November 09, 2018 at 07:55AM In recent years, the plank has overtaken both of the OG core-strengtheners—the crunch and the sit-up—as the move for sculpting killer abs. “Your core is your body’s powerhouse, strengthening comes with so many benefits: improved stability, reduced back pain, and better posture,” says New York City-based dance sculpt instructor, Megan Roup, who is leading our next Well+Good Retreat in Miami this December. But let’s face it, the core-shaking move may be effective at firing up your abs, but it’s so boring it’s basically the boiled egg of all fitness moves. (Don’t @ me, it’s true). That’s why Roup recommends a snazzy variation on the core classic, which she calls “the windshield wiper plank”. To try it, start in a plank with your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Bring your navel into your spine to protect your low back. You should be able to draw a straight diagonal line from head to toe. Place a hand-towel or sweat rag (or slider) under your right foot and keeping your left straight, sweep your right leg out to the right side like a windshield wiper. The goal for flexible folks is to get the leg to shoulder height, but Roup says you should only go as far up-and-out as you’re able to without bending the leg. “Even if your leg only goes to the side a few inches, that’s okay, you’ll still be working your core, glutes, shoulders, and quads,” she says. “I recommend doing the slider plank slowly. It doesn’t need
Category: 2019 Health
The resurgence of workwear is giving rise to a whole new generation of Rosie the Riveters
November 09, 2018 at 07:00AM A few fashion cycles ago, the internet almost combusted over a $200 cotton DHL T-shirt from the French design collective Vetements. People split in to camps—was it superfluous and excessive or a genius deconstruction of what it means to be designer? The jury, even all these years later, is still out. The episode was a watershed moment, however, that helped bring workwear to the forefront of ready-to-wear fashion. To be clear, you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to add some utility to your wardrobe. Quite the opposite actually. For example, this Carhartt Surrey Rain Coat only costs $70, while this G&F version is only $12. And it’s precisely that intersection between affordability and utility that lends workwear its mass appeal. In it, conscientious consumers, who are increasingly interested in reliable, long-lasting, yet affordable investment pieces, have found an antidote to fast fashion and the notion that affordable finds are rarely made to last. In quick order, traditional workwear brands like Carhartt, Dickie’s, Ben Davis, Dr. Martens, and Wrangler have become street-style staples readily available at retailers like Asos, Urban Outfitters, Odin, and Target. Then there’s Carhartt’s Work In Progress (WIP) stores. Currently, there are 80-plus locations worldwide, including Paris, New York City, Tokyo, and London, and each caters to a clientele that’s decidedly more high fashion than Home Depot—even though their inventory is essentially elevated versions of its traditional pieces like overalls and canvas jackets for men and women. View this post on Instagram Look 1. Fall 2018 CALVIN KLEIN #205W39NYC
For Dewy Winter Skin, Just Add *This* Water
November 09, 2018 at 06:30AM When temps shift from balmy to freezing (or dry and cool, if you’re one of those lucky people who doesn’t have real winter), downing water constantly feels like less of a priority. But let us—and the hydration pros at Flow Alkaline Spring Water—fill you in on a beauty secret: Hitting your water goal could actually help you defend against parched skin. Flow Alkaline Spring Water packs naturally occurring electrolytes, minerals, and an alkaline pH level of 8.1 for optimal hydration, helping you to recharge from the inside out. Plus, it comes in a full roster of chuggable organic flavors like strawberry rose and lemon ginger. So before you spend your entire paycheck on pricey moisturizers, reach for a supercharged H20 first. Subscribe for monthly deliveries of eco-friendly Flow packs for mega savings, plus score free shipping. In partnership with Flow Water Photo: Flow Water Continue Reading… Author Well+Good Editors | Well and Good Selected by iversue
Skin freaking out? Here are a bunch of products with 10 ingredients or less to help it chill
November 09, 2018 at 06:02AM When something mysterious in your diet starts to cause digestive woes, one of the best ways to deal is to go on an elimination diet—AKA to remove certain foods or food groups from what you’re eating and then slowly introduce them back, one at a time, to see which is the culprit. You can do the same with your skin care. Oftentimes, inflammation can sprout up in the form of redness or acne, and it can be tough figuring out which product in your (guessing here) several-step routine may have caused it. This is why it could be beneficial to use skin-care products with 10 ingredients or less. “The more ingredients a product has, the greater likelihood that you may develop irritation or allergic contact dermatitis to one of the ingredients in the product,” says Jennifer Chwalek, MD, a board-certified dermatologist from New York’s Union Square Laser Dermatology. “Also, as you increase the number of ingredients in a product, there’s a risk that the active ingredient becomes less bioactive, so you may not get the benefits of the most important ingredients.” “As you increase the number of ingredients in a product, there’s a risk that the active ingredient becomes less bioactive.” —Jennifer Chwalek, MD So, basically, you’re getting more bang for your buck since there are less filler ingredients reducing the potency of the star ingredients that you’re actually trying to reap glow-boosting benefits from. “The benefit of limiting your skin-care ingredients it that you reduce the
Michelle Obama says her past miscarriage made her feel like she ‘failed’
November 09, 2018 at 05:37AM If you have a miscarriage, it’s not uncommon to feel like you’re alone in your struggle amidst all of the birth announcements and pregnancy photoshoots cluttering your Instagram feed. But the reality? 10 to 20 percent of pregnancies end in that loss. You just don’t hear about it. And that’s why Michelle Obama is speaking out about her own experience she went through nearly two decades ago. In an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts, the former First Lady said she suffered a miscarriage herself 20 years ago. “I felt like I failed because I didn’t know how common miscarriages were because we don’t talk about them,” she said. “We sit in our own pain, thinking that somehow we’re broken.” In the moment, she admitted she felt so “lost and alone”—something that is nearly impossible not to feel with the “don’t ask, don’t tell” attitude surrounding miscarriage, psychologist Jessica Zucker, PhD, previously shared with Well + Good. Heck, even docs often advise their patients to keep their pregnancies a secret until they get through the first 13 weeks (when most miscarriages happen) problem-free. “That translates to, ‘Don’t share your good news in case it becomes bad news, so that you don’t have to share your bad news,’” Dr. Zucker said. “This age-old construct essentially sets us up for silence and isolation if things go awry. Though we would prefer bad news not exist, it does. The sooner we institute new ways of discussing these traumas, the sooner women will feel more connected and
Best Buy just dropped all of its Black Friday deals—these are the ones worth buying
November 09, 2018 at 05:23AM Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which means it’s time to start planning your Turkey Day menu, listening to holiday music, and gearing up for Black Friday sales. And if you’re a Best Buy fan, you’re going to love the techy deals the store is offering this year. Here’s the lowdown on Best Buy’s Black Friday sale: The madness officially starts at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day (November 22), with specific doorbusters available only on that day. It”ll be open until 1 a.m…and then back open for business at 8 a.m. on Black Friday (November 23). Expect even more special doorbusters and deals—including deep discounts on TVs, cell phones, speakers, and appliances—through Sunday, November 25 at 11:59 p.m. Of course, if you’re not super into fighting with crowds over the last iPhone Xs, you can actually shop a ton of Best Buy’s Black Friday deals right now online. I’m definitely eyeing that discounted KitchenAid stand mixer ($280 off? YASSS!) but that’s just me. Other perks Best Buy is offering to its Black Friday shoppers: free shipping on everything (no minimum, no exceptions, all season long!) and same-day in-store pickup. Ready to shop? Here are 7 deals you don’t want to miss from Best Buy’s Black Friday sale: Photo: Best Buy 1. Chefman 3.5L Analog Air Fryer, $30 Make your dream of truly healthy fries a reality with an air fryer, which uses extremely hot air to “fry” basically any kind of food you want. And
What to do if you have feelings for your best friend’s S.O.
