Month: April 2018

Much Ado About The Plus-Size Section (And How We Can Work Toward Inclusion)

Post author By Mary Sauer
Post date April 30, 2018

When influencer and plus-size fashion blogger Corissa Enneking visited Forever 21’s plus-size section for the first time, her initial emotional response was excitement. Big retailers like Forever 21 don’t often sell to the plus-size demographic, and when they do, it’s typically online.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgUpoGyBI4I/?hl=en&taken-by=fatgirlflow
Unfortunately for Enneking, within a few minutes of beginning her shopping, her excitement quickly morphed into horror. She took to her blog to share her frustration with the entire experience.
“Your entire store is lit with beautiful cool white lighting, and the floors are shiny little tiles of white and gold,” she wrote on her blog, Fat Girl Flow. “So please, tell me why the sweet hell the tiny plus size corner is dimly lit with yellow lights, no mirrors, and zero accessories on the shelves.”

In her open letter to the popular clothing store, Enneking doesn’t ask for much. She wants to be treated kindly. She wants to have a pleasant shopping experience. She wants to be able to find her size. Still, the writer admits that she already knows she is asking for way more than most mainstream stores offer.
[related article_ids=1006771]
“Create spaces that make people proud to wear your clothing,” she wrote in the closing lines. “Bring positivity into your stores, instead of alienation.”

Enneking’s powerful and vulnerable response to her shopping experience isn’t the first time major retailers have been called out for lack of inclusion, and it certainly won’t be the last. As more advocates for inclusivity and body positivity speak out, more criticism will fall on the clothing suppliers who don’t follow suit.

The State of Plus-Size Fashion

Before we can move toward an inclusive apparel industry, we need to be honest about the current state of plus-size fashion. Things are certainly improving, but we’ve got a long way to go.
Most obvious is a lack of options. It’s still surprising when a store has sizes bigger than a large, according to Brittany DiCologero, a lifestyle blogger at Castle Party who has been buying plus-size clothes since she was a teenager. Many of the stores that do have plus-size clothing only carry these items online.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhW3PeRnGpG/?taken-by=theashleygraham
“Plus-size women today cannot walk through their local shopping malls and browse whichever stores they like and find something in their size,” she says.
Cost is another issue faced by people shopping for plus-size clothing, according to yoga instructor and body diversity advocate Dana Falsetti. Although Falsetti believes there may be some variance in cost of manufacturing plus-size clothing, she feels certain the price variance is more about the limited availability of these clothes. Women have fewer plus-size options in brick and mortar stores, so the stores who actually offer a number of options can get away with higher pricing.

“A lot of ‘marketing diversity’ is actually just tokenism, and tokenism isn’t inclusion,” she says. “Brands making a profit off of diversity (in size, race, gender, etc.) but not showing any actual support for those communities is actually just taking advantage of them.”
[related article_ids=1057036]
The freedom to curate your personal style is also lacking for women who wear plus sizes, according to Falsetti, who points out that manufacturers aren’t just expanding the sizing of clothes marketed toward women wearing straight sizes. Instead, they’re creating a separate, limited collection for women wearing plus sizes. So, when you do happen to find clothing in your size, there is an expectation that you won’t be able to find a style that best embodies who you are or what you like.
“Not all of us want to wear hourglass-enhancing peplum tops and things that are considered traditionally flattering to patriarchal or eurocentric beauty standards,” she adds.

And even if you can find your size, it still might not fit right. There seems to be a learning curve when stores that have previously sold only straight sizes makes the switch to selling plus sizes, too.
“When straight sized retailers start designing plus options, the cuts are usually off and the fits may not work the same way they would on a smaller model,” says DiCologero. “In most cases, however, this is a learning process that designers eventually get right.”

Lastly, the shopping experience is often an unpleasant experience, according to DiCologero, who says that stores that have historically carried only straight sizes are often the worst. Employees can be rude and shoppers are occasionally unkind, as well.
Sarah Guerrero, another woman who wears plus-size clothing, was quick to point out the isolating nature of the shopping experience. She says that most stores treat plus-size clothing like a separate category, like maternity fashion, shoving them in a corner somewhere in the back of the store.

… she CONTINUED to make rude comments like “well idk they run small” accompanied with side eyes and scoffs. It was absolutely humiliating and unnecessary. And I am not even considered “plus size” at most stores… I can’t imagine how plus size women feel. 💔

— Alli (@alli_mcd13) January 9, 2018

Slowly but surely, things are changing.

Thinking back to shopping as a teen, DiCologero recalls just how terrible it used to be. Going to the mall with her friends filled her dread, mostly because she knew there wouldn’t be clothes available in her size.
“I would literally disregard what the dresses looked like, and I would just look for the biggest size on the tags,” she says of shopping for dresses for school dances. “I’d usually be able to find about two or three to try on, and whichever one fit, I would buy—regardless of price or whether or not I even liked the dress.”

Now, she is excited that so many retailers who produce plus-size clothing are opening brick and mortar stores, even if it means driving three towns over to find clothes she loves. She also says that she has noticed plus-size clothing’s quality improving. Both Falsetti and DiCologero point out the roles of more inclusion in marketing in the changing world of plus-size fashion. More retailers are including images of women of all sizes and colors in their advertising, and this is a great first step.
“I see people who look like me represented more every day,” Falsetti says.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfQOnm9nT0l/?taken-by=curvycampbell
Some improvements have also been made when it comes to the trendiness of plus-size clothing, shares Anya Jackson, who has shopped for plus sizes for 20 years.
“I’m seeing massive improvement in the availability of trendy styles,” she says. “Plus size no longer means I have to look like a granny wearing a floral tent.”

