With summer coming soon, I’m sure I’m not the only one looking to lose a few pounds. Unfortunately, accomplishing such a task is never easy. It requires choosing healthy food options, cutting calories and increasing exercise. With a 24-hour 7-11 around the corner from my dorm, my hope of being bikini-ready for summer seems only a far-fetched dream.

The difficulty of losing weight makes me, like others, want to cut corners and find a cure-all supplement so my late night munchies don’t hinder my efforts. Last week, Dr. Oz endorsed the answer to my prayers: Raspberry Ketone, the “miracle fat burner.” According to Dr. Oz, Raspberry Ketone aids weight loss by shrinking fat cells. I don’t quite understand the way the supplement works, but Dr. Oz swears by it.

As much as I would like to go to CVS and buy ten bottles of Raspberry Ketone, it’s hard to believe Dr. Oz when it seems like every month he endorses a new “miracle” supplement. While I’m sure there are some supplements out there that can increase metabolism a bit, the truth is nothing drops the pounds like cutting calories and increasing exercise. That’s it.

I do believe Dr. Oz knows how to help people lose weight, but I wish he would stop trying to sell us on supplements that won’t get us the perfectly toned bodies we’re looking for. He’s always suggesting new supplements to aid weight loss, but how are we supposed to keep track and reap the benefits of all of them?

Here are some of the other weight loss “miracle foods”:

initiating the gallery...

Ashley is a freshman at George Washington University and she’s majoring in “Overanalyzing Situations” and International Affairs. Follow her on twitter @ashleybrooks25

[Lead image via Kachergina/Shutterstock]

Brown fat – everybody’s talking about it. You’ve probably seen it floating around in the headlines, because it’s been a major part of a lot of the latest health research. But what exactly is it?

Simply put, brown fat is fat that is, well, brown. And it does things that sound almost too good to be true – it actually burns calories. And a new study shows that exercise can convert regular white fat into calorie-burning brown fat. Which means that the more you exercise, the more calories your body will be able to burn at all times. Brown fat is also triggered by cold temperatures. When your body is cold, brown fat starts burning calories to warm you up. And it actually uses white fat from other parts of the body to fuel itself.

At first, scientists thought it was only found in rodents. Rodents can’t shiver to keep warm like other mammals do, so it was thought that brown fat made up for that. But about three years ago, researchers discovered that humans have brown fat, too. And now that we know about it, lots of people are starting to wonder if brown fat could be the key to weight loss, especially for people who are really struggling to lose weight. If someone could develop a drug to “turn on” that brown fat, it would be a major breakthrough. Not to mention a cash cow.

But wait a second. Don’t go running outside without your jacket on just yet. These are short-term results, and researchers say they don’t know much about how brown fat behaves over long periods of time. So no weight loss ice baths! For now, just enjoy the knowledge that your brown fat is being activated every time you exercise.

No, I’m not talking about a new diet from the Kardashian Klan (God, can you even imagine what that would entail?). This DASH Diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, was named the number one diet for the second year in a row by U.S. News. Though it was designed for individuals suffering from hypertension — not those specifically looking to lose weight — the diet is one of the most nutritious and most-well rounded out there.

If you’re looking to kick off 2012 by revamping your healthy eating habits, check and see if the DASH Diet works for your lifestyle.

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Three words that are thrown together more often than we realize in today’s society. Whether it be a news story about an anorexic woman, a magazine ad telling readers how to go about getting a bikini body, or a blog post about the double standard that exists for women, it’s safe to say that our culture covers women and their weight pretty heavily. (No pun intended.) But has anyone ever actually bothered to question why exactly society is so concerned not just with “fat people” but “fat women”?

Kim Brittingham, author of Read My Hips: How I Learned to Love My Body, Ditch Dieting, and Live Large has. And what she realized upon further exploration was so troubling that she wrote a memoir about it, chronicling not only her own struggles with her weight, and accepting herself for who she is, but also an exploration of the reasons why she, and so many other women, have these troubles. The result? An inspiration and heartfelt memoir so worthwhile that we just had to share it with our readers. So keep reading to find out why she is against the idea of dieting and how she learned to love her body as it is.

What gave you the inspiration to write Read My Hips: How I Learned to Love My Body, Ditch Dieting, and Live Large?
I feel like I wasted a lot of precious time as a younger person worrying about the size, shape and texture of my body.  It makes me sad to remember how passionately I used to plot these physical overhauls for myself.  So much energy and planning went into these self-transformation campaigns – and they were motivated by stupid things, like a desire to lessen the curve of my hips, or eliminate that little nugget of chub where my armpit meets my upper arm.  You know that chub?  I used to want a smooth line there so badly!  None of those grand makeovers had anything to do with health, strength or longevity.  It was about whittling and sculpting myself into somebody else’s image. And the things I did to change those physical details – like dieting, for example – were the very things that made me fatter in the long run.  I wish I’d invested that energy in discovering more about myself and the world.  My life could’ve been a REAL dream come true, much sooner.

Why do you think plus-sized women are treated differently than model-sized women in society?
Americans love to pick on fat people – and what qualifies as “fat” seems to get smaller every year.  All this fat stigmatization might have something to do with the fact that our culture tolerates fewer and fewer prejudices as time goes on.  It’s not nearly as socially acceptable today to spout ignorance about blacks or gays, for example, as it might have been even just 25 years ago. And people are no more secure today than they’ve ever been – maybe even less so.  So they’re looking around for somebody to dump on, and fat people are a favorite target.

Why do you think people, especially us women, struggle with their body image so much?
I think girls and women specifically are taught to focus on their looks, at least in American culture.  We’re taught to constantly doubt ourselves and seek ways to fix what’s “wrong.”  And those fixes almost always involve giving our money away to someone else for a treatment or cure.  Corporations don’t make money when women are happy with themselves.  And big corporations are really holding most of the money in this country, and thus they can afford to give their messages the longest, most persistent reach. A lot of what you hear in a day is the result of someone trying to sell you something.

You wrote that “we live in a culture in which the phrase ‘lose weight’ causes a Pavlovian response in almost anyone born with a vagina.”  Would you say more about that?
The promise of being able to lose weight is more appealing to females in our culture than anything else.  We’ve been conditioned that way.  If someone wants to sell a product to lots of American women, they’ll look for a way to link that product to weight loss.  Why else do you think almost every women’s magazine on the newsstand has something about weight loss on the cover?  Look for words like “lose pounds,” “shed pounds,” “weight loss secrets,” “slim down,” “get fit,” “lose two dress sizes,” etc.  You’ll see them everywhere.  Watch any television show geared towards women and count how many commercials refer to weight loss.

So with all that influencing us, how did you learn love and be confident about your own body?
For me it was a gradual process.  One thing that helped a lot was taking pictures of myself in my underwear.  I wrote a chapter about it in “Read My Hips”;  I did it in private, in my apartment with a camera on a tripod, with the timer on.  I took a lot of time to study those pictures.  I really made an effort to be non-judgmental about the images.  Over time I started questioning why we’re supposed to think certain things about human bodies are ugly.  Take cellulite, for example.  Everybody’s taught to loathe cellulite.  But think about it – it’s just a texture.  It kind of looks like a pattern on wet sand, like when those tiny bubbles on the edge of a wave leave patterns behind.  What’s so awful about that?  Who makes these things up about what’s ugly and what’s beautiful?  And why are we letting them be right?

Are you against dieting? If so, why?
I am absolutely against dieting.  Dieting makes us fatter.  Diets are temporary,  and when we go off of one, we eventually regain all the weight we lost, plus extra.  I think the smarter alternative is to focus on adopting healthy habits, and stop watching the scale.  If you need to gauge your progress, try setting exercise goals, like reaching your target heart rate in your cardio activity, or sustaining it longer, or increasing weight or reps if you’re weight training.  Make goals to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet.  Body weight really doesn’t tell you much about how healthy, strong, or beautiful you are.  But it CAN mess with your head in ways that are distinctly unhealthy.  So ditch the scale.

What advice do you give to other women struggling with their body image?
I might tell them to spend some time looking at their bodies, really looking, without judgment.  Whether they take pictures of themselves like I did, or just look in the mirror.  Stop dismissing what you see right away as unattractive.  Look at features of your body that you think are ugly and ask yourself, what else in nature looks like this?  As a shape or a line or a texture, is it really that awful just by itself?  Why should it be so ugly just because it’s part of your body?  And try thinking of your body as a vessel that carries your essence, your heart and soul, rather than just some superficial object.  Bring beauty to the world in what you do, in the positive feelings you create inside yourself and other beings.   That’s where your true power is.  Besides, your flesh is temporary.  It’ll rot in the ground someday anyway.

Inspiring, right? You should read the book. Actually, you should WIN the book. We’re giving away one signed copy of Read My Hips: How I Learned to Love My Body, Ditch Dieting, and Live Large. How do you win?

1. Tell us one thing about yourself that you love most. That’s it. You’re automatically entered to win the book if you do that.  Oh, and make sure to use your real e-mail address so we can contact you if you win.

2. Contest closes at 11:59 PM on May, 8 2011

3. Please note this giveaway is only open to US and Canadian residents. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

Good luck!

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How many times have you said that? Or has your roommate, or your best friend, or pretty much any female in college for that matter? I know I’m guilty of starting my “Super Healthy Diet And Exercise Regime” only to be thwarted a week later when my pants don’t feel any looser and the small shirt I bought (you know, to give me inspiration) still isn’t fitting quite right.

By the end of the week I can never figure out where I went wrong. I mean I’m putting in at least a solid hour at the gym every day (well except for Wednesdays, because they’re my long days..and Fridays…oh and the weekend because who is exercising then anyway!) And I’m eating so healthy (when I’m sober….)

But in general, it seems it is impossible to lose weight in college. Why? Well, here are the biggest offenders:

Wait, I ate WHAT?
You know those late nights, the ones where stumble into your dorm room too drunk to fully understand what you are about to do. You pick up the phone and dial the local pizza place, the one where grease drips from every slice. And you not only order a pizza, but a liter of Pepsi, fries, and bread sticks (the cheesy kind with marinara sauce on the side). And then you wake up, see the pizza box in your bed and realize that you fell off the diet wagon….again.

The gym is sooooo far away.
Plus it’s cold! And there are lines for every machine. And you walk to class, right? That’s enough of a workout for the day. And you’ll just do some crunches before bed…when you’re not drunk….and hit up those YouTube workouts….when you’re not busy. Or, you know, just never work out.

Study snacks.
The Oreos, Salt and Vinegar chips, and all of those ramen noodles stashed under your bed. They’re the foods you reach for when you’re up late finishing that paper you should have started 5 days ago. They’re also not-so-filling, meaning you mindlessly eat way more than you need and before you know it, you’ve got another 1,000 calories down the hole and no time to get to the gym.

But wait, there’s more! Click here for a few more (scientific) reasons why you can’t beat the college bulge.

It’s hard to believe when you’ve got snow melting into your Uggs, but Spring Break is just around the corner. For me, a girl who has a countdown to the next Spring Break starting the day Spring Break ends, that news couldn’t be better. But for those of you who are having that “OMG I HAVE TO BE IN A SWIMSUIT IN 6 WEEKS?!” meltdown, this is less than a pleasant realization.

If you fall into the latter category, you’ve probably gone into workout/diet overload.

“I’m going to exercise every day and eat salad for breakfast/lunch/dinner so I can look like a Vicky Secret model in Cancun!!”

Optimistic? Yes.
Realistic? Uh, are you kidding?

Our society has always had this huge obsession with quick fix diets and weight loss plans. Unfortunately, they don’t work. The truth is, there’s no one thing to eat or one exercise to do in order to get your dream body. And all those plans that promise you to “lose 10 pounds in 10 days!” might work, but they’re not permanent and they’re definitely not healthy. So if you’re trying to get 6-pack abs and thighs that don’t touch by the time you’ve got to wiggle into that bikini in March, stop. It’s not gonna happen.

Instead, let’s work together to set some more realistic fitness goals that you can actually attain between now and the 24/7 happy hour we like to call Spring Break.

Unrealistic: Running a marathon (to burn serious calories/tone those legs) before midterms start.
Yes, it’s possible to run a marathon…one day. Just not within the next month.

Realistic: Completing 3 miles in 3 weeks.
If you’ve never even thrown on a pair of running shoes, chances are it’s not going to be easy those first few miles. The best way to ease into a new running routine is to start small and increase your mileage as the days go on. For example, maybe it’s starting out with one lap around the track. If you continue to add laps every time you run, you’ll be at one mile before you know it! You don’t have to be a marathoner to be a runner -  all it takes is the determination in those first few steps.

Unrealistic: Getting supermodel skinny before Cancun.
Not everyone is born shaped like Gisele and hard as you try, your body just might not be meant to look that way.

Realistic: Feeling confident about your body by making the right choices.
You gotta work with what you’ve got, ladies, and what you’ve got is damn sexy. Too often, girls compare themselves to others, creating unrealistic expectations about how they should look. Instead of wasting time wishing you looked one way, spend your days doing things that are actually making your body the best that it can possibly be. Start by picking up an apple instead of a cookie or walking to the grocery store instead of driving there. These changes may be small, but the impact is huge.

Unrealistic: Going from a total couch potato to working out every day.
Yeah, you try to motivate yourself to hit a Spin class instead of watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reunion Part 1 for the third time. Fact is, if you’re not a seasoned fitness junkie, you won’t become one over night.

Realistic: Trying new workout routines.
Instead of saying that you’ll do something every day (because you’re only setting yourself up to fail), tell yourself you’ll do something new at least 3-5 times a week. My theory is to start small and work your way up. In addition, fitness for the newbie usually seems a little intimidating so make it fun for yourself. Whether it’s going for a nice run outside or going to a kickboxing class, it’ll be a great wake up call to your body. Plus, you’ll discover new activities you love…. not to mention some muscles you didn’t realize had.

Unrealistic: Joining a super fancy gym and getting a personal trainer to whip your booty into shape by March.
Uh, do you have any idea how much that costs?

Realistic: Easing your way into a routine by starting at home.
Do you really want to spend your Spring Break savings to join the best gym with the scented towels or pay some juicehead to whip you into shape? Seems a little counterproductive if you ask me. All you need is the motivation to get fit and a little bit of space in your room. There are some great Youtube videos and workouts on the web that will do the job for you. For free. In fact, gather your girlies and put together a dorm floor workout. Want to tone up with Pilates? Total body sculpting? Cool down with Yoga? Any of these are a great start to your new resolutions.

Look, hard as you try, you aren’t going to have Hilary Swank’s bangin’ bod by Spring Break, but if you start small, you can be more fit, more healthy and more confident with yourself by the time you hit the beach. But remember: there is no such thing as a perfect body. Everyone has their own unique shape and it is up to you to rock what yo’ mama gave ya.