August 26, 2019 at 07:59PM by CWC Your calves can be pretty hard to stretch, and that stinks… because just about everything makes them tight. Whether you’re a runner, don’t drink enough water, or wear heels on the regular, it’s not uncommon to feel that tightness creep in and want to do away with it pronto. Lucky for your legs, one of the best ways to get relief is stretching it out like a yogi. “The calf muscles are made up of two muscles: the gastrocnemius, which is the large part, and the soleus, which is smaller and underneath,” says Sarah Frick, yoga instructor and founder of The Works. “Not only does your fitness affect tight calves, but so does sitting for a long period of time, any sort of prolonged travel, a high heel, or dehydration.” One of Frick’s favorite ways to stretch out her calf muscles is through the “short dog”—a subtle variation on the downward-facing dog that involves only stepping back a little in order to get a deeper stretch in your calves. If you’d prefer to stay seated, grab a blanket, roll it up into tight wad, and come to a kneeling position. Slide the blanket in the crook of your knees and sit down. You’ll immediately feel the pressure of the blanket easing into your calf muscles in that “hurt so good” kind of way. Both options are yoga teacher-approved, so enjoy them for as long as you want before moving on with your practice.
Month: August 2019
12 things manicurists want you to stop doing to your nails—like, yesterday
August 26, 2019 at 07:45PM by CWC Pretty much any time I find myself face-to-face with a professional tasked with taking care of me in some way—doctors, dentists, stylists, facialists, nutritionists, et al.—I feel a sense of shame around how I’ve been taking care of myself. (Read: imperfectly.) In most cases, I definitely have not been doing the things they’ve advised me to do between visits, like flossing twice a day (in the case of a dentist), while I often have been doing the thing they would like very much for me not to do (eating gummy foods like dried fruit). Walking into a nail salon is no different, especially if I’ve been wearing gels that have, by the time I get around to removing them, been peeled and pulled and just generally left on way too long. Until recently, the feedback I’d received had been delivered in the form of scornful looks, but trust me, the manicurist’s at my go-to salon are not happy about my habits. ad_intervals[‘415283_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘415283_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); I’m guessing I’m not alone in engaging in nail-based faux pas that give manicurists extra headaches. So, I polled a few to see which nail hygiene habits irk them the most. These are the things manicurists want you to stop doing ASAP 1. Picking your cuticles “That little piece of skin is just there… staring at you, catching on your sweater, hurting just enough to remind you it’s there,”
3 percent of adult women are diagnosed with ADHD—here’s what it was like for 4 of them
August 26, 2019 at 07:29PM by CWC One of the most harmful mental health stereotypes out there: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is only something that happens in little boys. While it’s true that ADHD affects three times more male than female children, it’s still an issue many women and girls face. Nearly 7 percent of female children are diagnosed with ADHD, per the National Institutes of Health—and 3 percent of adult women aged 18-44 years are diagnosed with it (which translates to roughly 3.4 million women). ADHD is a brain disorder that can affect a person’s attention span, mood, productivity, and memory, no matter their age or gender. But recent research suggests that women and girls can experience ADHD a bit differently than boys and men—which can affect a person’s ability to get a diagnosis. In a 2017 study out of Norway, the authors wrote that, compared to boys, girls and adults with ADHD tend to exhibit more symptoms of inattention (one of the hallmarks of ADHD) and mood and anxiety disorders and fewer hyperactive and disruptive behaviors (the other, more stereotypical symptoms of ADHD). And inattention, according to the authors of a 2014 review of studies on women and girls with ADHD, is often not as noticeable as hyperactivity. “Because symptom severity contributes to the likelihood of referral for treatment, girls may be less likely to be diagnosed and receive treatment,” they wrote. ad_intervals[‘418192_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418192_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Another thing that may
The booty-strengthening yoga flow that perks your peach in 6 swift moves
August 26, 2019 at 07:15PM by CWC Welcome to Trainer of the Month Club, our brand-new fitness series, where we tap the coolest, most in-the-know fitness leaders to create a month-long fitness challenge. On Mondays, we have our “sweat drops” where you’ll get access to the week’s workout that you can follow along at home. This week, Val Verdier is taking you through a beginner yoga flow. There are approximately infinity reasons why people do yoga. For some, it’s about increasing flexibility. For others, it’s all about taking some time on the mat to zone out and forget the rest of the world. In this week’s edition of the Well+Good Trainer of the Month Club, Val Verdier of New York City’s Modo Yoga shows us exactly how to use yoga to get stronger. Her six-move series, which is meant to be done slowly and thoughtfully (it’s not one of those fast-paced power flows you might normally expect BTW), works every muscle in your lower body in a matter of minutes. By the time you’re done with the donkey kicks and squats, your glutes and thighs will be on fire. ad_intervals[‘418224_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418224_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); Follow along with the workout below, and don’t forget to check back next week for September’s Trainer of the Month with an all new trainer. View this post on Instagram Ready for the final week of our August Trainer of the Month Club?! For Week 4, our amazing
The fastest way to gracefully get out of stuff you don’t want to do
August 26, 2019 at 06:42PM by CWC My sister and I shared a bedroom throughout childhood. For the two of us, setting boundaries meant splitting our assigned chamber right down the middle—and screaming “Get out of my room!” when either of us dared step over the invisible line. Was it a flawed system? Absolutely. But the idea of carving out clear boundaries—no matter your age—is 100 percent necessary for both mental and physical health. That’s why Nicole LePera, PhD, a holistic psychologist in Philadelphia, has a three-step plan for turning down an invitation that just doesn’t deserve the space on your calendar. “This practice is extremely difficult. It’s something I still struggle with, but with time it really feels better and better,” she writes in a recent Instagram post. “Our natural impulse is to explain ourselves. We’ve been conditioned to do this.” Being the “yes” person ultimately doesn’t serve you, your mental health, or the people that you’re reluctantly grabbing avocado toast with. Sometimes, it pays to say “no, thanks.” ad_intervals[‘418219_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418219_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); “The truth is you CAN say no for absolutely no reason at all,” writes the psychologist. “We are not required to give any explanation. And, I’ve come to find out when setting boundaries the explanation is what gets the most pushback. That’s why the best thing to do when setting boundaries is to begin with a gracious statement and end with the no. A no cannot be
