Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
vendredi 15 mars 2019
Emilia Clarke "Completely Broke Down" After Filming Her Last Scene in Game of Thrones
The Mother of Dragons has come a long way since she first began her journey on Game of Thrones, and it's safe to say fans cannot wait to see how it all ends in the final season, premiering on April 14. You know who else is excited about the final season? The Breaker of Chains herself, Emilia Clarke! The 32-year-old actress has been sporting a white-blonde wig and burning legions of people atop a CGI dragon for ten years, and in an interview with Harper's Bazaar she had to admit, "[The ending] was just the mother of all releases."
To be fair, Clarke's had a decade-long run as queen Daenerys Targaryen and she's put in a lot of work for the role. She's walked through fire (unburnt, duh), dealt with copious misogyny, and, oh yeah, set out on a campaign to claim her rightful place on the Iron Throne. So, she's been pretty busy! But the final season of GoT isn't the end for Clarke by a long shot. The actress has plenty of projects lined up, including the upcoming holiday rom-com Last Christmas, also starring Crazy Rich Asians' Henry Golding, and a chilling thriller titled Above Suspicion, which is based on real-life events.
But before she moves on to all that greatness, we'll have to say goodbye to a certain Khaleesi. Read on for some of Clarke's sweetest quotes about bidding adieu to the one and only Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen.
Should You Listen to Music When You Run? 2 Running Coaches Weigh the Pros and Cons
Picture this: you're running a 5K Turkey Trot in your hometown that you participate in every year; to back out would break family tradition. You're on your second mile, and everything is going great. Then, all at once, your Bluetooth headphones die and you're bombarded with the sudden realization that you're stuck hearing yourself breathe, sometimes unsteadily, alongside other runners (and their heavily breathing bodies), and there's nowhere to go but toward the surely nonexistent finish line. In silence. Yes, this happened to me, and yes, I finished the race without the help of Rihanna or Drake or DJ Khaled. Sure, it was tough, but professional runners run without headphones all the time at much further distances than 5Ks. This had us wondering: is it even OK to listen to music while you run in the first place? We asked some experts.
The short answer is that it depends on who you ask, based on personal preference, and if you're running in a race with thousands of people vs. on the treadmill alone. Some road races will ban headphones for safety reasons, so check their rules beforehand to find out. If you know that a race you're doing doesn't allow headphones, maybe listen to music a little here and there, but don't rely on it, RRCA-certified running coach Marni Wasserman told POPSUGAR. "Train how you're going to race."
Reasons You Might Not Want to Listen to Music
Besides the fact that you don't want to be out of your element if a race prohibits earbuds and you've been reliant on playlists to get you through your miles, Roberto Mandje, head of training at New York Road Runners and former Olympic runner, suggests not wearing headphones because there's "a lot you can learn about yourself while running." For example, you can monitor your breathing and other body cues that you wouldn't necessarily be aware of with music playing, such as heavy footfalls that indicate you're feeling tired. Then, there's running etiquette and safety, Roberto explained. "This refers to which side of a running path you should run on in respect to other runners, cyclists, or other pedestrians. Not knowing isn't the end of the world, but having headphones on could prevent you from hearing a faster runner overtaking you shout, 'On your left!,' or any other last-minute heads up."
Marni agreed: "Outside, I don't run with headphones; I like to be aware of my surroundings." She does, though, listen to music when she's training indoors, but she said that for the first minute or two of her run, she strides in silence so she can check in with herself and assess if anything is hurting.
Reasons You Might Want to Listen to Music
Music can act as a tool, Marni said, because it can affect your pace and your energy. "If you're listening to a fast song, you're probably going to speed up, and if you're listening to a slow song, you're going to go a little slower," she explained. So you can use that to your advantage and change up the playlist depending on the type of run you're doing. For me, I know I need good pump-up songs to get me through a run. There's no question (case in point when I lost my Bluetooth connection during that 5K and felt my pace lag).
Tips For Learning to Run Without Headphones
If a race you're training for bans the use of headphones, or if you just want to focus more on your breath and don't want the distraction of your favorite artists in your ears, Marni suggests working on getting rid of music slowly. Try running for 10 minutes without headphones before letting yourself turn on Spotify. Then, a couple weeks later, run for 15 or 20 minutes without music, and start building up the time, Marni said. Also, it's helpful to find things that motivate you. "I like to visualize a lot, so I'll think about the races I want to do. I'll think about mile 20 of the marathon and still running strong, and I'll just play that through my head," she explained, adding, "It's different for everybody. Maybe you're just thinking about what you're going to eat after the run. That's totally fine, too." (For me, that's avocado toast.)
These 4 Podcasts Have Been Life-Changing in Healing My Relationship With Food
As a woman growing up in the thick of diet culture, I've developed body-image issues and disordered eating behaviors that have been difficult to navigate on my own. But I found a wealth of knowledge, support, and encouragement to embrace intuitive eating and self-love through the wonderful world of podcasts. Here are four of my favorites, along with must-listen-to episodes.
My Family Flies Hundreds of Miles to Run Together - This Is Why
There's a particular stretch of road on the coast of San Diego that used to be the summit of my dad's old running route. It's a hell of a hill, steep and windy. Going up, you're heading into trees, twisting toward a college campus, cars streaking by. Going down, you're cruising toward a view of sandy cliffs spiked with trees, a pale strip of beach, and a dizzying, gaping ocean that blurs and blends until it turns into the horizon. It was the '80s, and I was over a decade from being born. My parents had just moved to California; my dad was studying for the Bar and running hot, hilly runs. They'd both grown up in Iowa and left their huge families behind.
I've never known my dad not to run. He's been doing it since he was a kid, mostly noncompetitive, with a few 10Ks and half-marathons before my sister and I were born. Then there was a long time, in my childhood, when he didn't do any races. I never actually saw him run because he only went in the mornings, on the track at the military base, long before the sun or I were up. Sometimes I'd wake up when the garage door closed and watch his headlights trail across my wall and out of sight.
As with many (many) other things, I only started to run once my sister did. She was training for high school field hockey, and I was 12-ish and bored. My first run was in my chunky Adidas sneakers and AYSO soccer shorts, trailing behind her and my dad on a gray afternoon outside our old elementary school. It was, as my dad likes to say, the last time he ever beat me.
I ran through high school to train for sports but only admitted that I liked it in the latter half of senior year. That Summer after I graduated, my sister and I ran every day. We'd change into our running clothes in the bathroom at my dad's law firm where we filed papers part-time, drive to the beach and hit the boardwalk, weaving through crowds of tourists, or run on the sand and dodge waves and clumps of seaweed. Every run ended with a sprint, because it didn't count unless one of us won and both of us were collapsing.
That December, my sister and I came back from college for Winter break and ran the first of many half-marathons with my dad. My mom acted as support-team-slash-taxi-service. It was post-Christmas and cold by San Diego standards. Before the race started, my dad dropped back a few corrals to match his pace; my sister and I started together but separated to keep from sprinting each other into exhaustion. I wore short leggings and a messy ponytail and felt the starting-line energy for the first and most powerful time: all those people waiting for one thing. I'd never run more than 10 miles. I didn't even know if I could. But we were in it together.
The weird thing about running is that it both is and is not an individual sport. Runners train in teams to push each other and fight the boredom and insanity that comes from mile after mile of listening to your own thoughts. But most long-distance running accolades, with the exception of some relay races, are won on your own. Watch how the professionals run a marathon. The lead pack strides forward in unison like a flock of birds or a school of fish, runners shifting positions seamlessly, reading the air currents around each other's bodies. You almost can't imagine them apart from each other, as anything other than this one weird, many-legged organism. It can't last; someone has to break away, because that's how you win. But for an hour or two, they're doing it together.
Running has made me more independent. It's something I do by myself, no matter where I am, a way that I connect with new places. But it's also the thing that brings me, my sister, my mom, and my dad back home. Since that first half-marathon, we've run at least one race together every year, and usually more than one: half-marathons, 15Ks, 10-milers, Turkey Trot 5Ks with aunts and uncles and cousins. This happens even though my sister lives across the country in Washington DC, I live in Northern California, and my parents are still in San Diego. It's something to talk about - training, nutrition, and injury recovery - but more than that, it's something that reconnects us. It brings us home.
Like a lot of runs in San Diego, that first half-marathon ended at the beach. You run along the water for a long time, past the lagoon where I once saw a fish leap straight out of the water, past the Mexican restaurant where my sister and I once ordered burritos with beach sand still covering our hands. It's the last two miles of the race, which are the endless ones; by the time we hit the finish line, I've stopped taking in the sights, and I'm ready to be done.
But if you keep going - run past the finish line, up the stairs, over the bridge that spans the narrow inlet rushing toward the sea - you'll hit a hill. It's steep and windy and awful, going up, but then you turn around. Can a landscape be passed on through a generation, like character traits, like skin color or hair? Because I feel like this is one I was born knowing: the view from the top of a hill, the turn of that road, those cliffs, the ocean.
"Did you know I used to run here?" my dad will say. We do; now my sister and I take planes and fly for hours to do the same. The run might not be worth it; the view might be. The company is.
Olympic Runner Colleen Quigley Wants You to (Yes!) Feel the Pain of a Tough Workout
When I spoke with Colleen Quigley on the phone, she reminded me what it sounds like to be in love with a sport, not because she raves about her running career, but because of the dedication in her voice when she talks about working through rough parts of training. Colleen is a 2016 Olympian, having finished eighth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in Rio. Just this past February, she won her first US title as the USATF Indoor Mile Champion with a time of 4:29.47. She's a 2020 Olympic hopeful, currently training in Portland at the Bowerman Track Club, and, out of our entire conversation, I was most excited to ask her about how she gets through those tough spots in workouts where you just want to quit. (Been there, do not enjoy that.)
Colleen has endured a few injuries in the past - plantar fasciitis and a hamstring injury, to name a few - and writes in detail about them on her website (just this week, she disclosed via Instagram that her Achilles is giving her problems, but "I'm still working hard," she told us . . . athletes get injured; it happens). Being injured, Colleen said, can be lonely, but she always encourages people to remember that someone, somewhere out there is going through the same thing. And even when you're healthy again, the reality is that you'll have bad days in training.
The main thing Colleen wants you to know is that, when you're struggling, you need to acknowledge that struggle or else you're just going to ruminate in it. A lot. Once you recognize how hard a workout is, it will become easier to overcome. Meditation, which she started a couple of years ago, has taught her the concept of simply being in the moment. "But being in whatever moment you're in isn't always a good place," Colleen admitted, "so it's not necessarily trying to act like you're happy when you're not; it's recognizing when you're angry, or just being with that feeling." Once you can identify the hard parts and sit with them, "it's amazing how it can kind of disappear," she said.
Colleen gives an example of this practice at work. "If I'm in a hard workout, say a five-mile tempo, and maybe I'm in the third mile where it feels like I'm so far from the finish but I'm starting to get really fatigued, I might get to that point where I just don't want to do this anymore," she said. "I can start feeling my anxiety levels rise and start to think, 'Am I going to make it to the finish?' Those negative thoughts start coming in, and one thing I've focused on lately is just recognizing it and saying, 'Yeah, this is uncomfortable. That's OK, it's supposed to be uncomfortable, it doesn't have to be easy all the time.'" Sure, some days it's easy, Colleen admitted, but some days you just have to accept the uncomfortable parts of a workout, and once you recognize that, "it doesn't feel so bad anymore."
So the next time you're pushing through a particularly hard set or beginning to lose your breath during a treadmill run, Colleen wants you to tell yourself that it's not going to last forever. "This," she said, "helps me bring down my anxiety and focus on the lap that I'm doing or the mile that I'm currently on." Yes, by all means take a break if you need it, but know that sticking with your struggle can be done. And you don't need to be an Olympian to do it.
If You're on a Mission to Get Stronger Abs, a Celeb Trainer Said to Do These 3 Exercises
If you're on a mission to get a stronger core, grab a pen and paper and get ready to take notes, or just bookmark this article. POPSUGAR spoke with celebrity trainer Jason Walsh about how he trained Brie Larson for Captain Marvel, and he also gave us some ab-strengthening advice.
Everyone has a different opinion on the best ab exercises to do for a stronger core, and Jason prefers antirotational movements. "You don't have a lot of rotation," Jason told POPSUGAR while explaining his philosophy behind doing more antirotational ab exercises. "If you're forcing yourself into a lot [of rotational movements], you're really putting a lot of torque and twist on that lower spine," he said. According to Jason, "If you can get stronger at antirotation, that's the good stuff."
Both plank variations are antirotational, and Jason added the Russian twist because it doesn't require much twisting, adding that it helps strengthen the transverse abdominis. Check out the three ab-strengthening exercises ahead.
The Ab-Strengthening Exercises
You can add these exercises into your existing ab routine or make a quick workout with them. If you're a beginner, aim to perform them for 20 seconds or complete 10 reps per exercise. If you're more advanced, aim to perform 30 seconds or complete 14 to 20 reps of each exercise. Rest for 45 to 60 seconds and repeat for a total of two to three rounds.
- Elbow plank with reach
- Russian twist
- Elbow plank with leg lift
You'll Never Believe This Affordable Fitness Gear Can Be Yours For Under $65
Whether you're a fitness beginner or a full-on athlete, never underestimate the power of great workout gear. Having cute leggings, supportive sports bras, and the right water bottle acts as extra motivation to keep you moving and focused. So we scoured Macy's and found 14 workout essentials that we want immediately. The best part? They're all under $65!
Related: You Don't Have to Take a Class to Get SoulCycle's Activewear - It's at Nordstrom!
You Definitely Shouldn't Work Out in This Kind of Underwear, According to 2 Doctors
As important as a cute pair of leggings is during a workout, what you wear under them - or under your running shorts, bike shorts, or tennis skirt - might be even more crucial. And it's definitely a lot harder to know what makes a pair of underwear good or bad for a workout. Should you go for moisture-wicking or plain cotton? Are there any styles to steer clear of?
To answer the second question: definitely. Jenn Conti, MD, an ob-gyn at Stanford, said that when it comes to working out, you definitely want to stay away from thongs. Some people choose them to avoid getting visible panty line in yoga pants or leggings, she said, "but the reality is that tight undies that ride up your bum are a setup for infection." She explained that the fabric presses right up against your anus, where there's naturally a lot of bacteria. Since the material also sits right next to your vagina, those germs get passed along all too easily, putting you at risk for a urinary tract infection.
So, what should you wear under your leggings or shorts? Erica Cahill, MD, an ob-gyn and cohost of The V Word podcast with Dr. Conti, recommended that anyone with a particularly sensitive vagina wear cotton underwear, preferably undyed, since some women are allergic to dyes. "There are no official rules here," Dr. Cahill said. "But in general, the less restricting and more breathable, the better." If all of this is making you realize how badly you need to update your underwear drawer, check out these options that wick moisture and offer good coverage while staying light and breathable - perfect for your next workout.
10 Keto-Friendly Snacks You Can Find at Walt Disney World (Because This Place Is Magic)
A trip to Walt Disney World just isn't complete without indulging in all of the best snacks the happiest place on earth has to offer. Whether you've just started the keto diet or have managed to stay in ketosis for a while now, you need to show up to Disney World with a plan - or at least a bag of nuts and one or two avocados on your person. In all seriousness, the keto diet isn't easy to keep up with, especially when you have churros, ice cream, and french fries tempting you on every corner.
Lucky for you, we've rounded up 10 keto-friendly snacks at Disney World, including that Instagram-worthy turkey leg, giant pickles, and cheese plates for days. Keep reading for our picks!
These Are the 15 Bodyweight Exercises You Should Do to Improve Your Upper-Body Strength
Getting sculpted and strong arms is going to take time, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. If you're new to working out, we recommend beginning with bodyweight exercises to strengthen your arms. Once you've built up your strength, you can begin to incorporate a few beginner dumbbell exercises into your routine as well.
In order to make your life easier, we've rounded up 15 bodyweight exercises that will help strengthen and sculpt your arms. Just a friendly reminder that this is not a workout, and doing all 15 exercises at once will make you extremely sore. Instead, choose three to five exercises that work different muscles in your arms (i.e. push-ups, mid-rows, and pull-ups) to make a workout.
Once you've got a strength foundation, be sure to progress to more intense movements in order to keep building muscle and prevent hitting a plateau. In the meantime, put your arms to work with the 15 strengthening exercises ahead.
Related: An Expert Explains Why You Need to Do More Than Bodyweight Workouts to Lose Weight
If You Want a Bigger Butt, These Are the 15 Strength Exercises You Need to Start Doing
There's nothing wrong with squats; I like programming them to help increase overall lower-body strength. But if your goal is to transform your butt and build muscle, squats alone won't cut it. The reason being that squats are quadricep dominant, meaning your quadriceps (thigh muscles) are the main muscles targeted when performing squats.
That being said, if done correctly, you should feel your butt working as you squat since the gluteus maximus (your butt muscles) act as a synergist, muscles that help create the movement, but it's not the best exercise for building muscle in your butt.
You don't have to cut squats out of your workout plan completely, but if you want a larger butt, the best exercises to do are the ones that primarily target the gluteus muscles. Ahead, you'll find 15 exercises that will work your glute muscles like no other.
Just in case you were wondering, this is not a workout. Doing all 15 exercises at once will make it insanely hard and uncomfortable to walk, sit down, and do anything else without pain. Instead, choose three to four exercises (avoid choosing every glute bridge variation to do at once) to add to a lower-body or total-body workout.
Check out my favorite butt exercises ahead and don't forget to activate your glute muscles before you do them to maximize your results.
Your Lettuce Says It's "Triple Washed and Ready to Eat," but Is It Really Safe?
The whole point of buying prewashed salad greens in a bag or plastic container is to make dinner and meal prep a cinch. Some of them are "triple washed" - I don't even do that at home! Unfortunately, that prewashed organic spinach or arugula may not be all that clean or safe to eat.
Registered dietitian Leslie Langevin, MS, author of The Anti-Inflammatory Kitchen Cookbook, recommended washing all produce, including those with peels you don't eat like avocados, to get rid of germs, bacteria, and pesticides. She also said, "I recommend rewashing packaged greens that have been washed. I have found dirt and even bugs before in my prewashed greens, as I am sure lots of other people have found, too." Um, eww!
Even if you're OK with a little soil or caterpillars mixed in with your mesclun, you're probably not OK with E. coli, salmonella, or listeria. The Centers For Disease Control (CDC) follows what the FDA recommends, which is to wash and dry all raw fruits and veggies before consuming. As for prewashed produce that says it's "ready to eat," including greens, carrots, and sprouts, the FDA said "you can use the produce without further washing," but "if you choose to wash produce marked as 'prewashed' or 'ready-to-eat,' be sure that it does not come in contact with unclean surfaces or utensils. This will help to avoid cross contamination."
The FDA added that, "Washing may reduce bacteria that may be present, but it will not eliminate it." So if you're worried about the ickies on your veggies, sounds like you can't go wrong with a little extra washing. Just make sure your hands are washed before handling any produce and that your utensils and cutting board are also clean. Cut away any damaged or bruised areas, and if a fruit or veggie looks or smells funky, it's best to throw it out.
Why Getting Rid of Belly Fat Shouldn't Be Your Motivation For Exercising and Eating Healthy
Weight fluctuates. Our bodies are not made to fit the forms of department store mannequins, and it's physically and mentally draining to live as though they are. As important as it is to exercise and eat healthy to avoid health risks, it's equally as important to pay attention to our bodies and understand what they need to function at their peak performance level. I know from experience that it's easy to fall into a routine of looking at yourself in the mirror every day and wondering what you can do to get rid of that flab under your arms, the stretch marks on your thighs, or the way your stomach sticks out over the hem of your jeans.
Movies, television shows, and social media all play their part to feed us the idea that being fat is wrong and that having even the slightest curve on our bodies that isn't aesthetically pleasing is something that should be "fixed." That's where fad diets and juice cleanses come in. While certain diets do work for specific people, it's easy to forget that every body has different needs - even our own - so not losing weight results in personal disappointment and frustration, as if we've done something wrong in trying. We become so easily attuned to the idea that reducing belly fat and losing weight are the ultimate goal of fitness, and we lose sight of the fact that exercising and eating healthy for the sake of feeling healthy is a goal to strive toward in and of itself.
Related: To Stop Overeating, I Ate Exact Serving Sizes For a Week - I Failed but Learned This
As women, we are more than often expected to have the butt and the boobs that make us look "curvacious," without any of the belly fat or other body fat that may come with our body type. Most stores are completely inaccessible for women who are anywhere above a size 12 in jeans, while the average American woman is typically a size 16, according to a study by the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology, and Education. But many women who eat healthy and exercise still have fat around their stomach because that's the way their bodies are built. So what are we supposed to do?
When it comes to my body, I know I feel my best if I eat whole foods packed with protein and nutrients, but I also feel great when I let myself have that piece of chocolate or those french fries I've been craving every now and then without planning to punish myself for it later at the gym. And if I let myself indulge a little too often, I don't beat myself up about it, because I know that losing three pounds here and gaining two pounds there is going to happen.
In the end, we should exercise for our hearts and because it keeps us feeling strong.
Our bodies are built to adapt and change based on the nutrition and exercise we put into them, and having a flat stomach isn't a part of the equation for everyone. It isn't for me, but I still choose to eat foods that are considered healthy for the benefits they have on my energy levels, mental health, skin, and general well-being.
We shouldn't be force-feeding ourselves salads so we can pose 30 pounds lighter for an "after" picture, but there are ways of figuring out what foods and types of exercise will help us to be in our best personal physical shape - and that doesn't always involve losing weight. For me, the first step to eating healthier was listening to my body to tell me when I'm full and when I'm not, and eating the right amount of food depending on my hunger level. After all, what's the point of tricking your body into feeling full with water and nutrition shakes when you could actually eat healthy, filling foods like almonds, hummus, or fresh fruit that make you feel good and are good for you? Staying hydrated is crucial, but so is eating a healthy combination of fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and fats that satisfy your body completely. I'm not saying you should down a large combination pizza for dinner every night, but don't deprive yourself of food if you're hungry.
In the end, we should exercise for our hearts and because it keeps us feeling strong. We should eat healthy because it's good for our brains and gives us the energy we need to be productive throughout the day. And we should all feel free to live our lives with carbs in our bellies and smiles on our faces.
Wear These St. Patrick's Day Workout Clothes to the Gym For a Little Extra Luck
We've brought you neon workout attire and rock-star faux-leather leggings. In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, we wanted to keep the momentum going with some fitness gear featuring shamrocks and lots of green - because we're as lucky as a leprechaun to have our badass bodies to move in! Wear any of these on March 17, and any day thereafter, if you're feeling festive. What's at the end of our rainbow? A pot of gold, some coconut turmeric wraps . . . and St. Paddy's clothes.
A Sleep Expert Explains Why You Always Feel Tired After Waking Up
Sleep is one of those things you just can't live without. A lack of sleep can interfere with your body's ability to recover and build muscle, lead to weight gain, and impair brain function and performance.
To get to the bottom of why you wake up feeling lethargic, POPSUGAR spoke to Neomi Shah, MD, associate professor of medicine, division of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Get Enough Sleep
One of the most obvious reasons you feel lethargic after waking up is because you aren't getting enough sleep. "Most adult humans need seven to eight hours of sleep in a 24-hour period," Dr. Shah told POPSUGAR. If you tend to feel lethargic and drowsy after waking up, try spending more time in bed. If you are sleeping enough, but still feel lackluster, Dr. Shah said you may feel lethargic due to poor sleep quality from waking up multiple times at night or periods of prolonged wakefulness.
"Underlying sleep apnea is always a concern when feeling lethargic despite adequate sleep, but other medical and or psychiatric conditions can also explain this," Dr. Shah said. For example, an underactive thyroid can lead to feeling lethargic, along with depression.
Create a Bedtime Routine
Along with getting more sleep, Dr. Shah recommended creating a bedtime routine to wake up feeling more energetic. "Ensure the routine stays the same every day of the week, including the same wake and sleep times on the weekend," she said. If podcasts or journaling before bed help you relax, do it. Regardless of what your routine entails, Dr. Shah said to avoid drinking alcohol right before bed.
Avoid Caffeine Late in the Day
Another drink to watch out for is coffee. If you need caffeine to fuel your day, Dr. Shah said to avoid drinking it in the afternoon and evening. She also recommends staying hydrated throughout the day "as dehydration can often make you feel lethargic," she explained.
What to Do If You're Still Feeling Lethargic
If you've implemented all these steps and you're still feeling sleepy on top of feeling lethargic, Dr. Shah advised getting a sleep evaluation and sleep study done to help pinpoint the problem. She also recommends having a medical exam done once a year to ensure you don't have underlying medical conditions or psychiatric conditions that could be contributing to the feeling of lethargy.
I'm Obsessed With This Healthy Snack That Tastes Just Like Homemade Puppy Chow
Dark chocolate and peanut butter: name a more iconic duo. I'll wait. While I usually satisfy my craving for chocolate and PB together by either polishing off a dark chocolate peanut butter cup from Trader Joe's or melting chocolate chips and peanut butter together and eating it by the spoonful (don't judge me), Skinny Dipped Almonds released a new flavor that sent my chocolate-peanut-butter-loving heart a flutter.
I was already a fan of Skinny Dipped Almonds thanks to the Dark Chocolate Cocoa and Dark Chocolate Espresso flavors. But when I saw the brand released a Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor, I couldn't get my hands on it fast enough. I'm not a big sweets person, which is why I love Skinny Dipped; the almonds are coated in a thin layer of chocolate and lightly dusted with cocoa powder, so the chocolate and sweetness aren't too overwhelming. Not only does this make it taste better - I actually want to taste the almonds when I'm eating chocolate-covered almonds, you know? - but it also cuts back on sugar and calories. One serving of Skinny Dipped Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Almonds is a generous 15 almonds and clocks in at just 150 calories, 12 grams of fat, 11 grams of carbs, and seven grams of sugar.
OK, cool, so they have fewer calories than most other chocolate-covered nuts on the market, but how do they taste? I'm not exaggerating when I say I would trade in every Reese's peanut butter cup I ever get for the rest of my life for these dark chocolate and peanut butter almonds instead. In fact, each bite reminds me of Puppy Chow, the chocolate-and-peanut-butter-covered snack you made as a kid. Swap the rice cereal for almonds and the powdered sugar topping for cocoa powder and that's basically what you get when you pop open a bag of these Skinny Dipped Almonds. It's the perfect combo of salty and sweet.
Look, the 15-almond serving is pretty satisfying - I even practice mindful eating when I eat them so I can savor each one in my mouth and enjoy the flavors (yes, I make eating these a whole production). But even if I eat more, it doesn't totally blow my calorie budget for the day. Plus, almonds are a good source of fiber and healthy fats (right?), so they're basically a health food.
Right now, I have bags stocked in my desk and pantry, but I'm about to order some more so I'll never run out. You can find Skinny Dipped Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Almonds on Amazon ($20 for three).
The 7 Best Walking Apps to Help You Track Your Steps and Get In Shape
If "walk more" is part of your fitness game plan or you're just looking to up your step game, you need to keep track of how many steps you are actually taking. You may think you're logging enough steps on your walks to and from the office break room or chasing your kids around, but can you ever truly be sure? Experts recommend about 10,000 steps a day for weight loss, and one brisk 30-minute walk that gets your heart rate up is a good workout that will burn calories (if you need inspo, check out these walking treadmill workouts).
In order to maximize your walking efficiency, especially if you are using walking to help you lose weight, it's a good idea to use an app on your phone that will track steps, create workouts, and monitor your progress, most of which using just your phone and no fancy gadgets. We've rounded up seven of the best walking apps that will help you reach your goals.
What's VO2 Max, and Should You Care About It? A Doctor Explains
Are you tracking enough of your fitness metrics yet? No? Great! Here's another one: VO2 max. It's a measurement that's traditionally been used by elite athletes, especially runners and cyclists, but with the rise of fitness trackers that can measure, it seems, anything and everything, you might be wondering if this is another number you should be keeping tabs on. How important is it really, and what exactly is it measuring? POPSUGAR talked to Michael Fredericson, MD, professor and director of physical medicine and sports medicine at Stanford University, to find out more.
What Is VO2 Max?
"VO2 max basically measures your maximal oxygen consumption," Dr. Fredericson explained. "It measures the highest level of oxygen you consume while exercising." The idea is that the more oxygen you're able to take in - so, the higher your VO2 max - the harder you can work or the faster you can run. And one important note: VO2 Max is a measure of your potential oxygen capacity, and it's based, to a large degree, on factors you can't change, like genetics.
A higher VO2 max doesn't always correlate to a better or faster performance, either. People with a low VO2 max might be more capable of pushing through the pain or discomfort of not getting enough oxygen during exercise - those hard-panting, muscles-burning sensations. And someone with a higher oxygen capacity might be physically capable of more reps or a faster time, but won't be able to get there mentally. "It gives you, essentially, an idea about what your potential is," Dr. Fredericson said, but your actual performance might be much different.
How Do You Measure VO2 Max At Home?
VO2 max is typically measured in a lab. You'd be asked to run on a treadmill or cycle on a stationary bike at maximum effort while doctors monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen consumption.
"That's the only way to get a completely accurate measurement," Dr. Fredericson explained. If you're just looking for an estimate, you can use an online VO2 max calculator, where you'll enter running or cycling times along with information about your weight, heart rate, and gender. Though the online calculators aren't nearly as accurate as a lab test, they'll give you a good estimate of where you're at.
Is VO2 Max Important?
VO2 max is based on a lot of different factors, many of which are out of your control, which can make it a frustrating thing to track. Dr. Fredericson said that it's helpful for some elite coaches and athletes, who may need to know exactly what level to work out at and how hard to push themselves to reap the maximum rewards. "But for the average person, it's more of a novelty," he said. "It's a cool thing, but I don't know that it's really going to make that big of a difference for the average athlete."
The most helpful information you can get out of VO2 max, according to Dr. Fredericson, is a precise measurement of your maximum heart rate. This is especially good to know if you're more new to exercise, he said. You can set heart rate goals for yourself during workouts and aim to surpass those numbers as you get more fit. And in terms of more general health, a 2016 review by the American Heart Association said that low VO2 max - low amounts of oxygen consumption during exercise - could be connected to conditions like heart disease, dementia, some kinds of cancer, and depression.
If you're looking to up your oxygen capacity, whether for overall health, faster times in a race, or less discomfort during workouts, Dr. Fredericson recommended doing HIIT workouts and any other kind of high-effort interval workouts, like sprints in running, swimming, or cycling. He also recommended paying closer attention to your rate of perceived exertion to tell when you're reaching maximum effort and heart rate. Listening to your physical cues and pushing your potential that way can be just as effective as playing it by the numbers.
If You're Working Out Twice a Day, This Is What a Trainer Wants You to Know
As soon as people find out that I'm a trainer, they decide it's time to play 21 questions. I get asked a variety of things, like what I eat, how I train, what I think about trendy diets, how to get stronger arms, and the list goes on.
Another question I get asked a lot is if I think it's bad to work out twice a day. Technically speaking, no, it's not bad and you won't get in trouble, but I don't advise it for the general population. Why? First and foremost, I think it's possible for you to achieve whatever goal you may have by working out smart and once per day.
My second reason is because I don't think people do enough when it comes to recovery and nutrition in order for the body to perform well and sustain two-a-days. Yes, physically it can be done, but without eating enough to fuel your body and doing necessary recovery work to keep your body performing at a high level, the two-a-days will only lead to burnout, fatigue, and injury.
With that being said, in my opinion, there are two exceptions to doing two-a-days. The first is that you're either a collegiate or professional athlete. This is because essentially your job is to perform at the best of your ability. Not to mention, these athletes have access to world-class facilities, doctors, dietitians, physical therapists, and coaches who all have the same goal of keeping the athlete as healthy as possible while maintaining a high performance level. The other exception is if you're doing one intense workout paired with some form of a recovery workout like yoga. In my opinion, this is fine because you aren't putting too much stress on your body.
Instead of doing two-a-days, I think you can get in shape and stay strong working out once a day. For example, you can do an intense strength training session on Monday, followed by a fun Spin class on Tuesday, rest on Wednesday, and so on. So to answer the question, if your recovery game and nutrition aren't on point, you more than likely shouldn't work out twice in a single day. Instead, I recommended creating a weekly workout plan (or asking a trainer to make one for you) so that you feel more prepared and can get the most out of your workouts.
