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.

This past week, I attended the IHRSA fitness convention here in San Francisco. Besides ogling all of the ridiculously ripped trainers, I got a sneak peek at our industry’s latest innovations. Boy, is there a lot of new equipment out there! So long to those boring dumbbells and hello to these quirky new toys.

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We’re a month into 2011 already, and I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve already been slacking on my New Year’s Resolutions. I really did try to work on things for the first few weeks of January, but as I fell back into my normal routine and Winter Break faded further into the past, so did my ambitions.

But I’m determined to not let all my resolutions fall by the wayside. For me, the most difficult resolution to follow through with is always working out — but this year, I really want to establish a routine and actually stick with it. And since forcing myself to get up and just go to the gym is the hardest part, I’ve decided I need to find a way to get in a workout even when I’m too busy (AKA too lazy) to go to the gym.

That’s where Exercise TV comes in.

Exercise TV is an online network that contains hundreds of free workout videos. They offer tons of different types, from cardio and strength training to yoga, kickboxing, and specific toning routines, so you can find one that works for you. The workouts are all done by professional fitness trainers, including some well-known ones (like Jillian Michaels from The Biggest Loser). They even offer mini-workouts, which are perfect if you only have a few minutes in your busy day but still want to squeeze in some sort of exercise (even just a little bit is better than nothing, right?).

Exercise TV adds new workouts and tips every month, so there’s always something new to try. Also, If you’re really ambitious, there’s also a “Premium Pass” for $9.99 a month that gives you access to commercial-free videos, customized workout plans and nutrition advice!

Because Exercise TV makes it so easy to get a good workout at home, it’s getting harder to come up with excuses not to work out. And needing nothing more than my laptop and some yoga pants, I should be in great shape in no time!

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Just like we can’t get enough of this show. It’s got all the makings of a great reality show (the characters, the challenges, the dramatic music, the alliances) paired with the happy ending of a Disney movie (and sexy bodies of a GQ shoot). And who can ignore all those tear jerking moments or the always-exciting Makeover Week?
The Biggest Loser to us is what football is to our guy friends.

We know every player, we know every challenge, we know the exact moment there is gonna be Ziploc bags/Yoplait Yogurt product placement. The only thing we don’t know is what life is really like on the Biggest Loser ranch. Well, not anymore. I sat down with this season’s most-talked-about player, Frado, to get a behind the scenes look at life on the Biggest Loser. From workouts to scheming to all that grunting, Frado explained it all.
CC: So, Mr. Frado, why did you decide to apply for The Biggest Loser? Was it your choice? Your family’s urging? A deep desire to have your butt kicked by Bob and Jillian?

Frado: Honestly, I did it to change my life and it’s really done that.  I wanted to do this to save my life; I did it for my kids, I did it for my wife, and those are honestly the reasons I did it.  I wanted to my kids to be healthier; I wanted to lead by example. They gave me a shot and I’m grateful for that.

CC: Yeah, the changes we’ve see on you so far have been incredible. How do you think you got to the point and weight you were at when you applied for the show?

Frado: You know I had stopped working out. When I started on Wall Street I had two or three jobs on the side.  I used to run but I stopped doing that [because I was too busy] and my caloric intake stayed the same until I was, like, 300 pounds.  I went from 210 to 300 in a year or two and that’s only because I didn’t adjust my caloric intake the way I needed to because I wasn’t working out anymore.

CC: Yeah, I remember when I stopped working out my freshman year of college. It’s amazing how quickly weight can come back. Freshman 15? Try Freshman 30. Anyways…I’ve been a big fan of the show for many years and I always wonder what life is really like on the ranch. So what is it like? What is something that happens there that the viewers don’t know?

Frado:  Honestly, a lot of the work is tough to do.  The trainers come and train you as much as they can, but a lot of it is up to you on your own time.  There’s a lot of filming involved, it’s 8 or 9 hours a day.  There’s this interview process that goes on, there’s a lot involved and you’ve got to find your way around to get your workouts in when the trainers aren’t coming.  We did a challenge once where we had to carry sugar cubes back and forth.  I thought it was ridiculous; it was one of the stupidest challenges I’ve seen.  But that being said, I carried them for an hour and a half, I ran back and forth 30-40 yards.  I got my workout in even there wasn’t a scheduled workout that day.  You’ve got to figure it out, you’ve got to do the work anyway.  Some people figured it out, some people didn’t figure it out.

