We’ve all heard that we should try to avoid the dreaded “Freshman Fifteen” (which is actually more like the “Freshman Seven”), but there are other important benefits to maintaining a good nutrition and exercise routine. The better you treat your body, the better you will feel. The better you feel, the more successful you’ll be in school and the more energy you’ll have for the really fun stuff. Read on to learn how you can use the latest discoveries in health and fitness to stay healthy, happy, and motivated this school year.

1.     Cut down on time at the gym with interval workouts.

Intervals have long been an important part of many exercise routines. But a new study has shown that intense interval workouts may be just as effective as time-consuming endurance training. The study divided its subjects, healthy college students, into two groups. One group rode a stationary bike at a sustained pace for 90 to 120 minutes three times per week. The other group pedaled as hard as they could for 20 to 30 seconds, with short breaks in between, for a total of about six minutes of intense riding per day. The result? The students who rode intervals showed just a much of an increase in their endurance as the students who did sustained training, and showed the same molecular indicators of increased fitness in their muscles.

So if you don’t hours to spend at the gym, you can still get a great workout with a series of short, intense intervals. In order for this to work, you really have to push yourself, so give those intervals all you’ve got.

2.     Exercise to reduce stress and feel more focused.

In the unforgettable words of Elle Woods, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands.” While you probably don’t have a husband, a good workout may keep you from freaking out on your roommate. It will also help you pay more attention and concentrate in class. So don’t say you’re too stressed to go to the gym! Working out or even just taking a walk will help you feel better and complete that mountain of homework more efficiently.

3.     Stock up on healthy snacks.

Busy schedules and late nights can lead to lots of snacking, which doesn’t have to be a bad thing. A recently published study, the most comprehensive look so far at the causes of weight gain, showed that what you eat makes a big difference. Some results were expected – the participants who gained the most weight over a 20-year period ate large amounts of french fries, potato chips, sugar-sweetened drinks, red meats and desserts. Most people who maintained their weight or lost weight ate lots of standard healthy foods – fruits, vegetables and whole grains. But, surprisingly, consumption of dairy had a neutral effect on weight gain and weight loss was greatest among the subjects who ate lots of peanut butter and yogurt.

So, you can replace fried and processed snacks with food that tastes good, but is still healthy. Try some peanut butter on a whole grain cracker, or naturally sweet fruit yogurt instead of potato chips and soda from the vending machine. Fueling your body properly will give you more energy and prevent weight gain.

4.     Fidget!

In my favorite study of the summer, researchers found that performing more “incidental movement” each day – from tapping a toe while sitting to walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator – helps improve cardiovascular fitness. This is great news for college students, since we spend so much time sitting. The study also found that some people are naturally more inclined to fidget throughout the day. If you’re one of those people (I definitely am), then keep it up! If not, start fidgeting! It’s possible to improve your health with the simplest, smallest movements, as well as larger changes like walking short distances instead of driving. Just try not to annoy your classmates by making noise or kicking their desks.

Vaginas.

We all know what they are. We (ladies) all have them. We know what they’re for and why they’re there. But do we know how to keep them healthy? Sure, we know the parts. We know we should bathe. We know wet bathing suits are bad and vaginal infections are worse, and condoms are very, very good.  But do we know how to ward those off? And what we can do to prevent them? I’m not so sure. So I did a little research, and came up with five little known facts about the ways to keep your vajajay healthy. Have a look; you just might learn something.

1. Wear cotton underwear. Tight underwear, especially nylon or lycra, can irritate your vagina and keep the moisture in. But cotton underwear breathes, which allows your vajayjay to breathe, and allows air to circulate. Not only does this help maintain good skin around the area but it also helped to prevent a buildup of sweat and oil which can lead to infections.

