If you somehow haven’t noticed by now, the Obamas are BUFF. With Michelle baring her toned arms in those sleeveless dresses and Barack going shirtless in Hawaii (yum), there’s no doubt we’ve got a fit couple leading our country. The Obamas get it done – and if they can do it, so can we!

In honor of President’s Day, here are some tips on staying healthy and fit from  the most powerful couple in the world:

Presidential Tip #1: Always schedule time for exercise.
You know it’s important, so schedule it like everything else in your life!  You can always find ways to fit it in – Michelle used to work out at 4:30am and Barack starts most days in the gym.  Not even constant traveling deters him; during his presidential campaign, Obama’s aides “arranged workouts for him in several dozen states. The staff called gyms a few days before his arrival and persuaded them to close late or open early to oblige the candidate’s schedule.”

Gyms on campus are usually open pretty early and late, so we don’t have to worry about making special arrangements (or having assistants to do so)! Still feel like you don’t have time? Even if you’re losing a bit of precious sleep, the benefits of exercising probably outweigh the half hour of sleep you might lose (or less if you work out right!). Obama has the same problem with the “trade off  between sleep and working out,” but insists that a workout makes him feel much better throughout the day. Read More »

The world is shocked and devastated.

Wanna buy Hooters (the restaurant, not the fun bags)?

The most obnoxious workout habits.

Don’t worry! Alec Baldwin is OK, people.

Taylor Lautner is 18!!

A real life sleeping beauty?!

Like many busy college students, I often justify skipping gym sessions by telling myself that I don’t have enough time.

“I have a paper to write, I can’t waste an hour waiting for the only elliptical that works.”
“I need to run on the treadmill for at least 45 minutes, and since I have a paper due tomorrow, that’s out of the question. I probably just shouldn’t go at all.”
“I’m not waking up at 7am to get in an hour workout before class.”

You know the deal.

I know that if I don’t clock in at least thirty minutes of cardio per session, I feel like my gym outing has been a waste and a failure. And I’m always hard on myself if I leave without doing crunches, even if I’ve run a couple of miles. In short — going to the gym has become about the time clock, but according to a study published in the New York Times, I’m going about things all wrong!

A couple of years ago, researchers from the National Institute of Health and Nutrition in Japan observed two groups of rats paddling in a small pool. The first group completed two 3-hour workout sessions, and the other group engaged in interval training, moving for twenty seconds and then resting for ten seconds for a total of 14 reps. The scientists were trying to figure out if prolonged exercise did more for the body’s endurance (ie., your ability to work out for longer, which translates into more calories burned) than the shorter/quicker exercise method. They found that both groups exhibited the same molecular changes that correspond with endurance gain, coming to the conclusion that we might be working out for longer than we really need to. Read More »

I see the new Massachusetts Senator without his underpants.

Fitness for the snowed in!

Conan gets a little revenge on NBC.

Anyone ever try one of these??

No more plastic surgery for Heidi.

Mischa Barton can’t act. Just ask Stabler!

[We originally ran this post at the end of 2008. Unfortunately it still rings true in 2010 so we're bringing it back for round 2. Share your own resolution gripes in the comments section below!]

I don’t make resolutions for the new year. Not only do I know I will not keep them, but I also know that anything important enough to give up on December 31st should probably be given up on any other day. I tried to give up cake once – what a disaster. Just knowing the 31st was coming and that I would soon be without my beloved buttercream sent me on a downward spiral that resulted with me, a fork and a missing Costco sheet cake.

The only thing I hate more than making New Years resolutions are the people that do. They are annoying, act all “holier than thou,” and make the first few weeks of every new year miserable for me.

The Gym Goers: Seriously, people, get off of my elliptical. I shouldn’t have to wait to get on my machine (that I have been using 5 days a week for the entirety of 2008 and 2009) just because you finally decided you’ve had enough with your muffin top. And, for those of you who don’t know because this is your first time at the gym, you are supposed to be sweating on that thing, not standing on it and texting your friends about the girl standing behind you giving you the stink eye. Read More »

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. Read More »

I know what you’re thinking: between class, work, boyfriends/girlfriends, and going out, there’s not really any time in your schedule for training to run a 5k or some other race. And hey, you may be right—you know yourself way better than I know you. But if you think you can find a spare 30 minutes on most days and you have a hankering to rid yourself of that muffin top or boost your health in general, read on.

I ran a half marathon a couple of weeks ago. Before you judge and call me a hardcore athlete, consider these facts: I wear Coke-bottle glasses and have the grace of a newborn ostrich. I like to sit inside all day and sip coffee and write articles. The idea of walking across town for take-out tacos makes me seriously doubt whether the walking part is worth the tacos part.

So if I can run a half marathon (13.1 miles), you can definitely run a 5k (3.1 miles).

There are so many great reasons to challenge yourself to a 5k race (or any run, for that matter). Obviously, it’s a great way to get back into shape. It’s also a fantastic way to bond with friends, make new friends, feel accomplished and give back to people who really need it. Lots of 5ks are organized for charity, so you can feel good about your soul and your body if you run one. They also happen to be really fun. For real!

I urge everyone to try a 5k run at least once and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
If you don’t think you have what it takes, you’re wrong. Just follow some basic training tips and you’ll be crossing that finish line in no time. Read More »

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. Read More »

Between classes, clubs, and work, my days start early and end really, really late. My stress levels are so high it’s no surprise I often choose ice cream over vegetables and Degrassi (shh, don’t tell!) over gymming it up.

So when I do finally muster up the energy to make it to the gym I know I have to make it count. I don’t want to waste any time so I’ve started streamlining my workout by doing exercises that combine cardio and weight training. The cardio aspect gets my heart rate up, allowing the strength training exercises to burn more calories and be even more effective.

I’m all about the multi-tasking and after this workout I feel stronger and skinnier and happy. In fact, I can feel the endorphins kicking in already…

Jumping Lunges
Don’t settle for typical lunges if you want a great butt! Speed up the process by doing jumping lunges. These will spike your heart rate while also toning, so you’ll see results a lot faster. I usually do these in one-minute intervals with a 30 second break between.

How to:
1. With your hands on your waist, lunge forward with one leg.
2. Jump, pushing off both feet and switching your legs in mid-air.
3. Land in a lunge with the opposite leg forward.
4. Repeat. Read More »

When I broke up with my last boyfriend I was ecstatic to have my personal time back. It had been a long time since I’d had my own routine and I couldn’t wait to do what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it. I had grand plans of daily visits to the gym, cooking my weird healthy meals and eating them on the couch while watching marathons of Say Yes To The Dress.

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. Read More »