Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
mardi 14 février 2017
It's Official: You Can Finally Stream Prince's Music on Spotify and Apple Music
Update:
It's official. After weeks of speculation about those purple Spotify ads, it's been confirmed that Prince's discography is now available on the streaming service. It's also available on Apple Music.
Original story:
If you've encountered one of Spotify's advertisements within the last week, chances are you scratched your head and assumed they were unfinished. The ads feature a bright purple hue with no words except the streaming service's logo in the corner. They've recently flooded cities like New York and London, leaving people wondering: What's the deal? What on earth is this even promoting?
An intriguing purple @Spotify banner has appeared at London's Spitalfields Market @Goodstuffers @TalonOOH @InfinityOutdoor ??? http://pic.twitter.com/DXaBsth59z
- Roy Shepherd (@OOH_Roy) January 30, 2017
It turns out they might be alluding to the music service nabbing the streaming rights to Prince's jams. This isn't the first time we've heard buzz about the late singer's music being released to streaming services; Billboard reports that Spotify's ads are likely hinting at his music becoming available by the time of his Grammys tribute on Feb. 12, 2017. Prince and the color purple go together like peanut butter and jelly, so these ads really couldn't be making it any more obvious.
We reached out to a Spotify representative for comment but have not received confirmation on the speculations yet. While we await their response, we're crossing our fingers that we can soon jam to "Little Red Corvette" on our morning commute.
Image Source: Giphy
10 Movies to Watch on Netflix If You Hate Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day isn't for everyone. In fact, it's not for most people, even those in a relationship. If you abhor the holiday, then join the club and watch a movie that will actually make you feel good about your life choices on Feb. 14. Here are 10 movies that we can wholeheartedly recommend (for very different reasons) that you watch on Netflix to "celebrate."
9 Classic Romance Movies You Can Stream on Netflix
While there are plenty of romance movies in theaters for Valentine's Day, some of the best films are from the days of old Hollywood. If you're an old soul at heart, then Netflix has some amazing options for you. From delightful comedies to poised and elegant storylines, there are plenty of titles to keep you entertained. Check it out below and if you want a few more laughs, check out these romantic comedies.
18 Actors Who Couldn't Seem to Stop Dating Their Costars
Listen, there's nothing wrong with finding love on the set of a TV show or movie - lots of stars have done it, whether it was with another actor, a producer or director, or even a member of the crew - but there are a handful of celebrities who seem to exclusively date people they've worked with on screen. While some of the relationships have worked out (see: Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, and Jenna Dewan Tatum and Channing Tatum), most stars have had to learn the hard way that mixing work and play isn't always the best move. Keep reading for 18 stars who have dated more than three of their costars over the years.
4 Theories About Kylo Ren and Rey's "Strange Connection" in Star Wars
If you think the Force has awakened in the Star Wars universe, just wait until you catch wind of this. Recently, it seems the official Star Wars website made two seemingly tiny changes to the bios of Kylo Ren and Rey. On Kylo's side, it says, "A mysterious connection seemed to link the two." Meanwhile, on Rey's side, it says she was "captured by the dark side warrior Kylo Ren, with whom she shared a strange connection." Hold up. Strange? Mysterious? It's true, we had an inkling that there was more to their relationship than meets the eye, but maybe we're not going deep enough. So we came up with some theories.
1. They're Related
One of the most common theories about Rey's parents is that she's a Skywalker. Sure, it's obvious. But Rey does find Luke's lightsaber by sheer power of the Force. She shows obvious Force sensitivity and enhanced abilities out the gate. Then there's the fact that Kylo Ren sees the island Luke's on while reading Rey's mind! Kylo Ren is obviously a Skywalker: he's the son of Leia Organa. If the two are related, it's a crazy showdown of brother and sister, of Luke and Leia, and of the dark side and the light.
2. They're Destined For the Classic Skywalker/Palpatine Model
Another popular theory out there is that Rey is a descendant of Emperor Palpatine. This would set her and Kylo Ren up for a Star Wars face-off that occurs in every single trilogy: a Palpatine vs. a Skywalker. In the first trilogy (numerically), Anakin Skywalker faces off against Emperor Palpatine. In the second, Luke goes up against the same villain, who has since become even more evil. This would create a sort of destiny between the two names. Rey, a Palpatine, going against Kylo Ren, a Skywalker. What's more, the Palpatine bloodline has shifted to the light side, while a Skywalker has gone dark. Who knows how it could turn out?
3. They Mark the End of the Jedi and the Sith
In this new trilogy, there are no Jedi or Sith . . . yet. On the good side, we have Force-sensitive individuals like Maz Kanata and Lor San Tekka and Rey and even Finn. They all demonstrate Force skills in varying degrees, but none of them are Jedi knights. Kylo Ren, of course, is a member of the First Order, but neither he nor Snoke identifies as a Sith lord. Now that we know Episode VIII is called The Last Jedi, it seems we're coming to a real turning point. Regardless of who the last Jedi is, what if Rey and Kylo Ren represent the future of the galaxy? What if everything changes once they both harness their power? It's hard to say what this would mean, but it's certainly interesting to consider.
4. Their Connection Will Result in Insane Consequences
We know Kylo Ren is very troubled. It's clear his journey to the dark side has been tumultuous, and Han Solo very nearly draws him out of it. Rey, on the other hand, seems to have a darkness in her. There's that moment during her lightsaber duel with Kylo Ren, where she very nearly delivers a deadly blow and kills him. Furthermore, Kylo recognizes this darkness in her as well. He offers to train her! What if they switch spots? What if Kylo pulls Rey to the dark side just as he finds himself drawn to the light? What if all the heroes are actually villains and vice versa? It could change the whole trilogy as we know it.
The Last Jedi hits theaters on Dec. 15.
Fifty Shades Darker: Everything We Know About Christian Grey's Past
The titular character of the Fifty Shades of Grey series, Christian Grey, is many things - billionaire, pilot, businessman . . . he's also "fifty shades of f*cked up," as he so eloquently explains it to his love, Anastasia Steele. Originally left in the dark, Ana is left to wonder why he's a sadist who won't let her touch him, where the burns on his chest came from, why he is so controlling, and other peculiar things about his reserved and unaffectionate behavior. However, in Fifty Shades Darker, he finally begins to open up to his wife-to-be. While both the book and the film adaptation give Ana (and fans!) insight into Christian's history, there are still many things left unanswered. Read below to get the full lowdown on Christian Grey's backstory from the books, but be warned: major spoilers ahead!!
Christian Grey was born in Detroit to a woman named Ella. Ella, a prostitute, was addicted to drugs and frequently neglected Christian. Ella's pimp (and occasional boyfriend) would visit their house and abuse Christian, slapping him around and burning him with cigarette butts, which we see in the beginning of the Fifty Shades Darker movie.
One day at home, Christian's mother dies of an overdose. Only a child, Christian is unsure of why his mother won't wake up and frequently tries to help her, covering her with blankets and talking to her; he also has no food for days, making him "profoundly hungry." Finally, four days later, the police arrive and discover Christian and his mother.
Christian is taken to the hospital and Grace Trevelyan Grey is the doctor on staff in the emergency room. Now emotionally attached, she and her husband, Carrick Grey, decide to adopt Christian. However, while the paperwork goes through, he's forced to stay with a foster family, which includes a young Jack Hyde.
When Christian finally moves in with the Greys, he is intimidated by their adoptive son, Elliot. He doesn't talk to his new family for a long time but begins to open up when his sister, Mia, is adopted. However, the mistreatment and abandonment of his birth mother make him feel unworthy of love.
As he grows up, Christian begins to experience frequent mood swings and bouts of anger. He takes out his aggression by getting into physical fights with students at school or anyone else who seems antagonizing. When his actions become dangerous, his parents send him to therapy; however, an interest from his mother's friend, Mrs. Elena Lincoln, is what finally grabs his attention.
At just 15, they begin an affair and she introduces him to the world of BDSM. As her submissive, he is able to relinquish control, feeling safe, comfortable, and free; this helps him channel his emotions in constructive ways. After six years, Elena's husband finds out about their relationship and, furious, beats her to the point of hospitalization, thus ending their affair.
Christian goes away to college, studying economics and politics at Harvard, before dropping out a couple of years later to start his own business. He remains close to Elena, and she even gives him $100,000 of capital to begin Grey Enterprises. Though their relationship remains platonic, she often helps Christian - who continues to practice BDSM, though now as a dominant - choose his submissive partners (most of whom resemble his birth mother, Ella); he has fifteen submissives before he meets Ana.
At the end of Fifty Shades Darker, Christian (now 27) and Ana are living together and engaged to be married. However, you'll have to wait until Fifty Shades Freed hits theaters to see how their story ends (or you could read the book if you're impatient)!
lundi 13 février 2017
20 Awesome Foods You Don't Know You Can Get at Cost Plus World Market
When you think of Cost Plus World Market, you may think of imported furniture or cool, decorative accents, yet the store contains within its four walls a plethora of foods from all over the world for a fraction of the price. Hawaiian coffee, French mustard, German gummy candy, and flavors of Japanese Pocky you've never even heard of await you. Take a look!
25 Gifts Under $25 That Any Valentine Will Totally Appreciate
Valentine's Day doesn't need to become a stressful holiday at all. Whether you're planning an over-the-top day or keeping it simple, there's always the option to get a small gift for your significant other. Look no further than our tech gift picks ahead that are useful and will definitely be appreciated.
23 TV Characters We Wish We Could Match With on Tinder
Wouldn't it be great if dating apps gave us suggestions like Outlander's Jamie Fraser or Empire's Jamal Lyon instead of somehow finding yet another man holding a fish in his profile photo? Sadly, life isn't fair, but on the bright side, the current TV line-up provides us with plenty of fictional crushes to fantasize over instead. There have also been tons of bulging biceps, bare butts, and a whole lot of eye candy, which we've graciously rounded up for Valentine's Day . . . and for your viewing pleasure.
36 Photos That Prove Viggo Mortensen Is Everyone's Type
When it comes to men, I don't really have a "type," but I tend toward ruggedly handsome, and I'd never kick a set of chiseled cheekbones out of bed. Hence, my enduring crush on Viggo Mortensen. As far as I'm concerned, Viggo is everyone's type. The chameleon-like actor is devastatingly good-looking, but he resists being the leading man or "movie star." Instead, he chooses challenging roles in all sorts of movies, and he's not afraid to get naked for them, including his recent Oscar-nominated performance in Captain Fantastic. When asked about his penchant for full-frontal nudity in a recent profile in Esquire, Viggo said he doesn't understand what the fuss is about: "It's just a penis. Every man has one." Over the years, we've seen him engage in a naked knife fight (Eastern Promises), perform cunnilingus on a woman dressed in a cheerleading uniform (A History of Violence), and make sweet, sweet love under a waterfall (A Walk on the Moon). He can morph effortlessly from boyishly handsome to dirty hot, and whatever your "type," Viggo can play it. Here are 36 photos that prove Viggo can be whatever kind of hot you want.
What Happens in the Walking Dead Comic Books After Negan's Brutal Entrance
Image Source: AMC
Negan is an unfortunate plague upon season seven of The Walking Dead. First, we watched him kill two major characters in the season premiere: Glenn and Abe. In more recent episodes, two more people fall victim to his sadistic killing streak. While we're still being gradually introduced to his world, we do know how the rest of Negan's storyline plays out in the comic book series. The Walking Dead TV series has veered from canon before, so we can't assume any of this will really go down on the show.
At this point, you have to know that in the comic books, it's Glenn who Negan mercilessly beats to death with Lucille. So after all that ugliness, Negan and a group of the Saviors head to the Alexandria safe zone to take a bunch of stuff from Rick's people. Carl ends up hiding in the truck with Negan's men on the way back (this happens slightly differently on the show), and when he's found out, Carl uses an assault rifle to kill a bunch of the Saviors. Rather than killing him, Negan takes an interest in Carl. He shows Carl around his compound, the Sanctuary, makes a stop to torment one of his many wives, and forces Carl to remove the bandage from his eye socket. Negan even lets Carl hold Lucille while he burns the face of a man his "wife" slept with.
Days later, Negan goes by Alexandria and is approached by Spencer Monroe when Rick is gone. Spencer tells him that Rick is a bad leader and that he (Spencer) should be in charge. Negan kills him on the spot for his cowardice - RIP Spencer. Negan and Rick butt heads one last time before he leaves Alexandria, and on his way back to his compound, Negan is attacked by Rick and his crew. Negan basically laughs in his face, and Rick realizes that he's surrounded by Negan's army. There's a scuffle, but Negan ends up back at the Sanctuary to prepare for "All Out War." (This is a big deal in the comics.)
Rick is actually the one who initiates a fight with Negan and his men. He tells Negan to clear the space of women and children, and when Negan refuses, Rick and his men open fire. Rick's army takes out a portion of the walls, allowing zombies to pour in and flood the courtyard. In the heat of battle, Negan catches one of his men about to rape a woman from Rick's side. Negan stabs him and apologizes to the woman. Despite having several wives, Negan does not approve of sexual violence. Part One of the war ends with Negan's men bombing Alexandria with grenades.
The next day, Negan comes up with a plan to cover Lucille and all of his men's weapons in zombie guts. That way, whoever they hit will be instantly infected. They attack Rick's colony, and Rick ends up getting shot with an arrow. Negan and his men temporarily retreat, and when they go to take over Rick's people, Negan is shocked to see that Rick is still alive. Rick manages to convince him that they shouldn't be fighting; they should be pooling their resources to fight the zombies - then he slashes Negan's throat. Don't freak out; Negan doesn't die.
Two years later, Carl goes to the basement in an unknown house and talks to a shadowy figure about a girl who showed him her boobs. (I'm not making this up.) The man asks Carl if he still wants to kill him, and Carl says, "Yes, Negan. You know I do." He's been living in the basement for two years! He and Rick have some loaded discussions about mercy and why Rick is really keeping Negan alive. Negan ends up escaping with a character named Brandon Rose. He's still alive in the comics, but he's missing in action.
And there you have it! That's Negan's storyline as far as we know. Let's see how closely the show sticks to the books.
14 Great Romantic Comedies to Stream on Netflix
It's no secret that the last few years have been a bleak time for romantic comedies, though 2016 brought some new hopefuls to the genre. I don't know what happened to girls just standing in front of boys asking them to love them or why Tom Hanks isn't shutting down Meg Ryan's shop anymore; I just know that this genre isn't as good as it used to be. To help matters, I've picked out a handful of great romantic comedies that you can stream on Netflix - movies that are either old favorites, gems you may have never seen, or semirecent movies you missed for whatever reason. Get ready to fall in love again!
