I gained ten pounds during that relationship and while he didn’t care – he loved seeing me in the buff despite the extra junk in my trunk – I was ready to take back the control of my life, shed the extra weight, and hit the single scene with my svelte new frame.

Only the reality was so, so different.

Not only is the single scene rather sad and over-saturated with douche bags, but being single is actually making me fatter!

There is something to be said about having someone around, and not just for the comfort and companionship that comes with a boyfriend. Passing the time with someone else keeps your mind occupied so you’re talking and cuddling and giggling instead of mentally surveying what’s in your fridge. And, not that I care about eating in front of a boy (trust me – I ate a burger and fries in front of some models once), but having anyone around forces me to check myself before I start grazing through the cupboards and housing anything I can get my hands on. Now that I’m alone I’m to my own devices, and apparently those devices involve dipping everything into peanut butter, whether I’m hungry or not.

And forget the gym. Since I don’t have anyone to look good for, I often give in to that fat little devil sitting on my shoulder and trade in Spinning time for catching-up-on-my-DVR time. I keep telling myself I’ll go tomorrow; I have so much free time, why wouldn’t I go? But then I don’t go. I put on sweats, think of things to melt cheese on and retire to the couch for the rest of the night.

The worst culprit, though, is the emotional eating that comes with dating. There is rarely an emotional roller coaster when you’re in a serious relationship. You know how he feels about you, so you’re comfortable and happy. But when you’re single, the emotional ups and downs come daily. You like someone who doesn’t like you back, you see all your friends who are blissfully happy with their own boyfriends, you spend long nights alone and you convince yourself you’re going to be single forever…

And what does that all lead to? Comfort in the form of something creamy, cold and served in a gallon tub. Which you keep eating because there is no one around to stop you. And which you don’t work off because you’re too lazy to get to the gym.

Sigh. I’m stuck in a single rut and I can’t get out. Probably because I’ve gotten too fat to fit through the door. I need motivation. I need self control. I need a padlock on my refrigerator.

I need a… boyfriend?

There are days when not even a new playlist, the latest issue of Glamour, AND Tough Love on VH1 could make my 45 minute elliptical sesh fly by. My mind is bored, and so is my body. And when my body is bored, it’s not burning as many calories. The human body is designed to be efficient so when I do the same exercise day after day (which gets boring), my body uses fewer calories to do the same amount of work on day 30 than, say, on day 1.

The same goes for you, people.
If your mind is bored, your body is bored.

As college students, we’re bored enough sitting in lecture each day; our workouts should be something that we look forward to! And at the risk of sounding like your mom, college is the time to try new things, so why not new methods of exercise? Cross-training (varying different types of exercise or activity), also helps you burn more calories by tricking your body with new and unfamiliar movements. It can also prevent exercise-related injuries, as you’re working different muscle groups and using different parts of your body for each activity. And, taking group fitness classes is an awesome way to meet people. Studies have shown that exercising with other people increasing the level of endorphins that we release during a workout, keeping us coming back for more!  Some universities even let you take sports or fitness classes for CREDIT! You pretty much just have to show up. Good motivation if you find it hard to get out of bed and to the gym, or wouldn’t otherwise have time to exercise.

If you’ve been doing the same 45 minute elliptical workout for the past few months (or few years!) it’s time to switch things up. Here are a few ideas to add a little mix to your workout:

Spinning / Group Cycling: An intense workout on a stationary spinning bike set to upbeat music in which an instructor will take you through a ride that will get your heart pumping, your legs working, and engage your core! Cycling can be adapted to your fitness level, and helps build endurance and muscle strength. It also tones your glutes like nothing else will and is an amazing cardio alternative.

Hooping: (As in hula.) Woooo, third grade! The hoops are bigger and weighted so that anyone can get the hang of it. Hooping builds core strength, tones the entire body, increases flexibility, and is a great cardio workout! You’ll also look sexy moving those hips!

Pole Dancing: A workout to make your Papa proud.

Belly, Ballroom, Salsa, or Hip Hop Dance: Any of these forms of dance will give you a great cardio and toning workout, while teaching you concentration, grace, and coordination!

Fencing: Fencing helps improve coordination, mental speed, discipline, and athleticism while giving you a great cardio workout. Learn to outwit your opponent and feel like a pirate. Cool? Clearly.

Surfing: Cameron Diaz attributes her body to surfing. Enough said. But really, surfing is a great workout for toning each and every muscle in your body. Legs help you up and keep you on the board, arms paddle out, and your core helps you keep your balance. Hot surf instructor also a plus.

Excursion Sports: Many schools have excursion clubs that take members on kayaking, rock climbing, and hiking adventures.  Each of these activities is a way to get some fresh air, a great workout, and an opportunity to flirt with your kayaking guide or trail guide.

Yoga (any variation): There are countless variations of Yoga classes available today, but don’t think that you need to take one with a name that you can’t pronounce to get the best experience. Good old Yoga will do the trick too. Yoga is wonderful for improving posture, flexibility, muscle strength, relaxation, strengthening the skeletal system, and releasing stress.

Boot Camp: Be prepared for pain with any boot camp! The instructor acts as a drill sergeant and will have you doing calisthenics, running steps, pushups, pull-ups, and pushing you to the limit. Be ready to work for this whole body cardio and toning workout. If your school is near the beach, the class may be held there. It’s tough, but it’s worth it!

IM Sports: Intramural sports are a great way to play the sport that you loved in high school, or to try a new one. It’s also a great way to meet people. Most teams are co-ed, and there are different skill-level options. Form a team with your floormates and sign up!

Water Aerobics: Old ladies in swim caps DOES come to mind, but it’s a great low-impact cardio workout. Resistance from the water also helps you tone without feeling like you’re doing that much work!

Circuit Training: Taught as a group class, circuit training classes can include cardio dance, cardio circuit, kickboxing, step interval, hi-lo, body pump, buts and guts…the list goes on and on! These classes combine high intensity cardio and typical weight training with small hand weights or resistance bands.

Self Defense / Martial Arts: Relieve stress, kick ass, and build muscle strength and endurance? AND be able to not only dress up like Lara Croft for Halloween but also roundhouse kick like her? Yes please.

Pilates: Tried and true, Pilates is a great toning workout for your whole body. Focused breathing and relaxation are also benefits of this low-key workout.

Every school or gym will offer some or all of these classes, so check your school’s fitness center and see what they got. Just find something you like and you’ll not only enjoy working out more, but see greater benefits, too.

I love spinning. It’s probably the most intense 30-45 minute sweat session I have, a) because the instructor pushes me super hard, b) because I like competing with the other people in the class (whoever goes the fastest wins, right?), and c) because I totally heart the rockin,’ music.

But when I’m on my own on the treadmill or elliptical, it seems I don’t achieve quite the same level of exercise. I know it’s because I don’t have someone yelling at me to go faster, but I think it also has something to do with the lame playlist on my iPod.

So in an effort to motivate us all, I’ve created the best tunage combo for your next cardio session. There are the slower songs to get you all warmed up, the hardcore tunes to get you through the tough parts of the workout, and some more chill songs to bring that heart rate back to normal.

You don’t need a teacher kicking your butt; your iPod can do it for you. Just set up this playlist and you’re on your way.

Warming up:

1. “I Kissed a Girl” – Katy Perry
2. “We Break the Dawn” – Michelle Williams
3. “Ooh Yeah” – Moby

Getting into it:

4. “4 Minutes” – Madonna & Justin Timberlake
5. “Disturbia” – Rhianna
6. “Forever” – Chris Brown (My absolute fave!)
7. “Damaged” – Danity Kane
8. “So What” – Pink
9. “Addicted” – Saving Abel
10. “Use Somebody” – Kings of Leon
11. “Boots of Chinese Plastic” – The Pretenders
12. “I Don’t Care” – Fall Out Boy
13. “Universal Mind Control” – Common
14. “Something Is Not Right with Me” – Cold War Kids
15. “Psychosocial” – Slipknot

Cooling down:

16. “Dreamin’ of You” – Bob Dylan
17. “Mercy” – Duffy
18. “It’s Amazing” – Jem
19. “Not Now But Soon” – Imogen Heap
20. “Energy” – Keri Hilson

There you have it. Now get to the gym and push that tush!!!

Happy National Bike week, everyone!

Sound like a holiday you’d like to celebrate? Did I just hear a “hell no!”?

Ok, I get it; biking is an acquired liking. Some argue their butts don’t fit on the seat; others say it’s just too hard. But the butt pain (and trust me, there will be butt pain) is well worth all the benefits of taking up biking. Bikes not only provide great exercise, but they are also an incredibly practical piece of sporting equipment because they can be used for exercise or transportation. Extremely cheap transportation.

Why ride a bicycle to work or class? The most immediate result you will see is the money you will be saving when you don’t have to pay for gas or parking meters. And who can forget the fresh air you can breathe in by eliminating all that carbon your car would have dumped into the air?

If that won’t convince you, how about the health benefits?  Think about it; instead of sitting in a car moving your foot from left to right, you could be pumping those legs to burn calories and build muscle. In fact, for a 135 lb woman, an hour of leisurely biking can burn about 300 calories! Three hundred! Imagine how quickly you could tone your body up by simply switching up your ride to class!

If you are looking to burn major calories, Spinning is a must. Ok, so you can’t really spin to class, but it is one of, if not the most, intense exercise classes you can ever partake in. You can burn as many as 800 calories in a single hour! Spinning is no joke and an extremely difficult full body workout. This interval class allows you to burn some serious calories while also toning your legs, working your core, and building endurance. And that is the kind of workout that can only be done on a bike.

Don’t have 60 minutes to spare?

Try this four minute cycling workout using a fan bike. It will burn up to 800 calories AFTER you finish! Pretty awesome, right? It’s called a Tabata Interval and the combination of rest and intense bursts of cardio elevate your heart rate for the hours after you finish your workout. Now you don’t have the option of saying you don’t have enough time to workout. You just need 4 minutes!

Wanna know what bike is right for you? There are a variety of kinds that are geared towards commuters, mountain bikers, street racers and leisure riders. Check out this cool women’s bike site to get started finding one that is right for you. Be careful, though; bikes can get pretty pricey. They can be as expensive as two thousand dollars, but there are also many affordable options, especially if you buy something used.

It’s finally warm out, so give up that gym membership for the summer and hop on a bike. You’ll enjoy the weather and scenery so much, you might even forget you’re working out.

[If you liked this workout, don't forget to subscribe to DietHealth on YouTube for free and check out my blog updated weekly over at Examiner.com! It's like having your very own personal trainer at no cost. Could there be anything better? Have a question? Ask me on Twitter.]

Check out the latest headlines about that unique body of yours:

- My morning cup (or 7) of Joe has been my favorite workout buddy for a long time. Not only does it give me energy, but new research proves that it lessens the pain that comes after an intense workout! Caffeine blocks the brain and spinal cord from processing the biochemical adenosine, preventing pain during and after your spin on the stationary bike. You don’t need to drink as much caffeine as I do (shoot…I shouldn’t be drinking as much caffeine as I do!) to feel the benefits. A modest 2 cup serving of java will do the trick. Just don’t go overboard; if you’re heart rate is too high, working out may be more difficult than necessary.

- Still haven’t rid yourself of the Winter blues? Chase away that depression by packing a healthy lunch! Research shows that eating foods with the amino acid tryptophan raises you body’s serotonin levels, battling depression. To pack a brown bag full of this “happy hormone,” toss in a banana, turkey sandwich and some cottage cheese. These three foods are known to have the highest levels of tryptophan. If you’re on the go and feeling low, pick up a delicious Strawberry Nirvana from Jamba Juice. This smoothie is crammed with bananas and other fruit and a sixteen-ounce serving is only 170 calories…now that’s sweet! And if you’re swinging by a coffee shop for your caffeine fix, grab yourself a serving of low-fat cottage cheese to flip that frown upside down.

