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7 Queer-Friendly Netflix Shows For When You Feel Like Bingeing

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Summertime: the season of beach days, bike rides, picnics and ice cream. Okay, we’re not going to lie. While we love that vitamin D, summer gives us collegiettes ample free time that we don’t have during the school year, and what better way to spend that free time than snuggled up under your comforter (with air conditioning), spooning a family-sized bag of popcorn while watching endless episodes of television? For those of you looking to conquer a new series this summer, check out these seven Netflix hits filled with lots of LGBTQ+ love.

1. Orange is the New Black

It was probably the first show that came to mind when you saw this article. Orange is the New Black is so good, you’ll be cuffed to your laptop.

Set in a women’s penitentiary in upstate New York, this show follows upper-class Manhattanhite Piper Chapman after she is put behind bars for assisting her former girlfriend (played by Laura Prepon, who stole our adolescent hearts on That ‘70s Show) with a drug money transport a decade earlier. Supplemented by the personalities of the other inmates, this cohort of female convicts creates some serious drama, crazy surprises and twisted love stories. With a near-permanent spot in the “most popular” section on Netflix, a killer cast and an abundance of lesbian lust, OITNB was meant for bingeing.

Related:9 Netflix Hacks That Will Make Binge Watching Easier

2. Glee

Just because high school is behind you doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy watching fictional characters suffer through those four years of life.

Glee centers on a high school glee club comprised of several students that deal with a slew of issues all teens encounter in their pre-college years. Confronting sexuality is one of the show’s primary themes, with multiple homosexual characters struggling with their identities in the context of their families, school and social lives. Relatable, humorous and always reliable for a great sing-along (you know you want to), Glee will have you steeped in the guilty pleasure of its adolescent drama—and thanking god you’ll never have to be a freshman again.

3. The L Word

If the title wasn’t a tip-off, this TV-series squeezes a vast supply of lesbian drama into six short seasons, which you’ll find yourself clicking through in record time.

A recent college-grad, protagonist Jenny moves from Chicago to LA to live with her boyfriend. Ironically, while this move that’s supposed to bring her physically closer to her current SO ends up prompting her to question her sexual orientation. She becomes involved with a group of lesbian women, whose friendships, passions and unique characters shape the plot of the series. The show combines Gossip Girl-like wealth and beauty together with drama rivaling that of Desperate Housewives. Indulge in this addiction—you’ll emerge wishing (and probably thinking) these girls were your best friends.

Related:What To Wear When You Netflix & Chill

4. Lost Girl

For those looking to completely detach from reality in their Netflix expeditions, you’ll want to spend five seasons in another world with Lost Girl, a supernatural and sex-filled series that’s guaranteed to keep you clicking that next episode button.

The bisexual main character Bo is a Succubus, a demon in a human body that literally feeds off the sexual energy of both human beings and Fae, creatures of the world from which she was created. However, adopted by humans, she doesn’t realize her superpowers until she accidentally kills her high school boyfriend while swiping her v-card (talk about a scary first time). It’s kind of like twilight, but with sex instead of blood and brings a whole new meaning to #thirsty. If you think your fantasies are wild, turn on Lost Girl for some sickeningly seductive surprises.

5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

If you ladies are looking for a great throwback featuring a main character who *literally* slays, this childhood television staple was way ahead of the vampire trend and is sure to keep you up at night––because you won’t be able to turn it off.

High school student Buffy Summers lives a double life, but she’s no Hannah Montana--unless you would consider “The Best of Both Worlds” being an inescapable fate to fight forces of darkness. A serious lady-boss, Buffy combats a series of superhuman villains with her tight cohort of friends.

Buffy was ahead of its time in terms of not only its teen-vampire content, but also its expression of homosexuality. In the middle of the series, one of the main characters (no names because like, spoilers) realizes she is gay; however, her path to embracing her sexual preferences is portrayed in an incredibly positive light, revolutionary in a decade where depictions of homosexuality in entertainment often come with backlash. Good luck, and we’ll see you in 144 episodes.

6. The Fosters

Open up your laptop and settle into modern suburbia with The Fosters, a TV show that proves there really is no “typical” family unit.

The Fosters follows lesbian partners Stef and Lena as they raise a biological son, adopted twins and two foster children in San Diego. With a complex arrangement of familial ties, the characters encounter a variety of obstacles in their their daily lives unlike those in any other show of its kind. Using a groundbreaking framework to capture classic themes of love and family, The Fosters will let you lapse into a nurturing Netflix binge.

Related:5 Queer Characters Who Got It Right

7. Pretty Little Liars

Though Netflix marathons can take you into some crazy late nights, this time you might want to keep the lights on. So log on, but grab your favorite stuffed animal as protection (because you know you still have one).

Pretty Little Liars tells the story of four former friends who went separate ways after the disappearance of the fifth (and leading) member of their clique, Alison. Brought together by anonymous threats about their past secrets, the girls endure a thrilling and terrifying series of events while trying to discover who is torturing them about their past as well as their present. For one of the girls, Emily, the source of this tormenting often relates to her homosexuality, whose passions and relationships are used against her. With a constant stream of surprises, scandals, suspicions and blackmail, you will be way too eager to know what’s next to take your eyes off the screen.

Next time your summer plans get rained on or you just don’t feel like changing out of your pjs for 72 hours, log on to Netflix and take on a binge-watching challenge. With this selection of addictive series, you’ll be sure to find a hefty dose of queer motifs without having to search for your remote control. Keep clicking, collegiettes! 


11 Dorm Room Hacks to Keep You Organized This Year

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Getting your dorm organized is a crucial part of staying sane for the year, but it can be such a drag when you think you’ve tried everything but parts of your room are still hot messes. For the things that just don’t seem to stay orderly, we have a list of the most clever dorm hacks to keep your head screwed on straight this year.

1. Silverware organizer for desk supplies

Ever find yourself scrambling around your desk for a rogue pen or a paper clip that found its way into a back corner? This first hack will keep you from ever having a disorganized desk drawer again. Put a flatware tray (like this one for $11.19 from Walmart) in your desk drawer and organize your pens, pencils, highlighters and other desk supplies to your heart’s content.

2. Corkboard to display necklaces

Necklaces aren’t only pretty when hanging around your neck—they’re pretty as decorations on your wall, too! After sticking some thumbtacks into a corkboard, hang your necklaces off of the thumbtacks for easy storage and décor.

Don’t have a corkboard in your room? No problem. Buy some hooks for your wall (we like these pink Command hooks you can get at Bed Bath & Beyond for $4.99) and hang your necklaces off of them instead.

3. Ice cube trays for smaller jewelry                                          

Rings and earrings can be tough to store because they’re so small and easily lost, but we have a solution. Buy an inexpensive ice cube tray to keep in your desk drawer and put your beautiful rings and earrings in each little ice cube nook!

4. Soda-can tabs to extend your hangers

It’s a total buzzkill when you go back to school with a fashion-forward fall wardrobe and you can barely fit it in your teeny-tiny dorm closet. Try making space for more hangers by saving all of those little pull-off tabs from cans—yes, the ones you used to flick when drinking a soda as a teen—and sliding them onto the hook of your hanger. This allows you to hang another hanger from that first tab and expand your closet in all of its fashionable glory.

5. Binder clips for cord organization

If the jungle of charging cords found on your desk is the bane of your existence, you’ll be so psyched about this hack. Attach binder clips ($6.99 at The Container Store) to the edge of your desk as in the picture above and slide your phone, laptop and tablet chargers through the metal loops for tangle-free access.

6. Shower-curtain hooks to store your scarves

We love scarves, especially in the fall, but there’s one problem: Where the heck do we keep all of them? A great way to keep your scarves organized in your cramped dorm room is to clip some shower-curtain hooks ($7.79 at Target) to your clothes hangers. Clip the hooks on the horizontal part of the hanger like in the picture above, and then loop your scarves through.

7. Shower caddy to organize school supplies

When you’re the proud owner of the cutest school supplies around, it’s important to find a way to keep them all organized while simultaneously displaying them for the whole world to see. Try hanging a shower caddy ($19.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond) on your wall to keep all of your supplies ready to go. Use the shelf sections for folders, notebooks and planners, and hang keys or jars of pencils from the hooks as pictured above.

