May 14, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC After a couple rounds of pull-ups or rows at the gym, you’re expecting a toned-up situation every time you glance down at your biceps. So, how come after what feels like the millionth rep, you’re left with what you started with… just way sweatier? You’re not alone on your quest to achieve Kelly Ripa-level arms—which is why we enlisted Anna Kaiser, founder of dance-sculpt empire AKT and Ripa’s personal trainer, to help. Here’s the good news: You don’t have to overhaul your entire exercise plan to start feeling the results. One of Kaiser’s secrets to fitness success is to simply change up your routine every few weeks, like she does in her own practice. “I think it’s really important to find a program with a variety of workouts and not a single modality—so you’re not just doing barre day after day or just spin day after day,” she says. To help give your gym sesh a glow-up—with all the Kelly Ripa-approved moves in tow—we teamed up with Reebok UNLOCKED, the new rewards program that gives you access to wellness-boosting perks curated by Well+Good plus tons of exclusive Reebok offers, to task Kaiser with demonstrating. Keep scrolling for four arm-workout moves from Kaiser that’ll get you more bang for your buck at the gym. https://content.jwplatform.com/players/5q4aIQge-dUl83MEz.js 1. Triangle Position This move, which looks super similar to downward-dog-into-dolphin pose for all you yogis, zones in on your triceps. Triangle Position not only sends a fiery burn
Category: 2019 Health
You’re probably making these common mistakes doing bicycle crunches, and your neck and back are paying for it
May 14, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC No matter what type of workout I’m doing, there’s a 60 percent chance that I’lll be asked to add in some bicycle crunches. The staple crunch upgrade that targets the obliques is found in everything from strength training and HIIT classes to Pilates, all because it’s a dependable ab exercise that’s been beloved for years by trainers and fitness devotees alike. That said, you can easily sabotage all of the benefits it’s giving you by way of small—but significant—mistakes. According to Kit Rich, celebrity trainer and founder of KICHGO, there are three mistakes in form that she sees people make with bicycle crunches all the time. One: twisting from the neck. “If you twist from the neck while doing bicycle crunches, you don’t actually target the core the way you want to, and you put unwanted pressure on the neck which can cause pain and tightness,” she says. To counter this, Rich says to instead think about lifting all the way up off of the floor via your shoulders. “You want to think about your shoulder blades,” she says. “Picture hands below the shoulder blades pushing up, lifting your chest and back off the floor. Lift through your shoulder blades and twist through the rib cage.” Another mistake? Too much rocking and lifting of the hips. As with most exercise moves, it’s really key to keep your hips in place. “You want to keep your hips still and stable,” says Rich. “Imagine hands
The 3 supplements every woman should consider taking, according to a registered dietitian
May 14, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECSgPbxwi6o] Possibly the most confusing part of healthy eating: supplements. Fish oil, zinc, magnesium, potassium…how do you know what you really need and what isn’t worth shelling out for? (Because no joke, supplements aren’t cheap.) The best way to know, of course, it to talk to your MD, who will likely do blood work to actually see what nutrients you need more of, and then you can go from there. But in general, there are typically three big vitamins women should be consuming on the regular, registered dietitian Tracy Lockwood Beckerman said in the latest episode of You Versus Food. They are (drum roll please): calcium, vitamin D, and iron. Why those three particular supplements for women? Beckerman says that vitamin D helps with calcium absorption, and it also plays a crucial role in brain and reproductive health. Calcium keeps bones strong and helps support the thyroid, which is responsible for regulating the menstrual cycle. As for iron, you how you can feel more tired on your period? Beckerman says that’s because you’re often lower in iron, the third crucial vitamin on her list. Simply put, iron provides energy and helps the blood carry oxygen throughout the body. She adds that if you’re vegan or vegetarian, you especially need to be conscious that you’re getting enough (since iron is harder to come by from plant-based sources). So what if one wanted to get those above-mentioned vitamins without going a supplement route? Beckerman
On the cusp: What being born between Taurus and Gemini seasons means for your personality
May 14, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC I felt mega betrayed by the universe when it recently deflated the sheer and unfettered joy I felt upon my mom mentioning to me that Cher is a Taurus. See, I’m a Taurus, and I’m currently looking into any and all connections I share with the Goddess of Pop. Yet a quick Google search to confirm that our status as zodiac soul sisters revealed to me that her birthday is May 20th, so though she’s indeed a Taurus (which rules Aril 20 through May 21), she’s born on the Taurus Gemini cusp, the period spanning the end of Taurus and beginning of Gemini season. Yes, it’s a personal bummer for me to have this cosmic division from my kween, but maybe her specific astrological profile is responsible for some of her awesomeness to which I’m simply not privy. But before we dive right in, a quick note about being born on the cusp of two signs: You are always, ultimately, one sign or another. When you’re a cusp baby, you simply tend to embody other qualities from the neighboring sign. So Cher is still a Taurus (phew), but she probably has a smattering of Gemini traits that make her all dazzling and stuff. Here’s a breakdown of both signs and the unique cusp profile to clear things up: Quick recap, here are the traits of a Taurus: Earthy. That’s it. Just kidding. Still, people love to harp on how bulls are super-practical and grounded
The unexpected piece I’m wearing over all my workout clothes to make them brunch-appropriate
May 14, 2019 at 12:28PM by CWC Do you remember, years ago before athleisure was really a thing, all the people proclaiming loudly that leggings are not pants? I was a proponent of this—I firmly believed that leggings were terrible and that under no circumstances should they be worn in a non-athletic capacity. But oh, how the tables have turned. Now, it’s a rare day that you’ll find me in anything but leggings. While it’s now acceptable to wear workout clothes pretty much anywhere, however, I still find myself wanting to style them post-workout in ways that don’t scream “I am a sweaty monster who just finished up at CrossFit.” This winter, I would reach for a cute pullover sweatshirt and really lean in to the athleisure/streetwear look… but now that the weather is warming up, I find myself gravitating toward lighter, more polished pieces. Enter: the button up shirt. Back in those days when leggings weren’t considered pants, a button up shirt would often be your saving grace: Conventional fashion wisdom said that as long as your butt was covered by your shirt/dress/tunic, you wouldn’t upset the pants status quo, so throwing on an oversized Oxford—maybe cinching it at the waist with a belt (I shudder to remember)—would often do the trick. The 2019 version of this is a little more laid back and sporty. Tied around your waist, they serve some serious ’90s vibes. With the sleeves rolled up and a hint of sports bra showing, it says,
Is it…normal to have never had a relationship well into your 20s and 30s?
May 14, 2019 at 11:07AM by CWC It took me 27 years to be in what I would consider a long-term relationship. Although I met my boyfriend—who is, by the way, 31 and also had not previously been in a “serious” relationship—when I was 25, we weren’t really, truly committed until recently. My lack of success on the stable-relationship front wasn’t for lack of effort. I dated pretty prolifically throughout my twenties—I even wrote a whole book about the ins and outs of modern dating, which turned into a tome about the all-too-common phobia of commitment in the contemporary landscape. I dated many mehs, some maybes, and a few suitors with real potential, but between career shifts, moves, general immaturity, and a lack of mutual sustained interest, none of the flings blossomed into a long-term situation. And for years, I wondered how much of it was my fault. Was something wrong with me? Was I not choosing correctly? Or was everyone else and their commitment issues the problem? The only thing I knew for sure was that I was confused. I constantly heard from friends and loved ones that I’m smart, attractive, and fun to be around, and that I should have zero problems securing a lasting relationship. But of course, those well-intentioned affirmations meant to gas me up only made me feel worse about my lack of success in the love sphere. What made me feel better was learning I wasn’t alone: While writing my book, I spoke with
Oolong tea is the stress-reducing drink you didn’t know you needed
May 14, 2019 at 10:56AM by CWC If black tea and green tea had a baby, it would be a little like oolong tea. Slightly grassy with a hint of sweetness, oolong is a bit harder to track down than its cousins Earl Grey, matcha, or English breakfast, but it’s definitely worth going out of your way to find given its impressive health-boosting, stress-reducing benefits. “It has similar health benefits to black and green tea and is actually made from the same leaves as green tea. The difference is how it is processed,” explains registered dietitian Amy Shapiro, RD. “Green tea leaves are not allowed to oxidize much and black tea is. Oolong falls somewhere in the middle.” Here, Shapiro gives the scoop on what makes it so great. What are some health-related oolong tea benefits? 1. It can help the body manage stress. Shapiro says oolong tea contains l-theanine, an amino acid that’s associated with sleep and relaxation. “This is what is responsible for the relaxing effect oolong tea has,” she says. Scientific research shows that l-theanine stimulates alpha waves in your brain, which are associated with a relaxed, focused state of mind. Of course, oolong also has caffeine, so you’ll feel focused, not sleepy. (So, better as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up than a bedtime drink.) 2. Oolong tea is full of polyphenols. Shapiro also points out that oolong tea is high in polyphenols, which are linked to lowering inflammation and help protect the body against free radicals and prevent the growth
Everything about the Outdoor Voices x Madewell collab is cute—but honestly, I’m here for the tote
May 14, 2019 at 10:33AM by CWC When two brands we love collaborate with one another, it’s like that time Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men blessed the airwaves with “One Sweet Day.” Now that Outdoor Voices and Madewell have had an athleisure baby that takes the form of items like ready-to-sweat sets ($95), scrunchies ($10), and—my personal favorite—a sassy tote ($12), my wardrobe is ready to reap the rewards. The collection could be placed next to the word “technicolor” in the dictionary. OV’s signature colorblock sets adopt the cool grey, pink, and blue hues that Madewell devotees know and love. (And duh, there’s a matching scrunchy in your color palette of choice.) You can also snag a T-shirt ($45) or a sweatshirt ($80) adorned with wave-like pattern if you’re channeling a “surf’s up!” kinda vibe. Photo: Outdoor Voices As I mentioned, I’m particularly smitten with the tote—a striped montage to both brands, which—if worn to Trader Joe’s or thrown over a shoulder en route to the beach—is sure to spark envious double-takes. We’re guessing the whole line is already selling like avocado toast, so if you want to get in on the sporty look, grab your (ca-yute!) tote and shop until the next Madewell x Outdoor Voices drop. Ready to style those leggings for the office? Here’s how to pull it off. Oh, and ICYMI, bike shorts are taking over. Continue Reading… Author Kells McPhillips | Well and Good Selected by iversue
Trainers agree: Vanessa Hudgens’ workout equation is something everyone can learn from
May 14, 2019 at 09:34AM by CWC Vanessa Hudgens is really, really strong. I know this, because when I worked out next to her at an event for Propel Vitamin Boost yesterday (and made all of my eighth grade dreams come true), she was not messing around. She piled on double the amount of ankle weights as the rest of us did, held a perfectly-formed plank for an entire song, and somehow made it all look so easy that she walked out with her hair and makeup still intact. I, on the other hand, collapsed on the floor into a pile of my own sweat. When Hudgens and I sat down to chat after 45-minutes of Megan Roup kicking our butts (and after I chugged two bottles of Propel’s new electrolyte water to replace all the water I’d lost during the workout), I had to know what her strength-building secret is. And while I was fully expecting her to cop to spending 2+ hours a day with a trainer, the reason behind her success in the gym is actually super simple: consistency and variety. She told me that she has pretty much stuck with the same three workouts—SoulCycle, Pilates, and yoga—for the better part of the last ten years, mixing things up throughout the week to target different parts of her body. And, in case the results didn’t speak for themselves, pros confirm that she’s onto something with this methodology. “It’s really important to mix up your routine to ensure
Yale scientists discover possible route to PTSD-related suicide prevention
May 14, 2019 at 08:44AM by CWC From 2000 to 2016, the rate of death by suicide in the United States increased by 30 percent. For the estimated 5 percent of Americans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a major risk factor for suicide, new research shows progress toward the prevention of self-harm. A small study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found a connection between people who suffer from PTSD with a likelihood of committing suicide to a specific biomarker (a visible indication of someone’s medical state), reports The Yale Daily News. Using PET imaging, the team of researchers at Yale University looked at the brains of 87 people (29 with PTSD, 29 with depression, and 29 with neither). The brain scans of the PTSD group with current suicidal thoughts showed higher levels of metabotropic glutamatergic receptor 5, or mGluR5, which has been linked to both mood and anxiety disorders. Researchers did not find raised levels in the depressed group, which included both individuals with and without suicidal thoughts. Irina Esterlis, PhD, the associate professor of psychiatry at Yale who authored the study, posits that the finding could possibly have meaningful implications for people who have lived through trauma. When their PET scans show high levels of mGluR5, mental health professionals can step in on time to give them resources and psychiatric help to prevent them from committing suicide. It’s viewed as a breakthrough for the scientific community as well, given that—if researchers