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.
mardi 9 octobre 2018
Most Stuf Oreos Are Coming Soon, and We Can't Even Fully Articulate How Massive They Are
For its latest creation, Oreo isn't changing a thing about the cookie's signature sweet flavor. Though the brand has recently experimented with many flavors including chocolate peanut butter pie, strawberry shortcake, and rocky road, Oreo's upcoming release is all about the same classic cookie . . . just in a very different size.
According to food blog The Junk Food Aisle, Most Stuf Oreos will be hitting shelves sometime soon. The massive cookie makes the brand's Double Stuf and Mega Stuf Oreos look like child's play. Unfortunately, there aren't any additional details out there about when the Most Stuf Oreos will be launching, but when a release date is announced, you better believe we'll be ready.
5 Millennial Brides Confess the Trendiest Things They Tried at Their Weddings
More and more brides are planning their wedding and kicking out the old-school traditions that stand in their way. They are shaking their head at the idea of tossing the bouquet and sticking their tongue out at choosing to wear a white wedding dress. Millennial brides are designing and planning their wedding to look less like it came out of a wedding magazine from 1988 and more like it came straight off of Pinterest, with the help of Etsy, of course.
Wondering what trends work the best with which kind of wedding? Here are five millennial brides who confessed the trendiest thing they tried at their wedding and what happened when they tried it.
An Open Letter to Women Who Are Wondering Where We Go After Kavanaugh
In the immediate aftermath of the Senate's decision to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, despite allegations from several women who accused the judge of sexual misconduct, there were no words that could make anything better. Many of us probably needed to take the weekend to rest and process the news.
Predictably, a lot of people are now talking about the upcoming midterm elections, which are certainly important in the context of Kavanaugh's confirmation. The weekend's events demonstrate why absolutely no one can sit out an election. Yet, the painful truth is that this fight is fundamentally so much bigger than Nov. 6, 2018. For women and survivors, Kavanaugh's confirmation is about the fight of our lives, for our lives: to be respected, to be seen, to be believed.
For women and survivors, Kavanaugh's confirmation is about the fight of our lives, for our lives: to be respected, to be seen, to be believed.
This is a devastating, even traumatizing, loss, and we have to take care of ourselves and do everything we can to support those in our lives who are hurting. But the reality is that the fight goes on - the arc of progress is long and paved with devastation and change isn't going to happen immediately. The scars of this loss may take some time to heal, and when they do, for those of us who are ready to step back into the fray and channel our frustration into actions for change, there are many productive paths for us all to move forward.
Over the past few weeks, women and survivors across the country have shared a deep, visceral reaction to the accounts of alleged abuse from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez, and Julie Swetnick, and the gross mistreatment of them by the most powerful men in the country. President Trump, credibly accused of sexual misconduct by more than 20 women, mocked Dr. Ford before a laughing crowd, claimed Ramirez could not be credible as she was "drunk" during the alleged incident of abuse, and called all of the women's allegations against Kavanaugh a "big fat con" by Democrats. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans did everything they could to discredit Dr. Ford, erase her and Kavanaugh's other accusers, and confirm an alleged sexual predator to the highest court in the land as quickly as possible.
Many of us responded to this horrifying injustice by putting our everything into this fight, marching on the Capitol, rallying at the Supreme Court, and showing up to and organizing solidarity events across the country. In turn, we faced dismissal and erasure, and were misidentified as "paid actors" by the president and prominent senators, who apparently can't fathom that women have the capacity to form our own opinions and stand up for them.
As Democratic Senators like Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker have stated, we lost this fight - there's no escaping that. But as Senator Kamala Harris pointed out in a moving video, it matters that we fought. Our actions made a difference; we ignited a painful but deeply important conversation about the realities of sexual violence, and we used our voices to stand up for justice and assure women and survivors that they matter.
Now, in the aftermath of this tragedy, women, survivors, and allies who want to see change should know they are far from helpless. There are actions we can all take and goals we all have to work toward going forward. Those goals include electing lawmakers who represent and listen to all of us, empowering greater numbers of voters (and especially women and minority voters) to be a part of the political process, and holding powerful men - from the Brett Kavanaughs of the world to the president and Republican senators who facilitated Kavanaugh's confirmation - accountable.
Day-by-day, we can actualize these goals in a variety of ways: flooding our local newspapers with letters to the editor about the issues we care about, volunteering for campaigns for feminist political candidates or ballot measures, calling our representatives every day and writing them letters about what we want from them, donating what we can to the politicians and organizations that share our values, and speaking out on social media. Certainly, the last item is a crucial piece of low-hanging fruit: social media has empowered all of us with a platform, and we all have a moral obligation to stand up for what we believe is right and stand up to what we know is wrong.
Additionally, we don't have to rely on others to make the change we demand to see. Supported by numerous women's political empowerment groups, record-breaking numbers of women filed to run for office in 2018 - and that was before Kavanaugh's confirmation. There's absolutely no reason any of us who feel compelled to join these women should shy away.
Collectively, we've just witnessed precisely why between 62 and 84 percent of survivors of sexual assault (an estimated one in five of all women) refrain from coming forward, out of fear of blame, disbelief, and character attacks. Meanwhile, the same people who stand by a president who has led crowds in chanting "lock her up!" about a female political opponent indicted for no crimes turn to phrases like "innocent until proven guilty" and "due process" in regard to Kavanaugh. This hypocrisy exposes a critical reality. Sweepingly disbelieving survivors and women, while dismissing anyone whose assault wasn't videotaped to "prove" their abuser's guilt, was never about protecting the Constitution. It's always been about degrading women and letting powerful men get away with doing whatever they want.
Kavanaugh's confirmation is devastating and heartbreaking for many of us, especially in the wake of so many other critical blows to women's rights in recent years. It's OK to feel helpless sometimes - as long as we know that, in reality, we are not. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.
I Never Thought I'd Allow Myself to Be in a Physically Abusive Relationship - Until I Was in One
The first time I'd ever been hit by my ex-boyfriend was my freshman year of college outside my dorm building. He slapped me across the face so hard it felt like dry ice was stuck to my cheek. What had just happened didn't quite register as quickly as his hand moved, and all I could do was stand there stunned with tears down my face and my lunch now spilled on the ground. He continued to scream at me because we had just gotten caught by the front desk for breaking the overnight guest policy (we exceeded the 48-hour rule by a few days) and because I tried to talk it out with the RA instead of storming out with him. What was even worse is that he denied hitting me, eventually apologizing for what I thought he had done. Just when I began thinking that maybe I was going crazy, a floor mate came to check on me later that day. My boyfriend at the time was yelling at me so loudly, he was able to hear (and see) us from the 11th floor behind closed windows. I continued to stay in this relationship for four years, and this incident was only just the beginning.