8. Picture frame desk organizer

This picture frame idea is perfect for things you need to grab quickly, like your favorite pencil or a paper clip. To make it even easier, there’s no sewing involved! Cut a piece of cardboard to the appropriate size for your picture frame. Create pockets by wrapping fabric around the piece of cardboard and hot-gluing it in place. It doesn’t matter how many pieces of fabric you wrap around the cardboard, but remember: the more pieces you wrap, the more pockets you have to store things in, so we suggest making two or three pockets. Put the fabric-covered cardboard in your frame, and voila, you’re done!

9. Magnet makeup board

Have your makeup right on hand by hanging it on your wall. Use a sheet of metal (like this cookie sheet, $9.89 at Walmart), cover it with fabric, glue the fabric in place and glue magnets to the back of your makeup products to make them stay on the metal. Not only will your eye shadows be easily accessible on your wall, but they’ll make the cutest dorm décor, too.

10. Dish rack folder holder

How flippin’ clever is this? Keep different folders in order by sticking them in the slots of a dish rack ($8.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond)—bonus points for extra pen/pencil storage in the small basket attached! We suggest using file folders or folders that are clearly labeled so you can easily grab what you’re looking for.

11. Altoids tins for the little things

Use these handy candy containers to organize the little things—paper clips, safety pins, you name it. Don’t forget to label what item belongs in which tin!

Go the extra mile and try decorating your tins! Add some adhesive cork to your tins. Using alphabet letter stamps, label the cork with what’s in the tin. You can also try hot-gluing some pretty scrap fabric or simple labels to your tins.

From giving you more closet space to helping create a desk that’s neat as a pin, these dorm room hacks are sure to make your life easier this year. Do you have a clever way that you keep your dorm room organized?

How I Combat Fatphobia While Acknowledging My Thin Privilege

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There was pizza on the table. Colleagues stood around it, looking anxious and uncertain.

“I want some, but I just can’t.”

The comments poured in after the first joke, which was only a second in. The group was all women, and I was hungry. I picked up a plate and grabbed two slices before walking back to my desk to get back to making graphics.

This was only one specific internship—but it also wasn’t. It's not like like this issue is industry-specific, or age-specific. It’s something I hear on an almost daily basis.

As an intersectional feminist and recovered anorexic, I fight hard to stop comments like these. But it really is hard.

Fatphobia scares me. If I’m being candid, I’m actually very skinny. I was built with a very small frame, identical to my mom’s. Size six shoes. Size four ring fingers.  Five feet and two inches tall, if I tiptoe. I have thin privilege, and comments about weight are never directed at me. My physician has never suggested I “lose weight” as a solution for my physical disability, or the things I’m unable to do because of it. Any health problems I’ve had have never been blamed on my weight. Even my Raynaud’s Syndrome, which has required me to be carried back from snowstorms because I lost all feeling in my feet, wasn’t blamed on my weight when I saw a doctor, even though the syndrome is most common in underweight women. I’ve never had a doctor ask me if I eat healthy or exercise. I think they just assume that I do.

I think it’s crucial to recognize both fatphobia and thin privilege, and to speak out about these issues. It can be hard to do, because diet culture is so embedded in our society, especially for women. Even my feminist friends are guilty of making jokes about what they can’t eat, or saying to a friend, “You’re not fat, you’re beautiful!”—as if that friend couldn’t be both.

I’ve never been weight conscious, because I’ve never had to be. My struggles with disordered eating mainly stemmed from a desire for control. But I began to pick up on diet culture and fatphobia regardless, because the commentary now held my attention. When I made the conscious decision to change my relationship with food, my body and control, I also made the decision to notice where my thin privilege—and calling out fatphobia—come into play.

I don’t live the healthiest of lifestyles. If I had to categorize it, I’d say I follow the “Lorelai and Rory Gilmore diet” minus the coffee, red meat and fries. I still drink way too much soda every day. But no matter what I eat—and how deliberately I choose to eat it—I’m never the subject of scrutiny over what I’m ordering, simply because of my thin privilege.

I’m not here to tell all women that we need to adopt and reclaim “fat,” but many fat women have done just that, and I think that’s the movement we should all be a part of. Why is it that we jump to “fat” as an insult the minute we decide we don’t like another woman? Why is it okay to call someone “fat” if you don’t like them, but not okay if it’s a friend? How can we reassure our friends, “You’re not fat,” and then look in the mirror and say, “I’m fat,” in the same derogatory sense?

These are the steps I’m taking to combat fatphobia, and acknowledge my thin privilege.

I never tell people, “But skinny girls have it hard, too.”

Yes, I’ve been told to eat something. People have told me I’m too skinny. I’ve been told it hurts when I sit on people’s laps because I’m so bony. I’ve had men tell me that being this thin isn’t attractive (excuse me, as if I tailor my appearance for your benefit!).

But I don’t experience systemic oppression and discrimination for being thin. That’s just the truth. In our culture, we tend to demonize fatness and fat bodies. We sling the word like a slur. We think we have a right to tell people what to do with their bodies. We judge fat people for having a snack, when we wouldn’t judge a thin person for the same snack.

If I hear people saying that thin people have it hard, too, I take the time to explain systemic discrimination to them, and I point out some examples of my own thin privilege.

I ask my friends how they’d like to be identified.

If someone wants to be called fat, I will call them that. If they don’t, I won’t. I really believe in respecting people’s individual identities, even when it comes to things that we, as a society, don’t always give individuals control over—like names, gender pronouns and disability identities.

I don’t use fat as a slur, even if people around me do.

I never called myself fat to begin with, but now I make an active attempt not to use fat as an insult, even with people I dislike. The same way I wouldn’t call someone’s sexuality, gender identity, religion, race or disability in as an insult, I won’t use “fat” as an insult.

I also don’t use weight loss as a compliment.

Even if someone’s on a diet on purpose, I won’t compliment them on their weight loss. For one thing, I wouldn’t want them to think back negatively on that compliment if they ever regained any weight. I also don’t want my friends and family to think that losing weight is an inherently good or complimentary thing, and that if you don’t lose weight or weigh a certain amount, you aren't worthy of compliments.

I try to base most of my compliments for others not on their looks, although I do like to compliment people’s fashion choices and new hairstyles. If someone’s on a diet, I’ll ask them about any health benefits or differences they’ve noticed, and I’ll specifically compliment them on doing well and following their personal goals. 

I don't make assumptions about anyone's health.

Nobody knows better than I do that looks can be deceiving. More than once while out eating with a friend, the waitstaff has given me the healthier of the two meals, having assumed it was mine. I never assume that someone is healthy or unhealthy because of their weight, or even what they're eating at the current moment. To be honest, it's really none of my business (or anyone else's) how healthy or unhealthy someone else is.

If I hear those kinds of comments from other people, I try to politely shut them down and remind the person to focus on their own health instead of someone else's. 

I listen to what my friends and those around me have to say.

I don't know what it's like to live with fatphobia aimed at me. I don't shut down my friends when they talk about what it's like. Full stop.

I may not know what it's like to experience fatphobia, but I always want fat acceptance included in my feminism. 

Instagram Adds a New Feature that Looks Oddly Familiar

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Instagram, the app famous for allowing us to share highlights of our oh-so-amazing lives, launched a new feature on Tuesday that we may already use on another social media platform *cough, cough, Snapchat?*

Instagram Stories are exactly what they sound like. These 24-hour photo and video slideshows will appear at the top of your feed. The only difference between Insta Stories and Snap Stories? You don't have to move apps to enjoy both. 

You're probably thinking this is a literal ripoff of Snapchat, and Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom completely understands. "They deserve all the credit,"Systrom told TechCrunch. "This isn't about who invented something. This is about a format, and how you take it to a network and put your own spin on it." Hm...

Systrom said Stories works as a medium for sharing content that a user may think isn't "good enough" to have directly on his or her Insta-feed. “It basically solves a problem for all these people who want to take a ton of photos of an event or something in their lives, but want to manage what their profile looks like and not bomb feed, obviously, as that’s one of the no-nos on Instagram,” he said.

Like Snapchat Stories, Instagram Stories last 24 hours and have a 10-second maximum. You can adorn your Stories with text, drawings, emojis and filters. You can see who has viewed your Story. You can tap through other users Stories. Okay, are we having deja vu or is this just ridiculous? 

We must say, some differences will make many Story-lovers happy. Instagram Stories don't tell you who has screenshotted a Story. You can also pause a Story or swipe left to go back. You can't save a whole day's story the way you can on Snapchat (but does anyone honestly like that feature anyway?).  

Instagram, the app that has championed the like-to-minute ratio, believes that Stories are the future of the app ––all the sharing with none of the pressure! The update is set to roll out over the next few weeks on both iPhone and Android devices. We can't wait for this one!

University of Washington Student Read Gun Manual Minutes Before Killing Ex-Girlfriend & Two Others

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Gunman Allen Ivanov entered a home in Suburban Seattle early Saturday morning and killed three teens, including his ex-girlfriend Anna Bui. The attack came after 19-year-old Ivanov became upset with Bui because he thought she seemed to be moving on with her life after their relationship. Ivanov and Bui were students at the University of Washington.

In a probable-cause statement released on Monday, police said Ivanov had little to no familiarity with the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle he had recently purchased. Just before the attack, Ivanov parked across the street and read the gun's instruction manual.

Ivanov was arrested by state troopers more than 100 miles from the scene of the crime in Mukilteo, a north Seattle suburb, according to the Associated Press. Upon his arrest, he confessed to the killings and made police aware of his motive.

Mukilteo Police Detective John Ernst wrote the probable-cause statement. 

"Ivanov stated that he showed up to the homicide scene at approximately 2200 hours, and parked across the street and watched," Ernst said. "He said that he creeped up toward the house and saw [Anna] with another male and got angry. He said that he returned to his car, read the instruction manual for the rifle, loaded the magazine, placed the magazine in the rifle, and sent the rifle's selector switch to 'safe.' He then returned to the victim house property."

The gunman then returned to the backyard where he was found by another young man attending the party. 

"The male said, 'No, no no,'" Ernst said. "Ivanov stated that he was 'scared,' he flipped the selector switch to fire and shot the male. He stated that at that point it was too late to turn back, and once he had pulled the trigger his adrenaline kicked in."

KING reports that Ivanov had originally broken up with Bui, but realized he wanted to get back together after receiving Snapchats showing Bui was moving on. While the two had started hanging out again in the week before the shooting, Ivanov became angry when he found out she was still seeing other guys, according to Ernst's statement.

Ivanov's attorney, Tim Leary, asked in court why it's legal for a 19-year-old to buy a semi-automatic rifle. 

"If he would have walked into a 7-Eleven and tried to buy a six-pack of beer, he would have been turned away," Leary said. "When you look at someone who's 19, what they can and can't do is very troubling, and the consequences of that could not be any greater for the victims, for my client and for the community at large."

Ivanov is currently being held without bail and prosecutors have until Wednesday to press charges. This case just shows the horror of pairing internalized misogyny with deadly weapons.

Zac Efron Joined Tinder, But No One Swiped Right

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Love is hard to find, you guys. When you have no prospects IRL and your friends haven't delivered when it comes to set-ups, many of us turn to dating apps—yes, even celebs... even everybody's #1 heartthrob, Zac Efron. He recently revealed that he joined Tinder—but literally nobody swiped right.

"Why tho?" -Zac Efron, probably

In a recent interview with The Times, Zac discussed everything from his evolving acting career to his love life. Since breaking up with Sami Miro, Zac explained that he's had quite a bit of trouble in the relationship department. 

"Amazingly, when I signed up for Tinder, nobody swiped me!" Zac said. Let's be honest, his looks clearly aren't the problem. But Zac Efron? Too good to be true. "They thought [my profile] was fake," he added.

Fake profile or not, we probably would have swiped right if a photo of Zac showed up. Even though most fans would jump at the opportunity to date Zac, or even breathe the same air as him, the 28-year-old claimed that it's difficult for a person like him to find someone genuine. 

"Dating is something I'll never be able to do," Zac said. (Literally, we're crying rn.) "As in the dictionary definition of dating... A date has to be very long to dispel whatever people think of me."

A very long date with Zac Efron? We're game—just tell us when and where.

Kesha Has Dropped Her Lawsuit Against Dr. Luke

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It goes without saying that the lawsuit Kesha filed against Dr. Luke has taken a huge toll on her. For better or for worse, the singer has dropped the case against her former producer, as it's put her life on too strong of a hold. 

"Kesha has dismissed her California action without prejudice while she pursues her appeal and other legal claims in the New York courts," the singer's legal council, Daniel Petrocelli, said in a statement to Rolling Stone. "Kesha is focused on getting back to work and has delivered 28 new songs to the record label. We have conveyed to Sony and the label Kesha's strong desire to release her next album and single as soon as possible."

It looks like that despite all of the anguish of her legal troubles, Kesha's priority right now is to get back to her music. In a Facebook post on Monday she wrote, "My fight continues. I need to get my music out. I have so much to say." She explained, "This lawsuit is so heavy on my once free spirit, and I can only pray to one day feel that happiness again. I am continuing to fight for my rights in New York." 

Here's to hoping the next stage will bring peace of mind AND justice. 

4 Reasons Why Your Diet Won't Work

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“I wish I had her body.” 
 
“I really need to lose 10 pounds.”
 
“Tell me honestly, is she skinnier than I am?”
 
These are only a handful of body-image related thoughts that almost every girl struggles with during her lifetime. It’s like the concept of ‘skinniness’ is some form of social currency that we’re trained to aspire to attain; when in reality, living a healthy lifestyle is what our primary concern should be. Slowly, this is starting to change, but we realized there are a lot of misconceptions among college women about how to lose weight the healthy way. We talked to experts and collegiettes alike to find out the four most common reasons why your attempts to eat clean aren’t going too well. 
 
 

1. Your prescription medications are interfering with your weight

If you’ve been gaining weight or struggling to lose weight since starting a new prescription, you may want to reach out to your doctor to see if your prescription really is the culprit.
 
For example, when Megan Salavantis, a junior at Sienna college, was struggling with weight gain issues herself, it took some digging to figure out the problem wasn’t entirely in her control.
 
“It was only by doing some research that I found out my life-sustaining medication makes me put on weight”  Megan says that her medication and her lifestyle choices combined were what made losing weight difficult, but not impossible. 
 
If you’re currently taking prescription medications (or if you’ve recently started) and you can’t explain why you’re suddenly gaining weight or struggling to lose weight,  reach out to your doctor with your concerns to figure out if that’s actually the case. Even if you do suspect that your meds are messing with your weight, make sure it’s your doctor who directs changes to your prescriptions—it’s never a good idea to change up or stop your medications without your doctor’s direction. 
 

2. The ‘healthy’ foods you’re eating aren’t really healthy

Health fads, like subsisting off of green juices, subbing out real meals for protein bars, and choosing artificial sweeteners over natural sugars all sound like smart ways to eat clean, but they’re really not. According to Yevgeniya Libkhen, licensed dietician, nutritionist, and holistic health consultant, choosing these supposed ‘health’ foods often derails her clients’ attempts to eat clean and healthily. 
 
In the case of our first example, ‘green’ juices, these beverages seem like the healthy and smart choice since they often list healthy green vegetables like kale and spinach on their ingredients list. But Yevgeniya was quick to clarify for us that in most cases, these beverages “are nothing more than a mega-dose of sugar”. According to her, this is because the fiber from these vegetables (which is filled with the nutrients that make them superfoods in the first place) is stripped during the juicing process, and many manufacturers sweeten each juice to make it taste better. She says that while a green juice is certainly a healthier alternative to downing a soda, it’s not the healthiest choice you can make. She explains that a  smarter choice is making your own green smoothies at home with whole vegetables, that way you retain the fiber and nutrients of the vegetables while also making a cold and yummy snack. 
 
Yevgeniya also gave us some insight on why protein bars and artificial sweeteners aren't the best choices for your clean-eating lifestyle. 
 
According to her, unless you’re a high-performing athlete, you really don’t need to consume more than 15 grams of protein per meal—and many protein bars contain well over 20 grams of protein. She says the reason this isn’t a good thing is because consuming an excess of protein in a meal can create an imbalance in the nutrients you’re taking in, which can then cause your body to store those calories as fat, instead of quickly metabolizing them for energy. 
Lastly, she says that artificial sweeteners are the biggest culprit of weight-loss sabotage because they’re actually way sweeter than natural sugar is. To put this in perspective, she explained to us that aspartame (found in brand name sweeteners like Truvia and Splenda) is 200 times sweeter than sugar, while natural sugar alternative Stevia is 40 times sweeter than sugar. She explained that consuming these sugar alternatives regularly can actually condition your brain to crave sweeter foods, which can seriously derail your healthy eating habits. 
 
While health fads like these might seem easy and convenient in the moment, Yevgeniya says that nothing is better than sticking to the basic rule of thumb of making sure that at least half of every meal you eat is made up of vegetables. She says that eating more vegetables is ` (and will always be) the best way to make sure you’re getting the most vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are essential for you to be as healthy as possible. 
 

3. You’re not eating enough

Glen Tobias, a Registered Dietician at Atlantic Sports Health and nutritionist for the New York Jets explains that he has seen many people set themselves up for failure by failing to consult a professional in favor of creating their own super restrictive diets that don’t provide the nutrition and energy they need.
“Our job is to make sure you are healthy, have energy and lose the fat you want to. The minute they deviate from these crazy diets they feel they have failed; this is not necessarily true. As long as you are doing better today than you did yesterday, is a win.” He says that an R.D. can help you create a reasonable diet plan and also help you stay strong mentally. 
 
Sophia Walker, a junior at Bowdoin College, says that one dangerous fasting diet trend that has been popular with college students was detrimental to her efforts to lose weight and live healthier. 
 
“I have a lot of friends that really like the ‘fast’ diet, and I've tried it out too. Basically the fast diet is that you ‘fast’ for 24 hours. You eat less than 500 calories on two days per week, and you can at whatever you want on the other days. Supposedly fasting will help you burn more calories, and prompt you to eat less.” Instead, the ‘fast’ caused her misery on her fasting days and caused her to overeat on non-fasting days. 
 
While the 'average' recommended calorie intake for women can range from 1,200 calories to 2,400 calories based on many factors like your body composition and activity level, a good rule of thumb is: Instead of severely depriving your body of calories by going on a super restrictive diet (which is incredibly unsafe) try Yevgeniya’s advice of making sure at least half of each of your meals is made up of vegetables. She says that eating more vegetables can minimize those pesky blood-sugar spikes (read: hangry-ness) that makes you cranky and hungry for super carb-y and salty foods. 
Related: 9 Healthy Road Trip Snacks

3. You’re not managing your stress well

Any college student knows that stress can and will derail your happiness, sanity and health. But did you know that it’s most likely the reason you’re struggling to lose weight? 
 
According to nutritional biochemist Dr. Shawn Talbot, increased production of cortisol (the ‘stress hormone’) is what’s responsible for those cravings for high calorie “comfort foods” when you’re stressed out. He adds that research studies have shown that even the thought of dieting can cause stress, and make your weight loss goals more difficult to attain. This is why it’s so much better to instead focus on eating clean all around rather than following a restrictive diet plan. 
Dr. Talbot explains that you don’t have to cause yourself stress by overthinking your diet or restricting ‘all’ of a certain food from your diet. He also adds that by getting more sleep (a whole 8 hours as opposed to a meager 6), you can decrease your cortisol levels by 50 percent. 
 
Imagine how much easier the rest of your life will be if you just focus on getting more sleep and being rested!
 

4. You’re too hard on yourself

By far the biggest obstruction to living healthier and losing extra weight is the simplest one to fix: the wrong mindset. According to Dr. Jennie Johnson, co-founder of Living for a Healthy Heart most people don’t understand it really only takes small changes to lay the foundation for a healthier diet. 
 
“Rather than add an apple to their diet each day or change to a smaller plate the individual may make drastic changes that will be too difficult to maintain and far too often fail,” Dr. Johnson says.
 
In other words, you don’t have to (and shouldn’t) try to work out intensely every single day and subsist off of salads in an attempt to correct months or years of poor eating habits and no exercise. Starting with small changes, and working up to revamping your lifestyle over time, is really the way to go. 
 
Sophia agrees, “I've lost 20 pounds over the last year by changing my mindset about food and exercise. I've also started power lifting this year, and it's helped me change my mindset from a place where I feel lazy and like a failure to a place where I feel incredibly cool and badass at the gym.”
 
Like Sophia, you should focus on what you get out of eating better and exercising more http://www.hercampus.com/health/fitness/8-moves-get-your-best-butt-ever—like feeling strong, and being proud of the changes you’re making, instead of focusing on what you’re giving up. 
 
 
Losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle is easier than you think! Now you know what obstacles you might encounter—and how to overcome them, once you start making those first steps. 
 

Spencer Pratt Is Feeling Salty AF About 'The Hills' Anniversary Special

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Reality TV regular Spencer Pratt went on a hilarious Twitter rant (look out, Kanye!) detailing how ~little~ he really cares about being excluded from tonight’s anniversary special of "The Hills." Prompted by a curious fan, Pratt explained frankly that MTV gave him the cold shoulder because he “wasn’t fan fav.”

But it’s totally okay with him because he won’t be watching anyway. He’ll be too busy catching up on his homework, watching paint dry, battling a severe case of food poisoning and shopping (not the LC collection) at Kohl’s.

To be honest, we’re pretty bummed that the bearded wizard won’t be making an appearance but at least his “favorite wife on the earth, planet,” (because that needed clarification), will. Plot twist: she’ll also be live tweeting it, probably putting a real damper in Spencer’s paint-watching plans. 

“The Hills: That Was Then, This is Now” airs tonight on MTV to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of the iconic show.

16 Things Only Natural Blondes Understand

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If you're like me and have natural blonde hair, you know there are countless stereotypes associated with this hair color, including dumb, ditzy and vain, spawning a multitude of jokes at our expense. However, it's not all negative. My personal favorite is the idea that "blondes have more fun." (Who said this wasn't true anyways?) There are both struggles and benefits to being a fair-haired girl.

1. The amount of times you've been referred to as "goldie locks" or "blondie" is unreal

If my hair color is the most interesting thing about me, then we've got a serious problem on our hands. 

2. You are often accused of being a bottle blonde because your eyebrows don't match your hair color

There's nothing wrong with having dyed hair, but just because you have darker eyebrows doesn't mean you're not a natural blonde 

3. You have long been accustomed to Barbie-esque comments while sporting her signature color

Heaven forbid you wear pink and have long, blonde hair. 

4. You never keep a lint roller too far away since you shed hair like a Golden Retriever

Dark colored shirts and blonde hair just do not mix. Unless you're going for that 'chic,' dog look.

5. Your hair grows in a different, darker after you've gotten highlights 

This may or may not look natural depending on the shade of highlights and your natural color. If it's the latter, it does not look too pretty. 

6. That being said, just because a girl chooses to highlight her hair, doesn't mean she's not a natural blonde

Maybe she just wanted to go blonder. Life is full of choices.

7. As a child, your hair was practically platinum blonde

As you get older, not so much. 

8. You watched Tangled and obsessed over Rapunzel's long, shimmery, golden locks

In real life, your hair takes forever to grow out, and getting it that light and shiny? Yeah right. If you were more enthralled by the princess's hair than you were by her love interest Flynn Rider, you know you have a 'blonde problem.'

9. Constantly getting asked, "I wonder how you'd look as a brunette?"

Um, not so great. 

10. Constantly comparing yourself to other, fellow blondes

Is there hair lighter than mine? Is that shade prettier? Is it natural or do they dye it? So many questions, so little answers.

11. When you do or say something dumb, it's brushed off as you "having a blonde moment"

Is it really necessary to have a "dumb blonde moment?" Who even came up with that silly line? Blondes certainly don't need a line to justify making mistakes. We ALL have our moments regardless of our hair color. Besides, you dont hear anyone saying "she's having a ginger moment."

12. When you threaten to dye your hair a different color to get rid of the jokes, you're reminded you can't change that you'll still a natural blonde underneath it

The madness never ends. 

13. If you DO decide to dye your hair, the process will be easier 

Unlike your darker-haired counterparts, you can totally skip the bleaching your hair step. 

14. It's assumed that if the hair on your head is naturally blonde, it must be blonde everywhere else on your body too

I wish. That is true for some people, but definitely not for all of us.

15. You have a lot of doppelgänger options when it comes to Disney princesses

Cinderella, Elsa, Aurora, Rapunzel, the list goes on and on.  

16. Two words: Blonde hair and red lipstick

Is there anything more strong or commanding than that? I think not. But to be fair, both bottle and natural blondes can relate to this one.

The "we have more fun" hair color is definitely not without its pitfalls and annoying stereotypes, but it's nice to be reminded of the pros of naturally having the color people spend hundreds of dollars trying to attain. So ignore the haters and remember that you were born this way. So be fabulous and own what your genes gave ya. 

15 Things Only Girls Who Loved High School Understand

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Ah, college. A chance to go to a new school where nobody remembers what you looked like with braces, your embarrassing act in the talent show freshman year or your repeated failed attempts at prom queen. However, the move to college leaves some girls sad, longing for the days of 8 a.m. homeroom and exhilarating midday drives to Starbucks. Ladies who loved high school, how many of these things apply to you?

