I’m not gonna lie – when my friend sent me a link to an 8-minute YouTube video last week I was less than thrilled. Was I going to take 8 precious minutes away from Facebook-stalking to watch some dumb video and then spend another 4 minutes feigning interest in it?

Out of friendly obligation, I pushed play. And it was seriously the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t look away; not even when I saw my Facebook tab blinking, informing me my FWB was FB-chatting me.

I haven’t jumped rope since my mom signed me up for Jump Rope For Heart in middle school (and even then I only did it to win a fluorescent pink water bottle with a bendy straw). It’s not the coolest sport in the world. In fact, until I saw this performance, I didn’t consider it a sport at all. But these girls (especially the little ones!) are true athletes. And what they can do with a couple pieces of rope is pretty effing insane.

Just watch and you’ll agree.

Don't know what to get this girl? We'll help you out!

We all have that friend. You know the one who’s all “thanks but no thanks on the holiday cookies – I’m totally cool eating this yummy air.” The one with so much self-discipline she woke up the morning after Halloween, threw her slutty bumble bee costume aside and went for a 7 mile run. The one who is always telling you about the latest workout she is into, health book she is reading or cleanse she is trying.  And, of course, the one who makes you think, “I wish I could be a bit more like her,” as you delve into your giant cookie while watching this week’s episode of the Real Housewives for the FOURTH time.

Yes, we all have that friend and while sometimes you wish you could just give her a big box of cookies for the holidays, there are just a few things she’d appreciate a whole lot more. But what can you get her that will make her happy without packing on the pounds? Try a few of these on for size: Read More »

The sun is shining, the breeze is warm and Spring is in full swing. Who wants to waste such a beautiful day slaving away on a treadmill indoors? Research shows that sharing your sweat session with Mother Nature decreases your stress levels and ups your calorie burn due to the varied terrain and fluctuating temperatures. It’s time to lace up your Nikes and head to the nearest park.

-Your cardio doesn’t have to be boring when you’re hoofing it under the sun. After a quick warm-up, try jogging backwards. Experts say it burns a fifth more calories and improves your balance by engaging your core. Afraid of looking silly? Don’t be.  All anyone will think would be, “Hey! She knows something I don’t!”

-Now, let’s build our endurance. Find some stairs and sprint from the bottom to the top without stopping or skipping steps. Walk back down and finish up with 4 more sets. Just like having a Stairmaster outdoors, this exercise will increase your heart and lung capacity while building killer legs for those adorable minis.

-How about you pull your forgotten roller blades out of the back of your closet and lace them up? While also a great cardio workout, rollerblading tones your inner and outer thighs along with your beautiful booty. To torch about 450 calories in 30 minutes, alternate one minute of tucked, speed skating with one minute of upright, relaxed skating. Be sure to wear your knee and elbow pads! I hear scrapes and bruises are out this season. Read More »

Vsit with Tricep Extension

Welcome everyone to the last season before summer: Spring! To celebrate the wonderful season of blooming flowers, running outside, and the warm weather, get started on that bikini body with a circuit workout: Spring Into Swimsuit Shape!

It’s a 30 minute circuit workout you can do at the gym or in your dorm (or apt for you cool upperclassmen). There is some equipment involved, but if you don’t have it, I’ve provided below a list of alternative items you can use to get a similar burn.

To get the most from your workout, make sure you are eating the right post workout foods! Now, onto the plan… Read More »

Now that daylight savings is behind us, we can look forward to longer, warmer days! To celebrate the wonderful season of blooming flowers, running outside, and the warm weather, get started on that bikini body with a new “Spring Into Swimsuit Season!” circuit workout.  It’s a 30 minute circuit workout you can do anywhere, even your dorm room!The best part is that this workout not only blasts calories, but it also ignites your metabolism burning fat all over your precious body!

Have an iPod or iPhone? You can now download this very workout for less than a dollar! For just $0.75 you can buy the video and save it on your iPod. Next time when you go to the gym, instead of trying to remember what you saw on YouTube, you can just watch it again on your iPod along with tons of other helpful fitness videos.

It’s like having a personal trainer at the gym for a fraction of the cost. (Take that, recession!)

You can even do these videos at home and you don’t need to buy the equipment. Here is a breakdown of alternatives: Read More »

Well, the blisteringly glorious months of summer are upon us. Here we are, drenched in sweat and heat irritation, more concerned with our margaritas than all of the things we swore we’d be doing once summer came back when it was cold. Let it now be known; I am against this summertime laziness. I will not abandon the to-do lists I made in January for July. I will freeze bottles of water and let them nurse me through my adventures, because winter already depresses me as it is…I don’t need to add summer regrets to my list of things that bum me out when the cold weather returns.

So here are some things I’m definitely doing before summer ends…maybe you should add them to your list, too! Read More »

Jump roping has been typically viewed as a “girly activity” for elementary school kids. Recently, however, the jump rope has become a popular tool for fitness, as fitness experts everywhere have acknowledged that the act of jumping itself is the perfect way to burn off the fat.

Men’s Fitness magazine featured an article entitled, “Jump rope like a girl—and melt fat like a mother: skipping rope is the cheapest fat-burning workout around—and the best”. Let’s ignore this sexist viewpoint. The excercise applies to both guys and girls, and as we all know, females are sooo much more coordinated than males. Shouldn’t that make Justin Timberlake a girl, then? That boy has got the MOVES! Read More »