November 06, 2018 at 07:52AM Active exercisers know all too well the struggles of dealing with an injury—and taking even a week off your beloved HIIT workout can seem like the end of the world when you rely on it to de-stress. I’ve personally had my fair share of runner’s knee and light sprains, but last fall, I fell and tore my anterior cruciate ligament or ACL, as it’s more commonly known. It’s the key stabilizing ligament in your knee, which allows you to do all the tasks requiring pivoting motions, including soccer, HIIT, Pilates, basketball and so. much. more. Needless to say: You really need it, and it doesn’t help that ACL injury rates clock in at 100,000 to 200,000 people affected in the United States alone. If there’s a complete tear causing your ACL injury, there’s no way it can repair itself: Surgery is the only option. It’s a long and painful process because you literally have to train your graft to behave in the same way the ACL used to. That means that doing too much too soon can damage the graft, while doing too little can delay recovery. The average recovery time is nine months, but could be more or less depending on several factors, including surgery success and how active a person was pre-surgery. It’s not all gloom and doom however, once you know what to expect, it can be easier to cope with what and ACL surgery means. Here are seven things I learned throughout my recovery
Tag: Well+Good
Rumble is the latest boutique studio to jump into the at-home fitness ring
November 06, 2018 at 07:48AM It’s been an action-packed year for at-home sweat fanatics, due in large part to the innovations of Peloton. In 2018, the billion-dollar fitness-innovating pioneer (which first launched its tricked-out stationary bike in 2013) released its first treadmill and a mobile app that lets you work out from anywhere. But, by this time next year, Peloton will be reportedly be facing competition from Rumble, a buzzy boxing boutique. The studio just announced its plans via Instagram to step into the at-home fitness ring, offering a slew of workout options in partnership with Technogym, a luxe fitness equipment and software provider currently supporting a reported 40 million workout warriors. “At Home 360” will combine Rumble’s couldn’t-be-more-charasmatic instructors with Technogym’s top-of-the-line equipment to create a home-gym boxing experience. The Technogym boxing bag will set you back around $1,700, plus a $39-per-month subscription for live and on-demand classes, Rumble CEO and co-founder Andy Stenzler, tells me. “At Home 360” will combine Rumble’s couldn’t-be-more-charasmatic instructors with Technogym’s top-of-the-line equipment to create a home-gym boxing experience. And if just hearing that hefty price tag just felt like a cross-hook-cross to the gut, don’t worry—there’s a budget-friendly workaround. Rumble will simultaneously launch an app—that you can queue up at any gym that features the necessary equipment—for just $20 each month, Stenzler says. View this post on Instagram Signed, sealed, (almost) delivered. RUMBLE @technogym @scooterbraun >>> Coming soon to a living room near you #doyouRUMBLE #werecomingHOME A post shared by Rumble Boxing (@rumble_boxing) on Nov 4, 2018 at
It might sound masochistic, but exposure therapy is a tried-and-true way to get over an ex
November 06, 2018 at 04:00AM It took me time, the support of loyal friends, finding the right therapist, and seeking out new and daring experiences (ahem, a boudoir photo-shoot session) in order to get over my ex. Picking up the pieces of my fractured heart and self-esteem and starting anew was quite the process after the breakup—but I expected so much. What I didn’t anticipate was the need to actually take a step backward—into my failed relationship—in order to take two forward. While the aftermath of the split was still fresh, I replayed everything in my head: every conversation, every warning sign, and, yes, every single date we went on. Even though my ex’s status in my life had shifted to past tense, I was emotionally crippled by the thought of eating at certain restaurants or even just walking by certain buildings that reminded me of him. Of us. But eventually, I no longer wanted to avoid so many physical places and emotional pockets of my brain. I wanted a fresh start for these, too. So I decided to relive our dates as a form of exposure therapy. First I went to see a movie at the theater where we went together one cold December night. The flashbacks started rolling in immediately: the movie we saw, what we ordered at the concession stand, what we wore that night, and so on, and so on. But once the house lights dimmed and the movie started, new associations with this place—which I
The time has come to reassess whether conditioner is *actually* necessary for fine hair