If you're looking for something more long-term, get started with this four-week workout plan to get back in shape and build muscle.
jeudi 14 mars 2019
I Couldn't Take Baths in My Tub Until I Found This $8 Product on Amazon
When I moved into my first adult apartment a few years ago, I had big plans. I was going to make my bathroom a pampering oasis, with a basket of Lush bath bombs, a selection of Jo Malone bubble bath products, and even some Rituals bath oil so I could regularly participate in my favorite stress-relieving indulgence. To my dismay, I discovered fairly quickly that my bathtub would not plug. The little switch meant to stop the water (and my expensive products) from going down the drain did zilch, and so I was left without being able to take a warm, cozy bath for a full year.
While talking to my best friend Jen about how all of my nice bodycare items weren't getting put to use, she casually said, "Why don't you get one of those silicone stoppers?" and pulled up Amazon on her phone to show me the OXO Tot Tub Stopper ($8). My mouth practically hung open for a full 30 seconds before I thanked her profusely and immediately ordered it on Prime in my favorite color, aqua. I couldn't believe there was such a simple solution to a problem I'd been moaning about for over a year.
The stopper works by creating a watertight seal with the silicone mat that prevents your bath from draining with both the weight of the water on top of it and the suction cup-like bottom. I haven't had any problems using it since I first bought it and love that I can stick it to the wall of my shower when it's not in use. If you're not a fan of aqua, it also comes in navy, teal, and gray so you can coordinate it with your bathroom decor.
This stopper has been a total game changer for me, and for just $8, I definitely think it was worth it. Check out the product, ahead.
The Expert's Guide to Transitioning to Natural Hair
After a million YouTube videos, tip-laden articles, personal stories, products, and an abundance of patience, the process of transitioning from chemically processed styles to naturally curly and textured hair remains a struggle. It's hard. Committing to the actual stages of it, no matter what your initial transition plan, is like strapping yourself into an emotional roller coaster that you aren't quite sure you're ready to ride. The journey is personal, but the natural hair world has created a mega support group to help get you through it.
Not long ago the style options, products to help during some very awkward hair phases, and the overall know-how on safely parting ways with chemical treatments was all very limited - but the process has come a very long way. So whether you're a first-time transitioner or someone who took a detour and is now looking for a bit of courage and encouragement to try again, these expert tips will hopefully make the journey stress-free, efficient, and a lot less daunting.
The 15 Hottest Lipsticks of 2019 Are So Good, You'll Need to Buy a Bigger Makeup Bag
It's time for a beauty overhaul. If you're as obsessed with lipstick as us, your bank account is about to get a little emptier. We curated a list of the most coveted options for 2019. These lipsticks come in every color from poppy red to shimmery champagne. We also chose them at a variety of price points so that there's something for every budget. Shop through these buzzy options, and add a few to your vanity. It's totally necessary.
I Got a Facial on the Inside of My Mouth, and the Results Were Incredible
Facials: most of us know them, and many of us love them. At POPSUGAR, we're always looking for the most innovative treatments to step up our skincare game, and I just found my new favorite. When the opportunity arose to have an appointment with celebrity facialist Michaella Bolder, I jumped at the chance. Aside from having extensive knowledge of facials, she had one big selling point: her specialty is an inside-of-the-mouth facial. Yes, it sounds gross, but I promise it's not, and the results were impressive.
Bolder felt that the general day-to-day facial wasn't doing enough, so after researching and training in various Japanese techniques, she found adding this mouth massage to her lineup of facial offerings to be a success. In my opinion, there are two types of facials: a "relaxing" facial and a "get sh*t done" facial. I was yet to come across one treatment that could do both, until now. Bolder's treatment combined facial techniques that manipulate muscle and stimulate lymphatic drainage, effective products, and the relaxation of massage.
Better yet, this facial technique is Meghan Markle-approved. The duchess once quoted that it "literally massages your face from inside your mouth! Insane, right?" My rationale: if it's good enough for her, it's damn well good enough for me.
If you're still thinking "what the?!" to a facial on the inside of your mouth, keep reading and I'll give you all the reasons it's one of the best facials I've ever had.
These Female Animators Are "Fed the F*ck Up" With Sexual Harassment and Ready to Risk It All
In the era of #MeToo and Time's Up, and following the fall of Harvey Weinstein, women in Hollywood have banded together to shed light on the unspoken atrocities that too often occur behind closed doors. Such is the case with this group of female animators, who are featured on the March 13 episode of Full Frontal. These women bonded together on Facebook and, in turn, identified a common experience of alleged harassment from a male colleague: Chris Savino. We're sharing an exclusive first look at their story.
The ripple effect started when storyboard artist Cheyenne Curtis detailed her experience with Savino to the private Facebook group. Even her close friends in the community were unaware of Curtis's claims before she made them. "Something came over my body; my hands just started typing frantically. It wasn't thought out, it was just years of pent-up feelings," Curtis said. "People knew exactly who I was talking about, and I didn't need to say who it was."
Curtis's allegations led to several other women coming forward with their own reports against Savino. Risking their own success and putting their careers on the line, these women teamed up, made their claims against Savino public, and brought their concerns to the guild. He was fired from Nickelodeon following the accusations of inappropriate behavior from a dozen women and suspended by the guild, thanks to the efforts of these female animators.
To hear from the animators themselves, including Curtis, watch the full video above. Fun fact: the whole segment was shot, produced, directed, and animated by women.
This Couple Had a Giant Bouncy Castle at Their Wedding, and the Photos Are SO Fun!
Newlyweds Adalynn and Florinel Toma celebrated their nuptials by jumping for joy - no, literally. The couple rented an all-white bouncy castle for their wedding day, and yes, the photo ops were just as epic as you'd imagine. Adalynn and Florinel knew they wanted something "fun and memorable" when they tied the knot in an outdoor ceremony in Hawaii this past January, they told POPSUGAR. And after seeing a photo of a white inflatable house in their wedding planner's lookbook, they knew they had to have one.
"Everyone loved it and said it was the best wedding they've ever been to."
Photographer Kay Salera was there to capture all the fun, candid moments that ensued when the bride, in her gorgeous lacy dress (sans heels, of course), and the groom, in his sharp tux, bounced atop the huge inflatable. Of course, the castle-like addition was a total hit with the kiddos who attended their wedding at Kualoa Ranch & Private Nature Reserve, but adults couldn't resist getting in on the fun. "Everyone loved it and said it was the best wedding they've ever been to," Adalynn said. I sure wish we'd gotten an invite!
Keep reading to see all the fun bouncy castle pictures Kay snapped at the reception, followed by more dreamy images from Adalynn and Florinel's dreamy oceanside wedding. I don't know about you, but I'm certainly bookmarking these for when it comes time to plan my big day.
