Month: April 2019

April 26, 2019 at 10:59AM by CWC If someone from the past time-traveled to the 21st century, they’d be astounded by many things, including A) that you can get a blood test to determine your life expectancy and B) how crazy high-tech fitness has become. We’ve entered the age where ab exercises are literally at our fingertips, fit tech is a full-blown industry, and even babies are sporting wearables. But the latest innovation that’s changing the way you break a sweat is likely to have even the most internet-savvy millennials starry-eyed with workout wonder. Meet the interactive gym, Mirror ($1,495, plus a $39 monthly subscription). At first glance, the device looks like a sleek, no frills reflective surface you might hang up to checkout your leggings-sports bra combo before heading off to spin class. Switch the device on however, and you’ll come face-to-face with a trainer who can lead you through a full class of cardio, strength, yoga, Pilates, barre, boxing, and stretch—all of which you can tailor by time and skill-level to your personal fitness goals. “I was a professional dancer in the New York City Ballet,” says Brynn Putnam, founder and CEO of the startup. “I opened a chain of fitness studios about 8 years ago called Refine [Method], but about two years ago, I just found myself struggling to get to my own gym. I had a child and life got busier. So I started to think about how I could work out at home.” To do so, Putnam went to

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April 26, 2019 at 09:53AM by CWC In middle school, there were three looks I wanted (oh so desperately) to achieve: the fluffed-up Dutch braid, the messy bun, and—the classiest hairdo of all—the wrap around ponytail. Because the name is a bit clunky, allow me to explain. The sleek AF hairstyle involves singling out a strand and wrapping it around the base of the ponytail to hide an aesthetically unpleasing hair tie. It’s unquestionably a #glowup to the simple updo, and thanks to a YouTube video tutorial, I finally know how to do it properly. YouTuber Luxy Hair’s so-simple-it-should-be-criminal trick makes quick work of the wrap. In fact, her method is seamless enough that you won’t even need a single bobby pin. Grab a hair tie because we’re doing the damn thing. Learn how to master the wrap around ponytail like you always wanted to. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqpfjEeWf4] Step 1: Put your hair up in a normal pony. Low, high—you choose. Step 2: Take a chunk of hair (wide enough to conceal the hair tie). Step 3: Wrap it around the base of the ponytail, counter-clockwise, until there’s just a little more than an inch left. Step 4: Pull at the bottom of your hair tie and slide the strand through the opening. Tuck the excess into the hair at the nape of your neck. It should hold by itself, but you can use a bobby pin, if you so choose. Step 5: Separate the ponytail in two and pull the whole

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April 26, 2019 at 09:18AM by CWC You can only do so many sit-ups before extreme boredom sets in. You’ll feel the burn, sure, but you’re not alone in wishing for a way to make your ab workout more interesting. The next time you hit the mat, mix up your regular routine by integrating some suitcase sit-ups, a super-challenging variation that will keep both you and your core engaged. You know that moment of accomplishment when you finally get your suitcase to close and zip it shut tight? That’s essentially what you’re doing with your body during suitcase sit-ups. The exercise (which is an easier variation of a V-up) involves lying on the mat and raising your upper body and knees simultaneously so you’re folding up like a piece of luggage. The tuck in this move requires you to have full control of your entire body in order to keep that perfect form. And, you know it—that means they’re really hard. How to do suitcase sit-ups Lie on your back with straight legs extended off the floor in front of you and your hands behind your head. At the same time, lift your upper body into a crunch and tuck your knees to your chest so they meet your elbows. Lower your upper body back onto the floor and extend your legs long so they’re hovering a few inches above the floor. Repeat. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBLFRACnveE] Need a variation? Try knee tucks If suitcase sit-ups are too challenging, ease your way

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April 26, 2019 at 08:28AM by CWC For transparency’s sake, I feel compelled to share that this isn’t exactly a How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days “love fern.” For one, we didn’t share custody; the plant was mine. Her best friend and her best friend’s boyfriend gifted it when the four of us were painting our new apartment—which wasn’t ours, exactly. The one-bedroom was mine and she didn’t formally live with me in it, but it finally offered some privacy from my former roommates and her current ones. Despite not sharing the lease, we shared the space whenever we wanted—its solitude, its newly painted walls, its plant; all firsts for me. Less than a year later, all of it crumbled. Leaks and bed bugs and a winter without heat and a caricature of a diabolical New York City landlord resulted in the decision to tear it all down and pack it all up: repaint the walls back to that awful off-white and take down the shelves, the artwork, and, of course, the plant, which had been suspended near a window, flourishing, and glowing in the sunlight beautifully, naïvely. We dismantled the apartment together; three months later, she dismantled us. Like many who get dumped, I was forced to purge lots of things, either because they belonged to or reminded me of her. I piled together a T-shirt of hers I’d kind of accidentally stolen and worn more than my own clothes; same with her button-down, her bomber jacket,

