December 12, 2018 at 05:59AM Way back in 2017, seemingly an eternity ago, I entered into a love triangle, splitting my gaze between the guy I was seeing and CrossFit. It wasn’t a relationship per se, but it was codependent, eager, and lustful in the way all Nicholas Sparks movies and soap operas are (rewatch and The Notebook or Dear John and then tell me I’m wrong). We spent all of our time together: working out, debriefing our workouts, planning our next workouts, fueling for our workouts, and watching other people workout. Riveting, I know. Month after month, this went on and on, and I fell more and more in love with them both each day. But then one day, said guy called it quits (for another girl at the gym, no less). I felt not only heartbroken and confused, but also like my relationship with CrossFit was in limbo, as well. Somewhere in the span of time we were seeing each other, my love for him had become indistinguishable from my love for CrossFit. So, to actually get over my workout-buddy-slash-ex, I couldn’t just trudge through the emotional sludge and physical hurt of the break-up. I also needed to redefine my relationship with fitness, outside of him. Unsure of where to start, I called up my CrossFit coach Mike Ramirez, CF-L2, for advice. His number one suggestion? Start a fitness feelings journal. “If you want to relate to fitness in a healthy and authentic way, then you need to connect to it mentally, emotionally, and spiritually
Category: 2019 Health
Can you have it all—just like the leads in this year’s *dozens* of made-for-TV holiday movies?
December 12, 2018 at 05:30AM There’s an interesting thing that happens around this time of year—and it’s not the fact that you’re spending the better part of your salary (y’know, the part usually reserved for self care or your travel fund) on gifts for everyone in your life. Rather, if you have a device that streams content or a cable connection, you’re inundated with made-for-TV holiday movies. Somehow, most of these festive flicks—the Hallmark Channel alone features 37 holiday movies and a matching checklist app to ensure you don’t miss a celebratory second—feature a female protagonist who peddles the same trope. She’s a career gal, but she wants love too; heck, she wants to have it all. Many of the stories go as follows: Ms. Business Lady (perhaps a chef, quaint bookshop employee, or interior designer) falls head over heels for Mr. Hometown Hunk. There’s snow! There’s cookies! There are eager looks shared in front of a fire—and probably a heartwarming game of Christmas charades! Plans are ripped up, and a newfound commitment to work-life balance is struck. Because, simply by deciding to do so, it’s possible in these movies to be everywhere, do everything, and reap the maximum rewards of happiness and fulfillment without any sacrifice—all while being well-rested, of course. So basically, just scatter my ashes at Hallmark HQ for all of eternity when the time comes, because these fictional worlds sound like heaven. A quick scroll through the Hallmark Channel’s website provides evidence enough that this storyline is a
A whole bunch of chic, holiday manicures for people who are weary of glitter
December 12, 2018 at 02:57AM Search #christmasnails on Instagram, and you’ll be met with 1.1 million examples of gold glitter, rhinestone snowflakes, and itty- bitty iterations of Rudolph’s and Santa’s faces. Now, don’t get me wrong: I am all for an over the top holiday manicure, but I also own six pairs of sequin slippers, which should (more or less) give you an idea of how I feel about glitz, in general. If you, on the other hand, happen to spend the other 11 months of the year rocking some version of Essie Nude Beach ($9), a mani covered in three coats of multi-colored glitter may not feel like them most appealing way to spend the most wonderful time of the year. And even I, sequin queen of the East Coast, am willing to admit that more than a few of the holiday nails on the ‘gram are a little, well, much. Fear not, though: There are still plenty of ways to get into the holiday spirit without looking like you dipped your fingers into a pot of gold. To find out how, I chatted with the godmother of minimalist, chic nails, Jin Soon Choi, whose eponymous nail studio doles out chic, refined takes on the holiday classics. “I’d suggest going with a solid color such as hot red to acknowledge the holiday season, or even a less literal holiday vibe like variations of white—such as JINsoon Prim—and black nail polish,” she says. “If you wish to get a more traditional look, go with a
How Taking Control of Your Finances Can Empower You (And Not in the Way You Think)
December 11, 2018 at 06:30PM What began as a movement circulating in the wellness sphere has transformed into a straight-up necessity in basically every aspect of life. And no, we’re not talking about avocados. Taking control of your finances has worked its way up the ranks and is joining your morning yoga and afternoon matcha as an integrated part of your wellness lifestyle—and not just in terms of the workplace, but as a way to open up options and boost confidence in general. Claire Wasserman, CEO and Founder of Ladies Get Paid, a professional development site for women, makes the whole wonder-woman-who-does-it-all vibe look easy. But, believe it or not, she wasn’t born with a knack for handling her finances—she did her research, sought advice, and now hosts open conversations on the topic. That is, in 19 cities across the country, speaking to nearly 5,000 women last year alone. “I’m really encouraged to see that this conversation is becoming [more open] and women are unashamed to publicly declare their ambitions both for their career—and their wallet,” she adds. “Money is power. It’s freedom, it’s value, it’s opportunity, it’s worth.” Scroll down to find out why taking control of your finances can help you feel empowered—and Wasserman’s advice on how to do it. Photo: Stocksy/BONNINSTUDIO How a financial plan can give you freedom We get it: The idea of asking for raises, bonuses, and promotions can be uncomfortable. But why is it so hard? The root of this uneasiness usually
Banish tech neck with these editor-approved décolletage creams
December 11, 2018 at 03:00PM It wasn’t too long ago that I read Nora Ephron’s I Feel Bad About My Neck. After getting through her all-too-real essay about what women deal with in terms of aging, I gazed at my décolletage in the mirror and, well, realized that there was one. more. thing. that needed “taking care of” on my bod. As a result, I started catering to my neck like it were a precious object, and the star of my skin-care routine. Like your under-eyes, your neck gets its own beauty products—and, according to dermatologists, for good reason. “The neck is easily exposed to the environment and gravity,” says Purvisha Patel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare. “The skin there doesn’t have the same amount of sebaceous or oil glands that the face does, and it can age faster than the face.” Besides that, the good ol’ trunk is also susceptible to similar woes that can occur on your face. “The neck’s more susceptible to irritation and scarring, and, like the face, the neck skin can develop brown spots, fine lines, and wrinkles,” says Joyce Imahiyerobo-Ip, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. That’s why it’s pretty important to keep your neck nourished and moisturized. If you think about it, your neck’s a vulnerable place: Besides holding up your noggin, it’s turning all the time and—modern update—bending down so you can look at your phone (hello, tech neck). “With all the devices we use, the neck is sometimes a huge giveaway,”
Yes, you can be addicted to achieving—and it’s not a good thing
December 11, 2018 at 02:25PM So, here’s a disturbing phenomenon I’ve noticed recently—I can no longer relax or enjoy my life if what I’m doing in the moment isn’t something I consider “productive” or hasn’t been “earned” by a completed to-do list. Creepy, right? For a while now, I’ve been scheduling every hour of every workday—sometimes, every minute of every hour—to maximize my daily output. And then, somewhere along the way, I added weekends, too. This doesn’t feel oppressive, either. It feels good. It’s a timed checklist and I get a dopamine hit every time an hour passes and I’ve actually done what I’m “supposed” to do…according to taskmaster me. This may sound normal or even enviable to you—after all, productivity is seen as a positive thing in our society—but it began to alarm me when I realized I no longer derived pleasure from vacations or the rare days on which I shunned the checklist to, you know, live. (Yes, I’d rather complete a to-do list full of busy work than lie on a beach—seriously!) And when you couple this with the fact that I’ve burned out from every job I’ve ever had and yet can’t seem to stop trying to over-deliver to the point of never wanting to deliver again, I have to wonder why the eff I’m addicted to not just productivity, but to achieving more generally. Serendipitously, I discovered I’m not alone in this experience (to which you may be thinking, “duh”) just as I began
Two birds, one drink: How to support women by sipping holiday-season cocktails
December 11, 2018 at 01:54PM Gender bias is certainly real, but women likely enjoy happy hour just as much as their guy friends. That’s why it’s infuriating to think about how the alcohol industry is so largely male-dominated—both in terms of who is working in it and who the products are being marketed to. It was literally a subplot in Netflix’s Nappily Ever After. Well, ready to hear something more refreshing than an ice-cold Kombrewcha? Constellation Brands, a major wine, beer, and spirits company, is putting $100 million into female start-ups, primarily in the alcohol space. The company—which owns Modelo, Svedka vodka, and High West whiskey, among other brands—hopes to usher in a change in the industry, that’ll start to help level the playing field, gender-wise at least. “This program is designed to make meaningful investments in female-founded and female-led businesses doing disruptive and innovative work across beverage alcohol,” Constellation Brands’s chief growth officer Mallika Monteiro tells Nasdaq. “Broadening our focus on this critical demographic will drive incremental growth for our business, enhance our relevance, deepen our consumer knowledge base, and broaden our pipeline of ideas and talent.” Constellation is committed to doling out the money by 2028, and has already signed on its first two companies: Austin Cocktails and Vivify Beverages. Constellation Brands, a major wine, beer, and spirits company, is putting $100 million into female-led start-ups, primarily in the alcohol space. To help support women working in the alcohol space, check this out: Minibar co-founders Lindsey Andrews and Lara Crystal (who, are two women working
A definitive guide to all the reasons why you still need sunlight in the winter
December 11, 2018 at 01:30PM I don’t know about you, but my mood changes the second the weather does. When it’s sunny outside, I’m energized, happy, and ready to take on the world…and when it’s dark and gloomy, I basically have to do everything in my power to make sure I don’t burrito myself up in a warm, fuzzy blanket and stay there all day. That’s why winter can be especially tough: Every single day has the same, miserable forecast—cold, wet, and dark. While there’s plenty of sunlight to go around the rest of the year, the lack thereof in the chillier months isn’t great—and not just because it’s harder to feel awake and lively during the day. That sunshine is also crucial for other areas of your health and well-being, too. The instant you see the sun peeking out from behind the clouds this winter, run like your life depends on it to soak some up—even if they’re less powerful!—because there are plenty of reasons why getting sunlight in the winter is an absolute must. Here are five reasons to jump at the opportunity to opportunity. 1. It boosts your immune system and prevents disease A study from Georgetown University found when your skin is exposed to the sun sans sunscreen, those rays increase the movement of your T cells, which help keep your immune system strong. Separately, the vitamin D your body produces through sunlight also does a lot of good for you overall health. “Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin with
Is cracking your back and neck actually bad for you or did my parents lie?
December 11, 2018 at 01:27PM One of my biggest guilty pleasures in life is cracking my neck and back. Pleasure because, well, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as feeling (and hearing) that cracking travel all the way up a stiff spine…but guilty because literally everyone says cracking your back and neck is so, so bad. Doesn’t that crazy popping sound mean something is breaking? Well, first things first: “The cracking is actually the sound a joint makes when pressure is put on on the joint, known as a synovial joint,” explains Dr. Ciara Cappo, DC, of Cappo Chiropractic & Sports Therapy. “That’s because there’s pockets of gas in these joints that burst and create a sharp noise commonly described as a ‘pop’ and ‘crack.’” The bursting of these little pockets—which are sometimes referred to as “vacuums,” says Dr. Jonathan Hyde, MD, board certified orthopedic surgeon with Miami Spine Specialist—is generally NBD. But that *doesn’t* mean you have free rein to crack away. “While it’s okay to crack your finger, manipulating your own back and neck is far riskier and more complex—for reasons that don’t have to do with these pockets,” says Noam Sadovnik, DC, a chiropractor and the founder and CEO of Clinicube Inc. More on these ~complexities~ below. Photo: Stocksy/ Clique Images The case against cracking your back or neck Cracking your neck or back isn’t like popping a pimple or picking your nose (both generally harmless but not recommended). The habit is way worse, say most experts. “Usually when people crack their neck and back, they
Why you should never dermaroll after applying your skin-care products
December 11, 2018 at 01:00PM At some point over the course of the past year, rolling your face with itty-bitty needles in the name of #selfcare has very much become a thing. Microneedling (AKA “derma rolling”) went from your dermatologist’s office to your Instagram feeds to your actual bathroom, and I personally can’t remember what life was like without my favorite spiky little tool (aside from being far, far less glowy). But this morning, after using mine religiously for the last 18 months, I found out that I’d been doing it wrong the entire time—which, understandably, left me with a whole lot of questions about how to actually use a dermaroller. Dermarollers—which admittedly look like some form of medieval torture device, but happen to feel amazing—use small, sharp points to stimulate tissue regeneration and help your topical products penetrate better. Because of this, I’d always assumed that sandwiching my prickly mini-facial in between my toner and serums made the most sense. As it turns out, though, in doing so I was actually putting my skin at risk for a rash. According to a new study, microneedling after you’ve put on any products can introduce “immunogenic particles” into the skin, which can cause allergic and hypersensitive reactions. Um, whoops. The right time to dermaroll is “after washing [and] before applying topical products onto clean skin.” —Rachel Nazarian, MD With that in mind, Dr. Rachel Nazarian of Schweiger Dermatology says that the right time to dermaroll is “after washing [and] before applying topical products