November 09, 2018 at 03:00AM Picture this: For the better part of a year, you’ve been confiding in your BFF about your deepest, most intimate #feelz regarding your significant other. Together, you’ve analyzed text exchanges, DMs, and dissected your IRL conversations. You’ve (tried to) psychoanalyze their other relationships—with their parents, doting exes, gaggle of friends—to make sense of how they shows love, and you recounted your best between-the-sheets sessions. Then one day, your BFF sits you down and tells you she has feelings for them—your person—and that she’s planning to pursue her crush. Turns out, the BFF-falling-for-your-partner plot line isn’t just the stuff of drama-drenched TV shows like One Tree Hill (Brooke, Lucas, Peyton), Gossip Girl (Blair, Nate, Serena), Friends (Ross, Rachel, Joey), and The OC (Seth, Summer, Anna). It’s actually rather common IRL. And since close friends tend to have many qualities, interests, and preferences in common—maybe even similar personalities—it kind of makes sense why. “The ways you are similar increase the likelihood that you might also like the same qualities in a partner,” says licensed family therapist Shadeen Francis. “Think about it: We probably trust our friends’ opinions about restaurants to try and TV shows to watch—so why not partners?” Having feelings for your best friend’s partner doesn’t automatically make you a bad person. But it’s a sticky situation nonetheless. If the three of you happen to spend a lot of time together, there’s more time to notice how great of a partner this person is—in addition to noticing their dashing good
Knowing whether you have hard or soft water is super important for skin—here’s why
November 09, 2018 at 02:34AM When it comes to locking down a skin-care regimen, there are plenty of things to take into consideration: the environment, one’s skin type, and, as it turns out, the type of water running through the faucet. The question of hard versus soft water for skin isn’t one that we get to talk about often, but in actuality, it makes a big difference in how all products work, what products you need, and even certain skin conditions that might start to creep up as a result. Here’s why: Water can contain certain metals like copper, calcium, and magnesium that build up and act like free radicals when they hit your complexion. That means that despite best-laid plans to fend off or fight free radicals from things like pollution out in the world, by simply having a skin-care routine and sticking to it, you could be introducing problems onto your complexion. And if that’s not the most depressing thing I’ve told you all day, then I’m not sure what is. So, onto the good news: By knowing what type of water you have and adjusting and safeguarding your routine, you can supercharge your skin care and make it work even harder for you. More on that is just a scroll away. Photo: Stocksy/Marko Milovanovic Hard versus soft water for skin “Hard water is caused by calcium and magnesium buildup as well as other hard metal buildup in the water, and that causes damage to the skin because
If your bad memories keep playing on repeat, here’s a one-second hack for snuffing them out
November 09, 2018 at 02:00AM When a memory keeps playing in your head on repeat, the desire to cast an IRL version of a Harry Potter “obliviate” charm becomes oh-so-strong. But even though we muggles haven’t figured out a way to manipulate memories just yet, there’s one mind trick that works almost like magic. Here’s how it works: Instead of mentally screaming Shut up! Shut up! Shut Up! at whatever childhood trauma or embarrassing moment keeps surfacing, you simply bring to mind another memory instead, reports Forbes. In the past, researchers at the University of Cambridge found that asking yourself to recall an alternative memory from your past causes you to passively forget said memory that just keeps sliding into your mental DMs. And now, a recent study published by the same team in Nature Communications has gone one step further to find that actually, you actively extinguish the unwanted recall through this process, which is called retrieval-induced forgetting. This replacement method could also work for songs or jingles that get stuck in your head (AKA, earworms), too. Because although Ariana Grande’s new #girlpower anthem is jammy, it might get old after your brain replays it for the umpteen-millionth times. And finally, you might consider using the same replacement logic for your exes. Consider this another vote for the old saying, “You can’t really get over one person until you get under another.” Here’s how to ask for a day off—for the sake of your mental health. Plus, why you should never, ever get back with your ex for the same reason. Continue
Daily Harvest just came out with holiday cookies so healthy they double as energy bites
November 09, 2018 at 01:00AM Even if you have a sweet tooth year round, the holiday season really can throw it into overdrive. Once people start decking the halls and listening to holiday music, it’s only a matter of time before visions of sugar cookies, gingerbread, and peppermint bark start popping in your head. Ready for something to be extra thankful for this year? Frozen superfood delivery brand Daily Harvest—most known for their next-level smoothie blends—is coming out with limited edition boxes of cookies. Available to order starting today until the end of the year, there are three gooey flavors, all gluten-free and plant-based. A run-down of the seasonal offerings: Chocolate chia (made with cashew butter, avocado, chia seeds, and reishi mushrooms), coconut lemon (made with cassava flour, coconut, lemon, and flaxseed), and cacao nib (made with sunflower seed butter, pumpkin, cassava flour, cacao, and maca). The base of each cookie is a healthy fat-laden nut or seed butter or cassava flour—all of which are so rich in protein that the cookies double as energy bites. The base of each cookie is a healthy fat-laden nut or seed butter or cassava flour—all of which are so rich in protein that the cookies double as energy bites, perfect for stashing in your gym bag or purse for an on-the-go breakfast (or as a healthy travel snack). And the adaptogens in the chocolate chia and cacao nib picks will give your body a little hit of stress-relief. Saving some to leave out for Santa