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.
jeudi 29 mars 2018
The Best New Trader Joe's Products From 2017
One of the best things about Trader Joe's is that it's constantly releasing new products for customers to try, and we're not just talking about the free samples. Shopping at Trader Joe's is never boring thanks to the never-before-seen foods available every month, and 2017 was a fantastic year for the brand. We kept up with every single new offering from Trader Joe's to let you know which items are worth the purchase and which ones you should skip. Ahead, read up on all the best new Trader Joe's products of the year, and add your favorites to your shopping list the next time you head to TJ's.
- Additional reporting by Jamie Mieuli
10 Filipino Foods You Should Know About
Filipinos are the second largest Asian American demographic in the country, yet Filipino food has only just begun receiving mainstream recognition. Maybe it's because the first time you saw Filipino food, it was on an episode of Fear Factor or Bizarre Foods. I was certain that by now, everyone in America must have been invited to a Filipino pot luck, complete with a roasted suckling pig, mountains of lumpia, and plastic take-home containers for all guests to make sure they have baon (leftovers) for the next week. Alas, if you haven't experienced the delights of Filipino food yet, I'm glad to be here to share some dishes from my motherland, hopefully disrupting any exotifying stereotypes mainstream media might have painted otherwise.
Starbucks Just Released 3 Pretty Coffee Tumblers, and You're Gonna Want Them ALL
Starbucks must support our "treat yourself" motto, because it just released some incredibly cute tumblers we're going to need ASAP. Ringing in the new season with a fresh collection of merch, Starbucks has rolled out three new mugs and tumblers that totally scream Spring. Whether you prefer to brew your own coffee at home (it's a daily struggle for me to become one of those people) or you prefer to bring your own cup to Starbucks for your favorite drink, these new items will inspire you to upgrade your coffee-container collection.
In addition to a bottled White Chocolate Mocha available in grocery stores, Starbucks has already started selling the following three coffee tumblers at Starbucks locations across the country. Items vary by location, so take a closer look at each one ahead and keep your eyes peeled for your favorite in stores!
Are Spiralized Veggies Actually Worth the Hype? A Pasta Enthusiast Investigates
Erin, 25, addicted to pasta. Thanks to my upbringing in a large Italian family, my obsession with carbs started early on and has very much carried over into my adult life. My idea of a good dinner involves a big-ass bowl of pasta with plenty of garlic and parmesan cheese, so I've been totally hesitant to get on board with the increasingly popular spiralized-veggie trend.
Yes, I love zucchini, but zucchini posing as noodles? Can't fool me. But just when I tell myself I can get by on an 80-percent-pasta diet, Adult Erin chimes in and reminds Young Erin that she can't (well, can, but really shouldn't). So, somewhat begrudgingly, I decided to try zoodles to see if I approve of all the hype. Here's how it went.
First thing's first - using a spiralizer is FUN. You get to watch a stumpy vegetable transform into tons of twirly strands, and it's pretty mesmerizing. I used the Inspiralizer by the founder of the blog Inspiralized, but you can use any spiralizer or even spiralize veggies without a spiralizer, too. What I liked about this tool is it suctions to your counterop to prevent slipping, and you don't have to handle the different blades with your hands. You turn a nob to choose the thickness you want (ribbon noodles, fettucine, linguine, or spaghetti), and you just use your hand to turn a handle as the zucchini pushes forward into the blade, and zoodles start to spill out on the other side.
After successfully spiralizing three zucchinis, I took a moment to admire my handywork. Check out all those twirly strands of veggies! Notice how I am not calling these "noodles," because that's just sacrilege.
Then comes the cooking. The perk of cooking zoodles is you don't have to wait around for a big pot of water to boil. All you have to do is sauté them in a pan with a little olive oil and salt until they're softened, which takes about five minutes. This is the closest thing you'll get to mimicking the al dente texture of perfectly cooked pasta.
Once the zucchini is cooked, you can customize it just like you would any pasta dish. I added leftover slow-cooker bolognese sauce and topped mine with parmesan cheese and a little fresh basil. After marveling at the final product, I decided I was indeed excited to try it. And guess what? I really, really liked it! The hearty sauce rounded out the vegetable-ness of the zucchini, and getting the satisfaction of twirling the zoodles around my fork almost tricked me into thinking I was eating spaghetti. The best part was the difference in how I felt after eating a whole bowl of zoodles versus actual noodles: no bloated feeling! No carb crash! I was full and satisfied, and I didn't want to immediately take a nap. Also, I decided zoodles are definitely better than the other impasta (get it?), spaghetti squash. I am . . . officially . . . on the zoodles train. I'm definitely going to make this again. But I'm just not going to call it pasta.
5 Reasons Cruises Give You the Most Bang For Your Buck
If you're looking for an affordable way to travel, consider booking a cruise for your next trip. Whether you're a couple, a group of friends, or a family of five, your boarding pass is packed with value that's hard to beat with traditional vacations. On top of being reasonably priced right off the bat, there are also plenty of ways to save cash once you're on board. Look ahead for why cruises are totally worth it!
1. You only need to pay for an in-state round-trip flight.
For popular destinations like the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and Mexico, cruises depart mainly from Galveston, TX, Charleston, SC, New Orleans, and multiple ports in Florida. Other destinations such as Mexico or Alaska typically require traveling to Los Angeles, CA, which still beats having to fly out of the country. However, if you're considering a European cruise, for example, you'll have to book a flight to Barcelona, Spain, where the closest port is located.
2. You can visit multiple cities, islands, and areas in one trip.
The best part about cruises hands down is the fact that you're able to see more with less effort. You don't have to worry about train rides or flights in between cities - simply wake up and find yourself in a new place. "It's a great way to maximize country exposure," Carnival Vista cruise director Matt Mitcham told POPSUGAR. "There aren't many vacations that let you hit three different ports or three different islands in six days." The one caveat is that you typically only have one day to get a taste of the area, but think of it as a sample: at the end of the trip, you can determine which places you want to return to or skip in the future.
3. It's surprisingly affordable!
For example, a five-day Eastern Caribbean sail on Carnival Triumph begins at a reasonable $282 per person. That includes your stateroom, food, ship amenities, and three port destinations all for the price of one! Prices may vary by ship, stateroom type, number of sail days, and ports, but considering the value of a single boarding pass, you're definitely getting your money's worth. Think about how much a hotel stay would cost you for five days!
4. It's all-inclusive.
Almost. Although alcohol and soft drinks (minus juices and coffee available at the buffet) aren't generally included your cabin rate, the buffet, dining room, ice cream machines, and pizzeria are. The specialty restaurants on your ship also require additional costs, but some (depending on the cruise) offer complimentary fare to guests during certain hours of the day. On Carnival Vista, for example, Jiji Asian Kitchen is a modern dining option at night while being a free Mongolian Wok during the day. If you stick to the what the cruise has to offer for free, you can actually avoid spending a dime more when you're on board.