November 06, 2018 at 03:30AM I’ve been taking care of my strands and watching other people do the same in movies since I was, like, a child. It’s pretty basic—hair maintenance typically involves three key things: shampoo, conditioner, and a good brush or comb. Everything else in the equation is extra. So you could imagine my utter shock when my stylist told me that I don’t need to be using conditioner on my straight, fine hair—ever. “Why do you use it?” asked Jon Reyman, celebrity hairstylist, educator, and owner of Spoke & Weal salons at a recent appointment. I responded saying that it helps to smooth things out…but as the words were coming out, I started to question things. Some hair types (AKA: mine), Reyman says, really don’t need it at all. Since I like my hair to have more texture and to appear fuller, conditioner is something I should actually cut from my routine—because it makes my lengths do the opposite. “If you shampoo your hair, it’ll be larger,” explains Reyman. “If you condition, it’ll be smaller. That’s why we didn’t condition your hair today, because you like it bigger. If your hair is smooth, it’s going to be even flatter.” It’s also why conditioner gets a bad rap for “weighting down” fine hair. But what about fine-haired ladies who have dyed or heat-damaged their hair? It’s a case-by-case decision. “For people whose hair is softer, conditioner’s not really necessary—especially if you don’t heat style it or put in color,” says
How your Notes app can be your anxiety-hacking secret weapon
November 05, 2018 at 02:36PM Photo: St. Martin’s Press Known as “the world’s most connected person,” Chris Dancy has between 300 and 700 systems running at any given time—including fitness trackers, a smart-mattress, social media, and time-tracking apps (to name a few)—in order to capture continuous data about his life. You know how Google Calendar defaults to being set up in 15 minute increments? He’s set up an alternate view for his, giving a second-by-second rundown of every choice he makes throughout the day. In these times it’s oft-repeated that you need to be disconnected to be present, which makes being so plugged in feel downright rebellious. But while Dancy is clearly Team Tech, which he makes abundantly clear in his new book, Don’t Unplug, he doesn’t think you need to go on an app-downloading spree in order to use technology to make your life better. It’s one of the most basic phone features of all, the Notes app, that’s played a big role in helping with his anxiety. “I’ve had anxiety attacks since I was 16,” he says. “Anxiety has a way of masking every other time it happens,” so that each anxiety attack feels like the first one you’ve ever experienced—and it’s terrifying. Which is why he started using his Notes app to log what he calls his “Wikipedia of fear.” “I would write down my symptoms as they were happening, like my heart rate increasing and starting to perspire,” Dancy says. “What that allowed me to do was the
The one place in your bathroom you’re not cleaning, but should
November 05, 2018 at 12:44PM When you do your routine bathroom cleaning, chances are that the sink, tub, and toilet all get a nice little scrub down. Maybe you even mop the floor and organize your medicine cabinet—if you’re feeling a little extra motivated. But there’s one oft-overlooked spot to pay a bit more attention to: the shower head. Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder took DNA samples from 656 households and found that the majority contained a harmful bacteria lurking in the shower slime, mycobacterium, which has been linked to lung disease. Who knew the shower could be so dirty, right? There were a few factors that made certain shower heads more susceptible to the bacteria. One was that metal shower heads make better breeding grounds than plastic ones. Another is that treated water tends to produce more instances of mycobacterium than H2O from wells. Even though the results of the study certainly sound alarming—um, lung disease?!—Noah Fierer, PhD, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at CU Boulder says it’s not cause for a freakout. “Don’t worry, there is definitely no reason to fear showering,” he says. “There is a fascinating microbial world thriving in your shower head and you can be exposed every time you shower. Most of those microbes are harmless, but a few are not, and this kind of research is helping us understand how our own actions—from the kinds of water treatment systems we use to the materials in our plumbing—can change the
Why do we love leggings so much? Let’s investigate
November 05, 2018 at 12:31PM At this point, wearing leggings is no longer about fitness—it’s about function. Exhibit A: Sales of stretchy pants surpassed denim—the fabric of the people—for the first time this year. But until Business of Fashion published its long read on how America became a nation of yoga pants, it was hard to tell how many heart emojis (err: peach emojis?) the bottoms got. Let’s just say a lot. People currently spend $1 billion on leggings and active bottoms, according to BoF. It’s a massive figure, for sure, and it begs the question: Why do we love leggings so much? Obviously…the answer varies. But if we look at the different instances in which people purchase their beloved bottoms, we can more easily assess why they’ve become so valuable. As BoF notes, the dominance of athleisure in the fashion industry (it’s currently the fastest growing category) has made casual dressing apropos for work and leisure, and sure, working out. In other words, that leggings can “do all” is their real appeal. “Consumers expect a lot more,” Sun Choe, chief product officer at Lululemon, tells BoF. “They’re expecting some versatility in their product.” What BoF didn’t address in its article is this: Size inclusivity of ready-to-wear brands remains a problem. Many lines top out at between size 12 to 14, while the average American woman is a 16 to 18. Activewear brands were among the earliest in mainstream to introduce size inclusive collections—or, to offer extended sizes from the start. This allowed these brands to
