While most people’s gym routines differ – I, for one, have always been an elliptical girl and hate the stationary bike – it’s safe to assume that almost everyone incorporates a “cool down” into their cardio program. After running for 30 minutes at 7 miles per hour, you’ll knock your speed down to 3 and spend five minutes jogging or walking before you hop off the machine. Many pieces of gym equipment even include a 5-minute cool down automatically, tacking it on to the end of your desired workout. All of this is supposed to prevent soreness or muscle damage and relieve strain on the heart.

According to University of Texas physiologist Hirofumi Tanaka, however, there’s no proof that a cool down has any positive benefits on the body. “Everyone thinks it’s an established fact, so they don’t study it,” he said in a recent New York Times article. The article notes the ambiguity of the concept as a whole, noting that it’s not even clear what a cool down is supposed to be or how long it should last.

Apparently, the cool down became standard gym practice after it was reported that muscles become sore after exercising due to the accumulation of lactic acid. This theory has been reported false, leading people to believe that reducing the intensity at the end of a workout (which was supposed to let the lactic acid dissipate slowly) is unnecessary. The article does note, however, that blood can build up in your legs and feet if you stop running (or biking or ellipti-cizing) shortly, making dizziness or even fainting a possibility. Read More »

Looks like Balloon-boy’s family wants to be famous.

Madonna’s making enemies.

Did Nicole Richie tie the knot??

Let’s talk about credit card debt.

Spotted: Posh Spice on Gossip Girl!

This must be the son of Superman.

Normally for the Weekly 10, I find myself counting down things that piss me off. You know, like phrases that suck and uninspired Halloween costumes. So I’ve decided to give you a mix tape for putting up with me airing my grievances Letterman-style.

However, this mixtape is extra mixy. I present to you: my top ten favorite mashups. Wikipedia defines a mashup as, “a song or composition created by blending two or more songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the music track of another.”  Basically smushing two songs together to make an even cooler one.

Yeah, I was inspired by last week’s episode of Glee; how could you not be? That show is so. damn. good.

Let me know if I missed any other greatness. Read More »

Week after week (after week after week…), CollegeCandy and our pal John bring you some of the weirdest, funniest, and saddest things he hears on his college campus. And we know he’s not the only one who hears this stuff. Join the Overheard revolution! Listen in on some weirdos’ conversations and share them in the comments or send ‘em over to us to put in next week’s post.

(Woman, to her son, in a CVS.)

Mom: Look! Thanksgiving! You’re not scared of Thanksgiving, right?

Kid: Waaaah!

(Two students in an education class.)

Student 1: One of my girls spelled “pennies” wrong today. I was laughing way too hard to correct her.

Student 2: The funny part will be when she’s working with the national treasury. ‘The most outdated part of our financial system is the penis!’ Read More »

Once you reach the age of 16 Halloween has permanently been transformed from a day where you dress up as something disgusting and stuff your face with candy to the one day a year it is socially acceptable to have your lady parts hanging out all over the place (although I’m still a sucker for those gummy eyeballs).

I would venture a (pretty accurate) guess that Halloween may be guys’ favorite day of the year, perhaps after Valentine’s Day when girlfriends everywhere trade their sweats for lacy, red baby dolls. For an entire night college guys get to sit back, beer in hand and ogle the boobs and asses that shimmy past. Not to mention that their fantasies come to life for that one night. Sexy nurse? Slutty cheerleader? Hot maid? Now that I think of it, this day isn’t a day of ghouls and pumpkins at all – it’s a day to celebrate and indulge the horny-ness of men.

Obviously, us girls aren’t completely opposed to this idea. We take a disgusting amount of pleasure in shimmying into a spandex costume that leaves nothing to the imagination, sucking down some jungle juice and taking five million pictures as our slutty character of choice. But that doesn’t mean that this setup is fair. If we are transforming ourselves into a man’s wet dream, shouldn’t they do the same in return?

Sorry guys but the “funny” costumes just aren’t doing the trick. Yes, there will always be that goofball who comes dressed as a girl or a penis, and we appreciate their humor. We will even take 85 pictures with this person and possibly even dance with him. But leave these costumes to the scrawny clowns with nothing to flaunt. If you have muscles of any kind, we would like to see them.