2. Never spray it with perfume or body spritzer. These things will irritate your vagina and can lead to an infection. It’s as simple as that. So no scented lotions in or on that area. No perfumes. No body sprays. Not even scented soaps.The best thing you can do to make your vagina smell nice, or rather not smell at all, is clean it with clear, soapless water.

3. Keep your stress level down. Like in any situation, stress is bad. It can lead to a diminished immune system and changes in your vaginal ph level, which, once again, can lead to all sort of infections. So there’s another reason not to stress the small things in life, right?

4. Eat some yogurt. Believe it or not your vagina is full of bacteria. But don’t freak out, because it’s the good kind of bacteria, lactobacilli, the kind of bacteria that gets rid of the bad kind of bacteria. And these lactobacilli are also found in yogurt. So if your immune system is down, or you’re feeling kind of stressed, or you just feel like giving your vagina a little boost, eat some yogurt. Think of it as back up for the good guys.

5. Keep yourself clean but not that clean. A lot of vaginal infections are the result of improper hygiene. When sweat and oils build up they fester and result in infection. So make sure not to neglect your vajajay when you’re in the shower. Wash with water, but not with soaps, and especially not with anything scented. And never douche. This outdated practice does more harm than good, and can lead to the unhealthy altering of your body’s ph levels.

Want to know more about what’s going on down there? Check out the ultimate guide to your vagina.

She works out 6 days a week. She avoids the dessert buffet in the cafeteria. Her favorite hobbies on Facebook include running, yoga and lunges (and do not include brownies, TV marathons or couch time). She has magazine subscriptions to Shape and Self and her bookshelf looks like one you’d see in Jillian Michaels’ home library.

And you have no freaking clue what to get her for the holidays. I mean, carrots are a bad gift idea, right? And you know she needs a new sports bra, but that would be weird…

Worry not, young lass. Here are 9 gifts that are sure to tickle your health freaky friend’s fancy.

[Click on any image to start the gallery!]

Get even more gift giving inspiration in CollegeCandy’s Holiday Central!

And it turns out, that whole “cuddling” thing might be better for all of us than a trip to the gym or a daily vitamin.

I’ve recently come across tons of articles telling us how important love is. MSN even cites a University of Pittsburgh study that showed women who were in a healthy marriage had lower risks for cardiovascular disease. Another study states that in a good relationship, participants were shown to have less anxiety, lower blood pressure and even a longer life. One of my favorite facts found on U.S. News says that when you’re in a happy relationship, you produce less of the stress hormone known as cortisol. Having less cortisol is better because this hormone works against the immune system, making you more prone to sickness and colds!

Yes, being in love prevents sickness.

But for all of us single ladies who may not have a love prospect to smooch under the mistletoe, don’t think we’re at any disadvantage. Although these studies focus on married couples, I think the overall message is this: as long as you are happy, you can be healthy.

Love comes in many forms and even if you don’t have yourself a honey bunny on a farm, you’ve got plenty of people in your life to love. Yes, your BFFs and your family can keep you healthy too. This season, I challenge you to focus on these more long term relationships. Forget about trying to find someone to kiss as the ball drops on New Year’s Eve and embrace the love you’ve already got in your life: the people who have been around you since day one (as opposed to the random guy who might not make it past 8am on January 1st). These are the people that can make us all healthy and happy.

As these studies have shown, love makes you feel awesome. Whether it’s with one person or with a big group of friends, love makes the world go round! And it keeps you healthier as it turns. But, who needs an article to tell you how great love feels? You don’t need a PhD to know that being in a great relationship makes you happy, bubbly and warm n’ fuzzy inside.

Instead of worrying about which hometown ex you’re going to snag for the holidays (because the stress will literally make you sick), focus on how much fun it’s going to not worry about any of that. Hit the mall with your  friends, snuggle up on the couch for some QT with the family, have a holiday cookie exchange with your high school besties – just spend time with the people you love.

You’ll feel better. Science says so!

So, just wanted to let you guys know that this stupid One Month Challenge is officially cursed. When my sister gave up her penchant for junk food for a month, her and her bf broke up. Fast forward 2 challenges later, I broke up with my boyfriend, who was living with me and my roommate. All drama aside and cutting to the chase: I skipped a day at the gym. Oops. However, I have been getting a significant amount of cardio in from my sporadic post-break up sobbing in public/indiscriminate panic attack dry heaving. I can already feel my abs tightening.

Now, I’ve started to work out even harder at the gym, pushing myself to my full limits. Actually, skipping a day made me work even harder. I think my body needed the rest. Except this week really, really sucks for working out. There’s nothing I want more than to curl up on the couch clutching my bottle of Pinot Grigio, my two new boyfriends Ben and Jerry and weep while watching “It’s Complicated” because I will never find a guy like John Krasinski. But oh no, I have to take my multi-vitamin as per Jillian Michaels, pound out some time at the gym, do crunches, do my sobbing abs exercise and try my damndest not to skip another day.

Additionally, I’ve thrown my energies into work, pulling 12-hour days just to avoid thinking about it, which leads to more fatigue complications. Alas, I have been plugging through, altering between high-energy workouts and lethargic half-assed push ups.

My plan is to just keep going, forget that I skipped one stupid day and work even harder. I mean, I’ve got to get my body right in order to look hot in that LBD since I’m now back on the market. The timing couldn’t be better as I feel my clothes fitting better and the pounds dropping off the scale. Not to mention, my eating habits have changed completely to accommodate my gym schedule and my breakup nausea. I’m not going to say things are going well. Things are simply going.

[Check out the other One Month Challenges we've taken on. And if you've got a challenge you want to tackle (and be held accountable for), email us and we could feature you next month! We promise, not all challenges end in heartbreak.]

The flu sucks. There, I’ve gone and said it; plain and simple. It makes you feel gross, look gross and keeps you in bed all day (in a very different way than you’d want). Usually I’d be looking for any excuse to cuddle up with my favorite movie and relapse into a diet of soup and saltines, but not when it’s for weeks on end and makes you feel just plain shoddy.

It’s no fun having to constantly worry about keeping yourself in check and healthy (especially when you’re packed into college dorms and apartments like germ-infested sardines), so here are some simple and easy ways to integrate healthy actions into your daily life.

1. Wash your hands. Yes, I do sound like I’m your second grade teacher, but seriously. Just think about everything you touch throughout the day and how many germs are just lurking on your hands. Stick a little bottle of Purell on your key chain or in your handbag and you’re good to go!

2. Drink Water. Obviously water is key to staying healthy, but most of us don’t drink nearly enough as we should. Dehydration gives you body aches and headaches, so stay on top of it. Plus, water is phenomenal on its own for its bajillion health benefits. I mean, while preventing the flu you could be losing weight and improving your skin, among other things.

3. Vitamin C. If you don’t chug gallons of grapefruit juice (like myself), consider easy ways to slip some Vitamin C into your diet. My favorite way is to juice half of a lemon or lime (tip: microwave it – not kidding – or roll it around before you slice it up, it makes it juicier) and put it into a glass of ice water.

4. Sleep! As if I need another excuse to wake up at 2pm on a Sunday… A body that’s fatigued is significantly more susceptible to becoming ill than one who’s gotten lots of rest. Make sure you slip in those cat-naps between classes and go to bed early every once in a while, it all adds up.

5. Chill out on the alcohol and coffee. I can’t believe I even typed those words out, coming from a senior in college, but it’s true. Despite the fact that I’m currently nursing a venti hazelnut iced coffee from Starbucks, I know that caffeine is a major factor in dehydration. For every cup of coffee, make sure you consciously drink extra water, otherwise you’re just upping your chances of getting sick. As for alcohol itself, despite the late nights and random hookups it can lead to (and raise your chances of getting sick even more), it is also a dehydrating agent (hellooo, hangovers). Stay away from these two drinks if you’re trying to keep your head above water as finals week rapidly approaches.

6. Get a flu shot. I’m not a fan of needles at all, but my ten minutes of freaking out before is certainly worth the days and weeks of possibly getting sick down the road. Most university health centers offer flu shots to their students (sometimes even for free!). Though if your school doesn’t, many pharmacies offer them cheaply.

Just remember that doing little things throughout the day can help you stay healthy. Though some of these points may sound like common sense, they’re actions we often neglect to take. Paying a little more attention now could spare you weeks of discomfort and miserable social life in weeks to come.

[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

So I’ve made it through week two, and surprisingly, it’s gotten better every day. I’ve been pushing myself and have discovered the joys of OnDemand exercise videos featuring Jillian Michaels, which I use to warm up before I put in my time at the gym. I asked you all last week for some tips and tricks to get through this and I was overwhelmed with the responses. The encouragement you guys dispensed made me feel great and it made me feel even better when some of you indicated that you’d be joining me for Gymvember!

One piece of advice that I wish I had heeded this week came from a comment warning me, “Obviously if you are not a morning person do not workout in the morning. You are just going to hate it and your performance will reflect your feelings.” (Thanks “A Dude”!) However, I had a lot to do after work one day and knew I wouldn’t have time to go to the gym at night. So, I begrudgingly woke up an extra hour or so earlier and went to the gym. That was awful. I hate mornings and it absolutely did reflect in my workout. I was sluggish, cranky and felt like a zombie afterward. I think I’m going to stick to my evening workouts from now on; the morning does nothing for me, especially before I’ve had my iced coffee (yes, I realize it’s November… I mean, Gymvember).

Otherwise, I feel freaking great!

I feel like my weight loss and health goals are finally becoming attainable. Although I refuse to weigh myself, I already feel a difference in the way my clothes are fitting. I already see a shift in my eating habits to accommodate what I’m doing at the gym. Even though it really, really grosses me out, I’m drinking protein shakes at the advice of my friend. I even scooped up a Dry-fit Nike sports bra, which I love. As for my questioning of my endorphins? I know they’re there now. I’ve been way less irritable and moody, plus that lethargic feeling (you know, when you just want to drown in your bowl of leftover Halloween candy and immerse yourself in the lives of Real Housewives) only occurs on weekends now.

I know it might sound stupid or like I’m bragging (I’m not), but this is coming from a girl who would rather order food than walk a couple blocks and get it and who avoided the gym like it was the weird snot-nosed kid in pre-school… I’m proud of myself. I haven’t tripped up or skipped a workout in the past two weeks.

Halfway there! Bring it on, Thanksgiving! As always, please leave any advice, workout songs or motivators in the comments!

[Check out the other One Month Challenges we've taken on! And if you've got a challenge you want to tackle (and be held accountable for), email us and we could feature you next month!]

Breast Cancer.  It’s a word most of us don’t spend too much time pondering about.  After all, we are busy college students with plenty of other things on our minds and problems to address.  Problems that seem significant or monumental as they occur in our little bubble world of college. Problems like:

“Oh my god, I just gained five pounds.”
“Shoot, I shouldn’t have had that extra slice of pizza last night.”
“Ugh I didn’t make the lacrosse team.”
“Grad school applications need to be in by next week? I am so screwed.”

Thoughts such as these are more of the day-to-day troubles on our minds. But breast cancer? No, not breast cancer.  Unless someone in our family is diagnosed with the disease, why should we think about such an awful, somewhat unthinkable possibility, which is so far removed from our current existence?

Well, I propose we change this lack of breast cancer contemplation. And I have good reasons for it.

Given the explosion of childhood obesity seen in our generation, health experts across the board are predicting crisis proportions of heart disease, diabetes, and you guessed it, breast cancer.  And seeing that we just rounded out National Breast Cancer Awareness month, I think it’s important to point out that the breast cancer Grim Reaper is going to plague our generation unless we take a proactive approach to keeping ourselves healthy and motivating our loved ones to do the same.

