February 25, 2019 at 11:13AM by CWC So, your hard work and dedication at the office was rewarded with a promotion? That definitely deserves a fist pump and a toast—cheers! But when the sparkly feeling wears off, you might find that it’s followed by a wave of self-doubt. In this week’s Good@Work column, all-around boss babe Amy Odell—whom you may know as the former editor (AKA HBIC) of Cosmopolitan.com and founding blogger of New York magazine’s The Cut—counsels a letter-writer struggling with the fact that the team they’re managing now includes someone older and with more experience. Question: I was recently promoted at work (woohoo!), but as a result of this promotion, a woman who is significantly older and more experienced than I am is reporting directly to me. How do you manage and provide feedback to someone that has more life and work knowledge than you do? Answer: Before you give yourself over to imposter syndrome, take time to feel proud of your promotion. Assuming you don’t have one of those jobs where promotions are handed out to 23-year-olds like doctor’s office lollipops (I’ve heard stories), you probably got this new role because you worked hard and made some sacrifices. Having that effort recognized feels nice. So, take time to feel nice. Go out to dinner, have an appletini or two, and try to distance yourself for at least two hours from the anxiety a promotion like this will inevitably unleash. If you didn’t have anxiety about a promotion that came with more direct reports, you might
Category: 2019 Health
Weird but true: Toothpaste could be behind those rogue zits
February 25, 2019 at 10:40AM by CWC Figuring out the cause of a breakout is a bit like doing detective work. Deep, cystic zits on your jawline? Those are your hormones talking. Superficial whiteheads on your nose or forehead? It may be time to reconsider your diet and/or your product lineup. But there’s one culprit that could be causing breakouts around your mouth that may blow your mind: your toothpaste. “Sodium lauryl sulfate or SLS is public enemy number one in toothpaste that causes skin irritation,” explains Twice toothpaste founder Cody Levine, whose products are SLS-free. “This detergent is the most common ingredient used to make your toothpaste foam, just like your shampoo, soap, and laundry detergent. While we all love the clean feeling of bubbly foam, SLS is a proven irritant that can lead to dry skin, as well as canker sores in the mouth.” According to New York City dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, this checks out. “SLS is the prototypical sulfate ingredient that has been removed from sulfate-free products,” he confirms. “It’s a known irritant, causing skin inflammation. It used to be used commonly in cleansers and toothpaste because it acts as a surfactant to help remove dirt from the skin and gunk from teeth.” Unfortunately, as it foams and that gets onto the skin surrounding the mouth, skin can become irritated and inflamed. It can also severely dry out skin, which then leads to a surge in oil production that results in pimples. The good news is that toothpaste
Sick of lemon water? Try these 4 digestion-boosting foods in the a.m. instead
February 25, 2019 at 10:33AM by CWC Real talk: Coffee can help you poop, which is why it can be such a boon in the morning to…ahem, get you moving in more ways than one. But obviously, there are better, less jitters-inducing ways to rev up your digestion in the a.m., right? Right. One word: Breakfast. And no, I’m not talking about milk and cereal here. According to registered dietitians and healthy eating pros, there are a few different healthy options when it comes to digestion-boosting breakfasts. Of course every body is different, so it may take a bit of experimentation to find the food that works best for your body. (A delicious trial-and-error.) But here are the top recommendations, from several different healthy eating pros: 1. Green smoothie Okay, this first one isn’t technically a food, but it’s such a beloved morning breakfast by everyone from Jessica Alba, Drew Barrymore, and Reese Witherspoon that it definitely should be mentioned. Well+Good Wellness Council member Kimberly Snyder, RD, swears by her smoothie blend of three cups of leafy green vegetables, celery, banana, pear, apple, and lemon juice. Why? All that glorious fiber. “This smoothie has 9 to 11 grams of fiber, which is key for stabilizing blood sugar and preventing the body from craving sugary foods later,” she previously told Well+Good. “This, along with giving ourselves incredible amounts of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, all work together and lead to being more in tune with nature and making better decisions all day.” Plus, fiber
Nearly 1,500 Well+Good readers answered our sleep survey—and the results are a serious wake-up call
