Month: February 2019

February 10, 2019 at 08:00AM by CWC Unlike Ariana Grande, I can’t quite afford to give my six best friends rings of the bling-bling variety. I can, however, afford a Pilates ring or two. (Am I stretching right now… pun intended?) They’re cheap! And, they supercharge my new favorite thing: quick-yet-effective at-home workouts that can be squeezed into even the smallest windows of time. To find out how best to utilize them unsupervised, I asked New York Pilates founder Heather Anderson for her favorite ring-based moves. Below, she runs through a list of her MVPs step-by-step. Keeping reading for 5 Pilates ring exercises that’ll burn your bum (and beyond). GIF: New York Pilates 1. Shoulder bridges with the ring on outer thighs “First, thread both legs through the Pilates ring so that the pads rest on the outer thighs, just above the knees,” Anderson instructs. “Then, lift the pelvis up to a shoulder bridge position and press out on the ring until you feel your ‘saddlebags’ activate. Finally, lower the pelvis back down as if you’re sitting in a chair and release pressure on the ring. That’s one rep—repeat 20 times or until your bum needs a break!” GIF: New York Pilates 2. Crisscross “Lying on your back, draw bent knees into tabletop and interlace your fingers behind your head,” says Anderson. “Then, exhale to nod and curl head, neck, and shoulders off the ground. Next, place the Pilates ring so that the pads are resting between the right elbow and left

Read More

February 10, 2019 at 05:00AM by CWC “Remember not to care about the things you don’t even care about.” I haven’t stopped thinking about this simple, singular piece of advice poet Cleo Wade offered me when we recently sat down to discuss her new campaign with Aerie. It popped into my brain when I was annoyed that a guy I went on one date with hadn’t texted me, then again a few days later when a friend made a snarky comment about my outfit, and again during pretty much every phone conversation I’ve had with my mom since. I’m the opposite of “chill“: I regularly sweat the small stuff, and am the queen of holding grudges for years at a time (…just ask the girl who kissed my sixth-grade boyfriend). Wade, on the other hand, epitomizes it. Her Instagram is full of artwork and poetry that redefine the inspirational-quote landscape (as in, none of it’s cheesy at all), and her work is a constant reminder that we can choose to have power over our thoughts—including the not-so-nice ones. A few weeks before we met, Wade posted a quote that read, “Just a friendly reminder: Letting sh*t go is always an available option,” and the words struck me. Because while they make *~*letting sh*t go*~* sound so, so easy, the reality (for me, at least) is that it can often feel impossibly hard in practice. So I asked her, point blank: How the eff do I do it? “One way that

Read More

February 10, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC Well+Good Council member Candice Kumai is the author of six books, including her latest, Kintsugi Wellness, which gives life lessons on how to cultivate inner strength and live a gracious life, through different Japanese traditions—and includes lots of yummy recipes. Here, she shares one of her faves.  When I really like someone, I make them pancakes in the morning. It’s a staple in my household and a simple gesture to show someone I care. And because it’s that time of year when pink and red hearts are taking over every store window, I’m sharing my tried-and-true recipe with you, so you can spread the pancake love, too. (It’s way healthier and yummier than those little candy hearts.) Maybe you whip up a stack for your S.O., surprising him or her with breakfast in bed on Valentine’s Day morning. Or maybe you keep the lovefest going through the weekend and make them together for brunch on Saturday or Sunday. Or maybe you want to show love to your mom, best friend, or group of girlfriends, inviting them over for weekend brunch. Whoever you decide to make these very special pancakes for, they are sure to provide an energizing start to the day thanks to the not-so secret ingredient: matcha, which is what I rely on to power my day in place of coffee. That, and of course really wholesome, nourishing ingredients. And fortunately, this recipe has both. Candice Kumai’s matcha pancakes Makes 10 to 12 pancakes

Read More

February 10, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC With the recent surge in popularity of astrology, many find it hard not to get  a little woo-woo. More people than ever are diving deep into their sun signs, planning their lives around whether Mercury is in retrograde or not. And there’s no shortage of hilarious memes on the subject. Some are so good that they’re bound to make even the skeptics in your friend group burst with laughter. Even the celebration for one of life’s biggest decisions is getting a little astrological inspiration. Yes, you’re about to get invited to a lot more celestial weddings. It’s not too surprising that the celestial world and “I do” industry have intertwined, especially with everyone becoming completely moonstruck last year. Etsy’s wedding trends for 2019 are further proof of the obsession. Night sky nuptials, weddings decked out with anything and everything related to astrology, are on the rise. If you’re looking for invitations imprinted with constellations, sparkly jewelry made of stars, or wedding favors nodding to the night sky, Etsy’s got you covered. When you’re planning a wedding around a love for the night sky, you’ll find plenty of different products to add a celestial touch. Here are some of the most popular celestial items on Etsy: 9 ways to get in on the night sky nuptials trend Buy Now Celestial Guestbook $15 Buy Now Starry Night Zodiac Wedding Invitations $50 Buy Now Custom Night Sky Print $40 Buy Now Night Sky Wedding Candles $60 for 12 Buy Now Written

Read More