July 03, 2019 at 10:43AM by CWC My normal reaction to push notifications is usually more “Gah” than “Ahhh.” Plenty of human beings tell me what to do every day, so why (why?!) would I want my smartphone to boss me around, too? While I say no, no, and no to any and all apps that try to send me digital telegrams (just STOP Instagram), I have—as of late—harnessed the power of my iPhone “Reminders” app to re-inspire my workouts. In case you’ve never played around with this particular application taking up space on your home screen, here’s your primer: You set “reminders” (go figure) to ping you at a time or location of your choosing. Each notification can then be customized to be extra-urgent, sorted into a list of your choosing, and even annotated with further detail. TBH: It’s pretty user-friendly, and for those of us who thrive on nailing down the nitty-gritty details of our exercise regimens, it’s. so. satisfying. ad_intervals[‘405943_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘405943_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); Using “Reminders” to schedule your sweat session is definitely a “choose your own adventure” kind of thing. Get creative! Do it your way! Personally though, I like to sit down on Sunday and plan my week of yoga, running, and strength training. I start by typing in a snappy header that says something like, “It’s arm day, bee-atch!” or “Namaste at 7 o’clock.” I then plug in the day, set the priority to one exclamation point
Day: July 3, 2019
5 Natural Ingredients You Can Use As DEET-Free Mosquito Repellent
July 03, 2019 at 08:02AM Herbs, plants, and essential oils that repel mosquitoes naturally, including catnip, lavender, and lemon eucalyptus oil. Continue Reading… Author Gretchen Lidicker, M.S. | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
This is the easiest food-journaling method we’ve found
July 03, 2019 at 08:15AM by CWC Figuring out the culprit for your tiredness, bloat, breakout, what-have-you, is tricky. It’s a struggle celebrity chef and restaurateur Seamus Mullen knows all too well. For years, he suffered from aches, pains, and fatigue (often extreme) caused by his rheumatoid arthritis. At a recent event for The Well+Good Cookbook hosted by Moet Hennessy, Mullen revealed the surprising simple way he got to the bottom of his complex health issues. “I took a photo of everything I ate or drank,” he says. “Anytime I was about to put something in my mouth, I took a photo.” It doesn’t get any easier than snapping a photo in the moment. Upon reviewing the photos at the end of each day and again every morning, Mullen journaled about how he was feeling. “I could look back through my food journal and see what I was eating on the days my body felt great, and the days when my body didn’t feel so great,” he says. ad_intervals[‘405870_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘405870_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Mullen emphasizes that his method and objectives for keeping a photo food diary differ in that many food diaries or apps focus on counting calories or carbs. His photos and journal entries aren’t about counting macros, but rather about simply looking at what he was putting into his body and how it made him feel. Blood tests can help pinpoint specific food allergies and at-home gut tests can reveal sensitivities,
We asked 7 women from a 30D to a 38DDD what bathing suits they’d be wearing this weekend
July 03, 2019 at 08:00AM by CWC I sit here writing this story from a coffee shop very close to the beach, but not actually at the beach because a) I am on the clock and b) I can’t imagine the glare from the sun would lend itself to a productive writing session. Or maybe it would, but I would be typing the words from my brain but they would come out as like, misspelled gibberish. So while I am cooped up across the street from the Pacific, staring wistfully out the window like I’m waiting for Ryan Gosling to appear, dreaming of being on the beach and drinking rose, I decided to poll a variety of people to see what swimsuits they’re planning to wear this weekend. You know, for inspo. And work. Definitely for work, not because I want to shop for bathing suits. The poll-ees graciously answered my query, serving up a variety of suits at a variety of price points recommended by a variety of bust sizes. I don’t know if you got this, but there are a variety of options to choose from. (What’s a thesaurus?) It’s a veritable smorgasbord of swimsuit options. Keep scrolling to shop the Fourth of July bathing suit picks. ad_intervals[‘405730_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘405730_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Image: J. Crew J. Crew Scoop Bikini Top, $48.99 “I’m slowly collecting the full rainbow of the J. Crew scoop bikini top. It’s chic, it’s sporty, it stays