Us, girls need a little eye candy too, you know. Read More »

We all come into college fearing that we won’t make a single friend our freshman year. So I patted myself on the back when I found a group of girlfriends that I fit in with right away. But I realized that these were new friends and could change their mind about me at any minute with no remorse, so I was always sure to be on my best behavior.

One night, we had all gone to dinner at our on-campus bar and restaurant. We were with a few older guys and they were sneaking us beer after beer, and it wasn’t long before I realized that I was three sheets (and 6 beers) to the wind. Doing my best to hold my ground and act like I wasn’t starting to feel that buffalo chicken sandwich churning in my stomach, my friends were surprised when I asked them to accompany me to the bathroom with a look of urgency in my eyes.

Three of us gathered around the tiny stall as I proceeded to barf up my entire meal and then some. They followed the standard friend protocol, holding my hair back and rubbing my back. Little did they know what they were about to witness. Read More »

My Italian Nana had seven children. Seven. Needless to say, she was the queen of easy recipes and delicious meals made from the leftover scraps of last night’s dinner.

Now, I’m pretty sure none of you people have 7 kids, but you do have a full course-load and weekends spent laying in bed watching TV. Yeah, you’re busy and there’s not much time to cook, which means my Nana’s recipes are perfect for your college life.

And the best/easiest/warms-your-tummy from-the-inside-out recipe: Nana’s Turkey Tetrazzini. It sounds fancy, and tastes fancy, but it’s super easy (got a bowl and a spoon? You’re good to go) and quick to make (open, pour, mix, cook). And it can be made vegetarian! Just take out the turkey.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp chopped celery
2 Tbsp chopped black olives ( I put in lots more)
1 and a half to 2 cups cooked turkey (or chicken!), cut in pieces
8-12 oz cooked pasta, like spaghetti
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup water or chicken broth
¼ cup white wine or sherry, if desired (and who wouldn’t desire a little wine in their dinner…and the rest of the bottle while they make it?!)
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Bread crumbs for topping Read More »

Military jackets are trendy for fall and will keep you warm as the temperature cools. Here are two ideas on how to wear this piece:

Street chic
Wear a military jacket with skinny jeans and ankle boots for an edgy vibe. Layer over a tank with jewelry that matches the jacket’s buttons or embellishments.

Read More »

We all know Americans are lazy. We have the highest obesity rate in the world and we’re more well-known for our fast food chains than anything else. Except maybe Paris Hilton…which is even more depressing.

But how can we convince people to live more active lives when we’re constantly bombarded with inventions and machines that make it so easy to do everything without doing anything? Perhaps we should be taking some tips from the Swedish. They’ve come up with a brilliant plan to get people to get off their lazy asses and onto the stairs.

By making them fun.

How cool is that? Just imagine how much more fun your life would be if they installed this in your city. You’d be like Beethoven…with a great ass.

College. Sigh. It’s unlike any other time in your life. It has its own set of rules, its own unique circumstances. And it’s not always easy to navigate. Enter…me! Every week I’ll be tackling your questions about college. From classes to keggers, I’ll do my best to respond and be your Pez dispenser of collegiate wisdom.

Got questions? Hit me up in the comments or shoot me an email at melanie@collegecandy.com

Here’s a question: How do I pick my Major? So many options its ridiculous. – Kate
Very true, and I’ve tried them all. Business. English. Human Services. Journalism. True story, I’ve changed my major four times. Trying everything is my recommendation. I personally had a difficult time in the business program because I was unable to explore all the different classes my school had to offer. Switching to Arts and Sciences let me try out sociology, psychology, communications and still pick up some business classes.

You have to do what feels right for you and don’t sweat your career too much along the way. Some of the smartest people I know have the most obscure undergrad degrees. It’s why we have graduate school. Talk to people who have careers that interest you, find out what they majored in and settle into a track that feels best for you. If you do what you love, money and success will follow.

How do I meet cool friends without getting involved in Greek Life?
Yes, some schools are crazy about being Greek (and announcing their affiliation via letters plastered across their boobs and butts).  It’s not for everyone, though. If you’re on a college campus chances are there are tons of activities and outlets to meet people. Love to draw? Join the art club to find others who share your passion for Crayola crayons. Want to meet people and get sweaty? Club and intramural sports. Political science major? Student government. Get involved and you’ll meet people who share your passions. Even if it’s for Rock Paper Scissors. Read More »