August 13, 2019 at 10:55AM by CWC There’s a reason I don’t budget like a responsible #adult: I simply can’t come to terms with how much dough I spend trying out new fitness classes, scouring the drugstore beauty aisle for treasures, and (um, duh) overspending on every fancy snack that catches my eye. A new survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Blue Diamond Almonds asked 2,000 Americans about their sacking habits. And the average consumer spends a whopping $3,300 a year on “gourmet treats,” according to Fox News. Ouch. Of course, there’s one major caveat here: Blue Diamond has a vested interest in the future of the snack industry, so their research needs to be taken with a grain of salt(ed almonds). Anecdotally though, the Well+Good office can attest that we spend a large chunk of our paychecks on buzzy new treats like mushroom jerky and cauliflower pretzels, among others. (For research! We’re a wellness company! Hop off!) If you consider exploring new noshing options a pillar of your healthy routine, then by all means, shop on. If you, too, suffer from snacker’s remorse, however, I asked two dietitians how to score a week’s worth of snacks for under $10. ad_intervals[‘415110_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘415110_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Dietitians choose their top 4 cheap healthy snacks that will cost you less than $10 per week. A tub of classic hummus with veggies or toast “A 10-ounce tub of Sabra hummus is just $4.29 and
Category: You and your body
Make your own full moon water in 5 steps to cleanse and empower yourself for the month ahead
August 13, 2019 at 10:18AM by CWC The moon and I are tight; I have monthly new moon parties with my girlfriends, and I’ve worn the same pair of crescent moon earrings for 18 years. So when I first heard it’s possible to charge your water with the full moon’s energy, I was like, “lol what?” and then five seconds later, I was like, “sign me up.” I decided I wanted, badly, to learn how to make moon water. Sure, this falls under the classification of woo-woo with two capital Ws, but drinking moon water is said to be an effective way of cleansing and empowering yourself for the month ahead. And at the very least, it’s a chicly spiritual way to channel your inner Victoria Beckham. Yes, that’s right, Posh Spice drinks moon water—and you can, too. And when it comes to making moon water, the only full moon to make sure you steer clear of is one in the state of eclipse. “Eclipses are absolutely not moons you want to harness the energy of. We want to work with eclipses in ways that help us gently remove impurities from our system.” —Chani Nicholas, astrologer “Each full moon has its own unique properties, some you may want to harness, some you absolutely do not,” says astrologer Chani Nicholas. “Only an astrologer can tell you which is good to work with, but as a general rule, eclipses are absolutely not moons you want to harness the energy of. Eclipses cast
Life as a lefty helps me to embrace *all* my flaws—not just those related to handedness
August 13, 2019 at 08:36AM by CWC If asked to describe myself in a sentence, or even in a string of adjectives, “left-handed” likely wouldn’t make the cut. There are just so many other traits and preferences that that I think more accurately depict me. Like, to name a few: lover of avocados and ice cream, hater of zoos, Bravo superfan, and couch potato. That I’m a member of the estimated 10 percent of the population that’s made up of left-handed people isn’t something I’ve given much thought because it’s never seemed to matter in the greater scope of my life. Given that the majority of my top defining traits outlined above involve eating, lounging, and lazing about, it should come as no surprise that I never aspired to thrive in the world of sports, an arena in which left-handedness is noted to provide a supposed leg up in certain modalities, like baseball, boxing, and tennis. Research hypothesizes this is an evolutionary social response to balance cooperation and competition—basically, play by the rules, but find a loophole to elevate yourself because you’re at a disadvantage in other ways. And sure, I’m a classically stubborn Leo who’s sometimes partial to a contrarian disposition just for the sake of it, but I have to doubt that this evolutionary finding applies to my case of left-handedness. ad_intervals[‘415057_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘415057_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Being a lefty wasn’t a factor in my mediocre-at-best skill level for my childhood
The hardest plank of my life came courtesy of this under-the-radar gym equipment