Most of my friends think that being diagnosed with breast cancer is all about being dealt an unlucky hand.  They think that no changes they make in their lifestyle will increase or decrease their odds of getting a cancer diagnosis later in life.  However, it’s so important for you all to know that this could not be farther from the truth!  Actually, lifestyle changes can be powerful prevention tools. Very powerful.  Like Superman saving Metropolis from destruction kind of powerful.  Yup, you can be your own Superman saving your own Metropolis (your body) from Lex Luthor (breast cancer).  Except this isn’t science fiction and I really am never going to meet Tom Wellings (star of Superman on the CW). Sigh.

Anyway, studies across the board show that what we eat and how much we weigh are significant contributors to whether or not we will get breast cancer.  No joke. Early studies on breast cancer found wide international variations in disease rates.  Due to such variable breast cancer incidences among countries all over the world, scientists began to wonder if diet was playing a role in the variability.  This question resulted in further studies on breast cancer, studies which have confirmed this hypothesis.

Turns out obesity is a significant risk factor for breast cancer:

* Gaining one pound per year during adulthood can double breast cancer risk after menopause.
* Obesity alone is thought to be responsible for 17% of breast cancers.
*  Countries with higher incidences of obesity, increased soft drink consumption and excessive animal protein consumption among it’s citizens have much higher rates of breast cancer than those that don’t.
* Greater consumption of vegetables during high school and college has been associated with a decreased risk of break cancer and high glycemic index foods, like white flour products and processed foods, has been associated with increased risk.

New research is showing  the strong protective effects of natural foods against breast cancer. For instance, mushrooms have anti-estrogenic activity and regular mushroom consumption is associated with a sixty percent decrease in cancer risk. Sixty percent!  Leafy green vegetables, like kale, bok choy, watercress and spinach, as well as other green vegetables, like broccoli, contain compounds shown to inhibit cancer cell growth. Cancer of all kinds!

So, in addition to wearing a pink ribbon and giving yourself monthly breast self-exams, eat plenty of vegetables, onions and mushrooms, reduce (or eliminate!) your animal product and processed foods intake, and keep on exercising and you can be your own breast cancer Superwoman.

How often do I go to the gym lately? I guess I would use the word “sparingly.” Since starting a full-time job, my fitness has taken a backseat to schoolwork, regular work and all the lovely stresses of living in New York City. Never mind the fact that I live in an apartment building with a gym. I’ve tried to justify my lack of rigorous exercise by walking to and from work every day (30 minutes both ways) but in reality, the only reason I do that is because I have a crippling fear of the subway and all public transportation.

Let’s face it, the only marathon I’ve ever participated in only happens when I’m too lazy to turn off E! and I get suckered into 5 hours of the Kardashians. It was time to make a change and get my ass back into shape and take full advantage of the fitness room in my building. So I’ve begun my month challenge, which I’ve endearingly nicknamed “Gymvember.” I’m not skipping a single day of exercise at the gym and have vowed to go for a minimum of 25 minutes a day. This minimum will ideally be exceeded. And no, Bravo marathons and walking around the city don’t count as exercise.

This is going to hurt.

My first week started out shaky. November 1st was the day after a brutally exhausting Halloween and I was whining all the way to the gym that day. Not to mention, when I came back I was convinced that I’m completely void of so-called “endorphins.” The gym does not make me a happy camper. But as the week progressed, so did my intensity in the gym. I’ve started pushing myself and becoming inspired by my neighbors/fellow gym-goers. My favorite thing is the exercise bike so I usually save that for last after twenty minutes of the elliptical. The other day I even brought myself to do my least favorite thing: running. I’ve never been any good at running. I could be on the elliptical forever, but the second you tell me to run I get flashbacks of running the mile in 6th grade. It’s not pretty. But I did it! And it felt… good?

