May 21, 2019 at 01:15PM by CWC I was in the middle of an all-out sprint on a treadmill at Barry’s Bootcamp recently, when an N’Sync song came on (“Dirty Pop”, if you were curious), and I was keeping pace at a really high speed, when I swear I had what felt like a brain orgasm. I felt so incredibly happy, which I thought was kind of weird considering how challenging the sprint was (it was on an incline, and I had grown pretty exhausted by that point). I could barely breathe, and yet I felt the full-on warm and fuzzies. I think I even smiled (WTF). It’s happened before, too, and it always strikes me as odd—because it only really occurs at precise moments when you’re really beat down but also killing it. To learn more about this—so that I can potentially have another (I repeat: orgasm)—I had to consult the pros. Apparently, what I was experiencing was a good old fashioned runner’s high. “Runner’s high is the euphoric chemical rush of happiness one will experience after engaging in exercise after a specific period of time,” says Heather Cauthen, PsyD, CMPC, a certified mental performance consultant and E-board member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. “It fluctuates over how many minutes in duration one must exercise until they feel that ‘rush’ of excitement and awesomeness. In a way, it’s your body signaling through the pain to push beyond the discomfort zone and have you continue to enjoy the
Category: Fashion
I had my very first workout-induced “brain orgasm” and you can too
May 21, 2019 at 01:15PM by CWC I was in the middle of an all-out sprint on a treadmill at Barry’s Bootcamp recently, when an N’Sync song came on (“Dirty Pop”, if you were curious), and I was keeping pace at a really high speed, when I swear I had what felt like a brain orgasm. I felt so incredibly happy, which I thought was kind of weird considering how challenging the sprint was (it was on an incline, and I had grown pretty exhausted by that point). I could barely breathe, and yet I felt the full-on warm and fuzzies. I think I even smiled (WTF). It’s happened before, too, and it always strikes me as odd—because it only really occurs at precise moments when you’re really beat down but also killing it. To learn more about this—so that I can potentially have another (I repeat: orgasm)—I had to consult the pros. Apparently, what I was experiencing was a good old fashioned runner’s high. “Runner’s high is the euphoric chemical rush of happiness one will experience after engaging in exercise after a specific period of time,” says Heather Cauthen, PsyD, CMPC, a certified mental performance consultant and E-board member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. “It fluctuates over how many minutes in duration one must exercise until they feel that ‘rush’ of excitement and awesomeness. In a way, it’s your body signaling through the pain to push beyond the discomfort zone and have you continue to enjoy the
The outfits 14 stylish people choose for a pick-me-up on a no good, very bad day
May 21, 2019 at 12:27PM by CWC “Never underestimate the power of a good outfit on a bad day.” It’s one of those maxims that end up on inspirational Pinterest pages and coffee mugs, despite hazy origins, because it’s just so true for so many people. Sometimes, you are what you wear, and that can be especially useful when you’re not feeling like yourself. I asked 13 stylish folks about the good looks they rock in the hopes of generating good vibes, and here’s what they had to say. Photo: Keri Goff “When it comes to my anxiety, fashion and function collide. I fortify myself in layers—in this photo there are four, not to mention the double option of a dad hat and a beanie. A flight, a road trip, a date, a day when I don’t know exactly where I’ll end up or when I’ll be home: If I’m unsure about the situation, I dress for every situation. If I’m unsure about the temperature, I dress for every temperature. And sure, all those anticipatory concerns are largely unfounded, but strangers often tell me they dig the jacket, and I dig the comfort of wearing everything underneath it. On those worry-filled days, I definitely appreciate the peace of mind… and a little validation, too.” —Ben Kassoy, author, Editor-in-chief of DoSomething.org “I love to wear this dress as much as I can to auditions, especially those I’m feeling a bit ‘meh’ or nervous about. It gives off a fun and friendly
These 7 body lotions are the next best thing to slathering La Mer from head to toe
May 21, 2019 at 06:18AM by CWC While I treat the skin on my face with the utmost TLC, my body’s constantly moving from sleep to showers and sweaty workouts, enduring pollution from the outdoors, and being stuffed into all sorts of both breathable and non-breathable materials. And yet—it doesn’t get, say, a 10-step skin-care routine like my precious face does. Really, my body skin gets to use two products, and two products only: body wash and body lotion. And because body lotion is the only one that gets to stay on my skin—as opposed to just washing down the drain—I put special care into finding ones that are the most nourishing for my skin, have the most intoxicating scents, and make the skin on my body just as healthy as that on my face. I’m not the only one, either. My fellow beauty editors at Well+Good are also particular about the body lotions they use, especially because they cover so much surface area. To help you navigate the wide, wide world of body lotions on beauty shelves, I’ve rounded up our absolute favorites for our skin—including one that works double duty as a sunscreen, and one that smells like cherry blossoms. Photo: Necessaire Necessaire The Body Lotion, $25 “As soon as I started slathering on this body lotion, I fell in love. It’s unscented, but—just like its packaging—it’s chic AF. Not only does my skin drink it up immediately, but it’s jam-packed with the most complexion-boosting ingredients, like all of
These 7 body lotions are the next best thing to slathering La Mer from head to toe
May 21, 2019 at 06:18AM by CWC While I treat the skin on my face with the utmost TLC, my body’s constantly moving from sleep to showers and sweaty workouts, enduring pollution from the outdoors, and being stuffed into all sorts of both breathable and non-breathable materials. And yet—it doesn’t get, say, a 10-step skin-care routine like my precious face does. Really, my body skin gets to use two products, and two products only: body wash and body lotion. And because body lotion is the only one that gets to stay on my skin—as opposed to just washing down the drain—I put special care into finding ones that are the most nourishing for my skin, have the most intoxicating scents, and make the skin on my body just as healthy as that on my face. I’m not the only one, either. My fellow beauty editors at Well+Good are also particular about the body lotions they use, especially because they cover so much surface area. To help you navigate the wide, wide world of body lotions on beauty shelves, I’ve rounded up our absolute favorites for our skin—including one that works double duty as a sunscreen, and one that smells like cherry blossoms. Photo: Necessaire Necessaire The Body Lotion, $25 “As soon as I started slathering on this body lotion, I fell in love. It’s unscented, but—just like its packaging—it’s chic AF. Not only does my skin drink it up immediately, but it’s jam-packed with the most complexion-boosting ingredients, like all of
*This* is the perfect balance of squats and lunges to work your lower half
May 20, 2019 at 08:35AM by CWC You know that scene in Clueless where Tai laments that even after hours of workout tapes, her buns “don’t feel nothin’ like steel”? Well, that is the exact opposite of how you will feel when you take this at-home lower body workout for a test drive. In this week’s edition of the Well+Good Trainer of the Month Club, Master SoulCycle Instructor and EmBody creator Emily Turner has put together a weighted lower body workout that will actually have you excited for leg (and butt) day. Think: Squats, lunges, and leg lifts, which will be a nice respite from the planks we’ve been powering through over the past few weeks. Grab a set of weights and give it a try, but be prepared for at least a day or two of butt-and-leg soreness induced waddling. View this post on Instagram TRAINER OF THE MONTH CLUB Week 3 is here! 🎉💪⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ This week, trainer @emilyhopeturner is teaching us 6 moves focused on the lower body. Swipe through for a breakdown of each exercise, then head to the link in our bio for a full breakdown of each move!⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ WEEK 3⠀⠀ Move 1: Weighted lunge with bicep & hammer curls (R)⠀⠀ Move 2: Weighted single leg lift (R)⠀⠀ Move 3: Wide second with weighted upper back & shoulder presses ⠀⠀ Move 4: Weighted lunge with bicep & hammer curls (L)⠀⠀ Move 5: Weighted single leg lift (L)⠀⠀ Move 6: small V with bicep curls#iamwellandgood #trainerofthemonthclub A
Fast walkers live longer—so step aside, text-walkers!