5. One stateroom can fit up to five guests.
Don't underestimate the cozy size of your cabin - most ships feature staterooms with two additional pull-down beds and an optional trundle bed for the fifth guest. It may feel a bit cramped when your entire family is in the room at once, but honestly, you won't be spending much time in there. Think of it as an area solely for getting ready and sleeping and a great bonding experience.
Travel and accommodations paid for in part by Carnival Cruise Line for the purpose of writing this story.
Genius Storage Solutions to Make Your Bedroom Feel Larger - All Under $68
We don't all have the luxury of having a large bedroom that can accommodate our reading-nook dreams and walk-in closet fantasies. Bedrooms can be small and boxish, making it not only hard to turn them into an Instagrammable oasis, but to find place to put things. So whether you're looking to organize your bedside space (enough with all those cords, right?), or need help in the closet, we found bedroom storage solutions that are sure to help - and they're all under $68.
How I Turned My Ikea Couch Into a $10,000 Designer Sofa
I don't believe you grow out of Ikea past the age of 25. I love the Swedish brand's minimalist aesthetic. And since I like to mix things up, the price point works for a design commitment-phobe like me. Despite my Ikea love, after three years, my Karlstad sofa started to look a bit sad. Since the low-profile sofa fit perfectly in my open living room, I decided to give it a designer-couch makeover instead of replacing it.
This Raleigh Sectional from Design Within Reach (pictured above) served as my inspiration. The walnut frame matched the midcentury vibe I strive for, and the light fabric color would add to the airy look in my bright living space. That sofa retails for as much as $10,000. I knew I could DIY the look for less. Read on for how I did it.
The Internet Is Having a Field Day With Melania Trump's First Lady Portrait
The White House released Melania Trump's official portrait as first lady on April 3 and a flurry of hilarious reactions on Twitter ensued because, well, that's what Twitter is for.
Take a gander at some Twitter reactions to the shot below.
Digging this new White House literacy campaign. pic.twitter.com/FOTeIWCH0w
- Full Frontal (@FullFrontalSamB) April 3, 2017
@molly_knight @sahilkapur @FLOTUS a bold and unconventional portrait tbh molly pic.twitter.com/OoyhGtj9qR
- darth™ (@darth) April 3, 2017
Congrats to Melania on her official portrait pic.twitter.com/SuTfebTtTI
- Luke O'Neil (@lukeoneil47) April 3, 2017
How they FaceTune an official White House portrait? Bye https://t.co/QPysRywVsQ
- @MADBLACKTHOT (@MADBLACKTHOT) April 3, 2017
@nycjim Oh. My. God. It's a Revlon ad.
- Jessica Craven (@Craven7Jessica) April 3, 2017
@TheCut five instagram filters and the liquefy tool in photoshop?
- Kim Cavill (@sexposparenting) April 3, 2017
@thehill Official portrait? More like a Missing Person poster.
- Kimberly Sheinwald (@kimberlyybarra) April 3, 2017
The White House did not reveal the name of the photographer who took Trump's portrait. However, the first lady did offer a comment on her duties in a statement. "I am honored to serve in the role of First Lady, and look forward to working on behalf of the American people over the coming years," she said.
The Internet Is Obsessed With This New Meme About How Smart People Are
If you've been looking for a sign of your own intellectual superiority, a new meme just arrived for you. The expanding brain meme is a series of images showing differently stimulated brainwaves relative to specific beliefs or habits. It's also exactly what the internet needed to stroke its own collective ego. Quickly rising in popularity on Tumblr, Twitter, and Reddit, the expanding brain images are a mix of facetiousness and absurdity.
Some of the memes involve implying that people who use variations of "whom" are more enlightened than those who use "who," or that people who call their garages "car holes" are much smarter. We've rounded up some of the best memes (for educational purposes, of course), so take a minute to become enlightened by looking them over. Soon enough, your brain will be glowing and you'll be in stitches from the pure silliness.
Don't Get It Twisted: The Oldest University Was Founded by a Muslim Woman
Muslim women have been transforming society since, well, at least 12 centuries ago. Founded in 859, the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco, is the world's oldest operating university - it was also endowed by a devout Muslim woman with her inheritance.
Fatima al-Fihri, who was Tunisian, donated the funds to open a mosque and madrasa (a school which teaches religious texts) in the mid ninth century, but the property was expanded to be a university by the tenth century. Now the stunning campus houses one of the world's oldest libraries, which was recently restored after being kept private for scholarly use for hundreds of years.
According an Associated Press report on the library's restoration, its collection of Islamic historical manuscripts is unparalleled. For example: al-Qarawiyyin's library includes a ninth century Quran written in ancient Kufic calligraphy.
"The manuscripts are now kept in a secure room, with strict temperature and humidity control," reported the AP in 2016 after the renovations were completed.
By 1947, the school was officially integrated into Morocco's public education system, and in 1967, it became the University of al-Karaouine. Though European schools are often credited with being the first universities, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization considers al-Karaouine a university since its original inception as a madrasa - making it the oldest in history.
So, in honor of Muslim women everywhere, let's attempt to make it abundantly clear who founded the first university: a Muslim woman in Morocco.
Ahead are some photos of the campus taken by users on Instagram.
We Don't Know If We're More Floored by This Hawaiian Wedding Venue or the Bride's Gown
This is what destination wedding dreams are made of. Australian couple Alana and Nick officially became husband and wife at Maui's Haiku Mill, a stunning, lush venue that turned out to be a memorable holiday location for them and their guests. "We figured we met overseas, were engaged overseas, let's get married overseas, too!" Alana told their photographer.
The couple met on a tour while sailing through the Croatian Islands and decided to wed in Maui, where they got engaged. Nick proposed at sunrise and arranged a Champagne breakfast and engagement photo shoot to follow. He really planned a romantic day out with a picnic lunch by the water and an evening spa trip.
On their big day, the bride completely stole the show. Even though the wedding venue itself will floor you, you won't be able to keep your eyes off of Alana's gorgeous gown. See the photos now!
Here's How to Delete Your Google History
Oh, Google. Everyone has a love/hate relationship with the company that really knows almost everything about you. If you are a little nervous about just how much information Google's services have on you, follow our quick guide to deleting data and history.