This is the part where you're probably thinking, why the f*ck didn't you leave that psycho? - I also had never understood why women would ever allow themselves to stay in such horrible situations. And it wasn't until I experienced it firsthand that I realized, unfortunately, it's never that easy. It has nothing to do with who the person is, whether they're weak or strong-willed, educated or uneducated. The psychological effects of abuse are so powerful, it can turn anyone, male or female, into someone completely and utterly powerless. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in three women have been physically abused by an intimate partner. The dynamics of a toxic relationship are far more complex than any other because it involves someone you deeply care about and oftentimes love. I would never tolerate that kind of treatment from a stranger, but when it comes to a significant other, it becomes much more confusing and messy and not so black and white.
Also according to the NCADV, domestic violence is most common among women between 18 and 24, the same window I fell in. And it makes sense. It's just around the time when people begin getting into their first serious relationships. My ex and I started dating toward the end of our senior year in high school, and then we both went off to separate colleges on opposite ends of California. I think distance is what made things even more complicated. He was extremely jealous, insecure, and paranoid when it came to fidelity, which wasn't apparent when we first met. I fell for his confidence, thoughtfulness, and intelligence, and those qualities weren't easily forgotten when I learned about his anger.
I mistook fury for passion and I focused on the fact that when things were good, they were really good.
In his moments of sweetness, I convinced myself that he did care for me and that it was my responsibility as his partner to make him feel secure about our relationship, even if that meant I had to stop talking to my friends and family, send him photos of where I was at all times, and reject all invitations outside of my dorm room. He was manipulative and all-controlling; I wanted to prove that I was a faithful and devoted girlfriend, and I was willing to do whatever it took to avoid fighting. It wasn't unusual to be woken up by a call from him at 3 in the morning, hearing "f*cking slut" and "dumb b*tch" screamed from the other line. He called because he couldn't stand the thought of me being with other guys before him. He always assumed I was cheating on him, which made him feel like I needed to be constantly punished. And eventually, I was somehow convinced of the same.
Verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse were common in the first two years of our relationship, and the physical side increasingly worsened with time. I remember one particular fight so vividly, when he repeatedly punched my arm over and over so hard as I was driving that I couldn't move it. I was pleading for him to stop and when he didn't, I intentionally ran a red light so that the cop I passed would stop us. He was able to convince the police that his hysterically crying girlfriend was unstable and crazy and needed to be taken away from him. They let us go with a warning and I was shaking with fear when they left, afraid of how I was about to be punished. He shattered my car windows with his skateboard, but of course, he would wait until we got home to really give it to me. He slammed me against the wall and strangled me, and I recall thinking that he was going to kill me. We made up, of course. He saw how purple and brown my arm was and apologized, and that was that.
I transferred schools and moved in with him by our third year together. I can't tell you how many times the cops came to our door because of calls from our neighbors and how many times I had to lie and say that it was just an argument. As much as I wanted to turn him in myself, this was still my boyfriend. We were both great students with bright futures, and I couldn't help but be sympathetic to that. I was in a new city where I knew no one else - where would I go? How could I tell my parents about what I was going through? Who would take my calls after years of being shunned? In his moments of clarity, he also knew how dangerous he could be. So, he started seeing a therapist on campus and we began to treat his "demons," as he'd call it, as a mental illness, which complicated things further. I couldn't just leave someone I loved who also desperately needed help. It ran in his family; he was a replica of his short-tempered father, and it saddened me that he was unable to be somebody different.
But a person can only take so much, and everyone has a breaking point. I started to fight back and hit back, and I'm not proud of it. I had so much anger built up inside of me that when he provoked me, I didn't hold back and I didn't want to. Our fights would end with us both exhausted, breathing heavily on the ground. My psyche was damaged beyond repair and I felt as though I was going insane, going through the same fights and accusations day in and day out. You'd think that being tackled into the bedpost and coming out with a golf-ball-size lump on the back of your head instead of a broken neck would be enough to snap you out of it. But it didn't. Eventually, I became so numb to it all and accepted that I was stuck. This was my life now. Working 30 to 40 hours a week and balancing internships as a full-time student, I didn't have enough energy to come home and continue the battle. He stopped having an affect on me, and he didn't like that. A lifeless face would just stare back at his yelling when it would normally be able to get a reaction. By our fourth year, I was too physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted to even figure a way out. He refused to accept the fact that I wanted to leave, that I hated him more than I had ever loved him. He would plead and plead to make me stay, and I would because I didn't know any other option.
Eventually, we both moved to San Francisco after graduation and we got into another massive blowout at our new apartment. But this time, he called my parents and left the worst possible voicemail you could imagine. When he left for work the next morning, and as I was getting ready, my mother called and said, "I'm getting on the next plane; pack a bag and leave now." I didn't argue back or try to convince her that everything was OK like I normally would have - I said, "OK," and followed her instructions. I never went back. I fought hard over the next few months to get a restraining order because the calls and threats were nonstop. Little did I know that it was my responsibility to prove to the courts that I needed protection. Eventually, I won and was granted a five-year order against him. Some days, I question whether this piece of paper is enough to keep him away. And I also wonder what happens next when the order is up.
The fact that it's so difficult as a woman to be believed as a victim is disheartening.
And I understand why so many women choose to keep their mouths shut aside from embarrassment, financial reasons, dependency created by the effects of the abuse, and other factors. I know that I'm incredibly lucky to have a family who could help me out and put me in my own safe apartment, and it breaks me that not everyone is as fortunate.
For those who feel guilty about not being able to protect their loved ones from abusive partners, know that there's only so much you can do. I heard it all from friends and family, urging me to end it, but I ignored them all and shut them out. A person who loves their partner so much that they're willing to endure abuse will not simply leave because you asked them to. The decision is theirs. When my mother called me that day and told me to go, it was still ultimately up to me to listen. But even if someone continues to be stubborn year after year, hit after hit, always remind him or her that you're there. Because you never know when they'll finally accept an extended hand.
Today, I've never been happier. And looking back in retrospect, it's hard not to be sickened by my choice to stay, especially for as long as I did. But instead of torturing myself about those painful years, I focus on how it's made me into such a strong woman. It was an awful learning experience, but a learning experience nonetheless. I know now more than ever before how a person who really loves you is supposed to love you, that the best kinds of relationships are the ones that make love feel easy, that it's not solely your responsibility to make your partner happy, and that nobody should ever be mistreated for any reason. I had to work on myself for a while to come to those realizations, and though things won't return to normal overnight, I can tell you that it does get better, no matter how defeated you feel. My relationships with my friends and family have never been better, I've been in the healthiest long-term relationship with a man I'm grateful for every day, and, most importantly, I love who I am.
If you or someone you know is in danger, there are resources available in your state, as well as the 24/7 National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233). Know that you are not alone and that staying is not your only option.
What It's Like Living as an Asexual Transgender Guy
According to the authors of WTF Are Men Thinking?, 25 percent of the 250,000 men surveyed wanted to have sex six to nine times a week. Per week.
But what happens to that number when the guy in question is on a steady stream of testosterone? A common side effect of injected (or applied) testosterone is an increased libido, so if a cisgender male is looking for six to nine rounds of sex a week, it would only make sense that a transgender male's sex drive would be significantly higher.
You would think. Yet, here I am, four and a half years of testosterone injections later and I'm asexual.
An asexual (or ace) person is someone who has no sexual attraction and no interest in sex. A common misconception is that asexual people are sex avoidant, which is not always the case. Some individuals who identify as asexual are only attracted to one person or feel sexual attraction very rarely.
As a married transgender male, I find myself sexually attracted to my wife. Sometimes. Now, you're probably reading that thinking that I don't find my wife attractive or that our relationship is somehow lessened because we're not having sex multiple times a week. In fact, I think my wife is gorgeous and I feel like our relationship is actually stronger and more meaningful because it's not centered around sex.
Asexual people can have amazing relationships without the need for sex. To be transgender and asexual isn't as uncommon as it may seem, and it shows that testosterone has a different effect on each individual. For instance, some trans men find that they experience an astounding increase in their sex drive. However, there are some guys like myself who find that their libido decreases and they no longer have an interest in sex.
Being asexual doesn't make someone less of an ideal partner, nor does it make them less of a man or woman.
It also doesn't mean that they never want to have sex (though, for some, that is the case). There are many asexual people who have sex on an infrequent basis and find pleasure in the act.
Let's put it this way: Say you were in a group of friends and all of your friends have a sweet tooth, but you would be just fine living out life without having a taste of that churro. Your friends have tried out a few different kinds of churros and they feel like it's a part of their lives that brings them happiness, but churros don't really do anything for you. Sure, you've had a churro before and you won't completely rule out having a churro again at some point, but it's not something that tickles your fancy.
It's not a very scientific example, but that's kind of like what it's like living as an asexual person, especially an ace trans guy. A lot of my friends who are trans have found themselves having all sorts of sex, but I'm just fine spending the night playing video games with my wife.
Does it affect our relationship at all? Not really. Sometimes she'll instigate sex and we'll do the deed, but it's not something that I actively seek out. Do I enjoy sex when it happens? Sure, but I honestly can't imagine having sex with anyone else or acting out any of those crazy sex scenes you see in movies.
Being asexual doesn't make you a robot or a prude, and being an ace trans guy doesn't make me any less of a man. We just find pleasure and enjoyment elsewhere . . . like pictures of cats in boxes.
5 Millennial Brides Confess the Trendiest Things They Tried at Their Weddings
More and more brides are planning their wedding and kicking out the old-school traditions that stand in their way. They are shaking their head at the idea of tossing the bouquet and sticking their tongue out at choosing to wear a white wedding dress. Millennial brides are designing and planning their wedding to look less like it came out of a wedding magazine from 1988 and more like it came straight off of Pinterest, with the help of Etsy, of course.
Wondering what trends work the best with which kind of wedding? Here are five millennial brides who confessed the trendiest thing they tried at their wedding and what happened when they tried it.
An Open Letter to Women Who Are Wondering Where We Go After Kavanaugh
In the immediate aftermath of the Senate's decision to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, despite allegations from several women who accused the judge of sexual misconduct, there were no words that could make anything better. Many of us probably needed to take the weekend to rest and process the news.
Predictably, a lot of people are now talking about the upcoming midterm elections, which are certainly important in the context of Kavanaugh's confirmation. The weekend's events demonstrate why absolutely no one can sit out an election. Yet, the painful truth is that this fight is fundamentally so much bigger than Nov. 6, 2018. For women and survivors, Kavanaugh's confirmation is about the fight of our lives, for our lives: to be respected, to be seen, to be believed.
For women and survivors, Kavanaugh's confirmation is about the fight of our lives, for our lives: to be respected, to be seen, to be believed.
This is a devastating, even traumatizing, loss, and we have to take care of ourselves and do everything we can to support those in our lives who are hurting. But the reality is that the fight goes on - the arc of progress is long and paved with devastation and change isn't going to happen immediately. The scars of this loss may take some time to heal, and when they do, for those of us who are ready to step back into the fray and channel our frustration into actions for change, there are many productive paths for us all to move forward.
Over the past few weeks, women and survivors across the country have shared a deep, visceral reaction to the accounts of alleged abuse from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez, and Julie Swetnick, and the gross mistreatment of them by the most powerful men in the country. President Trump, credibly accused of sexual misconduct by more than 20 women, mocked Dr. Ford before a laughing crowd, claimed Ramirez could not be credible as she was "drunk" during the alleged incident of abuse, and called all of the women's allegations against Kavanaugh a "big fat con" by Democrats. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans did everything they could to discredit Dr. Ford, erase her and Kavanaugh's other accusers, and confirm an alleged sexual predator to the highest court in the land as quickly as possible.
Many of us responded to this horrifying injustice by putting our everything into this fight, marching on the Capitol, rallying at the Supreme Court, and showing up to and organizing solidarity events across the country. In turn, we faced dismissal and erasure, and were misidentified as "paid actors" by the president and prominent senators, who apparently can't fathom that women have the capacity to form our own opinions and stand up for them.
As Democratic Senators like Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker have stated, we lost this fight - there's no escaping that. But as Senator Kamala Harris pointed out in a moving video, it matters that we fought. Our actions made a difference; we ignited a painful but deeply important conversation about the realities of sexual violence, and we used our voices to stand up for justice and assure women and survivors that they matter.
Now, in the aftermath of this tragedy, women, survivors, and allies who want to see change should know they are far from helpless. There are actions we can all take and goals we all have to work toward going forward. Those goals include electing lawmakers who represent and listen to all of us, empowering greater numbers of voters (and especially women and minority voters) to be a part of the political process, and holding powerful men - from the Brett Kavanaughs of the world to the president and Republican senators who facilitated Kavanaugh's confirmation - accountable.
Day-by-day, we can actualize these goals in a variety of ways: flooding our local newspapers with letters to the editor about the issues we care about, volunteering for campaigns for feminist political candidates or ballot measures, calling our representatives every day and writing them letters about what we want from them, donating what we can to the politicians and organizations that share our values, and speaking out on social media. Certainly, the last item is a crucial piece of low-hanging fruit: social media has empowered all of us with a platform, and we all have a moral obligation to stand up for what we believe is right and stand up to what we know is wrong.
Additionally, we don't have to rely on others to make the change we demand to see. Supported by numerous women's political empowerment groups, record-breaking numbers of women filed to run for office in 2018 - and that was before Kavanaugh's confirmation. There's absolutely no reason any of us who feel compelled to join these women should shy away.
Collectively, we've just witnessed precisely why between 62 and 84 percent of survivors of sexual assault (an estimated one in five of all women) refrain from coming forward, out of fear of blame, disbelief, and character attacks. Meanwhile, the same people who stand by a president who has led crowds in chanting "lock her up!" about a female political opponent indicted for no crimes turn to phrases like "innocent until proven guilty" and "due process" in regard to Kavanaugh. This hypocrisy exposes a critical reality. Sweepingly disbelieving survivors and women, while dismissing anyone whose assault wasn't videotaped to "prove" their abuser's guilt, was never about protecting the Constitution. It's always been about degrading women and letting powerful men get away with doing whatever they want.
Kavanaugh's confirmation is devastating and heartbreaking for many of us, especially in the wake of so many other critical blows to women's rights in recent years. It's OK to feel helpless sometimes - as long as we know that, in reality, we are not. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.
I Never Thought I'd Allow Myself to Be in a Physically Abusive Relationship - Until I Was in One
The first time I'd ever been hit by my ex-boyfriend was my freshman year of college outside my dorm building. He slapped me across the face so hard it felt like dry ice was stuck to my cheek. What had just happened didn't quite register as quickly as his hand moved, and all I could do was stand there stunned with tears down my face and my lunch now spilled on the ground. He continued to scream at me because we had just gotten caught by the front desk for breaking the overnight guest policy (we exceeded the 48-hour rule by a few days) and because I tried to talk it out with the RA instead of storming out with him. What was even worse is that he denied hitting me, eventually apologizing for what I thought he had done. Just when I began thinking that maybe I was going crazy, a floor mate came to check on me later that day. My boyfriend at the time was yelling at me so loudly, he was able to hear (and see) us from the 11th floor behind closed windows. I continued to stay in this relationship for four years, and this incident was only just the beginning.
This is the part where you're probably thinking, why the f*ck didn't you leave that psycho? - I also had never understood why women would ever allow themselves to stay in such horrible situations. And it wasn't until I experienced it firsthand that I realized, unfortunately, it's never that easy. It has nothing to do with who the person is, whether they're weak or strong-willed, educated or uneducated. The psychological effects of abuse are so powerful, it can turn anyone, male or female, into someone completely and utterly powerless. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in three women have been physically abused by an intimate partner. The dynamics of a toxic relationship are far more complex than any other because it involves someone you deeply care about and oftentimes love. I would never tolerate that kind of treatment from a stranger, but when it comes to a significant other, it becomes much more confusing and messy and not so black and white.
Also according to the NCADV, domestic violence is most common among women between 18 and 24, the same window I fell in. And it makes sense. It's just around the time when people begin getting into their first serious relationships. My ex and I started dating toward the end of our senior year in high school, and then we both went off to separate colleges on opposite ends of California. I think distance is what made things even more complicated. He was extremely jealous, insecure, and paranoid when it came to fidelity, which wasn't apparent when we first met. I fell for his confidence, thoughtfulness, and intelligence, and those qualities weren't easily forgotten when I learned about his anger.
I mistook fury for passion and I focused on the fact that when things were good, they were really good.
In his moments of sweetness, I convinced myself that he did care for me and that it was my responsibility as his partner to make him feel secure about our relationship, even if that meant I had to stop talking to my friends and family, send him photos of where I was at all times, and reject all invitations outside of my dorm room. He was manipulative and all-controlling; I wanted to prove that I was a faithful and devoted girlfriend, and I was willing to do whatever it took to avoid fighting. It wasn't unusual to be woken up by a call from him at 3 in the morning, hearing "f*cking slut" and "dumb b*tch" screamed from the other line. He called because he couldn't stand the thought of me being with other guys before him. He always assumed I was cheating on him, which made him feel like I needed to be constantly punished. And eventually, I was somehow convinced of the same.
Verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse were common in the first two years of our relationship, and the physical side increasingly worsened with time. I remember one particular fight so vividly, when he repeatedly punched my arm over and over so hard as I was driving that I couldn't move it. I was pleading for him to stop and when he didn't, I intentionally ran a red light so that the cop I passed would stop us. He was able to convince the police that his hysterically crying girlfriend was unstable and crazy and needed to be taken away from him. They let us go with a warning and I was shaking with fear when they left, afraid of how I was about to be punished. He shattered my car windows with his skateboard, but of course, he would wait until we got home to really give it to me. He slammed me against the wall and strangled me, and I recall thinking that he was going to kill me. We made up, of course. He saw how purple and brown my arm was and apologized, and that was that.
I transferred schools and moved in with him by our third year together. I can't tell you how many times the cops came to our door because of calls from our neighbors and how many times I had to lie and say that it was just an argument. As much as I wanted to turn him in myself, this was still my boyfriend. We were both great students with bright futures, and I couldn't help but be sympathetic to that. I was in a new city where I knew no one else - where would I go? How could I tell my parents about what I was going through? Who would take my calls after years of being shunned? In his moments of clarity, he also knew how dangerous he could be. So, he started seeing a therapist on campus and we began to treat his "demons," as he'd call it, as a mental illness, which complicated things further. I couldn't just leave someone I loved who also desperately needed help. It ran in his family; he was a replica of his short-tempered father, and it saddened me that he was unable to be somebody different.
But a person can only take so much, and everyone has a breaking point. I started to fight back and hit back, and I'm not proud of it. I had so much anger built up inside of me that when he provoked me, I didn't hold back and I didn't want to. Our fights would end with us both exhausted, breathing heavily on the ground. My psyche was damaged beyond repair and I felt as though I was going insane, going through the same fights and accusations day in and day out. You'd think that being tackled into the bedpost and coming out with a golf-ball-size lump on the back of your head instead of a broken neck would be enough to snap you out of it. But it didn't. Eventually, I became so numb to it all and accepted that I was stuck. This was my life now. Working 30 to 40 hours a week and balancing internships as a full-time student, I didn't have enough energy to come home and continue the battle. He stopped having an affect on me, and he didn't like that. A lifeless face would just stare back at his yelling when it would normally be able to get a reaction. By our fourth year, I was too physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted to even figure a way out. He refused to accept the fact that I wanted to leave, that I hated him more than I had ever loved him. He would plead and plead to make me stay, and I would because I didn't know any other option.
Eventually, we both moved to San Francisco after graduation and we got into another massive blowout at our new apartment. But this time, he called my parents and left the worst possible voicemail you could imagine. When he left for work the next morning, and as I was getting ready, my mother called and said, "I'm getting on the next plane; pack a bag and leave now." I didn't argue back or try to convince her that everything was OK like I normally would have - I said, "OK," and followed her instructions. I never went back. I fought hard over the next few months to get a restraining order because the calls and threats were nonstop. Little did I know that it was my responsibility to prove to the courts that I needed protection. Eventually, I won and was granted a five-year order against him. Some days, I question whether this piece of paper is enough to keep him away. And I also wonder what happens next when the order is up.
The fact that it's so difficult as a woman to be believed as a victim is disheartening.
And I understand why so many women choose to keep their mouths shut aside from embarrassment, financial reasons, dependency created by the effects of the abuse, and other factors. I know that I'm incredibly lucky to have a family who could help me out and put me in my own safe apartment, and it breaks me that not everyone is as fortunate.
For those who feel guilty about not being able to protect their loved ones from abusive partners, know that there's only so much you can do. I heard it all from friends and family, urging me to end it, but I ignored them all and shut them out. A person who loves their partner so much that they're willing to endure abuse will not simply leave because you asked them to. The decision is theirs. When my mother called me that day and told me to go, it was still ultimately up to me to listen. But even if someone continues to be stubborn year after year, hit after hit, always remind him or her that you're there. Because you never know when they'll finally accept an extended hand.
Today, I've never been happier. And looking back in retrospect, it's hard not to be sickened by my choice to stay, especially for as long as I did. But instead of torturing myself about those painful years, I focus on how it's made me into such a strong woman. It was an awful learning experience, but a learning experience nonetheless. I know now more than ever before how a person who really loves you is supposed to love you, that the best kinds of relationships are the ones that make love feel easy, that it's not solely your responsibility to make your partner happy, and that nobody should ever be mistreated for any reason. I had to work on myself for a while to come to those realizations, and though things won't return to normal overnight, I can tell you that it does get better, no matter how defeated you feel. My relationships with my friends and family have never been better, I've been in the healthiest long-term relationship with a man I'm grateful for every day, and, most importantly, I love who I am.
If you or someone you know is in danger, there are resources available in your state, as well as the 24/7 National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233). Know that you are not alone and that staying is not your only option.
What It's Like Living as an Asexual Transgender Guy
According to the authors of WTF Are Men Thinking?, 25 percent of the 250,000 men surveyed wanted to have sex six to nine times a week. Per week.
But what happens to that number when the guy in question is on a steady stream of testosterone? A common side effect of injected (or applied) testosterone is an increased libido, so if a cisgender male is looking for six to nine rounds of sex a week, it would only make sense that a transgender male's sex drive would be significantly higher.
You would think. Yet, here I am, four and a half years of testosterone injections later and I'm asexual.
An asexual (or ace) person is someone who has no sexual attraction and no interest in sex. A common misconception is that asexual people are sex avoidant, which is not always the case. Some individuals who identify as asexual are only attracted to one person or feel sexual attraction very rarely.
As a married transgender male, I find myself sexually attracted to my wife. Sometimes. Now, you're probably reading that thinking that I don't find my wife attractive or that our relationship is somehow lessened because we're not having sex multiple times a week. In fact, I think my wife is gorgeous and I feel like our relationship is actually stronger and more meaningful because it's not centered around sex.
Asexual people can have amazing relationships without the need for sex. To be transgender and asexual isn't as uncommon as it may seem, and it shows that testosterone has a different effect on each individual. For instance, some trans men find that they experience an astounding increase in their sex drive. However, there are some guys like myself who find that their libido decreases and they no longer have an interest in sex.
Being asexual doesn't make someone less of an ideal partner, nor does it make them less of a man or woman.
It also doesn't mean that they never want to have sex (though, for some, that is the case). There are many asexual people who have sex on an infrequent basis and find pleasure in the act.
Let's put it this way: Say you were in a group of friends and all of your friends have a sweet tooth, but you would be just fine living out life without having a taste of that churro. Your friends have tried out a few different kinds of churros and they feel like it's a part of their lives that brings them happiness, but churros don't really do anything for you. Sure, you've had a churro before and you won't completely rule out having a churro again at some point, but it's not something that tickles your fancy.
It's not a very scientific example, but that's kind of like what it's like living as an asexual person, especially an ace trans guy. A lot of my friends who are trans have found themselves having all sorts of sex, but I'm just fine spending the night playing video games with my wife.
Does it affect our relationship at all? Not really. Sometimes she'll instigate sex and we'll do the deed, but it's not something that I actively seek out. Do I enjoy sex when it happens? Sure, but I honestly can't imagine having sex with anyone else or acting out any of those crazy sex scenes you see in movies.
Being asexual doesn't make you a robot or a prude, and being an ace trans guy doesn't make me any less of a man. We just find pleasure and enjoyment elsewhere . . . like pictures of cats in boxes.
Joey King Shaved Her Head, and She Thinks Every Woman Should Do It "at Least Once"
Joey King said goodbye to her hair, but parting is not sweet sorrow for the 19-year-old actress. Her new buzz cut comes in preparation for an upcoming role as Gypsy Rose Blanchard in Hulu's The Act, and King told Allure she had no fear about the change.
"I've never really had an attachment to my hair. I couldn't care less what happens to it," King said. "No part of me was nervous or was second-guessing it. So many people would ask me, 'Are you really scared?' or 'Are you nervous?' or say, 'You're so brave.' And I'd go, 'I'm not brave, I'm just cutting my hair off.'"
It's possible that King's comfort with her badass buzzed look comes from the fact that she's shaved her head before, once for a role in The Dark Knight Rises and then again for Wish I Was Here. She sees this third time around as an opportunity to experiment with makeup looks because she has "so many different options" without hair.
"I know this sounds crazy, and not a lot of people will agree with me, but I think every woman should shave her head at least once in her life," she shared. "It's not like they're going to regret it 10 years down the line when their hair is long again. It's something that's very freeing, really fun, and really empowering."
Post Malone Just Chopped Off His Famous Hair and Begged Fans Not to Leave Him
Post Malone is known almost as much for his hair as he is for his music. The "Better Now" rapper, who usually wears his hair long in a variety of braids and buns, just revealed that he's chopped off his iconic ends.
Malone posted a photo of his now-short and curly style on Instagram with a caption asking his fans not to abandon him: "Please don't stop listening to my music."
The mega cut is reminiscent of the time when The Weeknd decided to forgo his signature hair in favor of a shorter style back in 2016, and luckily it doesn't appear to have harmed his career much. Check out Malone's new look ahead.
Can We Talk About Lady Gaga's Stick-On Eyebrows in A Star Is Born?
The first time Jackson (played by Bradley Cooper) sees Ally (Lady Gaga) appear on stage in A Star Is Born, you can practically see the fireworks dance in his eyes. It is love - or, at the very least, intrigue - at first sight, fueled by her soulful rendition of Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose."
But there is something else you, a non steadily declining country singer with a debilitating addiction person in the audience, also probably noticed: her thin, stick-on eyebrows. The look serves as a central theme throughout the movie - perhaps a subtle, almost poetic nod to her natural beauty. When the pair first meet backstage, for example, Jackson peels off Ally's faux brow ("the whole point is I can see your face," he coos). Later, in the bathtub, she uses the stickers to give him a makeover.
Yet, while Cooper has said the scene was plucked from the film's third remake in 1976, stick-on eyebrows are not a thing of the past. Take a peek at the fringe for yourself, plus all the options out there on the market, ahead. Who knows, maybe it'll inspire your own rising-star costume for Halloween - if you can manage to think about the whole thing without ugly-crying, that is.
Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas Just Got Matching Toy Story Tattoos, and They're Beyond Cute
Will Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas ever stop getting cuter by the day? Judging by their latest red carpet outing and new tattoos, probably not. The most recent way they've adorably shown off their love for one another is with matching Toy Story tattoos. On Sunday, the couple stopped by to see celebrity tattoo artist Mr. K, who tattooed "to infinity and beyond" on the inside of their wrists. Is it a sweet nod to what might be their favorite movie? Or are they just paying homage to their relationship? We might never know, but one thing's for sure: it's incredible cute.
While some fans appear to have doubts regarding the matching tats, one savvy commenter came up with the perfect answer, saying, "kinda cute and if there was a split for any reason just fill the rest of the sentence in for yourself haha." However, this isn't Jonas's first relationship tattoo gig: he already has a tattoo of what fans think is Turner on his forearm. Turner is also a fan of getting inked on a regular basis, and she's permanently marked her love for her role in Game of Thrones, as well as the sweet friendship she has with costar Maisie Williams.
20 Fitness Hacks to Make Sure Your Workouts Happen
Can't seem to make it to the gym these days? Stop with the excuses, and let these 20 fitness hacks keep you on track no matter the season.
10 Things Every Woman Should Do to Help Prevent Breast Cancer
There are several risk factors that can increase your chances of developing breast cancer. And while the risk increases as we age, there are certain preventative measures every women should do, whether she's in her 20s or in her mammogram years, to help reduce her risk of getting the disease. Read on for 10 things every women should do to help prevent breast cancer.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese has been shown to be a risk factor in developing certain types of breast cancer.
- Check up on your family history. How many people in your family have had breast cancer? If you don't know, now's the time to check. Having close family members who developed breast cancer increases your risk as well since certain risk factors are genetic.
- Don't be a stranger to your girls. Self breast exams may not have been given a ringing endorsement from the medical community, but you should still be familiar with how your breasts feel and look so you'll notice any changes.
- Drink in moderation. While that glass of red might be good for for stress reduction, excessive alcohol drinking has been linked to an increased risk of cancer. Stick to a one-a-day mantra if you want to reduce your risk.
- Keep exercising. Not only will working out help you maintain a healthy weight, exercising itself has been shown to reduce your risk of developing cancer. The American Cancer Society notes that as little as 1.5 to 2.5 hours of walking a week has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Make it your mission to walk or exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week.
- Support the cause. Everyone goes pink for the month of October, so pick a trustworthy organization and show your support. By donating time or money or dropping a few bucks on a cute product for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, you'll be supporting breast cancer research that will help millions.
- Know the facts about birth control. Taking oral contraceptives is one risk factor for developing breast cancer, but the risk decreases to normal levels the longer you are off them (women who took birth control pills more than 10 years ago, for example, have the same risks as women who never took the pill). Weigh the pros and cons of taking birth control and talk to your doctor if you want to know more.
- Assess your risk. It always helps to be informed. Know all the risks of breast cancer - even ones that can't always be avoided, like starting your period at an early age, having a child after 35, or never breastfeeding - so you know what choices you have. Check the National Cancer Institute or The American Cancer Society for comprehensive lists of lifestyle, genetic, and environment risk factors.
- Don't be shy at the doctor's. Your doctor isn't just there to admonish you when you admit you have a sugar addiction, she's also there to make sure you are knowledgeable about why and how lifestyle choices affect your health. Make sure you ask questions about anything that's unclear to you.
- Relax. Just because you have certain risk factors for developing the disease doesn't mean you'll get breast cancer, or that you should spend your life worrying about getting it. After all, the biggest risk factors for getting breast cancer - being female and aging - aren't exactly something you can change. Instead of worrying, just do what you can to live a healthy lifestyle - you'll not only reduce your risk, but will also feel better overall.
I Stopped Eating Dairy, Sugar, and Gluten For 21 Days - Here's What Happened After
I've never followed a strict or restrictive diet like the low-carb, high-fat keto diet - dieting just isn't my thing. Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely nothing against diets, but for me, it's not necessary. I've never had the desire to count calories, track my macros, or go low-carb. Instead, I was taught from a young age to focus on the nutrients I was providing my body with in order to fuel my athletic performance and recovery, and it's something I still do to this day.
During a session, a client of mine told me about a detox called the Clean Program created by cardiologist Alejandro Junger, MD, (Gwyenth Paltrow's favorite doctor and Goop contributor, who is known for blending Eastern and Western medicine) and it piqued my interest. After doing some research of my own, I decided to read his book Clean to learn more about the program. Once I finished the book, I was interested in trying the program, especially because Dr. Junger explained that the program could help people identify foods that were causing irritation, improve digestion, improve your skin, and give you more energy.
After postponing the 21-day program for months, I finally decided to try it. To be honest, I thought my client was just raving about another fad detox program, but after following it for myself, I now see why she was so excited about it. Here are the four biggest changes I noticed on the Clean Program.
My Skin Cleared Up
Call me vain, but in the words of Erykah Badu, "I'm sensitive about my sh*t." Seriously, I'm self-conscious about my skin, especially when I have a bad breakout. My skin is so sensitive, if I look at it long enough in the mirror, I'll get a pimple. I've tried it all - and very few, expensive things work. On the eighth day of the program, I noticed that the indefinite breakout on my forehead was clearing up - so did a friend, which means it was actually getting better. After the program was over, I began to reintroduce foods into my diet, and I realized large amounts of oats and dairy in my diet were the cause of the breakout on my forehead.
My Energy Levels Were Up
Not only did I figure out the foods that were irritating my skin, I noticed I had a boost of energy. I know I probably sound like someone on an infomercial, but I promise you, this is the truth. In the notes I was taking over the span of 21 days I wrote, "More energy. Waking up earlier than normal." Since I train clients and work full-time, I hardly ever feel energized or well rested. Nothing about my work schedule had changed - I was still waking up at 4:45 a.m. to train - but for once, I actually had the energy to get up. More often than not, I was waking up before my alarm clock and was still able to stay up later into the evening.
My Cravings Didn't Magically Disappear
I remember reading in the book that cravings for processed foods and foods high in artificial sugars would go away during the program. Specifically that I would have a "palette makeover." My love for chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and gooey cookies didn't suddenly disappear, I just didn't give in to my cravings. I will say that after sitting with my cravings for a few minutes, they would dissipate, and if I really felt the need to consume sugar, I'd have dates with almond butter, fruit, or a homemade juice with fruit.
I Stopped Snacking Just to Snack
I have a habit of snacking when I'm bored or in a bad mood. I could have just finished eating dinner, but if there's something in my cabinets that looks tasty, please believe I'm going to eat it. In his book, Dr. Junger encouraged sticking to two liquid meals for breakfast and dinner and a solid meal for lunch, adding that snacking was OK. On the first few days, I used snacking as a form of comfort. I was still adapting to having one solid meal a day, and honestly, having a snack made me feel better in the beginning. Eventually, I was able to go without snacks, but if I knew I had a longer day or was going to work out, I always had nuts or fruit prepared.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I surprisingly found this program to be enjoyable. It made my weeks easier since I had to plan out and prepare everything I was going to be eating in advance. While I've gone back to eating three solid meals a majority of the time, I like having a plan I can follow if and when I feel like I've overdone it on desserts, or when I feel like I haven't been eating that well (like after my vacation to Mexico). There are many methods to the program that can be incorporated into your nutritional plan, but the two liquid meals and one solid meal a day isn't meant to be followed long-term. Dr. Junger advises following the 21-day program once a year, and I plan on completing it again next year - especially to redeem myself of my poor smoothie-making skills.
Save Countless Hours (and Still Lose Weight!) With These Low-Carb Sheet Pan Recipes
You may never have the time or energy to wield several pots and pans like a contestant on Top Chef - but that doesn't mean you can't pull together a healthy meal any night of the week. If you're unfamiliar, you'll want to get to know the sheet pan recipe: these one-dish wonders require minimal ingredients and prep time, without sacrificing on flavor or nutrients. And the ones here are low-carb. So, whatever your goals - whether to lose weight, or honestly, just get dinner on the table before your kids melt down - grab a pan and watch your oven do the work.
If You're Trying to Lose Weight, Avoid These 7 Snacking Mistakes
Snack time isn't just for kiddos: it can satiate hunger between meals and prevent overeating. Not only can snacking help you lose weight, but it can also fill nutrition holes in your diet. But if you snack the wrong way, eating in between meals could make you gain weight. To make snacking work for instead of against you, avoid these seven mistakes.
Lawsuit Alleges LaCroix Contains Synthetic Ingredients and Cockroach Insecticide
National Beverage Corporation, makers of the popular sparkling water LaCroix, is facing a lawsuit alleging that the beverage contains "non-natural flavorings." The lawsuit, filed in Cook County, IL, claims that LaCroix contains ingredients that are synthetic compounds: ethyl butanoate, limonene, linalool (an ingredient that is claimed to be a cockroach insecticide), and linalool propionate.
The lawsuit does not explain how the product was tested nor does it explain how much of each ingredient someone would have to consume to potentially experience side effects.
"National Beverage Corp. categorically denies all allegations in a lawsuit filed today without basis in fact or law regarding the natural composition of [its] LaCroix sparkling waters," the parent company said in a statement on Oct. 1, 2018. In the same statement, it explained that the natural flavors found in LaCroix "are derived from the natural essence oils from the named fruit used in each of the flavors."
According to National Beverage Corporation, all the essences found in LaCroix are 100 percent natural. "All LaCroix product labels include an ingredient statement indicating each product contains carbonated water and natural flavors. National Beverage stands by that ingredient statement and the fact that all the flavor essences in LaCroix are natural," it concluded.
This story is still developing and will be updated when more information becomes available.
Follow These 3 Simple Steps to Clean Eating and the Pounds Will Melt Off
You've heard that eating clean can give you more energy (in life and at the gym) and can help you lose weight and keep it off, but how do you get started? Amanda Meixner (known as meowmeix on Instagram) has over 925,000 followers for good reason! She shares practical, relatable, and simple nutrition tips that make sense and are easy to incorporate into your daily life.
Amanda recently posted about clean eating and wrote in her caption, "While changing your habits is definitely challenging, baby steps in the right direction can really add up!" Whether you're looking to lose weight or are just trying to clean up your diet, here are three simple steps you can begin right now to start eating clean and head in the right direction. To make it easy, here's a two-week clean eating plan to help you incorporate these tips.
If You Want to Burn More Fat and Calories, These Are the Exercises You Need to Be Doing
People are always looking for the quickest way to lose weight, get in shape, and build muscle, and honestly, there's no get-fit-quick scheme. Depending on your genetics, body type, and fitness level, it can take anywhere from a couple of months to years to see a transformation - and there's nothing wrong with that.
One style of training that can help simultaneously lower your body-fat percentage and build muscle is weightlifting. There are a lot of ways to lift weights like circuit training, bodybuilding programs, and HIIT workouts. Regardless of how you decide to lift, I highly recommend incorporating compound exercises into your weightlifting routine. Instead of focusing on spot reduction, I find that these moves will strengthen and define multiple muscle groups at once and allow you to have more efficient workouts.