August 13, 2019 at 07:00AM by CWC At my gym, there are these three-foot long horizontal tubes with cut-outs. They look like foam rollers, but are far from it. They’re actually not meant to help with recovery at all, they’re supposed to add some serious intensity to your sweat sesh. And boy, do they deliver. In fact, the ViPR PRO—pronounced viper—made a plank series the hardest I’ve ever done. A personal trainer had me get down into a forearm plank with the ViPR perpendicular to my body, lying underneath my chest. I then had to maintain my plank position while pulling the ViPR horizontally to the side by the opposite hand (back and forth). The product was made to help with whole-body integrated movements, including movements like the plank. “ViPR PRO is a great way to recruit type two muscle fibers or as a great introduction to strength training,” says Jan Hutnan, trainer and the brand’s account coordinator. “The product’s length and diameter allow the user to modify their leverage over the device, offering numerous ways to challenge the person.” ad_intervals[‘411925_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘411925_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); Master trainer and professional bodybuilder Branko Teodorovic of FlexIt also says the ViPR is great for full-body movement that also incorporate balance. “The ViPR is generally safer for key joints, especially your shoulders,” he tells me, pointing out that it works like a barbell, but has vertical grips. “Those vertical grips help make ViPR a safer tool for your
How to wake up your skin in the morning with solutions that cost zero extra dollars
August 13, 2019 at 05:00AM by CWC Hearing about people’s “morning routines” can often be exhausting. Who has time to wake up, work out, make matcha, whip up breakfast, have mind-blowing sex, meditate, journal, and save the world all before going to work? Literally no one (unless their work day starts at like 5 p.m.). One thing that’s worth adding to everyone’s morning routine, though? A skin-care regimen that helps to “wake up” skin and get it ready for the day the same way cup of coffee does. “Many times people sleep on their side or their stomach, and all of their lymphatic fluid pools in certain areas, especially under the eyes, under the chin, the jaw, and below the cheek pads,” says Melanie Simon, founder and CEO of ZIIP Beauty. That’s not all: “As it pertains to morning, skin can be puffy, red, blotchy, dehydrated or oily. Typically, if you’re suffering from sleep deprivation, the effects of restricted blood flow will be reflected in your skin,” adds Sheel Desai Solomon, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. ad_intervals[‘414826_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘414826_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Because of this, it’s worth adding “wake up your skin” to your morning to-do list (right after you cross all those other things off the list). “Waking up your skin is all about moving those fluids through your lymphatic pathways and increasing your circulation, while also constricting parts of the muscular structure that have become relaxed throughout the sleeping process,” explains Simon.
Well, at least we’re failing to get enough sleep together as a planet
August 13, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC One of the strongest arguments for Aladdin being the hottest Disney prince is that whole “A Whole New World” routine. If someone showed up at my window with a one-way ticket to Greece, Egypt, and China, my crop top would be flying faster than any magic carpet. In reality, though, a late night trip around the world would probably show more people bug-eyed and in the throes of insomnia. Behold the results of 2019 Philips Global Sleep Survey, answered by more than 11,000 adults from 12 countries. As it turns out, sleeping around the world—here defined as “whether we have good sleep hygiene across the globe” and not your wild semester abroad junior year—shows that we’re all failing a little together. But since I’m aggressively American, let’s focus on how we’re slaying the competition first. The United States, in case you’re curious, actually wins the bronze medal for being one of the more well-rested countries (U-S-A! U-S-A!). So when it comes to at least feeling like we’ve gotten enough sleep, the only countries that have us beat are India for the gold and Saudi Arabia for the silver. Way to go, global fam. ad_intervals[‘414740_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘414740_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); The world average for optimum sleep, however, shows that most of us are falling short. We all know that we’re all supposed to be shooting for a coveted 8 hours of sleep. To that I respond with a
The key differences in how introverts and extroverts can best navigate today’s world
August 13, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator has been around for decades, helping countless people understand how they think, feel, and behave. More general, though, than being able to highlight what you were like as a kid and where you find motivation in life, your Myers-Briggs personality can help you decipher where you lie in the matter of introvert vs extrovert. The test breaks down whether you’re introverted or extroverted, intuitive or sensing, feeling or thinking, and perceiving or judging. And while general understandings of what it means to be an introvert vs extrovert are widely held (there’s even a quiz you can take here!), deciphering what, exactly, those terms mean in today’s world isn’t necessarily straightforward. This is especially true given the entire concept of social media asking us to communicate at all times. (Are we ever really alone anymore?) Since it’s complicated—but knowing yourself and whether you identify as more of an introvert or extrovert can be helpful—it’s time to break down how these terms apply to people in today’s world. ad_intervals[‘413819_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘413819_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); What are the key differences between introverts and extroverts, again? “An introvert is a person who is most comfortable being alone and gets the most fulfillment and energy by being alone,” says clinical psychologist John Mayer, PhD. He adds that, in general, introverts tend to spend time thinking about communicating to the point of overthinking and also skew sensitive. They
