December 05, 2018 at 10:50AM Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt personally victimized by science. No, just me? Cool. Perhaps this extremely rude study published Wednesday in the European Heart Journal will change your mind. It looked at the sleep habits of over 100,000 people, aged 35-70, living in 21 different countries over the course of nearly eight years. At the end of the study there were 4,381 deaths and 4,365 cardiovascular events (like heart attacks and strokes). Looking at those incidences and comparing them to the reported amount of sleep, researchers found that sleeping more than eight hours per night was associated with an increased risk of death and major cardiovascular event, compared to people who slept for six to eight hours a night. So basically, my favorite weekend activity is under attack. Is personalizing the findings of exhaustive research dramatic? Yes, but I stand by my analysis, especially after reading their results in detail. Before adjusting for factors like existing illnesses, researchers found that for every 1,000 people who slept for six to eight hours a day, 7.8 people died or experienced major cardiovascular events. For people who slept eight to nine hours a night, that number was 8.4 per 1,000. For those who slept from nine to 10 hours a night, it was 10.4 per 1,000 people. And for people who slept over 10 hours a night, it was 14.8 per 1,000 people. (See that number going up with more sleep?) Translating that into risk, people
Month: December 2018
Just when we thought we’d tried every plank out there, we found the hardest one yet
December 05, 2018 at 10:11AM When a trainer cues plank position mid-workout, one thing’s for sure: Your abs will be screaming for at least the next two days. And while the stationary version of this killer move is brutal on its own, it seems that every single day yields a creative new way to level up the classic pre-push-up position. Most recently? The ultra-intense seal-walk plank—which, despite its name, is not cute at all. Recently, Zoë Weiner, associate beauty and fitness editor at Well+Good, faced this move in a morning HIIT class. “I consider myself a seasoned plank-er, but this move was so, so much harder than anything I’ve ever tried before—including plank jacks and high-to-low planks,” she tells me with lingering fear in her eyes. “My arms, legs, and core were quaking, and at one point I had to drop to my knees, which is how I knew it was working.” If you’re up for the challenge, you’ll first need to grab a pair of sliders and place them directly under your feet. Then, assume the push-up position and get ready to get down to business. “My arms, legs, and core were quaking, and at one point I had to drop to my knees, which is how I knew it was working.” —Zoe Weiner, associate beauty and fitness editor “In many ways, it’s like a walking plank, in which your hands move one at a time in front of you while your legs slide behind you on the sliders,” says Ivana
Unless your face has a yeast infection, maybe don’t put Vagisil on it
December 05, 2018 at 10:00AM Reddit is one of my favorite places to look for beauty tips. Even as a beauty editor, the Skincare Addiction and Makeup Addiction threads open my eyes to buzzy new products and ingredients that I otherwise wouldn’t have known about. But this morning, during my daily scroll, I stumbled upon a product hack that made me actually groan out loud in my desk chair. Apparently, people (like, a lot of people) are slathering their faces with Monistat—as in, the same brand you’d likely pick up from the drugstore if you were dealing with with a particularly itchy yeast infection—for the sake of a smoother makeup application. One woman took to the r/makeupaddiction thread to share that she swears by Monistat Complete Care Chafing Relief Powder Gel as a primer. Now, I’ll concede that it’s a chafing gel, but in the past, I’ve heard rumors of people using traditional Vagisil Maximum Strength Anti-Itch Creme to do the same thing. The reason? A key ingredient in these products is dimethicone, a silicone-substance that, when used in primers, coats the skin to allow for an even makeup application. Don’t get me wrong, anti-itch creams are totally helpful when there’s a fiery situation down south, but for the love of all things beauty, please, please stop putting vagina and chafing creams on your face. Even for those who suspect that they’re dealing with “fungal acne,” this isn’t the way to go. One Reddit user said that after trying the trick, she started getting breakouts, and this claim checks
Sorry, PETA: I’m vegan, but I won’t be saying I’m “bringing home the bagels” anytime soon
