November 19, 2018 at 06:29AM This year, any shred of excitement you may have been harboring about the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was almost certainly squashed by the company’s CMO Ed Razek. He made jaws drop with some truly shocking and demeaning comments in an incredibly regressive Vogue interview in which he made clear that transgender and plus-size women shouldn’t be part of the “fantasy” strutting that iconic runway. And Heidi Zak—co-founder and co-CEO of ThirdLove, a bra and underwear company made for every body—wasn’t having any of it. During his interview, Razek tried to take a stab at the inclusive brand, saying “We’re nobody’s third love—we’re their first love. And Victoria’s Secret has been women’s first love from the beginning.” Well, Zak had some words to share about this—as evidenced by a full-page ad in the form of an open letter to Victoria’s Secret in Sunday’s New York Times. “Our reality is that women wear bras in real life as they go to work, breastfeed their children, play sports, care for ailing parents, and serve their country.” —Heidi Zak, co-founder and co-CEO of ThirdLove “I’ve read and re-read the interview at least 20 times, and each time I read it I’m even angrier. How in 2018 can the CMO of any public company—let alone one that claims to be for women—make such shocking, derogatory statements? You market to men and sell a male fantasy to women. But at ThirdLove, we think beyond, as you said, a ’42-minute entertainment special,’” Zak writes. “Your show may be a ‘fantasy’ but
Tag: Well+Good
The truth about nightshades—and whether you should avoid them
November 19, 2018 at 03:00AM Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen shun them. Sophia Bush does, too. In fact, many MDs, chefs, and nutritionists have sworn them off entirely. Is it gluten? Dairy? Sugar? Nope—they’re all quitting nightshades. Nightshades is the name for a group of fruits and veggies that includes eggplants, tomatoes, red peppers, and white potatoes. Some people have no problem at all with them—but not everyone. Why? “Nightshades have glycoalkaloids in them—their own natural bug repellant,” explains Allen Campbell, the Brady/Bündchen family chef (and the man behind their pretty hardcore diet). Because of that rather nifty protective mechanism, they can cause inflammation in some people, exacerbating digestive and autoimmune problems. Here’s what you need to know about the buzzy food group—and whether you should be going nightshade-free, too. Photo: FoodiesFeed/Jakub Kapusnak How nightshades work The built-in bug repellant in nightshades is actually a particle called glycoalkaloid, says nutritionist and dietician Laura Walker, MS, RD. It’s great for nightshades, but not so much for the people who like to eat them. Different nightshades have different levels of glycoalkaloids. Unripe tomatoes have a lot. “Eating them will give you an immediate stomachache,” Walker notes. But as tomatoes ripen, the amount of glycoalkaloid decreases. That’s because at that point, the plant actually wants bugs to come to it and help cross-pollinate. In white potatoes, the skin contains the highest levels of glycoalkaloid—so simply peeling them can make a world of difference. (In case you’re wondering, no, sweet potatoes are not nightshades, and while blue and purple
Spice up Thanksgiving with this vegan, pumpkin-turmeric soup
November 19, 2018 at 05:10AM Well+Good’s recipe writer Tatiana Boncompagni is a wellness reporter, group fitness instructor, and mom of three based in New York. She’s also the co-founder of Sculptologie. She believes that truly good food nourishes both the body and the soul, and that healthy food should be easy to make and even easier to enjoy. One of the first things I learned to make outside of my mother’s kitchen was butternut squash soup. When I was a senior in college, I got a gig moonlighting as a server in some of the statelier townhouses in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The pay was great, work easy, and best of all (for me at least) was getting a peak inside the inter-workings of a well-oiled home kitchen. I also picked up some great recipes. My favorite was probably butternut squash soup. It was made with boiled squash, cream, and chicken broth from a can and served (table-side, with a ladle, by yours truly) in beautiful porcelain bowls with big, crunchy croutons. The soup was delicious (they always let me try the food), not that hard to throw together, and cheap enough that I could afford to buy the ingredients with the proceeds from my student side hustle. Years later, after having my daughter, I started making the soup again. Instead of croutons, I floated crispy oven-roasted Brussels spouts halves. This year, inspired by Thanksgiving, I decided to give my favorite soup recipe a modern, healthy update. Immunity-boosting, vitamin
How to Avoid Falling in the Trap of Holiday-Season Financial Stress