CC: Right, so do you do anything besides work out?  Do you ever take a day off? Do you ever relax?
Frado: There’s people who take days off. There are dark days with nothing going on, there’s no filming. There are two or three off days a week, depending on the week.  Um, those few days you could do what you want, you could not work out, eat how much food you want.  The food’s all there, it’s totally up to the person on the ranch and the lifestyle they want.

CC:  Wow, so it really is up to each individual. I guess that’s better, though. It teaches you the tools for success much more quickly. What is the one biggest thing you learned during your time on the ranch that viewers should incorporate into their own diets?

Frado: The one thing that I think is to count your calories as far as what your body needs to burn with regards to your metabolic rate.  It really is calories in and calories out. Calories are calories. You can eat 1000 calories a day and be full.  Eat the right food.  If you eat 2,400 calories of good nutritious food or if you eat 2,400 calories of crap it makes a big difference.

CC: And how are you incorporating that into your life now that you’re home and back in the real world?
Frado: I mean I’m going to have pizza again. I’ll be a regular human being.  I love pizza; everyone loves pizza.  I’m going to have a slice but I’m not going to at a pie, you know what I’m saying?  Make those changes. Some people can eat a pie and not gain a pound.  I’m not that person.  You can have pizza once a week, twice a week, not seven times a day.

CC: What would you say to somebody who just doesn’t think that they can work out?

Frado: You’ve got to do it for yourself.

CC: That’s a great lesson for people to take with them. You can’t diet for someone else. You have to want it. I like that. OK, tell me – what was your favorite challenge that you’ve participated in?

Frado: The tennis challenge with Anna Kournakova.

CC: Ah, of course. Is it because she’s such a smokeshow??

Frado: [No,] because I won it and won immunity. And I needed to win it because I was already injured my second week on the ranch.  I had pulled a hamstring. I don’t know if you could see that on TV, [but] I thought I was going home after I fell of the treadmill.

CC: So that win couldn’t have come at a better time in terms of the game. Speaking of the game, it seems that this season is a lot more game playing than in seasons past. That everyone is very strategic and smart with their every move.  Were you surprised by that?

Frado: It’s like that every season, it’s just what the producers want to show.  Every season is the same.

CC: So how do you feel about your role as the “villain” of the season?

Frado: It’s okay. It’s perception. I’m going to take the bumps and bruises that come along with being on the show and having this chance.  You know what I’m saying?   Would I have been happy to be the golden child like some of the others?  Yeah, [but] I know who I am, people [I know] know who I am.  I do good things and I feel sorry for people who can’t handle that.

CC: I don’t mind you being a villain, but I do wonder about all that grunting and screaming in the gym. Does that make the workouts more effective? Help you drop the weight faster?

Frado: Well, honestly I was injured so that’s where a lot of the grunting came from.

CC: Ah, that makes a lot more sense. I’d probably be screaming if I had to work out with Bob and Jill with an injury. Actually, I’d probably be crying even without an injury. Anyways, we viewers don’t really know what you look like or how much you weigh at this moment, but now that you’ve lost all this weight, what is your new favorite thing about this new person that you’ve become? The way you feel, the way you look, shopping for clothes?

Frado: It’s not vanity, it’s really not.  The best thing is my health. I can run 15 miles now.  I’m back to where I was in my Marine Corps days.  I can go to the gym with my wife, work out with my kids, I play basketball with my son.  Those are the things I cherish the most.  And buying a pair of jeans off the rack doesn’t hurt.

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[Got something awesome everyone needs to know about? A really rad singer? A wicked new book? A chic and cheap clothing line? Email your “The Know” ideas to Jill@collegecandy.com or tweet me and I’ll pass them along to everyone right here, every week. Make your kindergarten teacher proud and share!]

Here is a totally random piece of info that I bet you didn’t know about.

It’s that time of year where we realize perhaps we’ve eaten a bit too much late night cheesy bread and we want to start losing some of the extra poundage so we look good in our skinny jeans by Thanksgiving weekend, lest our 8th grade crush see the dreaded muffin top eating all those pumpkin chocolate chip muffins has created.