- Researchers are starting to think that you may follow in your mama’s virginity footsteps. Did she submit her V-Card early on? Your DNA may reveal that you will too! Although societal and cultural aspects play a larger part in determining when you’ll have your first time, your genes can be up to a third of the reason why you will hit the sheets at a certain age. This is most likely attributed to the presence of intense levels of the risk-taking, impulsive DRD4 gene. Ask your mom about her early escapades to see if the apple really doesn’t fall too far from the tree. (That is, if you really want to hear the answer…)

- Do you look up to the healthy lifestyles of those celery-chomping Vegetarians? Well, maybe you shouldn’t envy them so much. Studies show that adolescents and young adults who currently (or have in the past) follow a vegetarian diet are more likely to suffer from eating disorders. Veg-Heads have less control when it comes to binge eating and are more apt to engage in dangerous weight control behaviors such as purging, diet pill popping and abusing laxatives and diuretics. Although a vegetarian diet lessens the risk of obesity, is it really worth the possibly deadly impulses?

Scientists and researchers keep discovering better ways to help our health, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take advantage of the information we have today! While we wait for next week’s brilliant discoveries, be sure to have a coffee with your workout, a banana with your lunch, a birds and the bees talk with your mama and a healthy view on Vegetarianism.

Zumba

If you love to dance, this exercise is a must try! The latin inspired fitness dance class took sports gyms by storm in 2008. According to the official Zumba® website, “Zumba® Fitness was created in the mid-90’s by Colombian native Alberto “Beto” Perez, a celebrity fitness trainer and choreographer for International pop superstars. Inspired by the traditional cumbia, salsa, samba and merengue music he grew up with, Beto paired his favorite pulsating Latin rhythms with the red-hot international dance steps his clients loved and Zumba® Fitness (Spanish slang for “to move fast and have fun”) was born!” Click here to find the nearest Zumba class to where you live.

Pilates

Pilates really works your core and creates a leaner looking midsection. It will teach you how to suck in your beer gut without having that “sucking it in” look on your face in pictures. If you are naturally thin and are looking for a way tone up, this is an awesome exercise that will even make you look taller! For beginners you will most likely just use a mat and your own body weight. You will break a sweat, but this is not a heart pumping exercise. You may not even realize the muscles you are using during class, but you will definitely feel it the next day. I personally have noticed the slimming and toning effects after just as little as 2 classes. If your school doesn’t offer Pilates classes, you can check out a few of my favorite routines for free here. On average, Pilates burns about 330 calories per hour.

Yoga

You probably are familiar with Yoga, but what you may know is that although it doesn’t provide a cardio workout, it does help weight loss efforts. In a recent study, it was revealed that yoga may help you lose weight and keep if off better than a low carb or low fat diet as a result of it’s the meditation effects. The meditation allows its practitioners to feel confident in their skin and achieve a healthier lifestyle. Those that were on a low calorie, low fat, low carb whatever, lost weight initially but were unable to keep it off as time went on. The yogi’s adopted a healthy lifestyle that allowed them to make wise food and exercise decisions. It also will give you an awesome body as a result of holding difficult poses. It does wonders for your arms and abs, making it a great form of exercise for tank top season! It’s also relaxing and is proven to combat stress and depression! On average it burns about 200 calories per hour.

Spinning

Seen in many movies like the opening scene from “The Sweetest Thing,” spinning is definitely an acquired taste. I will honestly admit I have never taken a class because I do not like bikes. However, it is an awesome workout for burning calories like crazy. In the words of my sister, “It’s a super cardio workout.” If you wanna lose weight, take this class. If you need a challenge, take this class. The high intensity workout can burn you about 700 calories in an hour (based on a 140 lb woman). If you want to try out your biking likability, try this 4 minute bike workout that will give you an idea of how much you like the bikers burn!

