How to use LoseIt.com to lose weight

Summer might be just around the corner, but there’s still time to drop a few pounds. And even if you hate counting calories, there’s still a fun way to get that hot bod. Guess what — you can even do it with your friends via social networking.

Please welcome guest guest blogger Kenya Pinto, who is shedding baby fat with the help of a website called LoseIt.com. She’s got me hooked on it now too!

Here’s her story:

Hey Guys!

I’m so excited to tell you about Lose It! discovered it through a friend via Facebook.  Lose It! is a great program that tracks your daily food and exercise to help you reach your weight and fitness goals.  It was originally created in 2008 as an iPhone app but now it’s also available online at www.LoseIt.com.

I am a 40-year-old single mom from Manhattan and I have been struggling with my weight since I had my baby  — she is now 16 years old.  My personal goal is my pre-pregnancy weight, which is about 50 pounds less than I am now.  But it’s also a great tool if you only want to lose a few pounds or even just maintain and track your weight.

In my first week, I lost 5.2 lbs. My friends who have joined Lose It! are seeing similar results. All that’s required for the program to work for you is that you log every thing you eat and everything you do for you exercise.

One of the awesome things about this program is that you can friend people like you would on Facebook. They can join you in your journey to better health! And what’s better motivation that getting fit with your homies! Here’s what my Lose It! profile looks like:

An approach to losing weight for the Facebook generation

Unlike other weight management programs Lose It! is totally free. When you invite your friends to join, there’s no hesitation to make a commitment.  Since Lose It! is also compatible with Facebook and Twitter; you have the option to link your account to your Facebook and Twitter friends so that they can see your progress.

But that’s not all. Lose It! is totally customizable. You can decide the level of privacy you want. It also has customized reports sent to you on a weekly basis. Plus, there’s a huge food database that does most of the calorie-counting work for you.

Being on this website has other benefits too…I am much more motivated to exercise. I didn’t think my legs were capable of this, but I started walking 5 miles a day a few times a week — and it has been great! I actually crave walking now! I love walking along the Hudson River waterfront in Manhattan. Being there feels like I’m on a vacation in my own city. I also just started swimming and while I’ve never actually swam for exercise in the past, I find it invigorating and easy on my body.

Give it a try!  What do you have to lose except excess weight!?!

~Kenya

Kenya Pinto is currently a full-time student at The New School. She lives in Manhattan with her daughter and their cat. Kenya’s favorite meal is veggies and provolone cheese in a habanero wrap. Or, a roasted poblano stuffed pepper w/ quinoa veggies topped with mozzarella cheese.

Our thanks to Kenya for sharing! We first met when she was a student in one of my New School classes. As often happens, my former students become true friends. I can’t thank Kenya enough for reaching out to me and supporting my quest for a good food, good living regimen. As a former junk food addict, I know better and need to live that way on a consistent basis.

If you’d like to see a little YouTube video on how the LoseIt.com site works, here’s a tour of my profile on the site. This is the first time I’ve ever had fun counting calories: