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.
dimanche 12 juillet 2020
Some of Our Favorite Disney Princes Look Hot as Hell in This Realistic Artwork
Hold on - is this artwork created by Jirka Vinse Jonatan Väätäinen images of actual models, new Bachelorette contestants, or Disney princes? The artist and graphic designer, who beautifully reimagined what Disney princesses would look like if they were real women, did it again - but this time with the sexy dudes of our favorite fairytales. Can we just say that Prince Eric is looking FINE? And John Smith's long-hair-don't-care look is working for us in a real way (he also definitely looks like Smith from Sex and the City). The artwork is actually a few years old, but is making the rounds on the internet again because . . . well, just look at 'em! Ahead, see the stunningly sexy photos of your favorite Disney princes reimagined in real life.
Watch a 3-Year-Old Prove Representation Matters as She Points to Hamilton's Phillipa Soo and Says, "It's Me"
The live-recorded movie version of Broadway's Hamilton debuted on Disney+ on July 3, and fans around the world are rejoicing in being able to access Lin-Manuel Miranda's work of art on demand, rather than having to purchase pricey theater tickets. One such fan is 3-year-old Jenna, who is proving that representation matters after seeing Phillipa Soo - one of the many diverse cast members in Lin's show, who plays Alexander Hamilton's wife, Eliza - in the film. In a video shared to Instagram by Phillipa, Jenna can be seen watching the movie on a laptop. "It's me!" she says, as Eliza glides on screen in the middle of "Helpless."
"Little Jenna here is exactly why #representationmatters," Phillipa wrote on Instagram. "I am so grateful for this show, that so many young people can watch this show and say 'It's me'." Jenna's aunt, Britney Thai, works with the Hamilton team and shared the video with Phillipa directly. Britney told POPSUGAR that for her family, even being able to witness Jenna experience this moment of pride is emotional, as she suffered from heart and lung failure when she was just a year-and-a-half old.
"Our family has been so grateful to receive all the kind messages about the importance of this video and what representation means to so many people," Britney told POPSUGAR. "Jenna is our fighter and we are incredibly lucky to see her on the road to full recovery. To witness her thrive in moments like this, where she gets to discover role models and see herself on screen, has been so meaningful. Jenna is a little too young to understand the impact of this moment so we are archiving all the messages we've received so she can read when she's older (right now, she's too busy being a princess AND a doctor AND a chef)!"
Britney added: "We want to thank Phillipa Soo for her support and her incredible work. We are proud to see her representing the [Asian American and Pacific Islander communities] in the arts!"
If you'd like to write a letter to Jenna about the impact of seeing her video or to share with her what representation means to you, you can email her now and she'll get to read it when she's older. Or, Britney shared, "If you are able and would like to provide additional support, we encourage you to donate to Children's Hospital LA where Jenna received her treatment, so we can all further help those like Jenna to find moments where they too can dream and thrive."
Amy Schumer's 3-Part Docuseries, Expecting Amy, Details Her Emotional Pregnancy Journey
Comedian Amy Schumer has been nothing but candid when it comes to sharing the highs and lows of her pregnancy and parenting her 1-year-old son, Gene. In the past, she's publicly modeled a less-than-glamorous pair of mesh underwear and spoken openly about her struggles with hyperemesis gravidarum, or severe morning sickness. Now, the 39-year-old mom is giving her fans a look at what it's like to be on the road as a standup comedian while pregnant in her new three-part docuseries, Expecting Amy.
Available to stream on HBO Max today, the docuseries explores Amy's marriage to her husband, Chris Fischer, and illustrates the pressure on women to "do it all" without complaining.
"It takes viewers behind-the-scenes as Schumer battles through an extraordinarily difficult pregnancy while documenting the formation of a comedy special," reads a press release for the series. "Schumer continues touring to prepare for the taping in Chicago that she isn't sure she will be able to execute. It focuses on pulling the curtain completely back on her marriage to husband Chris Fischer, and the journey to his diagnosis on the autism spectrum."
Watch until the end to get a few small looks at what Amy went through on her pregnancy journey, and stream Expecting Amy on HBO Max now!
87 POPSUGAR Fitness Instagram Live Workouts to Get You Moving and Sweating at Home
Need a little home workout motivation? We're teaming up with expert trainers on our POPSUGAR Fitness Instagram page to lead you through inspiring, muscle-strengthening, heart-pounding live workouts. In case you miss any of them, we're adding them to the POPSUGAR Fitness Instagram feed and rounding them all up here so you can follow along when you have time. Choose from a variety of workouts including HIIT, dance cardio, and yoga. Get ready to get sweaty and have fun, and stay tuned to our Instagram for even more live workouts to come!
These 25 True-Crime Podcasts From 2020 Will Have You Constantly Looking Behind You
Over the past several years, true-crime stories have proliferated across every platform, and people can't seem to get enough. There are hundreds of fascinating true-crime books and documentaries available to read and stream, but for those who like to learn about murders and missing persons on the go, true-crime podcasts are for you. Podcast fans have likely heard of popular series like Serial, Criminal, and My Favorite Murder, and while those are definitely worth a listen, 2020 has already debuted some brand-new crime-based podcasts that should be on your radar. Check out the gallery for 25 new podcasts about tragic crimes, intense investigations, and the failures of the justice system.
Amanda Kloots's Siblings Made a Touching Montage of Their Last 95 Days of Coparenting Elvis
Broadway star Nick Cordero died at the age of 41 on July 5 after 95 days of battling COVID-19 and the complications it caused. His wife, Amanda Kloots, stayed open and honest throughout Nick's time in the hospital, keeping fans updated through raw videos and Instagram captions. Now, the fitness trainer is showing fans the other side of her last 95 days: her time spent coparenting her and Nick's 1-year-old son, Elvis, with her two siblings, Todd and Anna.
In a video titled "The Silver Linings," pieces of Amanda's life with her family and son from April through June play over music. "How do you get through the hardest time in your life? Family," Amanda wrote in the caption. "I woke up to this video my sister made for me. She titled it, The Silver Linings. I have always been lucky to have a family that loves to be together and to support each other. I'm even luckier to have Nicks family and extended family that are the same."
Throughout the video, Amanda's family can be seen cooking, dancing, singing, exercising, caring for Elvis, and even celebrating his first birthday on June 10. "This video captures these last 95 days. The love, the exhaustion, the bonds, the smiles, the song, the exercise, the hard work, the care, support and most of all love. They did all of this for Nick, Elvis and I- selfless time from their lives to be with us," Amanda wrote, adding an urge to her followers to take stock of the brights spots in life and the love that surrounds you. "In times of trauma, look for the silver linings. Spend time with family. Smile through the tears. Have faith when things seem impossible. Love one another."
This Dad's Uplifting Song About Being Black Is Meant to Empower His 5-Year-Old Daughter
Father of two and full-time musician Daniel Johnson wants his daughters to always feel empowered. To get his 5-year-old, Dakota Elle, to celebrate her Blackness, he's been singing uplifting songs with her and sharing them online. Recently, former First Lady Michelle Obama caught wind of a heartwarming video he posted, and she proudly shared it with her followers.
"I just love this! Kody and Daniel are so right: We are strong 💪🏾. #BlackJoy," Michelle captioned the Instagram video on July 8. And given the fact she has 40 million followers, the clip instantly took off.
Starting off with the line, "I love my Black so much," it's easy to see why the tune caught on so quickly. Determined to show his girls how strong they are, Johnson wants to use music as a teaching tool for his children.
"It's something I do to show her the beauty of being dark-skinned," he told POPSUGAR. "People teased me about my dark skin growing up, so I never want her to feel like she's left out. Anytime she ever encounters something less than positive about her skin, I tell her to sing what Daddy told you."
Now, he's hoping that other Black parents use the song to show their kids their beauty. "It feels amazing to get the attention, especially for something so positive," he said. "I want others to empower their kids! Kids go through a lot, so we must pay attention to them! The smallest insecurity can hurt them in life as an adult."
Put This Chocolate Mint Protein Bar in the Fridge and Get Transported Back to Girl Scouts
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Sam Brodsky
As a former Girl Scout, whenever I come across something that tastes remotely like the cookies we used to sell (and eat with abandon), I can't help but get the warm and fuzzy feelings of girlhood happiness again. And one thing I've learned over the years is to store Thin Mints specifically in the refrigerator - or freezer, depending on your preference. This gives them an extrarefreshing finish and makes the mint flavor stay on your tongue. That's why, when I tasted the Chocolate Mint Aloha bar after putting it in the fridge and got a blast from the past, I was overjoyed and couldn't wait to share the news.
This was actually a complete accident. I received Aloha's bars in the mail, and they seemed to be a bit melty when I first opened one, so I transferred the whole pack into my fridge. A spokesperson I corresponded with confirmed that you can store Aloha bars in the fridge or at room temperature but that she also likes to cool them off before eating.
Aloha bars are plant-based and made with brown-rice protein or a blend of brown rice and pumpkin-seed protein - Chocolate Mint has both. This bar in particular has 220 calories, 11 grams of fat, 12 grams of fiber, five grams of sugar, and 14 grams of protein (see full nutrition facts ahead or on Aloha.com). It's chocolate meets cooling mint that kept my mouth wanting more.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Sam Brodsky
At room temperature, the bar still reminds me of a Girl Scout Cookie, but the cooling sensation from having it in the fridge highlights the mint and makes it taste that much more like the real thing. Plus, chilling the bar brings it closer to that classic Thin Mint texture - it's not crisp like the cookie, but it's more comparable to that texture cooled than when it's softer sans fridge.
I haven't tried microwaving the Aloha Chocolate Mint bar ($24 for 12) yet - POPSUGAR editors have had success heating up their protein bars in the past - so that might be my next experiment. For now, I'll be enjoying my Thin Mint-esque and protein-filled treat right out of the fridge. And I suggest you do the same.
A Naughty Cat Has Been Stealing His Neighbor's Laundry, and His Owner's Reaction Is Hysterical
I legit just had to reach out to my neighborhood to let them know my cat is stealing their laundry. Sigh. At least it’s not a reverse burglar.
Posted by Heather Bardi on Friday, June 26, 2020
Anyone who's ever owned a cat knows they can be . . . weird. But Heather Bardi, a woman from Louisana, might have the most bizarre feline of all. In a Facebook post, she described the necessary steps she had to take to inform her neighbors that her cat, Admiral Galacticat, had been actively stealing their laundry, and the result is pure entertainment.
"I legit just had to reach out to my neighborhood to let them know my cat is stealing their laundry," Heather wrote on Facebook. "Sigh. At least it's not a reverse burglar." (Ahem: cat poop!).
After amassing quite the collection of socks, underwear, and swimsuits, Heather went on her area's garage sale Facebook page to alert her "unlucky" neighbor. "My cat is stealing your laundry," she wrote in the group. "I have no clue where else to post to reach you all. I've tried the Nextdoor site and have had no luck."
Heather noted that Admiral Galacticat was an indoor cat until the COVID-19 pandemic. But "he got sick of us being around constantly and basically begged and pleaded to go outside." Typical cat. In fact, Admiral Galacticat even has a girlfriend, a black cat named Lucille who lives down the block.
"All was fine and dandy until two weeks ago when suspicious items started appearing on my front porch."
"All was fine and dandy until two weeks ago when suspicious items started appearing on my front porch," explained Heather. "First was a tank top and two nike socks. The next morning, a dishrag, a ripped pair of boxers and more nike socks. Now in that past two days, 1 1/2 a girls bikini, size medium, a few more dishrags and a beach towel. All seemingly freshly out of the dryer mind you, except the bathing suit and towel that smelled like sunscreen, because I also found a wad of dryer lint on one of the socks."
Due to the nature of the crime, Heather didn't blame her kitty right off the bat. At first, she thought people were just leaving clothes on her driveway. "I got security cameras and lo and behold, it is MY CAT that is stealing SOMEONE's clean laundry and bringing it home," said Heather. "Now I am grateful [it's] not a dead sparrow or mouse, but I am sure someone is at home scratching their head as to where their clothes keep disappearing to. Trust me, it is not the dryer monster, but Admiral."
Of course, Heather is willing to give her poor neighbor's clothing back - she just needs to find out who it belongs to.
"If you would like to retrieve your items I have been collecting them and I will wash them again cause, cat spit, but you are more than welcome to come by and grab the bag and shame my asshole cat if he is around," she said. "Just message me. Also, sorry my cat is a kleptomaniac."
If You're Tired of Stressing and Feeling Guilty About Food, You're Ready For Food Freedom
Count your calories. Mind your macros. Measure your portions. Weigh your food. Watch your carbs. Don't eat processed food. Limit sugar, and flour, and fried food. Don't you dare get sprinkles on your ice cream, and actually don't eat dairy or gluten or soy or nonorganic strawberries! Are you overwhelmed by all these restrictive food rules? If so, welcome to food freedom.
What is Food Freedom?
Food freedom is a term used by those in the intuitive eating and antidiet movement. Kirsten Ackerman, MS, RD, CDN, who hosts the Intuitive Bites podcast and identifies as a fat-positive dietitian, said, "food freedom is being able to experience the pleasure of food while not being fixated, overwhelmed, and stressed out by it." She added that food freedom is about allowing food to be joyful, but not allowing it to take over our lives.
Licensed metal health counselor, Molly Bahr, LMHC, who's also an intuitive eating counselor who specializes in HAES (health at every size) and is fat-positive, added that "food freedom is the experience of liberating ourselves from chronic dieting and adhering to rigid rules about when, what, how often, and how much to eat." As we heal our relationship with food and our body, we're able to enjoy the food we want to eat and then move on, allowing us to spend our time, energy, brain space, and money on things that really matter.
Registered dietitian Brenna O'Malley, creator of the health blog The Wellful, told POPSUGAR, she thinks of food freedom as being in a place with your body and with your relationship to food, which puts you back in the driver's seat, where you're making choices from a place of what feels good to you instead of feeling controlled by food or fear.
For Nicole Cruz, RDN, who specializes in helping clients make peace with food and their bodies, food freedom is getting invited to a friend's barbecue and not worrying about whether there will be something there you can eat. She said, it's showing up and eating whatever looks good without feeling guilty or thinking, "I have to get back on track or work this off tomorrow." It's eating the food you want and not feeling like it's calling you or like you can't stop eating. Food freedom means you can go to an event and focus on enjoying the company more than thinking about the food.
Are There Different Levels of Food Freedom?
Absolute food freedom doesn't just happen overnight. Bahr said, this process has many levels to it, and everyone is different in the way they approach it. Many of us have spent years or even decades with diet culture, so it's hard to just flip a switch and instantly find food freedom.
Absolute food freedom can only happen after healing your relationship with food, explained Brianne Collette, RD. There could be stages leading up to it where you're learning how to do so. Moving to food freedom and away from dieting and tracking your intake can be very scary, so the process may be gradual as you slowly get rid of food rules, recognize that it's OK, and start to let go of more.
What Happens When We Have Food Freedom?
Achieving food freedom means no longer feeling guilt and shame for eating foods we like, Bahr said. There's no more spending time counting, tracking, measuring, or "playing the game of food Tetris because we trust an app more than we trust our bodies." With food freedom, we're able to honor our hunger and fullness cues without constantly questioning or judging them.
When you have food freedom, you can make food choices without rules and view all food neutrally, as opposed to good or bad, explained Cruz. Food will no longer define your worth because you'll feel the same about yourself whether you eat an apple or cookie. Food will have an appropriate amount of space in your life, but won't be prioritized above everything else. You'll no longer fear food and will say yes or no based on your preference, not based on rules.
And it's more than just about food, Collette said. "It's being able to say yes to spontaneous date nights without worrying about calories. It's about enjoying food beyond just fuel, as pleasure and comfort, and most of all, not letting it dictate how you run your life," she said. Food is a vital part of our existence and we need it every single day. With food freedom, food no longer dictates how you feel about yourself day in and day out.
"Our culture supports a disordered relationship to food and our bodies that normalizes food and body fixation," said Ackerman. Ultimately, food and body fixation steal our time away from engaging in aspects of our lives that are meaningful and fulfilling (our passions and our relationships, for example). When we find food freedom, we open up our time and energy to be spent on those things again.
Bahr reassured that we were all born with this ability to eat "normally" and we can return to this. Just as we can trust our other natural body cues that tell us when we're thirsty, tired, or have to use the bathroom, we can learn to trust our body when we're hungry, what sounds satisfying, and when we've had enough.
Is Food Freedom the Same Thing as Intuitive Eating?
Intuitive Eating is a tool for achieving food freedom, Ackerman explained. The framework of intuitive eating provides 10 principles to support your journey to healing your relationship with food and your body. They include rejecting diet mentality, honoring your hunger and fullness, finding satisfaction in food, and coping with emotions without food. Intuitive eating is a method and food freedom is the goal, which means food freedom can be achieved in other ways, without necessarily following the 10 principles of intuitive eating.
Note that the 10 principles of intuitive eating also encompass more than food, Collette said. Intuitive eating also involves body image and exercise - two of the principles are respect your body, and exercise to feel good.
What Are Obstacles That Can Get in the Way of Having Food Freedom?
"The journey back to normalizing our eating is about letting go of food rules, giving ourselves permission to eat all foods we want, and uprooting our internalized fat phobia and weight bias," Bahr said. It's important to educate ourselves about diet culture and to understand why unrealistic beauty standards and weight stigma are so harmful - emotionally and physically. This process can take a lot longer than you think it will - it may feel really hard and scary and that's OK.
"I don't know anyone who can let go of every food rule and practice all 10 principles of intuitive eating right away," Bahr said. When we gather information about intuitive eating and learn about diet culture, and discover why diets don't work long-term, it will inspire us to slowly begin to let go of things that keep us in diet mentality. We can gradually feel more comfortable with not using food tracking apps or fitness trackers, not weighing ourselves, and not following diet- and weight-focused social media accounts. Then we can begin to give ourselves permission to eat the foods we want and honor our hunger without judgement. It's important to be patient with yourself through this sometimes difficult process.
Can You Have Food Freedom and Still Want to Lose Weight?
I think it's important to add that the food freedom and intuitive eating movement aren't here to shame anyone who wants to lose weight, Collette said. But in order to heal your emotional and mental relationship with food, she said it's helpful to put weight loss on the back burner. "I don't believe it's possible to try to reach food freedom while still attempting to lose weight," Collette added. "Weight loss inherently means restriction, which is quite the opposite of food freedom. So this might actually be a really great first step - putting weight loss on the back burner and working through it as you go!"
You may be familiar with the term food freedom from a book written by Melissa Hartwig, creator of Whole30, called Food Freedom Forever. After completing the Whole30 program - which is restrictive, but designed to only be done for 30 days - Hartwig suggests that this is the next plan people can use to maintain the healthy habits they made during the past month.
Hartwig does have a similar definition of food freedom as intuitive eating and antidiet experts. "Food freedom is feeling in control of the food that you eat, instead of food controlling you," Hartwig said. She added that having food freedom means taking the morality out of food, and recognizing you are not a "good" or "bad" person based on what you're eating. She said, "True food freedom means you never again feel powerless over food."
Bahr hasn't read Food Freedom Forever, but said that if you're following a plan that includes rules on what, when, or how much to eat, you can't have true food freedom. Repairing our relationships with food and our body, and trusting our own intuition and body cues so we rely on ourselves is what's truly freeing.
11 Wellness Platforms Created by Indigenous People You Should Be Following
The conversation surrounding diversity and inclusion in health and wellness comes up periodically without any transformative change within the $4.5 trillion dollar industry. It's evident that wellness is predominately marketed towards white people and is often seen as an exclusive luxury.
Although the health and wellness industry isn't reflective of the various lifestyles, cultures, races, and ethnicities around the world and in the US, wellness is for everyone and should be accessible for everyone, which is why marginalized people are reclaiming the wellness space.
For Native and Indigenous people, wellness is interwoven in their cultures and have been practiced since the beginning of time. The following platforms are committed to improving the well-being of Indigenous people by decolonizing wellness, helping Indigenous people deal with historical trauma, reconnecting with the land, and connecting cultural and traditional teachings to support a healthy lifestyle.
The Best Cycling Shoes For Your Next Ride, According to Instructors
Your first pair of cycling shoes is such an exciting purchase. You'll feel the difference in the stability of your ride seconds after clipping into your pedals - no more slipping and sliding out of those toe cages!
But, figuring out what pair of cycling shoes to buy is incredibly confusing - I can attest. To help you narrow down the seemingly endless options, we reached out to a few cycling instructors for their own shopping suggestions.
Add This Cardio Pilates Workout to Your Weekly Fitness Routine
Pilates isn't all about toning. If you're doing Pilates moves at a "cardio pace" (think running, biking, jumping rope), you're getting a high-intensity, low-impact cardio workout, too - just ask ACE-certified group fitness trainer and certified Pilates instructor Amy Jordan.
Resistance-training exercises, like Pilates, increases your body's muscle tissue and permanently cranks up your calorie burn, Jordan says. When you complete Pilates moves at a cardio pace, you're furthering the benefits of your workout because your body can burn calories during the session and even after you finish.
Because Pilates is a weight-bearing and resistance-training activity, Jordan says it's beneficial for conditioning the heart and lungs, and for weight loss, too.
While Jordan suggests practicing Pilates 3-4 times a week to gain the long-term cardio benefits, she also says it's really all about keeping attainable goals. "Sustainability is key - if you do more than you were doing before, that's a win."
Here's a five-move Pilates plan she's created to help you get started - remember to keep at a comfortable cardio pace in order to advance the benefits of each move.
Plank
- Begin in a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor and your feet parallel to each other - about four inches apart.
- Draw your navel up and in.
- Broaden your collarbones on every inhale to take pressure off your wrists (or your elbows if you're modifying the move).
- Narrow your outer hip bones without tightening your booty. This activates your low belly for healthy conditioning and flat abs.
- If this is the first time you're trying a plank, start in 10-second intervals, aiming to hold it longer every time you try, eventually reaching 1-2 minutes of a hold.
Lunge and Arms Raises
- Start standing with your feet parallel and about 4-6 inches apart.
- Inhale and step your left foot forward while shifting your weight into all four corners of your left foot and raising your right heel.
- Exhale and bend both knees as your torso lowers straight down. Allow your left knee to glide just in front of your ankle.
- Inhale and think about the torso lifting up and off the hips to return you to a standing position.
- Add small dumbbells (or soup cans!) in each hand and lift out to the sides in a wide T as you lower down to pump up your cardio and weight loss effort.
- Complete 12 reps per side.
Downhill Ski
- Start in a plank position and place your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor with your feet parallel, about four inches apart.
- Exhale and shift your torso back behind your arms as your knees bend to the left.
- Inhale and shift back into your starting plank position.
- Exhale and shift your torso back behind your arms as your knees bend to the right.
- Place a five-inch playground ball between your legs a few inches above your knees, with your feet still four inches apart, to help tone your inner thighs.
- Complete 12 reps per side.
Criss-Cross
- Lay on your back with your legs in a table-top position. Your hands should be interlaced below the base of your skull.
- Slowly lift your head, neck, and shoulders into a shallow curl while keeping lots of length on all sides of your spine.
- Inhale as your right shoulder blade peels off of the floor and ribs rotate to the left. As you rotate, your right leg should extend at a diagonal.
- Exhale and return your ribs to the center while keeping your head and shoulders raised.
- Inhale as your left shoulder blade peels off of the floor and your ribs rotate toward the right. As you rotate, your left leg should extend at a diagonal.
- Don't touch your elbow to your knee - keep the front of your body long.
- Complete 12 reps per side.
Single-Leg Bridges
- Lay on your back with your knees bent, both feet flat on the floor, and your outer thighs magnetized to keep your legs closed. Hold three-pound dumbbells in each hand with your arms reaching straight to the sky.
- Exhale and roll the pelvis slowly toward your navel to peel your hips off the floor and follow with the rest of the spine. Lift with length until you are in a bridge with no creases on the front of your hips, and lengthen through your lower back.
- Inhale while keeping the knees glued together, extend the right leg at a 45-degree angle.
- Hold this single-leg bridge; exhale as both arms open to the sides with a soft bend at the elbows until your hands hover over the floor.
- Inhale while your arms bend to a 90-degree angle, with your elbows hovering over the floor. Sweep your arms back to your starting position straight to the sky.
- Exhale and slowly lower down starting from your upper back to your pelvis, while keeping your back long and your leg extended.
- Complete four reps per side.
- For an added challenge, do six reps on each side, but for the last two reps, hover the standing heel one inch off the floor throughout the entire range of motion.
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The “Cats on Catnip” Photographer’s New Book Teaches You How to Take Photos of Your Cat
Andrew Marttila, photographer and foster pet dad, gained so much popularity after releasing his "Cats on Catnip" photo series and book in 2018. Now, two years later, Andrew is back with another book, and this time, he's teaching you how to take photos of your cats that are as amazing as his.
How to Take Awesome Photos of Cats is a fun and instructional guide filled with photography concepts as they specifically pertain to capturing cats. Inside its pages you'll find Andrew's incredible photos, as well as visual examples of how to fix common photography errors and take photos that require little editing. And even though Andrew and his fianceé, Hannah Shaw - better-known as The Kitten Lady - run a kitten foster rescue that gives him access to tons of new cats all the time, you can practice all of these skills at home with your own furballs.
Keep reading to see some of Andrew's photos from the book, to read a few of its excerpts, and to purchase your own copy! And to see more from Andrew, follow along with his Instagram account, @iamthecatphotographer.
Everything You Need to Know About AcroYoga and Why It's So Fun, According to a Pro
Many of my friends enjoy yoga as much as I do, but our practices never really cross paths. Even on the rare occasions we'd attend a session together, it was never a joint effort once we reached the mat.
It wasn't until YouTube randomly suggested I check out AcroYoga tutorials that I realized just how collaborative yoga could be. The social, acrobatic display of two people completing poses while intertwined looked like a fun challenge.
Certified AYI teacher Anna Karides confirms that AcroYoga is all about moving beyond your self-limiting ideas of what you can and can't do, while offering a unique opportunity to relate on a deeper level with someone else - like someone you're social distancing with.
"Trust, connection, and playfulness are the major principles of AcroYoga," she adds. "AcroYoga is a very social style of yoga that brings people together, so it's not just about taking your practice to another level."
Once you're flying in the air thanks to the support of your roommate's feet (yes, that is a pose!), you'll realize just how much you have to let go and trust in others' strength - a skill Karides says translates to daily life.
AcroYoga isn't all about growing an emotional and spiritual connection with your practice and partner, though. Karides says that challenging poses in your solo practice can be achieved safely with the support of someone else, while also teaching your body how to build strength and loosen up in new ways.
The practice sounds intimidating, sure, but know that you don't have to be a gymnast (or anything close to it) to enjoy this adventurous flow.
"AcroYoga poses might seem hard at first, and the word 'acrobatic' tends to scare people off. But once people try it, they realize that it's all about trust and technique," Karides says.
If you do this, you'll leave the class (or virtual session) lighter, stronger, and happier, with a sense of achievement after accomplishing more than you ever imagined possible, she adds.
And while having prior yoga experience could give you an upper hand, AcroYoga is great for all levels. Remember that you can always rely on pose modifications and variations for more challenging moves if needed.
Don't let a lack of open yoga studios stop you from getting started, either. AcroYoga can be practiced anywhere that space allows, Karides says - but safety is paramount.
Working on advanced poses with the same partner could be beneficial because you and that person can develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of each other's bodies, Karides says.
Be mindful of your skill level when signing up for online sessions, too - especially if you lack in-person guidance and the monitoring of someone experienced. Having a third participant (maybe another roommate or family member in your household!) to act as a spotter is a great way to help prevent injuries.
"The hands and eyes of a teacher cannot be replaced, not just for safety but also for spotting small 'mistakes' in the technique that can make a massive difference," says Karides.
Now that we covered some safety basics, let's circle back to what AcroYoga is all about: socializing and having fun with your practice. Just imagining myself holding my roommate in the air as she floats in yoga poses makes me laugh - the giggles are going to be nonstop once we actually try AcroYoga for ourselves.
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Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig Are Quiet About Their Daughter, But Here's What We Know
Actors Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig are ultra famous, but also ultra private. The two British actors got married in 2011 and have one daughter together. She was born in August or September 2018, but both mom and dad are very quiet about her and are rarely seen out with her. We don't even know her name! What we do know is that Rachel announced her pregnancy in April 2018 in an interview with The New York Times and talked about how excited she and Daniel were to have a baby together. She and the James Bond actor also had homes at the time in both New York and LA, and Rachel was seen in New York pretty soon before giving birth and again after, so the little girl might have been born in the Big Apple.
Since then, Rachel and Daniel have kept their lives under wraps - something they were doing long before they had a baby together. Even their 2011 wedding was super top secret. They only had a handful of guests in attendance at their New York nuptials, including Rachel's son, Henry, whom she shares with her ex fiancé Darren Aronofsky, and Daniel's daughter, Ella, whom he shares with his ex wife, Fiona Loudon.
Rachel also told The Mirror in December 2018, soon after giving birth to her daughter, that she doesn't plan to have any more children. She also divulged a bit of her parenting style that her youngest daughter will experience as she grows up: "I'm a bit of a pushover as a mother. I'm not super strict. I love it so I'm a very happy mother."
Rachel and Daniel still split their time between the UK and New York. Henry, who is now 14, splits his time between his parents. Daniel's daughter, Ella, is in her mid-20s and primarily calls London home.
The I May Destroy You Soundtrack Has So Many Bangers, It's Doubling as Our Summer Playlist
HBO's I May Destroy You has everything you'd want in a show: a powerful storyline, a talented cast, and an incredible soundtrack. Not only has each song been carefully curated for each scene, but the series includes music from artists from all over the world. Little Simz, Rosalía, Sampa the Great, and Sons of Kemet are just a few of the musicians featured on the soundtrack, and with seven more episodes to go, we know there are plenty more bangers on the way. So as we wait for the next episode of I May Destroy You, make sure to add these songs to your playlist - trust us, you won't be able to get them out of your head.
Warning: These Sexy Movies on Netflix This July Are Dangerously Hot
As if July wasn't hot enough, Netflix's movie offerings for the month are hotter than ever. From sexy rom-coms to erotic thrillers to sensual biopics, Netflix has a hot-and-heavy movie for everyone this July - though you'll want to make sure to crank the A/C and chug some water before watching. Why stay inside to watch a movie on a summer's day, you ask? Unlike a day at the beach, sexy movies won't give you a sunburn, leave you with sand in your pants, or require you to go anywhere but your couch. Here are some hot movies to check out on Netflix this July if you think you can handle the heat.
Want to Know What True Friendship Looks Like? Allow The Bold Type Cast to Show You
If you look up the definition of "friendship" in the dictionary, you'll probably find a photo of Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee, and Meghann Fahy. The trio star as best friends Jane, Kat, and Sutton, respectively, on Freeform's The Bold Type, and much like the show, they're just as tight in real life. In fact, when Meghann first met the ladies, she said it felt like they "had already been best friends for years." "It's crazy. That first night, it felt like we had known each other forever," Aisha previously told Entertainment Tonight about their first meeting.
Four seasons later, and their friendship only seems to have gotten stronger. "[The show] reflects our relationship in real life," Katie told Glamour. "If we're on set and one of us is not having the best day, the other two are like, 'All right, today's your day. We're going to lift you up.'" The season four finale of The Bold Type is set to air on July 16, but if you're not ready to say goodbye just yet, take a look at the cast's sweetest moments together ahead. Here's to hoping we get a season five!
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