The Handmaid's Tale Shows Us Why We Can't Compromise on Reproductive Rights
Kaylie Hanson Long is the national communications director for NARAL Pro-Choice America
With the TV adaptation of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, people across the world will get a visceral preview of what happens when a regime defined by misogyny, cynicism, and a distaste for facts rises to power. Atwood's dystopian vision depicts a fictional world in which women are nothing more than childbearing vessels, nothing more than domestic servants, and nothing more than wives whose sole claim to power rests in the hands of their husbands. Women who think, who rebel, who choose - and also women who fail to bear children, who fail to live up to an idea of "womanhood" that has nothing to do with humanity and everything to do with biology - are declared "unwomen."
Sound familiar?
If you're a woman in 2017, you might recognize this world thanks to the rise of politicians who have felt less and less pressure to hide the misogyny driving their attempts to control the most intimate aspects of a woman's life. And this rise has been made possible by none other than President Donald Trump.
The government of The Handmaid's Tale is fueled by a misogynist agenda and systematically enacts policies that rob women of their autonomy. After the leadership's rise to power, the main character of The Handmaid's Tale stops by a convenience store to pick up a pack of cigarettes before work only to learn that her bank account has been shut down. When she arrives at work, she learns that this isn't a fluke: the government has not only frozen every woman's bank account but has also made it illegal for women to hold a job and hold property at all.
"It's only a job," the central character's husband says when she returns home that day. "You know I'll always take care of you." It is clear that he has missed the point.
In our reality, women are already treated like second-class citizens in so many ways: women of color make as little as 58 cents for every dollar their white male counterparts make. Pregnant women lose their jobs because they need an extra bathroom or water break. Republicans in Congress want to drag us back to the days of charging women more for our health care and when being a woman was considered a pre-existing condition. And the onslaught of antichoice legislation in this country has chipped away at our fundamental right to control our bodies and decide whether, when, how, and with whom to start or grow a family.
President Trump's misogynist agenda only promises to pull us backward and erase the progress we have made on the road toward gender equality. He has laid bare the real motive behind the war on reproductive rights waged by antichoice politicians and extremist groups: it has very little to do with abortion and everything to do with keeping women in our place by limiting our options and freedom.
Trump let the cat out of the bag last year when he matter-of-factly claimed "there has to be some form of punishment" for women who choose abortion. Of course the people who cheer him on are the same people who believe that birth control pills and IUDs - the most basic tools women use to control their futures - should be illegal. One even claimed that a world without these forms of contraception would be "ideal." And antichoice state legislators from Wyoming to Missouri make their real feelings about women clear when they compare us to livestock and quip that we should go to zoos to access basic health care.
The examples are endless, and it is clear that the rise of a reality where women do not have basic rights is made possible not only by politicians bent on controlling women, but also by a populace that tells itself, "That can't happen here."
"There were marches, of course," writes the unnamed narrator of The Handmaid's Tale, reflecting on the protest movements women led against the rise of this catastrophic and misogynist theocracy, "but they were smaller than you might have thought."
The good news for us is that our marches have not been small. Across the country and the world, people have made it clear that the majority does not believe in the dystopian worldview peddled by extreme antichoice groups and politicians like President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Seven in 10 Americans believe abortion should be legal and accessible, and the same number think the Supreme Court should not overturn Roe v. Wade. This majority is fueling the resistance against the dangerous antiwoman, antifamily agenda pushed by President Trump and his Republican allies from Washington to the state legislatures.
Luckily, leaders at every level of government are getting the message, and they understand that Americans will support those who stand strong behind reproductive freedom and gender equality. In states like Nevada and Washington, legislators are leading a proactive resistance by working to make birth control even more accessible. States like Massachusetts, Oregon, and Tennessee are also working on laws that would require insurance providers to cover a broad range of birth control, not just certain types or brands.
It is no surprise that America's appetite for dystopian fiction skyrocketed after President Trump's election. We must look to it not only as a warning of what could be, but also as a guide to how we can push history in the right direction. We must stand up, stand strong, and stand together in support of the fundamental idea that every woman deserves the same opportunity and freedom as men to control her body and her future.
Cosmopolitan Will Be Removed From Walmart Checkout Lines For This Ridiculous Reason
Cosmopolitan, the sex-positive magazine that deems itself the "Bible for fun, fearless females," has been placed in a tricky situation as the result of recent news that Walmart will no longer display the magazine at checkout counters.
Why? Because the magazine has been ruled too "hypersexualized" in its covers and content and will accordingly be disappeared from 5,000 Walmart stores nationwide.
This appears to be a major blow to the magazine - but it's a matter that is more complicated than shaming women.
The decision comes after years of campaigning by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCSE) to curb Cosmo's availability. The NCSE - a socially conservative nonprofit formerly known as Morality in the Media - has worked for decades to have magazines like Cosmopolitan placed under "blinders," opaque screens to hide sensitive material on magazine covers. The group saw a major win for 2015 when Rite Aid and Food Lion agreed to block covers accordingly. The recent Walmart win goes further in advancing NCSE's "antipornographic" agenda by having the magazines removed from view entirely.
Incredibly, NCSE claims that this decision is aligned with the #MeToo movement. "This is what real change looks like in our #MeToo culture," NCSE Executive Director Dawn Hawkins said in a press release. Hawkins compared the magazine to Playboy, noting that the two place "women's value primarily on their ability to sexually satisfy a man." Accordingly, Hawkins views Walmart's working with NCSE as an example of corporations doing their part to participate in #MeToo.
Comparatively, Walmart has noted that this decision is strictly business. Walmart spokesperson Meggan Kring shared with USA Today that this situation represents the store's constant evaluation of products and that it will continue to sell the magazine, just not at checkout aisles.
While magazine covers have gotten more sexualized, what is more concerning is sexualized advertising, where sex is literally used to sell goods. Moreover, a 2007 report by the American Psychological Association Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls was most concerned by words like "sexy" and "shapely" appearing on magazine covers, as they can attribute to self-objectification, body shame, and appearance anxiety.
Walmart using #MeToo as an excuse to stop selling Cosmopolitan in checkout lines is pretty ridiculous. Censoring frank information about sex feeds into rape culture by denying girls knowledge about their sexuality and choices they can make for themselves.https://t.co/gyPllZ7QFV pic.twitter.com/YiwQQF0Vd7
- Alex Berg (@itsalexberg) March 28, 2018
Pulling a magazine that empowers women to talk about sex in a healthy and positive way is counter-productive. Not only does Cosmo publish articles about sex & relationships, it also discusses politics, health, news and so much more. Don't de-emphasize that important work, Walmart https://t.co/0iucxipd4U
- Amanda McKelvey (@ammckelvey) March 27, 2018
Putting Cosmopolitan in the crosshairs of this battle and aligning Walmart's decision with #MeToo is egregious on many levels. Primarily, NCSE's war represents another way in which the war on porn is manifesting to advance conservative views of female roles in society and femininity in general. NCSE has long crusaded against these practices and, as Jezebel pointed out in September 2017, the group sees such images and content like Cosmopolitan as a "public health crisis" that can lead to increased "sex trafficking, child sexual exploitation, and violence against women."
