Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
vendredi 3 mars 2017
New Moms: Just Say No to Frequent Visitors Right After Birth
When people hear you're going into labor (and by people I mean friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc.), everyone will be dying to meet the brand-new baby. Forget how exhausted you are or if you're recovering from any kind of birth trauma: it's all about the baby. You? No one cares. Sure, maybe a handful of people will ask how you are, but most will push your tired butt aside and say, "Give me that kid!"
It's a sad reality for us moms that no one quite cares how labor went but they do care how the baby is. And who can blame folks for wanting to see your little bundle of joy? Not us! We love them more than the visitors do, but I can guarantee you that the visitors will want to come in droves. You're probably thinking, "Oh sure, I can't wait to have everyone see the baby," but before you start planning visitors to filter in after Junior or Princess arrives, heed my advice carefully.
I personally had no one, and yes, I mean no one, other than her dad and myself, see the baby for the first night she was here. I had my daughter at 6:06 p.m. after 24 hours of labor, five of pushing, and ending with a C-section. I was beat. Our parents didn't arrive until early afternoon the next day, and that was about it for the following few days until I felt ready for visitors and a bit better after my C-section. Why did I put the "no visitors" vibe up? Here's why:
You'll Never Get Those Moments Back Again
It was our first and only child. For those of you with more than one child, consider how differently your post-labor or C-section life was with baby number one . . . and then baby number two. With your first child - and for some of us our only - you'll never get those quiet moments of just mom, dad, and baby again. Even if you have a million kids, don't you want to cherish those first few hours with just your immediate family? The first nursing or feeding. The first time you hold your baby. Do you really need a ton of fanfare, or is it just nice to have some private intimacy when you've brought another being into the world?
I wanted the privacy and time to simply drink in what had just happened: I became a mom. He became a dad. Give us a few hours to cherish these moments before all the noise and craziness of people, opinions, and presents come to shower in on our little world.
Sssh. Let it be quiet. For just a bit.
Nursing
I didn't want anyone to make me anxious or uncomfortable while I was trying to nurse for the first time. Plus, even after the grandparents came, we still kept it quiet with visitors until I could get into a better rhythm - or, in other words, could get my daughter to latch well instead of continuing to latch shallowly so my nipples bled. With fewer people to fawn, fuss, and add their two cents, nursing got off to a good start for me. Yes, we had latch issues, but because I kept the visitors list short, we could work on this with a lactation consultant and my ex-husband could focus on supporting me. I can't tell you how glad I am that we did this. Never once do I think, "Gee, I wish we had more visitors that first week of our child's life!"
Hormones (and Food)
Hello, hormones! Nope, they don't stop. At least not for a while postpartum. The crying and emotional moments? Yeah, I preferred to let those happen in front of people I was close to, namely my husband at the time. Not to mention I had endured hyperemesis gravidarum during my pregnancy and was finally hungry after birth. I wanted to eat and start to feel better while dealing with the crying and mood swings among "my peeps" and not the adoring audience for my daughter.
Plus, who feels superawesome when they're wearing a maxi pad the size of a car, trying to poop, and dealing with bloody nipples and potentially ginormous and superengorged breasts while trying to change a diaper for the first time and waddle around post-C-section or birth? Nobody! It's nice to feel a little crappy and achy and emotional without the whole peanut gallery around.
Routine
It was great to get into a little routine during the time my ex was off from work for the first two weeks of my daughter's life. Scheduling visitors properly helped any disruptions in our new parent routine. It made our lives go more smoothly when he went back to work and I was home by myself as a new stay-at-home mother. Plus, by that time, I was dying for visitors and ready. Do you remember, mommies, what it felt like the first time you took your baby out in the world all by yourself? I do. It felt like a victory just lifting the car seat alone!
No matter what you decide, consider who you want to visit you and when before the baby is here so you have an idea of the amount of chaos you want to invite into your home and hospital - or not. And don't feel bad if you need to say, "Hey, best friend. I am bleeding like a stuck pig and am having a tough time with nursing. Can you see me in another few days?" You don't owe anyone an apology for holding off on visiting. All you need to focus on is your new family member or members!
25 Awesome Experiences Today's Kids Will Never Understand
Some children alive today have never used a phone with buttons or a bulky computer. The internet has been available to the public for more than 20 years.
If those facts don't make you feel old, think about this: most of your favorite childhood activities have become completely obsolete thanks to modern technology! Today's kids will never experience the glories of Game Boy, a VCR, a boombox, or even a physical encyclopedia. Whether they're better off gone or you'll think back with fondness, let's remember these 25 childhood experiences that technology has made extinct.
Emma Watson's Hidden Camera Prank Is So Awkward, You Won't Be Able to Stop Laughing
Emma Watson is well-known for her poised and elegant nature, but during The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Friday, she let her hair down for a hilarious hidden camera prank with the host. Taking a page out of The Bachelor Corrine Olympios's playbook, the Beauty and the Beast actress pretended to hire a nanny . . . for herself. As she interviewed a potential employer backstage, Ellen fed her a few wacky (and sometimes down right awkward) lines through an ear piece. Let's just say, it's enough to make you want to hide under the Cloak of Invisibility. See how it all goes down above.
10 Hearty Breakfast Burrito Recipes That Will Leave You Feeling Ready to Take On the Day
If you love burritos and breakfast, chances are you're obsessed with breakfast burritos, too. With an entirely customizable combination of all your favorite morning foods - from eggs and meats (if you're a carnivore, that is) to veggies and starches - wrapped in a delicious tortilla, they're guaranteed to excite your taste buds and give you a long-lasting burst of energy. Bonus: you can even make a batch ahead of time and freeze it, creating the perfect on-the-go meal. Ready to dive into all the possibilities? Keep scrolling for 10 delicious recipes.
Emma Watson's Hidden Camera Prank Is So Awkward, You Won't Be Able to Stop Laughing
Emma Watson is well-known for her poised and elegant nature, but during The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Friday, she let her hair down for a hilarious hidden camera prank with the host. Taking a page out of The Bachelor Corrine Olympios's playbook, the Beauty and the Beast actress pretended to hire a nanny . . . for herself. As she interviewed a potential employer backstage, Ellen fed her a few wacky (and sometimes down right awkward) lines through an ear piece. Let's just say, it's enough to make you want to hide under the Cloak of Invisibility. See how it all goes down above.
This Bride Married a Walking Dead Star in a Wedding Dress Few Would Dare to Wear
Purple isn't a color we come to expect from a wedding dress, which is why our eyes landed on bride Joana Pak who married The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun. As the couple posed for a wedding snapshot, our eyes immediately zoomed in on the soft lavender hue of Joana's strapless gown. In a simple and minimalist move, she chose to forgo accessories and kept her hair pulled back in a loose fishtail braid.
This isn't the first time a bride has ditched the traditional white wedding gown, which is why we wouldn't mind seeing a few more brides slip into more colorful pieces. Though we only have this one snap of Joana's dress, we luckily found five purple dresses for daring brides-to-be. If you're feeling a wedding dress with a little more flair and excitement, shop the picks ahead.
This Is Already Turning Out to Be Selena Gomez's Sexiest Year Yet
Selena Gomez is back from her 2016 hiatus with a vengeance. Not only is the singer working on a new album (and collaborations with Paulina Rubio and Kygo), she also teased a Wizards of Waverly Place reunion, landed a new hot relationship with The Weeknd, and posed for a now-deleted topless and thong-clad photo - wow, right?
If all of that is any indication, Selena will surely have her hottest year ever. We predict she'll show off an even more revealing sense of style, give us more sultry Instagram selfies and magazine spreads, and probably come out with the most sensual album cover she's yet to give us. Scroll ahead for her sexiest moments so far.
