October 14, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC Pop-culture imagery has fed me a ton of lies over the years about how sex looks. (Like, why is everyone on TV so okay with breaking lamps and running into walls in the heat of the moment?) The most enduring and wildly incorrect one, though, is that if you’re a woman having penetrative sex, after three thrusts, max, you’ll orgasm. The boils my blood because in reality, fewer than 20 percent of women can orgasm from penetration alone. Welcome to the orgasm gap! Typically, the concept points to how during the sexual encounters of heterosexual men and women, 65 percent of women report reaching orgasm versus 95 percent of men, according to a 2017 study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior. But, since that’s based on the sexual encounter of penetrative sex, we need to widen our understanding of what constitutes sex in the first place and then make those practices the norm. Because while that low statistic isn’t the most confidence boosting, other research has found that only about 5 percent of women report never being about to climax ever. “The main contributing factor to the orgasm gap is that for most women, penetration alone is not the primary source of pleasure,” says Shannon Chavez, PsyD, licensed sex therapist. “Society contributes to this problem by defining ‘sex’ as ‘penetration.’” It’s worth noting that experts say people with vulvas who are in non-heteronormative relationships tend to have more orgasms, and one reason for this is
Category: Your Regeneration
The Outdoor Voices sweatshirt that had a 20K waitlist just launched and… OMG
October 14, 2019 at 09:50PM by CWC It’s fall here in New York, and I am a self-appointed cozy queen, going straight into hibernation mode as soon as the temperature drops. As fun as fall activities sound, I’m very picky—it’s rare I voluntarily leave the comfort of my own cozy blankets. So when I saw Outdoor Voices’ new MegaFleece pullover that dropped on Friday, I think I actually shrieked from excitement. Well, me and 20,000 other eager beavers who joined the waitlist, patiently standing by for the ultimate cozy, hygge-friendly sweatshirt to go on sale. You’re telling me I can go on autumnal adventures while staying just as warm and toasty as I would be underneath the covers? Sign. Me. Up. The new MegaFleece Half-Zip ($135) riffs off of the brand’s beloved hooded MegaFleece which launched last fall, only this time, it swaps the snaps for a quick zipper and offers an improved, true-to-size fit. The hoodie now also incorporates a ton of storage, including a kangaroo pouch with a hidden pocket and a retro, zip-up arm patch for extra room—the perfect hands-free alternative for storing your phone, hyaluronic acid lip balm, and other essentials. Photo: Outdoor Voices The best part of all? It’s eco-friendly. Designed from a blend of recycled wool and poly-nylon, the brand’s entire MegaFleece collection (which includes the Snap Up, $135 and the Crewneck, $85) curbs its carbon-footprint by saving water and reducing the chemical waste that comes with traditional wool production. Don’t let the traditionally
For the love of your body, here’s why trainers want you to flirt with more than one workout modality
October 14, 2019 at 09:00PM by CWC Many of us like to practice workout monogamy. You might be so smitten with running, dancing, or hula-hopping that you drop other fitness flames to be with them 24/7. There’s nothing “wrong” with having a darling in your exercise regimen, but ask any trainer and they’ll tell you that mixing up your movements is essential. To stay healthy, dextrous, and strong, it’s necessary to flirt with a few different forms of movement. “Starting a cross-training program is a wonderful way to challenge body endurance and movement skills,” says Jose Duncan Jr., a trainer with Crunch Gym. “Cross-training not only challenges the body’s cardiovascular system, it requires optimal function movement mechanics.” Duncan says that an ideal workout regimen is polyamorous. It constantly challenges your proprioception (your sense of awareness toward your own bodies movement patterns) to make you more resilient in the face of injuries. “Choosing a workout routine to compliment your main choice of physical activity is vital and can make you a lot happier than randomized training cycles,” says Duncan. Keeping a triathlon mindset for all your fitness ambitions pays off in spades, according to the Mayo Clinic. (Psst: For you, it doesn’t have to be swimming, biking, and running. It can be any well-rounded combo of your choosing!) To find out which sweat modalities will work in tandem with your main squeeze, first break down its physical components. For example, a spin class will set your core, glutes, and hamstrings on
5 minimalist nail art designs you can do yourself in 15 seconds
October 14, 2019 at 08:30PM by CWC Nothing makes me feel more effortlessly cool than minimalist nail art. I could be wearing a sweatshirt from college and jeans, but if my nails are on point, I have influencer-level confidence. Should I shoot a close-up of my hands wrapped around my coffee with my nails in plain view? I think yes. You don’t have to shell out the big bucks for cute nails or settle for a one-note solid coat. Trust me: I’m not exactly skilled at creating works of art on dime-sized canvases, but the best part is that I don’t have to be with minimalist nail art. Bless the manicure-inept trendsetter who dreamed this up because the latest nail styles require almost no skill at all. All the minimalist nail art ideas rounded up here take less than 15 seconds to do (after your basic mani is set of course). Minimalist nail art that gives you more time to do literally anything else View this post on Instagram A post shared by Charlotte Mealing (@multibendybeauty) on Oct 13, 2019 at 11:12am PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js 1. Bold lines Bold, dark lines on a light-hued mani looks both trendy and timeless. As shown here, you can get a little whimsical too; the lines don’t have to be uniform. View this post on Instagram A post shared by alua beauty (@aluanewyork) on Oct 9, 2019 at 9:59am PDT 2. Oversized dots Going big with your dots transforms your minimalist
Why trainers say you should start every single workout with a plank
October 14, 2019 at 07:30PM by CWC Think of your core as the Cher Horowitz of your skeletal muscular system. It’s the leader of the pack, the glue that holds things together, and the central force that influences everything that you do (including your workouts, which remains true in both cases). Pretty much every move that you make starts from your core—think about how many times you’ve heard trainers tell you to engage your core during a fitness routine—which is why every workout you do, whether it’s running, spinning, Pilates, or strength training, should start with some sort of core warmup. You know how some trainers will choose to start their classes with a (hellish) series of planks? Well, there’s a reason for that. “It’s important to start a workout with a core warmup because the core is the center of all–in every sense of the word,” says Obé fitness trainer and Torch’d creator Isaac Calpito, adding that when you start by activating your core, you ensure proper alignment with the rest of your moves. “With a warm, engaged core, you allow the rest of your body to move from a strong foundation. The stronger your foundation, the deeper you can dig into every other muscle properly.” So regardless of the move that you happen to be doing, it’ll be affected by the attention you give to your core, he says. “Proper extension through your limbs, accurate and specific targeting of certain muscles to tone and lift all come from
How a slumber party hairstyle of yore has helped me to quell my anxiety
October 14, 2019 at 07:15PM by CWC I’ve only developed three life skills in my entire 28 years: hula-hooping, tying a cherry stem with my tongue, and French braiding. Despite being the most aggressively unsexy of the bunch, it significantly solidified my slumber party standing for many, many years. But, as someone who hasn’t touched a sleeping bag in upwards of a decade, a French braid isn’t just a way to pass time while someone screens The Blair Witch Project, it’s now the way I stay sane as I navigate everyday adult stresses. I first realized the soothing powers mid-meeting. You should probably know that I am anxious by nature, and I fidget when bored or nervous. At the time, my heart was beating a mile-a-minute: I have to present pitches! Original thoughts! With confidence! Without passing out! Among this team of near strangers! Intimidated and unable to chill, my hands unconsciously went to my hair. Thread this stand here, pick up another strand with it, thread that strand there, pick up another strand with it. And breathe. This was…life changing. In the past I’ve always found it calming to French braid my friend’s hair because it made me feel useful, and on some level, it was meditative. Something about the act grounds me and brings me down to Earth with each twist. So what gives? What is it about playing with hair, that keeps me from being overwhelmed? “The feel of hair is itself a healthy experience, pleasant and calming, while
This healthy ‘liquid gold’ sauce makes *everything* taste way better
October 14, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC As a creature of habit, I’m always looking for ways to jazz up my favorite foods. Every week, I generally have the same line-up. Not because I’m boring… just because I love them so much. (At least that’s what I like to tell myself, anyway.) Unfortunately, even my beloved baked potatoes get old if I’m always sticking to the same toppings. But now that I’ve found a healthy sauce that upgrades literally any meal. Liquid gold isn’t what you think it is. It’s so much cheesier. Dana Shultz of Minimalist Baker recently shared her 5-Minute Liquid Gold Sauce: a plant-based mix composed of chickpeas, lemon, nutritional yeast, turmeric, and tahini. You can even make it spicy by adding a dash of cayenne. Inspired by a sauce at a popular vegetarian joint in Portland called The Whole Bowl, it’s essentially a creamy topping that not only adds nutritional value to everything it touches, but also an insane amount of flavor. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MINIMALIST BAKER (@minimalistbaker) on Oct 12, 2019 at 8:21am PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js The healthy sauce only requires 10 ingredients and five minutes to put together. Once you have a batch, it can be stored in your refrigerator for up to one week—if it lasts that long since the uses are endless. Shultz says it’s perfect to dress salads or sauce up roasted vegetables. You can use it with barbecue skewers, nachos, burrito bowls, and more. Personally,
The Amazon reviewer’s 5-star guide to body wash under $15
October 14, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC We’ve all been there, stuck at the store with a beauty product in each hand trying to decide which one to take home. But instead of spending forever sifting through endless options, just look to Amazon for the best body wash for women. If you haven’t checked out the online retailer’s best-seller lists yet, you’ve gotta start. They’re updated every single hour, letting shoppers know exactly which products are the most popular based on sales. While these lists are available for multiple different departments, the beauty section is chock-full of great finds. And aside from all the highly reviewed masks and serums, a surprising number of body washes also made the cut. Out of every body wash on Amazon—more than 10,000!—there were a handful of options that cracked the top 100 in all of beauty. Some were big names (no shocker there), but you’ll also find smaller brands people are just as obsessed with for their high-quality products that always get the job done. The next time you’re in need of a body wash, go with one of these prime picks. Pun intended. The best body wash for women on Amazon 1. Aveeno Skin Relief Fragrance-Free Body Wash with Oat, $10 I’m not surprised this is the most popular body wash on Amazon. I’ve been a fan of Aveeno’s fragrance-free options for years. They keep your skin happy and make you feel squeaky clean. 2. Dove Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash, $9 If
In the battle between kettlebells vs. dumbbells, here’s what will upgrade your sweat sesh
October 14, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC Finding your way around your gym’s cardio machines is fairly foolproof. You want to run? Hit the treadmill. You want to spin? Get your butt on the bike. You want to climb stairs for 45 minutes but never actually go anywhere? Hop on the stair master. Weights, though, aren’t as straightforward, which is why the question of when you should grab a kettlebell versus dumbbell to check off your strength training is often cause for confusion. The choice between the two shouldn’t just be based on preference…or whichever is closest. Because of their shapes, they each fit different needs, and therefore, should be used accordingly. A kettlebell has one large, spherical weight with a handle on top, while dumbbells feature two equal-sized weights with a bar in the middle. These designs lead to differences in the way the mass is distributed. When you hold a weight, the mass is on either side of your hand, while with a kettlebell it’s directly underneath with a space in the middle. “With a kettlebell, there is a space between your hand and the actual load, and this added distance acts as an additional lever arm,” says Kelvin Gary, founder of NYC’s BodySpaceFitness. This, he explains can make the load feel either lighter or heavier, depending on its position in space. So when should you grab for a kettlebell versus dumbbell? The answer is: It depends. Ballistic moves, like snatches and cleans, can be done with either.
From pyramids to ‘spinning tops,’ here’s what nutrition guidelines look like in 7 countries around the world
October 14, 2019 at 03:04PM by CWC Welcome to Passport Nutrition. We’re mapping the flavors of the world one country at a time while speaking with people who wrap their careers around cuisine as well as those who simply savor an hour spent in the kitchen after work. You’ll find that a “healthy plate” isn’t one size—or country—fits all. Ask your social circle for a definition of healthy eating and chances are you’ll be met with responses that run the gamut. Meat or no meat, cow’s milk or oat milk, carbs or no carbs… The debate over what it actually looks like to eat healthy reaches the same heights of whether Ross and Rachel were really on a break. People get heated. Imagine taking that conversation global. What does eating healthy look like to people in Japan, India, or Argentina? Well, you’re about to find out. Detailed here is how seven different parts of the world—including the United States—define healthy eating, according to the nutritional guidelines from their governments. What do we all have in common? Where do we differ? You’re about to get schooled. How nutritional guidelines compare and contrast across the globe Graphic: Well+Good Creative United States of America The nutritional guidelines in the United States are determined by the department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and are reevaluated every five years to take into consideration any new, emerging scientific data. You know that food pyramid we were all taught