February 25, 2019 at 09:44AM by CWC “Love: Everyone wants it, but not everyone finds it,” was the oft-quoted (and, okay, oft-ridiculed) mantra of Bravo’s Millionaire Matchmaker before the show wrapped in 2015. If you ask me though, an equally scintillating spin-off series could be launched where the word “love” is swapped for “sleep.” Because yes, so many of us sleep-thirsty Americans, who log an hour less on average (6.8 hours per night) than we did in 1942, per a 2013 Gallup survey, would love for Mr. Sandman to finally put a proverbial ring on it. (And now, we have numbers to prove it.) Well+Good recently surveyed nearly 1,500 people about their sleep habits and health (or, *sigh*, lack thereof). Some key takeaways? 92 percent of respondents report feeling fatigued more than one day per week. 65 percent point to general stress for constantly keeping them awake, and 70 percent say their fitness goals suffer as a result of sleeplessness. When asked how they remedy bouts of insomnia, the majority (53 percent) report turning to meditation, with natural sleep-aids like melatonin (52 percent) and CBD (28 percent) named, too. Perhaps most strikingly of all though is that on average, people report clocking in seven hours of sleep instead of their desired eight. Remember that earlier-cited stat from Gallup? Folks are still log just about an hour less on average than they did in the mid-20th century. So, it seems like high time we all renew our vows to sleeping our way to better mental and physical
How one female Soldier trained for the “toughest training course” in the Army
February 25, 2019 at 10:00AM by CWC As the United States Army’s website puts it: “Ranger School is one of the toughest training courses for which a Soldier can volunteer.” It lasts for 56 days and involves three phases—starting with some hardcore fitness tests, followed by 20-straight days and nights of operating in rugged mountain conditions with full gear and very little food or water, and to finish, 16 days of learning how survive in a “jungle and swamp environment”. It’s mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting (in case you need quantifiable proof of just how exhausting: One estimation claims that only about 50 percent of the Soldiers who start in the program actually finish it out to graduate. Unlike many other areas of the Armed forces, women are held to the exact same physical standards as their male counterparts. Women actually weren’t allowed in Ranger School until 2015, and since they’ve been granted entry into the program, they haven’t been given any special treatment as far as the rules of requirement go. “I really liked that it was at one standard, because then no one can say: ‘Well, you only made it through because you’re a woman.’ And to me, that’s important,” says Lieutenant Emily Lilly, who graduated from Ranger School in 2018 at age 38—the first-ever female Army Guard Soldier to do so. Obviously, this undertaking is not for the faint of heart, and requires some major physical fitness to get in. Before a Solider even starts Ranger School, they need to complete the following: Ranger
Meet HIIPA, which is pretty much HIIT set to the tune of your everyday life
February 25, 2019 at 09:36AM by CWC HIIT—or high-intensity interval training—seems to be the workout style designed specifically to accommodate our modern-day hustling lives. In just 20 minutes of work, you can expect satisfyingly sweat-soaked gym attire and a healthy spike in your heart rate. But a brand-new paper published Saturday argues that you can reap the benefits of HIIT even when you’re not wearing your leggings with HIIPA. High-intensity incidental physical activity or HIIPA is the stuff that you regularly do throughout the day that gets your heart rate up, but that you wouldn’t technically classify as “fitness” on its own. Think of it like this: Rather than (or in addition to) blocking off time in your Google Cal to head to the gym, you treat the quotidien strenuous activities you do—like walking up the stairs to work or vacuuming while dancing—as bite-sized servings of exercise. Then, you consider your “active recovery” whatever else is on your TDL for the day. In order to get the “best bang for buck for time unit”, as the researchers put it, attempt to do those everyday circuits at 80 percent or above your VO2max. So, instead of taking the escalator to the top floor at the mall, think about high-kneeing your way to the top. (But be safe, please!) “Our paper, published today in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, shows this type of regular, incidental activity that gets you huffing and puffing is likely to produce health benefits, even if you do it in
5 ways to pull off the Oscar’s pink fashion trend IRL—from feminine to sporty styles
February 25, 2019 at 09:20AM by CWC Without a doubt, pink was one of the standout trends of the evening at the 2019 Academy Awards on Sunday. In all tones, silhouettes, trends, and styles, celebrities hit the red carpet in pink looks that wowed. While you might not exactly be in the market for a ballgown (though, who knows!), it’s time to take this unmistakable trend and translate it into your own wardrobe for spring. Take cues from some of the chicest ladies on the Oscars carpet who wore the powerful color with style, strength, and poise, mixing in your current everyday wardrobe staples to create a seasonal uniform you won’t be able to wait to wear. Channel Julia Roberts’ one-shoulder silhouette, Gemma Chan’s neon statement, Kacey Musgraves’ pale pink hue and more as you build your spring 2019 wardrobe with a color that will transition from ultra-feminine to sporty chic with ease. Check out the best pink looks of the night, below, and what to shop to make the trend your own this season. Ruffles Linda Cardellini in Schiaparelli Haute Couture. Photo: Getty Images/Frazer Harrison Lina Cardellini’s Schiaparelli look might have elicited a love-it-or-hate-it response from all, but the ruffled gown brought a whimsical life to the red carpet that you’re going to want—no, need—in your everyday wardrobe, asap. Perhaps you add the subtle detail to a bag or sneaker or maybe hunt for the most statement-making top that you plan to pair with a classic like high-waisted jeans.