Some of the Sexiest Outfits Stroll the Carpet at the iHeartRadio Music Awards
It's not every day that stars attend shows like the iHeartRadio Music Awards, but when they do, you like to be in the loop, especially when it comes to what everyone wore. Aside from "ooh"-ing and "ahh"-ing over all that glitz and glam, a good "Hey did you see [insert celebrity name here]'s dress?!" can be quite the conversation starter. Ahead of the show on Sunday, look back at every stellar look from 2016. Between the sequins, slits, and sheer inserts, there are plenty of little details that will have you procrastinating for hours.
Hospital TV bill leaves family frustrated: 'What they're charging is not right'
An Ontario man whose wife spent six weeks in hospital last year wants answers from a business that provides in-room TV at hospitals across the country, saying the company’s prices are too high and policies too rigid.
Hospital TV bill leaves family frustrated: 'What they're charging is not right'
An Ontario man whose wife spent six weeks in hospital last year wants answers from a business that provides in-room TV at hospitals across the country, saying the company’s prices are too high and policies too rigid.
Why You Recognize the Star of the New Horror Film Get Out
Image Source: Universal Pictures
In October, we got introduced to a terrifying new horror movie by Jordan Peele. It's called Get Out, and the creepy trailer is enough on its own to turn you off of white suburbia for good. But there's something else. The more time we spent watching the trailer and looking forward to the film, the more we began to feel like star Daniel Kaluuya looked very, very familiar. And then, it clicked!
Kaluuya actually appears in the first season of Black Mirror. He stars in the second episode, called "Fifteen Million Merits." The story tells of a futuristic dystopian society that revolves around 24-hour TV and the shallow entertainment of reality shows. In this world, civilians must cycle to power the society, earning a kind of currency known as Merits. We don't want to give too much away, but you might argue that it's a different kind of horror than Kaluuya experiences in his new film.
Additionally, you may recognize Kaluuya from his recurring roles on Skins, Psychoville, The Fades, and Babylon. On the movie side, he's been in Kick-Ass 2 and Sicario, and he recently joined the cast of Marvel's Black Panther! Now you know. And now you can get that much more excited to see Get Out when it hits theaters on Feb. 24.
This Smiley Baby's Helmet Slogan Is So Much More Than a Political Statement
Lori's daughter may only be 8 months old, but she's already overcome more healthcare issues than some face in their entire life. In a heartfelt post to the private Pantsuit Nation Facebook group, Lori dedicated a beautiful, smiley photo of her daughter wearing a helmet that reads, "Nevertheless she persisted" to all of the NICU parents out there.
"For the NICU parents: this year was the most difficult year in my life with one major silver lining pictured below," she wrote. "My little girl was born with some health issues that resulted in some pretty intense interventions that ended up saving her. We were told by the doctors some pretty scary news . . . we were given an explanation of what to expect, but nevertheless, despite the roller coaster, she persisted."
Her daughter's health issues began before she was even born. At halfway through her pregnancy, Lori was told that her baby had a blood incompatibility, which meant there was a risk of her daughter "being delivered as an extreme preemie if interventions weren't done."
"The interventions consisted of what is known as an intrauterine transfusion," Lori told POPSUGAR Moms. The difficult procedure involves providing red blood cells to the fetus to prevent and treat anemia in utero. "She needed two of those to be kept in my belly as long as possible. They wanted to keep her in there because while she was in my body I would do most of the work, but once she was born, she would be responsible for filtering out a compound called bilirubin herself."
Despite all the poking and prodding Lori and her daughter endured, the little lady was born a month-and-a-half early with her liver not functioning properly. "They needed to intervene with a procedure called an exchange transfusion, which means that the doctor had to pull all the blood with antibodies out of her body and replace it with donor blood," Lori said. "Within a few hours of the first procedure, they tested her and again she needed the exchange . . . and again . . . and again . . . and again."
After all of her procedures, Lori's daughter had to spend a chunk of time in the NICU. "It was heart-wrenching because here you have your new baby and you can see her for about five seconds before they whisk her away to the NICU," Lori said. "Then you can't hold her . . . not for a day, two days, two weeks; you can only put your hand through an incubator. To see her hooked up to all these tubes, to know that each transfusion brings with it high risks, to see her strapped down . . . you feel helpless and have to trust that this team of professionals is going to look after her."
After so much time spent hanging in the balance, Lori was finally given the great news that she could take her daughter home. However, Lori was told she'd need to wear a helmet to treat her plagiocephaly.
When asked about the words on her little one's helmet - which were inspired by the feminist battle cry resulting from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell silencing Senator Elizabeth Warren in the middle of a speech criticizing attorney Jeff Sessions - Lori said that the words were chosen for a reason beyond politics and that all of the attention it's getting has been positive so far.
Lori's little lady with the seriously infectious smile has certainly persisted, but she still faces some issues. "She is still receiving therapies and her head is taking shape," Lori said as she joked that she's gone gray. "We're just enjoying this little miracle who made us proud of her before she was even born."
What It's Like to Be Both Mexican and Jewish
Although you may think that all Latinos are Catholic, this is incorrect. I was born in Mexico City, and, like my parents, I was raised Jewish.
My life in Mexico was pretty simple; I lived in a Jewish bubble. I went to a Jewish day school, had only Jewish friends, and lived in a primarily Jewish neighborhood. While I was aware that I was a minority, it never really affected me. I loved participating in traditionally Mexican events. One of my favorite memories of Mexico is when my mom took me to the cemetery to join the Día de los Muertos festivities. I was amazed at all the unique and beautiful colors, food, and photos that decorated the graves.
I never felt ashamed of being Jewish and only later realized that some Mexicans didn't consider me a "real Mexican." One day, a local vendor walking around Mexico City's Centro Histórico called me a güera (blonde). He was basically calling me a gringa due to my pale skin. It caught me by surprise and probably hurt me more than I could even understand at that time.
My life changed when I moved to Miami when I was 8 years old. I no longer went to a Jewish school, most of my friends weren't Jewish, and the people I met were from all over Latin America. My Latino-Jewish friends understood my background and upbringing perfectly, and most of them were raised with similar experiences. Just like me, they had grown up in Jewish neighborhoods in places like Colombia or Venezuela and moved to Miami seeking a better and safer life. I also had a lot in common with my non-Jewish Latin friends. We bonded over food and culture, as well as our nagging Latino parents.
My first real culture shock occurred when an American-Jewish girl asked me if it was my dad who was Mexican and my mom Jewish, or the other way around. She couldn't fathom both my parents being Jewish and Mexican. Since then, I've probably gotten asked a variation of this question a million times. Even other Jewish people have a hard time understanding my background. People ask me, "If you're a Mexican Jew, then that has to mean you're Sephardic, right?" or "You can't be Ashkenazi, you're from Mexico" or even, "How are you white AND Mexican?"
Judaism includes several ethnic divisions, but Sephardic and Ashkenazi are two of the most common. A Sephardic Jew is someone whose family originates from places like Spain, Turkey, Portugal, and Greece; an Ashkenazi Jew's family originates from Central and Eastern Europe and Russia. A lot of people assume that because I'm from a Spanish-speaking country, my ancestors must have come from Spain, but I have no connection to Spain whatsoever. Three out of my four grandparents migrated from Russia, Lithuania, and Poland to Mexico after the Holocaust, making me three-fourths Ashkenazi. I'm also a fourth Sephardic because my paternal grandfather migrated from Turkey to Mexico in the 1900s.
On the Jewish sabbath, my family dines on Mexican-Jewish dishes like like gefilte fish a la Veracruzana or schnitzel with salsa verde.Another part of my upbringing that people are intrigued by is what food is served in my house. Sometimes, we eat traditional Mexican food like sopes and taquitos, and other times we eat Jewish food like matzah ball soup and kugel. Every Friday night on the Jewish sabbath, my family dines on Mexican-Jewish dishes like like gefilte fish a la Veracruzana (fish patties cooked in a spicy tomato sauce) or schnitzel with salsa verde. The only time my family can't enjoy traditional Mexican dishes is when they don't meet Jewish dietary laws and include food like pork and shellfish, which aren't kosher.
