November 10, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC There’s a reason why most gyms have TVs attached to their cardio machines: It is really, really easy to get bored when you’re doing the same motion, over and over and over again, for thirty minutes straight. And while watching a rerun of a Friends Thanksgiving episode for the 200th time is certainly one way to keep yourself occupied while logging miles on the treadmill or elliptical, distracting yourself by way of strength training intervals is a great way to spice things up and get a better bang for your buck (and more importantly, for your time). Instead of doing however-many-minutes of cardio and then heading to the floor or bench to build some muscle, you’ll actually get more out of both elements of the workout if you intersperse them. This is exactly the principle behind Rumble’s new studio, Rumble Training (in San Francisco and New York City), which alternates between treadmill and floor training over the course of a 45-minute class. “Strength and cardio are not enemies and actually help each other—we need both!” says Julia Stern, a coach at Rumble. “When you strength train and activate your core, you’ll actually perform better on the treadmill. When you have cardiovascular endurance, it’ll help you lift the weights. Your body needs both.” In addition to the two modalities building on each other, doing strength training between cardio intervals can help your body recover from the previous interval while prepping it for the next one. Stern
Category: Your Regeneration
“Coat-veralls” are the most useful winter-wear feature since the down insert itself
November 10, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC It’s that time of year: We’re all making 3,987 references to the fact that winter is coming like we haven’t been saying it since 2015, Netflix queues are brimming with holiday movies, and we finally (finally!) get to break out our cozy coats and jackets. The latter is all fun and games until you get on the subway or some other enclosed area where taking your jacket off and holding it could not be anymore inconvenient. All of the sudden, that coat that was keeping you cozy in the chilly weather is now an inferno burrito. So thank heavens that “coat-veralls” or overall straps in winterwear are saving us in this predicament. While this isn’t exactly a new concept, backpack straps in coats and jackets are becoming more commonplace—and they’re so smart. The straps let you take off the coat so you don’t overheat, without having to totally strip down. And with that, you don’t have to try and free up the hands that are busy schlepping around your work bag, a change of clothes for your date later, and that assortment of receipts you keep swearing you’ll expense some day soon. “Thanks, it has backpack straps” is winter’s version of your “thanks, it has pockets” summer dress. Shop five jackets and coats with interior straps below. Photo: Mango Mango Water Repellent Quilted Coat, $130 Puffer coats are in—and this one has the added bonus of suspender-like straps that make it easy to carry
The ‘Grecian goddess’ snack a dietitian eats to fight acne
November 10, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC As a healthy food writer, I’ve heard before that certain foods could be sneaky acne-causing culprits. In high school, the teen mags I read loved to make the connection between greasy food and zits. And (many) years later, at Well+Good, a colleague marveled at giving up dairy to get rid of her reoccurring outbreaks. On the other end of the spectrum registered dietitian Meg Hagar’s ‘Grecian goddess’ anti-acne snack, which includes figs, olives, and a plum, definitely won’t cause breakouts, she says. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Skin+Gut Health Dietitian (@megthedietitian) on Oct 29, 2019 at 12:01pm PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js I reached out to find out how this simple Mediterranean diet-approved snack is connected to clearer skin. Hagar tells me the food combo has three important anti-acne factors. First, it’s low-glycemic. “This means it keeps blood sugar from spiking too high. When that happens, a series of internal events in the body can lead to too much oil production,” Hagar says. Second, it’s high-fiber. “Fiber is great for keeping full, but for acne sufferers specifically supporting the body’s natural detox processes is vital,” she says. “Fiber helps promote bowel motility and having one or more good quality bowel movements every day is essential for healthy and clear skin.” And third, Hagar says the snack is packed with protective and anti-inflammatory antioxidants and polyphenols, which help lower inflammation overall, skin included. Here, Hagar—along with two other experts—break down why
What it actually means to ‘close your rib cage’—in yoga and beyond
November 10, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC No one ever really masters a yoga pose. Even the greats still make tiny tweaks to strengthen their practices, and for many, learning how to close the rib cage is one of those. Despite consistent cues from instructors, it’s not always so easy in practice. Tucking in your ribs is code for “engage your core,” says Lindsay Pirozzi of New York City’s Y7 studio. “It’s important to knit or close the lower ribs together to help lengthen the spin and also take the curves out of the lumbar (lower) and thoracic (upper) spine,” she says. “Drawing the ribs closer together activates your core muscles and protects your spine health.” John Kasten, dancer, gymnast, and co-founder of The Beta Way, agrees. “The ‘ribs in’ cue is what I use to help people stay aware of keeping their core contracted,” he says. According to the two movement experts, the tendency to flare the ribs happens most commonly in handstand (which is done in CrossFit and other strengthening regimens apart from yoga), mountain pose, chair pose, high lunge, Warrior II, and goddess squat. So when you’re in any of these poses, you’ll want to pay special attention to the state of your mid-section. Pirozzi recommends teaching your body what the proper movement pattern feels like. “What helps my students the most is to feel it out of alignment first, to flare the ribs by sticking out the chest in an exaggerated fashion, then feel the difference when you
An astrologer’s 7 tips to keep your love life safe during Mercury retrograde
November 09, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC Mercury being in retrograde can spell disaster in all kind of arenas, like communication, technology, and getting from point A to point B. (Pro tip: hold off booking that trip to Paris). But what about Mercury retrograde relationships and dating effects—since the pursuit of love is an endeavor that often encompasses many of those aforementioned no-nos? “Mercury retrograde is a time when we turn more inward to reflect on our lives and review past decisions,” says astrologer Rachel Lang. “Because of this, relationships can be a bit more challenged than usual, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid them altogether. In fact, there are key opportunities for self-discovery and personal growth during Mercury retrograde. And in relationships, we do some of our most significant personal development.” So, if you’re jonesing to date during this Mercury retrograde, or any future ones, do so mindfully using Lang’s following seven tips. Have your Mercury retrograde relationships, and keep them healthy, too, with these 7 tips. 1. Be cautious with exes Don’t be surprised if a former love interest comes back into your life. Maybe an ex will call you out of the blue, or you’ll run into a former crush on a coffee run. You’ll feel the urge to reconnect, but that’s not necessarily the reason they’re returning to your sphere. “Often, those encounters mean there’s some unfinished business or some aspect of that relationship you haven’t fully integrated yet,” Lang says. “Ask yourself: What does
Ahiflower oil is yet another plant-based answer to fish oil—but it’s not perfect
November 09, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC Sussing out the differences between all of the supplements that are on the market is an undertaking, to say the least. Not only are hundreds of options on the market (as anyone who has wandered the vitamin aisle at Whole Foods knows), but there is also a host of conflicting information available in terms of what will work best for you and your lifestyle. One thing you can bet on? Fatty acids (think: omega-3s) need to be a part of your regimen. As practically any expert would tell you, fatty acids are crucial for optimal brain health, fighting inflammation, and promoting skin health. While there are certain food sources that contain various types of omega-3s, the territory becomes a bit stickier if you adhere to a vegan lifestyle. After all, popular fatty acid sources include fish oil supplements, as well as non-vegan foods like salmon and herring. But one trending supplement, ahiflower oil, could be the plant-based answer you’ve been waiting for. Several companies, from Clean Machine to Source Naturals, are touting the supplement as a sustainable, vegan alternative. But is it as good for your health as the fishy original? Here, Whitney English, MS, RDN, a dietitian and certified personal trainer in Los Angeles, weighs in on ahiflower, including what it is and how it will (or won’t) benefit your vegan diet. What is ahiflower? Ahiflower oil is derived from the corn gromwell plant (Buglossoides arvensis), a flowering plant that English says
Straddle flexibility is the spine-elongating, hip flexor-opening strength you need
November 09, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC Sitting for most of the day keeps your hips in a tight, compact position. Which is why “straddle flexibility,” aka the ability to lengthen your hip adductors and open your hip flexors, is really, really important. Although most people think of straddle flexibility as the bendy ability to drop down and do the splits, there’s a whole lot more to it than that. “Straddle flexibility is important because the hip adductors, or inner thighs, tend to be shortened because of the amount of time we spend sitting,” says Lara Heimann, PT, physical therapist and yoga pro. All of that sitting also leads to a ton of tension and tightness, which can then make you more prone to injury. “This flexibility provides decreased tension in the back, legs, and hips,” says Tianna Strateman, VP of education at Club Pilates. “The hips especially tend to carry a lot of stress and tension, so stretching decreases injuries, aches, and pains.” Besides hip tightness, straddle flexibility helps with a better posture, and makes it easier for you to strengthen your core. “Increased straddle flexibility can help with spine mobility and allow for core development, and it can assist with better spinal alignment on top of the pelvis working towards a neutral spine and pelvis,” says Strateman, adding that it also lets you have lateral rotation in the hips (key for us who spend the majority of our time in a parallel position). The good news is that, though
