February 11, 2019 at 01:26PM by CWC Welcome to 2019, where people are finally getting serious about eating more produce (hello, planetary health diet!). Shifting to a plant-based diet has many potential benefits, including reduced diabetes risk, better heart health, and a smaller carbon footprint. And don’t worry about getting enough protein: It’s actually not that hard to do as a vegetarian or vegan, as long as you’re getting protein from a variety of plant foods. However, there is one big thing plant-based eaters do need to be vigilant about: iron. Specifically, getting enough of it in their day-to-day diet. “Iron is necessary for many cellular functions, but most notably, iron is key for helping myoglobin and hemoglobin deliver oxygen to body tissues,” says Katherine Pett, M.S., R.D., nutritionist for Conagra Brands and blogger at Nutrition Wonk. (Your cells and tissues need oxygen to convert food into useable energy, so it’s safe to say that iron is essential to every part of the body.) “While our bodies efficiently recycle most of our iron stores, some is naturally lost every day from sloughing of skin and the lining of our intestines, sweating, and menstruation,” says Pett. If you don’t have enough iron in your body, that can cause iron deficiency anemia, says Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in the New York City area. “Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, pale skin, irritability, low appetite, and feelings of lightheadedness.” Long term, it can lead to increased risk of heart
Day: February 11, 2019
This “name-your-own-rate” hotel is basically the Everlane of travel
February 11, 2019 at 12:26PM by CWC Like getting your friends to show up to brunch on time, the discovery of a truly excellent product or service with a reasonable price is especially rare. Several retail companies vie for your attention with creative pricing strategies. Everlane, for example, offers some of its clothing in a “Choose What You Pay” section in lieu of sales, explaining exactly where every dollar you spend ends up. And in the travel industry, the new “name-your-own-rate” SCP Hotel is hoping its bet on transparency and accountability pays off. SCP (short for “soul, community, planet”) recently opened its first location in Colorado Springs. The entire place is eco-friendly and features a 12,000-square-foot fitness center, group fitness classes, a market with locally-sourced (and vegan-forward!) food and drink, 174 rustic rooms with reclaimed wood accents, a communal area with WiFi, and plants galore. Hey, they’re calling it “holistic hospitality” for a reason. All its amenities aside, one of the most remarkable features of the SCP Hotel is its commitment to “fair trade pricing.” If the price you initially agreed to pay doesn’t align with the quality of your experience, you can negotiate a lower rate. Suggested rates fall between $90 and $200 per night, depending on the season. “We’re committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences at a fair price. We’re confident that if our guests have a great stay at our hotels and pay a fair price, they’ll walk away happy and hopefully tell their friends about our concept,” chief
Keeping Secrets Can Hurt Your Mental Health, But Here’s How To Stop It
February 11, 2019 at 12:21PM Three ways to let go of shame Continue Reading… Author Caroline Muggia | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
I exclusively wore jumpsuits to yoga for a month, and I have some thoughts…
February 11, 2019 at 12:08PM by CWC Growing up, for almost 10 years, I had the same ballet teacher, Ms. B (whose last name, despite what my 5-year-old imagination told me, did not stand for “ballet”), and I coveted her style. I don’t think I ever saw her wearing anything other than a black unitard, an oversized cropped sweater, chunky mid-calf socks, and jazz shoes. It was all things ’90s, all things dance, and all things that are somehow back in style today. So, a decade later, I decided it was time to take the look for a spin. I’m happy to report that not only did I wear a bodysuit to work out in public and live to tell the tale—and 6 times over, no less—but I’m actually now so into them, that I don’t know why it took this love affair so long to develop in the first place. The draw, at the most basic level, is all about convenience. I wanted to be able to slip into an outfit that needed zero work: no riding-up tanks or falling-down leggings allowed. I’m not sure it’s totally true, but I even felt like I actually got a better workout in a bodysuit. And isn’t how you feel really all that matters, anyhow? Over the past month, I’ve pretty much tried it all when it comes to what I’m lovingly calling workout onesies. I’ve gone for thong leotards (with super-cute leggings to match, of course!), performance one-pieces that I’ve taken to yoga and out to dinner with equal ease,
How to hold a 3-minute plank like our forever *Friend* Jennifer Aniston
February 11, 2019 at 12:04PM by CWC It’s wellness queen Jennifer Aniston‘s birthday, and to celebrate I’ve been perusing her always-inspiring fitness tips. The actress has been known to be a big boxing fan, but also loves switching it up. Case in point: She even has an elliptical routine, of all things. And while I was in my black hole of Aniston-Internet searches, I stumbled upon one reason why she has such a strong core: The woman can hold a 3-minute plank. According to an interview with her trainer Leyon Azubuike in Women’s Health, Aniston can hold a two or three-minute plank “rather easily.” NBD. Meanwhile, my whole body starts trembling and I’m pouring with sweat by 30-seconds in. I’d love to hold a plank for longer, à la Aniston, since the ab move is one of the best ones you can do not only for your core but also your arms, your bum—the list goes on and on. “If you add time to your plank hold, it’ll turn the plank into a full-body toning exercise that’ll improve your posture and balance your strength,” says Erika Bloom, founder of Erika Bloom Pilates. The secret to doing so? It’s all about the form. “Holding a plank for longer is achieved through good form,” Bloom explains. “Proper form means more muscles are recruited so none fatigue as quickly. You just need to find your form through an understanding of alignment and the use of visualizations.” Step 1: Lengthen your spine and widen your shoulder blades. “The biggest
One of the most Googled skin-care ingredients is this J-beauty staple
February 11, 2019 at 11:54AM by CWC Last year, I came back from a trip to Japan with an embarrassing number of duty-free beauty products stashed into my carry on, and I realized that the majority of them had one thing in common: They were made with rice water. All it took was a few skin-care sessions for me to fall completely in love with the ingredient—it made my complexion feel clean, smooth, and ultra-hydrated, and quickly became a permanent fixture in my routine. Rice water has been a staple in Japanese and Korean beauty for centuries for exactly these reasons, and this side of the world (myself included) has recently started to catch on to just how wonderful it truly is. It happened to be among the most Googled natural ingredients of 2018, too, and two of the glowiest (and most famous) people on the planet—Kim Kardashian and Meghan Markle—reportedly rely on a cleanser that’s made with the stuff. These days, it’s become increasingly common to see rice water listed on labels dotting beauty shelves, and—according to Connecticut-based dermatologist Dr. Mona Gohara—that’s for good reason. “In skin that doesn’t have acne, rosacea, or eczema, rice water can have a smoothing effect,” she tells me. “I like it to add a bit of moisture too.” It’s packed with antioxidants and amino acids—hence the “smoothing effects” that Dr. Gohara mentions—plus, rice water’s full of ultra-hydrating vitamins B and E. Rice water also happens to be comically easy to DIY—in fact, it’s as
My manager is too busy to give me feedback, what should I do?
February 11, 2019 at 11:24AM by CWC The only way to get better at your job is to have your manager shine a light on the areas where you can improve…right? Maybe not so much. In this week’s Good@Work column, all-around boss babe Amy Odell—whom you may know as the former editor (AKA HBIC) of Cosmopolitan.com and founding blogger of New York magazine’s The Cut—explains why, when it comes to feedback, you should be careful what you wish for. Question: I feel like I’m doing really well at work, but always looking to improve. I know my manager is super busy and has a ton of projects and meetings on her plate but I’m dying for some constructive feedback and don’t have the heart to put another thing on her plate, especially since she’s already told me I’m doing awesome. Any advice? Answer: Let’s set your boss aside for a few minutes and focus on you. I wonder why you’re so anxious about getting feedback. I know we’re trained to believe that being able to take constructive (which means negative) feedback is the key to finding success at work in 2019, but actually, feedback isn’t always that helpful. Research shows that employees react much more strongly to negative feedback than praise, and negative feedback can have a significant effects on employees’ productivity. If you had this meeting with your manager and she was able to tell you what you’re not doing well, how would you feel? Would you go back to your desk happy and ready to maximize
Sustainable travel tips to keep your vacays great without compromising the world you want to see
February 11, 2019 at 10:49AM by CWC Travel may well be good for your health, but it’s not so great for the environment. In fact, a recent study showed that tourism accounts for nearly 10 percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. But before you despair becoming a hypocrite who petitions lawmakers to take climate change seriously while simultaneously planning as many trips as possible for 2019, take comfort in knowing that even environmentalists travel—they simply do so mindfully. Below, experts share their tried-and-true eco-friendly tips for reducing your carbon footprint on the road. And remember, as with most things that are green, the simple steps aren’t only kind to the environment, but also to your wallet and your health. Keep reading to reduce the environmental impact of your 2019 travels. Photo: Getty Images/hedgehog94 Before you go 1. Donate or freeze leftover fresh foods It can feel nearly impossible to plan pre-vacation groceries perfectly; somehow, something is almost always leftover to rot in the fridge. While these wasted veggies, fruits, or animal proteins might amount to just a few dollars of lost cash, such food waste has a more significant environmental cost. According to Kathryn Kellogg of Going Zero Waste, 20 percent of the food in America goes to landfills, where it’s unable to decompose because it’s trapped by inorganic matter (e.g. trash bags). These preserved organics then release methane, which is a huge contributor to climate change. To minimize your contribution to this problem, zero-waste expert Celia Ristow of
The biggest takeaway from New York Fashion Week is that everyone just wants to be comfortable and cozy
February 11, 2019 at 10:46AM by CWC When fashion week comes around, between the street style and dozens of runway shows, I’m often visually overwhelmed—and this year was no different. Once I got over my impulse to throw all my clothing out (it happens every fashion month), I finally digested the collections and came to one, overarching conclusion: Everyone just wants to be comfortable and cozy. At least, that seemed to be the aim, when it comes to dressing, for both designers and the people who turned out to watch their shows. That things are headed in a decidedly more casual direction isn’t entirely surprising given the rise of athleisure and its offshoots leisurée to bathleisure. Still, you know something’s in the air when even a designer like Tom Ford, known for his steadfast dedication to sensuality and glamour—often at the expense of comfort—switches gears and presents a collection that looks, well, soft. For his FW19 presentation, which was shown on Feb. 6, the third day of New York Fashion Week, Ford sent models down the runway in a number of looks that exuded power and confidence (his trademark) but from a decidedly less sexually charged place: The models wore satin pants, velvet blazers, and a number of them wore a black hoodie layered into their perspective looks. Then, there was Tory Burch (the designer behind the color-blocked parka pictured in the feature photo). Her fashion sense tends to skew toward the feminine and form-fitting, but for her latest collection, she
This game-changing pillow is a big spoon’s dream come true
February 11, 2019 at 10:35AM by CWC While being the little spoon is consistently all kinds of cozy, for the big spoons of the world that’s not always the case. Sure, one arm is comfortably wrapped around your cuddle buddy, but the other never fails to get in the way and fall asleep before you do. A quick Google search proves that the best place for a big spoon’s lower arm is the subject of a contentious debate. And that’s exactly why two geniuses came up with an invention called the Coodle pillow to put the issue to bed. If you haven’t heard of the Coodle, it’s about to become your new best friend. The comfy pillow features a brace design system that lets the big spoon slide their arm right through the bottom as their partner’s head rests on top, preventing that pins-and-needles feeling. You can use it all by yourself, too, whether you’re sleeping on your side or watching TV. Basically, it solves one of the biggest #FirstWorldProblems for the cool price of $65. View this post on Instagram #spooningpillow #giftguide A post shared by Coodle (@coodlepillow) on Sep 7, 2018 at 4:42pm PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js Alright, the Coodle might be a little pricier than your average pillow. But considering you’ll get to schedule in more cuddling time and prevent arm numbness because of it, it might just be worth the extra money. And nothing says Happy Valentine’s Day like the promise of comfortable cuddles. These hilariously real Valentine’s Day cards are perfect for