My Mexican-Jewish traditions didn't seem that unique to me until I moved to Boston for college. It was then that I realized I couldn't relate to many American-Jewish traditions. Many of my new American-Jewish friends had gone to Jewish schools, attended a Jewish sleepaway camp every Summer, and joined Jewish youth groups during the school year. I had never stepped foot in a sleepaway camp, and the last Jewish school I had attended was in Mexico.
However, it was the different song and prayer tunes they used in synagogue that really opened my eyes. Songs that I had learned in Mexico and Miami were completely different in Boston. I ultimately realized that these are differences that every foreigner deals with. College introduced me to people from different parts of the world, of different cultures and religions. Although some Latinos viewed me as a faux-Latina due to my religion, others saw beyond that and saw me as one of them.
If there is one thing that being a Mexican Jew has taught me, it is the importance of both my family and my heritage. I may not know what's ahead for me, but I do know this: my kids will be raised in a Spanish-speaking home with chilaquiles for breakfast, baklava for dessert, and Shabbat dinners every Friday night.
Drop Everything You're Doing and Watch the Dior Show
At this point, Maria Grazia Chiuri need not convince us to drop everything and watch the Dior show. After inspiring designers to make political statements on the runway with her very first delivery for the French fashion house, she received a standing ovation. That was the Spring 2017 season. One whimsical Haute Couture collection and countless red carpet placements later, and we're on the edge of our seat, awaiting her second RTW line. Watch the presentation from Musée Rodin at Paris Fashion Week in the live stream below.
Is There Anything Adriana Lima Can't Rock on the Red Carpet? Answer: No
Brazilian Victoria's Secret Angel Adriana Lima doesn't leave the sexy outfits on the runway, she brings them to the red carpet. No, she doesn't wear lingerie to events (though sometimes she gets close), but she does show lots of skin, wearing high slits, backless numbers, perfectly placed sheer panels, and low-cut necklines. See for yourself ahead by checking out the ever-changing supermodel's best looks of the year so far.
Can You Handle All the Sparkle on Jessica Biel's Oscars Gown?
While we got a chuckle when Jessica Biel's husband, Justin Timberlake, referred to Tom Ford (the man who designed his suit) as "his other wife," we were dead-serious about Jessica's gown. In fact, the Kaufmanfranco piece transformed her into an Oscars statue. It shined so bright, she couldn't really say if it was silver or gold (we'd say both). But paired with a Tiffany & Co. spiked diamond bib necklace, it certainly stole the show on the Academy Awards red carpet. Scroll for another look, and tell us how you feel about all the flash.
Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me: Excruciating Third-Trimester Pelvic Pain
For the most part, I had an ideal pregnancy. It took me a while to even realize I was pregnant because I wasn't showing any of the classic symptoms you see in the movies - no racing to the nearest trash bin to throw up my breakfast, no weird cravings of ice cream and pickles. However, as the weeks zoomed by, I was feeling a little too lucky. Sure, I had a few bumps in the road, like swollen feet and a few periods of rapid weight gain, but entering my third trimester, I was still doing well and getting positive feedback at my weekly checkups.
Then, one morning, which happened to be the start of my 35th week of pregnancy, I woke up feeling as normal as one could feel under the circumstances. I awkwardly fumbled out of bed and stood up. But as I took a step, I fell back onto the mattress, doubling over in pain. It wasn't an alarming internal pain, thankfully. It didn't feel like anything truly bad had happened to me or my unborn baby. But it also wasn't something I'd been expecting. I was never warned about this pain . . . a dull yet stifling trigger that came on suddenly and didn't go away. Better put, it was the type of soreness that could only be acquired from some sick workout routine that involved me sitting, legs out, at the end of a bowling alley while someone kept rolling strikes.
I could barely walk. Each step caused the constant dull pain in my pelvis to shoot out in all directions. I tried to stretch. I tried sitting on an exercise ball. I tried heating pads. I tried cold compresses. I tried pushing up on my pelvis with my bare hands, as if to force my baby to quit trying to poke its head out. Nothing helped.
Then I turned to Google. I searched "severe pelvic pain at 35 weeks" and lo and behold, I was not alone. I found message boards of pregnant women, one after another, asking what the hell was going on with their body all of a sudden. Hundreds of them, united in unplanned pain, cried out for answers.
The good news: it's normal. But, annoyingly, as I came to find out from my doctor, that's really where the good news ends.
Although not all women go through it, and most women who do experience pain do so in very low levels, for some, it's excruciating . . . and debilitating (and, for me, worse than my eventual labor contractions).
Caused by a pesky hormone called relaxin, its purpose is to stretch your intrauterine ligaments, thus allowing the uterus and pelvis to expand in preparation for the baby's descent through the birth canal. In some cases, the relaxin does its job too well, and the ligaments around the pelvic bone get especially loose and even unstable.
As for how to lessen the pain, that's more bad news. For some, it will go away on its own, but don't count on it. When I asked my doctor what I could do to feel better, her response was: "Have the baby." Great.
And although some women begin to feel the awful effects of relaxin as soon as their 32nd week of pregnancy or as far along as 38 weeks, it does not mean labor is imminent. So, you might be saddled with teeth-clenching pain for the long haul.
My best advice is to, before you are in the thick of your third trimester, brace for impact. If you are among the unlucky few who get this pain, it will be severe, and you'll have to find other ways to pass the time besides taking leisurely walks in the park. And just know that my doctor was right: the pain typically does go away right after childbirth. There are just a few other things that take its place . . .
These New Gummies Are the Halo Top of Candy
Usually healthy desserts kind of feel like a sham, right? You try to tell yourself "it's just like the real thing!" But . . . is it? Is it really?
However, there are some brands that are seeeriously stepping up their game. Take Halo Top, for instance. The wizards at Halo Top Creamery created a healthy version of ice cream that was so delicious, our taste testers didn't even realize it was anything other than traditional ice cream.
Another brand that's doing just that? Smart Sweets. We were lucky enough to be among the first tasters of these healthy gummy bears, and honestly, we can't put the bag down - they're that addictive. The best part is that after housing an entire bag of candy, you don't feel bad (physically or mentally) . . . but you might feel like going to the bathroom. These sweet and sour little bears have insane amounts of fiber, but we'll get to that in a minute. Here's the rundown on our new healthy obsession.
What Are Smart Sweets?
Gummy bears! They come in the original sweet version and "seriously sour," a coated version that has a sour powder similar to what's on the outside of Warheads candies, if you're familiar with them.
Smart Sweets was founded by 22-year-old Tara Bosch in Canada; it's currently available in stores across all of Canada, and online orders ship to the US and Canada. You can order a box of six bags for $26 USD.
What Makes Them Healthy?
- Almost no sugar. Smart Sweets are sweetened with chicory root and a small amount of stevia, so the ENTIRE BAG contains only 2 grams.
- Your whole day's fiber. Not only do these gummies curb a sweet tooth, but they've got 96 percent of your daily fiber - as much as SIX servings of veggies. This makes them filling and great for digestion. Just don't go overboard . . . we learned that one the hard way.
- Non-GMO, no artificial colors or ingredients. Smart Sweets keeps it clean.
- Even a little protein! It's not often you get protein in your candy! These have 5 grams per bag.
- Allergen-free. No peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, soy, corn fiber, gluten, or sugar alcohols.
How Do They Taste?
They're sweet, tangy, and if you like the sour kind, they're really tart! The flavors are the same for each version: raspberry, peach, apple, and lemon. This makes them a little more unique compared to the traditional gummy bears you'll get at the drugstore.
The texture is MUCH firmer and chewier than a traditional gummy. Some of our testers were not fans and were too put-off by the texture and taste to enjoy the gummies (like our Fitness director, Michele). That said, most of us (including myself, our Food editor Anna, and Social Media editor Victor) really enjoyed them and embraced the chewiness.