5 benefits of olive oil that explain why it’s a staple of the Mediterranean diet
August 13, 2019 at 02:03AM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rof-B24i37s] Here’s why one registered dietitian says “Olive you so much” to EVOO. Watch the video. If you know anything about the Mediterranean diet, it’s probably that olive oil reigns supreme. And it’s not just because it’s essential for crafting salad dressing, or makes oven-baked foods even more delicious, but also because it’s so good for your health. In Well+Good’s latest installment of You Versus Food, dietitian Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, is here to share olive the benefits (sorry, I couldn’t resist). 1. Olive oil is a powerful antioxidant Yes, the same kind of compounds you find in blueberries and teas are also found in olive oil. “[Antioxidants] act as a scavenger for harmful free radicals and has been shown to reduce chronic disease,” Beckerman says. ad_intervals[‘414290_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘414290_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); 2. It can help reduce inflammation Although inflammation isn’t always a bad thing, an excess of inflammation can lead to health problems like arthritis. Enter olive oil, which Beckerman says is made of primarily monounsaturated fats like oleic acid. Studies suggest oleic acid can decrease chronic inflammation, Beckerman says. Talk about a win! Cooking with olive oil can be a bit tricky—there are different types, and you may lose some of the benefits if you use them wrong. To learn the best cooking practices, and all the other benefits olive oil has to offer, watch the full video. If you’re craving more You Versus Food, be
Is it dangerous to wake a sleepwalker? (And other tips to help the somnambulant people in your life)
August 12, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC The first time Caitlin* learned of her fiancé’s sleepwalking habit, they were on vacation, staying in an Airbnb. It was the middle of the night when she woke up to find John* getting out of bed to—she falsely assumed—go to the restroom. But she was quickly rustled from her half-asleep state to a wide-eyed status when she realized he was about to do his business in the bedroom closet. “I jumped out of bed and said, ‘Babe! That is not the bathroom!’ And then I steered him toward the proper restroom,” she tells me. John later cleared up the situation when he told her that he often sleepwalks when he’s had a few drinks and is staying away from home. But Caitlin quickly learned that wasn’t the extent of John’s after-dark shenanigans. “If we’re home, he’ll get up and go check on ‘noises’ he thinks he hears, but when he wakes in the morning, he has no recollection,” Caitlin says. “One night, he got out of bed and walked over to my side of the bed to check my face, because he thought there were bugs crawling all over me.” ad_intervals[‘412609_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘412609_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); From John’s perspective, the unconscious wandering is no big deal. “My dad used to sleepwalk all the time, too, and I used to think it was hilarious,” he says. “I tend to not remember anything [from sleepwalking episodes], and if
5 meal prep tips to ensure your food is anything but boring
August 12, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC Now that meal prepping has actually made its way into my weekly Sunday routine, I have to say, I’m pretty darn proud of myself. It’s so satisfying to look into the fridge and see glass containers prepped with my lunch salads and protein and greens for dinner, all ready to eat. There’s only one small problem: Lately, the sweet reward of digging into a meal I prepped in advance has become a lost less satisfying, because I’m, well, bored. I’ve gone on autopilot with my grocery shopping and meal prepping, buying and making the same things every single week. That means I’m basically eating the same meals on rotation. Can anyone else relate? I decided to ask some of my meal prep expert and dietitian friends for ways to switch things up while still sticking to a healthy eating plan. As expected, they delivered with some game-changing tips. Scroll down for five ways to switch up your meal prep to make mealtime more exciting. 1. Rotate your protein. “When planning your meal prep each week, rotate the protein options,” Simple Healthy Delish blogger and meal prep queen Leanne Miyasaki tells me. “For example, if you made chicken and ground turkey last week, try making sirloin and shrimp next.” If you’re plant-based, try swapping out chickpeas for lentils, or tofu for tempeh. Just changing up the protein (which is usually the base of a dish) can help make the entire meal seem a bit more