December 05, 2018 at 09:56AM Growing up, I didn’t think much about what I ate (seriously, I was anti-vegetable), which is why it took me until I was in my twenties to realize my love of animals didn’t align with my diet, prompting me to go vegan. And as a journalist, I like to think I choose my words carefully—but some idioms have become so ingrained in my vocabulary, they slip from my lips without a second thought. Which is why, even though I traded meat and dairy for tofu and mylk years ago, I still catch myself saying common phrases that aren’t exactly animal-friendly. Idioms like “kill two birds with one stone,” for starters. Killing birds isn’t nice, even if you’re doing so efficiently! But old habits die hard, and phrases like “bringing home the bacon” have been around for a long, long time (that particular one may date back to the 1100s). Which is, in part, why I definitely won’t be replacing them with things like “bring home the bagels” anytime soon. Words matter, and as our understanding of social justice evolves, our language evolves along with it. Here’s how to remove speciesism from your daily conversations. pic.twitter.com/o67EbBA7H4 — PETA (@peta) December 4, 2018 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently tweeted a list of anti-animal phrases and suggestions for updated, animal-positive replacements. “Words matter, and as our understanding of social justice evolves, our language evolves along with it,” the tweet reads. And I totally agree. The language
Peloton yoga is here, which means you can finally practice crow pose in peace
December 05, 2018 at 08:58AM Forget trekking to your favorite yoga class before the sun comes up: Thanks to Peloton‘s new yoga classes, it’s now easier than ever to bring the yoga studio to you. And, bonus (at least, if your practice looks anything like mine does)—there will be no one around to see you tumble out of tree pose in the wee hours of the morning. On Wednesday, the brand, which is currently valued at $4 billion, announced that it would be launching its first-ever yoga studio alongside its West Village Tread studio in New York City. Like Peloton’s game-changing spin and running programs, the classes will be available to live-stream across the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada—which means your living room is now basically a boutique fitness studio in and of itself. “As we did with the addition of Bootcamp, Running, Walking and Outdoor [classes] earlier this year, we are continuing to expand,” says Fred Klein, chief content officer of Peloton. “As with our other tentpole lines of programming, our focus will remain on providing the energy and authenticity of live studio production while providing the ultimate convenience of anywhere, anytime access via our On Demand platform.” Starting December 26, Peloton Bike and Tread owners and Peloton Digital subscribers will be able to practice their crow pose from the comfort of their living rooms with classes led by three instructors: Kristin McGee, Anna Greenberg, and Aditi Shah. Peloton is offering five different styles of yoga: flow, power yoga, restorative,
I love this egg-maker so much (and it’s Chrissy Teigen-approved, so that’s extra great)
December 05, 2018 at 08:36AM When I was growing up, my dad—who is quite the chef—repeated one mantra about a well-stocked kitchen: Any single-use appliance is a complete-garbage-waste-of-space. What’s really valuable, he believed (and still does) are Swiss army-type inventions like pots, pans, and knives that can tackle dozens upon dozens of tasks. So what did I do as a pretty lame form of teenage rebellion? I bought a pasta-maker, of course! And then when I wanted things to get v-gourmet, I added a ravioli-maker to the mix! These two items are now gathering dust in my family’s kitchen in Charleston (so sorry, dad), but I’ve found a new single-use appliance to obsess over. Behold, the Dash Egg Cooker ($16), which comes in Tiffany blue and can scramble, poach, hard-boil, and even dish out a mini-omelet at your beck and call. The contraption has four-and-a-half stars on Amazon, and Chrissy Teigen has even admitted to giving a similar version to her friends as a gag gift. But let me tell you—I received this as an actual gift from my old boss, and this tiny machine is no laughing matter. When you’re meal-prepping, the gizmo can whip out half a dozen salad-topping eggs in less than 10 minutes. When you need a quick breakfast on the go, the Dash comes in hot with protein-packed to-go options. And when you’re attempting to impress someone with your cooking prowess, you can gift them a carton of already-boiled eggs. (Okay, so that last one’s a reach. But
11 exercises that will give you Michelle Obama-level arms—no weights necessary
December 05, 2018 at 08:14AM If you’ve spent the better part of the last decade dreaming of getting Michelle Obama’s arms, but dread any and everything having to do with the weight rack, this one’s for you. In what may be the best fitness news ever—at least, for those of us who hate lifting weights—arm exercises without weights can be just as effective (and in some cases, even more effective) than burning them out with barbells. Whether you’re doing them for the sake some of IRL heavy lifting, or you simply want to show off some expertly toned triceps, any trainer will tell you that arm exercises are a gym-time necessity. “It’s very important to do arm exercises for several reasons,” says Stephen Pasterino, founder of P. Volve, a boutique fitness studio in New York City, including building strength, preventing back and shoulder injury, and being able to do functional, everyday movements. “Having a strong and capable upper body means being stronger in life,” agrees celebrity trainer Ashley Borden, who works with stars like Mandy Moore and Ryan Gosling. “Carrying your kids, hoisting luggage in and out of the overhead, moving heavy things, and arm strength plays into everyday life.” Most people think you need a set of free weights to build those muscles, but that’s decidedly not the case. “In fact, when toning and building up strength in your arms, it’s important to lengthen the muscle by using body weight exercises rather than compacting the muscle by lifting weights, which is shorten and tighten them,” explains
