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?

1. Running

2. Rowing

3. Swimming

Not only do these three exercises burn the most calories in 30 minutes (avg. 300 for a 145 pound person), but they also build muscle and tone your entire body. Walking, biking and even using the elliptical trainer will not work your body as hard or as well, because those exercises target your lower body and leave your upper body hanging out and doin’ nothing.

If you don’t even have 30 minutes in your action-packed schedule to get to the gym, try jumping rope. You probably haven’t picked up a jump rope since playing Double Dutch in 2nd grade, but 10 minutes of jumping rope can burn up to 200 calories! Picking up the jump rope for a few 10-minute sessions throughout the day (between classes, right when you wake up, etc…) is a super easy way to burn calories quickly.

It is really easy to find excuses not to work out, but try and squeeze these exercises into your day. You’ll feel better, look better, and give yourself a much needed break from catching up on all the reading you’re somehow already behind on even though it’s only the first day of class. (Seriously, WTF is up with that?!)

After finishing another long day of classes (a whole 3 hours!), you head home to grab a quick snack and go to the gym. You don’t even let yourself sit down or get comfortable, knowing that getting near that couch – even for a moment – means you would never get up again. You have a ton of reading to do, but you must squeeze in that daily workout.

You throw on a pair of workout pants, squeeze into a sports bra, grab your iPod and a bottle of water and make your way to the gym.

You play your cardio mix as you walk, pumping you up for the big workout ahead. It’s gonna be a long run, or maybe 45 minutes on the elliptical.

When you get to the gym you realize that you weren’t the only one with this plan today. The gym is packed. You make your way to the cardio room and notice a short line has already formed for both the treadmills and the ellipticals.

So you wait.

As you stand there, losing any motivation you may have had for a long, sweaty workout, you look over at the machines to see if anyone is close to finishing. That is when you spot her.

She’s wearing crisp, tight yoga pants and a sports bra. Not under a shirt, but as a shirt. Her hair is perfectly straight and her face is made up for a night at the bars. And she is on the phone. Her feet are barely moving – god forbid she should break a sweat and ruin her eyeliner – as she discusses her evening plans (quite loudly) with whomever is on the other end of the call.

15 minutes go by. The rest of the girls on the ellipticals are still working hard – sweating, breathing heavy, staring at Cell Phone girl. And she continues chatting.

You sigh loudly and obviously, shifting your weight from side to side. Maybe, you think to yourself, this girl doesn’t realize people are waiting to get a real workout.  She looks at you.  And keeps on talking.

All of that energy you had stored up for your workout is surging through you. You want to walk over and ask her nicely (“Bitch, can you get off that machine so someone who wants to actually USE it can get on?!) to get off the machine, but you don’t. Instead, you stand there and stew.

Another 5 minutes go by and, finally, she hangs up the call and stops pedaling. “Thank god,” you think to yourself.  You start walking towards her elliptical when you realize that someone else is already there. And has struck up a conversation with her. She stands on the elliptical – not moving – and chats it up with her muscley friend.

Another elliptical opens up and you finally get your workout started. It is another 20 minutes before Ms. Thang gets up and leaves the gym, not a bead of sweat dripping from her flawless face.

She walks by your machine on the way out. “Yeah, I’m leaving the gym,” she says into her Crackberry. “I’m so tired from my workout!”

Fuming, you pedal faster.

We’ve all been there. And we’ve wanted to throw some hand weights at her too.

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

OK, so Week 1 wasn’t entirely unsuccessful. But that’s not saying much.

By the time Wednesday night rolled around, I realized I had yet to do any physical activity whatsoever. I hadn’t even walked to class all week. Sure, I had a busy week – it was midterms time, the week before spring break. And any other week, I would have brushed it off as just another week without exercise, no big deal–there’s always next week. But I knew that I had this post hanging over my head, and how the heck was I going to write a blog post if I had nothing to write about?

So off I trekked to our campus rec center with my friend Martha, a triathlete and former competitive swimmer. This girl is way more intense than I could ever be, so I knew she wouldn’t let me slack off. And for going, I offered myself the reward of a Shamrock Shake afterward.

Once we got there, Martha chose her treadmill right away and started running. I wandered around for a few minutes, trying to find the least daunting piece of exercise equipment to start with. I remembered that a reader named Ellen had recommended I start with a cross-trainer (thanks, Ellen!), so I climbed onto the machine and got ready to start. Except there were all these buttons, and that created a problem. Martha came to my rescue, starting the machine and upping the resistance to level 6 (which may or may not be a big deal, but believe me, I was just fine with no resistance).

I stalled a little bit longer, making a playlist on my iPod Touch and, of course, “checking in” to the rec center on Foursquare. To add insult to non-athletic injury, Foursquare proclaimed, “This is your 1st check-in here!” I know, I know. With nothing left to do, I reluctantly started the machine. And once I fell into a rhythm, it really wasn’t that bad. Listening to music was a good distraction, because it kept me energized (United State of Pop, anyone?) as I ellipticized (Can I make that a verb? Well, I just did). I challenged myself to make it to 5 minutes, then 10, and finally 15, and before I knew it I’d met my goal. And even though it was only 15 minutes, it felt GREAT.

When I stepped off the machine, my legs were shaky and clammy, and I was a little dizzy. Probably not a good thing, so I went over to the exercise bikes to sit down. I was going to start biking, but then this guy sat down next to me, and rather than allowing him the privilege of watching me in all my awkwardness, I decided it was time to stretch. (Meanwhile, Martha’s still running. I think she ran, like, 3 miles. This girl is ridiculous.) Martha joined me in a few minutes, suggesting we do a plank for 30 seconds–which was a success! I did it! My entire body was spasm-ing for the last, well, 25 seconds, but I did it!

So, Shamrock Shake in hand, I returned home slightly exhausted but mainly really proud of myself. Working out once may not seem like a huge accomplishment, but I’m taking this all in baby steps. And this next week provides an added challenge–I’ll be home, without access to free exercise facilities or fitness classes. Wish me luck–and keep sending the advice my way! I’m going to need it.

Ew.

Be honest.

One of the biggest motivations for us college girls to get to the gym every day is the thought of all the hot guys that will be there. Yeah, we go there to burn off last night’s margaritas and nachos, but doing all that burning is so much better while ogling delicious, muscle-y coeds lifting weights, the sweat dripping off of their glistening brows.

But then there are the other guys. Those dudes that show up in attire that makes us want to throw up last night’s indulgences rather than jump their bones right up against the leg press.  Everyone knows that the bar gym is a great place to pick up guys, but these five fashion choices are definite dealbreakers.

Guys, no matter how hot you are, you don’t look good in these.

1. Spandex

I don’t care what kind of exercise you’re doing, spandex is NEVER necessary. This goes for outside the gym, too.  There’s nothing like seeing a guy jogging around campus and having a clear outline of his junk to wake you up for a 9 am lecture.  Spare me.  If you’re lucky, we’ll wanna see your man parts after a few drinks at more appropriate times (that is, unless we remember that we saw you at the gym wearing spandex).

2. Sleeveless Muscle Tees

Unless you’re Pauly D or The Situation, don’t wear muscle tees. They make you look like Pauly D and The Situation. We get it, you have huge biceps, and trust us, we love to watch you flex them. But not in an old t-shirt you tore up with arm holes that hang down to your waist. If we can see your entire upper body already, what’s the point of wearing a shirt anyway? And while we’re on the subject, let’s just make these illegal, K?

3. Short Shorts

Short shorts on girls? Fine. Short shorts on guys? Gross. Guy thighs are big, pale, and hairy – a very unattractive combo.  And trust me when I say I did not need to see that guy’s junk flop out onto the mat during a particularly intense butterfly stretch.

4. Velour Sweatpants

If you wear these to the gym you are probably also sporting #2, a fake tan, and a blowout (and maybe even a sweatband around said blowout. And sunglasses).  I always see guys wearing these in colors like maroon, teal, and white. Forget the fact that we can see the outline of your man parts, but WTF? Did you get lost at Macy’s and end up at Juicy Couture?

5. Anything one-piece
Like this. Or these. Come on now; do I really need to say it?

On the flip-side, though, one thing guys should wear MORE of to the gym: deodorant. Please and thank you.

Ladies, I’m skeptical. If I hear Glee is a hilarious television show, I will not believe until I’ve seen the football team dancing to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” on the field. If you tell me Special K bars will make me lose weight, I won’t believe until I read the nutrition facts for myself. So when my co-worker raved about the benefits of fitness boot camps, I obviously did not believe her until I tried it myself.

Working out is hard enough already – do you really need someone yelling in your face the entire time? If I want to work out, I can do it entirely on my own. I’m just fine pounding the treadmill alone. With my iPod. And without any camouflage, baggy pants, and whistles! After 7^th grade, I resigned myself to the fact that I cannot do a pull-up, and I am more than fine with that. Plus, boot camp sounded so manly – I don’t want to look like one of those guidos from Jersey Shore.

But my very persistent co-worker convinced me to try out a mini boot camp. Her friend, a certified instructor, was running it for free, which sealed the deal. And because I never suffer alone, I dragged two of my friends along.