The fight also intends to strip a magazine like Cosmopolitan of its legitimacy in empowering women as a publication that reflects #MeToo ideologies by addressing sex and sexuality in society head-on, by and for women. While the publication was established in 1886 to cover fashion, home, and literary subjects, the magazine as we know it today came to be in 1965, when there was a pivot to focus on young, forward-thinking women. The magazine has long positioned itself as promoting a "sex-loving brand of feminism." (Naturally, there are valid critiques that the magazine objectifies women, presenting them in terms of the male gaze.)
While neither Cosmopolitan, the magazine's lead editors, nor publisher Hearst have yet to publicly speak on the issue, the matter represents the ongoing culture battle over what feminism is - or isn't.
The 8 Winners of This Year's Smithsonian Photo Contest Will Completely Blow You Away
After reviewing 48,000 submissions from photographers from around the globe, the photo editors at Smithsonian magazine narrowed its 60 photo contest finalists down to eight well-deserving winners. Contestants had the opportunity to submit their work in the following categories: Natural World, the American Experience, Travel, People, Altered Images, and Mobile. In addition to determining the most unique and memorable photos within these six categories, the 15th annual Smithsonian.com Photo Contest also selected a Grand Prize winner and Readers' Choice winner.
If you missed your chance to enter the last one, you can submit your work for consideration for the 16th Annual Photo Contest beginning now through Nov. 30.
Prepare to be stunned by the eight winners ahead, and head over to Smithsonian.com to see all the finalists!
The Internet Made the Best Picture Envelope Into a Meme Because It Has Zero Chill
While the Oscars are known for giving awards to unlikely winners, no one saw the biggest snafu to happen in its history coming: Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty announcing the wrong winner, La La Land, for best picture. As cast and crew members were giving their acceptance speeches, La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz realized the mistake and held up the correct envelope showing that Moonlight actually won. The internet couldn't believe the error and knew the only way to take it in stride: to meme the moment. Ahead, check out the funniest memes of Horowitz holding up the best picture envelope, and then catch up on what Barry Jenkins and Mahershala Ali had to say about the win.
How 1 Activist, Survivor, and Mom's #MeToo Story Led Her to Launch Her Own Super PAC
Sarah Sherman was fed up. The Baltimore mother of two was already politically active - she helped launch her local Indivisible chapter in the wake of Donald Trump's election in late 2016 - but when the #MeToo movement exploded online in late 2017, something changed.
"I think it was just a giant reckoning," she told POPSUGAR. "My husband was pulling me off the computer at 1 or 2 in the morning. I just could not stop reading, because it made me feel like I was among a community. This viral, giant community of women where I could finally [feel] kind of freed up to tell my story."
"Why should the bad guys have all the PACs?"
Like one in six women, Sherman is a survivor of sexual assault. As #MeToo stories flooded our collective timelines, she had an idea: what if the energy behind the movement could be harnessed in the form of a super PAC? Sherman saw to it that her moment of inspiration became a reality, officially launching the Vote Me Too PAC earlier this month.
Sherman is well aware that her approach might draw its share of skeptics. After all, super PACs have been widely criticized for their role as vehicles for the super rich to veil their political contributions. But, as Sherman is quick to point out, her super PAC is unique. Her website asks for donations of as little as $5, her effort is a grassroots push, and at the heart of her PAC is a desire for social change through politics rather than financial gain through politics. "Certainly, I'm up against the Koch brothers and whatnot," she quipped, "but why should the bad guys have all the PACs?"
There's a clear goal in Sherman's mind: to elevate women to political power. But her strategy is also specific and sharp. What will set the Vote Me Too PAC apart, she said, is its sole focus on creating "edgy, powerful video content" to support women running for the US House and Senate in the 2018 and 2020 elections. It seems in keeping with the PAC's inspiration to leverage a medium - video - that is so prime for storytelling, sharing, and connecting via social media.
Sherman had an "in" on that front: her husband of 17 years is in video production. As she watched him create videos for campaigns - she said Doug Jones is among his recent clients - she realized not one of them was a woman.
"I am an activist, and I am a feminist," Sherman remembered thinking. "And every day, he would come home, and I'd look at his face and I would think, 'I can't. These are all men. What are you doing? This is not who needs help. Women need help. Women candidates need help. And we need to figure something out or else I'm going to kind of explode.'"
Sherman also knew how impactful the medium could be.
"I think anybody who is any kind of human being on the planet Earth, especially during these political times in our country, knows that video is the most solid, and most kind of moving component being watched," Sherman said. And while she said she's relying on help from her husband's existing team and resources in bringing her eventual campaign videos to life, she said she's "hell-bent on having women be part of the crew." Sherman said her aim is to secure production services for little to no charge, and use the PAC money to purchase ad space and get their videos in front of more eyeballs.
While the PAC plans to announce the candidates its supporting this Summer once primary races have wrapped up, there are a number of criteria women must meet in order to receive its support. In the initial Vote Me Too PAC press release, they're listed as the below:
1. Must be an outspoken champion in the fight for women issues including: protecting women from sexual violence, the right to reproductive choice, health care, equal pay, family leave, [and] workplace protection from harassment.
2. Ideally will be a woman running for the office sought for the first time. Women of color and other minorities are also given preference.
3. Diversity in color, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, issue agenda, and geography will be taken into consideration.
(While the PAC's guidelines say it's open to supporting women of "all parties," Sherman admitted she doesn't expect to fund the campaign efforts of any GOP women per the issue guidelines she's set forth.)
One challenge Sherman has faced is making the link she sees between #MeToo and the 2018 vote clear. "I don't think that the movement is going to have lasting, effective change unless the policies do change," Sherman said. "And so far, out of touch men in Congress and Senate are not helping us. So we just need to do it ourselves. This power that we all felt as women or allies needs to be harnessed, and we need to walk into that booth and vote."
10 Immigrant Women Who Changed the Course of US History
As the war on immigration rages all around, taking stock of our history may be our best hope for gaining the perspective necessary to move forward. After all, history is the story of everyday people and movements over time.
Consider America's original inhabitants, who crossed the Bering Strait tens of thousands of years ago, followed by the first wave of European settlers in 1500 and the violent, forced migration of African slaves starting in the 1600s. Later, in the 1890s, a new generation of people entered America, starting with Annie Moore, a young Irish woman who was the first of many immigrants processed at Ellis Island. Immigration is our shared history; moving to new lands that promise greater opportunity is human nature.