1. You wear high school gear all the time

2. You look through your prom pictures at least once a month

3. You visit school whenever you go home

4. You still keep in contact with your teachers

5. You plan on keeping your yearbook for the rest of your life

6. You have the playlist you blasted in the car when you first learned to drive

...and you listen to it. All. The. Time.

7. You constantly hit up your group message of high school friends with crazy stories about your life

8. You still follow your high school’s anonymous social media accounts

9. You probably subscribe to your alumni newsletter

10. Okay, you also subscribe to your school newspapper

11. Your college know pretty much everything and everyone from your high school life...

12. ...mostly because you never stop talking about it.

13. When people talk about how over high school they are, you’re just like…

14. Your high school best friends are still your screensaver...

15. …and you know they’ll totally be the bridesmaids at your wedding

My Dad Chose My Outfits for 5 Days & Here's How He Did

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My dad was not moved when I told him I was writing this article and needed him to pick outfits for me to wear for five days. He said that I already dress pretty conservatively, so what did he care? But it wasn’t really about that for me, I wanted this to be an interesting experience for us. I have to admit, I had it in my head that maybe he would dress me in as much clothing as possible because he’s, you know, my dad. And some days he did. But other days, he also made some unexpected choices. Originally, I was sure my dad was going to make it his mission to dress me in clothes that were completely ridiculous. He kept wondering out loud what would clash. Luckily, he was joking… mostly.

So, here’s what the accountant-by-day, professional rock keyboardist-by-night I call dad dressed me in.

Monday

I live in Missouri and it has been hotter than hell (aka mid-90s) this week. It was definitely too hot for a quarter-length-sleeved shirt, jeans and high tops. My saving grace was that none of it was black, which is a serious departure from my everyday-wear. This was the first outfit my dad picked out; he told me he's seen enough of "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory" to know Young and Reckless and DC are both skater brands. I felt a little silly in the high tops, though. I went through a DC high top phase in school and that came back to haunt me full force when I wore them out again. The maroon watch my dad picked to go with this outfit didn’t really go, but it’s a cute watch so who cares?

Tuesday

This plaid shirt is itchy AF. The minute I put it on, I regretted it. I actually haven’t worn this plaid shirt in years, and I felt a little insecure in it because it’s a little tight. My dad pulled this fossil out of my closet after complaining that he wanted a plaid shirt that wasn't my red and black one, which I wear all the time. The problem with this outfit is that today was even hotter outside. The darker colors definitely weren't warm weather-friendly. I ended up tapping out and tying the plaid around my waist because it became unbearable to wear.

Wednesday

In terms of temperature, this outfit was definitely cooler than the rest had been. These shorts show lots of leg, so I’m a little shocked that my dad picked them, but I’m not mad about it. He also pulled this shirt out of my closet at home. The only time I've ever worn this shirt was for senior pictures in high school, so, yikes. My dad's favorite color is burgundy (as is mine!) so he picked out a lot of black and burgundy combos this week. Overall, I liked this outfit, even if I probably wouldn't wear it again. But I did learn the art of burgundy-on-burgundy with the watch and the top. I would've never done that before, but it actually works.

Thursday

Hands down, this outfit was the fan favorite. I got the most compliments on this outfit and felt so free and pretty and confident in it. The fabric is really light, so I wasn’t as hot as some of the others. Again, I wouldn’t have paired the blue necklace with the blue dress, but I really like it. My dad firmly believes that you can't go wrong pairing accessories that are the same color as the garments. As much as I wouldn't have agreed with him before, he might be on to something. Thanks for the idea, dad!

Friday

Definitely the most functional outfit this week. And it was actually perfect because I work on Friday mornings. My usual work outfit is just a t-shirt and jeans, so this was a little cooler than what I normally wear to work. But it was comfortable and efficient, which was most important today. It's funny that he picked this shirt actually, because he had made fun of me for wearing it a couple days before because he couldn't figure out what it said, much less figure out that The 1975 is a band. But his thinking was that the pink in the shirt worked with the burgundy pants. I still disagree with him on that, but this week it seems he was just trying to break me out of my all-black uniform. 

Overall, my dad didn’t make many risky outfit pairings. He mostly stuck to trying to match colors up. My dad by no means is a fashion-forward kind of guy. He knows what he likes but isn’t one to take chances with his clothes. I will say, though, that he dressed me in a lot of color. My clothing color palette is mostly black, white and blue, so I liked that I was wearing more color than normal. Coming away from this, I definitely want to incorporate more color into my closet and maybe try more color-on-color action, because that worked better than I thought it could honestly. Dad, I don’t think I’ll be asking you to style me again anytime soon, but thanks for some inspiration and doing all of my outfit-styling work for the week! 

8 Reasons You Should Join a Sorority Your Freshman Year

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Starting college is exciting––but let’s be real, it’s also scary, stressful and nerve-wracking. So, why add even more stress by joining a sorority? With all the rushing, outfits and talking, it can seem like a huge undertaking to go Greek, but it’s worth it.

Taking the time to rush your freshman year will set you up with a home away from home, which can be hard to find when you’ve suddenly been dumped on a college campus and left to your own devices. Without a sorority, you’re still guaranteed to find friends ––but with one, you’ll get a head start on not only finding friends but also on learning about college life (and your campus layout). So, to prove why going Greek as a freshman is a great idea, we asked current collegiettes and they told us the best parts of being a srat star.

1. You'll make friends

This is probably the reason everyone tells you to join a sorority. Collegiettes who are already in a sorority might tell you, “You’ll make SO many friends,” and, “Literally all my friends are my sisters,” and those statements can totally be true.

Blair Donovan, a senior at Miami University, found her best friends through her sorority. For Blair, getting a big sister meant finding her BFF as well. “Getting [a big] was something I always looked forward to in joining a sorority, and mine surpassed all expectations once I finally got one," she says. "She became my best friend and literal twin (we looked creepily identical). She was go-to person to get Mexican food with and vent about our lives. I can't imaging not having her in my life, and the bond that we formed was unlike any other!” But, there’s no rule that says you are confined to the pool of sorority girls that you are a part of.

In fact, you should also look for friends outside of your sisterhood. In college, you’ll meet friends on your floor, in classes and at parties. The great part about being a part of a sorority though, is having a group of girls you’re familiar with.

For Elana Golub, a junior at Northwestern University, joining a sorority introduced her to a whole new group of girls. “I hardly knew any of the girls in my sorority before I rushed, and now they are my best friends in the world," Elana says. "It would've taken me a lot longer to find them on my own!” Because you’re already grouped together, it takes away the awkwardness of finding common ground because (duh!) you’re sisters. Plus, with so much bonding, you’ll inevitably connect with certain girls. 

2. You'll have sisters in class

Sometimes, deciding where to sit in class can feel like a life or death decision, but seeing a beacon in the form of sorority letters will wash an instant feeling of calm over you. Picking your seat on the first day of classes will be a dilemma for the next four years, so having sorority sisters is always a great resource.

This is all too true for Madeline Frisk, a senior at Oregon State. “I love that joining in my freshman year in my spring term I was able to make friends that were in my classes," she says. "You not only get to know people in your chapter, but you feel connected to anyone with letters you see on campus, which is a truly amazing feeling.”

Kristen Van Buren, a senior at High Point University, believes that finding friends in class is more than just having a neighbor. “My sorority sisters have helped me so much when I have had my rough times in life and when I have been stressed over projects and tests,” she says. Having sisters who can help you in class really comes in handy when you’re stressing over a physics question that would stump even the Einsteins of the world. Strength in numbers!

3. You'll learn your way around campus

Your sisterhood will be one of your best resources in college, because you automatically have access to girls that know all the ins and outs of the campus. One of the scariest parts of college is getting to know the school itself, but it doesn't have to be thanks to Greek life.

Sarah Westbrook, a junior at the University of South Carolina University, learned the ropes at her school from her sorority sisters. “Joining a sorority my freshman year helped me to figure out how everything at college works," she says. So, if you’re struggling to find that astronomy class that’s inside the gray building that’s adjacent to another gray building, you’ll have a huge resource to help you get through the literal maze of buildings.

Plus, some colleges will have recruitment before classes start, so you’ll get the opportunity to explore the campus before it’s overrun with students.

4. You'll learn about college life

Like we said before, being in a sorority will give you a direct connection to some older girls. In college, they will seem wiser than you could ever imagine. From recommending when you should buy textbooks to telling you where the best food places are, they have a plethora of knowledge. Use them wisely, collegiettes!

