By now, January 1^st, 2011 seems like a century ago. I mean, just think about how much has happened – good and bad – in the last five months.  Do you remember those little resolutions you made way back when? You know, when you were feeling optimistic and empowered and you were ready to change your life in 2011? Yeah, you probably gave up on them a long time ago.

And I’m here to get you back on track.

Now, I’m not talking about the resolutions like, “I promise to never drunk text my ex ever again.” Ladies, I’m not some magician here! (And really, who thought that was going to happen? Come on – get realistic!) I’m talking about the first month when you were able to get yourself out of bed at 7 AM, head to spin class and arrive in your Political Science class feeling like a super star. Remember all of that excitement and motivation you had? Where did that go?

If you stopped working out or leading a healthier lifestyle, ask yourself why. Did you get too busy? Did the routine bore you? Pinpoint the exact moment when you stopped sticking to your resolutions and then make a change for the better. Read More »

Everyone’s got a vice, a bad habit, something they know they need to change. Unfortunately, everyone also has a million excuses why they just can’t do it. Not anymore. Every month we will be following a different CollegeCandy writer as she takes on a personal challenge. Last month we followed Lauren from University of Michigan as she successfully went 100% sober. This month we’re following Norah on her quest to bring exercise into her life.

I am quite possibly the least athletic person you will ever meet.

When I was 12, my mother asked me not to run in public. “It’s embarrassing,” she said. “There’s something about the way you run that’s just…weird.”

Once I started college, my friends quickly diagnosed my problem: I run like a dinosaur.

Here’s why: When I was 4, I started taking Irish dancing lessons. Yes, like Riverdance. And in Irish dancing, you’re not allowed to move your arms—they have to stay straight at your sides. So when it came time to run, I didn’t know what to do with my arms. With no better ideas, I just pulled them up by my armpits and “took flight.”

Add in some exercise-induced asthma and a fear of flying sports equipment and it’s clear that I was never meant to be an athlete.

I’ve been accused of being lazy, of not really trying, of not being committed enough to get in shape. But I know that’s not it. In elementary school, when the rest of the class couldn’t play on the playground until the last person was done running the mile, I remember trying so hard to finish so my classmates wouldn’t hate me (fourth graders are fickle, fickle creatures). If the anger of my peers wasn’t enough to push me to physical fitness, I don’t know what is.

Read More »

If there is one man who knows fitness and health it’s Patrick Murphy.  We found him on Twitter, Tweeting away helpful advice snippets for the taking. And why should you do what this man says? Maybe because he is the man responsible for getting both Eva Longoria and Olivia Wilde their #1 spots on Maxim’s Hot 100. And did I mention that he was willing to sit down and talk to you?

Well not talk to you personally, but he did spend a long time on the phone with CollegeCandy telling us about the importance of switching up our workouts, why it’s crucial to stay hydrated and all the other tips and tricks he uses to get his clients into tip-top shape. Although be forewarned; this man is serious business when it comes to seeing results (i.e. opting for apples and green tea for dessert), so getting in shape his way is no easy task.

And there’s more! (I know!) His new website www.murphyfitness.com is launching today, July 1st, and members can download workouts, videos and keep a food diary where Patrick will give personal feedback to ensure success! And he’s giving away a FREE membership to one very lucky CollegeCandy reader. You (yes, YOU!) can look like Olivia Wilde for FREE. Get to know Patrick a bit and then find out how you can be one step closer to that banging bod…

5 Questions We Ask Everyone:

1.    What is your most ridiculous college memory/most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
I disappeared with a bunch of friends to Mexico without telling my family for like, almost a week. I just disappeared for like five days, that was really bad. I was just starting college so I was just experimenting and partying my ass off.

2.   What are five things you can’t live without?

Exercise, my wife,  my eyesight, contacting my mother every week, and I can’t live without staying hydrated… You’re gonna find out in this phone call that I’m kind of a fitness fanatic. I live and breath my job. I love it.

3.    What’s your motto/advice you live by?
Well, I say many things, but one of the things I like to say is that the root of all evil is the lack of circulation. So, everything – every problem that we have, mentally and physically with our bodies – is a lack of circulation.  That is the cause and root of all evil. That’s why cancer happens, why we have eye problems, why we have skin problems, why we have all types of problems. So,we gotta keep moving. Read More »

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Now that the holidays are over and my jeans are extra tight from the cookies and cakes I stuffed in my face the past week (I know you’re feeling it to0, ladies!), it’s time to start thinking about how to improve (and drop the holiday weight) for the New Year.

Instead of making that vague “I’m gonna work out this year!” resolution that never works, why not take a more focused approach? Here are a few resolutions that will get you on track for actually fulfilling your fitness goals in 2009. My opinion: start small:

- Start a Workout Program: If you don’t work out regularly, make it a point to do so. Join a gym (many have holiday specials still going on until Jan 1st!) and get into a routine where you hit the gym a few times a week. Don’t set an unrealistic goal (“I will run 10 miles, 4 days a week.”) – even if it’s just to start walking on a treadmill or taking a pilates class or two, you’ll never believe the difference it can make!

- Increase Your Workout: If you’re a regular, every day worker-outer like myself, start increasing your daily dose of exercise. For example, I normally run 1.5 – 2 miles a day and do ab work for about 15 minutes. Starting this week, I am upping my workouts to at least 2.5 – 3 miles a day with increased stretching and core focus on my abs to get that six pack (wishful thinking!) by the summer. Read More »