October 27, 2018 at 06:30PM Whether you’re training for a marathon or just enjoy the occasional three-mile jog, finding your running shoe equivalent of Cinderella’s slipper is essential—not only for preventing injury, but also for actually looking forward to lacing up each day (look good, train better, right?). But sometimes, switching up your commitment to your road-worn pair can help you find something even better—which is why we challenged three long-distance runners to do just that. Ahead of the New York City Marathon, we tasked the running aficionados with taking one of three styles of ASICS sneakers—all in the brand new, Northern Lights-inspired Solar Shower shades—for a spin to see how they compare to their go-to kicks. Full disclosure: These ladies run a lot (up to 80 miles a week!), so they have some strong opinions on logging miles, choosing the right footwear, and everything in between. Keep reading to see how the ASICS Solar Shower Collection sneakers stood up against their everyday running shoes. Photo: Emily Fayette Emily Fayette, run coach, Flywheel instructor, and founder of The Healthy Hustle Fayette uses running as her primary mode of transportation, and is training for her second marathon (her goal is to make it through all five NYC boroughs in three hours). Since she usually ends up clocking around 80 miles every week, her feet can use all the TLC they can get. “Comfort is everything for me,” Fayette says. “And the Solar Shower GEL-Cumulus 20 SP shoes are extremely comfortable and light. My first day
Category: Fashion
Women are losing it over this beaded leopard bag
October 25, 2018 at 11:27AM In the wild, the dappled pattern of leopard fur helps actual leopards blend in. But here in the concrete jungle, the buzzy animal print makes everything covered in it stand out. This was the case with the Susan Alexandra leopard bag, which I first spotted (had to) while working out this summer. (The locker rooms of boutique fitness studios rival any runway in terms of forecasting fashion trends.) Its intricate beadwork was hard to miss as it sparkled in the sunlight. And I found myself staring at it—instead of my weighted ankles—between leg lifts. After class, I tracked down its owner who turned out to be Alexandra herself, a bubbly brunette (you know what they say about endorphins and exercise) and self-taught accessories maker. She told me that the leopard bag wasn’t yet for sale but that I could sign up for its waitlist. Which I did because, despite popular belief, editors don’t always get everything for free. And since then, I’ve followed along as a growing number of women stalk this statement piece. I swear, it’s like being part of some online shopping safari. So far, Alexandra’s sold 600 of her animal print accessory and has another 450 people waiting their turn to add one to their collections. “It’s very democratic,” says the designer. “I don’t do it by when the person signs up. They all get notified at the same time and whoever buys it first, gets it. It’s a password protected piece, so
After hating my arm hair my whole life, I now love it
October 25, 2018 at 11:10AM My arm hair used to cause me serious distress: The dark strands against my Snow White-pale arms felt dramatic. In middle school, I felt like the beast in Beauty and the Beast. I would look down at my arms in class and think that people were staring at them, judging at how hairy they were. To deal, I’d tug at my shirt sleeves to make sure I was covered up. The whole thing may sound petty now, but at the time, it really affected me. It’s not uncommon, though, to feel so insecure about a body part when you’re a teen. Middle school is a strange, strange time when insecurities run rampant, hormones are in flux, and you’re growing into your body. While things seem to level out soon thereafter (at least, kind of), the self-consciousness that comes along with a growing body during a particularly insecure point in your life can be pretty tough to navigate—not to mention taxing on your mental health. “It is extremely common for teenagers to be incredibly insecure about specific parts of their body, including their appearance and how others perceive them,” says Danielle Forshee, PsyD, a clinical psychologist. “During the teenage years, there are quite a bit of social and emotional developmental changes going on. The most important developmental task for teenagers is to search for their identity, which comes along with the struggle for independence.” “It is extremely common for teenagers to be incredibly insecure about specific parts of their body,
Singer-songwriter Mary Lambert uses poetry to channel anger and shame into power
October 25, 2018 at 11:04AM Singer-songwriter Mary Lambert is angry about quite a few things these days—and with good reason. There’s the TBH too-short sentence Bill Crosby received for his sexual assault conviction, Brett Cavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation directly following a hearing to suss out his history of alleged sexual misconduct, and the eerily echoing situation of President Trump’s election on the heels of sexual-assault allegations against him. Now Lambert, whose heart-melting voice you know from her collab with Ryan Lewis and Macklemore on “Same Love,” is channeling that rage percolating in so many women right now. Her just-released second poetry book, Shame Is an Ocean I Swim Across takes on tough-to-talk-about topics—mental health, shame, incest, sexual harassment, rape, LGBT acceptance, body-love, and forgiveness—and imbues them with inspiring power. “Speaking loudly and openly about my experiences is inherently political. I think I find most of the power and activism in the performing and sharing of it.” —Mary Lambert “I don’t know if there’s a universal path for everyone to confront shame and anger,” Lambert tells me. But for her, poetry helps. “The writing process for me is really insular and personal. I don’t feel that the impetus for my writing is rooted in activism, but I do recognize that speaking loudly and openly about my experiences is inherently political. I think I find most of the power and activism in the performing and sharing of it,” she says. Want a preview of how poetry can transform anger and shame into power? Check out a work below from
What Every Marathon Runner Needs to Know the Week Before Race Day
October 25, 2018 at 05:22AM Picture this: You’ve pounded the pavement for months, tracked every mile, and listened to your running playlist about a million times—but you’re still a tad panicked to bust out a full 26.2. As you’re in the home stretch of running a marathon, wouldn’t it be great if a group of elite experts gave you their veteran advice? At ASICS’ perfectly timed “Run Your Best Marathon” panel discussion, that’s exactly what happened. Moderated by sports medicine physician and 34-time marathoner Jordan D. Metzl, MD, the pros talked about everything from hydrating the day before (salty broth does wonders, FYI) to preventing heavy legs in the lead up to the New York City Marathon. “Relax, don’t sweat it. The best thing you can do for yourself is stop stressing and get some sleep.” We captured all the need-to-know tips for you. Below, hear from sports nutritionist Lauren Antonucci, MS, RD, CCSD, the director of sports performance at the Hospital for Special Surgery, Polly de Mille, RN, RCEP, CSCS, and ASICS elite-level distance runner and Olympian Diego Estrada. Estrada’s top advice? “Relax, don’t sweat it. The best thing you can do for yourself is stop stressing and get some sleep.” Scroll down for the experts’ answers to the most-pressing questions runners have leading up to a marathon—and shop ASICS’ latest collection of running shoes. Photo: ASICS To gel or not to gel? When you traverse 26.2 miles on race day, you’ll need adequate long-distance fuel—which essentially means energy-gel packs (a gooey substance designed
2 yoga moves you can do at your desk to ease neck and back tightness
October 25, 2018 at 03:28AM Whether you slay away in an office or WFH, repeatedly lug around a 25 pound carry-on (read: purse), or are constantly perusing Instagram, many realities of the modern “get ‘er done” lifestyle can unfortunately lead to neck and back pain. In fact, more dollars are spent treating these ailments than almost any other medical condition, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Typically, these result because of too much time crouched over computers or firing away on hand-held devices which encourage the neck to protrude anteriorly and the shoulders to round forward. “The head weighs to ten to twelve pounds, so this position pulls the neck and back into an uncomfortable forward-jutted position. Overtime, this leads to ‘text neck’ and generalized pain,” says yoga instructor, Francesca Valarezo, who’s leading our next Well+Good Retreat in Miami. Valarezo knows the difficulties firsthand and she’s not alone—roughly 70 percent of people will be afflicted by neck aches at some point in their lives according to research from Harvard Medical Health. And while it’s hard to skip-out on the desk job all together, standing for breaks during the day—or hey, putting in that PTO to join us for a seriously high vibe experience come December—can help. Until then, Valarezo’s got two yoga poses that help stretch things out and, best yet, can be done right from the comfort of your own desk. 1. Diver’s Pose Stretch “A gentle diver’s stretch helps you strengthen and lengthen the muscles in the neck and eventually realign
This cozy sweatshirt will make you rethink everything you know about recycled plastic
October 24, 2018 at 12:21PM Not since Mean Girls has being plastic been such a big deal. At the moment, every socially responsible fashion company seems to be working on ways to literally weave more of the recycled material into its clothing—inorder to keep some of the 8 billion tons of plastic currently on the planet out of the oceans. Among them is the modern basics brand Everlane. Today it dropped its first capsule completely devoid of new synthetics. Fittingly called the ReNew collection, the focus of the line is on what Everlane dubs “outerwear with an outlook.” And its POV is as clear as its radically transparent policies. “Plastic is destroying our planet and there is only one solution—stop creating virgin plastic and renew what’s already here,” said Michael Preysman, Everlane’s founder and CEO, in a recent press release. Because outwear is primarily made from synthetic textiles, Everlane chose to focus on that category first as part of a bigger plan to switch over entirely to recycled plastic by 2021. It reused 3 million plastic bottles to make the 13 piece capsule ofpuffer coats, parkas, and fleece pullovers. The collection ranges in price from $55–$198 and a real standout is an ochre (or golden brown) fleece sweatshirt that is the muted fall iteration of this summer’s turmeric yellow trend. It’s hard to fathom that its fuzzy shell is woven out of water bottles. Yet, right now, in its recycling facility, the San Francisco-based company is turning these discarded drink containers
5 of the most common running injuries and how to fix them
October 24, 2018 at 12:11PM Whether or not you’re a big-time runner, landing yourself on the injured list is never fun. But when you’re training for a big race, it’s almost inevitable: increased mileage means more stress on the body, which can often translate to some unwanted ailments. And as if that’s not enough, Don’t worry, sister. We’ve got you covered. We checked in with Tyler Nightingale, DPT, a physical therapist at Bespoke Treatments in New York City, to get the lowdown on the most popular running injuries and what you can do to treat them so you can be in tip-top shape come time to toe the starting line. Photo: Stocksy/Bonninstudio 1. Runner’s Knee What is it: Another name for patellofemoral pain syndrome, runner’s knee typically presents itself as pain in the kneecap. Essentially an irritation of the cartilage on the underside of the patella, it’s caused when your knee isn’t moving properly on the correct track. “It tends to occur when you have biomechanic factors that overload the knee during repetitive movements like running,” says Nightingale. When you feel it: Going down stairs, sitting with a lot of knee bend or after a long run Who’s most at risk: People with poor eccentric (or, the lowering phase) control of foot pronation, hip adduction and internal rotation, all of which will allow your knee to turn inwards with each weighted step Running modifications: Try to reduce your mileage and downhills while pain is most severe, suggests Nightingale. “If pain
A dermatologist’s hack for making your eye cream work double duty
October 24, 2018 at 10:08AM Eye creams are notorious dark circle savers—just ask derms. However, if you’re only slathering your go-to formula under your lashline, the rest of your eye area—namely, your lids— may be experiencing FOMO…on collagen (the protein responsible for structuring your skin). “I believe in putting your eye cream all around your eye, including the eyelid,” says New York City-based dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD. Since the layer of skin surrounding your eyes is the thinnest on your entire body, this part of your face is also more prone to aging brought on by the loss of collagen and elastin. “We tend to touch and rub the skin of the eyes more than other areas—especially in those who wear contacts, so this can contribute to stretching of the skin as well,” adds the dermatologist. Eye creams, in turn, can help stimulate collagen production, de-puff lids which can get swollen overnight, and may even tighten the skin. “I believe in putting your eye cream all around your eye, including the eyelid.” – Dendy Engelman, MD Next time you’re performing your nightly 20-step skincare routine, Dr. Engelman recommends extending the half moon fingertip motions you’d normally use to apply the cream to your under eyes into full moon-shaped circles. Just don’t stray too close to the lashes, or the product might slip into your eyes. If you still haven’t fallen head over heels for an eye cream yet, she recommends trying out the SkinMedica TNS Eye Repair ($102), which offers antioxidant protection with Vitamin A, C,
One of the best banana peel uses? Shining up your shoes
October 24, 2018 at 08:49AM People have been slipping on bananas in slapstick comedy for years. And while stepping on one doesn’t actually result in a traumatic fall on the sidewalk (thanks, MythBusters), it could be a totally chemical-free—and environmentally-friendly—way to shine up your favorite pair of booties in seconds. It might sound strange, but according to PureWow, the texture of the inner part of a banana peel works great as an all-natural shoe shiner on both leather and faux-leather shoes. The technique is incredibly simple, too: All you need to do is buff your booties until the oil from the peel gets rid of any marks and scuffs. Then before wearing your shoes around again, gently wipe them down with a microfiber cloth to clean off any leftover banana chunks. Unless, you know, you want to snack on them later. The texture of the inner part of a banana peel works great as all-natural shoe shiner on both leather and faux-leather shoes. The next time you’ve finished enjoying your snack, don’t toss the peel in the trash—put it to good use. And when someone asks you how you got your shoes so shiny, just be prepared for some very confused looks. Want more ways to put your bananas to good use? Whip up this delicious buckwheat banana bread, or go totally bananas for this vegan alt-milk alternative. Continue Reading… Author Tehrene Firman | Well and Good Selected by iversue