This skin-care routine is a derm-approved dupe for a $1,600 brightening system
August 26, 2019 at 06:28PM by CWC It has been brought to my attention that there is a skin-care system on the market that retails for $1,600.Now, don’t get me wrong: I love a bougie beauty product and have my fair share of them. In fairness, I only use my tiny travel jar of Creme de la Mer when I need a pick me up on exceptionally bad days, but the point is that I don’t judge anyone who wants to spend upwards of $200 on a beauty product, because I’m right there with you. When I saw that 111 Skin Lunar28 clocks in at $1,600, at first I had to figure out what made it so good, and then I had to figure out how I could dupe it. Because the only thing I can spend half my paycheck on is my rent. Here’s the deal: During the first week, you use an enzyme resurfacing peel to exfoliate and resurface skin, the second week, you’re meant to target dark spots and minimize pores, the third week involves an “intensive brightening serum” that has melanoregulators and retinoids in it that help smooth texture and reduce pigmentation, and in the final week, you soothe inflammation and redness to chill out your complexion and help it fend off things to come. ad_intervals[‘417995_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417995_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); While there’s definitely a reason why these products come along with such a hefty price tag, the beauty
Exactly what kind of detail-oriented Virgo you are, according to your moon sign
August 26, 2019 at 04:56PM by CWC The end of August brings about several realities: summer is ending, school’s back in session, and Virgo season (August 23 to September 22) has officially arrived. In this astrological case, the zodiac wheel mirrors real life since Virgos are known for being hyper-organized, conscientious, and polished—just like the kid who showed up on the first day of class with a color-coded binder and a fresh new outfit. According to astrologer Natalia Benson, though, the Virgo moon sign—the sign the moon was in when they were born—is important to know, since it influences emotional life and inner self. This explains why your Virgo friends aren’t all the same; some may have Beyoncé vibes while others are more like Blake Lively. (Both famous Virgos, FWIW.) “Broadly speaking, Virgos are often very detail-oriented, patient people with a grounded nature about them,” says Benson. “But each moon sign is going to give a unique energy to the emotional expression of that particular Virgo.” ad_intervals[‘417719_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417719_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); To learn about your Virgo moon sign (and that of your Virgo pals), simply input your birth date, time, and location into a free birth chart generator. Then, scroll down for Benson’s insight into how the 12 moon signs provide a different flavor to a Virgo’s inherent traits. Virgo with an Aries moon “A Virgo with an Aries moon is going to have a little more fire to them—a little more
A 3-step guide to dealing with envy, the 1 thing in my way of being the best friend I can be
August 26, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC A few years ago, an aspiring actress friend of mine wrote a screenplay as a means to an end, with the ideal end being an acting career. That script did land her what some would call kindling for a career—but as a TV writer, not an actor. The old saying of one person’s trash being another person’s treasure couldn’t have been more apt in this case; writing for TV has long been my pie-in-the-sky goal, and because of this, I felt a lot of negativity when she seemed to easily fall into my dream as her consolation prize. Through gritted teeth, I lied to her about how happy I was for her and privately sought to diminish her success any way I could as a means to self soothe. I told myself (and sometimes others) things I am not proud of, like, “She was only able to accomplish what I have not because her parents paid her expenses while she worked on that script full-time,” etcetera. (Gross, I know.) ad_intervals[‘413108_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘413108_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); In the years since my bout of egregious envy, I’ve more or less completely reconfigured my life to better resemble what I’d always internally visualized for it. So I figured I’d evolved beyond my substantive envy…until my closest friend more recently got something I desperately want—and the unsavory dark envious energy returned with a vengeance. My friend is having a baby,
4 Signs You’re Addicted to Relationship Drama (And What To Do)
August 26, 2019 at 10:04AM Relationships are powerful for a lot of reasons—a variety of strong emotions, intimacy, trust, hopes, and dreams. And that’s not even talking about the powerful negative emotions—fear, abandonment, rejection, shame. Yes, relationships are worth the risk. However, we need to be thoughtful and careful because powerful things (love and sex, as well as alcohol, drugs, and other similarly addictive things) can present problems for humans. It’s possible for us to act like we have some of the classic addictions when it comes to relationships. Addictions are some of the most powerful and confusing experiences a human can have. The short definition of an addiction is when we continue to do something in spite of all the chaos, drama, or pain it causes us. And to make matters worse, we (and others) often logically know that we should stop, but for some reason we keep doing it. We often see a few of the same telltale signs. Those signs tend to be guides for a variety of subjects, and this is definitely one where they can help to guide our decisions. 1. First things first: Is this a pattern? Does déjà vu mean anything to you? Have you been unsuccessful at avoiding this “type” of relationship or been unsuccessful at moving past the “same old” drama in this relationship? In spite of your best efforts, you keep finding your relationship back at this same spot, same drama. We all have a bad day or bad
Your Astrological Guide To Finishing The Season On A High Note
August 26, 2019 at 10:00AM It’s the perfect time to let your friends know you’re there for them. Continue Reading… Author The AstroTwins | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC