February 04, 2019 at 01:12PM by CWC Recently, I had a ~late night~ with some friends during a fondue party. Among the four of us, we may or may not have split more than three bottles of wine. (Look, stuff happens.) As you can probably imagine, I was totally hungover the next day. Yet when I went to go meet one of my friends for brunch, he looked suspiciously bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. He informed me he had gone for a run early that morning. (In contrast, I had spent the morning sprawled on the couch eating leftover Doritos out of the bowl I had put out the night before.) “How?” I asked. “I don’t get hangovers,” he answered cheerfully. “That can’t be right,” I said. “Never?” “It’s true,” he chirped. “I’ve literally never had a hangover in my life, doesn’t matter how much I drink.” I was skeptical, but it turns out my friend might not just be a liar with his pants on fire. “Some people are able to metabolize [alcohol] quite well and quickly,” says Amy Shapiro, M.S., R.D., CSN, and founder of Real Nutrition NYC. Lucky them. The surprising forces behind your hangover (or lack thereof) Before we dive into why some people are more #blessed than others, it might help to understand what causes hangovers in the first place. The simplified version: Your liver enzymes break down all the alcohol you drink into acetaldehyde, a toxin your body then needs to get rid of quickly, Shapiro
Day: February 4, 2019
What to do if you really, truly hate your new haircut
February 04, 2019 at 12:34PM by CWC After an excellent haircut, I walk out of the salon channeling my inner-Jonathan Van Ness—strutting, lips pursed, flawless hair flip. But when a wayward snip from the hairdresser leaves me looking nothing like the photo I flashed on my way in, my lips tremble and a tear forms in the corner of my eye. A bad haircut is the worst. In the past, I’ve licked my wounds and rocked an updo until my hair grows out, erasing any trace of a terrible haircut. But recently I was convinced that I should never settle for a few months of bad hair days. I asked three hairstylists to explain what to do if you get a bad haircut. If you have a close relationship with your stylist, go back and ask for a redo. “Be completely open and honest, but not in a harsh way,” says Michael Dueñas, a celebrity hairstylist in Los Angeles. “Hairdressers get offended very easily when you attack their work.” Avoid non-specific criticisms (e.g, “Ugh, I look like a troll! What have you done to me?!”) and instead try to be as specific as possible about what’s not working for you (e.g, “The length here isn’t quite as short as I wanted and I was hoping to go a bit darker with the color.”) Just like you, your stylist does their best work when they’re provided constructive feedback. If you’re kind in your approach (i.e., don’t spam them on Yelp), your stylist will likely do
3 psychologist-approved tips for dealing with social anxiety at the gym
February 04, 2019 at 12:21PM by CWC For plenty of people, going to the gym is a place to escape the stressors of everyday life. But for others—those who are among the 15 million adults living with social anxiety disorder—going to a public place to exercise is actually stressful. When you’re dealing with social anxiety, simply being around other people can lead to anxiety, which means that a fitness class or crowded gym can become a space where the endorphins from a solid sweat sesh are outpaced by worry. “Social anxiety is comparing yourself to everyone else—you become overly concerned with what other people are thinking,” says Lani Lawrence, Psy.D, Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) representative and clinical and sports psychologist. “With athletes facing it, anxiety and other things may inhibit their performance—there are times when they have a hard time competing in front of others, so it’s definitely something to deal with in terms of performance.” But if you’re not, say, running a sprint in front of a stadium audience, you can still face the same level of anxiety that prevents you from performing the way you’d like. “This involves a lot of over-thinking, worrying, and negative thoughts and self-talk,” explains Lawrence on how social anxiety can affect you at the gym. And it’s not just mental—the anxiety impacts your physical self, too. “Physically, you might have an elevated heart rate, tension in your muscles, excessive sweating, and uncontrollable breath,” she says. “Physically, it feels awful and like you’re
All hail the freezer section at Trader Joe’s, which makes all my dinners cheap and healthy
February 04, 2019 at 11:55AM by CWC “I’d love to cook an extravagant dinner when I get home after a long day at work,” said no one ever. There’s no time for washing, chopping, seasoning—when I’m tired and hungry, I need good food quickly. And that’s why I’m in love with Trader Joe’s frozen food aisle. It’s a fact that the frozen food aisle in any grocery store is where to find the healthiest options. And a freezer stocked with an assortment from TJ’s endless array of healthy and versatile side dishes is the best way to round out weeknight meals. Whether I want to add some greens to my pasta or amp up the amount of protein in my meal, there’s a healthy pick that can supplement the dish you’re already cooking. The best part about utilizing frozen goodies is that making them really only involves one step—spreading it out on baking sheet and popping it in the oven or throwing it in a pan and heating it up. You’ll have a delicious meal at your fingertips and feel like a pro-chef in the process. Grab these healthy staples the next time you find yourself in the Trader Joe’s frozen food aisle. Photo: Trader Joe’s 1. Grilled cauliflower There’s no need to spend time cutting up a head of cauliflower with this grilled option that can be baked to perfection in a snap. Photo: Trader Joe’s 2. Organic green vegetable foursome It’s easy to get your greens with this vegetable medley that
The most common mistake people make with their ab workouts, according to a trainer
February 04, 2019 at 11:46AM by CWC Whenever I’m working on my core, two things are going through my brain: What number rep am I on, and when will it end? But then, on top of that, I’m really supposed to be paying attention to my form. In a Pilates class, for instance, the instructor always emphasizes the fact that you’re to tuck your ribs under and make sure that your stomach is pulled in. But when I’m simply doing crunches on my own time and I peer down at my core, I notice that I sometimes suck it in. This may be subconscious but it may also be for vanity purposes. Either way, I do it because I feel like it’s activating my abs more and, consequentially, giving me a stronger core. But then I spoke with a fitness trainer who told me that this is very very wrong. “When people suck in their belly to supposedly deepen their ab engagement, it’s actually counterproductive,” says Erica Ziel, author, certified personal trainer, and founder of Core Athletica. “Sucking in can put unnecessary pressure on your pelvic floor and lower back, restricts your ability to breathe more deeply, and contributes to poor posture.” It seems minor, but it’s really important to get it right—not only for a more effective ab workout, but because the issues that stem from doing it incorrectly can lead to issues. “Back pain and pelvic floor issues are among the top issues women suffer from and don’t need
This Is The Exact Number Of Steps You Need Walk For Optimal Health
February 04, 2019 at 11:28AM New research has found exactly what moderate and intense exercise looks like when it comes to walking Continue Reading… Author Elizabeth Gerson | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
How to drop news that you have an S.O. without it detonating like a bomb of awkwardness
February 04, 2019 at 11:35AM by CWC Okay, let’s say you’re at a bar, harmlessly engaging in some small-talk, and all of a sudden, things feel…flirty. Or so you think. Could it be that your conversation companion is simply being friendly and that you’re reading into the situation? Regardless, you feel compelled to casually drop the detail that you’re in a relationship, just so it’s clear that you’re off the market. Well, there’s a good chance that regardless of whether or not flirting was happening, the next exchange will be the other person raising their eyebrows as if to say, Um, I wasn’t hitting on you, okay? Sheesh! Share your “taken” relationship status too soon, and you may come across as presumptuous, having assumed the person you’re talking to is hitting on you. But waiting until you’re deep in conversation to drop the news like a bomb may seem like you were hiding the very important detail from an otherwise interested-in-you party. And the awkwardness doesn’t stop there. It can be tricky to navigate conversations that fill in your colleagues or family about personal updates. Is it even possible to be upfront without any collateral conversational damage? What if you don’t want to clue them into your personal life at all? If anyone knows how, it’s certified clinical psychologist Jennifer Taitz, PhD. The How To Be Single and Happy author has helped her clients with all sorts of matters of the heart—and the often-uncomfortable accompanying conversations. Here, she gives her best
Of course Adam Levine’s nipple reveal wasn’t shocking—that’s precisely the issue