May 20, 2019 at 07:51AM by CWC When a study of nearly half a million people concludes that walking at breakneck speed might increase life expectancy, you lace your sneakers and get moving. Last week, experts in England linked a spring in your step to the number of years between birth and death. Researchers combed through data from the UK Biobank to discover that fast walkers who were underweight, obese, and every “weight status” in between all ended up cheating death longer than slow walkers (saunterers, strollers, dawdlers, and meanderers, etc.). Of all the groups surveyed, underweight, leisurely walkers lived the fewest years on average (64.8 years for men, 72.4 years for women), according to the National Institute for Health Research. This study marks the first piece of research linking fast walking to longevity regardless of weight, and researchers believe they’re closer than ever to understanding physical indicators of life expectancy beyond BMI. “Our findings could help clarify the relative importance of physical fitness compared to body weight on life expectancy of individuals,” Tom Yates, PhD, professor of physical activity and sedentary behavior and health at the University of Leicester, told The Mayo Clinic. “In other words, the findings suggest that perhaps physical fitness is a better indicator of life expectancy than body mass index (BMI), and that encouraging the population to engage in brisk walking may add years to their lives.” “Our findings could help clarify the relative importance of physical fitness compared to body weight on life expectancy of
Trainers say these 3 sets of exercises make moving through life way easier
May 20, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC The “Friday Flop,” as I like to call it, is one of the best parts of the week. It’s when I get home from work, flop down on the couch, and give my muscles the much-deserved break they need after going nonstop since 5:30 a.m. on Monday morning. If you haven’t tried it, I would highly, highly recommend testing it out for yourself (I promise: You’ll love it). Because for all of us, getting through the week requires a lot from our bodies, from sitting at a desk all day to walking 10,000 daily steps to carrying home groceries and taking out the trash—and that’s not even considering the actual workouts we put them through. So it makes sense that by the time Friday night rolls around (hallelujah!), getting horizontal becomes wildly appealing. But instead of relying on that couch time to give your body time to recoup, why not integrate some “functional fitness workouts” into your routine to make that regular wear and tear on your muscles slightly more manageable? “Functional fitness is a method of physical training that helps people move more efficiently, prevent injury, improve their balance and flexibility, and build strength to improve the way they perform every day activities,” says Mackenzie Banta, a certified personal trainer for Trainiac “Functional training is important because it improves our overall efficiency with almost everything we do.” Think: Carrying your laundry up five flights of stairs in a New York City, pushing
A run coach’s guide to running smarter (not harder) as the weather warms up
May 19, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC For some, the onset of summer means barbecues, pool parties, and—for the lucky few—getting to skip out of work early on Fridays. For runners, though, the season is equal parts blessed and cursed. On the plus side, extended daylight hours mean no more runs in total darkness, and toastier temps mean fewer layers—and less laundry. Plus, nothing says “I’m a runner” quite like a sports bra tan line. The steady incline on the thermometer also means, well, it’s hot out. But if you have big summer or fall running goals, the time to put in work is now—which means the key to upping your speed and mileage in spite of the heat is training smarter, not harder. Elizabeth Corkum, coach at Precision Run in New York City, is well-versed in super sweaty runs and adjusting both her pace and expectations accordingly. If you have big summer or fall running goals, the time to put in work is now. “The transition from spring to summer is really tough,” says Corkum, a 21-time marathoner who runs four to six days a week. “I’m often gearing up for marathon training in the summer, so as the temperatures are rising, so is my mileage.” And while there are the obvious adjustments to be made—opting for shady running routes, running during the coolest time of day, taking frequent water stops, and accepting that sometimes it’s just going to be tough—Corkum says there’s more to hot-weather running than just
This brand won’t rest until everyone has found a nude lipstick
May 19, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC Take a look around the lingerie section in any department store, and you’ll notice that most of the bras and undies that get labeled as “nude” are all pretty much the same shade of pale beige. The same goes for nude-colored shoes, nude-colored nail polishes, and until recently, nude-colored lipstick. But if you take one look around the actual world, you’ll quickly notice that the majority of the population isn’t a single shade of beige. Which means that traditionally, a whole lot of people have been alienated from buying nude products that work for their skin tones. Taking it at its name, “nude” lipstick should be the color of the lip when there’s nothing else on it…rather than a single, (not)catch-all hue. And that’s why it’s exciting that CTZN Cosmetics, a brand-new UK-based cosmetics line has a whopping 25 different shades of nude lipsticks…which is pretty substantial. “The problem is how ‘nude’ is currently defined in the beauty industry—it’s implied that nude is the color beige, when in fact nude is subjective to your unique skin tone,” says Naseesha Khan, co-founder of CTZN Cosmetics. “CTZN Cosmetics is redefining ‘nude’ by offering 25 shades of lipsticks and lip glosses to represent people of all skin tones and backgrounds.” Photo: CTZN Cosmetics So within the brand, you’ll find “nudes” that encompass everything from warm peach to taupey brown, soft burgundy, pure plum, and plenty of others. Each stick is double-sided with a lipstick and lip gloss that