I have something to share with you. Something many of you don’t want to hear (ignorance is bliss, right?), but something you all need to hear. Something that goes against everything we’ve been taught our whole lives. Something that is going to rock your world. You ready for it?

Zero calories doesn’t always equal healthy.

If your favorite dessert is claiming to be calorie free, or you’re reaching daily for that “skinny vanilla latte” thinking skinny latte = skinny jeans, think again. The truth is all of these things are loaded with artificial sweeteners. Chemicals. Things your body doesn’t recognize and are actually poisonous for your bootylicious bod.

Hard to swallow, right? Girl, I know it. Every time I try to convince my friends that artificial sweeteners turn into formaldehyde in their body, are the furthest thing from natural and that it’s actually better for us all to have a little of the REAL stuff then this fake crap that millions of us are now putting in our bodies multile times a day, I get the same response: “Everything is going to cause cancer eventually so why not at least look good now?!”

Well, what if I told you that your artificial sweeteners are actually making you FAT? Gasp! Shudder! The horror!

I know, but it’s true.

Studies have shown that artificial sweeteners actually make you… EAT MORE, When you’re sipping on chugging Diet Coke (or whatever other artificial sweetener laden food or drink you enjoy) it confuses your body and convinces your brain that food is coming. To prepare, your body produces insulin, which actually drives up your appetite, slows down your metabolism and leaves you with a few extra pounds around your midsection. Studies have shown that people who drink diet soft drinks at meals end up consuming more food than those drinking water.

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Here’s a fact: there are few times in a day when I would pass up the temptation of something chocolate. Save for when I first wake up… er… scratch that. Let’s try this again:

There is NEVER a time in the day – not even once, not even a half second – where I wouldn’t want something chocolate. It’s getting to the point where I totally get how Charlie Sheen feels. Mmmhmmm, it’s that bad.

Except, if I gave into my chocolate obsession I wouldn’t just be filling the void in my belly, I would also be filling out my dress. And my jeans. And my swimsuits. In a big, not-so-cute-way. Chocolate chip muffin? Good. Muffin top as a result of chocolate? Not so much.

So in order to keep myself happy, sane and clothed, I’ve resorted to indulging in the good stuff once in a while (I’m talking to you, Sprinkles Cupcakes!) and finding healthy chocolate alternatives to kill my daily (or a few times daily) cravings. It both satisfies the chocolate craving AND the reassurance that my jeans will still fit up over my thighs tomorrow. And those two things are pretty much all the happiness a girl could ask for, right? Well, that and Jason Segel showing up at my doorstep…covered in chocolate. What? A girl can dream.

Anyway, here are my three favorite chocolate-distractions. If you’ve got an unyielding need for the ooey, gooey, creamy goodness of chocolate, these should kick that unhealthy craving to the curb. Read More »

Much like everything else in a college girl’s life (finding the perfect pair of jeans, balancing relationships, deciding where to party, etc.), sugar seems complicated. And I’m sick of complicated, so I’m going to break it down for you.

Should you go for natural or artificial? Low-cal or all natural? Corn syrup or aspartame? Honey or agave nectar?

Here’s your guide to satisfying your sweet tooth in the healthiest way possible.

What It’s Called
There are secret code names for sugar that you’ll find in everything from crackers to vegetables. Look for: Sucrose, Fructose, Glucose, Corn Sugar, Sorbitol, Dextrose, Maltose, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Aspartame, Lactose… and more.

What It Does To Your Body
Carbs and sugars turn into glucose, which gives us energy to function. Glucose determines your blood sugar level, which affects your appetite, emotions, athletic performance, and more. You do not want to screw with this system – ideally, you want your blood sugar level to stay pretty even all the time. Usually people do this by eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and things that get metabolized at a steady rate in your body.

Sugar has two parts. Besides the glucose, there’s fructose, which is in added sweeteners, and in smaller amounts in fruits and veggies. Either way, eating too many calories from glucose or fructose is a sure way to gain weight and mess up your blood sugar level. Read More »

So I think all of you devoted readers deserve to know that I’m dying.

Ok, not really… but according to a new study, cancer might be brewing inside me as I sip my diet coke. (Why am I such a Debbie Downer today? Wah wahhhhhhhhhh.)

The study found that one of the most popular artificial sweeteners may cause cancer. And I don’t know about you, but that is practically a death sentence for me.

As artificiality has become a societal fundament, I’ve managed to resist plastic surgery and fake tanning. Hell, I don’t even have a fake id. But, because I’m such a lucky gal, the one faux treat that I’ve wildly indulged in is now linked to cancer. Read More »