[Exercise, health and fitness are an important part of every woman’s life. But how do you know if you’re doing it right? And what new findings, tips and advice will help you reach your health fitness goals? Kelly, our fitness guru, will keep you updated every Monday with the latest and most beneficial news and advice for your health and body. We’ve covered cardio fitness before, but this week we turn our attention to the often neglected workout of weight lifting.]

While most people tend to focus on the right types of cardio to get their most successful workout on, it’s not the only way to tone, shape and define our bodies into what we want them to be.

Lifting weights can often get a bad rap; lots of women think that weight lifting is designated for those big, steroid looking macho men that hang around the gyms. But, little do some know, weight lifting is perfect for all shapes and sizes; it’s just a matter of finding what works for you.

According to the lovely safe-weight-lifting-for-women.com, weight lifting can help women:
• Have easier weight loss or weight maintenance
• A leaner, stronger body
• Improved appearance
• Better posture
• Lower blood pressure
• Increased resting metabolism rate
• Improved balance and coordination
• Stronger bones, and protection against osteoporosis

Bet you didn’t know that, eh? Read More »

Miley’s not dead!!! YAY!

Brad Pitt channeling Charlie Chaplin!

Men are taking advantage of Paris Hilton!

What’s the right bang?

What’s gonna change now that change has come?

Baby Simpson-Wentz tricks Mommy!

Wanna roll in the benjamins? Don’t become a professor!

Shampoo gone bad? It’s still useful…

The world’s youngest king…

…and hottest Prime Minister

Man eaten alive by tigers…yikes!

Jamie-Lynn Sigler hearts Turtle? Yes, it’s true.

How sick are you of Billy Mays?

So winter is right around the corner (and for those of us on the East Coast, the last few days have felt like it’s already here. BRRR!), and we all know that winter means that every moment you spend outside - trekking to class, waiting to get into a bar/club, or just running necessary errands - suddenly seems a whole lot longer due to the frosty temps.

We also know our feet are one of the quickest body parts to feel that freeze and having popsicles for toes, well that can just ruin your whole day. However, you don’t have to give up style in order to keep those footsies warm; there are plenty of boot options out there that can help us escape the oversized, ugly appearance of so many snow boots and, yes, Uggs. (I’m sorry. Contrary to popular belief, I think these are far from fashionable and guys agree.) You can find them in all sorts of prices ranges, but I have found tons of adorable options that are all $150 or less.

Trudging around in snow up to your ankles can be a real pain, but there are some darling snow boot options out there. They may not be day-to-night kinda shoes, but at least they’ll keep you warm (and cute) on your way to class. Read More »

[Every week, CC and John will bring you some of the weirdest, funniest, saddest things he hears on his college campus. Join the Overheard revolution! Leave your own overheard convos in the comments.]

“So this sandwich - portabello and provolone, I mean, it should have been good — but I mean, it was, like, a slab of provolone. Like, exactly a blob. Like I was trying to eat a brick. And so then I ate it, and I went back to my room, and I threw it up, and it was like ‘Yup, now I get to have dinner again’.”

“My mom, you know, she’s pretty, but she’s not that pretty.”

“Yesterday, I did that thing where - you know? You’re, like, Wal-mart, and you’re Halloween shopping, but you end up in that weird kinda retail fog. And so you go, hey, furniture, maybe I want a … futon, and hey, mechanical stuff… I want some turpentine, and then you walk around some more and then you’re outside and it turns out all you bought was an industrial size thing of Cheez-Puffs.” Read More »

It’s time for some teen talk. There’s a whole new generation of teenybopper superstars, and it’s time for us college ladies to get aquainted with them. Miley Cyrus seems to be at the crest of the fame wave, but can Taylor Swift be far behind?

While Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus has been on the radar of the ‘tween set for quite some time, she really became a mega-uber-superstar in the course of the last year. It’s been a good twelve months since I first started hearing her single, “See You Again,” blasting from every room on my hall.  She made headlines when famed photographer Annie Lebowitz shot questionably tasteful photos of her for Vanity Fair. With a fiercely devoted fan base, bestselling albums and a movie and memoir in the works, you’d think Miley was the certified Queen of the Teenyboppers, pink tiara and all.

