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.
lundi 28 novembre 2016
25 Inexpensive Fitness Gifts to Spoil Your Fit Sweetheart With
If you have a fit friend with a special day coming up, we're here to help you score the perfect gift - without breaking the bank. We've rounded up 25 gifts, with selections for the runner, yogi, cyclist, and overall fitness freak. Your wallet will appreciate that all these finds are under $25.
25 Inexpensive Fitness Gifts to Spoil Your Fit Sweetheart With
If you have a fit friend with a special day coming up, we're here to help you score the perfect gift - without breaking the bank. We've rounded up 25 gifts, with selections for the runner, yogi, cyclist, and overall fitness freak. Your wallet will appreciate that all these finds are under $25.
How the Gilmore Girls Revival Was Also a Parenthood Reunion
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life may still have you in a tizzy over those final four words, but it's also been the best nostalgic treat of the year. In addition to just being reunited with our favorite Stars Hollow residents, there were several fun cameos, including a lot of appearances by former Parenthood stars. This, of course, is most significant because Lorelai Gilmore herself, Lauren Graham, starred on Parenthood after her original Gilmore Girls run. So, did you catch all the cameos? Scroll through to see the very funny ways the Bravermans, and others, showed up.
Dress as Chihiro and Other Spirited Away Characters With This Amazing Clothing Line
Studio Ghibli fans know that almost every movie from the studio has touched their hearts, but none like Spirited Away. Fifteen years ago, Spirited Away graced the screen and we fell in love with Chihiro. Thankfully, Hot Topic understands our love and devotion to Studio Ghibli and released an exclusive Spirited Away clothing line, along with other accessories and gifts.
The line, available in stores and online, includes t-shirts, sweaters, jackets, dresses, and more that are inspired by characters like Chihiro and No-Face. Love every single piece? Buy one and attend a special Fathom event to watch the movie in theaters on Dec. 4 at 12 p.m. or Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.
Check out some of the collection ahead and add your favorites to your wish list!
Toys 'R' Us Just Pulled 1 Hot Holiday Toy After a Family's Car Burst Into Flames
After a newly purchased Christmas gift caught on fire, allegedly resulting in a family pick-up truck bursting into flames, Toys 'R' Us is no longer selling the large ride-on toy Tonka truck.
A Washington family was on their way home after purchasing the Tonka 12V Ride-On Dump Truck for their grandson when it caught on fire in the bed of their truck. After pulling over and extinguishing the flames, Delmond Harden told NBC News that he immediately turned around to return the toy. However, the truck ignited a second time and this time, his real-life truck burst into flames.
"The firefighter . . . doused the truck with water and I'm, I still can't believe it, we almost shut (Interstate)-5 down, and it was just a toy for our grandson, who would have known?" said Delmond.
In addition to a refund and apology to Delmond, Toys "R" Us has removed the toy from shelves. Although they believe this fire to be an isolated incident and haven't issued a full recall, Nicole Hayes, a Toys "R" Us spokeswoman, said they company will not be selling the toy truck again until after they investigate.
"We made a proactive decision to pull the item out of an abundance of caution and an investigation into the incident is currently taking place," Nicole said. "In the meantime, we are working closely with Dynacraft, the manufacturer, to determine the cause."
Warning: Your Mom Will Now Be Able to Text You This Chancla Emoji When She's Mad
With the introduction of the taco emoji in 2015 and the upcoming release of the avocado, Apple's emoji offering is becoming slightly more varied and inclusive. There are, however, many others that would more appropriately depict the collective Latinx experience - namely the chancla and Vick's VapoRub.
On Oct. 31, a new sticker pack app was released that includes all of the hilarious and quintessential ones we've been craving. Aside from the aforementioned emoji, the Tortilla Factory Sticker Pack also includes a taco truck, paletas, and certain common phrases in jazzy fonts.
The sticker pack is currently available in the App Store for $0.99. Look ahead for screenshots of the awesome offering.
20+ Healthy, Active Stocking Stuffers Under $10
Shower your favorite fitness fanatic with the fuel and practical goodies they need for a healthy year for under $10! These stocking stuffers are the icing on the cake of a great holiday and can be used to make a really sweet gift basket, too.
13 Awesome Foods You Didn't Know You Could Get at Costco
There's always something new to discover at Costco. Besides the fact that there are so many ways to save money at Costco beyond the free samples, there are tons of products that you might not even realize are hiding within the packed shelves of the store. These are 13 unexpected, customer-approved groceries you'll want to keep your eye out for the next time you take a trip to Costco.
Related:
20+ Healthy, Active Stocking Stuffers Under $10
Shower your favorite fitness fanatic with the fuel and practical goodies they need for a healthy year for under $10! These stocking stuffers are the icing on the cake of a great holiday and can be used to make a really sweet gift basket, too.
dimanche 27 novembre 2016
10 of the Best Apps For Book-Lovers
As technology changes and evolves, so do our reading habits. While this age-old pastime used to mean trips to the library or bookstore, devices like smartphones and iPads have made reading a digital habit, one that's accessible to virtually anyone, anywhere.
Apps have especially influenced this new reading experience, thanks to capabilities that cater to the individual reader and put the entire experience in the palm of a hand.
We've put together our 10 favorite book and reading apps for iOS. The best part is they're all free - and guaranteed to be the new obsession of every bookworm out there.
Related stories:
40+ Small Ways to Help You Hit Your Weight-Loss Goals
You've been trying to lose weight, but haven't had much luck because you're not sure how to get started. Even one small change can offer big results and here are over 40 ways to make it happen.
40+ Small Ways to Help You Hit Your Weight-Loss Goals
You've been trying to lose weight, but haven't had much luck because you're not sure how to get started. Even one small change can offer big results and here are over 40 ways to make it happen.
13 Things You Should Stop Saying to Your Kids Now
Sticks and stones may break kids' bones, put a parent's words can truly hurt them. In moments of anger and frustration, we tend to say things to or around our children without thinking of the consequences. There are some, like our favorite four-letter word, that evoke laughter from kids. And there are other, less humorous phrases that can make kids cry, lower their self-esteem, and potentially ruin their relationship with a parent. Though it may take some extra effort, here are a few phrases you should stop saying to your children (along with some compelling reasons why) immediately.
This Baby Is All of Us Getting Our Hair Washed, and Now She's an Internet Sensation
It's videos like this that remind us to take a step back from the pre-holiday chaos and appreciate the simple things in life, like getting your hair washed. A video of this adorable baby getting her hair washed has hit the internet and people just cannot handle her! Taveon Glenn posted the clip on Facebook of his newborn daughter, Amira, experiencing absolute euphoria the second the water hits her tiny head, and it's the sweetest thing we've seen all day.
The video has been viewed over 24 million times, probably because it's totally mesmerizing. Anyone who loves getting their hair washed at the salon can relate to the blissful feeling of having someone else wash your hair. We'll definitely be passing around this sweet video at our Thanksgiving dinner table!