The worst part is probably the first twenty minutes. Once I hit the twenty minute mark, I feel invincible and like I can go forever. However, getting to that first twenty minutes is rough and I keep thinking, “Okay just 7 more minutes…. just 5 minutes and 23 seconds…. just 4 minutes and 3 seconds…” just to get through that first twenty.

The only concerns I’ve been having so far are as follows:

1. Am I going to get bored with the same workouts? How can I shake things up?
2. What songs can I listen to that get me excited and my heart rate up?
3. When can I treat myself to some cute Lululemon workout clothes?
4. Why am I so much hungrier now than ever?
5. How can I motivate myself to wake up early and go to the gym? So far, I’ve been going at night or in the afternoon.

So far, so good. Not a day missed and all days have been over 25 minutes, even pushing myself to do a couple two-a-days when I have the time! Any suggestions, CollegeCandy readers? I need all the help I can get right now! Not to mention, I’m so ready to do work on those weight machines, but I’m afraid of getting “bulky.” What exercises, routines, DVDs or playlists get you going?

[Check out the other One Month Challenges we've taken on! And if you've got a challenge you want to tackle, email us and we could feature you next month!]

[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

I can’t believe that I have made it through two weeks as a vegetarian! Honestly, I am a little surprised – I haven’t cheated at all! Not a single piece of meat. Not even chicken broth, because I was worried that would count.

Not that’s it’s been a total breeze…

By far the most difficult vegetarian moment for me this week was when one of the clubs I’m in had a group dinner… at Chipotle. Now, I know a lot of people like Chipotle, but I love Chipotle. LOVE. Their meat is one of my FAVORITE things in the whole wide world. I don’t even need a burrito; I could be totally content just eating their meat plain… straight out of those silver serving buckets.

So to say it was a wee bit challenging to go in there and not get my favorite Steak Burrito doesn’t really do my feelings justice. I thought about getting a vegetarian burrito, but I’m not a big fan of their beans and  thought it would be too empty without meat. So I went with a veggie quesadilla instead. Not exactly the world’s healthiest option, but it kept me perfectly satisfied while everyone else chowed down on their delicious and meaty burritos.

Point: Emmy.
And things only got better from there.

While the meatless Chipotle run wasn’t easy, by far the highlight of my week was discovering all of the awesome vegetarian substitutes out there. Who knew all this stuff existed?! While I wasn’t able to find the chicken substitute called Quorn in either of our local grocery stores, I was able to track down some of the MorningStar Farms Chik’n Nuggets and Chik’n Patties that everyone commented about last week. And wow, they are DELICIOUS! I’ve actually eaten their Chik’n Nuggets with kids I nanny for before, and I had no idea that they weren’t actually meat! I also tried their Spicy Black Bean Burgers, and I was surprised how much I liked those too!

I also tried cooking tofu this week…which wasn’t quite as successful as the MorningStar Farms situations. Not that I’m blaming tofu, though; I have a feeling this was probably just a failure on my cooking skills. Dinner was still alright because the pad thai noodles I made were delicious enough to stand on their own, but the tofu…disaster.

I’m not giving up on tofu, though. I’m definitely going to try again next week (but maybe I’ll get it from a restaurant this time…). Boca Burgers are also on my list to try, and that’s a big one. For some reason, I’m a bit more skeptical of those than of the Chik’n Patties and I don’t know exactly why. With the breading around the Chik’n things, it’s easier to camouflage the slight difference in taste and texture from real meat.

I’m so…..scared.

But I’m also super proud of how far I’ve come. And surprised by how much I’m liking it.  Maybe I can do this for more than a month! It’s not that hard and I feel great. Though I’d better hold out to see how these next two weeks go before I make any commitments!

[Check out the other One Month Challenges we've taken on! And if you've got a challenge you want to tackle, email us and we could feature you next month!]