Pin It to Win It: How Pinterest Helped Me Lose Weight

During finals last semester, I discovered Pinterest; the ultimate procrastination tool. You can design your perfect closet, plan the perfect wedding, look at a never-ending supply of attractive guys, not to mention drool over the most amazing desserts and find inspiration in fabulous quotes.
 
After days of pinning and re-pinning onto my numerous boards, I realized Pinterest might actual have a functional use in my life. Plenty of people that I follow had started “motivation” boards; a way to pin exercise ideas, tips, and pictures designed to inspire them to get off Pinterest and actually work out. But I was sure that while the pictures of women with their flawless bodies, washboard abs, and perfect skin would make me green with envy and motivate me at least mentally, I would never actually put into use anything I saw online.
 
How wrong I was. I stopped spending my time looking up wedding dresses I can never afford and clothes I would need to save years worth of paychecks to buy, and instead I started looking up healthy eating tips and recipes. I looked at the motivation boards and saw, not pictures of perfection I could never achieve, but exercises I could do at home in twenty minutes. I saw something that was attainable and within reach. And so, fellow pinners, I want to share with you the five best things I’ve found on Pinterest.
 
Let me tell you, you can do it. You can achieve your New Year’s Resolution of losing ten pounds. I’ve been following Pinterest advice, changed my lifestyle and my way of eating, and started working out on a daily basis. I’ve lost ten pounds and I’ve never felt better. Happy pinning!
 
1. Snacks: No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/peanut–butter–granola–balls/
 
2. Calorie calculator for when you exercise outside of the gym – great for if you love to dance, do yoga, jog around the block, or anything alternative!
http://www.superskinnyme.com/exercise_calculator.html
 
3. Motivational ideas – put $1 in a jar every time you go to the gym. When you have $100 saved up, splurge on something for the new you.
 
4. How to watch calories while still having fun – low-cal cocktails!
http://www.glamour.com/health–fitness/2008/12/5-best–low–calorie–cocktails#slide=1
 
5. Healthy recipes – I’ve found a million sites but these are some of my favorites:
http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/50-healthy–recipes–to–kick–off-2012/
http://www.skinnytaste.com/