11 Stunning Portraits That Showcase the Ethereal Beauty of Albinism
The Israel-based photographer Yulia Taits has always wanted to work on a project featuring people with albinism, a genetic condition that reduces pigment in skin, hair, and eyes. "Their unique beauty hypnotizes me," she confessed on her Facebook page. "This beauty is so pure and amazing for me, as if it was taken from fantasies and fairy tale legends."
She finally got her wish when she created her stunning Porcelain Beauty series, for which she worked with models with albinism. Though Taits ordinarily edits her final images in Photoshop, she left these photos untouched. "All of the photographs were taken in white tones with no additional coloring," she explained. Instead, you'll notice that after a few minutes of gazing upon these images, white has multiple tints and hues within it. "I'm excited to prove that white is not just one color!" she shared.
See for yourself when you keep reading and view all the breathtaking images from Taits's portrait series.
20 Recipes That'll Help You Stick to Your Healthy-Eating Goals
We're proponents of healthy eating all year long - with the occasional indulgence, of course. But we also know that it's hard to kick-start a commitment to sticking with a better eating program and a strong fitness routine. Another thing we know for sure? No one wants to sacrifice flavor. That's why we put together a list of 20 scrumptious versions of your favorite dishes that cut down the calories but none of the taste. Keep reading to find the recipes.
The 1 Thing I Learned in Italy That Changed the Way I Cook
I thought I knew how to cook Italian food . . . until I went to Italy. I got the amazing opportunity to travel to Tuscany to stay at Casa Buitoni, home of Buitoni, the fresh-pasta brand you've likely seen in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. I was in good company with chefs who develop authentic recipes for the nearly 200-year-old brand (it was founded by the Buitoni family in 1827), so I think they know a thing or two about Italian food. After a week of making pasta from scratch, visiting wineries and restaurants among the rolling hills of Tuscany, and eating too many incredible meals to count made by chefs born and raised in Italy, I learned an invaluable lesson that really stuck with me and will change the way I cook for myself from now on.
Simplicity is key, and less is more.
The mentality that surrounds food in Italy is unlike everything typical about food in the US. Italians eat slowly. They savor every single bite and every single moment at the table - "family style" means more than just passing around a plate of food for everyone to try. A young woman who grew up in Italy told me her family never served a meal without setting the table, complete with a white tablecloth. And yes, of course I realize that setting up a gorgeous tablescape with a movie-worthy view is not something most people have the privilege of re-creating at home, but what we can (and should) copy is the overall idea. Eating is a time to unplug from the rest of the world and to connect with the food and the people right in front of you.
And most importantly, authentic Italian cooks let the ingredients shine. If you start with the best quality ingredients you can find, you only need a few to make an amazing dish. I'll be the first to admit that using restraint in the kitchen is not my strong suit. My favorite pasta recipes often involve a long list of ingredients (spaghetti with garlic, white wine, thyme, lemon, and more, for example), but now I realize that there is such a thing as too much, and you don't always need 20 ingredients to make the most flavorful dish.
The best thing you can do is start out with really, really good olive oil. Spend the money on that fancier bottle - it's 100 percent worth it. Because, as I learned, olive oil is just as much an ingredient as pasta or parmesan cheese. When you simply use olive oil to sauté vegetables or throw in a tablespoon to prevent your pasta from sticking before adding other ingredients, the pure flavor gets lost in translation. The rich flavor of homemade olive oil is unlike anything else, and it's truly at the heart of Italian cooking - let it be the star.
Use good salt and fresh garlic. Invest in the freshest seasonal vegetables when you can. And, most importantly, take the time to savor every single bite. I thought this pizza topped with merely tomato sauce and a thin slice of roasted garlic would be boring, but I could not have been more wrong. After one bite, I realized it embodied everything Italian food is about: freshness, simplicity, and flavor. And that's what I'm going to aim to re-create in my own home.
Let's Talk About How It's Not Over Between Jess and Rory on Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life is bittersweet for Team Jess fans. On the bitter side, Milo Ventimiglia gets precious little screen time - he doesn't even show up until the third episode - and when he finally does appear, it's almost like the writers forgot Rory and Jess were ever a thing. Rory doesn't even hug him when she sees him for the first time in at least four years! By the time Summer came around, I'd given up hope that there would be any hint of romance between Rory and Jess, even though we did learn that Jess was still available, unlike Dean and Logan (not that Logan's engagement stopped Rory from going for him, but that's another story).
But like I said, it was a bittersweet, and the sweetness came in that final episode. In the last scene that Jess appears in, he's leaving the Gilmore house and talking to Luke on the porch when Rory excitedly shows Jess the first three chapters she's written for her book. (It's nothing earth-shattering, but least she actually makes physical contact with him.) But it's what happens next that really counts: Luke asks Jess point blank if he's still into Rory, and while Jess says that's "long over," he then proceeds to look into the window at Rory in a very obvious announcement to the audience that Jess still has feelings for her.
While it may not seem like much, that moment actually speaks volumes. First of all, the writers definitely did not have to end Jess's story that way; they just as easily could have given Jess a serious girlfriend, or simply leave Jess and Rory as friends (and um, step-cousins). But the door for that relationship was very intentionally left open, meaning that of all of Rory's love interests, Jess has the best chance of actually ending up with her. Plus, if the series is coming full circle with Rory being pregnant, then Rory becomes the new Lorelai, and Logan is the new Christopher, leaving Jess as the new Luke, and more importantly, the right one for Rory. Kind of poetic, isn't it?
36 of TV's Sexiest, Sweetest, and Spine-Tingliest Kisses in 2016
TV's acting professionals know their way around the perfect screen kiss. Last year, we compiled the very best TV kisses, and we have news: 2016's TV kisses might be even better. There are steamy makeouts, gentle pecks, and bittersweet kisses that'll make you swoon. Take a stroll through TV's best kisses of the year so far and let us know which one you love the most.
- Additional reporting by Maggie Pehanick
11 Glorious Before-and-After Photos of Dog Makeovers
Hesitating to take the leap and embrace your new Fall look? Let dog groomer Jess Rona's fabulous clientele serve as inspiration to go bold for your next total-hair transformation.
Her four-legged patrons have become total internet sensations, serving slow-motion glam shots set to killer tunes (hi, Beyoncé) and showcasing incredible before-and-after transformations. Some of Jess's top dogs even include the likes of Katy Perry's poodle, Nugget, and Marnie the Dog. Plus, Jess gets major bonus points for recognizing the value of a good wind machine for the perfect Instagram.
If these head-turning pups don't make you want to run out and get bangs right now, we don't know what will. Read through to be amazed by these insane transformations for yourself.
Here's How to Fix Some Problems You Might See in iOS 10
There are plenty of reasons to update your iPhone to the latest iOS, such as for enhanced security and fun, new iMessage features. Of course, that does mean your phone might hit some annoying bugs along the way. Keep reading to see how to fix some of these bugs quickly and easily.
This Artist Turns Disney Princesses Into Parents - and the Results Are Perfection
Illustrators have had fun turning beloved Disney princesses into all sorts of things, from '50s-style pinup girls to Star Wars heroines. The only artistic mashup we haven't seen yet happens to be one that would most likely follow all the "happily ever after" storylines - what these fairy-tale characters would look like as parents.