Here, we reflect on 10 immigrant women who helped shape America's history and culture. And once you've clicked through, take a moment to consider how different your life might be without Hedy Lamarr's inventions or Dr. Elizabeth Stern's research.
WTF: A Woman Was Denied a Second Job Interview For Asking This Question
On March 13, 2017, Taylor Byrnes tweeted screenshots of the response she received from SkiptheDishes after asking about pay and benefits following her first interview at the food delivery service in Winnipeg, Canada. "Applied for a job at @SkipTheDishes. They cancelled my interview b/c I asked about wages/benefits," she wrote in a now-viral tweet.
Applied for a job at @SkipTheDishes. They cancelled my interview b/c I asked about wages/benefits @CBC @CBCNews @ctvwinnipeg #boycottSkip pic.twitter.com/CjBdnFvY1P
- . (@feministjourney) March 13, 2017
"Hi Victoria, I had another question that I wanted to ask you," Byrnes's initial email reads. "If I do end up filling this position, how much do you think I'll be getting paid an hour? Benefits will also be included, right? Sorry, I just thought I should ask now. Thanks for your time and have a lovely day," she concluded.
Screenshots show that Victoria responded, "Hello Taylor, your questions reveal that your priorities are not in sync with those of SkipTheDishes. At this time we will not be following through with our meeting this Thursday." In a follow-up email, Victoria called out qualities the company looks for in employees, including "hard work and perseverance in pursuit of company goals as opposed to focusing on compensation."
"For these reasons, questions about compensation and benefits at such an early stage is a concern related to organizational fit."
After the screenshots were posted and shared across social media, Byrnes received yet another response from the company, this time from its cofounder, who expressed disappointment with the way the situation was handled. The company also shared its screenshots on its Twitter page to rectify the backlash from people who were calling for a boycott of SkipTheDishes.
(1/2) The email to Taylor does not represent #SkipTheDishes team values. We have followed up to offer heartfelt apologies & a 2nd interview. pic.twitter.com/XKYWsHXj7P
- SkipTheDishes (@SkipTheDishes) March 14, 2017
(2/2) We do share compensation & it's OK to ask. We are coaching internally to ensure this doesn't happen again. @CBC @CBCNews @CTVWinnipeg
- SkipTheDishes (@SkipTheDishes) March 14, 2017
SkipTheDishes cofounder Joshua Simair addressed the controversy in an emailed statement to POPSUGAR, writing, "We are very disappointed in how it was handled. We do share a compensation package prior to hiring. As soon as we became aware of it on Monday, we reached out to Taylor to apologize for the email and reschedule her interview."
Simair also revealed that the company would be changing internal policies to make sure it doesn't happen again. "We've also addressed the email internally and will be providing additional training. We are very committed to our community, employees and continuing to grow and create employment opportunities in the Prairies."
Although Byrnes has received an outpouring of support for standing up for herself, there is still a dispute over whether or not her questions were appropriate to ask. Seeing as it's important for women to ask about pay upfront so that they get what they deserve, we'd say the answer is yes.
We've reached out to Byrnes for comment and will update this story if we hear back.
Here's What Those Russian Facebook Ads We've Heard So Much About Actually Look Like
Thanks to ongoing public hearings in Washington DC centered on Russia's social media meddling during the 2016 election, we finally have our first real look at what it is that Vladimir Putin's fabled troll farms were actually doing. The bad news? Much of what was provided as evidence by the House Intelligence Committee on Nov. 1 is not that far off from what we've come to expect from overzealous Americans on all sides of the political spectrum.
To be clear, only a sampling of the more than 3,000 ads that were purchased in the lead-up to the election have been shared with the public so far. But what is immediately evident to any regular Facebook user is that outside of some very, very misused colloquialisms and a few bizarre cultural interpretations, the extent to which the Russian infiltrators were able to successfully manipulate social tensions is staggering. Tackling everything from Black Lives Matter to gun policy to Islam, the level of sophistication and mimicry present is incredibly hard to wrap your head around, especially when put against a background of fringe voices that are louder now than ever.
Ahead, we've pulled together many of the images released by Congress as evidence for easy viewing. But as California Senator Dianne Feinstein said during the hearings, "What we're talking about is a cataclysmic change. What we're talking about is the beginning of cyberwarfare. What we're talking about is a major foreign power with sophistication and ability to involve themselves in a presidential election and sow conflict and discontent all over this country. We are not going to go away, gentlemen. And this is a very big deal."
From where we stand, with nearly 126 million Americans having seen these downright inflammatory posts and not having thought anything of it - well, we really couldn't agree more. And perhaps being able to put some tangible imagery behind the amorphous idea of Russian meddling will make us all think twice before we scroll past an image such as the ones ahead on any of our social feeds ever again.
A Disney Channel Actress Just Got Appointed to the White House, and Honestly, That Tracks
Staffing updates continue to emerge from President Donald Trump's White House, but the latest addition to make headlines is the nomination of 22-year-old actress Caroline Sunshine as a press assistant. Sunshine is most famous for portraying exchange student Tinka Hessenheffer in three seasons of the Disney Channel's Shake It Up.
Born in Atlanta but raised in Orange County, Sunshine got her big break in 2010 when she starred in Marmaduke alongside actors such as Lee Pace, Judy Greer, and Owen Wilson. That same year, she was cast in Shake It Up, the popular teen sitcom that essentially launched the careers of Zendaya and Bella Thorne.
Sunshine reportedly became interested in politics during college. White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters told CNN that Sunshine previously interned for the Office of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the College Republican National Committee, and the California Republican Party. Most recently, Sunshine was interning at the White House at the very start of the current administration.
This Cruise Sails to All 7 Continents, but the Cost Will Make Your Jaw Drop
While the idea of traveling to Antarctica may have always seemed just a tad unattainable to you, Silversea Cruise Company will make you believe otherwise. The cruise company is launching a 2020 "Legends of Cruising: World Cruise" sailing that is unlike any before it, taking travelers "on a journey that lets you set foot on all seven continents."
The itinerary includes 140 days of travel, 52 ports, nine routes, and a total of 32 countries. It's the first cruise package ever to offer such an expedition, and guests will sail in (extreme) luxury aboard the company's ship Silver Whisper.
The trip departs Ft. Lauderdale, FL, on Jan. 6, 2020, and includes stops in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Valparaiso, Chile; Tahiti; Fiji; Sydney, Australia; Singapore; Mumbai, India; Thailand; Jordan; Egypt; Rome; Dublin, Ireland; and Amsterdam, Netherlands - to name just a few. Perhaps most notable of all, of course, is that the cruise makes a stop at the Antarctic Peninsula.