A Day-by-Day Timeline of Selena Gomez and The Weeknd's Whirlwind Romance
Selena Gomez and The Weeknd threw everyone for a loop when they were photographed kissing outside of Giorgio Baldi restaurant in LA on Jan. 10, just two months after the "Starboy" singer split from model Bella Hadid. Their relationship is fairly new, but the stars haven't tried to keep it under wraps. Not only are they now officially following each other on Instagram, but they recently enjoyed a romantic vacation in Italy, where they were not shy about showing PDA. It's only been a month since Selena and The Weeknd first got together, but so much has happened since then.
Why Supernatural Fans Need to Watch Timeless, From Misha Collins Himself
Season one of Timeless has almost come to a close, and it seems like they've saved the best for last. As the gang travels to 1931 Chicago, they enlist the help of famed lawman Eliot Ness, played by none other than Misha Collins. Not only does the actor have a rabid fan base from playing Castiel on Supernatural, but his cameo also marks a mini reunion with the show's creator, Eric Kripke. POPSUGAR recently had the chance to sit down with Collins and he told us everything about branching out into new roles, how his two characters have a hilarious connection, and why Timeless deserves to be renewed for a second season.
POPSUGAR: First, what was it like teaming up with Eric Kripke again?
Misha Collins: The way Timeless shoots, Eric is down in LA and the rest of the team is in Vancouver, [British Columbia, Canada,] so while it is his show, I didn't actually get to hang out with him as much as I would have liked to. But it was just really great to be able to do something with him again. He is somebody whom I like a great deal and respect - he's very smart - and I kind of also owe him my career.
PS: What was your favorite part about playing Eliot Ness?
MC: For me, the most thrilling aspect was getting to do something that wasn't Castiel. I've been playing the same character on Supernatural for the past nine years and while that character has gone through a lot of different iterations, it's nice to step out and just do something altogether different. I'm not trying to say that I'm sick of Supernatural in any way, nor am I sick of my character, because he changes all the time; it's just nice to do something different. When you become an actor, you never, ever imagine you're going to be working on one role for a decade, and while it is such a blessing to get the opportunity to do that, it's also nice to do something different.
"It actually felt like the Supernatural set to me, like everyone was just sort of screwing around and joking and having a good time."
PS: Did you have any memorable moments on set? Everyone I talk to always raves about how great the cast is.
MC: Yeah, I have to say the cast was very warm and welcoming and fun. It actually felt like the Supernatural set to me, like everyone was just sort of screwing around and joking and having a good time. I don't know why this is, but that's just such a rare thing to find on set. Also, because Supernatural shoots in Vancouver, there were a lot of familiar faces on the set of Timeless. Their studio is actually about a mile away from our studio, so it was right in the neighborhood. The art director from Supernatural actually moved onto Timeless to be the production designer and our former team makeup artist is now the makeup artist on Timeless, so it also felt like a mini reunion.
PS: Out of all the characters on Timeless, do you have a favorite?
MC: No, I don't think so. I really like Goran [Visnjic]'s character. He's creating a great bad guy there. And he's a lovely human being, so it's a good contrast between his real personality and his sinister character. But the trio of heroes, I like them all. I think there might have been a little bit of a kindred spirit thing going on with Wyatt, because Eliot Ness and Wyatt have similar life paths, in some respect.
PS: Who do you think Castiel would most likely get along with?
MC: I think Castiel would most strongly identify with Eliot Ness because of the shared wardrobe. It was funny for me, because I was like finally stepping out - I haven't played a role other than Supernatural for years - and I was like, "All right, I'm going to do something that's totally different," and then I got into my trailer and they gave me a suit and a tie and a trench coat and I was like, "You got to f*cking be kidding me."
PS: The show has done a great job including little pop culture references throughout the season. Will there be any hidden references to Supernatural during your episode?
MC: Not to Supernatural, I don't think. There might be an Easter egg in there that I'm missing, I'll have to look again, but there are pop culture references, for sure. There are a lot of references that you would only understand if you've seen the movie The Untouchables.
"I honestly think that the only problem is that people haven't found it yet. It's a great show, and I'm very happy to be a part of it."
PS: Recently, Eric posted a long letter to fans about how Timeless has been deemed a "bubble show," meaning that a season two renewal isn't guaranteed. While the cast has been working hard to get more people to watch, in your own words, why do you think people should tune in? What do you think sets Timeless apart from other shows on TV?
MC: It just amazing to me that Timeless is a bubble show, that it's just not solidly in the renew column. I think that would only happen today when we're in this golden era of television, where there's so much to watch, it's just hard to capture an audience in the first place. But this show is absolutely epic. I simply can't believe the production value for the episodes. Each episode is creating a new world. I just can't think of another television show that trumps the Hindenburg to the 1970s week to week. And then there's just a real synergy between the cast and the writing is smart. I hope that it continues to grow its audience and that people find the show. I honestly think that the only problem is that people haven't found it yet. It's a great show, and I'm very happy to be a part of it.
Watch out for Collins on the Feb. 13 episode, "Public Enemy No. 1."
Lady Gaga Just Channeled Her Hardcore Rock Goddess With Metallica
Lady Gaga is a woman of many genres - especially since taking a detour into country with her latest album - but first and foremost, Lady Gaga is a ROCKER. The metal side of her was on full display at the Grammys when she donned leather, chains, and fishnets for a performance of "Moth Into Flame" with the legendary Metallica. At first one of the mics wasn't working, but they ended up sharing a mic, which was kind of more rock and roll anyway.
Study Shows Having a Baby After 35 Years Old Can Do Incredible Things For Your Brain
As women, we're constantly being told that our "biological clock is ticking," being encouraged to have children before it's considered too late, but now, a new study is reporting that there are major benefits to giving birth after the age of 35. The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found that having a baby later in life can not only boost your brainpower, but prevent memory loss later in life.
The study followed 830 post-menopausal women and tested their verbal memory, executive functioning skills, and global cognition. They looked at the age of their first period, age of pregnancies, number of pregnancies, and more factors to evaluate the effect of pregnancy age on their mental health.
They found that participants whose last pregnancy was after age 35 had higher verbal memory and those who had their first period before age 13 had stronger global cognition. "Longer reproductive period and use of oral contraceptives" are additionally positively related to brainpower later in life. Women who gave birth to their first child between the ages of 15 and 24 were shown to have worse health and cognitive functioning in their 40s.
The huge increase in hormone levels during pregnancy can positively influence your brain's functioning, and the idea is that if you're pregnant later in life, the changes to your brain will last longer. "While it is not enough to suggest that women wait until after 35 years of age to close their family growth, our finding of a positive effect of later age at last pregnancy on late-life cognition is novel and substantial," said the lead author of the study, Dr. Roksana Karim.
So, if your parents ever tell you that it's time to get a move on it because the clock's a-tickin, just tell them that numbers don't lie! Read the full study here.
Laverne Cox Finally Met Beyoncé at the Grammys, and It Was Everything She Thought It'd Be
Laverne Cox has not been shy about her obsession with Beyoncé (um, have you seen her dance impression?), and on Sunday, the Orange Is the New Black Star achieved her dream of meeting Queen Bey at the Grammys. After gushing over the music icon to Giuliana Rancic on the red carpet, Laverne made her way inside the Staples Center, where she finally met the singer in the flesh in the audience.