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April 26, 2019 at 07:55AM by CWC Even working at a wellness company, I’m not immune to the stresses of everyday work life: looming deadlines, overflowing inboxes, back-to-back meetings… There is always so much to do, and the inability to concentrate long enough to get everything done sure doesn’t help. So when I started hearing about a way the 24/7 worker bees of Silicon Valley were “biohacking” their brain to stay focused using something called nootropics, I worked my health writer magic and had a few brands send me some to try. For the uninitiated, nootropic supplements are cognitive performance-enhancing products made with a blend of herbs and natural brain enhancers such as bacopa, l-theanine, and ginkgo biloba—all of which have been linked to boosting focus in the present as well as supporting long-term brain health. It took a little trial and error, but once I figured out out the best way to take them, my ability to focus sky-rocketed. It was noticeable enough that colleagues started asking me to share my secrets. When we named nootropics as a 2018 Wellness Trend, the supplements were just starting to take off. A year and a half later, the brain-boosting trend has exploded beyond Silicon Valley entrepreneurs—with their benefits are now available outside of capsule form. “Seeing this surge in the popularity of nootropics isn’t surprising to me,” says Beekeeper’s Naturals co-founder Carly Stein, who created honey-tasting nootropic elixirs long before other brands jumped on board. “Modern life is hard on the

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April 26, 2019 at 07:51AM by CWC “Unforgettable, that’s what you are.” The late Nat King Cole may not have sung his sweet, sweet tune about you in particular, but psychology shows that there are seven traits that make an individual memorable to those around them. You probably possess at least one of them, right? Throughout the course of his lengthy career, George Everly Jr., PhD, has observed that a few distinct attributes earn someone a reputation worth remembering, he tells Psychology Today. These are the sort of qualities that make one a regular Oprah Winfrey, if you will. They’re also the traits that potential employers, friends, and romantic partners value in a person. Cross your fingers and see how many of these magnetic characteristics you can claim as your own. 7 personality traits that make people more memorable Reliability and Trustworthiness: People like people who live and die by their word. “They do what they say they are going to do,” writes Dr. Everly. “They take responsibility for their actions, especially their mistakes.” Optimism: Because negativity is default mode for so many Homo sapiens, someone with innate positivity is more often memorable. Tenacity: Determination is a hallmark quality in unforgettable folks. “For most endeavors in life, tenacity is the single best predictor of success. Success in athletics, business, and even academics is predicated upon tenacity,” says the psychologist. We love when the underdog we’re rooting for suddenly becomes a blockbuster success. Resilience: You know the old cliché: “Fall down seven times, get

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April 26, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC Flexibility is one of those flowery terms that I always associate with A) Olympic gymnasts and B) anyone in my yoga class who can break into a full splits. In other words: I have a vague idea of what it is, but it’s actually an incredibly important skill that everyone—especially those who are fitness fanatics—should know about and work on regularly. To get the DL, I went straight to the physiology pros to answer the question: Why is flexibility important, exactly? “Flexibility is often overlooked, but the benefits of it are universal and impactful—whether you’re a hard-working corporate executive, an athlete, or a weekend warrior, implementing a consistent stretching routine can have a positive impact on your life,” says Austin Martinez, director of education for StretchLab. To understand what it is, begin by knowing that flexibility has a lot to do with how your muscles can move. “Flexibility explains the current state of muscles when it comes to their elastic properties and how they change over time,” he says. On a more concrete level, flexibility’s a measurement. “It’s a measure for the range of motion of your individual joints,” says Elizabeth Barchi, MD, a sports medicine pro with NYU Langone Health. “So a lot of your muscles will span across at least one joint, and their purpose is to provide leverage and move the muscles and the joints so we can do things like walk. When those muscles are very tight, you’re not

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