February 04, 2019 at 11:11AM by CWC Nipples have dominated the conversation for the past 24 hours. Specifically, Adam Levine’s nipples, which were on full display Sunday during the halftime show of Super Bowl LIII. In a moment so brief you’d have missed it if you blinked or got up to get more queso (just me?), the Maroon 5 frontman unceremoniously removed his tank top. And before the garment hit the stage, viewers flooded Twitter with comparisons to another famously nipply halftime show. Fifteen years ago, Justin Timberlake tore back the leather bustier worn by Janet Jackson (Miss Jackson, if you’re nasty) accidentally on purpose to reveal her pasty-covered breast. Following the “wardrobe malfunction” seen ’round the world, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) fined CBS over $500,000 by for airing “Nipplegate,” and Jackson’s career took a beating. “Poor Adam he showed his nips at the Super Bowl so now his career will be ruined like Janet’s. OH WAIT Never mind!!!!” tweeted author Glennon Doyle on Sunday; “Super Bowl halftime nipple rules feel inconsistent,” added ESPN+ host Katie Nolan. I joined the fray myself. Responding to Mashable’s headline, “Adam Levine showed his nipples during the Super Bowl halftime show and didn’t get in trouble at all,” I tweeted, “Didn’t you hear? Male-presenting nipples are A-OK.” In response, a barrage of tweets laid bare the real issue, and how it is rooted much deeper than Janet versus Adam. “Feel free to show us your tits Abbey. If not, stfu,” a delightful troll told
Say hello to the new retinols that even work on sensitive skin
February 04, 2019 at 10:04AM by CWC We’re happy to report that retinol just got a promotion. The long-beloved ingredient, known for stimulating collagen production and increasing cell turnover still has those skin-care benefiting skills on lock, but nowadays, it’s stable enough to play nice with other ingredients. In its last performance review, we let retinol know that despite the glow-up that happens courtesy of speedy cell turnover and enhanced collagen synthesis, the negative side effects kept us from using it 365. And after some soul-searching, it got the message. So without further adieu, please meet the new-and-improved class of retinol, which we’ll call retinol-plus. It’s just what it sounds like: retinol, plus other skin-care ingredients that make it work hard, perform better, and keep irritation at bay. “To be able to use a retinol correctly, you’ve gotta use it every day. And most people can’t use a retinol because of the inflammatory properties, so by getting that combination product you’re decreasing the inflammation, so you’re increasing the amount you can tolerate it every day,” says Virginia-based dermatologist Lily Talakoub, MD. Even if you’ve never dipped your toes into the wonderful world of retinols before, here are four “retinol plus“ formulations—as in, retinol plus something else skin-satisfying—that will have you ready to dive right in. Photo: Peter Thomas Roth Retinol + cannabis sativa seed oil: Because retinol can be irritating (hence why it can potentially leave you with a dry, red rash), the antioxidants in cannabis sativa seed oil help to calm things down when
How to Make it Feel Like You’re Running on Clouds—Every Time
February 04, 2019 at 10:02AM by CWC https://content.jwplatform.com/players/HiDLBb2B-dUl83MEz.js Any runner (or wannabe runner) knows that omg-my-legs-are-cement feeling when you first hit the pavement. Some days, you can shake it off after a few minutes, but for the days when it’s enough to deter you from running one more mile (or running ever again, tbh), we’ve got some advice. For Peloton Tread instructor Jess Sims, it’s all about finding the silver lining of your run that day—yes, even if the only thing “positive” about your run is that you’re positive you’re about to cramp. “I remind myself that it’s a privilege to be able to run, and it’s something I don’t ever take for granted,” Sims says. “This is especially important during the runs that don’t feel so great—the runs that you catch a cramp during the first 10 minutes or felt soreness in your hamstrings. It grounds me and has me looking forward to the next one.” To help you access those silver linings in your own runs, we asked Sims for her advice on how to push through tough runs—and how to make your best runs even better. Scroll down for 3 running tips to make pounding the pavement feel a little bit easier, every time. 1. Change your mindset by changing your words There are two types of people: runners and people who label themselves as “not runners.” The problem with those labels? Sims says they’re limiting your potential. “Now, I look forward to running because I’ve taken away