Naturally, Laverne documented the long-awaited moment on Instagram, sharing photos of the two hugging and chatting. "This finally happened. I was so beside myself with joy, wonderment and awe of the majestic that is the queen I forgot to hold in my stomach and give you face. But I met #QueenBey y'all. #Grammys," she captioned one of the snaps. In another shot, she wrote, "The Knowles Carter family is just everything. I MET THE QUEEN Y'ALL and her king, proud papa. Seeing him holding his daughter's hand walking her down the aisle at the #Grammys was everything." We only have one question: did you rub her belly, Laverne?
ABC Has Reportedly Cast the First Black Bachelorette!
Big news, Bachelor Nation: ABC has reportedly cast Rachel Lindsay as the new Bachelorette. The 31-year-old attorney from Dallas is still competing on Nick Viall's season of The Bachelor, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, an announcement will be made on Monday's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! that she will be the star of the upcoming Bachelorette season. This is huge news, given that there has never been a black lead on either of ABC's dating shows.
ABC doesn't traditionally announce its decision so soon, leaving us to wonder if Nick is about to quit the process before his season is over.
Watch the First Look at Nina Dobrev's Triumphant Return to The Vampire Diaries!
Nina Dobrev's long-awaited return to The Vampire Diaries is so very close. As she confirmed in January, Dobrev is returning to reprise her role as Elena Gilbert before the series concludes for good. We don't know exactly how Elena will factor into the series finale, but we do have theories. Ahead of the episode's March 10 premiere, see what you can gather from this all-too-brief teaser. You'll have to squint to see Elena, but she's there!
DVF Fall Has the Brand's Quintessential Allure, the Fun of Being a Woman
With Jonathan Saunders at the helm of DVF, Fall '17 looks a lot like his Spring debut, featuring an eclectic mix of prints on bias-cut dresses that women everywhere want to wear. It's undeniably playful, but not without sophistication - luxe fabrics, namely palliettes and fur, will have that effect. It's both approachable and whimsical, the kind of pieces that would both be at home in the closet of a seasoned fashion girl and a newcomer looking to the label for a special occasion dress. Diane's label has long had that reputation, the allure of Von Furstenberg herself, even with Saunders now taking the wheel.
Who Gives a Flock? These Flamingo Kitchen Goods Are Too Sweet to Resist
Flamingos signal vacation and warm, tropical weather. With their stunning, naturally pink feathers and tall height, flamingos also embody pride in standing out and being unique. If you want your kitchen and bar cart to embody these qualities, then you may want to incorporate a few flamingo flairs. Once you see flamingos on mugs, napkins, rugs, and swizzle sticks, you'll be hooked by their strange cuteness.
Our New App Will Give You VIP Access to Everything NYFW
You don't have to be an NYC local to experience Fashion Week. We'll keep you in the loop with trends right off the runway, front-row sightings, amazing street style, and backstage access. Our editors are on the ground and ready to give you up-to-the-minute coverage. All you have to do is click over to download the POPSUGAR Fashion Week app - how easy is that?
Our New App Will Give You VIP Access to Everything NYFW
You don't have to be an NYC local to experience Fashion Week. We'll keep you in the loop with trends right off the runway, front-row sightings, amazing street style, and backstage access. Our editors are on the ground and ready to give you up-to-the-minute coverage. All you have to do is click over to download the POPSUGAR Fashion Week app - how easy is that?
10 Breakfast Staples I Always Have as a 20-Something on a Budget
"Breakfast," "busy," and "budget" are three Bs that never coexisted for me until I figured out a grocery list and a routine that worked for me. As a 20-something with a desk job in a big city, I far too easily succumb to the habit of not making homemade breakfast a priority and instead buy too many pricey coffees and prepackaged breakfasts on my way into the office. But I've learned that as soon as you break the habit, you realize how doable it really is to have a filling breakfast at home - you just have to plan the right way.
For me, that means nailing down a grocery list and making prep a priority over the weekend. Armed with the following budget-friendly staples, I manage to make it through the workweek with homemade breakfasts that fill me up and barely make a dent in my wallet - besides the Friday morning mochas, because treating yourself tastes even better when you've earned it.
Our New App Will Give You VIP Access to Everything NYFW
You don't have to be an NYC local to experience Fashion Week. We'll keep you in the loop with trends right off the runway, front-row sightings, amazing street style, and backstage access. Our editors are on the ground and ready to give you up-to-the-minute coverage. All you have to do is click over to download the POPSUGAR Fashion Week app - how easy is that?
Where You've Seen the Gorgeous Cast of Riverdale Before
If you're like us, your latest obsession lies in Riverdale, The CW's reimagining of the beloved Archie comics. Riverdale combines three things that made shows like Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars major fanfare: love triangles, a murder (at least one for now), and a really, really good-looking cast.
And like many teen thrillers that have come before it, much of the cast was plucked out of obscurity. While some of the actors had a few credits to their name, many of them are getting their big break on the show - at least, that's the case with most of the students; you'll most definitely recognize the parents on this series, as almost all of them are TV veterans.
Keep reading to find out where you've seen the cast before.
Valentine's Day Movie Guide: What to See and Who to Take
Going to the theater with your partner (or best friend) on Valentine's Day is a time-honored tradition for some, and we're helping by compiling a shortlist of the best picks. In here, you'll find award season darlings, sultry romances (you know what movie I'm talking about, right?), and a few options that even the manliest of men would be happy to see on Valentine's Day. Take a look; these are all in theaters on Feb. 14!
9 Real-Girl Ways to Wear Victoria's Secret Hair
There are certain hairstyles that have become Victoria's Secret staples, whether from the catalog or on the runway - voluminous waves, a tousled workout ponytail, and sexy beach waves, for example. Personally, we think every woman deserves to have her model moment. So, we enlisted a group of Glamsquad hairstylists to give our POPSUGAR staffers sultry makeovers.
We re-created the classic Victoria's Secret styles in honor of the first-ever international Bombshells' Day. For this special occasion, the brand encouraged women to pamper themselves with a spa day, a blowout, or a manicure. We definitely went above and beyond in our celebration here at POPSUGAR! Plus, we've broken down all the tips and products you'll need to get the same looks for you next date night. So go ahead, get your sexy on.
Our New App Will Give You VIP Access to Everything NYFW
You don't have to be an NYC local to experience Fashion Week. We'll keep you in the loop with trends right off the runway, front-row sightings, amazing street style, and backstage access. Our editors are on the ground and ready to give you up-to-the-minute coverage. All you have to do is click over to download the POPSUGAR Fashion Week app - how easy is that?
You Won't Be Able to Tear Your Eyes Away From These Beautiful, Mesmerizing Stones
If you're mesmerized by anything sparkly, shiny, and beautiful, than prepare to become obsessed with minerals and stones. Though they might not be as eye-catching as aura crystals, minerals are just as pretty. One Imgur user rounded up some of the prettiest ones out there, and we've picked our favorites ahead.
The minerals and stones rounded up by Imgur user wakadorf are incredibly mesmerizing. Some are shiny, and others are trippy. Confused about what minerals are again? A mineral needs the following five properties, according to Geology.com: it needs to occur naturally, must be made out of inorganic material, is solid, has a "definite chemical composition," and has an "ordered internal structure."
Take a look at these minerals ahead, with captions from the Imgur user. You might be inspired to fill your home with these!
Our New App Will Give You VIP Access to Everything NYFW
You don't have to be an NYC local to experience Fashion Week. We'll keep you in the loop with trends right off the runway, front-row sightings, amazing street style, and backstage access. Our editors are on the ground and ready to give you up-to-the-minute coverage. All you have to do is click over to download the POPSUGAR Fashion Week app - how easy is that?