Thankfully, artist Isaiah Stephens lets us in on what it'd really be like for Ariel to have a food-throwing toddler, for Belle to breastfeed, and for Jasmine to rock a baby bump with nine amazingly accurate depictions - all shared on his Facebook page and Instagram account. From Pocahontas to Queen Elsa, it's fun to see what realistically comes after their storybook ending. Take a look.
These Are the 9 Best Body Butters For Soft Skin in Winter 2016
I love stepping out of the shower, covering my skin with body butter, and then slipping into a fluffy robe. During the holidays, I look forward to seeing what limited-edition and seasonal scents beauty brands release. This year I will definitely be having hydrated skin thanks to the festive launches out from lines like Kiehl's, Rituals, The Body Shop, and more! And for those of you with sensitive skin, there are definitely fragrance-free options, too (thanks Clinique). Keep reading to find a luxe body balm for all preferences and prices.
40+ Stocking Stuffers That Your BFF Will Love and Adore
Stocking stuffers can be real hit or miss. Some people actually do want socks and others want something with a little more "ooh" factor. It's why if you're looking for a perfect stocking stuffer, look no further than these tech products! Not only are they useful, but so many of these are cute that you may end up getting some for yourself. Take a peek and decide which ones you're going to get for each of your friends and family members!
26 Crazy and Delicious Casserole Recipes That Are Definitely Not Your Grandma's
While the word 'casserole' might make you cringe, remembering mushy tuna noodle casserole your grandma used to make, rest assured there are foodie-approved ones out there - quinoa risotto with truffle oil, pizza lasagna rollups, and chicken florentine artichoke bake, just to name a few. Not many things are more reliable for a fast and easy dinner than casseroles, but you shouldn't be afraid to branch out and get creative. There's nothing average about these unique recipes, from the ingredients to the flavor.
15 Chihuahua GIFs That Will Instantly Put a Smile on Your Face
It's impossible to feel cheery 100 percent of the time, we get it. For those times when sadness or severe stress strikes, there is one thing you can count on: Chihuahua GIFs.
Whether it's seeing a tiny, big-eared pup in a costume that turns your chin up or simple tail wag, we're pretty sure you won't make it through the following list without a smile. Keep scrolling for all the feel-good feels, then admire even more pictures of this breed native to Mexico.
Pick Your Favorite Ab Workout: We Have 25
If you're here for abs, you've come to the right place; we have over two dozen different ab workouts, perfect for targeting your core and flattening your belly. Build a strong body, starting right at the middle, with routines as short as two minutes! Choose the best workout for you, whether it's bodyweight only, uses some dumbbells, or mixes in some yoga or cardio.
This Actor Can't Believe J.K. Rowling Almost Named His Character Something Different
It's hard imagining a world where Harry, Ron, and all the other characters we love from Harry Potter have completely different names. Thankfully, we don't really have to, but that doesn't mean J.K. Rowling didn't play around with names before publishing the books. The author revealed in August that Dean Thomas was almost named something else - and the actor who plays him couldn't believe it either.
In August, Rowling tweeted an answer to a fan wondering who "Gary" was in an illustration. She revealed that "Gary" was the original name for Dean Thomas until she switched it for a more personal reason.
Dean Thomas was called Gary in the first draft of Philosopher's Stone. I renamed him after a boy I knew! https://t.co/Aq8A6GZGvf
- J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 23, 2016
Even though the tweet has more than 7,000 favorites and 1,000 retweets, Alfred Enoch, the actor who played Dean Thomas in the films, just found out. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Enoch told them, "It's like anything, can you imagine if like, it wasn't going to be Harry Potter; it was going to be Brian." He continued, "Great name, but difficult to process at this late state of the game."
Don't worry Enoch, we're right there with you. We'd probably would've loved Gary as much as Dean, but imagining this alternate world is too much for our Harry Potter-obsessed hearts.
Pick Your Favorite Ab Workout: We Have 25
If you're here for abs, you've come to the right place; we have over two dozen different ab workouts, perfect for targeting your core and flattening your belly. Build a strong body, starting right at the middle, with routines as short as two minutes! Choose the best workout for you, whether it's bodyweight only, uses some dumbbells, or mixes in some yoga or cardio.
This Is the Stupidest Mistake a New Parent Can Make
This just in: my baby slept through the night for the first time. But unlike most moms who share such news with a level of glee otherwise only reserved for the clinically insane, I'm not jumping up and down in celebration.
That's because last night I did the stupidest thing you can do when your baby is sleeping. I waited for her to wake up.
Up until yesterday, my 4-month-old daughter had still not accomplished the elusive sleeping-through-the-night milestone. Quite the contrary. She'd stir any number of times, which often led to a five-alarm wail that demanded I fumble into the dark nursery, still drunk on a partial REM cycle, and blindly feel around her crib for her fallen pacifier . . . at which point I'd then feel around her face for her pouting mouth. Five times out of seven (literally), this would coax her back to dreamland. The other times, she'd continue to cry, voracious, until I was able to lull her back to sleep with a hefty top-off of breast milk.
Some nights were better than others, but I assumed we'd ease into it eventually, with each night one quarter-hour closer to that elusive goal line.
So, last night wasn't supposed to be the victory lap.
It began when I'd finally gotten her down around 10 p.m. - this happened after she mocked my attempts at an 8:30 p.m. bedtime routine with her typical medley of giggles, spurts, and grunts.
At this point, I could have followed the adage to "sleep when the baby sleeps," but I'd long since called bullsh*t on that philosophy and often used that time to do laundry, cook meals, pay electric bills - all the things necessary to keep a family household functioning and Child Protective Services from knocking on my door asking why I haven't gotten around to spot-treating that "Daddy's Girl" onesie that's still suffering from the aftereffects of a massive poopsplosion.
Instead, not yet tired, I hopped on the computer. I had a few deadlines for work I wanted to finish. After wrapping them up, I looked at the clock - 11:15 p.m. She was bound to wake up at midnight, so instead of joining my husband in bed, I took the dog for her last walk.
I got back a few minutes later, the door slamming closed louder than I'd expected. That certainly woke her up, I thought. It didn't. Well, it most certainly took her out of that sweet coma-like sleep, and she'll be up any minute. I sat on the couch, scrolling through my Facebook feed, waiting. And waiting. It was now 12:30 a.m. Still nothing. You've won this round, baby. I was impressed but not optimistic.
I went in the bathroom and fiddled around. I found a nice face mask I'd been meaning to try but thought better of it. The minute I coat my face in that clay, she'll start crying. Another 30 minutes went by. Definitely spent by now, I toyed with the idea of closing my tired eyes but resisted. Although I'm no expert in sleep training (clearly), I had become well-versed in my own struggle, and after enough nights like this, I'd learned that sleeping for an intermittent hour or two was almost as painful as not sleeping at all. Sometimes, worse. Turns out, this personal discovery has some scientific backing - researchers published a study last year that revealed a night of interrupted sleep could be as physically detrimental as a total lack of zzzs.
