September at CL – Upcoming Events and Giveaways!

Is it September already?!  Where did summer go?

September spells our favorite time here at College Lifestyles – Back to School!  We hope you were able to use the great suggestions from our Campus Countdown for a smooth transition back to school.

We have some fantastic happenings at College Lifestyles for September!

Bid Day Shirt Contest (Facebook Photo)

Do you love your bid day shirt? Send us a picture of your bid day shirt, preferably front and back, to info@collegelifestyles.org.  Please be sure to include in your message your chapter and university.  Voting will begin on 9/15 and end on 9/30.  The chapter with the winning bid day shirt will receive 20 copies of ‘Eat Well and Be Fabulous’ by Shelly Marie Redmond!  (this incredible book gives suggestions for how sorority women can stay healthy!)

Dorm Decoration Contest (Facebook Photo)

Do your friends comment on how well your dorm is decorated?  Want to show off your work? Send us your design work to info@collegelifestyles.org.  Include your name, university, and design style.  Voting will begin on 9/15 and end on 9/30.  The winning individual will receive a lap top stand from Lap Dawg.

The College Lifestyles Channel

College Lifestyles is excited to announce the launch ‘The College Lifestyles Channel’ on YouTube on 9/25.  Join us every Sunday while we bring you the best on everything College Lifestyles!

Happy September!

‘Eat Well and Be Fabulous’ Gets ANOTHER Great Review!

The fabulous blog ‘Live, Love, and Peanut Butter’ gave my book ‘Eat Well and Be Fabulous’ a fantastic review!!!!

Thank you so much for the review Bec!

Read more about the review by clicking here! (And don’t forget to follow her blog!)

Shelly A Marie Redmond, MS, RD, LDN is the Executive Director of College Lifestyles.  She is the author of ‘Eat Well and Be Fabulous.’  She wants everyone to feel as fabulous as possible!

‘Eat Well and Be Fabulous’ gets a Great Review from The Campus Socialite!!!

Wow!  I am so excited!  ‘Eat Well and Be Fabulous’ received a raved review from The Campus Socialite!

‘Eat Well and Be Fabulous’ is based on 4 individuals – a high school senior, a student/sorority leader, an intern, and a professional – and their trails/tribulations in the big, bad world of diets!  All learn how to eat, not diet!  I loved writing the book; and I loved reading the review by The Campus Socialite!

As stated in The Campus Socialite:

‘Unlike many of the diet books I have read in the past, Shelly knows what it is like to be on a college campus and has figured out how to get around the bad choices we often see daily.’

‘Although my favorite part of the book is towards the end where she gives us reasonable choices to choose from for breakfast, lunch and dinner.’

Read to full review here!

Part of being fabulous is giving thanks – thank you so much The Campus Socialite for the great review.

Shelly Marie Redmond, MS, RD, LDN is the Executive Director of College Lifestyles.  She is so excited to learn her book has a great review!!!!

Shape Up Finale: Curves

Thanks to my fabulous internship, I have had more workouts in the last month than seemingly last year total. From do-it-yourself to driving across town, College Lifestyles has had its foot in the door for fitness.

I finished Shape Up! at Curves (R) in Angola, Indiana. There, they made working out seem like second nature, as clients never have to adjust machines, add or remove weights, or spend 30 minutes doing the same thing.

Curves was a perfect fit for my lifestyles, because I like to go, get my workout in (between classes!), grab Subway next door, and head back for my 12 o’clock. With three sessions a week of cardio and strength training, along with flexability added with the stretching machine (how cool is that!) I have been pushed to the max to work out all of my major muscle groups, and multiple groups at  a time!

The past and present presidents of my sorority, Alpha Sigma Tau, had been working out with me, and as Alison got busy and Missy’s free trial expired, I was left to go back to Curves on my own. Sure, I knew the drill; twice around the circuit, stretching for five before leaving, but it was still nice having a familiar face hold your hand as you walk in and get going. I wasn’t sure how well I would like going on my own.

I went on my own for the first time, and it wasn’t bad. I didn’t have my girls next to me to attempt to chatter away between changing machines and taking heart rates, but that was okay. The fabulous trainer, Kelly, would visit, asking about school, my day, and correcting me on form when needed. The other ladies kept me going too, so it was okay afterall.  There was a basketball hoop up where you could try to shoot once around the circuit to win a prize while you worked out, and even though my rebounding skills were clearly better than my shooting skills, it was a lot of fun–even when solo.

I realized the hardest thing about working out isn’t sweating. It isn’t the hard work, or the pain after it is said and done. The hardest part isn’t sore joints or applying deodorant… the hardest part is hurdling the mental road block, grabbing my keys, tying those tennis shoes and going. It doesn’t matter if I am doing a workout video or running on the road–if I can’t talk myself into going, I won’t get anywhere.

To keep myself going, I have a sticky note of the following points in my agenda, to keep me going back and working out, so try writing them in your planner to add incentive too!

• Remember that great stretch when you are done? Want to feel like that again?
• Stop the tossing and turning! Catch some zzz’s! 
• Don’t want to exercise now? Do it for you at 40 years old

I have to admit, I would tell myself I would push other things off my “To Do” list to make room for a nap if I did myself the favor and exercised. The funny thing is, after I was done working out I rarely took those naps and instead had plenty of energy to take on the day. Sure, I want a nap but the great feeling of  accomplishment was something worth keeping!

I was sick earlier this week and Curves was closed for Thanksgiving so I didn’t get my workouts in (Shape Up! is over and I am still working out, yeah!) and decided I missed that that was a good workout feeling, so I had to pop in Tae Bo, and The Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga to supplement that feeling. I don’t think of working out as punishment for having three brownies–I think of it as a way to become my healthiest self. I think of it as a relaxer when classes aren’t so fun, or that math quiz didn’t turn out how I had hoped.  It has been 20-so years coming, but it is worth it to look forward to exercising instead of dreading it.

 

Whether it is your dvd collection of Richard Simmons, the school gym, or your morning run, keep it up CL readers, because with making healthier changes now, YOU can be your body’s best friend!  Pair your new work out habits with our director’s so-easy-you-will-love-it book, Eat Well and Be Fabulous for great steps toward attainable health!

 

 

Stephanie Kaiser is a senior Enligh major at Trine University who is an aspiring professor, loves to write, golf and can’t wait for Christmas!

What We Love: Healthy Alternatives in Dining Hall Food

When you think dorm food, no one necessarily thinks nutritious, good for you foods, but recently dining halls have been working hard to incorporate the needs of all students.  At my college, for example, we now have organic, soy yogurt and milk options available, along with nutritional information for just about every food served.  I think it’s amazing that dining halls are willing to take a chance and purchase healthier foods that may not be “popular” by the average 19-20 year old, but are definitely better for our health.  I think it’s true when students see nutritious foods available, they are more likely to choose those over other unhealthy options.

It’s great that nutritional facts are available too.  I cannot say this for every college obviously, but it really makes eating healthy so much easier.  I can look up what foods there are, how much sodium, grams of fat, calories, etc. and have an idea of what I am putting into my body.  It is great for anyone with specific dietary needs or just any student curious to what calories are in dining hall food.

Here are a few new, healthy alternative products I’ve noticed stocking the dining hall shelves:

For dining hall food, these snacks are amazing finds.  I was so proud of my school for introducing Rachel’s products and Sabra’s hummus.  Dining Halls are really stepping it up, so make sure to look out for new, healthy alternatives around your college dining halls!

Jennifer Williams is a sophomore at Ball State University and a College Lifestyles (TM) intern.  She loves green grapes and listening to indie rock music.

Healthy Habits to Start the Year off Right

Most of you have already headed back to school and are gearing up for a new year at college.  With the rush of busy schedules and new classes, it can be easy to forget the importance of maintaining healthy eating and exercise routines.  There are plenty of steps you can take now to keep your mind and body healthy throughout the school year.

#1.  Don’t be lazy.  Every small bit of exercise you do throughout the day helps.  You’ve heard it a million times by now, but taking the stairs does help, along with walking to class, rather than taking the bus.  If you don’t keep your body in motion, your mind tends to follow, leaving your entire being lethargic.

#2.  Don’t skip meals.  Eat at normal times with normal portions.  Just because your friend is downing that extra large slice of pepperoni doesn’t mean you can do the same.  It’s important to keep food intake as normal as possible, so your body doesn’t get overloaded and weigh you down.

#3.  When you eat better, you feel better.  The types of foods you eat make all the difference in how your body feels.  Ever notice how when you eat a salad, you feel light and full of energy. When you eat greasy foods, such as cheeseburgers and pizza, you tend to feel tired and sluggish, which does not make for good study sessions.  Keep in mind that your entire body functions better with proper nutrients, so fruit and veggies are definitely a plus when it comes to keeping yourself operating at full capacity.

#4.  Plan your meals ahead of time.  Don’t wait until you are starving before you eat.  Plan out the type of food you want to eat ahead of time, so you are less likely to make poor eating choices.  Say you come back to your dorm starving.  You see the container of easy mac, and dive in without a care in the world.  Then you see some cookies, and munch away.  While packaged food is easy to get and easy to store, it is not healthy at all.  No matter how healthy you think it may be, packaged foods are loaded with chemicals and excess calories.  Plan a healthy meal and keep plenty of fruits, yogurts, veggie soups, and whole grain cereals/crackers stocked up.

#5.  Keep snacking to a minimum.  It’s easy to get carried away with snacking while you are busy, so if you must snack, don’t do it while you are studying.  Create a snack time and focus only on what you are eating.  That way you won’t look up and notice half the Oreos missing from the package.  Try keeping mostly healthy snacks such as, yogurt, dried fruit, nuts, granola bars, 100 cal bags of popcorn, etc. around to avoid extra temptation.

Jennifer Williams is an intern for Collegelifestyles (TM).  She is a sophomore at Ball State University studying dietetics and pre-med.  She loves bookstores and sipping hazelnut lattes.

You Can Eat Well and Be Fabulous – no dieting required!

“I never worry about diets.  The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond.”

–Mae West

As college women, many of us become more aware of the importance of eating healthy (I know I did!). The transition from high school to college brings about a very different lifestyle, and sometimes it is hard to adjust. For many of us, college is the first time we are on our own to figure things out—and that includes cooking and eating. This can really be a challenge! However, after reading Shelly A. Marie’s book Eat Well and Be Fabulous, I have learned some wonderful tips to eating right and staying healthy (on a college budget!).

Eat Well and Be Fabulous follows four women through their hectic days as college students. I bet you can relate to one (or more) of them! After describing their challenges in eating right, Shelly Marie, a registered dietitian, gives recipes, shopping lists and food choices to make eating right as easy as 3×3! (Grab your own copy of the book here to see what I mean!)

One of my favorite parts of the book is the Fast Food and Restaurant selections. Often times I feel like I cannot eat out if I want to eat healthy, but that’s not the case. Shelly Marie gives healthy options from some of my favorite places—Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Quiznos and Olive Garden—to name a few. She proves that we do not need to count calories or avoid all carbs to look and feel fabulous. By carefully choosing the healthiest options available YOU can Eat Well and Be Fabulous!

Buy your copy of Shelly A. Marie’s book here, then let me know what

you think—leave a comment below!

What’s on Our Bookshelf? August Edition

Hello all!  I have made the decision to share my enormous, ever growing bookshelf with all of you!  Each month I will be highlighting a book (or a few!) that I am reading.  Hopefully I will go over some books that are of interest to you.  You can expect books from all kinds of genres including lifestyle, young adult, fantasy, etc.  Without further ado, here is the August edition!

Eat Well and Be Fabulous: A Guide for the Modern-Day Woman is tremendous and provides you with amazing recipes (even for the cooking challenged!). Whether you are in a hurry or hanging around the house, these recipes will work for you! You get to know four women and follow them on a journey to better lifestyles. You feel like these ladies are people just like you and your best friends.  This is NOT a diet book—it is a book to encourage you to lead a healthier lifestyle. Shelly is not at all a fan of diets and we all know that they don’t work! Shelly has a way of really connecting with the readers.

I know once I hit the grocery store, I usually get overwhelmed and I’m not really sure what is best to buy.  With the help of this book, shopping lists are much easier to make.  Whether it is the “Decadent Dairies” or the “Vivacious Vegetables” I go for, I know that I’ll have a list of what is best for me.  Some of the recipes I am dying to try are the Mediterranean Chicken Wrap (hummus, chicken, red peppers and spinach all in a wrap-YUM!), the Peanut Butter Shake (milk, peanut butter, and banana-how could you go wrong?), and the Spinach Quesadilla (mozzarella cheese, spinach and salsa!).

I really encourage you to pick up this book here and let us know what your favorite recipes are!

Coming next month: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (sequel to The Hunger Games–check it out… seriously).

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles^TM.  She is a graduate from Edinboro University of PA and an Alpha Sigma Tau Alum.  She thinks that eating well and being fabulous should be on every lady’s agenda!

*We have not received any compensation or gifts for reviewing this book.  We have expressed our sincere opinions in this post.*

Sorority House Rule #5- Eating Well

My sorority house has a great kitchen. Most of my favorite house memories involve the kitchen, however, none of them actually involve cooking. Does this sound familiar?

            Most of my sorority sisters and I always found lunch and dinner easy to manage while living in the house. We ate on campus or fixed quick meals.  Breakfast, however, was always a challenge. I hate to admit it but the closest I came to cooking breakfast in the house was popping an Eggo into the toaster. After a year and a half of Eggo waffles I am ready to move onto something a little better and better for me.

            ­Eat Well and Be Fabulous has tons of great recipes that are practical for every busy house girl. My favorite breakfast recipe from the book, the Peanut Butter Shake, requires no cooking and can be fixed in less than ten minutes!

            The Peanut Butter Shake is 1 cup of milk, two spoons of peanut butter, and half a banana blended together. Using my miniature blender I can fix this shake and be out the door with breakfast in about 7 or 8 minutes. This is the perfect breakfast for the day you hit the snooze button too many times.

            Eat Well and Be Fabulous is easily adaptable to sorority house life. With minimal cooking involved in most recipes, you can eat well no matter how busy you are. 

           

SaraP is a senior at Western Kentucky University and an intern at CollegeLifestyles TM.

“Diets Do Not Work”

Imagine this:  You walk into a cute little bookstore and pick up a diet book.  The first three chapters are entitled Count Calories, Measure Everything you Eat, and Never eat Carbs, Fat, or Meat.

Would you really want to keep reading?

I know I wouldn’t.

 

Fortunately, the book I picked up, Eat Well and Be Fabulous: A Guide for the Modern-Day Woman by Shelly A. Marie, MS, RD, LDN, avoids all of these and focuses on healthy eating.

That sounds much better.

With the help four women, Whitney, Anna, Alicia, and Cassie, Shelly Marie explains her simple 3×3 rule for eating and names her favorites from each food group.  Wondering how to put those individual foods together?  Never fear – recipes are also included!

Too busy to prepare meals during the day?  Check out the 1-minute, 5-minute, and 10-minute meal ideas that incorporate a variety of foods – and Shelly Marie will help guide you through making the shopping list too!

Click here to check out Eat Well and Be Fabulous: A Guide for the Modern-Day Woman by Shelly A. Marie.

And, by the way, breakfast foods work for lunch and dinner.

Lora Werkmeister is an intern at College Lifestyles (TM) and a Food and Nutrition major at Youngstown State University.  She likes bargain hunting and is slightly addicted to peanut butter.

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