Our New App Will Give You VIP Access to Everything NYFW
You don't have to be an NYC local to experience Fashion Week. We'll keep you in the loop with trends right off the runway, front-row sightings, amazing street style, and backstage access. Our editors are on the ground and ready to give you up-to-the-minute coverage. All you have to do is click over to download the POPSUGAR Fashion Week app - how easy is that?
Our New App Will Give You VIP Access to Everything NYFW
You don't have to be an NYC local to experience Fashion Week. We'll keep you in the loop with trends right off the runway, front-row sightings, amazing street style, and backstage access. Our editors are on the ground and ready to give you up-to-the-minute coverage. All you have to do is click over to download the POPSUGAR Fashion Week app - how easy is that?
Our New App Will Give You VIP Access to Everything NYFW
You don't have to be an NYC local to experience Fashion Week. We'll keep you in the loop with trends right off the runway, front-row sightings, amazing street style, and backstage access. Our editors are on the ground and ready to give you up-to-the-minute coverage. All you have to do is click over to download the POPSUGAR Fashion Week app - how easy is that?
Our New App Will Give You VIP Access to Everything NYFW
You don't have to be an NYC local to experience Fashion Week. We'll keep you in the loop with trends right off the runway, front-row sightings, amazing street style, and backstage access. Our editors are on the ground and ready to give you up-to-the-minute coverage. All you have to do is click over to download the POPSUGAR Fashion Week app - how easy is that?
How Drew Barrymore's Gore-Filled Zombie Sitcom Became 1 of TV's Most Relatable New Shows
Drew Barrymore is into werewolves.
In a small, dimly-lit hotel room in New York City surrounded by a group of reporters, she brushes her perfect California girl beach waves over one plaid-shirted shoulder and smiles while revealing her preference. "Something about a werewolf gets me hot," she laughs. "Sorry, that came out wrong."
It's a sentiment that might sound bizarre coming from any other actress, but much like everything else that comes tumbling out of Barrymore's mouth, it's utterly and disarmingly charming. A similar thing can be said about her new Netflix show, Santa Clarita Diet, which somehow transforms a seemingly ridiculous story about a woman who turns into a zombie (of sorts) into a delightful, incredibly disgusting, and feminist half-hour of television.
Sitting at the room's small table, Barrymore is flanked by the show's creator, Victor Fresco, and her onscreen husband, Timothy Olyphant, who is more of a vampire guy himself, if you were wondering. "Lady vampire sounds kind of sexy, but Victor sort of turned the zombie thing on its head here," he says. "Maybe after a few years people will be like, 'Hey, I'm really into zombies.'" If you've already binged your way through Santa Clarita Diet, the idea of a sexy zombie shouldn't sound too insane.
"She's like, 'I can parallel park in one move, mother*cker!'"
Barrymore plays suburban real estate agent Sheila, who has found herself, and her marriage to her sweet and devoted husband Joel (Olyphant), in a rut. Then, following a sudden and vomit-heavy transformation, Sheila realizes she's become a member of the undead, with a twist. Fresco's take on zombie lore sees Sheila now ruled by the impulses of her id, which results in her feeling much more energetic and empowered, despite her newfound craving for human flesh. "Because again, she's not the [traditional] type of zombie," Barrymore says, sticking her arms straight out and groaning in a parody of Hollywood's usual brain-hungry monsters. "She's like, 'I can parallel park in one move, mother*cker!'"
The show's depth in regards to feminism might come as a surprise, since a people-munching realtor isn't necessarily the most obvious choice for female empowerment. But it works, and Sheila's strong sense of self is something Barrymore holds especially dear. It's something which she has been happy to speak about at length since the show premiered on February 3, openly noting that she used Sheila as a form of catharsis following her divorce from husband Will Kopelman last year.
At a Netflix panel for the show the day before our interview, Barrymore touched on how Santa Clarita Diet not only gave her an outlet, but a "safe place" to spend a Summer when it felt like her entire life was falling apart. "I really was excited about playing a woman who was becoming empowered, losing weight, pulling her sh*t together, finding a new confidence, finding that when your life really does fall apart, you don't ditch everything in it," she said. "It's not like everything goes away. You have to become you and take all the wonderful things in it and just find these new roads."
One of the things that makes Santa Clarita Diet work so well is Barrymore's unrepentant glee at playing Sheila, whose insatiable appetite for sex with Joel, cursing out strangers, and buying a Range Rover she's been coveting (and, ok, also eating people) is ridiculously entertaining to watch. Each episode has heart, too, and not only the ones Sheila puts in a blender so she can enjoy a gore-filled smoothie while power walking around the neighborhood with her friends. Olyphant's character, the straight man to Barrymore's impulsive Sheila, is a grounding force while still keeping the laughs coming. It's a bit of a departure for the actor, whose most recent characters in things like Justified and Snowden have skewed much darker. When everyone else is running off to make TV's next hit prestige drama, what made him do a 180 and play someone like Joel?
"I knew when I was reading it that it was a much different type of role than I usually played," Olyphant says, coolly sipping from his latte without any of the skittishness his character can't seem to shake. "Once I got involved, it was about making sure we created a character that you understood why he was in a rut, and why he was sort of so passive in the relationship and so fearful of this change. I felt like, as the show went, we all did a good job of making it so three or four episodes in, he became an understandable, relatable [guy]."
"I don't want to watch dark sh*t, I don't want to be in dark sh*t, and I don't want to put dark sh*t out there."
There's a moment early on in the show when Joel, who wants to aid Sheila through her transformation but is also in the midst of mourning the woman his wife used to be, gulps down his fear to help her. "We're going to kill people, sweetheart," he tells Sheila. "We're going to kill people so you can eat them . . . I'm not going to bail on you." Not only is the show fiercely feminist, but when you cut through the severed limbs and blood spatter, it also showcases a marriage stripped of the usual husband-wife nagging sitcoms are so fond of. "We're a good partnership," Barrymore says. "It's nice to see people excel as a couple. I'm so sick of everyone f*cking failing, fighting, and falling apart . . . I don't want to watch dark sh*t, I don't want to be in dark sh*t, and I don't want to put dark sh*t out there. I hate negativity, I want to be optimistic, problem-solving and solution oriented, and I want to make people happy."
Frank and Claire Underwood, they are not. But only time will tell if this sitcom will become a cult favorite, like many of Fresco's former shows (Better Off Ted, My Name Is Earl), or follow in the footsteps of the Underwoods' massively popular House of Cards, scoring a multi-season pick-up at Netflix. It seems like a second season is more than likely, though. How could they not with the way it ends, right?
"I loved the ambiguity of the cliffhanger, and the line, 'Maybe next week we'll both be free.' Those words left on this dot, dot, dot, that was a little trance-like, a little weird, a little f*cked up, a little cool," Barrymore tells us. "I think ambiguity sometimes can be very annoying and unsatisfying, and sometimes it can be a nice 'on to the next day,' which is what most people also have to face in their everyday life. Like, life is good, life is insane, but there's always a next day."
Unless an undead real estate agent gets her hands on you, that is.
These Game of Thrones-Inspired Valentine's Day Cards Are a Special Kind of Romantic
Let's be clear: the Valentine's Day gift you want is probably a moved-up Game of Thrones season seven premiere date, some footage of the next season, or some pictures. That's not happening, but we have the next sweetest thing for the holiday: specially created Valentine's Day cards that we can share exclusively. Inspired by the show and Game of Thrones gifts, HBO has put together these cards that manage to be hilarious, sweet, and perfect for the fan that you love. Chuckle at them, and then print them out for your savage valentine.