Most of us are crunching incorrectly, and that isn’t great for our necks and back
July 03, 2019 at 07:57AM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t4t3IpiEao] Get ready to work those abs: Watch how to do crunches, the right way, here. Much like the New Kids on the Block are the OG boy band (sorry to my fave, ‘NSYNC), crunches are the OGs of the ab workout world. They’ve been around since, like, the dawn of fitness time, and as such, there have been eons for people to learn how to mess up the move. So while there’s more than one right way to do a crunch, there are plenty of wrong ways, too. Star trainer Charlee Atkins, founder of Le Sweat and Le Stretch, has seen them all. “The wrong way is when your neck is crunched in, your lower back is off of the mat, and your elbows are in,” she tells Well+Good in our video series, The Right Way, which demonstrates the correct form on all sorts of exercise moves. If your neck is crunching in as you crunch up, you’ll be straining your neck and upper spine, which can lead to pain later on. Your lower back shouldn’t lift up, because then you won’t be working your core as you should be, and if your elbows are in, you’ll be pulling your head up rather than using your abs to crunch. ad_intervals[‘405864_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘405864_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); So here’s what you’re supposed to do. Keep scrolling for the proper way to do a crunch, courtesy of
These $6 Amazon earplugs are the only way an off-duty flight attendant catches ZZZs on a plane
July 03, 2019 at 07:37AM by CWC Traveling on a plane is a lot like being stuck in a wind tunnel—along with screaming babies, loquacious seatmates, and redundant in-flight safety videos that make me want to eject myself. Airplanes are loud. And the only way I can get some shut-eye is to drown out all that noise. Who better to ask for the very best earplugs for sleeping than a flight attendant? On the trip home from her honeymoon in Hawaii, a coworker overheard the flight attendant’s sage advice. According to the air travel pro, a pair of wax ear plugs is the best solution she’s found for blocking out the cacophony of the cabin. A pack of 12 plugs is a $6, so you can conk out a mile high in the sky for a mere $1 per set. Somehow, it has never before occurred to me to bring earplugs in my carry-on. (Note to self: DUH.) However, I know for sure that wax/silicone ear plugs are far superior to foam versions. Thanks to noisy roommates and the general audible upheaval of living in New York City, I’ve made every effort to turn the volume down on my surroundings—and the wax plugs really, really work. Unlike the foam variety, you can mold them exactly to fit your ear shape without shoving them too far down your ear canal. They cover all the nooks and crannies other earbuds miss and I imagine that’s true by land—or by sky. ad_intervals[‘405890_div-gpt-ad-6934292-3’] =
Grown-up lip balms that will make your mouth feel like a million bucks
July 03, 2019 at 06:34AM by CWC At present, there are 12 lip balms in my top desk drawer…and that’s not including the other five that are floating around at the bottom of my bag. So to say that I “like” them would be like saying Beyoncé is “good” at performing or that Megan Rapinoe is “good” at soccer. In other words: a massive understatement. I’m a full-on connoisseur. Recently, I’ve noticed a trend amongst my favorite product category: As the “no-makeup makeup” fever has continued to dominate the beauty world, more and more brands have opted to release lip balms that feel a whole lot different than the Dr. Pepper-scented ones that I swiped on in middle school. These lip balms have managed to turn lip hydration into a full-on luxury and decidedly adult experience. I have to admit, there’s something admittedly decadent about coating your lips from a tube that somehow seamlessly blends lipstick and skin care all into one, with color only optional. With that in mind, here are some of my favorite fancy, shmancy adult lip balms, which make my lips look, feel, and taste like a million bucks. ad_intervals[‘405185_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘405185_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips 2 Lip Balm in Enigmatic Edward ($30) Famed makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury’s first foray into a lip balm actually isn’t technically a lip balm at all—it’s a clear lipstick (and doesn’t that somehow make it sound even more luxurious)? Named after famed
The app for celebs reading bedtime stories just got a ton of funding—because dreams do come true
