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Year: 2019

2019 Health

Ok, this time we really did find the hardest oblique workout in the history of oblique workouts

4 min read

April 27, 2019 at 07:00AM by CWC Give me a series of arm, ab, or ass sculpting moves, and nine times out of ten I’ll be able to (very sweatily) power my way through them. But the minute a trainer mentions that it’s time to target obliques, I am out.  IMHO, there is no muscle group more difficult to sculpt—less than 15 seconds into a side plank, and my entire body is quaking. So if I am going to suffer through the motions of strengthening my obliques, I want to make sure I’m doing it as quickly and efficiently as possible in order to keep the time I have to spend on the moves as minimal as possible. To find out how to get the most bang for my oblique-work buck, I consulted SLT trainer Ian Richardson, who regularly puts my side body through the absolute ringer in his Megaformer classes. “Proper form is essential when it comes to any exercise being effective,” he explains. “Proper form, whether you modify or advance the exercise, will allow the muscle to become stronger, thus reaping the benefit of the exercise itself. When it comes to working your oblique, be cognizant of how your feet are placed, the alignment of the hips in relation to the rest of your body, and the placement and alignment of the elbow and shoulder.” As straight-up awful as oblique exercises can be, Richardson notes that they really are important—and not just for the sake of having those

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2019 Health Relaxation

Educate yourself in the sexiest way with this reading list from 12 leading sexperts

8 min read

April 27, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC Finding answers to questions relating to sex and sexuality is easier than ever before. No matter what you’re looking for, there’s likely a sexpert or a podcast or another source to point you in the right direction. There’s even a whole Netflix show, Sex Education, devoted to the filling in the gaps of our knowledge. Still, there’s a (tech-free) resource you’re probably not utilizing to the max that can seriously boost your sex IQ: books. Below, Well+Good’s go-to sex experts and educators share their favorite sex-education books—including buzzy newer releases and tried and true faves alike—that’ll rock your mind. Add the following 12 sexpert-approved reads to your TBR pile and boost your sex IQ in the process. Photo: Getty Images/Tammy Hanratty 1. The Ethical Slut, Third Edition: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships, and Other Freedoms in Sex and Love, by Janet W. Hardy and Dossie Easton “This was one of the most transformative books for me. I grew up in a community where having many sexual partners, engaging in kinky activities, or having relationships outside of strict monogamy was seen as abnormal, even immoral. The Ethical Slut changed my entire concept about what sex and relationships can be. It validated my sexual desires, encouraged exploration, and valued sex with consent and respect. Its explanation and understanding of jealousy also reframed my perception of the feeling. I would highly recommend this read for anyone who feels outside the sexual norm (whatever that

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2019 Health Beauty

This derm-office facial taught me everything about how to apply my skin care

4 min read

April 27, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC Among the beauty myths that I’ve come to believe, I’ve always surmised that the only way to get your skin to really drink up beauty ingredients extra well is via a microneedling treatment. This works by puncturing your complexion with uber-tiny micro-tears that stimulate your skin’s collagen and also help products to sink in better. And yet—I’ve heard lots of beauty brand founders and dermatologists tell me that you need to be patting and pressing products into your skin for better absorption, too. So I’m on a quest to find out how fingertip pressure—of all things—can help ingredients get into your epidermis. My first stop? To Dennis Gross, MD‘s dermatology practice on New York’s upper east side, where he’s offering a brand new technology via his “Infusion Facial.” It literally uses a new pressured jet stream technology to infuse potent ingredients into the complexion. After my esthetician cleanses my skin, she uses this machine, which has a pen-like stick that blows into my face. She goes over section of my face various times, each one infusing a different active ingredient into my skin. “This is a new amazing technology,” Dr. Gross gushed to me afterwards. “I always say that facials are not an anti-aging treatment, if you really think about it. For something to be anti-aging, it has to do something—like build collagen, help with redness, give internal hydration, or plump the skin.” His take? Regular facials will not do these things. “Conventional

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