As anyone knows, college is a cesspool of unhealthiness. There’s the lack of sleep, the surplus of late-night eating and, of course, the dreaded alcohol.

Fortunately, for all you weight watchers out there, there are some simple and tasty low-cal cocktails that everyone can love without fearing the love handles.

Cherry Pom-arita — A measly 105 calories!

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. tequila

4 oz. Diet 7UP (or another diet lemon-lime soda)

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/2 packet Crystal Light On The Go Immunity Cherry Pomegranate drink mix

ice cubes (for serving)

Directions:

Place tequila, soda and lime juice in a glass. Empty half of the flavor packet into glass, and stir well to combine. Pour over ice and enjoy! (Note: If you don’t like the Pom flavor, try any Crystal Light powder. They are all super delicious.) Read More »

I used to be a PM gym-goer. Considering I spent about 99% of my college mornings in a state of hung-over, getting to the gym before class was not an option.

Instead, I would roll out of bed, drag my pajama’d ass to class and take a nice long nap before heading to the rec building for my pre-drinking workout.

But now that college is over (and no, I am still not over it), I spend ten hours a day behind a desk and can’t muster the energy to get out of my car after work to pick up my take out, let alone make it through an hour long kickboxing class.

I have been left with no choice but to do the AM thang. 5:30 in the AM to be exact.

And let me tell you, it is not fun. It is still quite dark outside when my alarm starts screaming at 5:30. I stumble around my house looking for my workout apparel and don’t even open my eyes until my feet hit the treadmill.

The only thing that gets me through this early morning hell is music. And I have finally perfected the art of the motivating playlist. These mixes put some pep in my ellipticizing step.

I may even be found boogying on the gym ball. Read More »

Don’t get me wrong. I am all for 2 things:

1) Women who eat, sometimes eat unhealthy and never look like this.

2) Mixing drugs with food.

But I cannot condone this new, hip trend of adding beer to your desserts. It’s everywhere.

Beer and popsicles. Beer and cupcakes. Beer and ice cream floats.

This confuses me, because beer is just so…heavy and Americans are gaining weight by the second with all of these fatty combinations.

Are we not getting enough calories with our pastries that we need to add hops and malt and yeast? Are we not getting enough calories with our hops and malt and yeast that we need to add sugar and butter and eggs? Read More »

For me, the return of classes, exams, club meetings, and late-night studying leads to the return of something else I could do without—unwanted pounds.

Especially as a commuter, I’m often only home early in the morning and late at night, when all I want is some comfort food and a red bull before I crack open the books.

My gym card sits snugly in my wallet, unused and unwanted, and the Wendy’s drive-thru employees know be my name, and any semblance of a workout routine and healthy eating habits become a fond memory.

This year, however, after many years of trial-and-error, I plan on keeping my waistline in check. Here’s how you can do the same during your busy semester:

Pack your lunch. No Power Rangers lunch box required—Tupperware and a brown paper bag will do. Go grocery shopping when you have a free hour and buy healthy lunch meats, bread, fruit, and granola bars. Sounds easy, right? Well, the trick to making this work is packing as soon as your bring the groceries home, not when you’re guzzling down hot coffee on you way out the door with 7 minutes to spare before class.

Keep snacks handy. Stock up on small plastic Ziploc bags, dried fruits, nuts, pretzels, baby carrots, snack size candy, and other mini snacks. Keep a bunch of these bags at the ready in your fridge so you can throw a few in your purse before heading out the door. Almost anything you bring with you will be healthier than a giant Snickers and bottle of soda from the vending machine when you’re trying to silence your grumbling stomach during class. Read More »

I wasn’t fat when I was 12, but I sure as hell felt like it. I probably weighed around 105 pounds—maybe 110—but it still didn’t keep me from feeling like the fattest cheerleader on the squad. I look at that picture of me now, and it makes me sad that at that particular moment in my life, and I remember it so distinctly, that I felt so fat.

Which is why this girl makes me so sad. Aside from the fact that it is absolutely ridiculous, I just feel sad for her.

Brooke Bates was 12 years old when she opted for liposuction and a tummy tuck to take the pounds off. At the time she was 220 pounds, which isn’t a healthy weight. But lipo and a tummy tuck during a time when your body is naturally changing due to puberty? It just seems ludicrous.

Brooke lost 40 pounds from the surgery, which she says took her from being the “big, fat girl to the popular girl.” But then less than a year later, she had gained all but five pounds back. Which makes me think that she—or her parents—weren’t combining healthy eating and exercise (and probably much needed therapy) in with her surgery. It isn’t a quick fix, especially when you’re 12. In fact, surgery shouldn’t be a way to fix it at all at that age.

Twelve is just too young. Read More »

We all know that drinking too much alcohol is bad for you, blah blah blah. It can kill your liver and cause you to do stupid things like drive drunk.

But, there are some little known facts about the positive aspects of booze on your body. Hallelujah!

Women’s Health magazine explains how the beverage of choice for many college students interacts with your body and in some ways, can actually be good for your heart, brain, and even your weight!

Now, before you continue reading, remember that I am not saying that only positive things will happen if you pound 10 beers over the course of power hour or drink vodka tonics like they are water. In fact, very bad things will probably happen…I’m sure we’ve all had one of those nights. Moderation is key.

Nevertheless, it’s still nice to know that good old booze has some redeeming factors for your health. The article takes you on a chronological journey starting with that yummy cocktail hitting your lips. Mix up a great drink, sit back, and enjoy the ride… Read More »

Anyone who knows anything is well aware of the importance of a good breakfast.

While many Rexy girls used to think that breakfast was simply a waste of precious calories, health studies prove that skipping this early morning meal will wreak havoc on your hips.

Unfortunately, eating any breakfast isn’t enough (two giant bowls of Peanut Butter Cap ‘N Crunch is helping no one); in order to stay full, alert and healthy a well balanced breakfast is key.

What is a well-balanced meal?

Well, contrary to what all those breakfast commercials tell you, a well-balanced b’fast does not include Pop Tarts, sugary cereals or leftovers from the night before. What you should be including in that meal – for your optimal performance – is a mixture of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins and healthy fats.

Sounds complicated? Well, it’s not. Below is a list of simple breakfast ideas that will get your body working right as you head back to school this Fall: Read More »

For the two of you still reading past that headline, I’m sorry to say that the disturbing image is in fact a reality—as I unfortunately found out when my grandmother confided details of her sex life that confirmed that everyone is indeed having more sex than me.

Well, it seems that the elderly are having so much sex, that the New York City Health Department has been targeting the older age group for condom giveaways and free HIV testing. The City Council has even budgeted $1 million toward HIV education for older people—money well-spent, considering that a study by the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America projected that within the next decade, the majority of HIV-infected New Yorkers will be over 50. Read More »

Kombucha!

No, I’m one of the Three Ninjas (Remember them? How cute was Rocky?), Kombucha is a fairly new organic refreshment. A drink. An expensive drink, but, it’s damn good…good for you, that is.

According to Wikipedia, Kombucha is “the Western name for sweetened tea or tisane that has been fermented by a macroscopic solid mass of microorganisms called a “kombucha colony,” usually consisting principally of Bacterium xylinum and yeast cultures.” Fermented tea?? Sounds delightful.

A man by the name of G.T. Dave began bottling this light and fizzy juice in 1995 after his mother beat breast cancer, all the while drinking this ancient concoction. According to the bottle, Kombucha supports digestion, metabolism, immune system, appetite control, weight control, liver function, body alkalinity, anti-aging, cell integrity, healthy skin and hair. Need I say more? Read More »

I knew that HPV was a “popular” STD, but I never realized just how widespread it was. According to health studies, HPV currently affects 1 in 4 women in the United States. 25% of women in the U.S. are currently living with the disease!

That statistic alone is staggering. What makes it even scarier, though, is the fact that two types of HPV can cause much more serious issues than simply having an STD: they can lead to cancer.

The problem with HPV, and the reason it affects as many people as it does, is that it oftentimes goes undetected. While many types are characterized by genital warts, many don’t have obvious symptoms, which leave the person without the slightest inkling that they are infected. Clearly, this proves the importance of getting tested regularly.

Unfortunately, though, many people don’t.

And since they don’t know they have it, they go around like nothing is wrong and, consequently, infect their partners. I don’t write this to be preachy. This is some scary shit and women need to know. I mean, I always knew STD’s were a problem, but I also always thought they were much less common than this. Read More »