November 07, 2019 at 03:34PM Goodbye stress, hello bliss. Continue Reading… Author Jason Williams, NASM-CPT | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
Day: November 7, 2019
What you should ask instead of ‘How many people have you slept with?’
November 07, 2019 at 10:45PM by CWC It’s a huge bummer that despite rapidly changing social norms, number shame still exists—particularly for women. I’m talking about the question: “What’s your number?”—how many people you’ve had sex with. According to a recent study, horny (heterosexual) people are likely report a lower number when interacting with someone attractive of the opposite sex so as to appear more selective and less promiscuous. Everyone is entitled to partner with someone—or many someones—who shares their values and interests, but a focus on past sexual partners may eclipse a more objectively important conversation that should be had between two people who are planning to become intimate with one another: “When was the last time you were tested for STIs, and can I see the results?” Broaching the topic—that is, how to talk about STDs with a new partner—is often easier said than done. “How many past sexual partners your partner has had is completely irrelevant,” says Laurel Steinberg, PhD, a psychotherapist, certified sexologist, and adjunct assistant professor at Columbia University. You should wish for your partner a past spent doing whatever made them happiest, she says. “What is important is for you to know is what they are currently involved in sexually as well as their health status and what, if any, STIs you could contract by being with them so that you can make an education decision about your own health.” STD rates have risen to a record high, and yet large numbers of women and
What Is Activated Silk? What You Need To Know About This New Skin Care Formula
November 07, 2019 at 09:46PM Go, silkworms, go! Continue Reading… Author Jamie Schneider | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
I tried EMS training and got the benefits of a 90-minute workout in 30 flat
November 07, 2019 at 09:28PM by CWC As a member of the burnout generation (hi guys! hope you’re all hangin’ in there!) who barely has time to wash her hair, I can’t be bothered spending hours in the gym. Which means I need my workouts to be two things: effective and efficient. It’s why I’ve fallen so deeply in love with megaformer classes that marry strength training and cardio into a 50-minute session. It’s also why I once subjected myself to a fitness singles mixer, but that’s a story for another time. So when I first heard about EMS, or “electrical muscular stimulation” training, which promises to give the equivalent of a 90-minute workout in 30 minutes flat, I cleared a space in my back-to-back calendar and booked a strength-training session at NOVA Fitness in Tribeca. EMS training uses electrical currents to heighten the contractions in your muscles. It’s the same technology that doctors use on injuries, but has some pretty cool applications when repurposed for the sake of fitness. When you work out, you’re voluntarily contracting your muscles—that’s more or less Physiology 101. What EMS technology does, though, is trigger involuntary muscle contractions, which your brain doesn’t know how to do on its own, in order to get more from your moves. So for example, with a regular bicep curl, you get two muscle contractions. But when you add EMS into the mix, you’re purportedly getting forty of them, without having to do anything differently. While it may sound
The healthy weeknight dinner a top dietitian makes in 6 minutes or less
November 07, 2019 at 07:30PM by CWC Getting a healthy weeknight dinner on the table is a constant struggle whether you’re cooking for one or your whole family. In a perfect world, the fridge would be stocked full of pre-prepped proteins and veggies ready to heat and eat. But that doesn’t always happen. Keri Glassman, RD, relies on a three ingredient meal of grass-fed meatballs, marinara sauce, and spinach, which is ready to eat in just six minutes. Both the meatballs and the spinach can be found in the frozen food aisle, which has seriously become the new healthy hub of the supermarket. When choosing a marina sauce, Glassman just says to be mindful of the sugar content. To get this healthy weeknight dinner on the table, Glassman heats the meatballs on the stove while at the same time sautéeing frozen spinach in a separate pan. When the meatballs are almost done, she adds the marina sauce to the spinach (or you can heat it up separately in a small pot, if you don’t mind washing another dish later). Even with just three ingredients, this healthy weeknight dinner is completely balanced and nutrient-dense. Meatballs are rich in protein and spinach provides plenty of fiber—both are high in iron. The marina sauce adds antioxidants thanks to the tomatoes. Not too shabby for dinner in a rush (and on a budget). Glassman proves wrong the belief that eating healthy requires an abundance of time and money. The frozen food aisle wins again.
The most calming home-decor tweak for each sign during Mercury retrograde
November 07, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC The final Mercury retrograde of 2019 started on Halloween and isn’t going direct until November 20, i.e., nearly Thanksgiving. Since the retrograde is in Scorpio this time around, you can expect to have a super-emotional time because the scorpion is notorious for secrecy and deep feelings. Basically, if you’re feeling a bit more sensitive right now, that makes sense. But before you resolve to throw your phone away and hibernate to ride out the remainder of the retrograde, heed some advice from design historian Alessandra Wood, PhD, an astrology buff and VP of style at Modsy, a virtual home-design service. “There are ways to make your home a calm respite so you can deal with the battles retrograde has to offer,” she says. “But it’s important to note that each zodiac sign will have a different way of dealing with it, depending on their personality.” Below, check out her top zodiac decor tips for decorating your home in order to survive retrograde, based on your sign. To stay calm through the Mercury retrograde, make the following zodiac decor tweak for your sign. Graphics: Well+Good Creative Aries: Start a decluttering project Fiery Aries is known for its wild temper, but with communication in flux during retrograde, now isn’t the time to get into any deep discussions with whomever you share a living space. “This is likely not the best time to confront your partner or roommate about their poor taste in decor,” says Wood.