Our skin has a memory—here’s what that means for your complexion
November 09, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC Your skin has a memory. Those five words have the potential to completely change the way you think about your largest organ. New research suggests that our stem cells (unspecified cells in the body that have the ability to divide and grow into many different types of cells) keep track of wound responses like inflammation to better protect against upcoming attacks and essentially optimize them for future instances of inflammation. While a separate animal study even found that a wound on the skin of a mouse healed 2.5 times quicker when that spot was again injured. When you consider that pretty much everything you do to your skin either creates or calms inflammation, this is a big deal. Case in point: The fact that your skin has memory may help anyone dealing with inflammatory responses like psoriasis understand why their cells seem to be caught in a feedback loop for no clear reason. It could shed light as to why second and third laser treatments require less downtime than the first. And in the shocker of all shockers: It could once-and-for-all account for why your beloved serum works so much better when you pick it up a month after your last use. “Believe it or not, our skin has a memory and a pretty good one,” says Marc Ronert, MD, a plastic surgeon and founder of Hush & Hush, a brand of ingestibles that offer antioxidants and anti-inflammatories to lessen the incidence of environmentally
Brunch is served in just 20 minutes with these delicious ‘sheet pan pancakes’
November 09, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC I’ve never met a pancake I didn’t like. If I could skip the whole process of waiting for them to cook flipping them with a spatula, however, I would in a heartbeat. That’s where sheet pan pancakes come in. All an at-home chef has to do is spread normal pancake batter onto a sheet pan and pop it in the preheated oven. Brunch is served 20 minutes later. Although the exact (genius) inventor of sheet pan pancakes remains unknown, I first caught wind of the dish from vegan blogger Nisha Vora of Rainbow Plant Life. Even though she prepares her breakfast confections with zero animal products, there’s a pancake to fit every eating style and diet. So grab a sheet pan because your griddle gets the weekend off. How to make sheet pan pancakes vegetarian: WHOLE WHEAT GINGERBREAD PANCAKES Gingerbread season usually gets reserved for the end of the year, but if you ask me, the flavor really deserves to be eaten year round. The molasses in these pancakes give them a heartier consistency that’s made for breakfast in bed. Ketogenic Diet: BERRY, BERRY PANCAKES Although carbohydrates mostly get booted from the keto diet, you can still experience that fluffy, starch-like feel in the morning. This recipe uses sour cream, almond, and coconut flour to make dense sheet pan pancakes you can freeze and eat all week. Mediterranean diet: GREEK YOGURT PANCAKES Get all the protein greek yogurt has to offer in a
Furniture and home decor rental services are here to make moving suck less
November 09, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC There has never, in the history of the human language, been a conversation about moving that has not involved at least one person proclaiming that moving is the “woooooooooorst.” But honestly, it’s true. Packing up your entire life into a bunch of boxes and schlepping them to a different location, only to have to unpack them with Tetris-level skill to fit into your new space is a particular kind of exhausting (and not to mention, expensive) hell. Then, there’s the issue of decorating, which can deplete your bank account faster than you can say, “I should have hired movers.” Lately, though, a new crop of companies has emerged to make the moving experience slightly less terrible by allowing you to rent furniture and decor. Instead of pouring $1,000 into a couch that will only serve you until your lease is up, or a set of shams that you’ll get sick of after a year, you can now treat yourself to temporary home goods that you can get rid of the minute they stop serving you. Considering millennials are moving more than ever before—in its most recent survey, the United States Census Bureau found that between 2007 and 2012, millennials accounted for about 24 percent of the total U.S. population, but made up over 43 percent of all movers—it makes sense that this type of no-commitment home decor has become increasingly popular. Add to that the fact that far fewer millennials are buying homes