Millions born from December 1953 onwards braced for state pension age rise #iverWomen December 05, 2018 at 06:41AM People celebrating their 65th birthday from tomorrow will have to wait longer to claim their state pension, as delays now kick in for men a…
Millions born from December 1953 onwards braced for state pension age rise https://t.co/dPXDBJgN3g #iverWomen December 05, 2018 at 06:41AM People celebrating their 65th birthday from tomorrow will have to wait longer to claim their state pension, as delays now kick in for men a… pic.twitter.com/8wVQawAhhM — AI👩🏻💻Sue (@iversue) December 5, 2018 To read more, click above t.co (twitter) link December 05, 2018 at 08:16AM People celebrating their 65th birthday tomorrow will now have to wait longer to claim their state pension, as delays now kick in for men as well as women. The latest changes affect people born from 6 December 1953 onwards, and you can check your state retirement date using our guide here or on the Government’s timetable here. Delays to the state pension are unpopular, according a new survey by Age UK, which showed 58 per cent of people feel negative about the changes while only 7 per cent feel positive. Changes to women’s state pension age have already sparked controversy as many have faced financial hardship while they wait longer than they expected to draw the state pension. Campaigners say they agree with equalising women’s and men’s pension ages, but not how the changes were dramatically speeded up by ex-Chancellor George Osborne or the lack of warning to those affected. The full flat rate state pension for people retiring since 6 April 2016 is currently worth £164.35 a week. Those who ‘contracted out’ of the previous second tier of payments (S2P and Serps) over the years
Rihanna’s new Fenty lingerie collection is the inclusive holiday miracle we’re here for
December 05, 2018 at 07:45AM Sorry, Santa, but you can keep your partridges, pear trees, and leaping lords this year. All I want for Christmas is something from the new Savage x Fenty holiday collection, which Rihanna, queen of size-inclusive intimates, dropped today. In fact, I want to create my own advent calendar out of its underwear, which evokes a winning combo grown-up AF and casually glamorous—kind of like the singer herself. “My vision for Savage X has always been having women feel confident expressing themselves through a little lace, a little corsetry, and a little T-shirt bra,” writes Rihanna on her site. And you’ll find a lot of all the above in her latest seasonal offering, which includes more than 200 new pieces—all available for about $100 or less. I’m not sure if wearing a pair of leopard-print lace underwear with metallic tulle ($30) will make me shine bright like a diamond, but I’m willing to give it a shot. Same goes for a tiger-striped satin pajama top ($32) that’s giving off big-cat bathleisure vibes. And her thong bodysuits that won’t require a butt tuck to wear. I’m not sure if wearing a pair of leopard-print lace underwear with metallic tulle will make me shine bright like a diamond, but I’m willing to give it a shot. What I really love about the collection, though, is that there’s so much diversity. I don’t just mean the models, but also the designs themselves. Because some days call for a super-chill sports bralette, while others,
This storytelling erotica app takes the grunt work out of getting turned on
December 05, 2018 at 06:57AM You know the extra-steamy scenes from your romance novels that you anticipate from page 10, when the two love interests first lay eyes on each other? Well, what if I told you that there’s now one app where you can listen to a bounty of audio recordings straight-up teeming with sexual tension—and you don’t have to leaf through 200-plus pages to get to the it-just-got-HOT-in-here narrative twist? Enter just-launched Dipsea, which is basically the Headspace of erotica. The app offers a library of audible content ($9 per month) that you can access anywhere (as in: on the train, in bed, or on vacay), anytime, when you’re trying to get turned on. The company’s mission is simple, really: to appeal to women’s sexuality using a science-backed method called “sexual framing.” Meaning, the brain, not the body, leads the charge. “A piece of research that was done by OMGYes [a subscription-based service that informs women about the science of pleasure] at the Kinsey Institute found that 90 percent of women use sexual framing, essentially like scenario-conjuring, to get turned on,” says Dipsea co-founder Gina Gutierrez. The survey, which took place back in 2015, included 1,055 women ages 18 to 94. Photo: Dipsea Using this research as a springboard, Gutierrez and her co-founder sought out more data via an alpha version of the app to pinpoint what women crave in their sex lives. “We found that women were really excited to have something that was more explicit, because they didn’t have a place to go