August 27, 2019 at 11:21PM by CWC You know that friend who always gives the best fashion advice? Spoiler alert: it’s not me. However, when it comes to workouts—especially group fitness classes in New York City—I’m often fielding questions from my inner circle. “What’s a good exercise to get a bigger butt?” “Did you like that Pilates studio you wrote about?” “How many minutes and miles do you run in so-and-so’s treadmill class?” I gladly respond to these questions, because the truth is: As a fitness writer, I’ve taken a lot of exercise classes. The time I’ve dedicated to sweating, squatting, sprinting, and stretching add up to no small sum. As far as personal preferences go: I typically find a workout I really like, and I stick to it for a given period of time (like 30 days, for instance) to see how it changes my body, mood, and lifestyle. At the end of my month-long journey—and after accomplishing my goals—I find something else that excites me, and I move on. ad_intervals[‘413023_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘413023_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); But instead of dedicating myself in the way that I usually do, I decided to shake things up for a month. Utilizing New York City fitness studios, online instructional videos, exercise apps, and gym and living room space, I challenged myself to try 20 different workouts within a 30-day period to see if switching up my workout would change how I felt about sweating it out. Keep
Category: City
Why lunch is even more important than dinner for healthy eaters
August 27, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC Let me guess what you did for lunch today: a. Eating it at your desk while catching up on emails b. Getting a sandwich to-go and scarfing it down on a park bench or in the car c. Lunch? Oh, you mean the protein bar in your purse? I wasn’t wrong, was it? Well, you’re not alone with your sad lunch habits. According to a 2018 survey of 2,000 people, 51 percent of respondents said that taking a legit lunch break during the workday is rare or unrealistic for them. Most people’s lunch “break” is less than 30 minutes—and it’s getting shorter. The truth is that once you’re out of school, lunch is an afterthought in American culture. For most workers, the idea of taking a mid-day break to actually sit down somewhere and eat with friends, whether it’s in a cafeteria or at a restaurant, is about as feasible as Twinkies becoming the next superfood. ad_intervals[‘418217_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418217_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); But our collective dismissal of lunch is not doing anyone any favors. Inspired by the impending back-to-school season and all of us getting back into our healthy routines after a summer of travel, we’re here to make the case that lunch is even more important than dinner—and should be given more love and attention than it currently merits now. Your physical and mental health will thank you. A snackable history of lunch in America
How to use the glycemic index to choose the best pre- and post-workout meals
August 27, 2019 at 06:06PM by CWC Even with all the information available on what to eat before and after a workout, it might seem tricky to find the right options to help you power through as well as properly recover. But maybe that’s just because you haven’t looked to the glycemic index yet. The glycemic index essentially ranks foods based on how much of an impact it will have on your blood sugar levels. High GI foods, like white bread and table sugar, can cause a big spike in blood sugar levels, while low GI foods like chickpeas and even chocolate will have a less dramatic effect—which can help with regulating energy and mood. While such food choices are important in your day-to-day life, it can be crucial to your fitness goals, too. We asked a registered dietitian exactly what you should be eating before and after your workouts for the best results, according to the glycemic index. ad_intervals[‘418221_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418221_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); What to eat before workouts While there’s been limited research on the impact of a low-glycemic-index diet on exercise, it could be beneficial for certain types of athletes. “A study in Nutrients on endurance runners eating a high-carb, low-glycemic-index diet for three weeks showed a small, yet significant, improvement in athletic performance for the runners,” says Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in the New York City area. “Before a hard workout, it’s important to
The 2-step test to determine how strong your hair is