If you're stevia-sensitive, you may notice the flavor, but most of us have found that it's subtle if not downright unnoticeable.
These New Gummies Are the Halo Top of Candy
Usually healthy desserts kind of feel like a sham, right? You try to tell yourself "it's just like the real thing!" But . . . is it? Is it really?
However, there are some brands that are seeeriously stepping up their game. Take Halo Top, for instance. The wizards at Halo Top Creamery created a healthy version of ice cream that was so delicious, our taste testers didn't even realize it was anything other than traditional ice cream.
Another brand that's doing just that? Smart Sweets. We were lucky enough to be among the first tasters of these healthy gummy bears, and honestly, we can't put the bag down - they're that addictive. The best part is that after housing an entire bag of candy, you don't feel bad (physically or mentally) . . . but you might feel like going to the bathroom. These sweet and sour little bears have insane amounts of fiber, but we'll get to that in a minute. Here's the rundown on our new healthy obsession.
What Are Smart Sweets?
Gummy bears! They come in the original sweet version and "seriously sour," a coated version that has a sour powder similar to what's on the outside of Warheads candies, if you're familiar with them.
Smart Sweets was founded by 22-year-old Tara Bosch in Canada; it's currently available in stores across all of Canada, and online orders ship to the US and Canada. You can order a box of six bags for $26 USD.
What Makes Them Healthy?
- Almost no sugar. Smart Sweets are sweetened with chicory root and a small amount of stevia, so the ENTIRE BAG contains only 2 grams.
- Your whole day's fiber. Not only do these gummies curb a sweet tooth, but they've got 96 percent of your daily fiber - as much as SIX servings of veggies. This makes them filling and great for digestion. Just don't go overboard . . . we learned that one the hard way.
- Non-GMO, no artificial colors or ingredients. Smart Sweets keeps it clean.
- Even a little protein! It's not often you get protein in your candy! These have 5 grams per bag.
- Allergen-free. No peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, soy, corn fiber, gluten, or sugar alcohols.
How Do They Taste?
They're sweet, tangy, and if you like the sour kind, they're really tart! The flavors are the same for each version: raspberry, peach, apple, and lemon. This makes them a little more unique compared to the traditional gummy bears you'll get at the drugstore.
The texture is MUCH firmer and chewier than a traditional gummy. Some of our testers were not fans and were too put-off by the texture and taste to enjoy the gummies (like our Fitness director, Michele). That said, most of us (including myself, our Food editor Anna, and Social Media editor Victor) really enjoyed them and embraced the chewiness.
If you're stevia-sensitive, you may notice the flavor, but most of us have found that it's subtle if not downright unnoticeable.
6 Healthy Reasons to Get Busy Tonight!
We don't need to convince you to have sex, but just in case you needed a little encouragement to take off your clothes, here's some good news: orgasms are good for your health! So don't roll over and just go to bed! Here are six healthy reasons to make sex a priority tonight.
- Ahh, I feel relaxed: Thank the hormone oxytocin for the feelings of calmness and peace that follow an orgasm. Feeling less tense can reduce stress and make you forget about things that were bothering you.
- Good night! Sex not only feels good, but the drop in blood pressure and the total-body relaxation can also help you fall asleep faster, so sex can help people with insomnia.
- Happiness! Hormones also improve your mood, which can be good news for those suffering from depression or anxiety. Getting busy could be a natural alternative to taking antidepressants.
- This counts as exercise? Forty-five minutes of getting busy burns about 100 calories. Sounds like more fun than going for a run, eh?
- No pain meds needed: Have a headache? The endorphins released during sex can actually act as a pain reliever when it comes to headaches and menstrual cramps.
- The fountain of youth: Studies show that women who experience a higher frequency of orgasms during sex live longer!
If you're not in a relationship, so what?! You can still reap the health benefits of orgasms when you're alone. There are plenty of ways and even gadgets (like healing crystal dildos?) to help you reach your happy place all on your own.
And if you are in a relationship but sex rarely results in you reaching orgasm, it's time to have a little chat. Don't be shy! Tell your partner exactly what you like so you're not left in the dark. You owe it to yourself, not only for that amazing feeling, but more importantly for your health!
6 Healthy Reasons to Get Busy Tonight!
We don't need to convince you to have sex, but just in case you needed a little encouragement to take off your clothes, here's some good news: orgasms are good for your health! So don't roll over and just go to bed! Here are six healthy reasons to make sex a priority tonight.
- Ahh, I feel relaxed: Thank the hormone oxytocin for the feelings of calmness and peace that follow an orgasm. Feeling less tense can reduce stress and make you forget about things that were bothering you.
- Good night! Sex not only feels good, but the drop in blood pressure and the total-body relaxation can also help you fall asleep faster, so sex can help people with insomnia.
- Happiness! Hormones also improve your mood, which can be good news for those suffering from depression or anxiety. Getting busy could be a natural alternative to taking antidepressants.
- This counts as exercise? Forty-five minutes of getting busy burns about 100 calories. Sounds like more fun than going for a run, eh?
- No pain meds needed: Have a headache? The endorphins released during sex can actually act as a pain reliever when it comes to headaches and menstrual cramps.
- The fountain of youth: Studies show that women who experience a higher frequency of orgasms during sex live longer!
If you're not in a relationship, so what?! You can still reap the health benefits of orgasms when you're alone. There are plenty of ways and even gadgets (like healing crystal dildos?) to help you reach your happy place all on your own.
And if you are in a relationship but sex rarely results in you reaching orgasm, it's time to have a little chat. Don't be shy! Tell your partner exactly what you like so you're not left in the dark. You owe it to yourself, not only for that amazing feeling, but more importantly for your health!
50 Baby Names Inspired by Beautiful Crystals and Precious Gems
People keep crystals and precious gemstones around for a number of reasons - they're sometimes rare, some are believed to be lucky or therapeutic, and well, they're all gorgeous. If you're looking for something beautiful to call your baby, look no further than one of these jewel and stone-inspired names.
Scroll through for 50 baby names inspired by crystals and precious gemstones.
A
Agate, Alexandrite, Amethyst, Amber, Apatite
B
Beryl, Bijou
C
Carnelian, Celestine, Chalcedony, Charoite, Citrine, Coral, Crystal
D
Diamond
E
Emerald, Epidote, Esme
F
Flint
G
Galena, Garnet, Gemma, Giada
I
Iolite
J
Jade, Jacinth, Jasper, Jett
K
Kyanite
L
Lapis, Larimar
M
Malachite, Mica, Morganite
O
Obsidian, Olivine, Onyx, Opal
P
Pearl, Peridot, Pietersite
Q
Quartz
R
Ruby
S
Sapphire, Silver, Stone
T
Tanzanite, Tiger, Topaz, Turquoise
Sofia Vergara's Dress Looks Like It Was Meticulously Painted on Her
Sofia Vergara is closing out award season in one of her sexiest red carpet dresses yet. The Modern Family star attended Vanity Fair's annual Oscars afterparty wearing a skintight Michael Kors Collection number, Lorraine Schwartz jewels, and matching metallic heels. Just before arriving at the event, Sofia shared a bubbly Boomerang with her Instagram followers. On the red carpet, Sofia posed with her husband, Joe Manganiello, who just couldn't take his eyes off her. Same, Joe, same.
What Does the Queen Have For Breakfast? Get a Peek Into Life Behind Palace Doors
Image Source: Getty / Handout
The queen has always maintained a dignified silence when it comes to her home life - she never gives interviews and rarely discloses even the tiniest tidbit of personal information - but a glance at the 800 or so companies that hold Royal Warrants provides a wealth of detail about her majesty's private life. A Royal Warrant is an official mark of recognition that is granted to any company that has provided the queen with goods or services for five years or more, and it allows the company to display the queen's coat of arms on its packaging and promotional materials. Prince Philip and Prince Charles are the only other two members of the family who can grant a Royal Warrant, but the most telling are those companies that provide the queen with everything from agricultural machinery to marzipan and lipsticks to helicopter engines.