So instead I watched an episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix. By this point, even my boobs began to get impatient. They'd normally have been put to work by now, so for fear they'd go on some sort of mastitis-induced strike, I pumped. The whir of the machine caused me to hear phantom cries, and I found myself turning it off every few minutes, waiting for the sting of my daughter's inevitable call.
That's when I started to get nervous. This is not normal. She's not breathing. Dear God, maybe she hasn't been breathing this whole time. What if she's not been breathing this whole time and I'm just sitting here twiddling my thumbs, binge-watching a show everyone's already stopped talking about weeks ago? I dashed to the nursery room, opened the door with ninja-like silence and precision, and crept in ever-so-slowly . . . because even I knew I was very likely going to find a fully living infant. And, unlike that "sleep when the baby sleeps" nonsense, I've proselytized the sage wisdom in "never wake a sleeping baby."
After staring intently at her barely moving stomach for a solid 90 seconds, I deduced she was, in fact, inhaling and exhaling. I backed carefully out of the room and looked at the clock. It was now 3:07 a.m.
I finally got in bed, but the following two hours spurred an internal mind game in which I debated the merits of A) cutting my losses and going to sleep before I have to get up for work the next morning, or B) holding out just a little longer because she's definitely going to be up any minute. Aaaany minute now. . . .
Finally, at some point after 5 a.m., I stopped sending sleep-deprived email replies from my phone and drifted off. And then, not 20 minutes later and like a ton of hysterical bricks, my daughter's awakening from her marathon slumber served as my morning alarm clock.
My baby girl had done it. She slept through the night. Only I didn't. The most accomplished night of her existence also marked the stupidest thing I'd done as a new parent, and I once considered pulling a particularly large booger out of her fidgety nose with a pair of tweezers.
So, the moral of this all-nighter? Even if you don't sleep when the baby sleeps, for the love of God, sleep when the baby sleeps, OK?
Iskra Lawrence Strips to Her Underwear on a Packed Train to Protest Body Shaming
Iskra Lawrence epitomizes confidence and body positivity, and now, she's stripped down to her underwear in an unusual situation to spread an important message about loving your body. The 26-year-old model undressed to her bra and underwear, speaking to passengers about what it means to love yourself and appreciate the skin you're in. "I want to make myself vulnerable today so you can see clearly that I've come on with my own body and how I feel about myself today," she said in the video. "I'm going to reveal myself to you to prove that we are in control of how we feel about ourselves."
Iskra took her dedication to body positivity to a new level, exposing herself on a subway car filled with strangers and opening up about her past and her own journey to loving her body. "I grew up hating what I saw in the mirror because society told me I was not good enough," she said. "I thought there was something wrong because I didn't have a thigh gap, that I had cellulite, that I wasn't skinny enough. That is the media, that is society making a small standard of beauty, when we are so much more than that."
But she did not stop there! Iskra powerfully explains that our bodies are not meant to be objectified or torn apart; they are our "homes" and "vessels." She continued, "So please, when you look in the mirror when you get home, do not pick our your insecurities, do not look at the things that society told you was not good enough, because you are so much more than that."
Usually if someone takes their clothes off on a New York City train, we look away and ignore this person at all costs, but for Iskra, the passengers applauded her message and praised her confidence because every single word that came out of her mouth was heartfelt and inspiring. Watch the video above and see how truly powerful her message is.
Iskra Lawrence Strips to Her Underwear on a Packed Train to Protest Body Shaming
Iskra Lawrence epitomizes confidence and body positivity, and now, she's stripped down to her underwear in an unusual situation to spread an important message about loving your body. The 26-year-old model undressed to her bra and underwear, speaking to passengers about what it means to love yourself and appreciate the skin you're in. "I want to make myself vulnerable today so you can see clearly that I've come on with my own body and how I feel about myself today," she said in the video. "I'm going to reveal myself to you to prove that we are in control of how we feel about ourselves."
Iskra took her dedication to body positivity to a new level, exposing herself on a subway car filled with strangers and opening up about her past and her own journey to loving her body. "I grew up hating what I saw in the mirror because society told me I was not good enough," she said. "I thought there was something wrong because I didn't have a thigh gap, that I had cellulite, that I wasn't skinny enough. That is the media, that is society making a small standard of beauty, when we are so much more than that."
But she did not stop there! Iskra powerfully explains that our bodies are not meant to be objectified or torn apart; they are our "homes" and "vessels." She continued, "So please, when you look in the mirror when you get home, do not pick our your insecurities, do not look at the things that society told you was not good enough, because you are so much more than that."
Usually if someone takes their clothes off on a New York City train, we look away and ignore this person at all costs, but for Iskra, the passengers applauded her message and praised her confidence because every single word that came out of her mouth was heartfelt and inspiring. Watch the video above and see how truly powerful her message is.
50+ Photos That Show Gilmore Girls' Alexis Bledel's Style Has Changed a Lot in 16 Years
You might be part of the new generation getting to know Rory Gilmore through the addition of Gilmore Girls to Netflix and the reboot premiering on Nov. 25, or you might be part of the camp that watched the show live on The WB (now The CW) in the early 2000s as Rory nervously dated Dean, chose Yale over Harvard, went through a bad-girl phase, and eventually found her way back to Stars Hollow. It doesn't matter! Whether you are just getting to know Rory and Alexis Bledel, the Argentinian-American actress raised in Mexico City who portrayed your favorite character, or know everything about her, the photos ahead are about to give you a serious bout of nostalgia.
From her shy days on the red carpet, wearing loose and demure midi dresses with kitten heels, to her redhead phase (oh, yes, she was a redhead) to the most recent Gilmore Girls fan event and her homage to Rory's Chilton years, look ahead for 50 photos of Alexis through the past 16 years.
Straight From the North Pole: 50 Places to Put Your Elf on the Shelf
Kids are crazy for Elf on the Shelf, but for parents it can be equal parts fun and formidable. Who hasn't spaced out about moving the elf one night only to be met with questions from prying tots in the morning? (One mom recently confessed that she told her kids they were too naughty that day for their elf to make the trip back to the North Pole.)
Even if you do remember, in the middle of such a hectic time, it can be almost impossible to think of a new creative spot to put the lil watcher every single night! But help is here: let these 50 pics we found around the web inspire where your elf will wake up tomorrow morning! Have a great idea you'd like to add? Tag #popsugarmoms on Instagram, and we'll check it out!
10 HUGE Differences Between the Harry Potter Books and Movies
Harry Potter fanatics know that there is a world of difference between the magical books and their respective film adaptations. While the Potter movies are nostalgic and possess a special charm of their own, there is a huge amount of detail that doesn't translate from the page to the screen. If you're curious about the biggest differences between the books and films, you don't have to reread the entire series - though, let's be honest, you totally should - simply watch this video that details the top 10 disparities.
We've outlined the main points below, but trust us; you'll want to watch the video for a full explanation of why each deviance from the canon text is significant.
The Top 10 Differences:
- The maze Sphinx in the final task of the Triwizard Tournament
- The explanation of the differences between an animagi and werewolves
- Peter Pettigrew's death
- Harry's choices with the Elder Wand
- The important role of house elves in wizarding society
- Hermione and Harry's separate reactions to Ron abandoning their Horcrux search
- Voldemort's death
- Peeves, Ludo Bagman, Teddy Lupin, and Charlie Weasley
- St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries
- Tom Riddle's origin story
Now if somebody ever asks why the Harry Potter books are better than the movies, you've got a list ready for 'em. But feel free to bring up your own points, too - because it's a damn tragedy that Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party didn't make it into the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets film.
17 Gifts Frida Kahlo Fans Will Love to See Under the Tree This Holiday Season
Frida Kahlo is one of the most iconic and recognizable figures in Latin culture. Fans of the late Mexican artist continue to be influenced by her unconventional beauty and self-portraits. Those thick and bold eyebrows and the very idea of flower crowns are symbols that bring to mind the powerful artist. Thankfully, there's no shortage of Frida-inspired merchandise out there. Ahead, find 17 gifts - from books to home décor - that will certainly please anyone who's obsessed with the icon. Once you've scrolled through them all, check out this DIY alternative.
This Video Game Might Solve All of Your Relationship Woes
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Benjamin Stone
It feels like forever ago, but back in July I fell down an insane rabbit hole with Pokémon Go. And I didn't go alone. I took my boyfriend along with me, and we religiously followed all the great things that were happening in the world as a result of the game. But once Fall rolled around, I was totally over it and actively looking for the next great thing.
I'm one of those people who can't just passively binge-watch television on the couch in my off time. I'm always playing Two Dots, completing a crossword puzzle, or scrolling through Twitter. When I dropped Pokémon Go, I lost one important thing: the competitive spirit that was built between me and my boyfriend. We used to race through the streets and secretly drop cash on items to try to outpace each other in the game. It became my mission to find something that we found equally as satisfying - and I got really lucky when that search coincided with the release of the much-anticipated Civilization VI.
As of today, I can tell you unequivocally: Civilization VI is the best thing that's ever happened to my relationship.
What Makes Civilization VI Different Than Other Games
Civilization first debuted in 1991 as a computer game that enables players to craft, build, and protect an empire over the course of time. The game revolves around keeping your empire happy and making the right decisions for them. And though it's nothing like decorating a room for your Sim, it's just as addicting. I started playing it in school after I got bored of Oregon Trail and though it's been many years since then, I know several people who play it out of nostalgia, like my boyfriend.
These days, however, Civilization looks totally different. It's focused on urban development, religious spread, and a better life span for characters. This time around, Civilization takes on an entirely new generation of gamers by making it easier to engage with your citizens and harder to just stick to autopilot. There's also the fact that it's just so damn nice to look at, as the graphics have been significantly upgraded and the gameplay itself feels more like a video game than an old-school computer game.
How I Got Hooked
Image Source: Giphy
As I mentioned earlier, I was on the hunt for a new game to play and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. The game only costs $60, a justifiable amount that was equivalent to a rowdy night out, so of course, my boyfriend and I downloaded the game. We started off in our own separate games at first but later found that one of the best parts of Civilization VI is the ability to play a game over your local network and that we could build our empires side by side without existing in our separate worlds.
Within hours, it became clear that this was a good thing for us. We shouted at the barbarians who tried to mess up our developments, warned each other about the computer players who were gathering at the borders we couldn't see past, and gloated about our respective abilities to pull ahead of the pack. It was pure and simple fun.
Was It Really That Fun Playing With Your Boyfriend?
Image Source: Giphy
Real talk: the first couple rounds we played together, I got creamed. I'm more of the build-up-your-city-type player, whereas my boyfriend is a warmonger in the extreme, and he got an incredible amount of pleasure out of coming out of nowhere and tearing down my civilization. To be fair, I found myself constantly checking the stats to make sure that I was focusing my resources on one-upping him in our shared world.
After a while, though, we realized we were spending a whole lot of time trying to trick each other and not focusing on what was going on around us. I started to leave a lot more dirty dishes than usual for the first few nights and accidentally "forgot" to take out the trash just so I could peep at his screen!
Ultimately, though, we both came to our senses. It took us a couple of days, but we figured out that the best way to approach the game was to try to beat out the computer players instead. By baiting them and sharing intel, we could quickly rise up the ranks and tackle progressively harder levels of play.
How Does This Game Make Your Relationship Better?
Image Source: 20th Century Fox
Never underestimate the ability of joint gameplay in bringing you and your significant other together. With Civilization VI specifically, you feel like you're learning something about the world you're creating and ways to improve. When you're playing side by side with a partner, you'll find yourself talking through the moves you're considering or the things you wish you'd done first. It creates an entirely different level of conversation that serves as an incredible escape from everyday life.
There are few games that allow you to do what you want and in the same universe, a feature Civilization VI has. As I mentioned, my focus in the game and the focus of my boyfriend are completely different, yet I can periodically direct my scouts over to where he's set up shop and investigate what he's got going on. It allows us to put something on Netflix, sit side by side, and not feel like we're ignoring each other. And while that sounds like such a First World problem, it's something you need to consider and often don't when there's social media to browse or solo games to play instead.
But Couldn't You Just Talk to Each Other?
Image Source: NBC
My boyfriend has a theory: the appeal of a movie or a long drive is that you don't have to make eye contact and constantly look at someone else while you're talking - and it opens up a new type of intimacy. As we're existing virtually in the game, we open up to each other more, discussing our lives freely as we scroll through our maps and saying things we might not have said otherwise if we were just sitting there trying to fill empty space. I'm not advocating a complete and utter surrender to a second screen, but there are few things more appealing than a quick round of a video game on a night where it's too cold to go out or you come home late from work. It's a break that we've woven into our lives that has helped us open up to each other more.
So Should You Try It With Your Significant Other?
Image Source: Courtesy of Chelsea Hassler
Civilization VI is the game that you never knew you needed, and it will surpass your expectations at every turn. It's a delightful, nonpolitical, only semiviolent escape that can foster a competitive relationship that enables you and your partner to achieve something individually but not alone. As we head into Winter and there's less to do outside, I can't recommend enough that you sacrifice the cost of one wild night out for many nights snuggled up on the couch together playing this game. Civilization VI can be downloaded via Steam, iTunes, or Amazon at any time, from anywhere.
5 Small But Effective Changes to Help Keep the Weight Off For Good
Losing weight is a struggle itself, but keeping the weight off is another story. Our friends at Shape share their story of how they keep the weight off for good.
You worked hard to lose weight, and you aced it. Now comes the next challenge: keeping it off. Most likely you heard about the Biggest Loser study earlier this year that found 13 of 14 contestants had regained substantial amounts of weight within six years. (Here: the Truth About Weight Loss After the Biggest Loser.) Suddenly, headlines were blaring that rebound weight gain was inevitable. Here's the thing, though: It's simply not true. The Biggest Loser contestants are unusual because they lost extreme amounts of weight, which is hard to maintain over the long term. Among people who lose more modest amounts of weight (i.e., the majority of us), 60 percent keep most of it off, according to the latest research. All it takes is some strategic diet and exercise tweaks, says Caroline Apovian, M.D., an obesity specialist at Boston University School of Medicine.
First, understand how weight loss changes your body. (Aside from all the health benefits, that is.) When you lose a significant number of pounds, your body goes into "starvation mode." Your system slows its production of leptin, a hormone that suppresses your appetite, while at the same time pumping up your levels of ghrelin, a hormone that makes you hungry, says Louis J. Aronne, M.D., the director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian and the author of The Change Your Biology Diet.
The good news: You can often lose up to 10 percent of your body weight without triggering that hormone change, Dr. Aronne says. So a 150-pound woman can shed about 15 pounds and keep them off with little to no resistance. But even if you've lost more than that, maintaining your new weight is doable with these science-proven techniques.
Revise Your Calorie Count
Once you're in maintenance mode, you can eat more each day than when you were dieting. But you can't have too much more, because your total energy expenditure - the number of calories you burn doing things over the course of the day - has dipped disproportionately, so that a 10 percent weight loss lowers your metabolic rate by 20 to 25 percent.
Fortunately, there's a way to figure out how much you can eat and still stay slim: by using the National Institutes of Health body-weight planner. Plug in your "before" stats and then, when it asks for your goal weight, give your current number. It will calculate how many calories you can consume based on that information. From there, you may need to do a little customizing. See how you do at that new calorie count: Subtract a little if you find yourself gaining back weight, or add a bit if you're ravenous, says Amy E. Rothberg, M.D., Ph.D., the director of the weight-management clinic at the University of Michigan. Experiment until you find what works best for you.
Eat More Plant Protein
Boosting your protein intake helps you maintain muscle mass, which keeps your metabolism humming. But the kind of protein you eat makes all the difference. Fill your diet with more beans, chickpeas, peas, and lentils along with animal protein. A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating 3/4 cup of these foods daily helped people maintain weight loss by making them feel satiated. "Beans and lentils help keep your insulin levels steady, which prevents the hunger spikes that can cause overeating," says David Ludwig, M.D., a weight-loss specialist at Harvard Medical School and the author of Always Hungry? (Check out these vegetarian recipes for more meatless inspiration.)
Exercise Smarter, Not Harder
Daily workouts are crucial - you need to be more active to stay at your new weight than you did to lose pounds because your metabolism is a little slower now, Dr. Aronne says. But that doesn't mean you have to go hard every day. An hour of moderate activity like brisk walking or recreational exercise such as riding your bike will keep the pounds off, says Holly Wyatt, M.D., the associate director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado. (You can do 70 minutes a day for six days a week instead, she says.) An hour may feel like a lot, but that amount is necessary to maintain because it gives you something researchers call "metabolic flexibility." This is your body's ability to adapt and burn extra calories if, say, you decide to indulge in birthday cake at a party or overdo it at a barbecue.
If you can't do an hour, Dr. Rothberg recommends splitting it up. Try a 20-minute workout in the morning, a 20-minute walk during lunch, and 20 minutes of weight lifting in the evening. (Try finding a walking group; they bring serious benefits.) And be sure to incorporate strength training into your daily workouts at least twice a week. Women who do resistance training increase their muscle mass, which boosts metabolism, more than those who do only cardio, according to Gary R. Hunter, Ph.D., the director of the Physical Activity Core for the Nutrition Obesity Research Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Schedule More Time for R&R
Chronic stress can lower your levels of appetite-suppressing leptin, making you hungrier, according to a study in Psychoneuroendocrinology. At the same time, stress raises your levels of the hormones insulin and cortisol, which boost your appetite and slow your metabolism, Dr. Ludwig says. Add yoga to your workout mix to increase feelings of calm and build muscle. (Or try this meditation routine that relieves insomnia.) And make sleep a top priority, Dr. Rothberg says, since research links sleep to weight maintenance.
Weigh Yourself Every Day
People who stepped on the scale daily were more likely to keep weight off over a two-year period than those who didn't, according to research from Cornell University. While you shouldn't freak out if you gain a pound or two, tracking the number will help prevent it from slowly but steadily creeping up, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D.N., a Shape advisory board member and the author of The Flexitarian Diet. If you gain five pounds, take an honest look at your daily routine to see where you can shave some calories and build in more activity, she says. (But don't let weighing yourself bum you out!)
Related Links
5 Small But Effective Changes to Help Keep the Weight Off For Good
Losing weight is a struggle itself, but keeping the weight off is another story. Our friends at Shape share their story of how they keep the weight off for good.
You worked hard to lose weight, and you aced it. Now comes the next challenge: keeping it off. Most likely you heard about the Biggest Loser study earlier this year that found 13 of 14 contestants had regained substantial amounts of weight within six years. (Here: the Truth About Weight Loss After the Biggest Loser.) Suddenly, headlines were blaring that rebound weight gain was inevitable. Here's the thing, though: It's simply not true. The Biggest Loser contestants are unusual because they lost extreme amounts of weight, which is hard to maintain over the long term. Among people who lose more modest amounts of weight (i.e., the majority of us), 60 percent keep most of it off, according to the latest research. All it takes is some strategic diet and exercise tweaks, says Caroline Apovian, M.D., an obesity specialist at Boston University School of Medicine.
First, understand how weight loss changes your body. (Aside from all the health benefits, that is.) When you lose a significant number of pounds, your body goes into "starvation mode." Your system slows its production of leptin, a hormone that suppresses your appetite, while at the same time pumping up your levels of ghrelin, a hormone that makes you hungry, says Louis J. Aronne, M.D., the director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian and the author of The Change Your Biology Diet.
The good news: You can often lose up to 10 percent of your body weight without triggering that hormone change, Dr. Aronne says. So a 150-pound woman can shed about 15 pounds and keep them off with little to no resistance. But even if you've lost more than that, maintaining your new weight is doable with these science-proven techniques.
Revise Your Calorie Count
Once you're in maintenance mode, you can eat more each day than when you were dieting. But you can't have too much more, because your total energy expenditure - the number of calories you burn doing things over the course of the day - has dipped disproportionately, so that a 10 percent weight loss lowers your metabolic rate by 20 to 25 percent.
Fortunately, there's a way to figure out how much you can eat and still stay slim: by using the National Institutes of Health body-weight planner. Plug in your "before" stats and then, when it asks for your goal weight, give your current number. It will calculate how many calories you can consume based on that information. From there, you may need to do a little customizing. See how you do at that new calorie count: Subtract a little if you find yourself gaining back weight, or add a bit if you're ravenous, says Amy E. Rothberg, M.D., Ph.D., the director of the weight-management clinic at the University of Michigan. Experiment until you find what works best for you.
Eat More Plant Protein
Boosting your protein intake helps you maintain muscle mass, which keeps your metabolism humming. But the kind of protein you eat makes all the difference. Fill your diet with more beans, chickpeas, peas, and lentils along with animal protein. A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating 3/4 cup of these foods daily helped people maintain weight loss by making them feel satiated. "Beans and lentils help keep your insulin levels steady, which prevents the hunger spikes that can cause overeating," says David Ludwig, M.D., a weight-loss specialist at Harvard Medical School and the author of Always Hungry? (Check out these vegetarian recipes for more meatless inspiration.)
Exercise Smarter, Not Harder
Daily workouts are crucial - you need to be more active to stay at your new weight than you did to lose pounds because your metabolism is a little slower now, Dr. Aronne says. But that doesn't mean you have to go hard every day. An hour of moderate activity like brisk walking or recreational exercise such as riding your bike will keep the pounds off, says Holly Wyatt, M.D., the associate director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado. (You can do 70 minutes a day for six days a week instead, she says.) An hour may feel like a lot, but that amount is necessary to maintain because it gives you something researchers call "metabolic flexibility." This is your body's ability to adapt and burn extra calories if, say, you decide to indulge in birthday cake at a party or overdo it at a barbecue.
If you can't do an hour, Dr. Rothberg recommends splitting it up. Try a 20-minute workout in the morning, a 20-minute walk during lunch, and 20 minutes of weight lifting in the evening. (Try finding a walking group; they bring serious benefits.) And be sure to incorporate strength training into your daily workouts at least twice a week. Women who do resistance training increase their muscle mass, which boosts metabolism, more than those who do only cardio, according to Gary R. Hunter, Ph.D., the director of the Physical Activity Core for the Nutrition Obesity Research Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Schedule More Time for R&R
Chronic stress can lower your levels of appetite-suppressing leptin, making you hungrier, according to a study in Psychoneuroendocrinology. At the same time, stress raises your levels of the hormones insulin and cortisol, which boost your appetite and slow your metabolism, Dr. Ludwig says. Add yoga to your workout mix to increase feelings of calm and build muscle. (Or try this meditation routine that relieves insomnia.) And make sleep a top priority, Dr. Rothberg says, since research links sleep to weight maintenance.
Weigh Yourself Every Day
People who stepped on the scale daily were more likely to keep weight off over a two-year period than those who didn't, according to research from Cornell University. While you shouldn't freak out if you gain a pound or two, tracking the number will help prevent it from slowly but steadily creeping up, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D.N., a Shape advisory board member and the author of The Flexitarian Diet. If you gain five pounds, take an honest look at your daily routine to see where you can shave some calories and build in more activity, she says. (But don't let weighing yourself bum you out!)
Related Links
7 Beauty Bloggers Reveal the Genius Ways They Organize Their Makeup
If you've ever tried to organize your beauty stash and failed, we completely understand. It's easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of products you've accumulated over the years. Now imagine an influx of hundreds of new hair, makeup, and skin formulas coming to your home on a weekly basis. For the life of a beauty blogger, this is a reality - and those items aren't for mindless pampering.
These products are like homework for a beauty blogger, meant for dabbing, swiping, spritzing, and testing as they research and plan for upcoming stories. Sure, it may sound more exciting than the traditional textbooks and trade journals you might typically associate with "market research," but it also requires a masterful organization system. There's a lot of strangely shaped bottles, tubes, and jars to find space for - especially for those operating out of a small New York City apartment! But you'd be blown away by the genius ways these beauty bloggers do exactly that.
We consulted some of our favorite beauty experts and asked them to share an inside look at the method to their madness. These beauty stashes are on another level! Even if you're not dealing with the level of clutter these women are, you're bound to learn a few helpful organization tricks to apply to your own collection.
8 Things You Never Knew About Target Food, Straight From an Insider Employee
Since you spend so much time shopping at Target, you want to know as many secrets as possible, right? You're in luck, because we reached out to a Target representative for the official inside scoop on all things food shopping, from the return policy to the best money-saving tips. Keep these insider secrets in mind the next time you take a quick - or not so quick, probably - trip to Target.
You can return anything.
If you buy any item (including food) and decide you don't want it, you can return it for a full refund or exchange. "Guests can return anything, including grocery items. Most unopened items in new condition, returned within 90 days, will receive a refund or exchange." If it's a Target-owned brand item, you can return it within a whole year.
You can offer feedback and request items you'd like to see in the store.
Target really does listen to customers' concerns. "Because we are always eager to hear about our guests' experiences, Target.com encourages guests to create product reviews, add photos and videos, and interact with other guests." You never know if your idea might inspire the next snack in Target's aisles. "We have a test kitchen at our headquarters filled with expert chefs and trend watchers that create recipes and Target-owned innovations."
You can save a lot of money using Target's Cartwheel app.
Seriously, if you don't have Cartwheel by Target on your phone yet, download it now. It's an incredibly user-friendly app that makes your shopping experience even better. Cartwheel offers daily deals on items all over the store, from food to cleaning products. If you're feeling lazy, you don't even have to search the app - just scan the bar code of your product in the app and Cartwheel will tell you if it's on sale (pro tip: Archer Farms and Up & Up products usually are). "Since launching the app three years ago, more than 25 million guests have signed up for Cartwheel and saved more than $500 million on their Target purchases," the Target rep said.
You should take advantage of the price-match guarantee.
If you find something at a lower price within 14 days of your purchase, Target will match the price. "We'll match the price if you buy a qualifying item at Target then find the identical item for less at Target.com."
Some of the top-selling groceries are . . .
Archer Farms Monster Trail Mix, Simply Balanced Blue Corn Tortilla Chips, and Simply Balanced Vanilla Nut Clusters. Those are just a few of the bestselling snacks from Target.
Kids get free cookies at SuperTarget bakeries.
Kids who are 12 and younger can get a free cookie at SuperTarget store bakeries. The company recently added the option of getting a free piece of fruit instead.
You can get Archer Farms coffee beans ground at any in-store Starbucks for free.
Since most Targets have a Starbucks inside, this perk is incredibly convenient and desirable for coffee-lovers. While you're ordering your coffee for the day, you can also get a bag of whole beans ground to take home for the week. Archer Farms's coffee selections include French Roast, Cinnamon Vanilla Nut, and Café Mosaica.
You get a free "smash cake" when you purchase your child's first birthday cake from a Target baker.
While the rest of the party enjoys a separate, intact birthday cake, your baby can dive into a (free) smash cake.
- Additional reporting by Anna Monette Roberts
6 Cuban Sandwich Recipes That'll Leave You Licking Your Fingers
Raise your hand if you think Cubanos are the best sandwich ever invented! We agree. There's no denying the pork and ham satisfy every meat-lover's dreams, while pickles and mustard add a touch of sourness and kick. On top (and below that) you have the crispy and crunchy bread, and every bite of this treat officially becomes life-changing.
If you're a purist, you probably already have the right ratios and "recipe" down to a science, but if you're looking to perfect your favorite or are simply open to adding even more of the delicious meaty flavors of the classic 'wich into your life, read ahead for six Cubano recipes you should try right now.
samedi 26 novembre 2016
This Math Problem Will Make You Question Everything You Ever Knew About Algebra
Math isn't everyone's best skill - and even those who are good at it are questioning everything after trying this algebra problem.
The question originally went viral in Japan, after a study discovered that only 60 percent of 20-somethings could actually solve it. Are you already feeling frustrated and hopeless at trying to know what the answer is? Watch the video below, posted by YouTube user MindYourDecisions, a popular math puzzle channel. In it, Presh Talwalkar, the mastermind behind this question, will guide you to the right answer.
As you can see, not even a calculator can help you, as it will read the problem wrong and arrive at the answer of 9. To solve it correctly in a calculator, you need to write it out like this: 9-3/(1/3) + 1, which will lead you to 1 as the correct answer. The problem tests your knowledge of PEMDAS, the order of operations formula, which says you must get to the answer by following these steps in this order: parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction. In this question, that means dividing 3 by the 1/3 first, which is the same as 3x3. That will then lead you to 9-9+1. From there, 9-9=0 + 1 = 1. Ta-da!
If you arrived at 3, 7, or 9 as your answer, you're not alone. Most people have forgotten how to use PEMDAS or interpret the fraction of 1/3 the wrong way. Still not feeling much of a challenge? Try this other math question that not even parents could solve.
The Hidden Benefit of Having a Baby That Moms Don't Want You to Know About
Call it motherhood's best-kept secret: there's a hidden advantage to having a baby that no one, not even the well-meaning moms in your life, will tell you about, and that's that your little tot is the single greatest excuse you will ever have to get out of doing just about anything. Not only that, but you'll also actually come off looking like a saint.
Before a woman has a child, she has to do nothing short of contract listeria or fake her own death to get out of any number of Great Gatsby-themed birthday parties or $100-prix-fixe bridal shower brunches without an eye roll from the host or a passive-aggressive Twitter exchange.
But enter baby, and it's like you said you can't attend because you're busy curing Ebola or meeting with First Lady Michelle Obama to discuss our nation's obesity epidemic. Instead of getting a "U R LAME!!!" text, you get appreciative understanding. "She has so much on her plate," they'll say to themselves. "How does she do it?"
You, dear mom, are a hero. And your baby is a "Get Out of Jail Free" card.
Just having a baby in your possession is excuse enough to get you out of countless awkward happy hours, company dinners, and bachelorette parties, and the best part is - at least 98 percent of the time - you aren't even making anything up. No more having to lie about fracturing your ankle - a fib that requires you to wear an air cast for the next three months and walk with a limp for the next year - because being too exhausted from a thankless job or too broke from an underpaid one aren't worthy excuses. You are exhausted. You are broke. You are incapable of carrying on a conversation that doesn't involve sleep training or "the introduction of solids."
And for that other two percent of the time when you use your child as a cuddly little scapegoat, well, no one's going to question you. So, in addition to all those times your baby had you checking "respectfully decline" on that RSVP card for good reason, here are a few more instances in which they have their advantages:
- Going in early. Day care drop-off is hard enough as it is.
- Staying late. Day cares close, you guys.
- Office bake sales. Right, because I have time to make snickerdoodles from scratch while my toddler is making snow angels with the flour I dropped on the floor.
- Potluck dinners. Especially when, by the time I signed up, all that was left on the list was "gluten-free pasta alternative."
- Cleaning the house. The vacuum cleaner interrupts nap time.
- Other kids' events. I already have one of those, and I prefer mine to yours.
- Long-distance weddings. You expect me to fly with a 2-year-old and then find a local babysitter to come to my hotel room so we can attend your cash-bar adults-only reception?
- Not knowing popular memes. What's this BuzzFeed you speak of?
- Not understanding Snapchat. Wait, I just learned Vine. Are we not using Vine anymore?!
- Idle chitchat with co-workers. I'm sorry, I can't stand in the break room and talk to you about your boyfriend's marathon for 45 minutes. I have to actually leave this place on time in eight hours.
- Book club. Yeah, I haven't read that.
- Game of Thrones watch parties. Yeah, I fell asleep watching that.
- Outdoor concerts. It's either going to be too cold, or it's going to be too hot. It's never going to be just right.
- Cocktail parties at sceney bars. See, I'd have to be late because her bedtime is at 7:30 p.m., and if she doesn't go down straight away, we need to read Goodnight Moon three times before she'll get back in her crib, which will put us at about 8:47 p.m., and by then, it's too dark for her to go to sleep without me lying on the ground next to her, so then I'd need to change out of my wrinkled dress, and we'll get there close to 11 p.m., which is when I need to pump, so . . .
Finally, a warning: although you'll have your child for a lifetime, using them as an excuse only lasts for so long. In fact, once they start talking, you can kiss goodbye to the days of saying, "Sorry, we're still not sleeping through the night," while slyly nodding at your unassuming, well-rested toddler. By that point, they'll certainly rat you out, either on purpose or due to the fact that they are children who haven't yet learned the benefits of white lies. And no one wants to lament not being able to attend their nephew's piano recital only to have their little one interject with, "But, Mommy, you told Daddy you'd rather amputate your eardrums than listen to Teddy bang on the keys for 45 straight minutes."
But even then, there's a loophole. It's why people have second babies.
Here's the Fruity Pebbles Doughnut Everyone Keeps Talking About
We might have declared Mr. Holmes Bakehouse the "best bakery in San Francisco" because of their flaky and delicious "cruffin" (the croissant-muffin hybrid), but the bake shop has decided to try its hand in Los Angeles, and we sure are glad! While customers wait patiently in line for a bite of the cruffin, the new star on the menu is the cereal milk sweetly infused Fruity Pebbles doughnuts that are baked fresh daily. We went into the kitchen to sample a few fresh out of the fryer ourselves and have to say - these are certainly worth the wait.
What's The CW's Best Show of 2016?
The time has come to throw your support behind your favorite show on The CW! Do you live for the undead on The Vampire Diaries and The Originals? Will you have trouble choosing between Arrow and The Flash? Or are you more of a Jane the Virgin person? Then again, there are new series to consider as well. No Tomorrow and Frequency are both great, but are they great enough to earn your vote? The poll will close on Dec. 27 at 11:59 p.m., so vote now!
10 Beauty Things Only Redheads Will Understand
So you have red hair, do you? Awesome - so do I. It's great, isn't it? You stand out in a sea of blondes and brunettes, which means you're way easier to find in a crowd. (You're welcome, friends.) As redheads, we tend to have a unique perspective on the world. Let's bask in our redheadedness together, with these 10 things that only our select crew really knows.
65 Budget-Friendly Gifts That Look More Expensive Than They Are
We all love our friends and family, but sometimes our budget doesn't allow for grand gestures during the holidays (read: expensive gifts they've been dying to get their hands on for months). It's the thought that counts, though that's not an excuse to give your loved ones a boring ol' thing from the $1 aisle. There are still plenty of cheap and great options out there, like the 65 picks ahead. They are all so awesome, no one will know you spent $25 or less to get them.
11 of the Top Pinned Tech Gifts of 2016
Don't spend hours looking for the perfect gift for secret Santa or a family member. Make it easy on yourself and look through some of the top tech gifts people are pinning on Pinterest. These gifts are useful, cute, and something anyone would love to have. Check them out and then see what else people are pinning to get for their friends.
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