July 03, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC The sleep-promoting app Calm isn’t new, but it’s getting more and more well-known by the day, thanks in large part to the advent of its “Sleep Stories” function late last year, wherein celebs like Matthew McConaughey lull subscribers to sleep with bedtime tales. In addition to offering these star-spoken lullabies, the app aims to help folks unwind and get more restful sleep through meditation, movement, and music—and it’s about to get a whole lot dreamier: Venture capitalist firm Lightspeed just announced an investment of $27 million for a Series B extension round at a $1 billion valuation (this funding comes after the $88 million Series B round from other investors in February). So, fingers crossed this means we’ll get a lot more Sleep Stories. As Well+Good previously reported, the McConaughey-read tale, Wonder, is a 35-minute-long story in which a grandfather explains the magic of life and the cosmos to his granddaughter. Now, Calm subscribers ($60 per year), have additional options, like a 24-minute story from Stephen Fry and a 30-minute one from John McEnroe. ad_intervals[‘405496_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘405496_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Which like, LOL okay, but to this point, Sleep Stories has been a huge hit. (There’s currently upwards of 150 million listens from its 2 million paid subscribers.) So with this new funding, Calm could theoretically recruit several other stars to its roster, though the company has yet to confirm or deny anything for sure to us.
5 healthy desserts that’ll be the stars (and stripes) of your July 4th party
July 03, 2019 at 05:01AM by CWC Sure, July 4th is all about throwing some burgers (and vegetables!) on the grill. And yes, the pasta salads, potato salads, and every other salad on the table, are sure to be a hit. But after all the savory food is polished off, there’s going to be one question on everyone’s mind: What’s for dessert? Boy, do healthy food bloggers have you covered. From festive fruit kabobs and patriotic apple pie to cooling key lime bars and smoothie ice pops, there is certainly no shortage of sweet, sweet inspiration. Choosing healthy desserts for July 4th has never been easier. 5 healthy desserts for July 4th that are sure to please a crowd Photo: Hummusapien 1. Chocolate drizzled fruit kabobs What’s better than a red, white, and blue dessert? A red, white, and blue dessert drizzled in chocolate. If you’re pressed for time (oh hello guests who are here early) make assembling the kabobs a fun group activity by putting bowls of bananas, strawberries, and blueberries on the table and having people make their own. ad_intervals[‘405539_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘405539_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Photo: Emilie Eats 2. Gluten-free peach blueberry cobbler Peaches are one of summer’s most popular fruits—and the sweetness happens to pair perfectly with tart blueberries. Most of the time, cobbler—a classic summer dessert best enjoyed on grandma’s porch—is made with both dairy and gluten, but this recipe allows for both types of eaters to enjoy it.
A kissing expert shares 3 big-deal takeaways you can learn from a first kiss
July 03, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC Betty Everett once sang, “If you want to know, if he loves you so, it’s in his kiss.” Granted, it’s a pretty heteronormative song (hello, 1960s) that I mostly only remember because of Cher and a karaoke episode of Tiny Toon Adventures (hello, 1990s), but it kind of rings true, right? If you kiss on the first date, it’s because you want to know…well, maybe “if they love you so” is a little too much pressure. But what can a first kiss reveal about someone? That’s a question best suited for Andréa Demirjian, who goes by the Kissing Expert, and is the author of Kissing: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About One of Life’s Sweetest Pleasures. She’s a big proponent of “carpe kiss’em.” That is, if a spark of courage and chemistry encourages a smooch, you should trust your instincts and lean into it. After all, kissing as a dating vetting process has been around forever. ad_intervals[‘404312_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘404312_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); “It’s believed cavemen sought a mate to procreate by smelling and tasting the saliva of young cavewomen,” Demirjian says. “There is an immunoglobulin (or antibody) in our saliva that indicates good health, and cavemen instinctually relied on kissing to determine [who] was best suited. Think of it as a prehistoric version of The Bachelor without the rose ceremony.” “If there’s no ‘kiss me!’ vibe, then the kiss should be pushed to the back burner.