November 19, 2018 at 04:40AM When you’re juggling holiday shopping, cookie baking, and covering your entire apartment in string lights on top of your regular day-to-day routine, the most wonderful time of the year can quickly become the most stressful—especially when you factor in the added strain on your budget. But before you swear off everything merry and bright, listen to this advice from Daily Harvest founder and CEO Rachel Drori—who as the entrepreneurial founder of a booming startup has learned a thing or two about juggling financial responsibilities. “As an entrepreneur, I have always been very strategic and thoughtful with how I approach money management,” Drori says. “It’s important to have your finances in order around the holidays to not add to this already hyper-stressful time of year.” But why all the added angst? Drori thinks it’s because of people’s desire to spread extra love during this time of year—and often extra love equates to extra expenses. “In today’s society, thoughtful gifting is a way of showing the people we love how much we understand and value them,” she says. “There is a lot of pressure put on this act during the holidays and we end up laying out a lot of money in a concentrated period of time because it is a societal expectation.” To help you manage your outflow of cash (without making bah humbug your seasonal mantra), we asked Drori to share her tips for avoiding the holiday-season financial stress trap. Scroll down for 3 tips
This twofer exercise works the abs and butt in a single move
November 19, 2018 at 03:00AM Glute strength comes with all sorts of perks like reduced lower back pain and increased #power, but considering that core strength comes with it’s own set of write-home-about perks, including dancer-like posture and increased run speed—why work on just your booty or your core when you could get a workout move that does both? In a major win for multitaskers (and TBH, who isn’t?), New York City dance sculpt instructor, Megan Roup, who happens to be leading our next Well+Good Retreat in Miami this December, says you don’t have to choose between the two muscle groups. Her solution? Do the “knee pull to kick back” (as it’s sensibly called). The move is basically a combo of the donkey kick and a reverse crunch (AKA the cow in cat-cow). To try it, start in tabletop position with your hands and knees on the floor: shoulders stacked over your wrists; hips stacked over your knees. When you’re ready to begin, bring the right knee into your chest and towards the nose by activating your core. Then, without changing the angle of your leg, uncurl the spine and extend your right leg straight out behind you by squeezing your glutes. Keep extending your leg until it’s parallel to the floor. If you don’t have the mobility to get your leg this high, Roup says to lift it as high as you can. That’s one rep. Roup suggests doing 25 to 35 reps on one side before switching. Another perk of the move? While
A baking soda hack that’ll bring even your dingiest sneakers back to life
November 19, 2018 at 02:05AM White sneakers are like the Goldilocks of footwear. They look best when you’ve worn them in just right—not too new, not too old. One easy way to keep your kicks from crossing over from distressed to dingy is by using a DIY baking soda treatment. All you need is a little of the most versatile and hardworking item in your pantry, baking soda, some laundry detergent—and a little bit of elbow grease. Below is an easy recipe retrieved from the deep end of Twitter that’s been retweeted almost 100,000 times. How to clean white sneakers without bleach Ingredients 1. baking soda 2. laundry detergent 3. toothbrush Instructions 1. Rinse the shoes with water. 2. Scrub down the shoes or sandals with the toothbrush using the baking soda and detergent mixture. 3. Leave shoes to sit overnight. 4. Rinse again with water 5. Put in the washing machine on delicate with cold water and let air dry. This story was originally published on September 11, 2018; it was updated on November 19, 2018. Continue Reading… Author Tamim Alnuweiri | Well and Good Selected by iversue
7 LGBTQ+ inclusive improvements all gyms should implement, like yesterday
November 19, 2018 at 01:00AM Half a year after my CrossFit gym’s annual Pride Month WOD (or “workout of the day“), the last rainbow-heart sticker fell off the sign by the kettlebells and was promptly discarded. The mindless disposal illustrates a phenomenon in the fitness scene (particularly in boutique studios), that needs to change: While many gyms host inclusivity themed events during Pride Month in June, overall the spaces and its trainers have made little to no effort to be LGBTQ+ friendly. And to be clear, for a gym to be truly LGBTQ+ inclusive, it should consistently celebrate, be accessible for, and welcoming of all bodies and genders—not just during June. “From the physical environment and the bathroom setup to the energy of the gym’s community and the overall vibe, there are a lot of reasons LGBTQ+ folks wouldn’t feel comfortable in a ‘normal’ gym,” says Dirk Smith, the personal trainer who founded Stonewall Fitness to unite the LGBTQ+ community through exercise. “From the physical environment and the bathroom setup to the energy of the gym’s community and the overall vibe, there are a lot of reasons LGBTQ+ folks wouldn’t feel comfortable in a ‘normal’ gym.” —Dirk Smith, personal trainer and LGBTQ+ advocate Rena McDaniel, licensed clinical counselor and sex therapist says the reasons why this is abound. “Gyms are often a site of toxic masculinity, gender microaggressions, policing of bodies and what bodies look like, and harassment.” While unpleasant for all people, these realities can also be straight-up unsafe for
Why you might not want to do HIIT workouts two days in a row
November 18, 2018 at 04:00AM As good as it might feel to do an intense HIIT workout every day, there’s one major problem with the regimen: HIIT workout recovery is just as important as the activity itself. Your body needs time to heal. Recovery is essentially becoming its own fitness modality and a prime part of workout warriors’ routines (there are entire studios dedicated to it!), after all: Letting your body rest is a crucial part of your healthy progress. “Recovery is one of the most important aspects of a successful training regimen, but for some reason, it’s commonly overlooked,” John Gallucci, Jr., physical therapist and president of JAG Physical Therapy, told Self. “Especially after intense or prolonged training, your body needs time to repair tissues that have broken down.” “Recovery is one of the most important aspects of a successful training regimen, but for some reason, it’s commonly overlooked. Especially after intense or prolonged training, your body needs time to repair tissues that have broken down.” —John Gallucci, Jr., physical therapist According to Gallucci, that much-needed time not training is exactly when your muscles get stronger, and scheduling too many training sessions back-to-back interrupts the body’s rebuilding process that gives you the results you’ve been working so hard for. But what’s the right amount of time to rest between workouts? Well, it depends on intensity. Since HIIT in particular involves every muscle group in the body, you should only be doing it every other day at most to give your body time to rebuild, Gallucci
6 places to find size 16+ clothing you probably don’t know about but should
November 18, 2018 at 01:30PM Despite the average woman in the U.S. wearing a size 16 or 18, clothing above a size 12 has been hard to come by until recently. But as the size inclusivity movement gains momentum, extended size ranges (as in all the way to sizes 24 and 26) are now easier to find from not only big chains like Target, but also boutique and designer brands. Among those looking to offer not just more sizes to more women bus also more styles are designers like Mara Hoffman and Jason Wu, who just designed his first plus-size line for Eloquii. Then there are brands like Reformation, with its extended range of denim, and Madewell, which now carries an assortment of knits, tops, and dresses. Let’s just say, you’ve got options. “By having a greater range of sizes, we’re able to give more women the option to wear clothing that makes them feel good,” says Hoffman. Still, she calls her extended collection “a constant work in progress.” Keep reading to see why it’s so worth it for the designers and brands above. Plus, check out more companies that are re-defining the look of plus-size dressing. Photo: Eloquii Jason Wu x Eloquii Elevating the design possibilities for plus-size clothing is one reason Jason Wu (beloved designer of Michelle Obama) was excited to work with Eloquii. “Both Eloquii and I share the philosophy of creating beautifully crafted, innovative apparel for the strong, fiercely fashionable woman,” says Wu, who created his first
4 things you should (and shouldn’t) do on an airplane to stay healthy, according to flight attendants
November 18, 2018 at 11:30AM Healthy travel isn’t just about the destination. It’s about the journey, too. After all, no one wants to start a week-long wellness retreat in Bali feeling less than om-azing. But between the germs and arid cabin conditions, it can be a real struggle. There are, however, a few practices you can adopt on an airplane that can help tip the odds of staying healthy on your trip further in your favor, according to flight attendants. Spoiler alert: you should be very careful in the bathroom. Scroll down for 4 flight attendant-approved ways to be healthier on an airplane. Photo: Stocksy/Miquel Llonch 1. Do bring your own food To up your odds of a healthy travel experience, your best bet is to pack plenty of good-for-you snacks, says flight attendant Kelly B. That’s especially true, she says, “if you have a dietary need.” Just make sure your ginger shot is under three ounces and you should have no problems at security. 2. Don’t use the bathrooms (unless it’s an emergency) World champion skier Lindsey Vonn isn’t the only one who suggests not skipping to the loo on an airplane. While “the bathrooms are cleaned between every flight,” says Kelly B., she recommends you time your bathroom breaks for before or after your flight. In it for the long haul? Pack some natural cleansing wipes to disinfect its surfaces yourself, first. 3. Do keep your shoes on The only place you should really be removing your footwear is security, according to flight attendant Nguvu Tsare—especially if you’re not wearing