Additionally, your older sorority sisters will most likely take you under their wing and attempt to guide you through the crazy world of college. For Kayla Hanigan, a senior at George Mason University, this was definitely true. “I think joining my freshman year was amazing because it allowed me to experience the confusing and overwhelming parts of freshman year with other girls and a huge support system that I otherwise would not have had," she says. "We all stumbled, and the older sisters constantly looked after us making sure we were using all of our campus resources.” Although you will definitely be fine on your own, having a ton of older sisters will smooth the transition of going from high school to college.

5. You'll become a part of the entire Greek world

Joining a sorority doesn’t mean you’re just associated with the group of girls you share letters with. When you become a sorority sister, you also become a part of the larger Greek community. That means you share a bond with all the sororities and fraternities at your college or university. This bond can last beyond college and follow you into the professional world.

“Since I've joined my sorority I've been able to get involved in the recruitment process, numerous philanthropies, grown as a student leader, made professional connections, made life-long friends and sisters and as cheesy as it sounds I believe I've grown as a person,” Madeline says. So basically, when you’re applying for a job and the employer, who was a former KKG, sees that you were in Greek life too, you’ll already have an in. Connections are key in the working world and Greek life is one of the many ways to get a step ahead.

Related:8 Insider Tips for Sorority Rush

6. You'll find your home

Part of joining a sorority is recruitment, where you learn about each sorority at your school and find where you belong on your own. Going through recruitment places every sorority on an even playing field and gives you the opportunity to judge them on their philanthropies and sisterhood, not on passing rumors.

Going through the recruitment process as a sophomore or junior can make you biased towards certain sororities because of stories you’ve heard, or other people’s perceptions. Lexi Hill, a junior from South Carolina agrees, “I joined my sorority and it ended up being the best decision for me," she says. "My advice to incoming freshman is to keep an open mind.” When you come into the recruitment process as a freshman, you get to form your own opinions instead of relying on surface-level gossip you may hear. 

7. You'll get involved on campus

Whether it’s community service or Greek organized philanthropy, belonging to a sisterhood will provide you with TONS of opportunities to give back. Not only is volunteering great because you’re helping others   which is obviously an awesome thing to do    but employers also look to see that you spend time doing volunteer work. It shows that you’re able to take your personal time and put it towards the good of others.

Sometimes, it’s hard to find opportunities for community service and having Greek life as a resource makes it so much easier to find these opportunities. Many sororities have specific philanthropies that they support, as well as events they host that give you plenty of options for giving back. “We were given study hours, social opportunities and most importantly, leadership opportunities," Kayla says. "Our sorority was unique in which our new members were allowed to run for executive positions in our chapter. We all pushed one another to make ourselves better scholars, women and leaders.” With so many available options for leadership and giving back, being a part of a sorority will provide more opportunities to help others than you might find on your own.

8. You’re all in this together

One of the greatest parts of joining a sorority during your freshman year is that the rest of your pledge class will most likely be in the same boat as you. A pledge class is the group of girls that is in the process of becoming members of a sorority. “You’re surrounded by girls who are excited about you being in their sorority and want to get to know you, and they really helped with my transition [into college],” Sarah says.

Most of you will be freshmen that are making friends, learning about college and discovering what the hell you want to do with your lives. The feeling of togetherness will automatically bring you closer to your pledge class.  If that right there isn’t community, then who knows what is.

Sorority life has so much to offer, whether it’s philanthropy, sisterhood, or first-hand campus knowledge, and joining your freshman year is sure to ease the transition into college life.

The 12 Worst Things About Starting a New Semester

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Ah, a new semester: a clean slate with new classes, new digs and a chance to make this your best semester yet. Starting fresh each semester isn’t exactly a bed of roses, however. Here are some of the worst things about embarking on another semester of school.

1. First of all, there’s the daunting process of moving all your worldly belongings into your dorm room…

…which happens to be the same day everyone else is moving in.

Why, oh, why did you insist on bringing so much stuff?

2. Then begins the process of buying all your new textbooks…

…which cost enough money to make you audibly gasp at the register.

3. On the first day, you have to find all your new classes…

4. …and probably wander into a wrong classroom or two.

5. After months of idleness, you’ll suddenly be forced to listen to lectures and take notes again,

6. and all those syllabi you’ll receive will make you feel like you're already completely in over your head.

7. You’ll also probably realize a few of your classes just aren’t going to work out.

8. You’ll run into people you haven’t seen in months and be forced into having uncomfortable small talk with them.  

9. The dining halls will feel extra crowded…

10. …and the gym will be swarming with students not yet loaded down with assignments.

11. You’ll try and get a head start on your schoolwork…

…only to end up getting distracted by your excitement of being back at school.

12. Although you’ll probably settle into a routine within a couple of weeks.

Facing a little beginning-of-the-semester craziness is almost inevitable.

Daniel Maguire of 'Bachelor In Paradise' is As Anti-Women As it Gets

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No wonder Daniel Maguire is besties with 'Bachelorette' villain Chad Johnson—when it comes to the two of them, it's sort of like a competition to see who can be more sexist. Chad may have come out on top this episode, with his horrible, demeaning comments getting him the boot, but Daniel, we're not about to let you off the hook just because you weren't as bad as Chad.

We hate to give him more air time, but you have to see it to believe it:

Excuse us? He went on to say that the three girls he'd just met—Jubilee, Amanda and Carly—are "nothing I'd really touch," speaking of them as if they were nothing more than objects for his personal enjoyment. News flash, Daniel, we're pretty sure your touch has not been invited. He then went on to liken the women on the show to "stray dogs." So what TF does that make you, Daniel?? Oh, right—he considers himself an "eagle," that's how high his standards are. Good for you for having high standards, buddy, but FYI, you meet basically NO self-respecting woman's standards, so maybe reconsider.

As you've probably guessed by now, he was sort of a misogynistic mess for the duration of the episode, giddily declaring that rating women is basically his favorite pasttime, discussing with Chad which women they'll want to "fuck right off the bat" and then also referring to women as fruit. In case anybody wanted to know, he's looking for a woman who's "succulent and juicy" (literally WTF?), but to his dismay, "so far the fruit here looks like they've been bruised in transportation." Vom.

Hopefully, now that Chad's out of the picture (though he seems to have a penchant for appearing when he's least wanted), ~*feminist star*~ Sarah Herron will be able to focus her efforts on taking Daniel down, because he really, truly needs it.


5 Reasons Why Your Diet Won't Work

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“I wish I had her body.” 
 
“I really need to lose 10 pounds.”
 
“Tell me honestly, is she skinnier than I am?”
 
These are only a handful of body-image related thoughts that almost every girl struggles with during her lifetime. It’s like the concept of ‘skinniness’ is some form of social currency that we’re trained to aspire to attain; when in reality, living a healthy lifestyle is what our primary concern should be. Slowly, this is starting to change, but we realized there are a lot of misconceptions among college women about how to lose weight the healthy way. We talked to experts and collegiettes alike to find out the four most common reasons why your attempts to eat clean aren’t going too well. 
 
 

1. Your prescription medications are interfering with your weight

If you’ve been gaining weight or struggling to lose weight since starting a new prescription, you may want to reach out to your doctor to see if your prescription really is the culprit.
 
For example, when Megan Salavantis, a junior at Sienna college, was struggling with weight gain issues herself, it took some digging to figure out the problem wasn’t entirely in her control.
 
“It was only by doing some research that I found out my life-sustaining medication makes me put on weight”  Megan says that her medication and her lifestyle choices combined were what made losing weight difficult, but not impossible. 
 
If you’re currently taking prescription medications (or if you’ve recently started) and you can’t explain why you’re suddenly gaining weight or struggling to lose weight,  reach out to your doctor with your concerns to figure out if that’s actually the case. Even if you do suspect that your meds are messing with your weight, make sure it’s your doctor who directs changes to your prescriptions—it’s never a good idea to change up or stop your medications without your doctor’s direction. 
 

2. The ‘healthy’ foods you’re eating aren’t really healthy

Health fads, like subsisting off of green juices, subbing out real meals for protein bars, and choosing artificial sweeteners over natural sugars all sound like smart ways to eat clean, but they’re really not. According to Yevgeniya Libkhen, licensed dietician, nutritionist, and holistic health consultant, choosing these supposed ‘health’ foods often derails her clients’ attempts to eat clean and healthily. 
 
