You know that really annoying friend of yours who feels the incessant need to point out that they were the first to know about a now really popular band every. single. time. it comes on the radio?

As annoying as they are, there is something exciting about the knowing of a new band, new clothing brand, great sale, awesome book or recipe, and sharing it with the ones you love. And by ones you love, I mean the ones you go back and forth with right here on the CollegeCandy message boards.

So here’s the deal: every week, we will feature 3 things that YOU think other CollegeCandy readers just have to know about. Anything at all. Nothing is off limits.

Groupon.com

In almost every major city, Groupon.com is taking over. Sign up for the daily email and be prepared for amazing deals to pop up in your inbox like magic once a day. Seriously. AMAZING “I can’t afford to eat there” Restaurants offering $75 gift certificate for $20. Spas offer a facial thrown in with the purchase of a massage. Half off on laser hair removal. And the list goes on. It’s what I imagine Christmas morning would be like. Only it’s every morning.

Core Fusion (DVD)

This workout has become my obsession over the last year and a half. And I’m not a fan of working out  (ugh, who is?), so to be obsessed with a workout truly says a lot. If you live in a city where they offer classes, I suggest you bust out your Lululemons and head on over. But if not, fear not - you can transform your body from the privacy of your own home! Core works one muscle group at a time using light weights (around 3lbs max) to tone and lengthen so you don’t end up with those athletic bulky looking thighs.  And after about 3 weeks time, you will catch yourself looking in store window mirrors saying “daaaamn is that me?!”

Make-A-Wish foundation free ice-cream day at Cold Stone

My 3 favorite words… Free. ICE. CREAM. With Brownies. And Carmel. And Rainbow Sprinkles. And it’s for a good cause? If that’s not worth knowing about (and participating in) then I don’t know what is.  The Make-A-Wish Foundation is putting on their 8th annual World’s Largest Ice-Cream social from 5-8pm at Cold Stone’s nationwide. Do good and eat a plenty…. and then sign up for the aforementioned Core DVD (see I’ve got it all planned out for you!).

Email your “The Know” ideas to Jill@collegecandy.com and I’ll pass them along to everyone right here, right now. Well, not right now, but soon. Like, every Thursday.

1. The Poo Calendar. There is no better way to start off the day than with a laugh. And there is no better laugh than the one that comes from discussing poo. Thankfully, now you can start off your day with a factoid about all things poo. A poo’toid if you will… With the “What’s Your Poo Telling You? Daily Calendar” They are not kidding when they write, “Who knew you could learn so much from poo?”

2. Crabtree and Evelyn Body Butter. It’s all natural, it smells heavenly and it makes your skin less like a dinosaur and more like a baby’s butt. What’s not to love about that? Not a thing. Not a thing at all.

3. Core Fusion Body Sculpt DVD. I have been going to Core Fusion classes at Exhale Spa in Chicago for almost a year. Their classes kick your ass. Hard. I am sore just thinking about it. But the results are more worth it than that large cheese pizza you housed when you got home from the bar last weekend (although that was worth it, too). And now, for those of you who don’t live where Core Fusion is offered, there is a DVD to give you the same kick-ass class (and results) in your own apartment. So push that Pizza box aside and start moving!

4. Catch Phrase Music Edition. Shouting out words to describe another word? Fabulous. We all know how great the original Catch Phrase is, but shouting out words, or, even better, SINGING off key to describe a song? Now that is something worth loving. Especially when drinks are involved.

5. Sweatshirt Fleece Robe. There is just nothing worth loving more than a Sunday afternoon on your couch with Friends or Family Guy DVDs, a large cup of coffee and this amazingly cozy robe.

Working out at the gym:

Pros: It can be great motivation to see people you know, or strangers, pushing themselves to lengths that you want to push yourself too. Creating a sense of unity, a gym can group individuals together that have the same mentality: getting and staying healthy. You can even make gym dates with your friends or spouse as a way to bond, workout, and push each other. Additionally, there’s more of a variety at a gym; you can take classes or use machines that really work for you.

Cons: The competition can get to you. Some people go into gyms to flaunt their bodies, while sizing up the other men and women, making you, say a less healthy or thinner individual, feel inadequate. Some people view gyms like sororities; you have to look a certain way to fit in. Also, there can be lines for specific equipment, which can cause a time constraint. Depending on where you join, a gym can cost you an arm and a leg; the local gym by me is $100 bucks a month – yikes!!! Too rich for my blood.

Working out at home:

Pros: You can work out when you want, however you want, in your sweats or in your undies. Yes, buying equipment is expensive, but the lump sum you pay will add up to less than a annual gym membership. I splurged three years ago on a treadmill for the holidays, which ON SALE, cost me $500 bucks. However, three years down the road, it’s still alive and kickin,’ which is more than I can say for my uber expensive monthly gym membership.

Cons: It’s hard to motivate yourself. When you know the couch, a bag of potato chips, and the boob tube is on just a few feet away, you’re more likely to say ‘’ah, screw working out today,” than you are in the middle of a gym. You also can get bored of the same routine workout, which is more likely to happen when you’re at home with one or two machines, versus a whole slew of them at a gym.

Whether at home or at a gym, working out is an important asset to staying healthy. So, find the right location that works for you and get to it! If you’re used to working out at home, try a monthly membership at the gym and see how it makes you feel. You may love the classes offered (sometimes, a free personal trainer session is thrown in – who knows!) and wind up kicking your at-home workout habit. For you gym buffs, cut your membership short and invest in your favorite piece of equipment or some at home workout DVDs; the convenience of your at-home gym will create an ease from the crazy gym lifestyle.

What do you prefer?

In the spirit of making excuses, I’m going to pardon myself and the rest of the lazy gals who have, too, put off their summer 2007 workout plans. The excuse? Summer didn’t officially start until yesterday.

So while there’s no point in regretting our inactivity thus far, I do think it’s about time to step up our game and make up for lost time.

And I’ve got the perfect assistant to help you get back on track: “Tank Top Arms, Bikini Belly, Boy Shorts Bottom.” It’s not just a catchy title. This workout delivers a solid total body workout that’ll prep you for each of the three clothing items referenced.

Minna Lessig, who’s apparently an at-home exercise guru, leads the workout, which is broken down into six sections: warm up; tank top arms; bikini belly; boy shorts bottom; total-body workout; and cool down.

The best part about this workout: the sections are only about 10-15 minutes each (which makes it hard to make excuses about not having enough time to do a couple of segments a few times a week).

A personal trainer who recommended the DVD advised starting with the warm up, and then combining the total-body with one of the isolated segments—and then switching to a different isolated segment the next day.

And I give you my word (and this may just be because I haven’t worked out in months), the workout is intense. I got through the whole DVD this morning, and it’s not your standard light toning workout. (I’m already sooooooore.) Lessig throws in some light cardio moves to compliment the deep toning. I don’t care if you have the tightest glands in the world, you will sweat… a lot.

But fear not, the workout is fairly simple. Lessig starts each circuit by slowly demonstrating the move and then progresses to a quicker, more challenging version. Plus, if the workout gets too intense, one of her assistants does the entire workout at the beginner level.

“Tank Top Arms…” is advertised as a 4-week program that delivers visible results within 10 days (in combination with a healthy diet, of course). If the next 4 fitness-friendly weeks can reverse the damage I’ve done in the past 4 gluttonous weeks, I’m in.