How to know when it’s time to break up, based on your Myers-Briggs personality type
February 25, 2019 at 08:34AM by CWC People don’t usually decide to break up with their partners suddenly. I mean, let’s be real: It’s rare for the state of a relationship to go from wonderful to terrible overnight. Usually, the decision sort of creeps up on you. And depending on your unique list of priorities, you might have your own unique reasons for needing to leave a partnership. Your Myers-Briggs personality type can both illuminate your needs in a relationship and also which qualities are absolutely not negotiable—whether that’s control or trust or something else entirely. So, what exactly is your breaking point for knowing when to call it quits? Read on. (Don’t know what your MBTI is? Read this first!) Check out how to know when to break up, based on your Myers-Briggs personality type. Graphic by Well+Good Creative ISFJ: When you feel the relationship is unstable You thrive on stability and like knowing your partner is going to be there for you know matter what. When your relationship seems to be a roller-coaster, and you’re hitting more rough patches than bursts of good times, it’s time to end it. You’ll have near-constant anxiety with an absentee significant other. ESFJ: When you’re working harder for it than they are You’re incredibly giving, but that generosity is also your Achilles’ heel. You tend to work very hard to maintain relationships once committed, even if your partner isn’t reciprocating in equal measure. By the time you actually feel that your partner
How to make push-ups way (and I mean, way!) easier
February 25, 2019 at 08:03AM by CWC With so many challenging variations of exercises to choose from, plain-old push-ups couldn’t seem more basic. But despite being one of the easiest-to-follow moves, it’s also one of the most difficult, making even the strongest fitness buffs work up a sweat. So, if you’ve ever wished your fitness fairy god mother would make the move just a little bit easier, you’re not alone and you’re in luck. Carla Smith, the founder of Roller Derby Athletics, recently shared a YouTube video featuring her tricks to making push-ups easier. Aside from lessening the burn you feel in the moment (always a plus!), the simple tweaks will make you stronger over time. “When we think about modifying push-ups, we usually think about doing them from our knees—and that’s fine,” she says. With that being said, she has more effective ways to perform the move that will have you doing the real thing in record time. Two tricks to make push-ups way easier 1. Use an elevated surface: The first way Smith recommends modifying push-ups is doing them on an elevated surface. “An even better way to work your way up to doing full push-ups is to elevate your hands,” she says. Once you can do three or four sets of 10 to 15 on a surface that’s kitchen counter or table height, lower to doing them on something that’s bench height then six inches off the ground. Pretty soon, you’ll be on your mat. 2. Focus on the downward motion: Instead of
Melissa McCarthy’s tracksuit, and other wellness wins from last night’s Oscars
February 25, 2019 at 05:44AM by CWC Most people think last night’s Oscars was all about the best of the best in film. But while the Academy undoubtedly got the music from Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star Is Born stuck in your head forever, they left out a few major awards for the biggest wellness wins of the night. Sure, Lady Gaga’s acceptance speech for Best Original Song was a true tearjerker. And even though Olivia Colman winning Best Actress over Glenn Close was the biggest upset of the night, everyone quickly fell in love with her after that adorably awkward—and super-inspiring—acceptance speech. But how about Frances McDormand’s bright yellow Birks and Melissa McCarthy’s tracksuit? Movies aside, these wellness moments were more than worthy of an Oscar. The 7 best wellness moments at the Oscars. 1. Melissa McCarthy’s tracksuit Leave it to McCarthy to ditch the glam and rock a cozy Adidas tracksuit at an Oscars after-party. Even better? Her husband matched. 2. Jason Momoa’s scrunchie Jason Momoa: He’s just like us. In case he had the urge to tie back those gorgeous long strands, he kept a scrunchie on his wrist all night long—red carpet and all. 3. Frances McDormand’s custom Birks Heels, who? Instead, Frances McDormand presented an award in custom yellow Valentino Birkenstocks. 4. Marie Kondo’s red carpet appearance There was one person in particular who sparked joy above all else on the red carpet last night: none other than Marie Kondo herself. 5. Spike Lee’s custom gold Jordans Spike