One would be surprised after looking at Lauren Rabadi’s boards that she was never into sports or any sort of physical activity as a kid or young adult. However, after researching more about healthy diet foods on the market, Lauren became more and more interested in clean eating, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle. Her mission to eat clean and stay fit has helped her acquire more than 3.6 million followers on Pinterest.
We recently caught up with Lauren to talk about what motivated her to make a big lifestyle change, her advice for those of us who can’t even make it to the gym once a week, and what she hopes to accomplish next.
We were surprised to hear that clean eating and exercise are relatively recent interests for you. What inspired you to become health conscious?
It was a pretty recent lifestyle change for me. I got into health and fitness about two years ago. I started to watch what I was eating and got crazy about counting calories. One day I realized I couldn’t keep living like that, constantly thinking about the numbers, and that there had to be a better way to stay fit. I researched clean eating and discovered it’s a healthier, and easier, way to live. Instead of counting calories, I was able to enjoy a variety of foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, and I could eat as much as I wanted to!
Tell us a little bit more about what you share on your blog.
I created a guide called iFit, but I’ll be changing the name since I discovered iFit is a Wii game. So my “to be named” board is all about clean eating and it’s a guide for anyone who has questions or wants to share a recipe, or information they have, with like-minded people. I post recipes and healthy lifestyle tips on my blog to show people how easy it is and to encourage others to eat clean and live healthier.
When did you start using Pinterest and what got you hooked?
I got on Pinterest a couple years ago after my friend sent me an invitation to join. I only started really using it last summer. I wanted to motivate myself, so I started pinning cute clothes, fitness workouts to incorporate into my routine, and health food recipes on a regular basis.
What would you say is the best workout routine you’ve found on Pinterest?
Pinterest has opened me up to the world of yoga. I never thought stretching could be fitness but I found this “good morning yoga” infographic pin where you wake up with yoga. Now I try to do it every morning!
What is your favorite food recipe on Pinterest?
I would say the best healthy food recipe I’ve found on Pinterest is this homemade protein bar. I really like it because commercial protein bars are loaded with chemicals and sugars that I don’t want to eat. The ingredients for this protein bar are good for you and you can make it in minutes.
What advice would you give to those who find it hard to incorporate exercise and a healthy diet into their daily routine?
My advice would be that it’s important to start off slow. A lot of times we want to launch full speed into a new diet and workout regimen, and then after two weeks we get tired or miss a class at the gym and use it as an excuse to go back to our old habits. It’s best to start small. For example, start walking and stop drinking soda. After a few weeks, start running and in addition to cutting out soda, stop eating chips. Start with small goals and step up your commitment when you’re ready and think you’ll be able to stick with it.
What’s next for you?
My day job is working in logistics and making sure product makes it from Point A to Point B. Since I’ve recently become very interested in health and nutrition, I’m thinking about applying to a post nutrition program and hope to be a culinary nutritional consultant so I can guide clients’ nutrition, lifestyle, and health choices.
If you would like to follow Lauren for more healthy lifestyle tips, visit her social links below: