Author Bio: Tonya Vrba is a passionate writer. Her work has been published in newspapers and blogs. She is currently an active writer for Online Dating Sites. Learn more about Tonya and her work at her personal websitetonyavrba.wordpress.com.

Five Qualities Women Find Attractive in Men

It’s an age old question: what do women want? Just like women, men have a constant craving to know what the opposite sex finds attractive. Here are 5 qualities women love to see in men that creates immediate attraction.

1)      A big brilliant smile goes a long way. Smiles tell women many things. If you show your teeth you appear confident. If you add a laugh to the smile we see your happiness. There is nothing like meeting the eyes of a man and seeing his face light up at the sight of you. All those pictures you took with your arms crossed and a frown on your face are fine if you want to be a body guard. If you want to attract a woman, turn that frown upside-down

2)      Protect us. Some may say that a woman needs a strong or muscular man, but that is a flawed idea. It’s not all about the looks; it’s about how safe we feel with you. Any good hearted woman will not judge you on your physical flaws. Instead, we want to know that you are there for us. When we have a bad day, when we get into fights with friends, or when someone is being rude to us in public we want you to come to our rescue. Women want their men to be their hero.

3)      Be a family man. Women want to know that their man has a soft side as well. Listening to how important your mom is to you or watching you play with your nieces and nephews is amazing. Even if a woman doesn’t plan on having a family of her own, the amount of care and devotion a man shows his family is also reflective of the devotion you may show your life partner some day. Being a family man is not always about wanting a family; it’s about the love and compassion to show to the most important people in your life. It’s important to note the term family is used loosely here. If you are not close to your blood relatives, perhaps your friends are your family. The same rules apply.

4)      Honesty is key. Don’t forget this one, guys. Honesty is more than just not cheating on us. We want to be able to talk to you and get your honest answer. If we ask if a pair of jeans looks good on us, tell us the truth. If you’re really not ready to meet our parents yet, then say so. We ask your opinion for a reason.

5)      Take control. Women are strong and we like it that way. We like to make our own decisions and live our life the way we want. That being said, sometimes we need a man to take control. If you bow to a woman’s every whim, we may start to feel less like your lover and more like your caretaker. If there is something you really want to do, then take control and make it happen. Just remember to be respectful of our feelings in the process.

The woman of your dreams will love you for who you are. Don’t freak out about your appearance aside from being healthy. Women are often looking for qualities that define you as an individual. We want to admire you and we want you to be our hero. Be confident in yourself and women will fall at your feet. Don’t forget to smile.

Thanks for hooking up a guest post, Tonya! Do you ladies agree? Leave a comment or send me an email at collegebody.gmail.com

1) I just finished my Spring Break Program AHHhhhhhh yeeeeaaaa!!

2) I have been studying to get ACSM certified, so I can become a VIP Personal Trainer

AND

3) I FINALLY transferred my blog to my own URl! It’s about time, right?

A couple of blogs ago I told you guys how much I like reading about the ladies/dating/relationship stuff, and I wrote my first dating/relationship blog. A lot of you really seemed to relate to it and like it! So here I am to write about something else dealing with dating. Both guys and girls are attracted to confidence. A confident dude/girl just has a certain feel about them that we want to be around, don’t they? Confidence is something you can just feel on somebody. The way they walk, talk, smile, do things, etc. You can just feel it on another person, and it is appealing to you. However, there is a VERY fine line between confidence & arrogance, and us dudes have serious issues on separating the two.

Chances are, if you feel the need to talk about yourself, it’s going to come off as arrogance, which is really just a cover up for insecurity. Those who can sit, listen, and be genuinely interested in another individual are the confident ones. I mean it makes sense, right? If you can just cool-aid & not feel the internal need to tell somebody all your wonderful qualities that probably means you are comfortable with who you are, so you don’t have to tell anybody else, right?

Everybody wants to be MORE confident, but that shit is not easy I get that. So today I am going to hook you up with College Body’s top tips for increasing your confidence.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone: “Practice makes perfect” The more you practice getting out of your comfort zone, the more comfortable you will feel in “uncomfortable” situations, ultimately making you never uncomfortable, which equals more confidence! Does that make sense or not even slightly? This is the hardest one to practice on this list because nobody is down to feel uncomfortable, ESPECIALLY on a college campus. Don’t act like you’ve never met somebody one night at a party (maybe because you’ve had a few drinks?), then saw them on Monday across campus, but you both ignore each other. Just because it is comfortable to not engage in a conversation with them. So every opportunity you get to step out of your zone, do so! If you feel uncomfortable asking questions in class, ask more questions. If you are uncomfortable talking to the opposite sex, talk more. If you are uncomfortable dancing at a party, dance more! Anything that you have to say “I will look/feel stupid”, do it! Good luck

Act Confidently: This is CRAZY how this method works! Actually walk around and PRETEND to be confident even if you’re not. EVERY single time I teach an exercise class I get so nervous & insecure on the inside, but right before I start to teach I consciously change how I act. I make my voice a little deeper, talk a little more clearly, smile, and change how I walk. I am kind of a “drooped shoulders” walker, but when I walk in I push out my chest and walk with a little swag. The way people respond is INSANE. They say how much the loved the class, and are drawn towards me SO much more than when I am just sitting quietly in all of my school classes. Crazy right? All because I pretend!

Just Know EVERYBODY Is Insecure: This one is something that we ALL forget. EVERYBODY IS INSECURE. Every single person you walk past has their own insecurities & own issues. If you think they are judging you, guess what? They are thinking the SAME THING! Those who realize this will feel a world of weight lifted off their shoulders.

Small signs that give the other person a sense that you are confident or not:

1) How you walk: Walking around with heavy shoulders, eyes facing down, or your steps are unsure are all signs of somebody who is not confident. When you walk know where you are going, and go there with a little swag in your step

2) How you shake hands: What a lot of people don’t know is that BOTH too light of a handshake AND too strong of a handshake show a lack of confidence. If somebody is too heavy they are trying to overcompensate for their insecurity (kind of like the arrogant talking individual), and nobody likes blood flow cut off in their hand anyway.. Something to keep in mind

3) How you talk: Shaky & quiet voices are cues to somebody else that you lack confidence.

These are very difficult concepts to grasp. I know it is a difficult thing to overcome the insecurities we have because of the pressure society puts on all of us. There is no switch you’ll be able to hit and all of a sudden you will have these things. This will take PRACTICE & time! However, if you can improve in these areas, you will see your confidence DRASTICALLY improve compared to your peers.

What situations make you feel uncomfortable? Let me know! Collegebody@gmail.com.

Fast Fat Loss?

Jill Coleman, JillFit Physiques

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Though it is not optimal, it is quite possible to lose inches and weight quickly in anticipation of an event or vacation, i.e. Spring Break. At College, it can be tough to know what to do and what to avoid if you want to lose a few l-bs before break, considering the challenges of unhealthy food choices, late nights, exams that are sure to stress you out and the socializing that usually accompanies that stress.

However, if you are serious about stepping up your fitness and fat loss game to look and feel good on the beach, there are several steps you can take.

Exercise Tips:

1)     Plan out your workouts for the week. Schedule a time each day that you will get to the gym, put it in your planner and stick to it. In order to step up your game, I recommend 6 days a week, giving yourself 1 full day of rest each week.

2)     Be sure to exercise intensely, as that is more important than duration. For example, 20 minutes of track sprints is a lot more effective than a 60-minute stroll on the elliptical trainer.

3)     Lift weights, but don’t power lift (i.e. long rest periods, and sets in the 1-6 rep range). Power lifting will not get you lean. Instead, opt for 4 sets of 8-12 reps for volume, with 30-90 seconds rest in between sets.

Nutrition tips:

1)     Cut back on the obvious college crap—chips, dips, candy, pizza, burgers, fries, beer, booze, ice cream, etc. If it’s an obvious “I know I shouldn’t be having this food” try to abstain. Doesn’t mean you can’t have it ever, just keep it to one day per week to minimize the damage. The more you can do this, the more your body will respond.

2)     Increase veggies and water. Increasing greens like broccoli, asparagus, salad greens, celery, cucumbers, spinach, green beans, etc while also increasing water (ideally to 3-4 L per day) helps to shed subcutaneously, stripping that water sheen that exists under the skin, so that more definition and cuts can be seen in your physique. Shoot for 5-6 cups veggies a day. Steer clear of starchy veggies like potatoes, carrots, peas, corn, etc.

3)     Count bites of starch. This is a technique borrowed from Metabolic Effect, and it is effective in decreasing insulin surges as a result of huge, high-carb meals. For best results, take 5 bites (doesn’t matter how big J) of starch at each meal only.

For even more results and more specifics broken down, check out College’s Body Spring Break Body Book—very in-depth with specific meal plans, 28 gym workouts, and additional tips for getting the your best beach results.

Look out for the CB 4-week Spring Break Plan to drop by the end of the week!!!

Day 1:

*After you complete this superset take a one minute rest & repeat FOUR times.

• Rest 3:00 minutes after you complete this

Good Luck!

*2-4 Times

Some of you may enjoy my knowledge & point of view of all this stuff & others may be thinking “Just shut up & post workouts, Dan” which is cool too.. But I think most of you will enjoy these type blogs! Don’t all you ladies out there want to know how us dudes think? Why we do/say what we do? What is going through our minds during a certain conversation?

My Friend Luisa & I

As a guy, I DEFINITELY have an interest in how women think. I’m not going to lie I am a little bit of a flirt, I really enjoy talking and hanging out with women & going on dates, so of course I am going to want to know how females think to get an edge over other dudes. I just finished reading this book called “The Female Brain” (don’t judge) and learned a TON of information of how women think & why they do some of the things they do.

So today, I wanted to write a blog for all my female followers out there on how to dudes think, and how to get an edge on other girls. I know that there is a stereotype that all us dudes think about is sex…. and that is true.. I mean our testosterone levels are through the roof, and we can’t help it! So don’t take it personally.. Below I listed my top 5 characteristics in girls that will make us dudes look past just tryin to “get on it” and actually make us want to spend time with you, have a conversation, or form a relationship.

1) Confidence: Yep, that number one thing that is most appealing to you girls when a guy approaches you is the same for us. Look, we ALL have our own insecurities that we have to deal with, but if you don’t like yourself how can we like you? If you constantly put yourself down looking for us to “pick up your self-esteem” we can’t hang out for long. Like my boy Kat Williams says, “..it’s called SELF-esteem..” you can’t rely on anybody else to help your confidence but YOU.

2)Intelligence: It is hard to generalize for ALL males, but definitely for me, a chick with no brains is a serious red flag.. Not necessarily a rocket scientist, but a girl who has multiple interests, and talk about a variety of things. If all we talk about is what your girlfriend Cindy said to HER boyfriend Chad my mind is going to wonder off to football, and what I am going to eat for lunch. “Want to be more interesting? Develop more interests”.

3) Sense Of Humor: Yes, that chick Chelsea Handler is VERY funny, and that is an attractive trait, but that is not the only thing I mean when I say sense of humor. If a girl laughs at my jokes, or can dish a couple back, that is a definitely somebody I want to hang around. Something about not taking shit too seriously is a positive.

4) Independence: All of you ladies that have your own thing going on keep doing what you are doing! If you NEED a boyfriend, or have no interests/opinions of you’re own that is not that most appealing thing. If you agree with everything I say I am going to lose interest real fast.

5) Ambition: This is another trait that women like in men, correct? Well guess what, we also like a girl with ambition. If you have goals or work hard towards something, that is a BIG turn on. Again, this is my opinion, but I am sure most other dudes would agree in that a girl whom wants to do some stuff in her life is way more appealing than the alternative.

Again, it is tough to generalize & say ALL guys look for these things or whatever, but honestly girls, you don’t want a dude who doesn’t want these things from you.

These are all things that we ALL can improve on, but it takes some work. I hope this helps you ladies to know that yeah, we are thinking about your body, but we do notice other things too! Let me know what you look for in a girl or guy in a comment below or at CollegBody@gmail.com.

1) Replace ALL Grains/Starchy Foods with Fruits (less sweet) & Veggies: MOST importantly eliminate cereal & sandwiches especially because these are two of the top things found in university dining halls. Replace cereals with protein shakes, and sandwiches with salads. If you MUST have starches in your diet then eat them ONLY in the morning or post-workout. This is not an “eat-this-not-that” type thing meaning choosing whole grain bread over white bread or brown rice over white rice is not acceptable.

2) Eliminate Alcohol: This is probably the most difficult of the three tips for a lot of college students who like to wine down the week with a Saturday night cocktail . I know it can be difficult to go to a party or a bar and just hang out & not have a drink when everybody around you is doing it. However, if you want one of the best bodies in Gulf Shores this is an essential tip to follow. If you must drink, pick one night a week to do it, and dont combine with fat/sugar. So that means no late night pizza when you are a little tipsy Friday night. Also, if you do drink one night a week try to drink one tall glass of water for every cocktail you have; even if it’s at the end of the night when you get home.

3) SIX days/week of Mixed Metabolic Conditioning: This is short duration high intensity exercise (~30 minutes) using Rest-Based Training. After ~30 minutes of high intensity exercise, go on a slow paced leisure walk around campus. The high intensity exercise releases fat from the cell, and the slow walk post workout may help assure that none of the fat released gets restored. Below is an example of what a mixed Metabolic Conditioning workout may look like:

*Chain-up means to add on a rep to the push-up, curl, and press every time. For example:

• Burpee/1 Push-up/1 Curl/1 Shoulder Press
• Burpee/2 Push-up/2 Curl/2 Shoulder Press
• Burpee/3 Push-up/3 Curl/3 Shoulder Press
• Burpee/4 Push-up/4 Curl/4 Shoulder Press
• Burpee/5 Push-up/5 Curl/5 Shoulder Press

And if you get up to five, start back over at 1 rep. Make sense?

These are very strict & difficult rules to follow for the next two months, but for those of you who can stick to these 3 rules will be looking REAL good by the time spring break rolls through. ALSO, don’t miss the “4-Weeks to the Best Spring Break Body” plan coming out soon!

Instead of eating oatmeal or eggs in the mornings, I ate French Toast & waffles. My dinner turned from Steak & Asparagus to those DiGiorno frozen pizzas (with stuffed crust, soooo good), and instead of a casein shake before bed I would crush a bag of chips…. with dip…. As for my workouts? Pretty much non existent.. I attempted a couple pathetic workouts at home, but my energy was so low I just called it quits & put in a couple hours of Sportscenter.

I DEFINITELY enjoyed myself though. I had a party with my Mom’s side of the family on Christmas Eve, and party with my Dad’s side Christmas night. THEN I threw a party at my house in Texas for New Years! I am always down for a good party, but it definitely took a toll on my body and mind..

Here was a sample day of my vacation..

12:00pm Wake up

12:05pm Drink a cup of coffee

12:11pm Pick up book

12:12pm Put book down

12:13pm See whats up in the sports world

2:00pm Still on the couch, so I make those Eggo waffles…. five of them..

2:30pm Attempt to workout

2:40pm hit the showers

3:00pm Go hang with friends

5:00pm Go to a Mexican Restaurant: Eat 2 baskets of chips (with salsa), order a big ass Margarita, eat some enchiladas..

7:00pm Go be social….