Charlie Hunnam Mentions Marriage and Kids as He Considers His Work-Life Balance
Charlie Hunnam has been quite busy over the past few years, but he's working on finding more of a balance in his life as he considers marriage and children in his future. The actor stars in two big movies out this spring, The Lost City of Z and King Arthur, and he's been working steadily since he wrapped Sons of Anarchy in late 2014. Back in December, Charlie acknowledged that he cut off communication with his longtime girlfriend, Morgana McNelis, while filming The Lost City of Z, admitting that the move was a bit too method. He elaborated on the struggle to find a work-life balance in the latest issue of Total Film, which is out now.
"I have an incredibly understanding girlfriend who is requiring more and more as we get older that I figure out a way to balance these things a little better," he said. "I've gotten off pretty easily so far, with being able to just disappear and be completely selfish and singular in my focus, but if we're going to start talking about having children and getting married then I'm going to have to figure out a way to balance that a little bit more effectively."
Add that to the many sweet things Charlie's said about his relationship. (And, yes, that's your cue to go ahead and swoon over the thought of him as a cute dad.)
Here's What it Took For Susan to Break Her Meth Addiction and Fight Obesity
Susan Peirce Thompson went through more in her first 26 years of life than most people will ever see in their entire lifetime: hard drugs, food addiction, self-loathing, prostitution, dropping out of high school, and homelessness.
Yet when we spoke with Susan on the phone, her joy and energy came through crystal clear, her voice sparkling. When we asked how she was doing, she said "fabulous." Today, Susan has a PhD in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, is the owner of a successful weight-loss business, has been clean and sober for 20 years, and also went from a size 16 to a size four. If you're thinking "Whoaaaa, what?" Then get ready for the secrets behind Susan's success, and the troublesome journey she had to endure to get there.
Susan: Before
A Bright Mind Enters Dark Times
Susan grew up in a beautiful neighborhood of San Francisco, where she loved cooking and excelled at school. But as she would learn later, her brain was wired for addiction, and in her youth her addiction was food. "My weight tortured me. I was an only child [with] not a lot of friends," she said. "I had these hours after school by myself, in which food became my companion, my excitement, my plan." By the age of 12, Susan was overweight.
When Susan was 14 years old, she discovered "the best diet plan ever" - drugs. She described her first experience with mushrooms, her all-night trip, and as a result, how she lost seven pounds in one day. Mushrooms were her gateway to harder drugs, which started with crystal methamphetamine.
"Crystal meth was the best diet drug ever, then it was cocaine, then crack cocaine," Susan said. "I dropped out of high school. I was losing weight, and with crystal meth I got thin. I was psychotic. I burned my life to the ground."
Up until she dropped out of high school, Susan was a straight-A student, but the drugs and the addiction got the best of her. By the age of 20, she was living out of "a crack hotel" in San Francisco as a call girl.
"Crystal meth was the best diet drug ever, then it was cocaine, then crack cocaine."
"I got down to a pretty low bottom," she told us. "I was a prostitute with a shaved head and blonde wig. I would go out and work, make a thousand dollars in a night . . . that was all drug money." Susan said she would smoke crack for days on end. "That was my life. That was it."
In August of 1994, a glimmer of hope appeared. She remembers the exact date and moment vividly. "It was 10 in the morning on a Tuesday. I had one, wide, clear, alert moment where I just got a full awareness of my state, my condition, who I was, what I had become," she said. "It was held there in suspended animation and contrasted with what I had hoped for myself, the life I had hoped to have. I had wanted to go to Harvard."
Susan knew she had to act immediately. "The message I felt in that moment was so clear and so one-pointed: 'If you don't get up and get out of here right now, this is all you're ever going to be.'" She sought shelter at a friend's house, cleaned herself up, and began to get herself back on track.
A suitor had asked her on a somewhat unconventional first date and took her to a 12-step program meeting in the basement of Grace Cathedral, and as Susan puts it, "the guy turned out to be lame but I got launched on my journey." She hasn't had a drink of alcohol or a drug since that day.
Susan: After
"I knew I would gain weight as soon as I stopped doing crack, and I did," Susan said. "I ballooned right back up, and it was right back to the food addiction rigmarole: pints of ice cream late of night, pots of pasta, living through fast food drive-thrus, cravings, hankerings, [and] going out in the middle of the night to the grocery store."
Susan recognized the pattern immediately. "At that point I was in a 12-step program, and I knew I was using food as a drug; I could see it plain as day," she said. "My brain was wired for addiction. At that point, my dopamine receptors had been pretty blown out from the cocaine, crystal meth, and the crack. I needed a fix and sugar was what was available."
Her relationship with food was so different at this point in her life than it had been when she was a child, serving up multi-course dinners from her family's kitchen. "I got to the point where I was eating with tears streaming down my face. I didn't want to be Susan with the food issue anymore; I spent too long being [her]."
Susan knew she had to learn more about the human brain - and her brain in particular - to get to the root of her addictive tendencies. It would be the only solution to a decades-long battle with food, obesity, and self-deprecation. She put herself through rigorous schooling, eventually becoming a neuroscientist with degrees from UC Berkeley, the University of Rochester, and UNSW in Sydney where she did her post-doctorate work. She dedicated her educational career to studying the brain and food's effect on it.
Regaining Control - For Good
She described that the notion of "everything in moderation" is not a one-size-fits-all concept. She likened her food addiction to someone who has emphysema from smoking. You wouldn't tell that person to adopt a "nicotene moderation program," you'd tell them to quit smoking. "Food actually lends itself well to an abstaining model. There is freedom in abstinence."
Susan has often encountered people saying "Well, you have to eat to live!" To that Susan says, "You have to eat to live, but you don't have to eat donuts to live." Through her education, experience, and knowledge of the brain, she was ready to change her life for the better, and get in control of her abusive relationship with food.
After finding the Baha'i faith, Susan turned to meditation. She now meditates for 30 minutes every morning as part of her daily ritual. A life-changing moment came to her one morning, "It's the day that I count as the beginning of the success that I have now with food," she said. "The words 'bright line eating' came to me."
What are Susan's bright lines? There are four: no flour, no sugar, only eating at meals, and controlling quantities. She's been sticking to it for 13 years, and has maintained her size-four body for that same amount of time. "People assume that certainly people get thin if they try hard enough, but it's usually not lasting; people usually gain it back." But she hasn't gained it back, not one pound. Here's how.
Susan: Now
The No Flour or Sugar Rule
"Number one is no sugar, ever," she said. "I don't smoke crack and I don't drink alcohol and I don't eat sugar. It is that clear of a line for me." Sounds intense, right? But it makes total sense to a neuroscientist like Susan. "Sugar is a drug, and my brain interprets it as a drug; one is too many, and a thousand is never enough."
If quitting sugar completely and permanently sounds impossible, take solace in Susan's success. She told us a story about how she had frosted blue cupcakes for her daughter's birthday at a playground, and when she got the frosting on her hands, it felt like "spackle" or "plastic" - not food. She had zero temptation to lick the frosting off her hands, because it was so unappetizing to her, and she walked the length of a football field at a park to get to a place where she could wash her hands. She also makes French toast every Tuesday morning for her family, before turning around and making herself a bowl of oatmeal. She is totally and completely in control now.
I don't smoke crack and I don't drink alcohol and I don't eat sugar. It is that clear of a line for me.
