Ladies, I’m skeptical. If I hear Glee is a hilarious television show, I will not believe until I’ve seen the football team dancing to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” on the field. If you tell me Special K bars will make me lose weight, I won’t believe until I read the nutrition facts for myself. So when my co-worker raved about the benefits of fitness boot camps, I obviously did not believe her until I tried it myself.

Working out is hard enough already – do you really need someone yelling in your face the entire time? If I want to work out, I can do it entirely on my own. I’m just fine pounding the treadmill alone. With my iPod. And without any camouflage, baggy pants, and whistles! After 7^th grade, I resigned myself to the fact that I cannot do a pull-up, and I am more than fine with that. Plus, boot camp sounded so manly – I don’t want to look like one of those guidos from Jersey Shore.

But my very persistent co-worker convinced me to try out a mini boot camp. Her friend, a certified instructor, was running it for free, which sealed the deal. And because I never suffer alone, I dragged two of my friends along. Read More »

Students at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania aren’t very happy. And you probably wouldn’t be either if your school told you that you were too fat to graduate.

Sound rude? Yeah.
Are they right? Maybe.

But the real question is: does a university have the right to tell students that they have to lose weight?

As of now, Lincoln University is requiring all students with a BMI of 30 or more (which is considered obese) to enroll in a physical education course that meets three hours a week. Receiving a diploma will be contingent on them completing this course.

In other words, you may ace every course you take, but if you can’t walk up a flight of stairs to get to the classroom, you won’t be receiving a diploma come graduation time.

Some students find it unfair that they are being targeted because of their weight, claiming they came to college to get an education, which has absolutely nothing to do with their body mass index. On the flip side, the University claims that they are committed to aiding students in “achieving and maximizing students life goals” and that obesity is a factor that hinders this process. Read More »

I’m always looking for a new, interesting way to work out and keep me coming back for more. That being said, I’m also pretty picky. I don’t want to invest in something if I’m not sure that I’ll like it, and in the summer, I need something to help keep me accountable.

There have been so many times that I’ve said, “Oh, I can skip going to the gym today – I’m going to go on a run! And then go swimming!” But what really happens is…. I go to the air-conditioned mall. And eat Panda Express.

So, when one of my girls suggested we take a Bikram yoga class together, I was super excited. Having each other to go with make things fun, and we’d have to pay for the classes, so we’d stay accountable. Sounds like exactly what I’m looking for. Or it did before I actually took a class. Now, I’m just torn.

Love it:

- Weight loss. After a class, you’ve already sweated off some inches. A lot of inches. If those few dehydration-induced losses aren’t enough, the body supposedly burns fat more effectively when it’s warm. The extreme heat increases your metabolic rate, helps to detoxify, and supposedly helps you to stretch more than you would be able to in a normal climate.

- Easy to learn. There are only 26 easy-to-learn asanas. In my class, each pose was done twice and held for 30 seconds each, which was especially nice for me, because I’d never done yoga before with the exception of “Yoga Booty Ballet.” It was easy to follow and I didn’t get lost, but I have a feeling that since it was so easy and monotonous, it could get boring after awhile. Read More »

[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. Even if it involves some...er...alternative workouts.]

Now, I know what you may be thinking: I’m the same lady who, a few months ago, wrote a blog about how I felt about the ladies of the pole. You know – strippers. Now, while I voiced my opinion on how I felt about my boyfriend visiting them, I did not (and made it a point not to) bash strippers for what they were doing (their job).

So, when my girlfriend called me up a few weeks ago and asked me if I’d like to try a new workout class, which happened to be Introductory Pole Dancing, I was game. Hey, if nothing else I could get a feel for what it’s all about and maybe learn a thing or two… Plus, I had heard it was great exercise.

So, for $15 bucks, I signed up for my 90 minute (very long class!) workout around the pole. Read More »