January 13, 2020 at 05:34PM by CWC Are you one of those people who broadcasts your sign as a humble brag of sorts? Like, “I’m a Libra, which I want you to interpret as meaning I’m super charismatic and the best at relationships.” I don’t do this because I’m an Aries and we’re known for being full of ourselves so it’s a little too on the nose, but if you are prone to this behavior, I’m sure you’re not alone. You might think twice about divulging your sign unless solicited, however, when you consider that for every positive aspect of your sign exist shadow-side characteristics. In any case, what this means is that any good characteristic of your sign can manifest in ways that are not-so-good. For example, if you are an independent Aries, you can also be selfish, intuitive astrologer and healer Rachel Lang points out. So, which negative traits have you been unwittingly advertising all these years? Discover the shadow side of your star sign Aries They can be fiercely independent and confident. The shadow side is they can seem selfish. They can also be competitive, and this can lead to challenges in relationships. Taurus Taurus is a stable and reliable. They tend to appreciate financial security and make wise decisions to ensure it. The shadow side is they can be resistant to change once they have a sense of security. Gemini Gemini is curious and enjoys learning new things. They can strike up a conversation with almost
Month: January 2020
This 10-minute resistance band workout fires up every single arm muscle
January 13, 2020 at 05:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqnvQHhjdU4] When you want to work on your arm strength, free weights and barbells are always there for you. But for those of us who like to work out at home or when we’re on the road, adding a resistance band to your routine can up your game—no weight rack or weight room necessary. This week, Simone De La Rue, our current Trainer of the Month and founder of Body By Simone, has an upper body resistance band workout that fires up all of your major arm muscles. There may only be four moves in the entire workout, but, trust me: Your biceps, shoulders, chest, and triceps are going to b-u-r-n. By the end of this 10-minute sequence, not only are you going to feel stronger, but you’re going to reap some major secondhand benefits, too. Strengthening your shoulders and your chest will help you to sit up straighter, which is good news for all of us who have desk jobs (seriously, bring it on!). If you don’t have a resistance band on hand, De La Rue suggests using three-pound weights, or working your way up to 10 pounds for more of a challenge. Try De La Rue’s 10-minute resistance band upper body workout 1. Bicep curl into overhead press: Grab the ends of your resistance band and stand on it. Since you’re in charge of resistance, you can keep your feet closer together for lighter resistance, or shoulder-width distance apart for more of
How to save a relationship that’s struggling (and when it’s best to let it go)
January 13, 2020 at 04:00PM by CWC No matter how strong a relationship may be, you’re bound to hit a few rough patches along the way. These issues can show up in a number of ways including infidelity, a cycle of being on-again and off-again that feels endless, a lack of fun between the sheets, or perhaps a situation that’s become downright toxic. All of these examples (and countless others) may leave you wondering both how to save a relationship that’s struggling and whether doing so is even the best course of action. The good news is experts say there are ways to discern whether you have reason to stick around, and there are also strategies you can call upon to restore the health of your partnership that’s currently struggling. Keep reading for signs that a relationship is in trouble in the first place, how to know when letting go is the best course of action, and then get tips for how to save a relationship and restore its status to healthy. How to know when to save a relationship and went to let go Although optimism always gets a gold star, the truth is that not all relationships are meant to be saved. Before deciding how you’ll proceed, it’s important to first get clear on whether your relationship is worth saving or whether it’s best for you and your partner to go your separate ways. There are a few key components to take into consideration when making your decision about
Well+Good TALKS: ReNew Year: What (and How) You Will Eat in 2020
January 13, 2020 at 03:54PM by CWC It’s a new decade, and we’re drowning in “healthy” eating plans—which makes figuring out how, exactly, to eat for your well-being feel very complicated. Sort through the noise with intel from food experts on how to form long-lasting healthy eating habits that work for you—no matter how trendy they are. Featuring a special pre-panel conversation between Well+Good’s Executive Editor Abbey Stone and Co-Founder of UPGRAID, Helene Rutledge. EVENT DETAILS Tuesday, January 28, 2020 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Location: WeWork Now | 902 Broadway, New York, NY 10010 THE PANEL Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, MS, RD | Host of Well+Good’s You Versus Food Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, MS, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and author of the newly released book, “The Better Period Food Solution.” She is a nationally acclaimed nutrition expert, influencing millions through media with magazine and online features, podcasts and YouTube videos. Tracy is the host of Well+Good’s YouTube food and nutrition series, “You Versus Food” and the health and nutrition consultant at Betches Media. Her straightforward, yet friendly voice has allowed her to break through the wellness space as a refreshing and honest nutrition expert. Haile Thomas | Wellness and Compassion Activist + CEO of The HAPPY Org Haile Thomas is a 19-year-old international speaker, health activist, and the youngest Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach in the United States. At 12, Haile founded the nonprofit HAPPY (Healthy Active Positive Purposeful Youth) to address the need for affordable plant-based nutrition and culinary
I never thought I’d have full eyebrows, but brow lamination changed that for me
January 13, 2020 at 03:00PM by CWC Even though my waxer once told me that my eyebrows were a beautiful color in the ninth grade (I haven’t forgotten, BTW!), they aren’t perfect. If I don’t brush them out and gel them down, they tend to look a little sparse and wimpy, which isn’t exactly the look that I’m aiming for. But doing this day in and day out can get a little tired, so when I heard about brow lamination, a boy-browification treatment for your arches that lasts upwards of six weeks, I was sold. Often referred to as a brow lift, the after effect of lamination is really meant to make your arches look fuller and flatter by perming the brow hairs. While other brow treatments do this by adding pigment (brow tints, for example, dye the hair, while microblading adds pigment to the skin surrounding the arch), this treatment is actually meant to focus on the texture of your brow hair. By straightening and lifting the hair, arches appear fuller and take up more space on the face. “Basically, it’s redirecting the hair in the way and shape [that] you want it to go,” says Josh Beeler, a lash and brow specialist at Shen Beauty in Brooklyn. “A lot of the times we use it to redirect the brows to make them appear thicker and fuller or flat.” Here’s what they look like usually: Photo Well+Good Creative As I sit down for my own lamination treatment (which at
Reframe your life with a positive spin by cultivating an abundance mentality
January 13, 2020 at 02:00PM by CWC After years of studying personal development, there’s one thing I know for sure: your mindset is everything. The way you think and how you view the world can impact how you experience life—whether you realize it or not. For example, I’m willing to be that you have at least one person in your life who just never finds anything to be good enough. They always have something to complain about, they’re stingy with money, convinced that they don’t get what they deserve, and are never satisfied with their situation. Compare that person with your most positive friend. They’re excited about the future, maybe, and are open to new experiences and possibilities. They’re generous, grateful, and generally positive—even when going through hard times. These people on paper might have similar finances, similar family dynamics, and similar challenges. But how they experience those challenges is totally different—because one of these people has successfully cultivated an abundance mentality. What does it mean to have an abundance mentality? An abundance mentality believes that there is more than enough for everyone and has trust that all your needs will be met. “It’s a mindset where possibilities exist and things in your life, including relationships, resources, money, love etc., feel energetically open and as if they’re happening for you and your highest good and the highest good of others,” says Kelsey Patel, wellness expert, reiki master, and author of the upcoming book Burning Bright: Rituals, Reiki + Self-Care to
Use ‘thought stopping’ techniques to shield yourself from a spiral of negative thinking
January 13, 2020 at 01:00PM by CWC When you find yourself in a whirlpool of negative thinking, it can be tough to stop the situation from becoming a total downward spiral. You’re at risk for drowning in it, and pulling yourself out can be a serious challenge. That’s exactly why thought stopping techniques are so helpful. They can serve as a life raft of sorts to keep you from becoming totally submerged. “Thought stopping is a traditional cognitive behavioral technique that is designed to replace a negative or unwanted thought with a more positive or neutral thought,” says clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly, PhD, author of Joy from Fear. “This intervention is a core component of treatments targeted to reduce or eliminate obsessive or problematic recurring thoughts. Overall, it is a highly effective technique that is commonly used across many types of psychotherapy.” Introduced by psychiatrist Joseph Wolpe in the 1950s, the goal of thought stopping was primarily to treat obsessive and phobic thoughts. One version of thought stopping has the patient wear a rubber band on their wrist, and snap the band whenever these thoughts start to spiral. Now, though, there’s no need to use the technique in a negatively enforcing way that’s essentially self-bullying behavior. Rather, it’s entirely possible to use thought stopping to improve our mental health positively and with self-love. How to practice thought stopping with kindness “Thought stopping can be a wonderful technique to reduce negative thinking, yet important research shows that thought stopping without a replacement
I tried revamping my beauty routine while I slept—and tbh, I’ve never felt better
January 13, 2020 at 10:00AM by CWC I don’t know about you, but sleeping ranks number one on my list of favorite things to do, ever. Where else can I go into total relaxation mode without anyone bothering me at all? Since I usually start counting down the minutes until bedtime from the moment I open my eyes in the morning, when I’m faced with the choice between hitting the pillow and launching into an elaborate beauty routine, my pillow wins 10 times out of 10. As you can imagine, this order of priorities has left my skin and hair in need of some attention, which got me to thinking—what if I didn’t have to choose? What if I could log my eight hours and give myself a glow-up at the same time? (I mean, they don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing.) I started researching overnight beauty hacks, and decided to dedicate my personal snooze time to giving my routine a much-needed upgrade. From HUM Nutrition’s beauty-boosting supplements that work their magic overnight to silk bedtime essentials, dreaming can really churn out glowing results, without any extra work. Keep reading for the 3 overnight beauty hacks I tried for amping up my routine while I snoozed. Photo: HUM Nutrition Popped a beauty-boosting supplement First up, I wanted to tackle my complexion. Since sleep is supposed to be the time when I do the absolute least, I was looking for a low-effort, big-impact addition to my routine—which is where HUM
The universe has big (uncomfortable) changes in store this week, and you’d be wise not to resist them
January 12, 2020 at 10:00PM by CWC The week ahead brings paradigm-shifting, game-changing, energy. Starting Sunday, January 12, when Saturn and Pluto perfect their conjunction at 22 degrees of Capricorn, the cosmic weather commands you to declare your most sincere intentions for your life. The process may lead you to experience some cognitive dissonance as you reconcile expectations you may have held for your life versus the reality that’s emerging now. While this reality might not match your previously held expectations, it’s essential to be open to what’s developing rather than cling to an outdated vision for your life. As these two titans of the sky, Saturn and Pluto, conjoin, Mercury, the planet of communication, joins forces with them. This influence of Mercury commands you to use your words and speak your intentions; it asks you to commit to your truth. Warning: This effect might not feel gentle and can easily be mistaken for chaos rather than productivity. Like the Hindu goddess Kali Ma, who breathes creativity into life first through the force of destruction, Saturn, the planet of structure, aligning with Pluto, who represents ruthless transmutation, breaks down that which doesn’t serve you, opening up the potential for what does. Understand that surrendering the old you creates space for the new, allowing for your life to unfold in alignment with the highest order. The changes you are experiencing now are karmic and decades in the making. To make the most of the transformative energy, consider who and what are
9 healthy desk snacks nutritionists always keep at work
January 12, 2020 at 04:00PM by CWC When “hanger” sets in mid-afternoon, we’re often left with no other choice than to hit up the vending machine or make our way down to the corporate cafeteria for some overpriced, processed fuel. But if you remember to leave a stash of super healthy desk snacks in a drawer, you’ll save money while boosting your energy levels, focus, and productivity during the 9-to-5 grind. Not sure what to keep on hand? Try these delicious snacks that nutrition pros rely on to make it through the day. Healthy desk snacks nutritionists eat at work 1. KIND bars “I never leave home without a KIND bar in my purse or in the glove compartment of my car, and they can easily squeeze into a desk drawer,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, author of Read It Before You Eat It. What she appreciates most is that transparent wrappers allows you to see the whole ingredients clearly, like nuts, seeds, oats, and dried fruit. “The decadent taste and sweetness from chocolate surprisingly only brings five grams of sugar, and it also gives six grams of protein and a whopping seven grams of fiber to help you feel fuller longer,” she says. She adds that if you’re only slightly hungry, KIND mini bars are a great lower-calorie option that delivers equally on taste. 2. Almonds When Taub-Dix needs an afternoon energy boost, her snack of choice is a handful of Blue Diamond whole natural almonds that provide six grams of