"Number two is no flour. I've tried to give up sugar without giving up flour, but I suddenly noticed my diet consisting more and more of chow mein, pot stickers, quesadillas, pasta, bread." The neuroscientist in Susan recognized a pattern here as well. "Flour hits the [brain] just like sugar does and wipes out the dopamine receptors." What this means, put simply, is that your brain won't have the cues to stop eating, because your reward system isn't functioning properly (this is what happens with drugs, too - your brain becomes conditioned and you eventually can't stop).
"Sugar and flour are just like white powder drugs; just like heroine, just like cocaine. We take the inner essence of a plant and we refine and purify it into a fine powder; it's the same process."
The Meals and Quantities
"Three meals a day with nothing in between ever," said Susan. "I'm a big fan of no snacking, ever. There's a lot of good reasons for it."
"Willpower is fickle," Susan told us. "If you're somebody who has an issue with your weight or your food, and you struggle with it all the time, it is one of the hardest things to overcome." She explained that we make hundreds of food-related choices every day, and that "You will never ever win if your eating continues to live in the domain of choices. If you're trying to make the right choices every day, you're dead in the water."
So she automates her meals like she automates brushing her teeth. "Make it super clear when you eat and when you don't eat." She has oatmeal and berries with ground flax and nuts in the morning. She'll have a veggie burger with stir-fry veggies and a little coconut oil with a big apple for lunch. At dinner she eats grilled salmon, brussels sprouts, and a big salad with flax oil, balsamic vinegar, and nutritional yeast.
Besides automating these meals and only eating at meals, Susan sticks to weighed and measured quantities with either a digital food scale or a "one plate, no seconds" rule. This overall automation keeps her from having to think about food, leaving no room for error.
Paying it Forward
That meditation epiphany Susan had about "bright line eating" came with what she calls a clear message to write a book. "I was struck with the pulsing of the suffering and the prayers of the desperation of so many millions of people who are stuck trying to lose weight."
She was ready to share her experience, education, and life-changing knowledge with the world. "I was a tenured college psychology professor, now I'm an adjunct associate professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester; I was teaching my college course on the psychology of eating; I sponsored a gazillion people on a 12-step program for food addiction; I had helped countless people to lose their weight and keep it off. I knew of a system that worked that had to do with these bright lines."
Susan empowered herself and changed her stark situation to become an acclaimed scholar and scientist, successful business owner, wife, and mother - something she is incredibly proud of. She's now helping others with her business, aptly called Bright Line Eating, using her neuroscience-rooted methodology to help people lose weight, break the addiction cycle, and stay healthy for good. So far she has reached about a half a million people globally. Her book, "Bright Line Eating: The Science of Living Happy, Thin, and Free" comes out March 21, and will chronicle every detail of her journey, and how you can apply it to your life.
A Heart Braid Is a Sweet Valentine's Day Hairdo
Who needs a sleeve when you can wear your heart on the top of your head! While some tots will be sporting their Valentine's love with their clothes, lil ones with long manes can fashion their hair into the ultimate symbol of love with a heart braid. Cozy Friedman of New York's Cozy's Cuts for Kids and the author of Cozy's Complete Guide to Girls' Hair ($14), shared the sweet holiday look with us. If you know how to create a French braid and have 15 minutes to spare, your child can sport this sweet style. Just follow these step-by-step instructions.
Here's What it Took For Susan to Break Her Meth Addiction and Fight Obesity
Susan Peirce Thompson went through more in her first 26 years of life than most people will ever see in their entire lifetime: hard drugs, food addiction, self-loathing, prostitution, dropping out of high school, and homelessness.
Yet when we spoke with Susan on the phone, her joy and energy came through crystal clear, her voice sparkling. When we asked how she was doing, she said "fabulous." Today, Susan has a PhD in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, is the owner of a successful weight-loss business, has been clean and sober for 20 years, and also went from a size 16 to a size four. If you're thinking "Whoaaaa, what?" Then get ready for the secrets behind Susan's success, and the troublesome journey she had to endure to get there.
Susan: Before
A Bright Mind Enters Dark Times
Susan grew up in a beautiful neighborhood of San Francisco, where she loved cooking and excelled at school. But as she would learn later, her brain was wired for addiction, and in her youth her addiction was food. "My weight tortured me. I was an only child [with] not a lot of friends," she said. "I had these hours after school by myself, in which food became my companion, my excitement, my plan." By the age of 12, Susan was overweight.
When Susan was 14 years old, she discovered "the best diet plan ever" - drugs. She described her first experience with mushrooms, her all-night trip, and as a result, how she lost seven pounds in one day. Mushrooms were her gateway to harder drugs, which started with crystal methamphetamine.
"Crystal meth was the best diet drug ever, then it was cocaine, then crack cocaine," Susan said. "I dropped out of high school. I was losing weight, and with crystal meth I got thin. I was psychotic. I burned my life to the ground."
Up until she dropped out of high school, Susan was a straight-A student, but the drugs and the addiction got the best of her. By the age of 20, she was living out of "a crack hotel" in San Francisco as a call girl.
"Crystal meth was the best diet drug ever, then it was cocaine, then crack cocaine."
"I got down to a pretty low bottom," she told us. "I was a prostitute with a shaved head and blonde wig. I would go out and work, make a thousand dollars in a night . . . that was all drug money." Susan said she would smoke crack for days on end. "That was my life. That was it."
In August of 1994, a glimmer of hope appeared. She remembers the exact date and moment vividly. "It was 10 in the morning on a Tuesday. I had one, wide, clear, alert moment where I just got a full awareness of my state, my condition, who I was, what I had become," she said. "It was held there in suspended animation and contrasted with what I had hoped for myself, the life I had hoped to have. I had wanted to go to Harvard."
Susan knew she had to act immediately. "The message I felt in that moment was so clear and so one-pointed: 'If you don't get up and get out of here right now, this is all you're ever going to be.'" She sought shelter at a friend's house, cleaned herself up, and began to get herself back on track.
A suitor had asked her on a somewhat unconventional first date and took her to a 12-step program meeting in the basement of Grace Cathedral, and as Susan puts it, "the guy turned out to be lame but I got launched on my journey." She hasn't had a drink of alcohol or a drug since that day.
Susan: After
"I knew I would gain weight as soon as I stopped doing crack, and I did," Susan said. "I ballooned right back up, and it was right back to the food addiction rigmarole: pints of ice cream late of night, pots of pasta, living through fast food drive-thrus, cravings, hankerings, [and] going out in the middle of the night to the grocery store."
Susan recognized the pattern immediately. "At that point I was in a 12-step program, and I knew I was using food as a drug; I could see it plain as day," she said. "My brain was wired for addiction. At that point, my dopamine receptors had been pretty blown out from the cocaine, crystal meth, and the crack. I needed a fix and sugar was what was available."
Her relationship with food was so different at this point in her life than it had been when she was a child, serving up multi-course dinners from her family's kitchen. "I got to the point where I was eating with tears streaming down my face. I didn't want to be Susan with the food issue anymore; I spent too long being [her]."
Susan knew she had to learn more about the human brain - and her brain in particular - to get to the root of her addictive tendencies. It would be the only solution to a decades-long battle with food, obesity, and self-deprecation. She put herself through rigorous schooling, eventually becoming a neuroscientist with degrees from UC Berkeley, the University of Rochester, and UNSW in Sydney where she did her post-doctorate work. She dedicated her educational career to studying the brain and food's effect on it.