In the case of our first example, ‘green’ juices, these beverages seem like the healthy and smart choice since they often list healthy green vegetables like kale and spinach on their ingredients list. But Yevgeniya was quick to clarify for us that in most cases, these beverages “are nothing more than a mega-dose of sugar”. According to her, this is because the fiber from these vegetables (which is filled with the nutrients that make them superfoods in the first place) is stripped during the juicing process, and many manufacturers sweeten each juice to make it taste better. She says that while a green juice is certainly a healthier alternative to downing a soda, it’s not the healthiest choice you can make. She explains that a  smarter choice is making your own green smoothies at home with whole vegetables, that way you retain the fiber and nutrients of the vegetables while also making a cold and yummy snack. 
 
Yevgeniya also gave us some insight on why protein bars and artificial sweeteners aren't the best choices for your clean-eating lifestyle. 
 
According to her, unless you’re a high-performing athlete, you really don’t need to consume more than 15 grams of protein per meal—and many protein bars contain well over 20 grams of protein. She says the reason this isn’t a good thing is because consuming an excess of protein in a meal can create an imbalance in the nutrients you’re taking in, which can then cause your body to store those calories as fat, instead of quickly metabolizing them for energy. 
Lastly, she says that artificial sweeteners are the biggest culprit of weight-loss sabotage because they’re actually way sweeter than natural sugar is. To put this in perspective, she explained to us that aspartame (found in brand name sweeteners like Truvia and Splenda) is 200 times sweeter than sugar, while natural sugar alternative Stevia is 40 times sweeter than sugar. She explained that consuming these sugar alternatives regularly can actually condition your brain to crave sweeter foods, which can seriously derail your healthy eating habits. 
 
While health fads like these might seem easy and convenient in the moment, Yevgeniya says that nothing is better than sticking to the basic rule of thumb of making sure that at least half of every meal you eat is made up of vegetables. She says that eating more vegetables is ` (and will always be) the best way to make sure you’re getting the most vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are essential for you to be as healthy as possible. 
 

3. You’re not eating enough

Glen Tobias, a Registered Dietician at Atlantic Sports Health and nutritionist for the New York Jets explains that he has seen many people set themselves up for failure by failing to consult a professional in favor of creating their own super restrictive diets that don’t provide the nutrition and energy they need.
“Our job is to make sure you are healthy, have energy and lose the fat you want to. The minute they deviate from these crazy diets they feel they have failed; this is not necessarily true. As long as you are doing better today than you did yesterday, is a win.” He says that an R.D. can help you create a reasonable diet plan and also help you stay strong mentally. 
 
Sophia Walker, a junior at Bowdoin College, says that one dangerous fasting diet trend that has been popular with college students was detrimental to her efforts to lose weight and live healthier. 
 
“I have a lot of friends that really like the ‘fast’ diet, and I've tried it out too. Basically the fast diet is that you ‘fast’ for 24 hours. You eat less than 500 calories on two days per week, and you can at whatever you want on the other days. Supposedly fasting will help you burn more calories, and prompt you to eat less.” Instead, the ‘fast’ caused her misery on her fasting days and caused her to overeat on non-fasting days. 
 
While the 'average' recommended calorie intake for women can range from 1,200 calories to 2,400 calories based on many factors like your body composition and activity level, a good rule of thumb is: Instead of severely depriving your body of calories by going on a super restrictive diet (which is incredibly unsafe) try Yevgeniya’s advice of making sure at least half of each of your meals is made up of vegetables. She says that eating more vegetables can minimize those pesky blood-sugar spikes (read: hangry-ness) that makes you cranky and hungry for super carb-y and salty foods. 
Related: 9 Healthy Road Trip Snacks

4. You’re not managing your stress well

Any college student knows that stress can and will derail your happiness, sanity and health. But did you know that it’s most likely the reason you’re struggling to lose weight? 
 
According to nutritional biochemist Dr. Shawn Talbot, increased production of cortisol (the ‘stress hormone’) is what’s responsible for those cravings for high calorie “comfort foods” when you’re stressed out. He adds that research studies have shown that even the thought of dieting can cause stress, and make your weight loss goals more difficult to attain. This is why it’s so much better to instead focus on eating clean all around rather than following a restrictive diet plan. 
Dr. Talbot explains that you don’t have to cause yourself stress by overthinking your diet or restricting ‘all’ of a certain food from your diet. He also adds that by getting more sleep (a whole 8 hours as opposed to a meager 6), you can decrease your cortisol levels by 50 percent. 
 
Imagine how much easier the rest of your life will be if you just focus on getting more sleep and being rested!
 

5. You’re too hard on yourself

By far the biggest obstruction to living healthier and losing extra weight is the simplest one to fix: the wrong mindset. According to Dr. Jennie Johnson, co-founder of Living for a Healthy Heart most people don’t understand it really only takes small changes to lay the foundation for a healthier diet. 
 
“Rather than add an apple to their diet each day or change to a smaller plate the individual may make drastic changes that will be too difficult to maintain and far too often fail,” Dr. Johnson says.
 
In other words, you don’t have to (and shouldn’t) try to work out intensely every single day and subsist off of salads in an attempt to correct months or years of poor eating habits and no exercise. Starting with small changes, and working up to revamping your lifestyle over time, is really the way to go. 
 
Sophia agrees, “I've lost 20 pounds over the last year by changing my mindset about food and exercise. I've also started power lifting this year, and it's helped me change my mindset from a place where I feel lazy and like a failure to a place where I feel incredibly cool and badass at the gym.”
 
Like Sophia, you should focus on what you get out of eating better and exercising more—like feeling strong, and being proud of the changes you’re making, instead of focusing on what you’re giving up. 
 
 
Losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle is easier than you think! Now you know what obstacles you might encounter—and how to overcome them, once you start making those first steps. 
 

Cara Delevingne is Fully in Love & She Wants Everybody to Know

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Vogue’s September cover girl Cara Delevingne has finally opened up about her love life, gushing, “I’m completely in love.” The British model and American singer-songwriter Annie Clark (whom you probably know as St. Vincent) have reportedly been together since 2015 but have managed to maintain an impressive air of mystery about their ~love~. Until now.

 

My new @britishvogue cover by Mario Testino

A photo posted by Cara Delevingne (@caradelevingne) on

In her cover interview with the magazine, Delevingne explains, “Before, I didn't know what love was—real love. I didn't understand the depth of it. I always used to think it was you against the world. Now I know the meaning of life is love. Whether that's for yourself or for the world or your partner.”

And although many have been quick to label her as “gay,” the 23-year-old bombshell prefers a more fluid definition. She says, “I'm obviously in love, so if people want to say I'm gay, that's great. But we're all liquid—we change, we grow.”

Delevingne continues to be one of this generation’s strongest advocates for staying true to yourself—and we're so glad she's found love.

15 Times Chad Went Way Too Far on 'Bachelor in Paradise'

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Don't even pretend you weren't a little bit excited as soon as Chad appeared on Bachelor in Paradise last night. Even though the protein-obsessed Chad Bear is kind of nuts and insanely aggressive, he was one of the most memorable (aka hated) guys on JoJo's season of The Bachelorette. So we were clapping our hands in glee waiting for Paradise to be the same—and Chad did NOT disappoint! Except, well…he actually took it way further than we expected. "I think I might like him," they said. "I want to get to know him more," they said. "Chad could be interesting," they said. Nope. They were so wrong. Below are 15 times Chad took it way too far. 

1. "Yeah, I still kind of want to rip his head off and throw it in the water," Chad happily confessed about Evan.

2. Every single time Lace shoved or play-slapped him, and he would shove her back harder 

3. When Chad told Lace he wanted to throw her under a bus, "duct-tie" her up, and make sure she smells like peppermint—it's confusing and concerning 

4. "I've got money! I got muscle!" he shouted, as he fake-humped Lace.

5. When he called Lace a bitch

6. "I'll murder everyone here. I'll kill your children and murder your family. Dolla, dolla bills, yo." 

7. When Sarah called Chad out for being incredibly rude to women, and he responded with "Fuck that one-armed bitch" 

8. When he threatened to hurt his bestie Daniel after he informed Chad that the cast is worried he's a "cannibal"

9. "You're such a bitch, dude. Why are you being so un-murdery?" he snarled at Daniel with confusion.  

10. When he told everybody at the hotel to "suck a dick"

11. When he was so drunk he fell asleep, pooped his pants and let a wild crab nestle in his hair 

12. When he agressively shouted at the producers during his on-camera exit, fearing that they would "make him look like an asshole" 

13. That moment when he turned on our beloved Chris Harrison

14. "You don't even watch this. You went to sleep last night with a mimosa and a robe on. Fuck you, dude. Go drink your mimosas. You think this is all fun and games? This is my life. You're going to sit here and try and make me look like a bitch?"