Grocery shopping is about to get way better, according to Whole Foods’ CEO
November 05, 2018 at 12:26PM When it comes to topics that get wellness enthusiasts excited, Whole Foods is right up there with leggings and avocados. Whole Foods devotees love the organic chain—which is why the much-lauded merger with Amazon last year freaked fans out. People—present company included—immediately started wondering if the prices would change and about how the news would affect what’s on the shelves. Luckily, I was able to ask Whole Foods CEO John Mackey these questions myself during his recent visit to the Well+Good headquarters in New York City. Mackey was in town to promote his new book, The Whole Foods Cookbook, which is essentially a complete guide to plant-based eating. But he also shared his predictions for the future of grocery shopping, both at Whole Foods and across the industry. (He does, after all, have a front row seat.) Despite the Amazon takeover, Mackey says Whole Foods will always be a place where customers can discover niche, local brands—full stop. “This became a media narrative that wasn’t based on anything, truthfully, except for anecdotes of customers who would come in, couldn’t find a local product, and somehow think Amazon forced us to drop them,” he says. “Not only are we not decreasing local foods, we’re increasing them.” Consider the record set straight. He also maintains that Whole Foods will continue to maintain its health-oriented focus; the priorities are in no way shifting on that front. (So, don’t expect to see Whole Foods suddenly ditch organic brands or anything like that.) Photo: Getty Images/Raphye Alexius
How to make a salad that’s satisfying every single day, according to Jennifer Garner
November 05, 2018 at 11:28AM If you don’t choose the right set of ingredients, your health-rich lunch can lead you straight into a trap of salad fatigue. And that’s exactly why you’ll never find Jennifer Garner munching on a basic bowl of spinach and dressing—tasty as that combo may be. Instead, the healthy actress recently revealed a go-to salad formula that always leaves her with an incredibly satisfying bowl of greens. “Salad used to mean limp carrot shavings and too-cold tomatoes. Now, salads are a celebration of what’s seasonal and handy.” —Jennifer Garner In a recent Instagram post, Garner says leafy-green bowls used to mean “limp carrot shavings and too-cold tomatoes,” but her mind-set has totally changed since her sad-salad days. “Now, salads are a celebration of what’s seasonal and handy,” she writes. To make sure she winds up with a mouth-watering mix every time, she chooses ingredients from a wide range of categories: greens (duh), veggies—”you don’t need croutons if you have something crunchy in there”—grains/protein, fats, and a splash of dressing. While she loves cutting up an avocado and adding the beloved green cubes into the mix, well…PSA, Jen: You’re just asking to give herself avo hand with that cutting form! View this post on Instagram SALAD: used to mean limp carrot shavings and too cold tomatoes. NOW salads are a celebration of what is seasonal and handy. They are also what’s for lunch. Always. #PretendCookingShow #fullepisodeonIGTV! . A blend of greens! Kale Arugula Sweet mix Swiss chard . Veggies! Green beans Broccoli Peppers
Before you spill that juicy secret, think about how it might affect your bestie’s mental health
November 05, 2018 at 10:46AM Keeping a secret from your bestie is like going to brunch without ordering avocado—it just doesn’t feel right. But before you spill your guts about your latest existential crisis, or bring to light a long-buried truth, consider this: Confiding in your BFF could negatively impact their mental health. According to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology earlier this year, the average person juggles 13 secrets at any given time, and the mental effects are, well, conflicting. On one hand, the researchers found that disclosing carefully guarded info can create a sense of intimacy among two people, reports Psychology Today. The authors of the analysis point out that there’s “a social silver-lining of being confided to.” On the other hand though, the secret can also become a burden on the other person, and eventually compromise their well-being. Meaning, you kind of just passed on your suffering as if it were a secret-induced cold. The authors of the analysis point out that there’s “a social silver-lining of being confided to.” On the other hand though, the secret can also become a burden on the other person, and eventually compromise their well-being. One study that appears in the research found that the amount of strain you cause to your confidant may depend on how close you really are to them (read: whether or not they’re in the “Favorites” section of your contact list). Two hundred participants were given 2900 secrets total on the subjects of theft, trauma, infidelity, and more, and