn't understand I never really could join in. Thank you. We all aren't computer geeks.lol

Hi, I found out from another member. I wrote you an email, and explained what she wrote. I hope you understand how to do it. If not please contact me, thanks.

I will find out and post the answer her and email you. I just aw your question today, May 9th. I will email you so you know I am looking. Give me a few days. I will contact you weather I find out or not. Do you have any more questions? By the way great job on 10 pounds lost!!!!

Edited by: GLITTERGIRL69 at: 5/11/2010 (01:44)

How do I retrieve the "I lost 10lbs." icon?

SparkPeople Insider

Track More Nutrients on Your Food Tracker

You already spend the time tracking your foods, so why not get more out of your tracking experience? It's easy to track your daily intake of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients on your Food Tracker. To add the nutrients you want to track:


1. Go to your myNutrition page (located under the "My Tools" tab at the top of the page).

2. Click the "Change Nutrition Goals" button at the top of the page.

3. On the next page, click "Add Another Nutrient to Track."

4. Select the nutrient of your choice from the dropdown tab and hit "Save" to finish. If you want to add more than one nutrient, click "Save and Add Another" to continue adding nutrients to your tracker.

Edited by: GLITTERGIRL69 at: 8/31/2012 (16:40)

You're welcome.

Thanks...I am starting my 3rd month and did not know about this. Thank You

How to use your start page

Sparkpeople has a really good video for new members to watch. In the video it tells you and shows you step by step how to do things that will make you sparkpeople experience much moe enjoyable because you won't be smuggling with the frustration of not knowing how to do so many new things.

~ VIDEO: Intro to the Power of Your Start Page

Get Started with Your Program and Find the Tools You Need

WHEN YOU WATCH THIS VIDEO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR SPEAKERS ON.


www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos-
de
tail.asp?video=104

By Nicole Nichols, SparkPeople Resident Expert

In this video, Coach Nicole explains how to get started with your SparkPeople program by navigating your Start page. Learn how to find your free, customized tools (Nutrition Tracker, Meal Plans, Fitness Tracker, Weigh-In page and SparkDiet stage), articles that matter to you, and navigate our popular Community features (Message Boards, SparkTeams, and your SparkPage).

Viewing Tip
To play the video, simply click on the Play button (bottom left corner) to start. Below the video screen, you'll find buttons for Pause, Stop, and volume control. If you have a slower internet connection, click play, wait a few seconds, then click pause. Wait until the video downloads (the red bar will move left to right) before playing.

~ Click on the help/FAQ ink below to have many questions answered about this site:

www.sparkpeople.com/community/help.a
sp


THE HELP/FAQ PAGE WILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ON THE PAGE:

Most Common SparkPeople Technical Questions:
How do I unsubscribe from emails or change my email address, user name, or password?

How do I add or edit the weight loss ticker, profile picture and/or a signature to my message board posts?

How do I close my account?

I want to totally restart my program. How do I reset my goals?

Where can I track my weight and measurements on the site?

How do I change my weight goal?

How do I turn off the meal plans and track my own food?

I don't like the meal plan I've been given, or some of the foods in it. How can I change or substitute it?

I don’t know why I’m not getting SparkPoints for specific activities. What should I do?

What are SparkPoints used for?

This link for the help/FAQ can be found on your start page. Look below to find out how to locate it:

1. Look at the top of this page and you will see a tool bar.

2. The first tab is called my tools. Within the my tools tab there is a tab called Start. Click on the Start tab.

3. Now you are on your stat page.
A. On the left hand side you will see the words START in bold font.

B. Under the word start you will see the words welcome (your user name) then, account/email preferences, then, HELP /FAQ it will look like this:

STAT
welcome________
account/email preferences
help/FAQ

4. Click HELP/FAQ

5. Once you get to the help/FAQ page you will be able to access this helpful video. This page will have the following questions, which are below, featured on it. Once you are on this page if you want to know any answers to the following questions just click on it and the answer will appear. You fist must be on the help/FAQ page, nit this one to receive the answers.

6. Look on the right hand side of the screen. (If you have a small monitor you may have to move the page the screen to the right hand side to see this). On the right hand side you will see 2 rectangular boxes. The first bow will have these words in it: browse all our frequently asked questions. Then below that box will be another box with the words, new to Sparkpeople view our new member member tutorial video.

7. Click on the second box. New to Sparkpeople view our tutorial videos. Then turn on you speakers & lean how to do all kinds of cool stuff which will help you reach you goals!

Edited by: GLITTERGIRL69 at: 8/31/2012 (17:44)

I am sotry that it took you team leaders so long to respond to your question. I have looked back at this thread to see if anyone has had a question, but you have been the fist person to ask a question since I stated this thread, which was at least 4 months ago. So I am very story you had to wait this long!

Ok, you asked, how do you retrieve your spakmail.

1. Go to the my tools tab.

2. Within the my tools tab thee is a spark mail tab.

3. Click on the spark mail tab.

4. You should be at you spark mail box now.


If you have any more questions please contact me.


Edited by: GLITTERGIRL69 at: 9/14/2011 (22:36)

I'm new to this team but feel God lead me here to. I have got some messages from some of the team members in my e-mail but don't know how to get to them.Can anyone explain it to me thru my sparkmail? I'm looking forward to seeing things happen for the good to those who are called according to his purpose . Please keep me in your prayers

Thanks for all your help.

Kathilyn

HERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL USEFUL INFORMATION:

SparkTeam "How To" Guide

Tips for Using Your SparkTeam Page
By SparkPeople

If you've joined a SparkTeam and want to become an active member of the Team, but aren't sure where to begin, then this guide is for you! We'll explain the SparkTeam basics so you can get the most out of your SparkTeam experience.

Finding and Accessing Your SparkTeams

You can access your SparkTeams in two easy ways. Both options will only work when you are logged in to SparkPeople.com.

Option 1:
From your Start page. Under the green "My Community" column on the right side of the page, you'll see the SparkTeams you belong to (in alphabetical order) in a box drop box.,

Option 2: From the Community tab on the orange tool bar at the top of the page . You can scroll over the Community tab at the top of any page on SparkPeople. From the dropdown menu, click on "SparkTeams" to get to your main SparkTeams page.

At the top of your main SparkTeams page, you'll see a list of all the SparkTeams that you belong to. Next to each Team are three checkboxes that you can check or uncheck at any time based on your preferences.

Check off "New Member Notification" if you want to be emailed each time a new person joins your Team (otherwise, leave it unchecked). Check off "New Topic Notification" if you want to be emailed each time a new thread (message board topic) is started in your Team (otherwise, leave it unchecked). Check off "Show On Team Map" if you want your location (based on zip code) to show up on your Team's map (otherwise, leave it unchecked). Click on the name of a Team to go to that Team's page.

~ Using Your SparkTeam Page

1. SparkTeam Huddle

You'll find your Team's Huddle on the right hand side of the team. It is under the names of the team leaders. You may notice there is an area on this page which moves. Comments made by other team members will scroll across the page providing movement. To learn more about Huddling and how to do it, click on the "What Is a Huddle?" link. Click "View Huddle Wall/Huddle Now" to see all comments and post your own.

2. SparkTeam Forums

Team Forums (message boards), which take up the largest amount of space on your Team page. Here are a few terms you'll see used in your Team forums on a regular basis:

3. Forum: A collection of related topics.

For example, the "Introduce Yourself" Forum contains threads where new members introduce themselves to the Team.

4. Thread- One topic of discussion in a forum. For example, "Hello, I'm Amy!" might be a new thread in the Introduce Yourself Forum.
Post- A response to a thread. For example, I might make a post to respond to Amy by saying, "Hello, Amy! Welcome to the Team!"

~ How your team page is organized

1. Depending on how your Team is organized, your Team may have two, three or four forums. By default, every SparkTeam has two forums: General Team Discussion Forum (typically used for a variety of topics) and Introduce Yourself to Team Forum (where new members to the Team post their introductions). Our team has three more additional forums:Healthy Lifestyle, Exercise (lists articles to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle) Video Of The Day (Free videos from Sparkpeople to do which help you lose weight) ,& Strength Through Jesus forum. Team leaders have the ability to add up to two more forums of their choice. For best organiz( posts from members about God) write posts, comments or questions in the these Forums.

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO YOU SEE MORE POST BY CLICKING -THE SEE MORE TOPIC TAB

2. Next to name of each forum is a number, such as 5/20. In this instance, 5/20 means you're seeing the 5 most recent threads on your Team's main page, but there are a total of 20 threads in that particular forum. So don't forget that what you're seeing on the main Team page is not everything! For each of the other sections, you'll see the 3 most recent threads, and need to click on the forum title to see the rest of the discussions.

The topics you see below each Forum title are threads.
Threads with the most recent activity (posts) will appear on the top, while older threads will appear below. Some Teams also have "sticky topics" within their forums. Team Leaders have the ability to make up to three topics in each forum "sticky," which simply means that the Leader thinks that thread is important and wants everyone on the Team to see it. Sticky topics will always remain at the very top of the Forum, with a red "Sticky Topic" icon next to them. When you join a new Team, it's important to check out these sticky topics before you start posting. Many times they will give you information about how the Team runs, suggestions of where to post, the purpose of each forum, etc.

If you want to respond in a thread:

1. click on the thread title. At the top of the next page
2. click on the "Reply" button to compose a response

If you want to start a new thread:

1. click on the forum title (such as General Team Discussion) that best fits the topic of your post.

2. At the top of the next page, click the "Create a New Topic" button to compose your message.

SparkTeam Map

Below the Team goals is a red button that says "View Team Map." By clicking here, you can see where other Team members are from (based on zip code). This is optional, so not every member will show up on the map.

Newest SparkTeam Members

At the very bottom of your Team's page is a section called "Newest Team Members." Here, you'll be able to see the 12 most recent people to join your SparkTeam, along with links to each of their SparkPages (if they have one). You can click on the red "View All Members" for a complete list of all Team members (and links to their SparkPages) too.

I hope this helps explain how SparkTeams work and how you can use them to help you reach your goals! If you have questions about your Team or aren’t sure where to post, contact your Glittergirl69- just send me an email. I am always here to help!

Edited by: GLITTERGIRL69 at: 8/31/2012 (17:07)

What a great way to understand this site.

Thank you,

Kathilyn

I find these activities enhance my SparkExperience enormously:

www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_jo
ur
nal_individual.asp?blog_id=2358681

You truly are a great team leader.

Do you have a question about how to do something? If you feel more comfortable posting your question/s here instead of contacting me or yatmama (team leader) Use this forum to have your questions answered.

If anyone would like to leave advice for new members, or answer any questions they might have, post your comments here.

Edited by: GLITTERGIRL69 at: 12/21/2009 (10:08)

Advice for New SparkPeople Members

A Little Help from Your Friends

By Jen Mueller, SparkPeople Community Leader


New members: You might have be nervous or excited about committing to a lifestyle change, worried about whether or not you would succeed, or overwhelmed at exploring all the tools and resources that SparkPeople has to offer. If you're experiencing these feelings as a new member, you're not alone. Even our most experienced and successful members had to start somewhere. Now, their experiences can help you.

Here are some pointers from long-time SparkPeople members that will give you a push in the right direction:

YVONNE.PALMER: "Remember to set short and medium term goals—especially if you have a long way to go. I have found that breaking my desired total loss into smaller chunks has helped me tremendously because the smaller bits are 'doable,' where the total number seems impossible. Also, I have found pacing myself to be vital. With the initial enthusiasm I had when I started, I wanted to rush off and start a huge exercise program. Common sense prevailed, though, because I knew I would not have the time or the energy to sustain that very long. By gradually increasing, I have managed to incorporate a lot more activity into my lifestyle and that is likely to remain rather than be ditched at the first hurdle." SparkPeople Sponsors help keep the site free!
CHUBETTE: "Use all the tools available on SP and find a buddy."

MARIEK1995: "Track everything—food, exercise, water...it makes a difference. Plus use the tools available, recipes, message boards."

REBCCA: "Begin each day by writing down five things you are grateful for, as cultivating an attitude of gratitude crowds out any deprivation feelings."

JAZZORAMA: "Take time to explore the site. Become familiar with all the wonderful tools available to help you on your journey, such as the food tracker and the exercise tracker. Also, concentrate on mastering your three 'Fast Break' goals: drinking 8 cups of water per day, going for a walk, not eating in front of the TV...whatever three goals you have chosen. Try to make those goals daily habits over time."

KARMABUG: "Involve yourself on the message boards. There is no better support than what we all give each other to help us reach our goals."

LILSPARKGIRL: "Be truthful and count every bite. Stick to the fitness plan. Shake it up and try new foods."

NANCYJAC: "Emphasize using the Resource Center. It is a great wealth of information on so many topics."

For more advice, or to share something that helped you when starting out, visit our What Advice would You Give to a New SP Member? Message Board thread.

I posted this for all the new people that joined Sparkpeople. I remember how many things I had to learn when I started. Please know that my main goal to is help people here on my team. Please feel free to contact me (glittergirl69) or Missy (yatmama) if you have any questions about anything. We are your team leaders, we both want to make this new experience great for you. Remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question. The only way people learn is by asking questions.

Edited by: GLITTERGIRL69 at: 8/31/2012 (16:41)