Compound exercises are multi-joint movements that work groups of large muscle like squats, deadlifts, and push-ups. These movements elicit a greater energy expenditure (they require more energy to perform) and as a result, your body burns more calories and fat. The more muscle groups working at once, the more energy you will expend, which means the more calories and fat you'll burn.
Begin incorporating the following exercises into your strength routine in order to get maximal results at the gym. If you aren't sure where to begin when it comes to lifting weights, you can follow this four-week strength training program to get started.
How to Lose Fat For Good, According to This Weight-Loss Coach
Losing weight may seem like an uphill battle. After all, changing your lifestyle and implementing discipline takes work and forces you outside of your comfort zone. But if shedding fat seems overwhelming, health coach Sarah Duff explained that you really only need these five essentials for fat loss.
Sarah posted on Instagram her five key elements to losing fat. According to her, they are:
- Eating in a calorie deficit (with lots of nutrient-dense foods).
- Compromise.
- A willingness to take responsibility.
- Knowing your real why (usually more than just aesthetics).
- Consistency, consistency, consistency.
She explained there's no magical formula for finding your calorie deficit, but this formula is a good place to start and then adjust according to your results. As far as compromise, it could be a matter of choosing between wine or dessert or making sure you stick to just one doughnut. You also need to take responsibility for your actions and behaviors and not blame them on anyone else. Furthermore, finding your "why" will keep you motivated to keep going. And finally, you won't see any changes unless you stay consistent with your healthy habits.
If you can stick to these five things, you'll be able to reach your goals. It may not happen overnight, but with patience and consistency, you'll finally get the results you're looking for.
Can You Do Intermittent Fasting While You're Breastfeeding? These Experts Weigh In
It's a dilemma many new moms face: they want to lose their baby weight but also provide the best nutrients possible for their babies while nursing. And since intermittent fasting (IF) is supposed to help you lose weight, is it safe to do while breastfeeding? We tapped a couple of experts to find out.
Certified lactation counselor Rachael Sablotsky Kish, cofounder of Imalac, said intermittent fasting while breastfeeding is possible, but she doesn't recommend it. "A healthy regimen is important for a mother's well-being, as breastfeeding is physically and emotionally demanding," she told POPSUGAR. "With that being said, your caloric intake will not necessarily inhibit your ability to provide for your infant." Rachael went on to explain that women who have experienced famine, poverty, and malnutrition are able to successfully breastfeed their babies.
However, that's not ideal; Rachael added that in general, she doesn't suggest dieting while breastfeeding - a nursing mother ideally needs an additional 500 calories a day, similar to pregnant women. "A well-nourished mother is able to provide more for their baby on an emotional and playful level, and they are also more likely to breastfeed for a longer amount of time," she said. Instead, she recommends maintaining a healthy lifestyle by exercising and eating a healthy, nutrient-rich diet rich in foods like oatmeal, eggs, salmon, and fruits and veggies.
People may also become dehydrated during IF, which can decrease your milk supply, explained Kelly Schellman, RNC, IBCLC, Maternal and Newborn Lactation Consultant with the University of Missouri Health Care. In fact, she wouldn't recommend intermittent fasting to her patients.
"We would recommend eating healthy, low-fat foods, fruits and vegetables along with protein snacks and foods while breastfeeding versus intermittent fasting," she said.
To find the best eating plan for you while nursing, make sure you check with your Ob-Gyn and lactation consultant.
This Health Coach Explains Exactly What to Do After Overeating
It happens to the best of us: you go for seconds (or thirds) at the family BBQ or have a fun weekend filled with brunches, ice cream shop runs, and big dinners out. Even if you don't mean to, it's easy to overdo it with your favorite foods. This may leave you feeling lethargic or even guilty, but health and fitness coach Sarah Duff posted an Instagram photo of how you should actually handle these situations.
"Overeating can provoke feelings of negativity and stress, which for some people leads to a total derailment from any diet or efforts to make changes in order to live a healthier lifestyle," she wrote in her Instagram caption.
If you overate just one meal or during an entire week, here are Sarah's tips for how to recover:
- Don't punish yourself with endless cardio or skipping meals.
- Move your body and work out as you do normally.
- Get back on track with your plan.
- Try to put it behind you. If you feel anxious about it, tell someone.
"When you are conditioned to reacting to things in a certain way it takes time to build the habit of reacting differently," she wrote. "But over time it does become easier."
Next time you feel like you've gone overboard with the tortilla chip basket or had a particularly indulgent vacation, keep Sarah's pointers in mind. The best thing you can do is forgive yourself and get back on track.
I Went Low-Carb For 3 Weeks, and These 3 Mistakes Led to Weight Gain
Over the Summer, when my bloating issues got out of control, both a naturopath and an osteopath suggested I give up sugar, fruit, and flour for one week: no white sugar, no natural sugars like maple syrup, agave, honey or stevia, no artificial sweeteners, no fresh or dried fruit, and no flour. Sugar cravings hit me hard, but by then end of the seven days, my bloating was completely gone.
I decided to keep going and took it a step further, going low-carb and limiting all grains and high-carb veggies like potatoes and corn. Honestly, I wanted to see what all the hype was about going low-carb, and to see if it'd help with my sugar cravings, since those were pretty high still, even though I ditched fruit, sugar, and flour.
Although my belly was less puffy and leaner, I was shocked when I stepped on the scale. I had gained weight by the end of those 21 days. And after some investigating, I know the reason why and will share what I discovered.
5 Strengthening Exercises Halle Berry Wants You to Add to Your Workout Routine For Muscle
Name another celebrity who loves fitness as much as Halle Berry - we'll wait. Week after week, you can expect her to share her favorite workouts, what she eats on the keto diet, and of course, her training tips.
This week for #FitnessFriday, Halle and her trainer Peter Lee Thomas shared on Halle's Instagram Stories their go-to exercises to get in shape and build muscle, and they are good. Push-ups are at the top of the list, and according to Peter, Halle can do every variation. Pull-ups, bodyweight squats, and kettlebell swings also made the list.
One thing these exercises have in coming is that they're functional movements (movements we do everyday like pushing and pulling) and help build muscle and increase power and strength. Finishing the list, Peter insisted that people take up some form of boxing or martial arts for the ultimate conditioning and strengthening workout.
Continue reading to learn how to do each exercise.
These 26 Effective Bodyweight Moves Will Strengthen, Sculpt, and Lift Your Booty
There's no need to squat heavy in order to shape and tone your butt. If you do these bodyweight moves, your bum will be so sore the next day, and that lets you know these moves are effective. Mix and match four to eight moves to create your own bodyweight butt workout.
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