This Brand Created a Networking Retreat For Black Women, and Uh, Where's My Passport?
Networking can be a pretty dreadful experience sometimes, but not when you're doing it in the middle of paradise. That logic was pretty much the driving force behind this brand's decision to develop a special networking retreat for black millennial women looking to "figure out adulting while trying to level up."
Baddies and Bosses, as it's called, is an experience jointly created by multicultural brands The Baddie Brunch and The B Is For Boss, two communities through which professional women of color can connect and exchange career tips. Together, the brands have realized a girl-power-focused getaway in Cancun, Mexico, where women can mingle with each other and chat about their career aspirations and entrepreneurial endeavors. In addition to that, attendees can wind down by participating in meditation sessions, boat parties, themed photo shoots, and panel discussions. It definitely takes the dread out of practicing your elevator pitch.
"We're passionate about providing women of color with opportunities to celebrate, collaborate, slay, and socialize," Sade Ayodele, founder and CEO of The B Is for Boss, told POPSUGAR via email. "We're also committed to providing them the resources and knowledge they need to successfully navigate their careers and entrepreneurial endeavors - in a fun setting that's an escape from their day-to-day."
The Baddies and Bosses retreat puts an emphasis on building relationships, and black women working in any industry are welcome to attend. After hitting the beaches of Tulum, Mexico, last year, this Summer's trip will be held from July 25 to 28 at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun. Any women interested in registering or learning more can do so here.
Texting Is Great, but It's Important to Pick Up the Phone and Call Your Friends
A lot of people don't enjoy talking on the phone; you're either a "phone person" or you're not. Personally, I've always loved a good, long phone call. In middle school, I could spend hours chatting it up with friends I'd been hanging out with 20 minutes earlier. When my best friend worked as a nanny one Summer, she called me every day to talk while the kids napped. And, like a lot of people, I spent a lot of time in high school curled up in bed (or my beanbag chair) to talk to a boyfriend - on the family landline, of course.
I definitely don't have time to enjoy as many leisurely phone conversations anymore, but I do talk to a friend or two just about every day, and it makes me a better person. I left my hometown about a decade ago, so I have a lot of long-distance friendships, and the group text just isn't enough sometimes. As for friends who live nearby, I tend to call them fairly often, too, because there's something to be said for a true, real-time connection and the energy boost that comes from even a five-minute conversation with someone you care about. Sure, texting is efficient, but the best ways to show love aren't efficient, so every once in a while, yep, you need to pick up the phone.
"Sure, texting is efficient, but the best ways to show love aren't efficient, so every once in a while, yep, you need to pick up the phone."
Okay, you don't NEED to pick up the phone, and if you're not a "phone person," by all means, live your life and text it up! Be the "@" queen in Instagram comments! I agree that a full-on phone call can sometimes feel daunting or annoying. A friend recently joked that she couldn't remember the last time her phone rang, and "thank God for that." I knew what she meant, because I do a double take every time I see someone's actually calling and I realize it's not just another text or push notification.
We're all accustomed to that quick, address-it-whenever-you-want communication style, so a phone call is jarring and oddly disruptive - a surprising interruption that puts us on the spot. Even when it's not a great time to talk, though, I still try to answer a call whenever it's from a friend. (Unknown numbers? Forget it. I'm not a psychopath.) The thing is, phone calls seem stressful because we feel pressure to let them go on for hours like it's 2002 or something, but five minutes with a best friend is better than nothing.
I was born in the late '80s, which means I'm an "old millennial" who didn't live in an all-texting, all-the-time world until college. Before then, there were precious phone minutes to be considered and games of Snake to be played on my brick of a Nokia. Instead of popping into the group chat to gossip, we'd wait until everyone was at the lunch table or we'd hope our best friends signed into AIM after dinner. Is that why I still love talking on the phone? Is there a sense of nostalgia? Maybe. Probably. In any case, I genuinely look forward to talking to a friend, whether it's an hour-long conversation during my commute or a 10-minute chat while I walk to the coffee shop.
That rapid, back-and-forth rhythm of a conversation with someone you love, their familiar voice, hearing an actual laugh instead of seeing a cry-laugh emoji - it's good for the soul. It lets time stretch out a bit and forces you to focus on the connection rather than moving between a text, an article, and an Instagram story, then back again. You get to sink into the moment, soak up the intimacy, and, every once in a while, feel like you're 16 again.
A Hotel in New Orleans Is Offering a $15,000 Stay to the Guest With the Stickiest Fingers
Let's be real, we've all had that moment in a hotel where you talk yourself into stealing the tiny shampoo bottles and soaps, because they're going to throw them out after you leave anyway, right? But one hotel in New Orleans is encouraging guests to prove they can get away with taking more than just lavender-scented toiletries. The Roosevelt New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria hotel, is hosting a contest in celebration of its 125th anniversary - and it's going to take a true thief to rake in the $15,000 prize. So how do you earn this extravagant reward?
"The person that offers up the most outrageous stolen item from our hotel between now and July 1, 2019 will receive seven free nights in our Presidential Suite, along with free private dinners cooked by the executive chef, and spa experiences," General Manager Tod Chambers told Condé Nast Traveler. "We'd estimate nearly 700 of our logoed Sazerac glasses are 'borrowed' from the bar during the holiday season alone. This is letting us recapture a little history and have some fun doing it," Chambers added. "In a way, knowing they have something that reminds them of our Roosevelt in their own homes? Well, that leaves us flattered," he said.
A one-night stay in the hotel would total $1,500 per night for the room alone, making the total prize worth $15,000 - way better than mini shampoos!
"In a way, knowing they have something that reminds them of our Roosevelt in their own homes? Well, that leaves us flattered."
Originally known as the Grunewald Hotel, which was founded in 1893, the hotel became the Roosevelt in 1923 and has since developed a rich history and seen thousands of guests, including musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Ray Charles. After 125 years, Roosevelt guests have had plenty of time to swipe more than their fair share of bathrobes, hotel keys, pillow covers, menus, vases, and hotel decor (sneaky rascals). Past guests can feel free to return any item from the hotel without judgment. One person even returned an entire tablecloth, and kudos to them for pulling off that creative escapade.
In order to enter the contest, you have to have visited sometime in the last century or so and gotten away with a pretty amazing keepsake - which means new guests are NOT encouraged to steal from the hotel (anymore). As far as limits to what can be returned? "We will accept any item from any time period in the building's hotel history for our Historic Giveback Contest," Chambers said. "We want to celebrate her entire past."
This Couple's Love Story Had the Makings of a Romantic Comedy - See Their Fun Wedding!