Image Source: Getty / Anwar Hussein
Breakfast
Cereal is the queen's breakfast of champions, and her choices are reassuringly traditional. Kellogg's, Weetabix, and Quaker Oats all hold a Royal Warrant, and the various cereals are kept in Tupperware containers to keep them fresh. Her majesty's morning tea of choice? Twinings English Breakfast; milk, no sugar.
Drinks
If one was ever to find oneself at a cocktail party at Buckingham Palace, it's good to know what will be served - and for the most part it's not as fancy as you might expect. Gordon's gin, Pimm's, Bacardi, and Bulmers cider are all warrant holders; however, there are numerous suppliers of fine wines and eight different Champagne producers including Bollinger, Krug, Lanson, and Winston Churchill's favorite, Pol Roger (which was also served at William and Kate's wedding).
Beauty Favorites
The queen has been a fan of Clarins ever since her coronation, when she commissioned the company to design a shade of lipstick to complement her gown. It has been reported that she favors its Ever Matte Mineral Powder Compact in Transparent Fair and Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, as well as its eye shadow palettes.
Elizabeth Arden has been a Royal Warrant holder for 55 years, and two of the queen's favorite products are the Eight Hour Cream and Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick in Bold Red. Her majesty favors Floris perfume and Bronnley soap, as well as quintessential British brand Yardley and the more modern Molton Brown.
Image Source: Getty / Hulton Archive
Eco-Wares
Prince Charles is known for championing environmentally friendly products, but the queen is quietly also big on eco-fare. She uses a number of green warrant-holders including Delphis Eco, which provides environmentally friendly cleaning products, and Agri-cycle, which uses agricultural waste such as spray cans, fertilizer bags, and shrink wrap and recycles it into furniture, flooring, and containers.
The Everyday vs. the Extraordinary
The queen is known for having pretty simple tastes when it comes to what she eats at home, and her wartime upbringing is reflected in her unfussy style - so it's no surprise that she has Heinz ketchup, Ryvita crackers, Baxters soups, and Robinsons fruit squashes at home. She's also a fan of British High Street favorite Boots the Chemist. However, she is a monarch, and the mind-boggling roster of Royal Warrant holders also includes gold-leaf manufacturers, medal makers, chandelier refurbishers, animal pregnancy scanners, calligraphers, silk flower crafters, name-badge makers, helicopter engine manufacturers, and even a taxidermist.
British Artisanal Produce
The royal family are all big supporters of local produce, and many of the queen's choices are very specific - bacon from Denhay Farms, sausages from Musk's, eggs from Noble Foods, jam from Wilkin & Sons, and coffee from H.R. Higgins. It's a good thing she doesn't have to do the shopping herself - a simple cooked breakfast would take a whole day to accumulate.
Image Source: Getty / Arthur Edwards
Interior Design
When it comes to furnishing her properties, the queen unsurprisingly opts for luxury, tradition, and history, choosing AW Hainsworth for fabrics, Sanderson for wallpaper, Albert E. Chapman for curtains, and Heirlooms for fine linens. Charles Farris provides beeswax church candles, and in a strange quirk, A Nash supplies old-fashioned Harry Potter-style brooms for the royal sweeping. Her majesty also likes using philanthropic organizations and purchases mattresses from Glencraft - 70 percent of whose workforce is made up of people with disabilities.
Phones, Laptops, and Tablets
The queen Skypes with various members of her family and tweets to her many fans - and now we know how. Her majesty is clearly an Android kind of lady, as Samsung is listed as a Royal Warrant holder.
Sweet Treats
The queen loves chocolate (and always gives it up for Lent), but on the other 325 days of the year, she has her pick of the everyday supermarket brands Cadbury and Nestlé, along with the more high-end Charbonnel et Walker, Prestat, and Bendicks - which specializes in after-dinner mints.
Image Source: Getty / WPA Pool
The Best of the Rest
Undergarments: Quaintly billed as "corsetieres" on the Royal Warrant holders website, the incredibly fancy Rigby & Peller is the one entrusted with creating the queen's intimates. It has also been reported that the Duchess of Cambridge has called upon the services of the company, too.
Holistic health: The queen is a traditionalist in many ways, yet Ainsworths Homeopathic Pharmacy has a Royal Warrant - so it seems the queen is also a fan of alternative therapies.
Christmas supplies: When William, Kate, George, and Charlotte gather with the rest of the family at Sandringham, they will be tearing open traditional metallic foiled wrapping paper and pulling bespoke crackers from specialist Christmas wares company Tom Smith.
Get Insanely Strong With This Intense 10-Minute Bodyweight Workout
5-10-15. That's all you need to remember for this quick, but intense, workout. You'll strengthen the arms, upper back, core, butt, and legs in just 10 minutes. And you don't need an expensive gym membership or equipment to do this workout - just you and your own determination to push yourself hard.
Directions: Set a timer for five minutes. Keep repeating the below three-move circuit until the five minutes are up. Take a two-minute break and repeat for another five minutes. Or make this workout even harder by going for 10 straight minutes.
5 triceps push-ups
10 diamond sit-ups
15 air squats
Within the five minutes, aim to complete between three and five rounds of the circuit. Below is an explanation of each exercise, including modifications for each move.
Get Insanely Strong With This Intense 10-Minute Bodyweight Workout
5-10-15. That's all you need to remember for this quick, but intense, workout. You'll strengthen the arms, upper back, core, butt, and legs in just 10 minutes. And you don't need an expensive gym membership or equipment to do this workout - just you and your own determination to push yourself hard.
Directions: Set a timer for five minutes. Keep repeating the below three-move circuit until the five minutes are up. Take a two-minute break and repeat for another five minutes. Or make this workout even harder by going for 10 straight minutes.
5 triceps push-ups
10 diamond sit-ups
15 air squats
Within the five minutes, aim to complete between three and five rounds of the circuit. Below is an explanation of each exercise, including modifications for each move.
What Does the Queen Have For Breakfast? Get a Peek Into Life Behind Palace Doors
Image Source: Getty / Handout
The queen has always maintained a dignified silence when it comes to her home life - she never gives interviews and rarely discloses even the tiniest tidbit of personal information - but a glance at the 800 or so companies that hold Royal Warrants provides a wealth of detail about her majesty's private life. A Royal Warrant is an official mark of recognition that is granted to any company that has provided the queen with goods or services for five years or more, and it allows the company to display the queen's coat of arms on its packaging and promotional materials. Prince Philip and Prince Charles are the only other two members of the family who can grant a Royal Warrant, but the most telling are those companies that provide the queen with everything from agricultural machinery to marzipan and lipsticks to helicopter engines.
Image Source: Getty / Anwar Hussein
Breakfast
Cereal is the queen's breakfast of champions, and her choices are reassuringly traditional. Kellogg's, Weetabix, and Quaker Oats all hold a Royal Warrant, and the various cereals are kept in Tupperware containers to keep them fresh. Her majesty's morning tea of choice? Twinings English Breakfast; milk, no sugar.
Drinks
If one was ever to find oneself at a cocktail party at Buckingham Palace, it's good to know what will be served - and for the most part it's not as fancy as you might expect. Gordon's gin, Pimm's, Bacardi, and Bulmers cider are all warrant holders; however, there are numerous suppliers of fine wines and eight different Champagne producers including Bollinger, Krug, Lanson, and Winston Churchill's favorite, Pol Roger (which was also served at William and Kate's wedding).
Beauty Favorites
The queen has been a fan of Clarins ever since her coronation, when she commissioned the company to design a shade of lipstick to complement her gown. It has been reported that she favors its Ever Matte Mineral Powder Compact in Transparent Fair and Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, as well as its eye shadow palettes.
Elizabeth Arden has been a Royal Warrant holder for 55 years, and two of the queen's favorite products are the Eight Hour Cream and Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick in Bold Red. Her majesty favors Floris perfume and Bronnley soap, as well as quintessential British brand Yardley and the more modern Molton Brown.
Image Source: Getty / Hulton Archive
Eco-Wares
Prince Charles is known for championing environmentally friendly products, but the queen is quietly also big on eco-fare. She uses a number of green warrant-holders including Delphis Eco, which provides environmentally friendly cleaning products, and Agri-cycle, which uses agricultural waste such as spray cans, fertilizer bags, and shrink wrap and recycles it into furniture, flooring, and containers.
The Everyday vs. the Extraordinary
The queen is known for having pretty simple tastes when it comes to what she eats at home, and her wartime upbringing is reflected in her unfussy style - so it's no surprise that she has Heinz ketchup, Ryvita crackers, Baxters soups, and Robinsons fruit squashes at home. She's also a fan of British High Street favorite Boots the Chemist. However, she is a monarch, and the mind-boggling roster of Royal Warrant holders also includes gold-leaf manufacturers, medal makers, chandelier refurbishers, animal pregnancy scanners, calligraphers, silk flower crafters, name-badge makers, helicopter engine manufacturers, and even a taxidermist.
British Artisanal Produce
The royal family are all big supporters of local produce, and many of the queen's choices are very specific - bacon from Denhay Farms, sausages from Musk's, eggs from Noble Foods, jam from Wilkin & Sons, and coffee from H.R. Higgins. It's a good thing she doesn't have to do the shopping herself - a simple cooked breakfast would take a whole day to accumulate.
Image Source: Getty / Arthur Edwards
Interior Design
When it comes to furnishing her properties, the queen unsurprisingly opts for luxury, tradition, and history, choosing AW Hainsworth for fabrics, Sanderson for wallpaper, Albert E. Chapman for curtains, and Heirlooms for fine linens. Charles Farris provides beeswax church candles, and in a strange quirk, A Nash supplies old-fashioned Harry Potter-style brooms for the royal sweeping. Her majesty also likes using philanthropic organizations and purchases mattresses from Glencraft - 70 percent of whose workforce is made up of people with disabilities.
Phones, Laptops, and Tablets
The queen Skypes with various members of her family and tweets to her many fans - and now we know how. Her majesty is clearly an Android kind of lady, as Samsung is listed as a Royal Warrant holder.
Sweet Treats
The queen loves chocolate (and always gives it up for Lent), but on the other 325 days of the year, she has her pick of the everyday supermarket brands Cadbury and Nestlé, along with the more high-end Charbonnel et Walker, Prestat, and Bendicks - which specializes in after-dinner mints.
Image Source: Getty / WPA Pool
The Best of the Rest
Undergarments: Quaintly billed as "corsetieres" on the Royal Warrant holders website, the incredibly fancy Rigby & Peller is the one entrusted with creating the queen's intimates. It has also been reported that the Duchess of Cambridge has called upon the services of the company, too.
Holistic health: The queen is a traditionalist in many ways, yet Ainsworths Homeopathic Pharmacy has a Royal Warrant - so it seems the queen is also a fan of alternative therapies.
Christmas supplies: When William, Kate, George, and Charlotte gather with the rest of the family at Sandringham, they will be tearing open traditional metallic foiled wrapping paper and pulling bespoke crackers from specialist Christmas wares company Tom Smith.
6 Places Kate Middleton Lived Before Becoming a Princess
Kate Middleton hasn't always resided in a 10-bedroom country estate or 21-room apartment at Kensington Palace. Long before meeting and marrying Prince William, Kate was just a regular girl who moved around with her family, studied abroad, lived in college dorms, and even shared a flat with her little sister. Here are all the places Kate lived before her life became a royal one.
- Berkshire, England: Kate was born to parents Michael and Carole Middleton at the ironically named Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. The upper-middle-class family lived in a modest, brick Victorian "with a cramped kitchen" in Bradfield Southend. They later purchased at Oak Acre, a five-bedroom Tudor-style country house in nearby Bucklebury, Berkshire.
- Amman, Jordan: While working as a flight dispatcher for British Airways, Michael and his family were relocated to Jordan. Kate lived there from 1984 to 1987.
- Wiltshire, England: Kate studied at Marlborough College, a coed boarding school, in 1996.
- Florence, Italy: After finishing her studies at Marlborough, 18-year-old Kate headed to Florence to study Italian and art history. She completed a three-month course at the British Institute of Florence in Palazzo dello Strozzino.
- Fife, Scotland: In 2001, Kate moved to Scotland to study at the University of St. Andrews and lived in three areas of on-campus student housing. It was at one of them, St Salvator's Hall, that she met Prince William. She went on to graduate with a master's degree in art history.
- London, England: Postcollege, Kate accepted a position as an accessory buyer with British retailer Jigsaw and moved into a flat in London's exclusive Chelsea neighborhood with her sister Pippa; Carole and Michael Middleton purchased the apartment in 2002 for all three of their children to live in. Pippa continued to reside there with their brother James well after Kate married Will and moved to a four-bedroom farmhouse on the Welsh island of Anglesey.
6 Places Kate Middleton Lived Before Becoming a Princess
Kate Middleton hasn't always resided in a 10-bedroom country estate or 21-room apartment at Kensington Palace. Long before meeting and marrying Prince William, Kate was just a regular girl who moved around with her family, studied abroad, lived in college dorms, and even shared a flat with her little sister. Here are all the places Kate lived before her life became a royal one.
- Berkshire, England: Kate was born to parents Michael and Carole Middleton at the ironically named Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. The upper-middle-class family lived in a modest, brick Victorian "with a cramped kitchen" in Bradfield Southend. They later purchased at Oak Acre, a five-bedroom Tudor-style country house in nearby Bucklebury, Berkshire.
- Amman, Jordan: While working as a flight dispatcher for British Airways, Michael and his family were relocated to Jordan. Kate lived there from 1984 to 1987.
- Wiltshire, England: Kate studied at Marlborough College, a coed boarding school, in 1996.
- Florence, Italy: After finishing her studies at Marlborough, 18-year-old Kate headed to Florence to study Italian and art history. She completed a three-month course at the British Institute of Florence in Palazzo dello Strozzino.
- Fife, Scotland: In 2001, Kate moved to Scotland to study at the University of St. Andrews and lived in three areas of on-campus student housing. It was at one of them, St Salvator's Hall, that she met Prince William. She went on to graduate with a master's degree in art history.
- London, England: Postcollege, Kate accepted a position as an accessory buyer with British retailer Jigsaw and moved into a flat in London's exclusive Chelsea neighborhood with her sister Pippa; Carole and Michael Middleton purchased the apartment in 2002 for all three of their children to live in. Pippa continued to reside there with their brother James well after Kate married Will and moved to a four-bedroom farmhouse on the Welsh island of Anglesey.
This Song From Get Out Will Haunt You For the Rest of Your Days
One of the many things from Get Out that will stay with you is the music. Donald Glover's "Redbone" is played, and there's a creepy sequence with "Run Rabbit Run" by Flanagan and Allen, but the song that I can't get out of my head is actually part of the film's original score. It plays during the main credits and at the end of the film, and it's called "Sikiliza Kwa Wahenga." Writer/director Jordan Peele talked about the song in a recent interview with GQ:
"It's Swahili, actually. It's such a cool track. I was into this idea of distinctly black voices and black musical references, so it's got some African influences, and some bluesy things going on, but in a scary way, which you never really hear. African-American music tends to have, at the very least, a glimmer of hope to it - sometimes full-fledged hope. I wanted Michael Abels, who did the score, to create something that felt like it lived in this absence of hope but still had [black roots]. And I said to him, 'You have to avoid voodoo sounds, too.'
The words are issuing a warning to Chris. The whole idea of the movie is 'Get out!' - it's what we're screaming at the character on-screen. They go, 'Brother, brother,' in English, and then something to the effect of, 'Watch your back. Something's coming, and it ain't good.'"