Regaining Control - For Good
She described that the notion of "everything in moderation" is not a one-size-fits-all concept. She likened her food addiction to someone who has emphysema from smoking. You wouldn't tell that person to adopt a "nicotene moderation program," you'd tell them to quit smoking. "Food actually lends itself well to an abstaining model. There is freedom in abstinence."
Susan has often encountered people saying "Well, you have to eat to live!" To that Susan says, "You have to eat to live, but you don't have to eat donuts to live." Through her education, experience, and knowledge of the brain, she was ready to change her life for the better, and get in control of her abusive relationship with food.
After finding the Baha'i faith, Susan turned to meditation. She now meditates for 30 minutes every morning as part of her daily ritual. A life-changing moment came to her one morning, "It's the day that I count as the beginning of the success that I have now with food," she said. "The words 'bright line eating' came to me."
What are Susan's bright lines? There are four: no flour, no sugar, only eating at meals, and controlling quantities. She's been sticking to it for 13 years, and has maintained her size-four body for that same amount of time. "People assume that certainly people get thin if they try hard enough, but it's usually not lasting; people usually gain it back." But she hasn't gained it back, not one pound. Here's how.
Susan: Now
The No Flour or Sugar Rule
"Number one is no sugar, ever," she said. "I don't smoke crack and I don't drink alcohol and I don't eat sugar. It is that clear of a line for me." Sounds intense, right? But it makes total sense to a neuroscientist like Susan. "Sugar is a drug, and my brain interprets it as a drug; one is too many, and a thousand is never enough."
If quitting sugar completely and permanently sounds impossible, take solace in Susan's success. She told us a story about how she had frosted blue cupcakes for her daughter's birthday at a playground, and when she got the frosting on her hands, it felt like "spackle" or "plastic" - not food. She had zero temptation to lick the frosting off her hands, because it was so unappetizing to her, and she walked the length of a football field at a park to get to a place where she could wash her hands. She also makes French toast every Tuesday morning for her family, before turning around and making herself a bowl of oatmeal. She is totally and completely in control now.
I don't smoke crack and I don't drink alcohol and I don't eat sugar. It is that clear of a line for me.
"Number two is no flour. I've tried to give up sugar without giving up flour, but I suddenly noticed my diet consisting more and more of chow mein, pot stickers, quesadillas, pasta, bread." The neuroscientist in Susan recognized a pattern here as well. "Flour hits the [brain] just like sugar does and wipes out the dopamine receptors." What this means, put simply, is that your brain won't have the cues to stop eating, because your reward system isn't functioning properly (this is what happens with drugs, too - your brain becomes conditioned and you eventually can't stop).
"Sugar and flour are just like white powder drugs; just like heroine, just like cocaine. We take the inner essence of a plant and we refine and purify it into a fine powder; it's the same process."
The Meals and Quantities
"Three meals a day with nothing in between ever," said Susan. "I'm a big fan of no snacking, ever. There's a lot of good reasons for it."
"Willpower is fickle," Susan told us. "If you're somebody who has an issue with your weight or your food, and you struggle with it all the time, it is one of the hardest things to overcome." She explained that we make hundreds of food-related choices every day, and that "You will never ever win if your eating continues to live in the domain of choices. If you're trying to make the right choices every day, you're dead in the water."
So she automates her meals like she automates brushing her teeth. "Make it super clear when you eat and when you don't eat." She has oatmeal and berries with ground flax and nuts in the morning. She'll have a veggie burger with stir-fry veggies and a little coconut oil with a big apple for lunch. At dinner she eats grilled salmon, brussels sprouts, and a big salad with flax oil, balsamic vinegar, and nutritional yeast.
Besides automating these meals and only eating at meals, Susan sticks to weighed and measured quantities with either a digital food scale or a "one plate, no seconds" rule. This overall automation keeps her from having to think about food, leaving no room for error.
Paying it Forward
That meditation epiphany Susan had about "bright line eating" came with what she calls a clear message to write a book. "I was struck with the pulsing of the suffering and the prayers of the desperation of so many millions of people who are stuck trying to lose weight."
She was ready to share her experience, education, and life-changing knowledge with the world. "I was a tenured college psychology professor, now I'm an adjunct associate professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester; I was teaching my college course on the psychology of eating; I sponsored a gazillion people on a 12-step program for food addiction; I had helped countless people to lose their weight and keep it off. I knew of a system that worked that had to do with these bright lines."
Susan empowered herself and changed her stark situation to become an acclaimed scholar and scientist, successful business owner, wife, and mother - something she is incredibly proud of. She's now helping others with her business, aptly called Bright Line Eating, using her neuroscience-rooted methodology to help people lose weight, break the addiction cycle, and stay healthy for good. So far she has reached about a half a million people globally. Her book, "Bright Line Eating: The Science of Living Happy, Thin, and Free" comes out March 21, and will chronicle every detail of her journey, and how you can apply it to your life.
15 Beautiful Things Celebrities Have Said About Their Sweethearts
We all have that one celebrity couple we can't get enough of. From red carpet PDA to starring in movies and TV shows together, romance in Hollywood is truly on a whole different level. But all glitz and glamour aside, there's nothing we love more than hearing some of our favorite couples say beautiful things about their significant others. Keep reading to get some serious inspiration for your next love letter.
How Many Grammys Does Adele Have? There Are a Ton, So Let's Break it Down
Despite an issue with her tribute to George Michael, Adele swept the Grammys on Sunday night. The "Hello" singer scored five gold gramophones at this year's event, and although not everyone was thrilled with her big win (including Adele herself, who broke her album of the year trophy in half to give to Beyoncé), the feat is nonetheless impressive. Her 2017 wins included the aforementioned album of the year for 25, as well as best pop vocal album, record of the year, song of the year, and best pop solo performance. This is far from Adele's first rodeo at the big show, though. The British songstress now holds 15 wins and 18 nominations under her belt, and has taken home an award every year she released one of her albums (19, 21, and 25).
At 2009's 51st Annual Grammy Awards, Adele won awards in the best new artist and best female pop vocal performance categories (she was also nominated for record of the year and song of the year). In 2012 she picked up a best music video trophy for "Rolling in the Deep," as well as best pop vocal album (21), best pop solo performance ("Someone Like You"), record of the year ("Rolling in the Deep"), song of the year ("Rolling in the Deep") and album of the year (21). In 2013, Adele continued her reign with a win for best pop solo performance ("Set Fire to the Rain (live)"). She also picked up a Grammy for best song written for a motion picture thanks to the song she did for Skyfall in 2014.
After that, she took a hiatus until her explosive return at the tail end of 2015 - barely too late to compete in the 2016 Grammy race. With the five trophies she won this year, it puts her tied for fourth place with Alicia Keys as the female artist with the most Grammys (Allison Kraus is number one at 27, and Beyoncé and Aretha Franklin follow with 22 and 18, respectively).
Tom Cruise's Mom, Mary Lee South, Has Died
Tom Cruise's mom, Mary Lee South, has passed away at the age of 80, People reports. Mary died in her sleep last week after battling health issues in recent years, and was given a memorial service at her local Church of Scientology over the weekend. Several of her family and friends attended the service along with Tom and his sisters, Lee Ann DeVette, Cass Mapother, and Marian Henry.
Mary was a special-education teacher, and it was from her that Tom developed his passion for acting. The two were incredibly close, and back in 1986, Mary opened up about her son's success to Rolling Stone magazine, saying that she and her second husband both "wholeheartedly agreed" that Tom could be an actor "because we both felt it was a God-given talent." Our thoughts are with Tom and his family.
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