Other classes to check out at your school are kickboxing, bootcamp style classes, hula hooping, stip tease aerobics and cardio classes. For more free workout videos delivered weekly subscribe to my YouTube channel, DietHealth. Did I mention we give out free gifts to our subscribers each month, from free food to healthy recipe books and fitness DVD’s?

You can also follow me on twitter (DietSarah) and ask any fitness questions you may have! See you next week!

Seriously. I will kill it.

First of all, it’s a product that spins your mascara wand. Perhaps you didn’t hear me, it spins your mascara wand. I’m sure I will get comments here that say I’m overreacting, but, for realz–has it really come to this?

How freakin’ lazy can we get? Now we need a device to help us apply mascara?

I’m also disturbed by the little spinning wand avec product on the homepage that lets you enter the page.

Why does this exist? Why would I spend $14.95 plus shipping and handling (!) on something that I secretly fear may pull my lashes out, carnival style, like that girl who lost her scalp at Six Flags?

The creepy little video says something like, “Clumps are caused by applying traditional mascara to naturally disorderly lashes.”

Honey, if my lashes are disorderly, it’s because God made ‘em that way. I don’t need some spinning wand to make it otherwise.

The one positive thing I see about this is that you can use it with any mascara you want. I mean, that’s good. At least it’s not forcing you to buy a totally brand just so you can use it. I heart equal opportunity.

But overall and fundamentally, and let’s forget my macabre fantasy of lash death, this product just seems unnecessary.

And finally (and more importantly), does this thing even work? I don’t know. Anyone tried it?

Despite the fact that I have been experiencing severe tail-bone pain for the past two weeks (due to a semi-drunken tumble down a flight of stairs), I have been attempting to keep up with my five-days-a-week gym schedule. Any other time of year and I probably would just take advantage of the fact that my ass is a lovely shade of eggplant and sleep in instead. But, being that everyone else in the world is using this month to get in shape, I felt motivated to do the same.

Being that I can’t partake in my usual morning classes (spinning with this bruise? Not a chance), I have been forced to return to the cardio floor. And my return has reminded me why I have been avoiding it for so long. Maybe it is because it is so early in the morning, or maybe it is because I really hate being at the gym until my workout is actually over and I’m sipping on my coffee, but there are some gym people that are just starting to piss me off.

There may not be a list posted anywhere, but there are some unspoken rules regarding gym etiquette that everyone is supposed to abide by. Like warning someone before they set up all their stuff and begin working out that the treadmill is broken. Not after when they nearly fall off and break their necks because the belt was sticking. (Welcome to my morning).

Sorry. I’m getting angry all over again, but I am sure I am not alone in my frustration. So here is a list of my biggest Gym Pet Peeves. Let us all commiserate together.

1. Machine Savers: I understand that you got here really early in the morning and you want that machine, but if you are going to put a towel on it and then leave for 20 minutes it is no longer yours. The elliptical is an exercise machine, not a towel rack.

2. Socializers: I am not sure why these people pay for a gym membership other than to make people believe they are really getting into shape, but there are some people that literally come to the gym and never get near a machine or weight. I imagine them telling people they are going to work out, go to the gym, talk, dump a little water on their head to make it look sweaty and then go home and whine about their haaaaard workout.

3. Grunters: Your weight is heavy. I get it. Must you announce it to the entire room?

4. Cell Phoners: Do you really think you are getting a quality workout if you are able to hold a full conversation while doing it, Ms. Thang? There are other people at the gym (i.e. ME) who would like to actually break a sweat, so do you mind taking that conversation next door to Starbucks?

5. Short Short Wearers: Men wearing short shorts is incredibly risky. Not to mention totally unfair to innocent bystanders who just so happen to look over at the wrong time during a butterfly stretch/ab series and encounter old man junk. It is absolutely horrifying.

I cannot wait for my butt to heal so I can get back to Boot Camp. Although, now that I think about it, number 5 is a problem there as well. I guess it is just something I am going to have to learn to live with. After I have had my morning coffee.