We met in the gardens of a nearby private school. Yes, in the good old outdoors. I showed up in a pair of yoga pants and a wife beater. The more experienced boot-campers arrived with their hands taped up like kick boxers and double sports bras. Needless to say, I was a little intimidated.

And then it started.

We began with the normal stretches, did a bit of running, and then were paired with partners for the rest of camp. Suddenly I found myself lunging, army crawling, jumping rope and more, with this partner of mine. Who, by the way, wasn’t one of the friends I brought along. I was sweating, my muscles were burning and I thought I might pass out… but I was having a great time! Going from station to station kept me active and interested, as opposed to my treadmill workouts when I’m counting down the minutes until I’m done. I was also doing a ton of new and different exercises, which challenged me in completely new ways.

And as cheesy as this may sound, I loved having a partner cheer me on the entire time. Can you imagine having someone telling you how great you are, and how you just need to go a little bit farther, a little bit faster all the time? Let’s talk really effective motivation! According to an article in the LA Times, since “people are often paired or grouped for friendly competitions,” boot camps can foster “a camaraderie and support not usually found in regular fitness classes. That camaraderie strengthens with time, establishing accountability, something fitness experts say is essential for sticking with a program.”

My skepticism was nowhere to be found as I punched, jumped, and sprinted through class. I seriously loved every minute of it! I’m not starved for attention, but I was really loving the group support. No matter who I found myself holding up, whose butt was near my face, or who I happened to be carrying up a hill (no joke), everyone believed in me and thought I was strong. It made me feel that much stronger and allowed me to push that much further. Just doing the normal work out at the gym with my girlfriends never resulted in that kind of motivation!

So maybe this skeptic is a believer now. And I’m not the only one. The experts at the LA Times agree that “for people willing to put in the work, boot camps enable exercisers to see results quickly, the better to stay motivated.”

Boot Camp Benefits include:

• Being in the great outdoors
• Having an always-changing workout
• Constant motivation
• Accountability
• Feeling that you’re always challenging your body in new ways

Can’t argue with that.
Have you tried boot camping it before? Would you try it now?

Unless you consider yourself “a runner,” (you know who you are) running can kind of suck. A lot. Sometimes it feels great to feel the wind through your hair and know that you left the equivalent of a 5K in the dust, no sweat. Other times, you barely make it to the end of your block before thoughts of turning home to the comfort and safety of your couch and DVR creep into your head.

And then there’s the whole debate over whether running on a treadmill is the same as running outdoors. Some “runners” will swear up and down that running on a treadmill is inferior to running outside, belittling the 3 miles on the treadmill that you just called your workout as not as hard, not as fast, or not as long as the treadmill said.

Well, here’s your chance to put those people in their place. Studies have proven that treadmill running is just as hard (and good for you) as running outside! Yayyyy! For better or worse, the treadmill and the great outdoors will burn your booty just the same when running is the name of the game.

Although they’ve proven that running on a treadmill is just as good of a workout as running outside, we all know that there are still huge differences in the two! Sure, you can listen to your iPod in both situations, but only inside can you balance Cosmo on the magazine rack in front of you while Britney’s “3″ keeps you working.

Most people have a preference for one or the other, but if you’re unsure of which location is better for you, here are the pros and cons of both:

Running Outdoors:
When you run outside you get lots of fresh air, pretty scenery, and the thrill of exploring new routes. Lovely. But you’re also more at risk for being injured (either instantly by tripping and falling, or later on due to the effect of  the hard roads on your joints) or being attacked. Plus, it’s not always easy to gauge your speed or distance. Oh, and sometimes, the weather can suck.

If you do choose to run outside, you should wear bright and reflective colors, run in well-lit and populated areas, and carry your cell phone with you if possible. (This is one more reason I love my iPhone so much – iPod and phone!! Woooo!).

Running on the Treadmill:
Like I said, magazine reading material is a perk, and when on the treadmill you can see your speed, distance and time all right in front of you. I don’t know about you, but that forces me to push myself a little harder – to run a little faster and further. But while that’s a major perk to gym running, there is the nasty truth that gyms are germy! And crowded – you don’t want to spend your precious time waiting in line to get in a 5 mile run. And let us not forget that the treadmill can be BORING; even if there’s a TV on that badboy, it gets old running in place after awhile.

Both options have their goods and their bads, but wherever you choose to run, it’s the right choice. Running – either indoors or out – is a great form of cardio. The most important thing you can do is find out which works better for you and stick with it. And the second most important thing you can do is add some Miley to your running playlist. She’ll definitely pick you up when you’re feeling down and out and too tired to move on.

]]> http://collegecandy.com/2009/11/30/body-blog-indoor-vs-outdoor-running/feed/ 18 Samantha - UC Santa Barbara girl-on-treadmill-1 RunningCert0108EvaT copy http://collegecandy.com/2009/10/19/pass-up-the-cool-down/ http://collegecandy.com/2009/10/19/pass-up-the-cool-down/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:00:32 +0000 Maddie - Tufts University http://collegecandy.com/?p=43990 ]]>

While most people’s gym routines differ – I, for one, have always been an elliptical girl and hate the stationary bike – it’s safe to assume that almost everyone incorporates a “cool down” into their cardio program. After running for 30 minutes at 7 miles per hour, you’ll knock your speed down to 3 and spend five minutes jogging or walking before you hop off the machine. Many pieces of gym equipment even include a 5-minute cool down automatically, tacking it on to the end of your desired workout. All of this is supposed to prevent soreness or muscle damage and relieve strain on the heart.

According to University of Texas physiologist Hirofumi Tanaka, however, there’s no proof that a cool down has any positive benefits on the body. “Everyone thinks it’s an established fact, so they don’t study it,” he said in a recent New York Times article. The article notes the ambiguity of the concept as a whole, noting that it’s not even clear what a cool down is supposed to be or how long it should last.

Apparently, the cool down became standard gym practice after it was reported that muscles become sore after exercising due to the accumulation of lactic acid. This theory has been reported false, leading people to believe that reducing the intensity at the end of a workout (which was supposed to let the lactic acid dissipate slowly) is unnecessary. The article does note, however, that blood can build up in your legs and feet if you stop running (or biking or ellipti-cizing) shortly, making dizziness or even fainting a possibility.

The article adds that because lactic acid has been discovered to be beneficial, it might be better not to cool down. A study of a group of cyclists showed that cooling down wasted the lactic acid; when they just stopped without reducing their speed gradually, the lactic acid was turned into glycogen, a muscle fuel.

So what does this mean? It means that you don’t have to waste that extra ten minutes at the gym cooling down. In fact, for better results, it means that you shouldn’t. Finish your desired workout, grab your things and head home. Then use that extra time for something more productive, like studying, making a healthy snack… or stalking your crush on Facebook.

I have this theory that anything that’s good for the planet is good for your health as well.  You’ve heard it all before:  ditching the car, eating organic greens, and drinking tap water are all great ways to maintain your well-being.  But did you know that adding a little green to your workout routine can actually bump it its effectiveness and your subsequent sexiness?  Read on, my friend…

Treadmill vs. Trail: Treadmills use a lottt of energy – about 6 hours of lights on a Christmas tree-worth in only 30 minutes (obscure analogy, I know).  Running outside, however, requires no additional energy except for that needed to manufacture your workout clothes.  I don’t expect you to run outside just for the environment’s sake, but what if I told you that running outside can up your calorie burn and save your joints from strain and impact?  Not only are trails more likely to have inclines that torch calories like a wildfire, they also have a bumpier terrain which causes your muscles to make tiny corrective movements. All in all, this can increase your calorie burn by up to 10%!  Run on sand, and burn 1.6 times more calories!  Plus, dirt trails, wet and dry sand, and even asphalt (never run on the concrete sidewalk!) are softer than the surface of treadmills and will better protect your knees and ankles from impact and future joint pain.  Trust me, running in nature sure beats trotting alongside that 50 year old man sweating like a pig in his 1976 gym shorts.

StairMaster vs. Real Stairs: Like treadmills, StairMasters use a lot of energy to simulate the effect of…stairs.  I don’t know where you live, but where I’m from, stairs are not exactly a rare site.   Spare yourself the pricey gym membership and the unbecoming fluorescent lighting and hit your nearest sport stadium.  Depending on your weight, running stairs for 30 minutes can burn around 500 calories while 30 minutes of the StairMaster burns a measly 300 (hey, that’s an extra scoop of ice cream right there!).  You can also use the stairs as a forum for strength exercises, like this one from Women’s Health.  Plus, there’s always the added benefit of “accidentally” running the stairs at the exact same time as the football team…

Free Weights vs. Resistance Bands: Of course, both free weights and resistance bands take energy to manufacture and distribute.  However, think about the difference between buying an entire set of dumbbells and buying one or two resistance bands.  Not only is it better for the environment, but it is also a lot cheaper for us poor college students.  Unlike free weights, resistance bands challenge your muscles on both the flex and the release, increasing your muscle stability and strengthening tiny muscles that you didn’t even know existed.  You can use them in various exercises and you can control how hard the exercise is based on your form and the positioning of the band.

If you find that your band is too easy for you, just run on over to your local sporting goods store and buy one with higher resistance for about 15 bucks.  Plus, they’re super portable so that you can take them with you on that binge drink-a-thon spring break you have planned.  Don’t know how to get started?  Head to Fitness Magazine’s website and check out their plethora of resistance band workouts.

Of course there are so many other green exercises you can do!  Using your body as resistance instead of using weight machines, biking or walking to class instead of driving, and taking fitness classes instead of using the machines are all great examples.  Let me know what you do to keep the planet cool and your body hot!

When I tell people that my boyfriend is in the Army, I usually am met with the same response:

“Oooh really? I don’t know how you do it. I couldn’t be with someone in the military.”

I can understand why they feel that way. Being apart from the one you love for long periods of time gets really tough. Being in a military relationship is an emotional and patriotic combination of sacrifice and reward.

For all the time spent apart, the mind-racing anxieties, the minimal access to communication and the constant countdown to reunion, there are still the corresponding rewards that make it all worthwhile. After spending five months apart, with half the country’s states between us, we now get to finally live together. After worrying what it meant when I didn’t hear his voice for almost 12 days, I’ve learned how to be a stronger, independent individual. I know that in the Army, no news is good news. I have learned the importance of communication and how to maintain a strong connection through hand-written letters.

By investing time and energy into such a challenging situation, I have come out the other side with a newly earned title. I am an Army Girlfriend. I serve alongside my man by staying strong and carrying on. I do things on my own, for myself, with no one’s help. Are all the difficulties of a military relationship worth it, you ask? I say, if it’s the right person, then you would do whatever it takes. It’s like sacrificing an hour on the treadmill so that you can enjoy an Apple Fritter from Starbucks. Sure, that hour on the treadmill is challenging, sometimes painful, seemingly never-ending and you always end up staring at the display to watch the minutes slowly tick by. But when you do finally get off, you’re so much stronger and proud of yourself for not giving up…and now you get your reward.

Yes, I just likened my boyfriend to an Apple Fritter.

So, with that said, I could not be more proud to be with a military man. His trials, tribulations, challenges and sacrifices inspire me every day to be a better person and a more confidant woman. Next time you see a man in uniform, don’t just ogle at how great his ass looks in those ACUs. Feel free to approach him and thank him for his service. Or pay for the latte that the soldier behind you in line at Starbucks is waiting to order. Show your appreciation for our men and they will fight for you in return. Believe me, those little gestures can mean the world. And if a military man asks you out on a date, don’t run away for fear of falling in love with someone that you may have to part with. Do yourself, and America, a favor and dive right on in.

Besides, the treadmill may suck at times, but at least you will always fit into your favorite pair of camo boy shorts.

Yes, I just likened my relationship to fitting into a pair of shorts. But why not? They both make me feel really, really good.

It’s not like we don’t know what is healthy and what isn’t – we do. And we all vow that the next year will be different – that we’ll stop getting seconds at the caf and drinking 6 nights a week – but then classes start, beer pong ensues and it all goes out the window right to our asses.

To most of us calories are just confusing; who the hell knows how many calories we actually consume on a daily basis. How much work we need to do in order to burn off dollar pitcher night.  How many calories we burn walking to the library? But those things definitely need to be figure out if we want to steer clear of the not-so-attractive muffin top.

So, I thought I’d break it all down in a way everyone could understand: comparing the things we love to eat to our daily activities.

There’s always going to be that day when you have two tests to study for and an essay to write, which means zero time to cook yourself a healthy meal. But perhaps those days will be a little further in between knowing that you’ll have to wash dishes for five hours the next day to burn it off:

Two Slices of Domino’s Cheese Pizza (540 calories)= 3 hours of vacuuming (which is probably 1,214 laps around that 10X12 box of yours)

One Order of “General Tso’s Chicken” From Your Favorite Chinese Place (844 calories)= 2 hours of running on the treadmill at the gym

One Grande Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte (330 calories)= 3 hours of taking notes in class

One Plain Bagel With Cream Cheese (436 calories)= 1 ½ hours of dancing at a party

One Bowl of Ramen Noodles (296 calories)= Walking around campus for an hour

One Subway 6” Philly Cheese Steak (520 calories)= 4 hours of doing laundry

Happy Hour Anyone? Think twice before ordering another round:

One Corona (148 calories)= standing in line at the bookstore for 2 hours

One Vodka Shot (100 calories)= 1 hour of sexual activity (Okay perhaps the vodka shot isn’t such a bad thing…)

One Long Island Iced Tea (275 calories)= 3 hours of reading/highlighting in a text book