June 28, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC By now, summer has commenced (okay, okay it officially starts on the 21st, but you know what I mean) and so too has stocking up on an arsenal of swimwear. Maybe I’m alone in this, but since we have to pack so much warm-weather goodness into such a short timeframe, I personally want to make good use of every single opportunity I have to slip into my latest waterproof wears. And that’s exactly why this summer, I challenge you to exponentially expand the time wearing those summer essentials by turning them into full-on outfits. How, you ask? By substituting swimsuits for bralettes, crop tops, T-shirts, and camisoles. Whether you’re headed to a cocktail party or Sunday morning brunch, try out these six looks that will have you wearing swimwear IRL—all summer long. J.Crew Underwire One-Piece Swimsuit in Leopard Print ($118); Zara Satin Skirt ($40); Mango Leather Biker Jacket ($200); Aquazzura So Nude 105mm Sandals ($695) ad_intervals[‘398343_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘398343_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Edgy after-hours For the edgier dressers, this is the perfect time to bust out that bustier-style leopard one-piece you love so much for summertime swims. It makes the perfect bodysuit when expertly paired with a black silk skirt, leather jacket, and heels. Madewell Second Wave Crisscross One-Piece Swimsuit ($70); Slink Jeans Frayed Denim Shorts ($59); Alison Lou Neon Medium Jelly Hoops ($145); Loewe Gate Logo-Embossed Leather Espadrille Sandals ($430) Just the classics Sometimes all
Category: Fashion
Spinning is supposed to be easy on your joints—so why does it make my knees hurt?
June 28, 2019 at 05:02AM by CWC I have a complicated relationship with spinning. I love working out in a space that’s dark and loud so no one can see the faces I’m making or hear my screams. The energy levels are always through the roof, and if there’s a good playlist, I can totally zone out and leave it all on the bike. But whenever I go, especially if it’s been a while, I get knee pain. About halfway through my knee starts doing this creaky thing that freaks me out. Isn’t the point of spinning that it’s supposed to be easier on your joints than other forms of cardio like running? “Low-impact indoor cycling doesn’t mean no impact,” says NYC-based Flywheel instructor Bobby McMullen. “Running, by design, repeatedly introduces stress through your feet up into your knee joints with every stride. Riding a stationary bike neutralizes much of that trauma and focuses on muscular activity.” “Any time a client says they’re experiencing pain I make sure they understand that their body is smarter than me,” McMullen says. “Pain is a frustrating indication that something probably isn’t right.” ad_intervals[‘404393_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘404393_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); Reasons why you might experience knee pain during indoor cycling Incorrect seat adjustment “Seat height and seat distance are the main perpetrators of knee pain. If your bike is set up too low, your knees are taking on additional strain by failing to properly extend and overusing your
How to decline being a bridesmaid without losing your friend in the process
June 27, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC To this day, my mom and her residual resentment like to recount how her friend Amy refused to be a bridesmaid at my parents’ wedding. My parents got married in 1987, so it’s amazing that this tidbit still gets referenced. Sure, it was a pretty bold move on Amy’s part for the time, but I contend that she was really a trailblazer of protesting the yet-to-be coined wedding industrial complex by knowing how to politely say no. Now we’re in an age where weddings seem to get more lavish and costly by the season as engaged folks scour Instagram and Pinterest and Etsy and their own friends’ actual nuptials for ideas to be original. But since it’s not just the couple and their families bearing the cost of the big fete and its surrounding events—engagement party, bridal shower, bachelor and bachelorette parties, travel, wardrobe, hair, makeup, gifts, ahhh—all the hoopla can unfairly target the wedding couple’s friends. More specifically, their friends’ time and wallets. Given all this, it makes sense that someone might to pass on being a bridesmaid, right? Sense aside hough, how does one go about that without risking the quality an important, close friendship? ad_intervals[‘394130_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘394130_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); In the moment, rejecting a bridesmaid proposal is almost as emotionally weighted as rejecting an actual proposal. Okay, maybe not, but lord help you if you’re forced to say your peace with one
How to keep stronger muscles from overcompensating for weaker ones in your workout
June 27, 2019 at 07:00AM by CWC Workouts are great and all, but if done haphazardly, without full focus and proper posture, you might just find yourself injured or imbalanced. If that’s the case, your body might be overcompensating with stronger muscles and letting the weaker ones get off easy. But, is there a way to tell if your stronger muscles are overcompensating before a serious injury occurs? That’s exactly what we asked some of the industry’s top trainers. Check out their thoughts, below. “Our bodies are incredibly resilient,” says certified trainer and Mindbody wellness manager Kate Ligler. “They will find ways to perform a movement or task even when our strength and mobility may not be sufficient—often compensating with muscles that aren’t built for the job.” The good news is that our bodies are excellent communicators, so if you’re looking for signs that your body is overcompensating, consider the four indicators below. ad_intervals[‘396510_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘396510_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); This is how to detect that your muscles are overcompensating 1. Chronic tightness or soreness: “If a muscle is working overtime, it’s going to be tight,” Ligler says. “Hamstrings commonly do the work of the glutes and are notoriously problematic.” To alleviate the issue, she says to properly activate your weaker muscles in the kinetic chain (AKA the overlapping body segments connected by a series of joints and muscles). Many muscles surround each of the main joints in the ankles, knees, spine, hips, and
The skin-care step Bobbi Brown skips for a perfect smokey eye
June 26, 2019 at 01:10PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC4SWmFPqUo] Bobbi Brown shares skin-care hacks, makeup secrets, and beauty tips. Watch the video. The name Bobbi Brown is synonymous with style. And for good reason, of course. The entrepreneur and beauty mogul ran the eponymous cosmetics company for more than two decades. Now she’s dominating the wellness world with a line of ingestibles (available at Walmart). Brown’s unrivaled beauty know-how isn’t showing any signs of fading. In Well+Good’s latest episode of The Avocado Show, she shares skin-care hacks, makeup secrets, productivity tricks, and beauty tips she holds close to the vest. And although she’s painted the faces of so many celebrities (even former First Lady Michelle Obama), just one ever managed to make her feel starstruck. (Hint: He’s been a heartthrob for decades.) ad_intervals[‘403939_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘403939_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Watch the video in its entirety to learn Brown’s best makeup tips, which include skipping a pretty fundamental skin-care step in order to achieve a perfect smokey eye. It’s a genius trick that saves time and eliminates the need for a skill that only makeup artists seem to have mastered. For more episodes of The Avocado Show episodes, here’s fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff on her secret to work-life balance, and supermodel Emily Didonato’s DIY avocado face mask recipe that leaves your skin glowy AF. Continue Reading… Author Rachel Lapidos | Well and Good Selected by CWC
9 hip-strengthening exercises that make moving through life *way* easier
June 26, 2019 at 07:00AM by CWC Have you ever wondered why some people can squat lower, jump higher, or simply bend more easily than you? Well, my friends, there’s a pretty good chance that’s because their hips are strong AF. And by strong, I don’t just mean muscular and toned, but rather stretched to improve flexibility and mobility. In other words: goals. If you’d like to hop on the healthy hip train, get pumped because I chatted with a handful of the industry’s top trainers for the low-down on all the best exercises to strengthen what Y7 instructor Joanna Cohen calls “the body’s biggest joint space.” To be one of those how-is-that-possible people, keep on scrolling for the moves to memorize right now. Lateral lunge with kettlebell reach If you’re looking to strengthen your hips, you have to work to stabilize them as well, says Alexis Dreiss, a NASM-certified personal trainer and head coach at Tone House in New York City. Her favorite way to do this is by combining lunges with kettlebell reaches. To perform this exercise, she says to step out into a right lateral lunge with a kettlebell in your left hand for balance. “Step out with your right foot, keeping your hips squared off,” Dreiss instructs. “When you land, make sure your knee is tracking over your second toe and that your sitz bones are pointing diagonally towards the ground.” ad_intervals[‘393270_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘393270_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); As you
Being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community is so much more than wearing rainbows in June
June 26, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC Hold onto your hats, I’m coming in hot with a public service announcement: My queerness doesn’t take a snooze July through May. Despite what Pride marketing might have you believe, I’m queer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year; queer folks exist (and thrive! and are worth celebrating!) 12 months a year. To that point, being an ally is *not* strolling through Ikea with a rainbow tote (*eye roll*), noshing on rainbow Doritos, and goggling at the rainbow-clad mannequins as you window-shop. Rather, allyship is a verb, a process, continuous action. It’s lifelong work. “An ally is someone who is not from that group who does work for and supports that group. You’re doing the work to educate yourself, be involved in projects by and for, do things for, show-up for that group, and fight for their rights” says bicon (that is, bisexual icon), Gaby Dunn, co-host of the Just Between Us. “It’s using your privilege to show up for folks who have less privilege.” ad_intervals[‘399704_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘399704_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); To that point, consider the below is your Ultimate Ally™ starter sheet for thoughtful, intentional support of the LGBTQ+ community all year long. This list is by no means exhaustive, but these 6 tips for allies are a good point A. Follow queer people on social media Simply put: “Exposure matters,” says LGBTQ+ expert and mental-health professional Kryss Shane, MS. I
I hate to break it to you, but flip flops are not that good for your feet
June 25, 2019 at 08:57AM by CWC Like clockwork every year, I’m itching to get into sandals as soon as summer starts to creep up. A few weeks and an at-home pedicure later, I slide into my shoes and am overwhelmed with the glee of not having to tie a lace or zip a zipper. But that feeling is cut short when I come home with sore shins, achey arches, and cramped calves. So what gives? Diane Koshimune, DPM, a California-based podiatrist, says flip flops and sandals tend to have a looser fit and less support—and that looser fit might force you to claw your toes to keep the shoe on, and the lack of support might let your arch collapse with each step. Hence the resulting pain that you feel in your feet and lower body after walking around in flip flops all day, everyday. “You’re wearing shoes that are allowing your foot to do whatever it wants,” she says. “And that can either be a fine thing that your body tolerates, or it could be something that leads to other problems down the line.” ad_intervals[‘399342_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘399342_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Though these flat shoes may not be bad for everyone, it really comes down to your biomechanics. “If somebody pronates, that’s when the foot collapses in, and that’s when they start getting problems,” says Paul Greenberg, DMP, a podiatrist with NYU Langone. “That’s when they get plantar fasciitis and overuse injuries.
Summer has *finally* arrived—here’s how to stay fit in the hot, hot heat
June 25, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC When temperatures climb and warmer weather draws nearer, it’s of course a happy occasion—hello outdoor workouts and cute sundresses and goodbye snow! However, that also means it gets more challenging to work out, whether you’re in a stuffy studio for your favorite class or going for a run outside in the sunshine. “Every time we work out, our body’s thermoregulation system kicks into gear. As we start to sweat, that is our body doing its due diligence to maintain a constant core temperature or a state of ‘homeostasis,’” explains Ally McKinney, a personal trainer at Gold’s Gym. “The better we are at regulating heat, the more effective we can be with our workouts,” she says. When pushing the body to its limits in intensity, and pairing that with a hot environment, it can be a whole lot to handle. To avoid using warmer temperatures as an excuse to not workout, it’s a good idea to get your body ready to handle the tougher climate and to more effectively stay cool and safe during those sweaty, sweaty workouts. Here, a few tips for prepping your body so you can keep up with your favorite exercises, despite those scorching days. ad_intervals[‘395369_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘395369_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); Start with some early a.m. runs To get used to doing outdoor workouts in the heat, it’s a good idea to be an early riser. “Early morning workouts are going to be
Why a cosmic check-in at this point in 2019 is a must—and how to do one
June 23, 2019 at 04:01PM by CWC So we’re halfway through the year, and it’s the perfect time to check in on those 2019 goals and, even more importantly, check in on the people you you love most, says astrologer Jennifer Racioppi. Especially this year, this is the time when the universe supports some loving collective action—here’s how to get started. On the heels of last week’s solstice, Monday kicks off with Venus, the planet of love and beauty, in a square to Neptune while opposing Jupiter. This combination provokes a deep need for beauty and the ability to access it within yourself. Couple this with the sun now in empathetic, intuitive, and nourishing Cancer, and it’s time to let your feminine sensibilities lead the way. The universe provides you with the opportunity to access harmony within yourself now. So take it. The universe demands your attention at this midpoint of the year. Allow yourself time for deep and nourishing self-care. Think luscious face masks, getting that summer pedicure, and thinking through your summer wardrobe. When it comes to relationships, this is also the time to reach out to those you love and make some plans—check in with those who mean the most to you to feel connected. ad_intervals[‘403067_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘403067_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Doing so supports you massively, especially because the universe demands your attention at this midpoint of the year. Eclipse season is (almost) here, and it’s no joke July promises