Paola and Jay met while they were in the Air Force on assignment in Turkey. According to Paola, the two first connected when they sat next to each other on a bus while on their way to an event and Jay made silly jokes the entire ride. After the couple's real-life meet-cute, they had a wedding that was straight out of a charming romantic comedy. The ceremony took place at Granberry Hills in San Antonio, and was packed with their friends, family, and loved ones. Some memorable things even happened at the wedding? Paola's pregnant bridesmaid cracked a joke about "dancing the baby out" and lo and behold her water broke while dancing. Now that sounds like a coincidence straight out of a Nancy Meyers movie.
"Paola didn't skip a beat all night," said wedding photographer Jennifer Ryals. "She made us all fall in love with their first dance, got down with her best girls, made us cry with her father-daughter dance, and danced with Jay's dad to like four songs and stole the show!"
However, the highlight of the night was when Paola and Jay's two beautiful children made a lovely and heartfelt toast. According to Jennifer, there was not a dry eye in the room afterward. Paola and Jay were beaming with joy, and their photos turned out marvelously. Make sure to check them out ahead!
I Had Sex Every Day For a Week, and This Is What I Learned
My relationship with sex has slowly evolved over the past 10 or so years. Before that, I just did what someone else wanted regardless of how I felt about it, which was soul-sucking and traumatic at the very least. Now that I have asserted complete ownership over my body, what I do with it, and who I do it with, I decided to take on an experiment of having sex every day for a week. I considered trying it for a month, but conflicting and busy schedules would have made it impossible.
Having sex for a week seems like a simple activity that wouldn't require much effort, but I was surprised by what I discovered as we pushed toward the end of the week. Keep reading for a full breakdown of what I learned.
Day 1
No problems here. It was the first day, and we were ready to take on the challenge. On day one, I didn't learn much beyond the fact that sex is fun and so are sex challenges.
Day 2
Some discussion happened on the night before day two that went a little like this: "So, what time do you want to have sex tomorrow? Oh, after dinner sounds great." There was still excitement there, but it didn't feel as spontaneous as the first day. Because it wasn't. Day two taught me that it's absolutely OK to schedule sex, especially if you have busy lives. It's better to schedule sex than not have it at all.
Day 3
"So I guess we need to do this thing. You ready?" Everyone undresses anticlimactically and climbs into bed, but we spent a good amount of time cuddling, stopping, going, watching a movie that was extremely interrupted, and connecting with each other. I learned on day three that intimacy and connection can be just as or even more powerful than the actual act of sex. When we connected and slowed down, even without all the frills of the "chase," we wanted each other just as much, while stripping away all of the extra to-dos that can often accompany the rituals of sex.
Day 4
It's amazing how quickly the excitement fizzles when you start having sex because you're accepting a challenge as opposed to it feeling like a spontaneous, hot event. We got lazy this night and brought out some toys to ensure a climax with the least amount of effort on our part. We lasted around 10 minutes. Good times.
Day four taught me the value of perseverance . . . just kidding. Day four showed me that it's easy to lose some of the eroticism with your partner when you stop trying. As with any relationship, there's often a fine balance between eroticism and security. If you lean too far one way, you can lose some of the other. We decided we needed to up our game if we wanted to keep this fun rather than a chore. Sex feeling like a chore can eventually lead to resentments and damage to the relationship, not necessarily during a one-week challenge but if it's a continuous experience.
Day 5
I was shocked by how unexciting and unappealing having sex sounded by this point. I thought I loved sex! I know I love sex. I thought I loved my partner! I know I love my partner. What the heck was going on? We decided to get a little more creative here, otherwise it wasn't going to happen. I wore my laciest black panties, sent a few risque photographs throughout the day, and walked in on my partner getting settled after a long day of work wearing nothing but those little lacies. Then I climbed on their lap and told them exactly where I wanted their hands and mouth. Needless to say, day five injected a little of that spark back into something that had turned monotonous as opposed to passionate.
I learned the power of my voice on day five. As someone who struggles to assertively say what they want, this was great practice for advocating for my own wants and needs. It was surprising to my partner as well, which added some heat to the potentially lukewarm hump-day of this one-week challenge (pun intended). It's definitely a turn-on - and very helpful - when you or your partner voice exactly what you want when having sex and even when you're not.
Day 6
I left day six up to my partner. I had taken the reins the day before, and now it was their turn. Restraints and some spanking might have been involved - with consent, of course. And the growl of wanting had returned. We were approaching the end of the challenge, and there was a tiny bit of relief in that. Sex is fun. A lot of sex is fun. But there's something to be said for being a little less available. I want to be able to voice when I want to have sex with my partner, and I love when they reciprocate. But committing to a challenge like this feels like it takes away some of that power to say, "Not today" (we would absolutely say, "Not today," if we felt uncomfortable with it for any reason), which takes away some of the passion in the experience.
Day 7
Our schedules had caught up with us at this point. We both had engagements that night and wouldn't be seeing each other. As we took a drive during our lunch break together, I was surprised to see the car pulling around behind the back of a building right in the middle of the city. "What are we doing?" I asked. A hand slipped inside the front of my pants in response.
Sex can be such an empowering experience. It's been a long road of healing and recovery on my sexual journey, but I wouldn't have learned what I've learned along the way without those experiences. I've learned that my voice matters, that I can advocate for my needs, that I can say no, that I can initiate sex, and that intimacy and connection don't have to be a scary place to be.
Amazon's Dragon Pool Floats Breathe Fire and Ice Because Summer Is Coming
Picture this: it's mid-Summer and season eight of Game of Thrones has already finished. By then we know who inherits the throne, what goes down in Winterfell for the biggest battle sequence to date, and who the hell Arya is running from in the intense trailer. There's officially nothing left to theorize about, and we probably won't be able to stop talking about those wild six episodes, so what do we do? We throw a Game of Thrones pool party and have our own battle!
Thanks to the GoFloats Fire Dragon Party Tube ($20), which also comes in an Ice Dragon version ($20), our Thrones-inspired party is complete. Except in our version of Westeros, there are tons of dragons, and the only blood involved is tomato juice in the Bloody Marys. Shop Amazon's dragon pool floats ahead, and get ready to scream "Dracarys!" all Summer long.
Itching to Move? These Are the 20 Happiest Cities in America
Despite the many things currently going on the world - in particular the US - there are still many towns where its residents (for the most part) feel content, happy, and heard. NerdWallet just released their Happiest Cities in America list for 2019, and we have a feeling that some of these spots may surprise you. Whether you live in one of these cities or want to plan a visit (who wouldn't want to go to a happy town?!), they've all excelled in a few big categories for happiness, including emotional and physical well-being, income and employment, and community and environment. From sunny California towns to Arizona's desert, keep reading to see all 20 of the country's happiest cities.
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