We are busy girls, no doubt. But being busy is never a good excuse for skipping out on a workout. Not only is it BS (you could spend a little less time shopping online, you know), but it’s just not good for you. And you are gonna feel really crappy later when your body turns to mush and you can’t play Rock Band or paint your toenails without breaking a sweat.

I agree that it is not always easy to find an hour in the day to get a full workout in, especially with a brand new semester and all the work that comes with it giving you the stink eye.

That is why you need to work out more efficiently.

There are certain exercises and combinations of exercises that burn calories faster than others. If you only have 30 minutes to work out, walking on a treadmill is probably not the best way to burn off that box of cookies from last night (though it is better than skipping the gym altogether…)

So, which exercises are the quickest calorie burners and the fastest routes to a healthy and fit body? Read More »

Katrina doing the Fitness Model Circuit Workout

Do you ever look at pictures in Shape or Self magazine and wonder how the models get their perfect bodies? Well, most likely they have been Photoshopped to perfection, but in real life, they are not far from it.

When I was in California recently, I was lucky enough to have Karena Dawn, a fitness model, show me and my pal Katrina the workout she used to get in shape for a recent shoot with Shape Magazine. It’s a total body fat burning circuit workout you can complete in just 20 minutes! Try this routine three days a week and you will have a magazine-cover body in no time.

Self Magazine Fitness Model Workout

This workout is 20 minutes, and includes a resistance move followed by 30-60 seconds of cardio, like running up stairs, jumping rope, running, or even jumping jacks. Best part: you do not need any equipment or a gym membership to complete this workout. You have no excuse not to get in shape! Read More »

What a coincidence it is that April is both Stress Awareness Month and when we all take finals. Cruel trick, world. A cruel trick, indeed.

Instead of grabbing a cigarette or another cup of coffee, use exercise this year as a way to alleviate the overwhelming feelings that come with cramming a semester’s worth of information into a few study sessions.

Clinically proven, exercise naturally decreases the amount of stress hormones your body produces and counteracts your body’s normal stress response. By working out regularly, your body will better be able to handle finals week and allow you to get in the amount of studying you desperately need. It will allow the burden of 2 tests in one day seem much less daunting than it really is. It will make the inevitable ‘F’ seem like a very doable passing grade.

So just take a deep breath and put on those sneakers before you hit the books. Read More »

With finals right around the corner, you may be feeling pressed for time. Instead of skipping that workout, here are a few ideas on how to get the most from the time you have when it comes to exercise.

1 Minute Abs
The one minute abs workout can be done anywhere – from the gym to your dorm. It’s a routine that works every ab muscle and will get results if done properly without rest in between moves. It’s a combination of 3 moves, each for 20 seconds.

*Leg Lifts – To get started, lie on your back with legs straight, lifted about 6 inches above the ground. Feel free to put your hands underneath your butt so your low back doesn’t arch. Lift legs to 90 degrees so they are right above your hips and lower them. Repeat for a total of 20 seconds. This move is commonly referred to as leg lifts.
*Toe Taps – Immediately go into the next move called toe taps. Bring legs above hips, out straight or with a slight bend and reach your hands towards your toes. When you come back down, stay about 3 inches above the ground and reach right back up. You don’t have to actually touch your toes but reach as far as you can without putting too much strain on your neck. Complete toe taps for 20 seconds. Read More »

Let’s face it – you’re busy! In between classes, homework, mixers, meetings, parties, and dates, every college student’s dream is to find the 25th hour in the day. And that’s not generally so they can use it to head to the gym for a strenuous cardio session.

Unfortunately, if you spend all your time in a sedentary position, snacking to kill boredom and keep yourself awake, you’re body will have no choice but to store the extra caloric energy as fat. When it comes to weight gain, all you need to worry about is whether the number of calories you expend is greater than the number of calories you ingest. In order to not gain weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat.

Making sure you hit the gym a couple of times a week (4-5 times would be ideal) for at least a half hour is a great way to jumpstart your metabolism and burn some extra calories. But when you can’t make it to the gym there are ways to make sure you’re still being active and moving around—even on the busiest of schedules. Read More »