It's definitely not good, you guys.
POPSUGAR Employees Sound Off on What It Means to "Run Like a Girl"
I was running the length of the basketball court, trailing behind the pack, pumping my arms with all my might. I caught up, the ball bounced out of bounds, and the buzzer clanked its heavy clank. Halftime.
At the bench, one of the volunteer parent-coaches waved me over. "You're really running like a girl out there," he said, pointing to the court.
I was 10, only one year into what would later become a longtime affair with basketball and running. I looked at my coach with furrowed brows.
He went on to explain what proper form looks like. "You're losing a lot of energy running like that. Your arms are flying around, but you're not really covering any distance."
I nodded. I wanted to be a good basketball player, and if "running like a girl" meant I was wasting energy and would get singled out during halftime, I wanted to fix it. It wasn't until I was 22 and in graduate school completing a thesis on media portrayals of gender in sports that I thought back on that formative moment. I'd spent the 12 years after that basketball game committed to having proper form - shoulders back, elbows at my sides - not because I thought it would make me a better athlete, but because someone had told me it was the right way to move. In that moment, my muscles tensed. I was angry. Proper form was important, but why was it considered a gender issue?
Realizing this was both embarrassing and humbling, and it also helped shape how I feel about the phrase "run like a girl." Still an athlete, I'm proud to get up in the morning, lace up my adidas UltraBOOST X running shoes, and hit the pavement for a jog. I'm proud to be a runner. And I'm proud to be a girl.
Interested in learning how other runners felt about this phrase, I tapped POPSUGAR staffers for their thoughts. Here's what they had to say:
POPSUGAR Employees Sound Off on What It Means to "Run Like a Girl"
I was running the length of the basketball court, trailing behind the pack, pumping my arms with all my might. I caught up, the ball bounced out of bounds, and the buzzer clanked its heavy clank. Halftime.
At the bench, one of the volunteer parent-coaches waved me over. "You're really running like a girl out there," he said, pointing to the court.
I was 10, only one year into what would later become a longtime affair with basketball and running. I looked at my coach with furrowed brows.
He went on to explain what proper form looks like. "You're losing a lot of energy running like that. Your arms are flying around, but you're not really covering any distance."
I nodded. I wanted to be a good basketball player, and if "running like a girl" meant I was wasting energy and would get singled out during halftime, I wanted to fix it. It wasn't until I was 22 and in graduate school completing a thesis on media portrayals of gender in sports that I thought back on that formative moment. I'd spent the 12 years after that basketball game committed to having proper form - shoulders back, elbows at my sides - not because I thought it would make me a better athlete, but because someone had told me it was the right way to move. In that moment, my muscles tensed. I was angry. Proper form was important, but why was it considered a gender issue?
Realizing this was both embarrassing and humbling, and it also helped shape how I feel about the phrase "run like a girl." Still an athlete, I'm proud to get up in the morning, lace up my adidas UltraBOOST X running shoes, and hit the pavement for a jog. I'm proud to be a runner. And I'm proud to be a girl.
Interested in learning how other runners felt about this phrase, I tapped POPSUGAR staffers for their thoughts. Here's what they had to say:
24 Kate Middleton GIFs That Will Make You Say "Me"
At first thought, it may not seem like there's anything relatable about Kate Middleton - yes, she may have been considered a commoner when she first married Prince William, but these days she's a card-carrying member of the royal family, right up there in cultural significance with Queen Elizabeth II herself. But for all of her very, very princess-like moments, Kate occasionally shows sides of herself that prove she might be just as normal as we are after all.
Why Kate Middleton and Prince William Broke Up Before Getting Married
Image Source: Getty / Samir Hussein
If you and your significant other have a history of breaking up and making up, you're not alone: there have been a handful of celebrity couples who suffered a split before ultimately getting married, and one of them has royal ties. Yes, Kate Middleton and Prince William called off their relationship before their lavish wedding in April 2011. In 2007, four years after they began dating and four years before tying the knot, the royal couple hit a rough patch and decided to part ways. Clarence House declined to comment about the relationship's end at the time, saying, "We don't comment on Prince William's private life."
"We were both very young . . . we were both finding ourselves and being different characters."So why did they split? In late 2006, Kate's family invited William to celebrate New Year's Eve with them. The Middletons booked a house in the snowy Scotland countryside. William had agreed to come, but later changed his mind - which did not sit well with Kate. Spending the holidays in Sandringham with the queen is a strict royal tradition, and Kate was not technically allowed to join in his family festivities unless she and William were married. After the new year, William's military commitments - he was to be stationed with the Household Cavalry at Bovington Barracks in Dorset for three months - kept the couple from seeing each other, and Kate was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the aggressive paparazzi and media attention she was getting as his girlfriend. William was also going out a lot with other guys in the barracks; he was spotted on a number of occasions drinking, dancing, and "being flirty" with women in London, which further angered Kate.
The two secretly reunited at a themed party in June 2010, which was held in William's barracks to celebrate the end of his training. It was during their vacation in Kenya that October that William presented Kate with the same 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire ring worn by his late mother, Princess Diana, and asked her to marry him. "I didn't really plan it that far in advance," William told reporters after the engagement was made public. "I just knew I wanted it to feel comfortable where I did it and I wanted it to mean something, other than just the act of getting engaged."
Image Source: Getty / George Pimentel
As we all know, in April 2011, Will and Kate went on to marry in one of the biggest and most newsworthy weddings of our generation. They welcomed their first child, Prince George, in July 2013, followed by Princess Charlotte, who was born in May 2015. In a joint interview after their engagement, William said of their split, "We were both very young . . . we were both finding ourselves and being different characters." He went on: "It was very much trying to find our own way and we were growing up so it was just a bit of space, and it worked out for the better." See? There's still hope for your own fairy-tale ending.
Why Kate Middleton and Prince William Broke Up Before Getting Married
Image Source: Getty / Samir Hussein
If you and your significant other have a history of breaking up and making up, you're not alone: there have been a handful of celebrity couples who suffered a split before ultimately getting married, and one of them has royal ties. Yes, Kate Middleton and Prince William called off their relationship before their lavish wedding in April 2011. In 2007, four years after they began dating and four years before tying the knot, the royal couple hit a rough patch and decided to part ways. Clarence House declined to comment about the relationship's end at the time, saying, "We don't comment on Prince William's private life."
"We were both very young . . . we were both finding ourselves and being different characters."So why did they split? In late 2006, Kate's family invited William to celebrate New Year's Eve with them. The Middletons booked a house in the snowy Scotland countryside. William had agreed to come, but later changed his mind - which did not sit well with Kate. Spending the holidays in Sandringham with the queen is a strict royal tradition, and Kate was not technically allowed to join in his family festivities unless she and William were married. After the new year, William's military commitments - he was to be stationed with the Household Cavalry at Bovington Barracks in Dorset for three months - kept the couple from seeing each other, and Kate was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the aggressive paparazzi and media attention she was getting as his girlfriend. William was also going out a lot with other guys in the barracks; he was spotted on a number of occasions drinking, dancing, and "being flirty" with women in London, which further angered Kate.
The two secretly reunited at a themed party in June 2010, which was held in William's barracks to celebrate the end of his training. It was during their vacation in Kenya that October that William presented Kate with the same 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire ring worn by his late mother, Princess Diana, and asked her to marry him. "I didn't really plan it that far in advance," William told reporters after the engagement was made public. "I just knew I wanted it to feel comfortable where I did it and I wanted it to mean something, other than just the act of getting engaged."
Image Source: Getty / George Pimentel
As we all know, in April 2011, Will and Kate went on to marry in one of the biggest and most newsworthy weddings of our generation. They welcomed their first child, Prince George, in July 2013, followed by Princess Charlotte, who was born in May 2015. In a joint interview after their engagement, William said of their split, "We were both very young . . . we were both finding ourselves and being different characters." He went on: "It was very much trying to find our own way and we were growing up so it was just a bit of space, and it worked out for the better." See? There's still hope for your own fairy-tale ending.