But not so fast, Hannah Montana. There’s another gal in town who’s ready to knock the spurs off your rockstar cowboy boots. Taylor Swift has been garnering press left and right about her sophisticated music and style. She’s been called the “most remarkable country music breakthrough artist of the decade,” and has upheld the honor by promising not to end up in rehab like some of her musician peers. And while she’s determined to stay out of the tabloids, she hasn’t always been successful–her tumultuous breakup with Joe Jonas has been providing intense gossip fodder this week.

So who is really on top of the tween rock scene? Billy Ray’s daughter steals the spotlight with her fun and kitschy persona, but Ms. Swift commands attention with her sweet and sincere lyrics. Who’s more likely to be rocking out on your iPod earbuds?

[I like to think of myself as a pretty easy going gal, and try not to sweat the small stuff. But sometimes (ok, maybe slightly more often) the general cluelessness, carelessness and overall stupididty of some things and or/people really gets to me. I find that venting is the most efficient way to rid myself of the stress that idiots, wrong meal orders, lack of cell phone ettiquette and cheese flavored products (that don’t even contain any freaking cheese!) induce. So, in an attempt to avoid an ulcer or an unfortuante road rage incident, I vent to you, dear reader. Please feel free to join in and comment about anything–really, anything–that pissed. you. off. this week. Let it all hang out. I feel you.]

Hanson.

You guys were the opening act to my young and turbulent love life. Zac, you and I shared something so special (which you didn’t know about, but poor Robbie who sat next to me in second grade sure as hell did—my Mmm Bopping skills were not as advanced as yours, unfortunately.) You guys pretty much paved the way for one of my most important imaginary relationships with Lance, JC and Justin (obv) and I eliminated the need for my Mom’s Laura Ashley wallpaper using only creepy pictures of the three of you looking girlishly innocent (um, except for you Isaac; sorry you had to go through puberty in the midst of your stardom). Surely you all knew how important it was to uphold your fine musical talent and the pride you all brought to Tulsa, right? WRONG! A quick little ‘where they are now’: Taylor is married (has been since he was 19!) with three kids and expecting numero cuatro. My beloved Zac is also wifed up and became a Daddy last May . Isaac, ironically now the hottest by far, is also married, with children. While I am super upset that they haven’t maintained their pop idol status and never named a song after me (but managed to get around to Madeline and Lucy!), the boys are out doing good in the world nowadays; their Walk tour is to raise awareness about HIV/Aids and poverty in Africa so yes, Hanson you still make my heart melt (suck it JoBros!). Read More »

The following is the second of a five-part series I’m calling “The Top 5 Things You MUST Do In College.” Everyone’s already heard about buying flip-flops for the shower, stocking up on veggies to avoid the Freshman 15, and to steer clear of mojitos before midterms, but there are other tips for enjoying college that the experts might have neglected to tell you about.

This series is meant to provide advice for getting the most out of college, rather than just getting through it. So far we’ve already discussed having a professor as a BFF, and now we’re going to explore the college town…beyond the pub crawl!]

College is a learning experience that extends outside classroom walls. You’re not just amassing knowledge from textbooks, but learning how to manage your time and live on your own. It sounds corny, but it’s true. And one aspect of learning at college that many tend to overlook is learning about your surroundings: your college town.

You may know the basic landmarks (the freshman bar, the frat bar, the upperclassmen bar, the jock bar), but if your only contribution to the local economy is your weekend drinking cash, you could be missing out on much, much more. Whether you go to a small college tucked away in the hills, or a major university in an urban jungle, there is sure to be something exceptional about the land just off campus. Read More »

When the nippy weather hits, there’s nothing quite like some delicious baked goodies to make staying in even more tempting. I have made these cookies for my annual Christmas baskets numerous times and they are always a big hit.

With Thanksgiving coming up, these are the perfect treat to wow the family or impress your boyfriend’s mom. Or, you can just eat them yourself. They are definitely worth every last calorie.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 ½ cups Craisins Read More »