But - and you knew there was a major "but" coming - this once-in-a-lifetime excursion might be more like a "never-in-a-lifetime" one considering the steep cost to set sail. The package includes round-trip business-class airfare, a $2,000 on-board spending credit per person, a Visa package, laundry services, unlimited WiFi, Bespoke Silversea experiences, and more. And the price? Well, prepare to shell out a lot of your hard-earned cash, because fares start at $62,000 per guest and only go up from there. But you know what? There's nothing wrong with dreaming about an epic adventure that spans across the world - one that's undoubtedly full of unforgettable experiences!
Exclusive: This New Company Wants to Help You Travel the World - and Build Your Brand
Image Source: Unsplash / Cristina Gottardi
Traveling the world while building a global work portfolio just got a whole lot easier, and it's all thanks to two female explorers who came together to build the company of their dreams.
Chessa King and Danielle DiVerde created AuraTrek to provide a unique nomadic experience for young Americans who wish to gain experience early on in their careers by working in multicultural environments. The trips are built into "regional blocks," allowing travelers to develop cultural familiarity and fluency in specific parts of the world. Those who embark on the program travel together to a different country each month, living together but having all of their transportation and housing accommodations prepared for them beforehand, allowing for a seamless and stress-free journey.
In an exclusive interview with POPSUGAR, King and DiVerde first broke the news that applications are currently being accepted for the first program - which will travel to Columbia, Peru, Brazil, and Argentina - and that the journey will take place later this year. But before discussing the future, the duo explained where the idea all began: they decided to create AuraTrek after discovering firsthand that there was a dire need for a travel company built by and for explorers who "adventure with purpose."
"When I was in college, I planned a backpacking trip through Istanbul, India, and Korea," King told POPSUGAR in late March. "Trying to get through final exams while planning this massive logistical nightmare of a trip was unbelievably stressful. With that in mind, we wanted to create something that gives people the opportunity to travel in an affordable way, either right after college, after recently completing a graduate program, or before settling into their careers – without taking away from their grades or other responsibilities."
As an added bonus, ambassadors are hired in each destination from nearby universities to serve as community liaisons; travelers can get pre-vetted sightseeing recommendations, or even help with finding the right products at a local drugstore. The programs are also designed with specific travelers in mind; AuraTrek combines applicants into groups based off their skills and motivations, equipping trekkers with a built-in, like-minded network that can help them achieve their career goals along the way.
Prior to creating AuraTrek, both King and DiVerde studied and worked in travel and international development. While King was doing conservation work in Kenya, DiVerde served as a tour manager leading youth adventure trips across Europe before going on to work at an educational travel company affiliated with National Geographic. Though there are several companies currently offering services similar to AuraTrek's - including Remote Year, which sends remote workers on group trips overseas - the cofounders say their program provides an immersive quality unlike any other with an emphasis on safely exploring the unbeaten path in a way only experienced world travelers could provide.
Image Source: Unsplash / Kristina Wagner
"We design the trips so you're at each location at a time of the year that enables you to really immerse yourself in the region," King said. "Meanwhile, AuraTrek organizes groups of travelers that are well-balanced with different skill sets so you have a support system in your work abroad."
It's this exact attention to detail, and awareness of what it's like traveling abroad while pursuing work opportunities, that critics of Remote Year say is missing from the travel start-up. "I wanted it to work out," Arikia Millikan, who traveled with Remote Year for a month before returning home, told Atlas Obscura in 2016 about her decision to leave the trip early, adding, "It was not ideal to have signed up for this year-long journey and have planned my time and my money and aspects of my career around it only to find that they were complete amateurs."
A four-month AuraTrek costs $11,100 and is broken into four monthly payments of $1,900 and a down payment of $3,500. That's competitive pricing compared to other travel companies for millennials; for Remote Year's four-month program, the down payment is $3,000, but the four monthly payments are $2,000. AuraTrek, however, provides total freedom to its explorers in their international work; they can volunteer, intern, take on a full-time job, or freelance wherever they'd like - and keep any money they make along their journeys entirely for themselves. The company also provides a free spot on each trip, telling POPSUGAR one accepted applicant from every group of travelers will have their travel and transportation fees waived.
"You're paying the same amount of money to live in any of the major US cities, but you're getting so much more out of it," DiVerde said. "Not to mention, most of the day-to-day expenses abroad are much cheaper than in the States."
Image Source: Unsplash / Alexandr Bormotin
The founders of AuraTrek say their company is essentially geared toward postcollege graduates and millennials hoping to add real-world, international work experience on their résumés before joining the American workforce. The company envisions each trip as a collaborative journey for travelers with interdisciplinary career goals - future journalists, photographers, artists, writers, and researchers joining forces to benefit from each other's various skills.
"Because of the way we've globalized both economically and culturally, young people need to have a ton of relevant work and life experience and an ability to function in a multicultural environment," King said. "The problem AuraTrek solves is that there isn't really a structure in place to gain that life experience . . . there's this new need to have international living and networking from the start of your career. So we created a more streamlined and hassle-free way of doing that in an environment where you're supported and uplifted by a group of peers."
King and DiVerde also hope the fact that their travel company is founded and led by female explorers will help erase a common misconception in America: that traveling internationally as a woman is significantly more dangerous than it is as a man.
Image Source: Unsplash / Julián Gentilezza
"People in the States always ask me, 'Aren't you scared to travel alone as a woman?'" King told POPSUGAR. "It honestly never even occurred to me when I started traveling that it would be any different just because I'm a female. That's just never been a problem, even in some of the most remote and underdeveloped parts of the world." Still, AuraTrek says it's committed to providing the safest traveling experiences for young people from all walks of life, including transgender men and women and the LGBTQ+ community. Cities and local destinations are only included in regional blocks if they are welcoming to diverse explorers.
"If women feel safer and more equipped with a sense of agency to travel because of AuraTrek, that would be such an added bonus to creating this company," she added.
Whether traveling in groups or alone, a months-long international adventure is always a leap of faith. At a time when millennials are rapidly taking over the workforce and jobs are becoming more competitive than ever, embarking on a trek that promises to launch your career while providing a once-in-a-lifetime experience - well, it just seems to make sense.
The 1 Character Related to Sirius Black That We Didn't See Coming at All
Harry Potter fans are known to constantly uncover new theories and details in the series. All it takes is one session of rereading a book and suddenly a new link between characters is clear. It's probably how one Reddit user discovered the possibility that Sirius Black's great-great-uncle might be Elphias Doge.
Posted by Reddit user Obversa, the theory involves a lot of history and knowledge of the Harry Potter universe. It boils down to three main points:
- Professor Dumbledore and Phineas Nigellus Black's second son, Phineas Black Jr., were good friends during their time at Hogwarts.
- The relationship between Phineas Nigellus Black Sr. and Dumbledore is both friendly and hostile, because Black Sr. didn't approve of his friendship with his son Black Jr.
- Dumbledore's relationship with Sirius Black was similar to what he had with Black Jr. And Sirius's unfriendly relationship with the portrait of Black Sr. is because Black Sr. sees Sirius repeating the same "mistakes" as Black Jr.
How does Black Jr. somehow become Elphias Doge? Well, based on when Dumbledore went to Hogwarts and the timing of when Black Jr. was born, they would've gone to the school at the same time. It was their friendship and Dumbledore's influence over Doge on Muggle-born rights that drove Black Sr. to disown him as his son. And though Doge is a pureblood, there's no record of his family in Harry Potter Limited Edition - A Guide to the Graphic Arts Department: Posters, Prints, and Publications from the Harry Potter Films, meaning perhaps he is a pureblood - but of another family, the Black family.
Still curious to fully understand how Doge and Sirius Black are related? Read the full theory below.
[Harry Potter] Elphias Doge is none other than Phineas Black [Jr.], the disowned great-great-uncle of Sirius Black. Thus, he is / was the last remaining Black. from FanTheories
The Viral Story of an Abandoned Dog Found in a Garbage Bag Will Make Your Heart Cry
Malissa Sergent Lewis was driving through her hometown of Harlan, KY, when she noticed a black garbage bag moving along the side of the road. Curious, Lewis went to inspect the bag only to find an abandoned puppy inside of it. Though the puppy had a collar, it didn't have a tag.
In an interview with The Dodo, Lewis explained the unexpected and horrifying discovery. "I could hardly wrap my mind around that," she said. "Something was alive in that bag, and I just knew I had to get whatever it was out." As one might imagine, the dog was relieved to be found. "As soon as I opened it up, and he saw light, he just started wagging his tail. He knew he was OK," she said.
Lewis has yet to figure out the circumstances surrounding the dog's abandonment, but investigators are reportedly looking into it. Lewis did share the miraculous story on Facebook in a series of videos that have gone viral with close to 20,000 shares. Accompanying the videos is a caption that states, "If this is your puppy, let me know. If you are the scoundrel who put it in a garbage bag and tossed it on the side of the road . . . you're a sicko."
Lewis is currently trying to find a permanent home for the dog, but she will continue to foster it until that happens. Perhaps one of those 900,000 viewers might be interested?
George W. Bush Opens Up About His Heartwarming Connection With Michelle Obama
At the opening ceremony for the National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2016, Michelle Obama embraced George W. Bush in a sweet and unexpected moment. Later, the former president opened up about their friendship and that hug which he described as a "genuine expression of affection."
In a May 2017 with People regarding upcoming book and art exhibit, Bush explained why he and the former first lady get along so well. "She kind of likes my sense of humor. Anybody who likes my sense of humor, I immediately like," he said.
Bush then recalled other heartwarming times he's shared with the Obamas. "I can't remember where else I've sat next to her, but I probably have a few wise cracks and she seemed to like it okay," he said. Adding, "I needle her a little bit and around her, I'm fairly lighthearted. They're around serious people all the time and we just took to each other."
Moving forward, he said he hopes to work more closely with the Obamas and Bidens on their Joining Forces initiative, which offers support for veterans, military personnel, and their families.
Can Someone Please Tell Me the Difference Between Keto and Atkins?
I recently tried the keto diet in the name of research, and pretty much all I talked about over the course of the week was keto. And, more specifically, everything I couldn't eat. While my increased banter on all things low-carb probably made me a bit of a buzzkill, it actually led to an influx of keto-related questions from family, friends, and colleagues. And there was one question I was asked more than any other: is there a difference between keto and Atkins?
Although I knew they were both fundamentally low-carb diets, I felt embarrassed to admit I didn't actually know the ins and outs of what made these two diets different (if there were, in fact, any differences at all). So feeling the need to investigate - mostly so I could correctly answer people's questions, but also out of my own curiosity - I set out to discover if there really is a difference between the two diets. Here's what I found out.
They Aren't Actually the Same Thing
Although both diets put your body in a state of ketosis (i.e., the lack of carbs forces the body into a state of ketosis, during which it burns fat instead of glycogen for energy), they are not exactly the same diet with two different names. The keto diet originated in 1924 and was initially designed by Dr. Russell Wilder as a nonpharmacological option for treating epilepsy. The Atkins diet came along later in the 1960s as the brainchild of Dr. Robert Coleman Atkins (where the name originates from), with the sole purpose of creating a diet that restricts carbohydrate intake to "fast track" fat loss.
Fat Burning Is the Aim of the Game
For both diets, the pillar of their success centers around the purpose of lowering the body's carbohydrate (glycogen) intake so the body will utilize fat as an energy source and start to break down (burn) fat stores. However, there are differences between the protocol these two diets follow in order to achieve this process. Atkins focuses on a specific "introductory" phase when carbohydrates are strictly limited (normally below 15 to 30 grams per day) to induce ketosis. This is initially similar to the keto diet; however, after this introductory phase is complete, the Atkins diet then transitions to an ongoing weight-loss stage, a premaintenance stage, and then finally a lifetime maintenance stage, all with different nutritional requirements and breakdowns. In contrast, the keto diet maintains the same requirements from beginning to end.
Protein Is the Deal-Breaker
The key differences between both diets are the nutritional breakdown and guidelines. Atkins can rely on you getting the majority of your calories from protein, whereas the keto diet centers around a moderate protein intake with more calories coming from fat. Both diets follow strict nutritional protocols, but the Atkins diet offers more flexibility within the balance of food groups and therefore can be easier to follow for most people. Alternatively, food intake on the keto diet needs to be closely measured and the state of ketosis constantly monitored by the individual, making it a more high-maintenance option.
Can You Eat the Pain Away? Here's What Happened When I Followed an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Training for a marathon has a lot of caveats. The biggest one, of course, is that you actually have to run 26.2 miles in the end. But you have to do a lot of other things, too. You have to take care of your body and specifically make time for things like foam rolling. You also have to be mindful about what you eat. With the Boston Marathon on my bucket list, I knew it was time to get my mind and body right. Triggered by a little bit of pain in my lower back (screw you, arthritis) and my left hip (ugh, Spin classes), I wondered if there was anything I could do differently with my diet to better my situation. And that's when a friend of mine recommended eating an anti-inflammatory diet.
An anti-inflammatory diet, you say? I wondered, and then I did my research. Essentially, an anti-inflammatory diet consists of the same healthy, unprocessed foods a lot of popular diets recommend, plus being mega attentive to nutrition labels, trying to avoid added, unnecessary sugar. The goal is eliminating foods known to trigger inflammation in the body. Although eating anti-inflammatory foods is definitely trendy, like Bulletproof Coffee or the Paleo diet, research definitely reveals its total-body benefits. Studies show that unresolved inflammation has been linked to the early development of chronic disease.
"There are many foods that can help to combat inflammation in the body," says Alissa Rumsey, M.S., R.D., owner of Alissa Rumsey Nutrition and Wellness. "A diet that includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, omega-3 fats, and antioxidants is your best defense against inflammation."
Building blocks. I could work with this, I thought. Rumsey gave me some more guidelines as to what specifically to hone in on, which seemed a lot like a Mediterranean diet. Think things like fatty fish, boatloads of fruits and vegetables, sweet potatoes, berries ("berries, especially, have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties due to the high content of anthocyanin, a powerful phytonutrient"), and tomatoes - for their high concentration of lycopene, which reduces inflammation. Also: whole grains, olive oil, and foods with unsaturated fats, like avocado and seeds. On the "DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT" list: large amounts of refined sugar, highly processed foods (see ya later, Friday pizza nights), and too much alcohol.
My task: stick to this clean way of eating for a week to see if I felt any all-over body shifts. Here are four lessons I learned from my week of eating an anti-inflammatory diet.
1. My protein shakes needed to change.
Even though I was piling loads of healthy things into my shakes on the regular, the first lesson was that in order to stick to the guidelines, I had to ditch my typical protein powder. While it is plant-based, opting for a collagen instead was better for my overall gut health and still enabled me to get in 18 grams of protein (and 70 calories!) per serving. Plus, the best thing about collagen? It doesn't taste like anything. Huge fan of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides.
2. My lunches needed to change.
Raise your hand if you're a victim of the whole grab-something-from-any-close-lunch-spot, most-days-eat-it-at-your-desk situation (raises hand). My name is Emily, and the biggest lesson I learned was I needed to put more of a focus on what I was grabbing on the run for my midday meal. While I love to pack my lunch, most days I'm already lugging around a massive gym bag filled to the brim. Hence, the ordering/grabbing sitch.
Hesitant to get anything from shops or markets where I couldn't double-check ingredients lists, I leaned into salads a lot throughout the week. I liked that I could stare at the fresh ingredients myself as they went into the salad bowl. I also developed a thing of sorts for Sweetgreen's Steelhead, a trout that actually tastes just like salmon and is high in omega-3s.
3. Keep the right snacks around at all times.
There are two times during the day that I typically look around for something to munch on: around 10 a.m. (I wake up at 6, after all) and after 4 p.m. (before dinner). The girlfriend who tipped me off to the anti-inflammatory diet gave me a few suggestions for items to keep in my fridge (like Coyo, a no-sugar-added, coconut-based yogurt alternative, and fresh sliced veggies) for these specific situations. I quickly learned that what I used to snack on (popcorn, too much fruit, protein bars that were high in unnecessary added sugar) was really just weighing me down by the end of the day.
Maybe it was the diet kicking in, or maybe it was simply scratching those protein bars from my day-to-day routine. Regardless, once I turned away from those, I felt a whole lot less bloated. As someone who is guilty of a two-a-day type of workout week, I felt less inclined to have to hit that nighttime workout. I started to feel light. But there was a catch: I also started to feel cranky.
4. The crash is real.
Envision a washing machine. The washing machine only cleans your clothes really well if you add soap, right? Well, throughout the week, I was slowly adding the "soap" (read: cutting out the bad foods) bit by bit. When the machine (read: my body) was loaded with soap (read: healthy foods), I expected to feel totally clean. Clear-headed. Fab-tastic. The catch: although I did feel less bloated, I felt cranky. I had headaches. I had eliminated unnecessary sugar from my diet (as well as meats, including chicken) and began to feel more lethargic than usual come 4 p.m. It's something I knew could happen, but I was ill-prepared for it, especially leading into a long weekend run. The run didn't go so well. By the end of it, I was drained. I sat down afterward with a friend in front of a salad toting chickpeas for days, when all I really wanted was a pizza.
Would I Do It Again?
Here's the thing: eating this way is good for your body. I'll be the first to admit that even though I was totally spent on the run, I didn't feel the same kind of hip pain I had the week prior. My body felt better and I felt lighter. I just felt . . . drained. And so I think, like most good things, it's about finding a compromise. Do I think if I continued on I'd feel stellar in about a week? For sure. And for that reason, I'll likely stick with some of the habits and foods going forward, especially the coconut yogurt. But at the end of the day, it's about moderation. And something tells me pizza Fridays are good for my health, cheese and all.
Do These 4 Things and You'll Lose Your Belly Fat Forever
If your belly is where you tend to gain weight, and it's the hardest spot to lose it, we know how self-conscious it can make you feel. Doing countless crunches won't diminish your belly, though, so here are four ways to slim your tummy and help you feel your very best.
Incorporate More HIIT Workouts Into Your Routine
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the one type of workout proven to help you lose belly fat. It's the most effective way to lose overall body fat percentage, which is necessary if you want to lose your tum. Try this 45-minute HIIT workout.
Eat More of These Bloat-Busting Foods
MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids) are proven to reduce belly fat, and you can find them in avocado, nuts and nut butters, seeds, and olive oil. Just be mindful of how much you eat since these are also high in calories. Definitely avoid hydrogenated oils since these can contribute to weight gain.
Blueberries are also proven to diminish belly fat, so make a point to throw them in your salads and smoothies. Pineapple is another belly-fat-fighting food since it contains an enzyme that helps ease digestion and banish bloat, making your belly look and feel flatter. High-fiber foods like pears, berries, veggies, beans, and whole grains have the same effect. Plus, they keep you feeling full longer, just like healthy fats, helping you consume fewer daily calories and reduce your overall body fat.
Don't Lose Sight of Your Macros
You don't need to give up carbs and go crazy with a protein-only diet. Instead, CrossFit competitor Christmas Abbott told us to embrace the macronutrient trifecta of proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats to help reduce overall body fat, which will aid in reducing stubborn belly fat. Including all three in your meals will make you feel more satisfied so you end up consuming smaller portions. Plus, you'll feel fuller longer, which helps you consume fewer total calories.
Get Stronger in the Gym
Although HIIT workouts burn calories, if you have lean muscle mass, you'll burn even more fat and calories in the long run. So include strength training in your fitness program, especially lifting heavy weights, at least three times a week.
Don't waste your time focusing on core-specific moves. Instead, do full-body moves like thrusters, which require you to use both your lower and upper body. These types of exercises save time by working multiple body parts while simultaneously engaging your core.
Your Butt Desperately Wants You to Do These 23 Squat Variations
Listen up, butt! You are about to get worked with these 23 glute-growing squat variations. Add a few of these moves to your leg day and let the soreness begin!
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