How Exactly Is Wolverine Related to the Girl in Logan?
Warning: Major spoilers follow.
Aside from being the X-Men franchise's most violent film, Logan is also its most tender. Hugh Jackman's last ride as Wolverine sees the popular character turn from a fierce mutant into a beleaguered old man who just wants to leave his former life in the past. He can't do that because - surprise! - a special little girl is thrust into his care. Her name is Laura, and she has an undeniable connection to Logan.
Over the course of the movie, we learn that Laura was born in a lab. She was created using Logan's DNA and carried to term by a surrogate. Technically, Laura isn't Logan's daughter; she's his clone. Either way, they're connected by blood, and Laura's powers are virtually identical to Logan's.
While Logan refuses to accept this for most of the movie, he finally redeems himself at the end of the film by sacrificing himself to save Laura. As he lays dying and she hugs him saying "Daddy," he mutters, "So this is what it feels like." Their bond is sealed just in time for Logan to slip away.
When We Rise: Meet 7 Real Activists Who Are Portrayed in the New Miniseries
ABC is airing a powerful miniseries all week called When We Rise. Created by Dustin Lance Black and produced by Gus Van Sant, the series follows the progress and (many, many) setbacks of the gay rights movement through the eyes of three individuals: activists Cleve Jones, Roma Guy, and Ken Jones. There are other important figures who are featured as well, and we'll touch on a few of their real stories here. Take a look.
Ed Sheeran's Cover of the Little Mix Song "Touch" Might Have You Unbuttoning Your Shirt
Ed Sheeran stopped by the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge on Tuesday to promote his upcoming album, Divide, and gifted us with a cover of the Little Mix song "Touch." The "Shape of You" singer turned the upbeat hit into a sensual acoustic version that should probably go on your date-night playlist; his cover is so good that the Little Mix girls tweeted their praise that same day, writing, "Yesssss @edsheeran 👏👏👏👏 smashed it! Thanks for doing #Touch x the girls." Listen to it above now and prepare to swoon.
Spoiler Alert: All the Important Stuff That Happens in Logan
The simple fact that Logan is Hugh Jackman's final X-Men movie should raise a red flag that some massive stuff is probably going to go down in the film. The ultraviolent movie is indeed Wolverine's last hurrah, and in case you want to know how we bid adieu to the character, we can help. In fact, here's a brief rundown of how the film ends, but be warned: this is a really good movie, so if even a little bit of you wants to see it, turn back now.
You hear me? Look away.
Nah? You really want to know what happens?
OK.
Logan (aka Wolverine, but I'm just going to call him Logan because he's all worn down and not really in peak mutant condition anymore) is retired from the action-hero game. He's a sad sack of a limo driver now, living in an old warehouse with another mutant named Caliban (Stephen Merchant) and Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). Logan is begrudgingly thrust back into danger when a woman (Orange Is the New Black's Elizabeth Rodriguez) tracks him down and he becomes the de facto guardian of Laura, a little girl (Dafne Keen) with powers suspiciously close to his own.
Are you sure you want to keep reading? Now would be a good point to quit while you're ahead.
Fine.
A antimutant mercenary named Pierce (Boyd Holbrook) and his crew are in hot pursuit of the little girl, as she's part of a grand experiment to harness mutant powers and create child supersoldiers. She's one of many kids who have escaped the evil Transigen's lab before they could be exterminated. (The project just wasn't working out, scientists wanted to work on something even crazier, yadda, yadda, yadda.) Logan has to drive halfway across the western United States to get Laura to safety. Before he can do so, several big things happen:
- They get an entire family of innocent people killed. It's not their fault, but it's still a major bummer.
- We find out Logan has an insane, angry clone. Transigen made it in a lab, and it's not messing around.
- Professor X dies. Logan's clone kills him. It's tragic, but luckily Logan finds Professor X in time to let him know that it wasn't really him.
- It's revealed that Laura is Logan's kid. Transigen creates Laura using Logan's DNA, which is why her powers are so remarkably similar to his.
Laura has been trying to get Logan to take her to a place called "Eden" in North Dakota. He thinks it's bullsh*t that one of the nurses from the lab saw in one of the X-Men comic books, but Laura (who FYI doesn't speak until the movie is nearly over) insists on going there. When they finally make it, all of Laura's friends from the lab are waiting there. Home free, right? Of course not.
In their quest to find asylum, the kids narrowly escape Pierce and the Transigen army - Logan isn't so lucky. He dies saving Laura and the kids, and the kids bury his body in the forest. All the children show incredible powers during the final battle, leading us to believe that Logan has passed the torch, and a new class of mutants is on the way. It's a poetic end to an otherwise brutal story.
31 Adorable Llama Products You Won't Be Able to Resist
Sure, unicorns are super trendy right now, but when it comes to cute animals, we only have eyes for llamas. What's not to love about the fluffy South American animals - aside from the fact that they can be, well, moody? They are soft and cuddly, look like they are always smiling, and make a heck of a print on cell phone cases, sweaters, and even notebooks. Scroll ahead for 31 products that'll scream "no drama llama."
Tori Spelling Welcomes Baby No. 5
Tori Spelling is a mom again! The actress welcomed her fifth child, a son named Beau Dean McDermott, with husband Dean McDermott on Thursday, People confirms. "We are over the moon in love with baby Beau," she said in a statement. "He is a true blessing, and his brothers and sisters were overjoyed to meet him! We are all truly grateful for our big beautiful and healthy family." The pair, who tied the knot in 2006, first announced that they were expecting last October. Their little boy joins their children Liam, 9, Stella, 8, Hattie, 5, and Finn, 4, as well as Dean's 18-year-old son named Jack from his previous marriage.
Tori Spelling Welcomes Baby No. 5
Tori Spelling is a mom again! The actress welcomed her fifth child, a son named Beau Dean McDermott, with husband Dean McDermott on Thursday, People confirms. "We are over the moon in love with baby Beau," she said in a statement. "He is a true blessing, and his brothers and sisters were overjoyed to meet him! We are all truly grateful for our big beautiful and healthy family." The pair, who tied the knot in 2006, first announced that they were expecting last October. Their little boy joins their children Liam, 9, Stella, 8, Hattie, 5, and Finn, 4, as well as Dean's 18-year-old son named Jack from his previous marriage.
These Are the Most Dramatic and Memorable Telenovela Wedding Scenes
You might have to wait months and months before the main love interests in a novela finally get together and decide to tie the knot, but your patience is always well rewarded with a stunning, impressive, huge wedding with its share of drama and tears.
The scenes end up being the perfect mix of puffy dresses and intense makeup, villains plotting revenge, heroines feeling redeemed, and solemn looks from everyone in attendance. We dare to say telenovela weddings are usually the most emotional peak of the story, eliciting either shock, happiness, or laughter from the viewer - seriously, some are just plain ridiculous. Keep scrolling to see just a few examples of the craziness that ensues once a wedding is planned in a novela, then check out the most memorable theme songs.
Is It Our Birthday? Because This Video From The Fitness Marshall Is a Gift
"Throw it in your face, rub it on your body." Cake, that is. Metaphorical cake. These are the kind of dance moves you'll be doing in this birthday-party-themed dance from The Fitness Marshall, set to "Cake" by Flo Rida and 99 Percent. This hilariously fun cardio party will get your heart rate up and sweat beading in just three minutes.
Is It Our Birthday? Because This Video From The Fitness Marshall Is a Gift
"Throw it in your face, rub it on your body." Cake, that is. Metaphorical cake. These are the kind of dance moves you'll be doing in this birthday-party-themed dance from The Fitness Marshall, set to "Cake" by Flo Rida and 99 Percent. This hilariously fun cardio party will get your heart rate up and sweat beading in just three minutes.
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