Just like everyone else, this year I pledged to finally start working out and eating better. Part of it is vanity — who doesn’t want to look good in a bikini at the beach this summer? — but the other part is knowing that, as I get older, I have to start taking care of myself if I want to live a long, healthy life.

The problem is, I’ve always had a hard time getting (and staying) motivated — but not anymore! I recently signed up for an online fitness tool, MyFitnessPal, which helps me eat better and lose weight by keeping me accountable for what I’m eating.

When you’re creating your free account, MyFitnessPal will have you input your current weight and then enter your weight loss and fitness goals to come up with your calorie goal for the day. Note that this is only a suggestion and you should find what works best for you based on your lifestyle — I actually raised my calorie goal a little bit because I felt mine was too low and I was starving, and now I’m having no trouble staying within my allotted calories (and I’m still losing weight).

Then, just log all the foods you eat into your food diary (there are thousands of foods in their database, and you can even add your own if it’s not listed). My favorite thing is logging the calories I burn after doing cardio exercise — I love that it gives me a little extra wiggle room if I feel like having dessert (or an extra glass of wine)!

MyFitnessPal is more than just an online food journal. Additionally, it’s also a great web community where you can connect with other like-minded individuals that are trying to get healthy. Read blogs and tips from other MyFitnessPal users and connect with friends to motivate one another. A few of my work friends are on MyFitnessPal, and we’re always talking about our own progress and goals, and it’s nice to see each other’s progress. Plus, losing weight and/or trying to get in shape is so much easier with friends, because you have a support system that keeps you motivated!

This is the longest I’ve ever stuck with any weight-loss regimen — I’ve been sticking with MyFitnessPal fairly religiously for almost a month now, and I’m loving my results!

Laura is a St. John’s University grad who spends way too much time watching TV and imagining the characters are her best friends. She’s addicted to online shopping, dessert, and Pinterest. Follow her life at @lkdondero.

8 healthy Valentine’s Day gifts that aren’t lingerie

Tighten your tummy with the ultimate ab sculptor

Learn how Madonna stays healthy and fit

40 Recipes to satisfy your chocolate cravings

Want to work out at work?

How to lose weight and keep it off

Get the three steps to staying motivated while working out

Check out this pound melting pilates video

Pycnogenol: What the heck is it?

Could sugar be worse than tobacco?

Get these Valentine’s Day recipes

What is the ideal workout schedule?

What are the best and worst burgers?

Newt Gingrich thinks Brad Pitt should play him in a movie.

Do teen girls need more “protection“?

Miley Cyrus bought a new car… with cash.

Look cute while watching the Superbowl.

7 perfect V-day gifts!

Are your psychological problems determined by your favorite princess?

Movies girls love!

How does stress effect your skin… and your confidence?

Let’s sort out female stereotypes using a flowchart.

Snooki just wants you to know she’s not pregnant.

The secret to beautiful skin.

Things I didn’t need to know about Daniel Radcliffe: this.

Check out the Vanity Fair 2012 Hollywood issue. Gorgeous!

The 10 worst things you can say in bed.

So, do men really prefer big boobs?

The Free People February catalogue is amazing.

All the signs you need to know whether he loves you or not.

Stressed? Have the best shower ever

Fire up your metabolism, here!

They exist…healthy alternatives to Girl Scout Cookies

Five fun ways to use Pinterest

The Ultimate Fitness Workout

New Trend: The Man Bun

Low-cal superbowl food alternatives

Is it safe to lose ten pounds in a week?

Ten songs to add to your workout playlist

Is diet soda addictive?

Brown fat – everybody’s talking about it. You’ve probably seen it floating around in the headlines, because it’s been a major part of a lot of the latest health research. But what exactly is it?

Simply put, brown fat is fat that is, well, brown. And it does things that sound almost too good to be true – it actually burns calories. And a new study shows that exercise can convert regular white fat into calorie-burning brown fat. Which means that the more you exercise, the more calories your body will be able to burn at all times. Brown fat is also triggered by cold temperatures. When your body is cold, brown fat starts burning calories to warm you up. And it actually uses white fat from other parts of the body to fuel itself.

At first, scientists thought it was only found in rodents. Rodents can’t shiver to keep warm like other mammals do, so it was thought that brown fat made up for that. But about three years ago, researchers discovered that humans have brown fat, too. And now that we know about it, lots of people are starting to wonder if brown fat could be the key to weight loss, especially for people who are really struggling to lose weight. If someone could develop a drug to “turn on” that brown fat, it would be a major breakthrough. Not to mention a cash cow.

But wait a second. Don’t go running outside without your jacket on just yet. These are short-term results, and researchers say they don’t know much about how brown fat behaves over long periods of time. So no weight loss ice baths! For now, just enjoy the knowledge that your brown fat is being activated every time you exercise.

What to eat before working out

Cure any hangover with these tips!

How to wake up early and go work out!

Have you tried The Happiness Diet

How to get motivated

Freezing? Here are some tips for working out in the cold

Should you work out today?

Build a life around your passion

Break your sugar habit!

Rev up your metabolism with these tips

Wait, there are calories in Girl Scout cookies?

Curb cravings!

Why you should try fitness games

What all those organic food labels really mean

How to beat the winter blues

10 songs to add to your running playlist

The best winter diet recipes

Are these healthy eating myths ruining your diet?

How your phone can help you get in better shape

Can you guess which of these cereals is healthier than the other?

How to get motivated to start a new fitness program

]]> http://collegecandy.com/2012/01/16/candy-dish-healthy-candy-25/feed/ 1 ccandystaff http://collegecandy.com/2012/01/16/body-blog-puff-puff-pass/ http://collegecandy.com/2012/01/16/body-blog-puff-puff-pass/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:00:12 +0000 Garnet Henderson – Columbia U http://collegecandy.com/?p=143583 ]]>

4/20 is months away. So why is it that you’re seeing people smoking weed everywhere you go? Maybe it’s because a new government study just concluded that regularly smoking pot, even over a period of several years, does not impair lung function. Really.

As you would probably guess, marijuana is the country’s most-used illegal drug, especially among teenagers. Another government report released in December showed that one in 15 high school students smokes pot almost every day. So basically, this study is great news for a huge number of Americans.

The study had over 5,000 participants who were monitored over a period of two decades. Researchers were looking to determine whether or not smoking marijuana causes damage to the lungs, and, specifically, whether smoking pot is as harmful as smoking cigarettes. The scientists found that people who regularly smoked marijuana – an average of one joint per day for seven years – showed no decrease in performance on a lung function test. The test measures the amount of air a person can force out in one second after taking a deep breath. Cigarette smokers do show a loss of lung function when given this test.

Lung function did begin to decline in test subjects who were heavier marijuana users. And people who smoked a combination of marijuana and cigarettes also experienced impairment. But ultimately, the researchers concluded that moderate marijuana use does not decrease lung function, and is not a risk factor for respiratory disorders like COPD. One theory as to why marijuana smoke is less harmful than tobacco smoke has to do with pot’s active ingredient – THC. It’s possible that the natural anti-inflammatory effects of THC actually interfere with the development diseases like COPD.

The government does, of course, want to remind you that smoking pot carries risks. Marijuana does irritate the airways in the short term and it reduces attention span, heightening your risk of accidents. It can also lead to problems with learning and memory. But come on, you have to admit it’s kind of hilarious when government scientists say it’s ok to smoke weed.

Garnet is a student at Columbia University in New York City. When she’s not dancing or writing, she can be found exploring the city, and let’s be honest, spending way too much time on the internet. Follow her @garnethenderson.

As if 16 & Pregnant and my 7^th grade health class didn’t give me enough reasons to never produce offspring, turns out there’s a bunch of other aspects of pregnancy that scare the hell out of me. Maybe I’m biased since I’ve never had much of an interest in having kids, but just consider this a fair warning from one female to another: if you don’t want to deal with the following, not to mention the actual raising of a human child, USE PROTECTION. Moving on.

1) Morning Sickness

One of the first things many think of when they hear the word “pregnancy” is morning sickness. “Oh, that’s nothing,” you may say. “I spent a whole night vomiting after Bobby’s house party, I can deal with a morning or two.” Oh, really? Morning sickness, which occurs in over half of all pregnant women and is often due to increased estrogen levels, doesn’t always stick to the morning. In fact, the nausea may last throughout the day and, in severe cases, excessive vomiting can lead to dehydration, weight loss, heartburn, flatulence and a host of other lovely side effects. This “extreme” morning sickness is called hyperemesis gravidarum and can land one in the hospital. Not so easy to deal with anymore, huh?

2) Diastasis recti

Diastasis recti is a separation between the left and right sides of the abdominal muscle during pregnancy. After you push that little rascal out, however, the walls stay separated, and what looks like a ridge runs down the middle of your belly (for the love of all that is holy, do not Google this image). In severe cases, if a woman becomes pregnant again, the outline of the uterus or fetus may appear to stick out of the stomach. I imagine it’s quite similar to that scene in Alien, but having no experience, I can’t be sure.

3) Incontinence

Incontinence (otherwise known as involuntarily peeing yourself) and pregnancy go hand-in-hand. The adorable bun growing in your oven unfortunately applies increasing pressure to your bladder. One inopportune sneeze and someone’s gonna have some cleaning up to do. However, hope is not lost! Turns out Kegel exercises (basically crunches for your lady bits) can help control leakage. So should you ever have trouble with the plumbing down there, there is a solution. Just sayin’.

4) Weird Skin Changes 

I’m not talking about that “pregnancy glow” in which pregnant women apparently take on characteristics of a Twilight vampire. The skin changes I’m referring to aren’t so attractive (not that glowing is necessarily attractive, but I digress). One common condition is chloasma. This occurs in 50-75% of pregnant women and is caused by increased melanin in the skin, which basically means you develop brown and/or yellowy patches, usually on your face. There is also an increased likelihood of spider veins and skin tags, as well as the development of acne because of the extra hormones now coursing through your body. As if this wasn’t enough to make you appear like you roam the bowels of an opera house (Phantom of the Opera anyone?), around one percent of pregnant women also develop PUPPS: that is, pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy. Basically, these are itchy, red patches on the thighs, butt, abdomen and other extremities. Again, the faint of heart should not Google this.

5) Cheeseburger Crotch

Oh yeah. I went there. While I’m not sure if this is the correct medical terminology, “cheeseburger crotch” refers to a swelling of the vulva, which makes it appear as if you have stuffed a Big Mac into your panties. Cheeseburger crotch also comes with other wonderful side effects, such as itching, discharge and odor. Fabulous. Oddly enough, this term is safe to Google, but don’t say I didn’t warn you if you decide to explore.

In conclusion, ladies, pregnancy isn’t what they make it out to be in the movies. A bit of vomiting, some crying, maybe a little weight gain and then you get an adorable baby in the end. You can’t fool me, Hollywood! And now you readers won’t be fooled either. Be careful what you wish for.

Isabel is a sophomore at the University of Delaware. When not out unintentionally offending people, she enjoys the use of bad puns and a nice solo cup of whatever’s cheapest. Follow her inane tweets @IzzyAndTheJets.