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
Tag: Well+Good
The best morning routine to set up your day for success, according to your zodiac sign
August 27, 2019 at 06:03PM by CWC Unless you’re one of those genetically blessed short sleepers, mornings can be tough be tough to master. There are so many reasons you might not feel ready to take on the day, whether it’s morning anxiety, the still-sleepy effects of insomnia, or something else. If you suspect a health condition may be at play, certainly seek a professional opinion for strategies to improve your situation, but otherwise, some good, old-fashioned trial and error may be your best play for nailing a healthy morning routine that feels perfectly tailored to you. One factor you may also want to consider? How your zodiac sign may influence and inform the best way to set up all your days for success. According to astrologer Kyle Thomas, each zodiac sign has a specific strength and energy, and the right healthy morning routine can help to productively propel a person’s day forward. “By focusing on these specific ways to harness their strengths, each sign will be able to optimize both productivity and morning mindfulness,” he says. Below, check out Thomas’s recommendations for the best way to start your day, astrologically speaking. ad_intervals[‘418202_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418202_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Below, find the best healthy morning routine for your zodiac sign, according to an astrologer. Graphics: Well+Good Creative/Abby Maker Aries: morning exercise “Ruled by Mars, Aries is an active and feisty zodiac sign,” says Thomas. “These excited rams need to get their bodies moving to
This is exactly the order to apply eye makeup to cover up dark circles
August 27, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC It’s always jarring when you find out that you’ve spent your entire life living a beauty lie. For example, my mind was straight-up blown when a hairstylist told me I should be putting dry shampoo on my brush, instead of directly on my scalp. I was, again, floored when a dermatologist explained that “dry” and “dehydrated” skin were not at all the same thing. Not to get all dramatic (I’m a Gemini, so that’s pretty much inevitable), but these tidbits of information changed my life—or at the very least, changed my beauty routine. One more piece of beauty intel that I recently discovered, and that shook me to my core? I’ve been concealing my under-eye circles the wrong way for my entire life. I’d always (wrongly) assumed that in order to brighten up the space beneath your lash line, you need to apply color corrector, then concealer, then foundation. Then, Charlotte Tilbury makeup artist Tegan Rice stopped by our office and completely flipped what I thought I knew about foundation on its head. Apparently, you’re supposed to put foundation on first, followed by under eye concealer, topped off with color corrector for best results. Um…who knew? ad_intervals[‘415783_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘415783_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); “I’m a huge fan of layering,” confirms makeup artist Molly R. Stern. “So if the under eyes are dark and you’ve already concealed and applied foundation, a touch of color corrector can often be just the
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
The differences between spontaneous and responsive desire may explain why you never initiate sex
August 27, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC It’s always baffled me that my gray, grimy, candy-wrapper-laden couch is the setting for so much of my sexual activity. But recently, I learned about responsive and spontaneous desire, and the differences between them helped to clear up confusion about the goings-on reserved for my literal love seat and also how to get turned on—no matter who you are or what does it for you. “There are two ways that we get turned on and ready for sex: In our heads and in our bodies,” says sex therapist Vanessa Marin, creator of The Passion Project, an online course for couples who have mismatched sex drives. “We need the mental desire for sex, and we need the physical arousal for sex. Desire and arousal sound pretty similar, but they work independently of each other. Sometimes they can even work in opposite directions.” Since this directional component can be tricky to navigate, knowing the difference between spontaneous and responsive desire is helpful for providing clarity about how to get turned on. “If you’re a spontaneous type, you feel the mental desire first, then the physical arousal second,” Marin says. “If you’re a responsive type, you feel the physical arousal first, then the mental desire second.” ad_intervals[‘417423_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417423_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); “If you’re a spontaneous type, you feel the mental desire first, then the physical arousal second. If you’re a responsive type, you feel the physical arousal first,
Why this dietitian says you should think twice before adding wheatgrass to your smoothie
August 27, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A7K7VWcsgo] Wheatgrass is the OG smoothie add-in, but what does it actually do? Check out this video. Before acai bowls became a Thing, before “mylk” was an accepted spelling, there was wheatgrass, the OG wellness ingredient. Walk into any juice shop in the ’90s and you would find pots of it ready to clip and be added to your blended order. While wheatgrass have been talked about for decades (and is generally considered safe to eat), registered dietitian Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, says you may want to hold your horses before grazing on this grass. “Wheatgrass is typically eaten raw, and raw wheatgrass can be contaminated with harmful bacteria and organisms from the soil,” she says in the latest episode of Well+Good’s YouTube series, You Versus Food. This can lead to potential allergic reactions, she says, which is why it’s important to make sure that the wheatgrass you munch on is organic. ad_intervals[‘418361_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418361_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); What’s more, Lockwood Beckerman points out that because wheatgrass comes from a wheat plant, it can contain gluten if combined and processed with other parts of the plant—so keep that in mind when shopping if you have Celiac or are otherwise not eating gluten. (Pure wheatgrass on its own is gluten-free, she says.) If you’re wondering whether all of this means wheatgrass is still worth adding into your wellness routine, Lockwood Beckerman gives her verdict in the
The bladder-retraining techniques to keep your workout pee-free
August 27, 2019 at 03:01AM by CWC More than 20 percent of women have a condition called Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI), which causes leakage of pee smack dab in the middle of a workout, estimates The National Association for Incontinence (NAFC). SUI is characterized by a weakening of the pelvic floor or sphincter muscle that often happens as a result of childbirth. It places an increased pressure on your bladder that, when paired with coughing, sneezing, or hitting up your favorite fitness class, may cause leakage. Omar Duenas, MD, an OBGYN at Rinovum Women’s Health, explains how to avoid SUI by making bladder retraining part of your daily exercise regimen. “Bladder retraining is a behavioral therapy technique that helps women regain control over urination,” he says. “Oftentimes, it’s necessary for women who have delivered children, endured significant fluctuations in weight, or experienced chronic back issues.” Over time, your pelvic floor gets stretched out and weakened. “Exercise—like any other sudden pressure on the bladder including sneezing, laughing and coughing—can result in incontinence. At the end of the day, no exercise is a bad exercise. But core workouts certainly increase the chances for more leakage and prolapse,” explains Dr. Duenas. ad_intervals[‘418333_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418333_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Fortunately, both Dr. Duenas and NAFC have recommendations for strengthening up your pelvic floor muscles. The OB/GYN says that Kegel exercises are by far the number one thing he recommends to patients. “Kegel exercises are probably the most common
What a marathon runner wears to protect her eyes and face all year round
August 27, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC My name is Hilary, and I am a former Floridian. However: despite spending roughly 18 years of my life in the sunshine state, I rarely ever wore hats. Sunny, humid, 90-something degree summers? “Bring on the rays!” declared teenage me. Fiercely squinting my eyes, I forever loved basking by the pool without a rim to block the sun, because who wanted their face and body to be different shades? Not this woman. But nearly a decade later, with no desire to cause wrinkles (both by sun, and, you know, by scrunching my face in order to lessen the light penetrating my eyeballs), I am now in favor of the accessory that covers my head. And more importantly, my face Truth be told, I first reconsidered the idea of wearing hats while marathon training (read: running outdoors for hours and hours each week). Frankly, sunglasses—however chic, sporty and stable they may be—were just not cutting it. And so, I decided to take a deep dive into the head accessory I would normally wear only to conceal my hair on its greasiest days. ad_intervals[‘418419_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418419_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); On my mission to minimize the sun in my face, here are the cute and functional hats I found that work best, whether you’re exercising or walking outside, or simply want some shade while sitting still. Photo: Athleta Athleta Stealth Camo Training Cap ($38) Specifically for running short and
There are 5 arousal types and knowing yours can really stimulate your sex life
August 27, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC How do you feel when you’re turned on, and what is the exact mechanism by which you feel aroused? These complicated questions welcome many possible answers: Maybe you need to shower, do your hair, put on that outfit, and look in the mirror. Maybe you need to see and touch your partner. Maybe you need to be touched yourself. Or maybe it’s something else entirely because when it comes to how to get aroused, options really are limitless. But to help you better understand the nuances of your own libido, having a better understanding of your primary arousal type can help, according to relationship and sex therapist Petra Zebroff, PhD, who adds that arousal is the pathway by which you get turned on. In fact, it’s best to be aware of all five primary arousal types so that you can know how to get yourself in the mood and also understand what might excite your partner(s). (Take this quick quiz to get a hint on which type best aligns with you.) ad_intervals[‘416468_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘416468_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Want to know how to get aroused? Read up on 5 different arousal types below. 1. Sensualist If you’re a sensualist, the best answer to “how to get aroused?” is to use the five senses. Think: The way you smell like vanilla and lavender. The sounds you make, like moaning. How you feel soft as the sheets you’re between.
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