So here’s a tip: Start cooking with coconut oil!

Seriously.

I know it sounds counter-intutive to use oil for weight loss, but coconut oil (available at any health food store) has been known to help with weight loss! Coconut oil is very useful in reducing weight because it contains medium-chain fatty acids. MCFA’s, unlike other fats, are digested and utilized differently. They do not circulate in the bloodstream like other fats, but are sent directly to the liver where they are immediately converted into energy – just like a carbohydrate. So when you eat coconut oil, the body uses it immediately to make energy rather than store it as body fat. It is also easy to digest and it helps in healthy functioning of the thyroid and enzymes systems. Not to mention, it actually helps your body’s metabolism, kicking it into high gear!

And if you don’t believe me, just look at all those people living in tropical coastal areas. They use coconut oil daily and are normally not fat, obese or overweight. (They also probably aren’t dipping their Oreos in peanut butter, but that’s neither here nor there.)

So try it out! Coconut oil is also great for about a bajillion other things, from boosting your immune system to helping your skin. (Seriously, use it as a kick-ass moisturizer or to massage out a stress knot.)

Here are a few suggestions on how to incorporate coconut oil into your diet:

*Use to fry, stir-fry or sauté veggies, eggs, poultry, or fish.
*Toss some coconut oil into your smoothies or juiced drinks for a burst of lauric acid.
*Use it on your salads for a tropical flair.
*Try it on popcorn instead of butter.
*Make chocolate bark: take one cup of coconut oil, one cup of cocoa powder, 8 packets of Truvia (or other natural sweetener), and a few tablespoons of Agave. Mix in a bowl and pour into an ice cube tray or cupcake holder and freeze. Add nuts or shredded coconut and you’ve got yourself a healthy chocolate

Forget about that whole Hanukah oil story – coconut oil is the new miracle oil.

[Check out all the other goodies Jill's been sharing right here.]

[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

October is finally almost over, and while I am frantically scrambling to come up with another costume for tonight, I am also thrilled that I am only one day away from being done with my meatless month. I can’t believe it’s been a month since my last beefy indulgence. I am really surprised by how well I did and the fact that I didn’t have even a morsel of meat during this whole time.

Being meatless has been a great way to shake things up and make sure that I eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. A bunch of my girlfriends were talking at dinner the other night about how one girl had been vegetarian for a while, and she actually GAINED weight because all she ate was carbs. That has definitely not been my experience at all. October has been an insanely busy week with academics, and I haven’t had enough time to work out as often as I regularly do. Yet not only have I not gained weight, I lost some! I don’t own a scale, but I can feel it in my clothes. Losing weight was in no way my goal in going meatless, but it’s not a bad side effect at all!

While I might not ever learn to like tofu, I have definitely expanded the variety of foods that I eat. Morningstar Farms Chik’n Nuggets (SO GOOD!) are something that will definitely stay on my regular grocery shopping list, as will the mass amounts of fruits and vegetables I’ve been buying.

This month has also provided me with sympathy and mad respect for vegetarians. It is interesting to see how often there isn’t a real vegetarian option offered at big events, especially because vegetarianism is not exactly rare in our world today. Just last night, I was at my sorority’s progressive dinner, and while everything was delicious, there were no real vegetarian main courses. (There was, however, a delicious looking home made chicken pot pie, and it took all of my willpower to refrain. I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard at anything.) But I survived anyway, just like I’m sure real vegetarians must have to do all the time. So props to them!

I have always been an avid meat lover, one of those people who says that I could never be a vegetarian or understand why people are. This experience has definitely changed my mind, because although I still love meat, I have gotten to see first hand the benefits that vegetarianism offers. I never, ever thought that I would say this, but I am considering becoming a real full-time vegetarian. Weird, huh? I do really crave meat, but I’m intrigued by the way my body and my tastes have changed this month and am tempted to see how embracing this lifestyle full-time could impact my health.

I guess we’ll just have to see how I feel after my first piece of meat on Monday. Will it be so amazing I’ll never want to part with it again, or will it make me feel so full and heavy that I’ll be craving hummus and carrot sticks instead? Not sure, but I do know one thing: this challenge has taught me a lot and while the month is up, I’ll definitely be taking these lessons with me (to some extent) in the long term.

Ready or not, Chipotle, here I come!