So here you are, 10 levels above hangry and ready to face-plant into your amazing post-workout meal. But wait, you remember you have to Instagram. You run around trying to find the right lighting that captures the beauty of each strawberry in your yogurt bowl or every plump tomato in your salad. You try different angles and mess around with filters on your phone. Finally, you capture the perfect shot and can eat your meal with ease, especially knowing your Instagram like-to-minute ratio is going to be fire.

Running a fitness Instagram is no easy task, but with dedication and passion it can become one of the greatest hobbies. I started my fitness Instagram account two years ago with extremely awkward close ups of my food, blurry progress pictures, overly cheesy inspiration quotes and plenty of caption typos. Over time, I learned what it takes to run a successful Fitstagram and have been able to grow my account into something bigger and better each day.

So, what exactly does it take? Here we go:

1. Constant posting

fitness Instagram

Photo courtesy of @healthy_kelsey on Instagram

I’m talking 4+ Instagram posts a day. That means a lot of picture snapping of your food (and even your friends food). You want to remain relevant and in people’s feeds so they don’t forget about you. The more you post, the more exposure your account will get.

2. Hashtags are the name of the game

fitness Instagram

Photo courtesy of @healthy_kelsey on Instagram

At the end of each one of my posts I have an obnoxious amount of hashtags like “#fitspo” or “#healthybreakfast.” This helps make sure my posts appear when people go searching for specific pictures.

3. Tag, you’re it

fitness Instagram

Photo courtesy of @healthy_kelsey on Instagram

Tag relevant brands, people and places in your pictures. I have found that when I tag the company associated with some of the foods I eat, they will either comment on the picture or even offer to send products to review. Free stuff for the win.

4. Comment, like and follow

fitness Instagram

Photo courtesy of @healthy_kelsey on Instagram

The fitness Instagram world is a community. It’s driven by support and motivation from each account. I always comment encouraging things on people’s progress pictures, or mention how delicious someone’s dinner looks. The supportive comments are a way of connecting you with other users.

5. Switch it up

fitness Instagram

Photo courtesy of Drew Osumi

Give your followers some variety by posting not only food pictures but workout clips, quotes, and my personal favorite: selfies. A little self-love never hurt anybody, right?

Bonus: Giveaway

fitness Instagram

Photo courtesy of @healthy_kelsey on Instagram

This isn’t at all mandatory, but it’s a great way to give back to your followers. When I hit mile markers like 1,000 and even 5,000 followers, I hosted really small giveaways. I asked that people repost my giveaway and tag me so that I could see their post. Then I randomly selected the winner and sent them a small box of both health related goodies, and treats like candy and baked goods. This helps show people you appreciate them and, again, get more exposure for your account.

I have made so many friends within the Fitstagram community and have been inspired by their journeys, recipes, and workouts. I’m constantly striving to make my account something that motivates my followers to keep pushing towards their fitness and health goals. I highly recommend starting a fitness account if it even seems like something you might like to do. It has changed my life, and I promise it’ll change yours too.

Sorry, time for the personal plug. Here’s my account, give it a follow if you want to see just what I’m talking about: @healthy_kelsey.