15. And then the final words: "Fuck you, Chris Harrison. Come at me." 

It's official: Chad needs to be sedated and taken away, or Chris Harrison just needs to punch him in the face. Worse, it looks like next week's episode is going to be allll about crazy Chad. Didn't we learn on The Bachelorette that nobody gets rid of him that easy? We can only hope that no one feels the wrath of The Chad next week (except it looks like Evan totally does) and that everyone stays safe and sound. 

This Girl Is Taking Her STEM Experience Abroad To Help Women Achieve Their Career Goals

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This September, delegates from every G20 country will meet for the G20 Summit in Beijing, China. The G20, or Group of 20, is a forum made up of finance ministers and central bank governors of 19 countries, in addition to the European Union and several world financial institutions. These mostly male representatives gather to discuss key issues in the global economy.

Just one month prior to the official G20, young women ages 18-23 will gather from every G20 country, plus several others, for the annual G(irls) 20 Summit. Together, they will submit a communiqué to the G20 in Beijing, proposing resolutions to solve prominent issues of the world economy. This includes advancing female labor force participation, social change and economic empowerment.

This year’s U.S. delegate to the G(irls) 20 Summit is New York-raised Lauren Shum. The 20-year-old is a rising senior at Duke University, studying Electrical and Computer Engineering. She is also ready to take some of her skills international, affecting world change and getting more women involved in STEM.

HC: How did you get involved in G(irls) 20?

LS: I actually found out about the program through NCWIT, when I was in high school. NCWIT, or the National Center for Women & Information Technology, was brought up to me by my supervisor at the science museum where I worked in programming. She encouraged all of the women who worked there to apply to one of their award programs—and I ended up winning. They have an award for high school students, called the Award for Aspirations in Computing. They select 35 winners across the country, and there are 300 National Runners-up. I was actually a runner-up, and the New York Tri-State area local winner. That was the first time that I realized what I was doing was actually known as programming.

It’s been a really great resource, which I’ve stayed involved in through college…I found out about the G(irls) 20 summit through it. I saw the opportunity and thought, “Wow this is something I really want to do.” It’s about empowering women and that’s something I care about. G(irls) 20 just contained so many things that I wanted to be a part of.

It seemed like such a long shot, because they only pick one person. But I ended up applying anyway, and it worked out so that was really lucky.

HC: We’ve heard you’re interested in getting rid of “Frivolous Distractions.” What do you mean by that?

LS: I think that there are a lot of distractions in the world, and environmental damage is one of them. We totally don’t need to be sabotaging our environment the way we are. Another one is societal inequality. That’s another distraction that’s keeping us from being a society at equilibrium, where people can just live happily with each other. The fact is that there are still some people in our society that have more privileges than others. The fundamental unequal distribution of privileges is not a good thing. It keeps us from reaching our potential for what we could do.

HC: How did you get started teaching girls to code?

LS: I started a program a while back called “DigiGirls.” The target audience is middle school girls, and I was trying to teach them basic skills that I wanted to pass on. I thought, “You know, I only learned how to do this recently, but I bet a bunch of young girls could pick up these skills really fast.” So I taught the girls how to create mobile apps and make websites from scratch. I also taught them about basic electronics and putting together simple circuits. They learned about the different kinds of circuits, like series-parallel circuits. Just basic skills that I thought were introductory, but would give them a pretty good knowledge about what it’s like to work in tech.

I’ve been thinking about expanding this program to include both girls and boys. At the NCWIT summit just a year or two ago, one speaker explained that you can’t just empower women—you also need to talk to men about how they’re treating women. It makes sense, but there are so many programs out there that are only targeting women, helping them to develop skills and empowering them. I think that those programs are so necessary, but we also need to teach men and boys how to collaborate positively and meaningfully with girls.

HC: So how does teaching girls to code align with some of your environmental passions or female labor participation?

LS: It’s really software infrastructure that allows companies to improve energy efficiency technology. For example, there is the Smart Grid (AKA digital communications technology that tracks changes in utility usage). There is a lot of potential for technology to help with environmental problems.

But another reason that I teach girls how to code and work with technology is that I want to help with the equalization of the field. I am defined by my femaleness, whether I like it or not. It’s an issue that I care about because it directly impacts how people in the world interact with me. For example, should I start an electrical company, I’ll be taken less seriously or be less likely to receive venture funding because I’m a woman and people have unconscious biases. It’s statistically shown that this happens to people, whether they’re evaluated by a man or a woman.

So I think DigiGirls is one of my ways to give back and to counter these societal forces, where the cards are stacked against certain demographics. I think that training these girls from a younger age will give them a boost in maintaining their confidence in the face of adversity going forward.

HC: What are you most excited for when you travel to Beijing for the G(irls) 20 Summit?

LS: I am Chinese-American, my parents come from Hong Kong, and I’ve been learning the language for a while. Last summer, I actually interned in China. I was intrigued by the culture there, so I wanted to go back and experience it again. On my second visit, I’m excited to kind of reaffirm and solidify my thoughts on the culture and how things work over there.

HC: What’s made you passionate about female labor force participation?

LS: When I was in high school and I won the award from NCWIT, I obviously was excited. But I also didn’t understand why the award was just for women. I thought I could hold my own against the boys, and I almost believe that they diluted the value of the award by restricting it to one gender…I felt that making things just for women meant that society didn’t think women were good enough, and that they needed handicaps.

This is the mentality I went into college with. But the good thing about college is that there is a lot of self-discovery and there is a lot of mental development outside of the classroom. I found myself talking to my peers. Being in that environment, I started to think a little bit more about social issues. One of those was gender inequality, which I hadn’t really considered very heavily besides the representation problem. Previously, I thought that some women just may not be trying hard enough.

I soon realized that it’s not that women aren’t trying. It’s that when women do try, their efforts are seen as lesser than if a man tried. This is referred to as unconscious bias, and it is something that everyone harbors. It helps some people, in particular white men, but it hurts others, including women. When we unconsciously stereotype other people, we don’t make an accurate assessment of their abilities.

I find that programs that are just for women can be explained like this: If a river is floating in one direction, and you want to go upstream, these programs are like an extra motor on your boat. They let you work against certain forces as fast as someone else could float downstream. In order to get to the same place, you need that motor. They help women to achieve the same velocity as men already do.

HC: Tell us a little more about your #CareerGoals.

LS: Software is something I’m interested in and it is a tool in my repertoire. But my main focus is electrical engineering, which is what I’m majoring in. I’m trying to use my degree to segue into material science. I want to go to grad school and get my PhD in material science, because I’m interested in energy and clean tech. I think a lot of the issues we have in generating, storing and distributing (electrical) energy have to do with fundamentally material inefficiencies. By learning more about some of these materials…I will be in a better position to make meaningful contributions to this field.

I am also strongly considering staying in academia, but I’m not a huge fan of the publish or perish culture. So I guess the real dream would be to start a successful, double bottom line energy tech company, and hopefully make enough money to fund my own research. 

Sarah Herron Taught Chad ~All~ About Feminism on 'Bachelor in Paradise'

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On last night's season premiere of Bachelor in Paradise, the world was not surprised at all when Chad got a little crazy. Okay fine, a lot crazy. Within twenty minutes of arriving, he was already causing drama and being horrible to people. Most of the contestants just let him do his thing and stayed out of his way. But Sarah Herron took a different approach. Instead of standing by and letting Chad continue to say all the misogynistic crap spewing out of his mouth, she SHUT. IT. DOWN. Here are the reasons why Sarah just became the official feminist hero of BIP.

1. She told Chad to GTFO

When Chad called her a "one arm bitch" and told her to "suck a dick," Sarah was not having any of it. "Dude, I think you gotta go" is the realest statement anyone has ever said on BIP, and Carly wasn't the only one clapping—the world was. 

2. She is there to find love, not abuse

Reacting to all the horrible things Chad was saying to Lace and every other woman on the show, Sarah explained that she came to Paradise to fall in love, not to be surrounded by drunk jerks. Slay, girl, slay. 

3. She put Chad in his place

The fact that Chad thought his comments were totally okay is RIDICULOUS. He must be the biggest idiot in the world to not understand that his words are hurtful and disgusting. Luckily, Sarah was there to lay it all out for him. 

While the first episode of BIP was entertaining at points, it was also heartbreaking. No one should ever go through the sort of abuse Sarah and the other women were subjected to. But Sarah held her head high and kicked Chad's ass all the way home. 

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