Not that there is anything wrong with a day like that, but 10 in a row of doing NOTHING seems a little extreme.. I currently weigh 184 lbs, and have next to ZERO energy.. So I lost 13 lbs, and my mind is exhausted!

Got to kick it with my bros a little bit! 

That’s called a “Lavender Lemonade”, and it’s a small possibility it’s mine…

This week I am back in NC, and in “recovery mode”. To get back on track here are the things I am doing this week:

1. Write down workout schedule & diet: It I write stuff down I am more likely to do it. The ONLY thing I feel like doing is sitting on the couch, so when I write a schedule down I feel guilty if I don’t stick to it. This helps me get back into the flow even when I’m not feelin’ it.
2. Drinking Water: Not a little bit, but A LOT of water. I made an investment in one of those big ass gallon water bottles to help get my metabolism back on track & rehydrate after 10 days of dehydrating, booze and salty-ass food.
3. Eliminate the “junk”: I am putting down the sweet & salty snacks down, and getting back into my regular diet.
4. Read:  I have never been a big reader, but I have been forcing myself to read as much as possible so 1) I can use smooth words when making moves on the ladies 2) become a more interesting person, and 3) ”With knowledge comes confidence”. I stopped reading over my vacation so time to get back into it!
5. Wake Up Early: Starting my day earlier makes me feel more productive. Maybe that’s just me though..

How are you guys “detoxing” from your vacation as you get ready for school to start? Let me know at CollegeBody@gmail.com

Mental health is JUST as important as physical health if not more important. The FIRST thing to realize is that every single one of us is f’d up in someway. We all have our own stuff going on, and one person’s bullshit is NO more stressful than anybody else’s, it’s all relative. SO with that in mind here are my challenges to you in 2012:

1) BE AWARE that everybody has insecurities. Stuff you are insecure about is probably the same stuff 1,000,000 other people are insecure about. Just having this awareness that you are not “weird” or “strange” enables you to have SO much more confidence. I use to walk around campus with my headphones in & head down purposely avoiding eye contact with people, and thinking people were looking at me & judging me & shit when in reality they were probably thinking the SAME thing! The funny thing is that I had been told that I was perceived as confident even though I didn’t feel that way on the inside at all! Once I had this awareness that EVERYBODY feels some sort of insecurity inside it helped my confidence skyrocket.

2) ASSUME the Mayans are right. This is the year the world ends according to the Mayan calender, correct? Maybe homeboy just got tired of chiseling dates into that stone, or maybe 2012 is their favorite number, or maybe those dudes really DO know whats up and the world is coming to an end. Either way, my second challenge is to assume that the rumor is correct. Pretend like 2012 IS your last year living. Do things you enjoy, take risks, make moves, or whatever else is on your bucket list. “What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail” is one of my favorite quotes. Let that be the theme of you 2012!

3) Get OUT of your comfort zone. The more you get out of your comfort zone, the more confident you become! Write down on a sheet of paper EVERYTHING that sounds like fun, but you have never done based on fear of what others thought, and go do them this year! Here are a couple of my things

• Take an improve class
• Join a basketball league in the “hood”
• Learn a cool dance that the ladies will like
• Get into a rap freestyle battle with a stranger
• Sing Karaoke

Those are just a couple of mine, but I plan on completing my whole list before 2013!

These are 3 challenges I want you all to focus on this year! Have challenges of your own? Leave a comment or let me know at Collegebody@gmail.com. Looking forward to 2012! It’s going to be a great year, legoooo!

And one more thing… be sure to check out thedormdiet.com and “Like” the page

1) Set your watch for 20 minutes

2) Put a moderately heavy weight on a barbell

3) Complete 5 repititions of each movement before moving on to the next movement

4) This is a “rest-based” workout, so rest as often and as much as you need to

5) See how many times you can get through all three circuits.. Good luck

**Have a cool workout to share? Email Collegebody@gmail.com