August 27, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC When we talk about “good hair days,” we’re usually referring to our hair being perfectly colored, cut, and styled. One thing most of us aren’t thinking about, though, is its strength. That, it turns out, is a mistake. “Having strong hair is an important foundation, which will support styling, coloring, and the overall health of your hair,” explains John O’Brien, a hair color specialist at Antonio Prieto Salon. Strong hair happens when you have a proper balance of protein and moisture levels in your hair. This balance can fall totally out of whack with the help of heat styling and coloring, which is why your hair might start to look brittle and sort of meh if you aren’t giving it the proper care before and after these types of treatments. While simply looking at your hair can give you a good sense of whether or not it’s in solid shape, O’Brien suggests putting strands through a two-part test to see just how strong they actually are. ad_intervals[‘417970_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417970_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Fragility test Start by holding the ends of a section of dry hair up and away from your scalp, and use the fingers on your other hand to gently “brush” the hair back down towards your scalp, and watch how many shorter strands stand out. “It is common to have about 10 percent of shorter pieces—any more than that could indicate a moderate or
Over-the-counter birth control is touted as the future of contraception, but we still have a long way to go
August 27, 2019 at 12:24AM by CWC Earlier this summer, something strange happened on Twitter: Republican Ted Cruz publicly agreed with a Tweet posted by Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez which read, “Psst! Birth control should be over-the-counter, pass it on.” Unlike so many political dialogues—particularly those which concern the bodies of people with uteruses—this exchange felt uncharacteristically sensible and non-controversial. It also made the goal at its center sound easily achievable: for people to be able to buy oral contraceptives at the drugstore just like they buy aspirin or foot fungus cream. This debate isn’t totally new—advocates have long argued that by taking off the requirement of needing a prescription to get a birth control pill, people would have a much easier time accessing contraception, which would in turn lower the rate of unintended pregnancies. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) said as much in a statement in 2014. With this new bipartisan interest, is it finally time for America to join the 100 countries around the world which allow over-the-counter (OTC) access to birth control, especially given that numerous stateside medical organizations—including The American Academy of Family Physicians, The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Medical Association, and The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, to name a few—have come out in support of the idea? ad_intervals[‘411547_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘411547_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); The answer appears to be yes… with many, many caveats. The health debate over OTC birth control One of
3 percent of adult women are diagnosed with ADHD—here’s what it was like for 4 of them
August 26, 2019 at 07:29PM by CWC One of the most harmful mental health stereotypes out there: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is only something that happens in little boys. While it’s true that ADHD affects three times more male than female children, it’s still an issue many women and girls face. Nearly 7 percent of female children are diagnosed with ADHD, per the National Institutes of Health—and 3 percent of adult women aged 18-44 years are diagnosed with it (which translates to roughly 3.4 million women). ADHD is a brain disorder that can affect a person’s attention span, mood, productivity, and memory, no matter their age or gender. But recent research suggests that women and girls can experience ADHD a bit differently than boys and men—which can affect a person’s ability to get a diagnosis. In a 2017 study out of Norway, the authors wrote that, compared to boys, girls and adults with ADHD tend to exhibit more symptoms of inattention (one of the hallmarks of ADHD) and mood and anxiety disorders and fewer hyperactive and disruptive behaviors (the other, more stereotypical symptoms of ADHD). And inattention, according to the authors of a 2014 review of studies on women and girls with ADHD, is often not as noticeable as hyperactivity. “Because symptom severity contributes to the likelihood of referral for treatment, girls may be less likely to be diagnosed and receive treatment,” they wrote. ad_intervals[‘418192_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418192_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Another thing that may
The booty-strengthening yoga flow that perks your peach in 6 swift moves
August 26, 2019 at 07:15PM by CWC Welcome to Trainer of the Month Club, our brand-new fitness series, where we tap the coolest, most in-the-know fitness leaders to create a month-long fitness challenge. On Mondays, we have our “sweat drops” where you’ll get access to the week’s workout that you can follow along at home. This week, Val Verdier is taking you through a beginner yoga flow. There are approximately infinity reasons why people do yoga. For some, it’s about increasing flexibility. For others, it’s all about taking some time on the mat to zone out and forget the rest of the world. In this week’s edition of the Well+Good Trainer of the Month Club, Val Verdier of New York City’s Modo Yoga shows us exactly how to use yoga to get stronger. Her six-move series, which is meant to be done slowly and thoughtfully (it’s not one of those fast-paced power flows you might normally expect BTW), works every muscle in your lower body in a matter of minutes. By the time you’re done with the donkey kicks and squats, your glutes and thighs will be on fire. ad_intervals[‘418224_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418224_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); Follow along with the workout below, and don’t forget to check back next week for September’s Trainer of the Month with an all new trainer. View this post on Instagram Ready for the final week of our August Trainer of the Month Club?! For Week 4, our amazing
This skin-care routine is a derm-approved dupe for a $1,600 brightening system
August 26, 2019 at 06:28PM by CWC It has been brought to my attention that there is a skin-care system on the market that retails for $1,600.Now, don’t get me wrong: I love a bougie beauty product and have my fair share of them. In fairness, I only use my tiny travel jar of Creme de la Mer when I need a pick me up on exceptionally bad days, but the point is that I don’t judge anyone who wants to spend upwards of $200 on a beauty product, because I’m right there with you. When I saw that 111 Skin Lunar28 clocks in at $1,600, at first I had to figure out what made it so good, and then I had to figure out how I could dupe it. Because the only thing I can spend half my paycheck on is my rent. Here’s the deal: During the first week, you use an enzyme resurfacing peel to exfoliate and resurface skin, the second week, you’re meant to target dark spots and minimize pores, the third week involves an “intensive brightening serum” that has melanoregulators and retinoids in it that help smooth texture and reduce pigmentation, and in the final week, you soothe inflammation and redness to chill out your complexion and help it fend off things to come. ad_intervals[‘417995_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417995_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); While there’s definitely a reason why these products come along with such a hefty price tag, the beauty
These lymphatic drainage workouts are basically a detox on a mat…or trampoline
August 25, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC If I sat and wrote out out all of the benefits associated with exercising, we’d both be here all day. But one more thing that I recently learned can be added to the endless laundry list of “why working out is good for you,” after “building strength,” “boosting your mood,” and “helping with sleep”? It aids in lymphatic drainage. Think of the lymphatic system as a series of pipes that removes toxins and waste from your body. It does the job just fine on its own, but we can do certain things—like getting lymphatic drainage massages or taking certain supplements—to help it move more efficiently. While there’s been a whole lot of conversation around whether or not lymphatic drainage—AKA detoxing your lymphatic system—is totally necessary, that hasn’t stopped people from trying all sorts of things in its pursuits. You can get lymphatic drainage massages, pop certain supplements, and even jade rolling is purported to help with the process. If you’re committed to the cause, these workout moves are said to help, too. ad_intervals[‘416877_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘416877_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); On a trampoline Consider this the most fun way ever to help get your lymph system moving. “Bounce is more effective than other workouts for lymphatic drainage because of the effects of gravity and your body’s muscle contractions while on the trampoline,” says Aly Giampolo, co-founder of the ness, a studio in New York City that offers trampoline
Digestion experts name the 4 hallmarks of a perfect poop
August 25, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC People say that perfection is overrated. They’ve clearly never experienced the joys of a satisfying a.m. bowel movement. And, medical professionals agree, a healthy stool is a great indicator that your pipes are in tip-top shape and your body is getting the proper nutrients. But what, exactly, is the Platonic ideal of a poo? A functional medicine doctor and a gastroenterologist give me a checklist for what your poop should look like. 1. It’s brown “The first [thing] is color,” says gastroenterologist Niket Sonpal, MD. “Stool should be consistent in color.” According to the Mayo Clinic, all shades of brown tick this box. Greens, light-colored whites, yellows, black, and reds, meanwhile, all call for a visit to your doctor. If a peek into the bowl reveals a Pantone-style match for the classic poop emoji, you’re one step closer to the perfect plop. ad_intervals[‘417987_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417987_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); 2. It has a “Goldilocks” texture The next poo-criteria has to do with consistency, according to Dr. Sonpal and functional medicine doctor Mark Hyman, MD. At Butt-Con—a real event in New York City that bidet brand Tushy threw last week—Dr. Hyman said a good number two shouldn’t be too hard. “The quality should be not too hard and not too soft—it’s a Goldilocks phenomenon,” Dr. Sonpal elaborates. “You also shouldn’t see any undigested food chronically. It’s fine to see some corn on the way out, but if it’s