This arm exercise sneakily targets other muscles that are hard to hit
November 07, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC It’s always fun when exercises include added bonuses. You think you’re focusing on one area of your body, but then you wake up the next day sore in areas you never even realized would feel the burn. Well, friends, dumbbell high pulls certainly give you a little something extra. Dumbbell high pulls look like any basic arm workout, but the move essentially works your entire body—even muscles that are hard to hit. The explosivity of the movement means muscles throughout your body are involved in the exercise—I’m talking abs, glutes, quads, shoulders, calves, and more. You just don’t realize that as you’re busting out those reps with nothing but toned biceps on your mind. Aside from building muscle, dumbbell high pulls also prep you for more advanced lifts, says Joseph Arangio, a strength and conditioning coach. Follow the step-by-step instructions to give yourself the tools you need to master harder exercises in the future. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJdROwz4qeQ] How to perform dumbbell high pulls Grab a pair of dumbbells with an overhand grip and get into a quarter squat position. Your feet should be shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold the dumbbells at arms’ length slightly below knee height, making sure to keep your lower back straight and chest up. In one explosive movement, stand up and bring the dumbbells to your shoulders with bent elbows, keeping the dumbbells close to your body during the entire upward motion. Your knees should be straightened,
pH-balancing undies are now a thing—but do we need that, y’all?
November 07, 2019 at 06:10PM by CWC You don’t want to have a basic vagina—speaking of its pH, of course. Like the rest of your body, your nether-regions have a (slightly) acidic tendency, which is why you see vaginal care products (from wipes to cleansers) touting “pH-balanced” benefits galore. To help you be the utmost kween of your vaginal pH (because we know this is the stuff keeping you up at night), know that pH-balanced underwear is now a thing. “In recent years, there have been a number of innovations in the underwear category that include materials that are known to be antibacterial and even provide additional support below the belt,” says Sherry A. Ross, MD, OB/GYN, Summer’s Eve ambassador and author of She-ology. It’s true—lately, I’ve come across new brands like Huha (underwear that’s infused with zinc, which helps maintain pH balance), Cottonique (which is 100 percent organic and claims to be hypoallergenic), and Pure (the brand uses a special fabric to protect against moisture). Because I’m a human, I’ve worn regular and not specifically “pH-balanced” underwear my entire life. So I raised an eyebrow at the idea of needing to swap over to optimized underpants. Dr. Ross notes it is important to watch the pH of your vagina, though, so I was at least willing to entertain the idea. “When using cleansing products on the external vaginal area, it’s important that such products are pH-balanced so that they won’t be too acidic or too alkaline and affect the
Halp! My hair is so greasy all the time—I need a new routine
November 07, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC I’ve always wanted the kind of shiny hair you see in Pantene Pro V commercials, but sadly the only shimmer to my strands seems to comes from grease—which doesn’t have quite the same aesthetic as whatever magic fairy dust is sprinkled onto the heads of supermodels, starlets, and the popular girls in high school. This big, life-long bummer, is one that New York City-based dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, tells me I should at least partially blame on my parents. “The amount of oil that is made in your scalp is determined by your genetics,” he says. Thanks a lot, mom and dad! All is not lost for me, my siblings, or anyone else who similarly suffers, however, as not all grease is inherited. “The hair becomes greasy when oil from the scalp accumulates over time,” Dr. Zeichner explains. He notes that other common sense contributing factors include include heavy exercise (read: lots of sweat) and extended exposure to hot, humid environments. Los Angeles-based stylist Juli Phillips adds that hormones can play a role, too. While it’s not always possible to avoid the above, you can control your product choices, which can have a significant impact on your hair’s grease quotient, too. Celebrity hairstylist Kristen Shaw says the oil-heavy products on the market today are problematic when it comes to buildup on the scalp. “I see client after client having clogged pores from shampoos with too much oil,” she tells me. Instead, it’s important
I went to a Jamaican sex resort after a yearlong dry spell—here’s what happened
November 07, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC As a sex writer, I’m aware that many harbor preconceived notions about, well, my sex life. Namely, that I’m always having a lot of it. I have had my fair share, sure, and I’ve reported on raunchy material with abandon here, here, here, and beyond. But am I having sex constantly? Absolutely not—especially as of late. In fact, a friend recently threw me a dinner party to celebrate my sexlessiversary—it had been a whole 12 months since I’d last been laid. So, when Hedonism II, an all-inclusive, adults-only, clothing-optional (read: clothing-discouraged) resort invited me to—and I quote—“leave the mundane day-to-day behind and explore yourself as you explore the sensual and liberating environment of Hedonism II Negril, Jamaica,” I didn’t hesitate before replying: “Let me ask my mom what she thinks, and then I’ll get back to you.” Kidding. I signed up immediately for a trip to the sexually liberal locale, excited for what I was sure would be an end to my dry spell. Welcome to Hedonism II, a real-life sex resort In some ways, Hedonism II lived up to my expectations exactly. Picture: everyone’s everything on full display; couples copulating in hammocks (talk about redefining swinging); discreet fellating in the dining hall; a playroom of adult toys, like sex swings and a spanking bench; and an orgy or three. But in other ways, my preconceived notions proved false. I thought constant visual access to sex and genitalia would be hot, super-sexy, and lead