Moving Toward More Inclusion

What’s next for plus-size fashion? How can we advocate for more sizing and style options? Perhaps the most obvious is how the way we spend our money supports or inhibits inclusion.
Get clear on which retailers are practicing inclusion and which are simply paying lip service or putting minimal efforts into the plus-size options. Going out of your way to support retailers that align with your values, like diversity and inclusion in both advertising and what they sell in their stores, is a powerful way to make a statement. ModCloth is one example of a retailer who has made great strides to a more diverse catalogue of clothing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh-WfnogRtI/?taken-by=modcloth
Aerie is an example of a store who preaches representation by including “real models” and never retouching their photos. Unfortunately, their selection speaks louder than these initiatives, as their clothing options still stop at a 2XL. Rarely do they carry extended sizes in stores.
Torrid, a plus-size line with brick and mortar stores, produces high-quality clothes up to size 4X, while Elizabeth Suzann is a designer who is making huge strides toward offering ethically and sustainably produced clothing in sizes 000 to 28.

“Remember your resources are plentiful and not just financial,” Falsetti points out. “Spending your money with those brands, telling your friends about them, and promoting them on social media are just a few ways that consumers can influence what companies are doing.”
Since brands are now so accessible through social media, giving feedback is easier than ever. Sharing how you feel about a particular brand, both positive and negative, is one way Jackson believes we can advocate for change in plus-size fashion.

I love figuring out my size by conceptualizing how many skinny people will fit in my clothes https://t.co/671yBwB1Sq

— molly (@mollyxflanagan) December 10, 2017

Representation also plays a powerful role in moving plus-size fashion in the right direction. Jackson says she is thrilled to see more women who actually look like her modeling the clothes she buys. Women like Enneking, DiCologero, and Falsetti are just a few members of a greater movement using social media to promote a message of body positivity. Enneking is self proclaimed “happy fatty.” Falsetti posts about yoga, plus-size fashion, and body diversity. DiCologero blogs about plus-size fashion. They’re celebrating their bodies, and they’re empowering other women to do the same.
Men are stepping up, too. Troy Solomon runs his Instagram on a policy of self-love—and not giving a you-know-what—and has gained 43,000 followers being exactly who he was born to be. Matt Diaz has gained his following by candidly sharing pictures of himself shirtless and talking honestly about the insecurities he has felt about his body.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh2AYV8HPvz/?taken-by=abearnamedtroy
“We all just want to be seen and respected and have equal opportunities to dress and express ourselves,” says Falsetti. “Representation gives people a sense of value and belonging.”
Lastly, women like Falsetti are pushing for a more inclusive language being embraced by the general demographic. The words we say matter and ultimately inform our actions. Knowing the experiences of others and moving forward with empathy is a good first step toward more representative fashion and a more inclusive world.

Tags social

Conscious Beauty Lifestyle

4 Beauty Staples From Cleopatra's Time That Lived On (And One That Should Stay Hidden Away)

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date April 30, 2018

Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, “The Father-Loving Goddess,” queen of Egypt, beloved of emperors, leader of armies, muse of Shakespeare and Elizabeth Taylor, lived near the banks of the Mediterranean Sea more than 2,000 years ago. She warred with her princeling brother for Egypt’s throne and won with an assist from a few Roman legions, courtesy of a boyfriend named Caesar. After two decades of absolute power, Cleopatra took her own life for love—or so the story goes.
Plus, she was beautiful. Like, historically beautiful. Who better to turn to for beauty secrets than the woman who captured the hearts of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony?

Cleopatra probably took some beauty secrets with her to the as-yet-undiscovered grave, but we do know this: She was a woman of her time. Egyptians of the 1st century B.C. were as obsessed with skincare and cosmetics as any contemporary Kardashian. They had it all: perfumes, cleansers, ointments for zits and wrinkles, fingernail polish, and, of course, eyeliner. You know that winged eyeliner trick that’s so hard to get right in real life? The ancient Egyptians invented that look.
https://twitter.com/MeltCosmetics/status/830153280932106240
But not everything in Cleopatra’s makeup kit would work for us these days. Styles change by the season, and we’re talking about millennia—plural. Today, we investigate the ways Cleopatra kept her skin in emperor-tempting, kingdom-ruling shape:

1. The Original Winged Eyeliner

Cleopatra couldn’t take a selfie, but she did have legions of artisans to paint her image on frescoes and sculpt it in bas relief. Look at any example of ancient Egyptian portraiture and you’re bound to notice something about the eyes. They look like Sophia Loren. They look like Amy Winehouse—men, women, and gods alike. The ancient Egyptians perfected the art of winged eyeliner.

But lacking Maybelline, what did they use to create the perfect cat’s eye? Powdered galena, wrote historian Lionel Casson in Everyday Life in Ancient Egypt. They’d grind up the lead-based metal and mix it with fats or oils or resins to create a thick, dark goo that functioned as eyeliner and mascara in one. It’s called kohl.
Historians are starting to think kohl was good for more than beauty, too. Researchers found that lead sulfites in the cosmetic spur a natural immune response, according to Discover magazine. Cleopatra’s eyeliner wasn’t just makeup. It was an antibiotic.

That’d be pretty attractive to the people of the Nile River Valley, who were prone to bacterial eye infections with the annual floods. If you’re thinking of digging up some lead and grinding your own kohl, though, think again. You’re better off with something from the cosmetics aisle.
“Lead is most dangerous to growing children because it can cause severe anemia,” points out Tanya Kormeili, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Santa Monica. “I would not recommend having anything with high lead around if you have kids. Otherwise, it is unclear how much it would absorb through the skin, but high levels of heavy metals (especially mercury) are proven to be toxic to all humans.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration agrees. In some parts of North Africa and Central Asia, people still make kohl the old-fashioned way. It occasionally gets into the U.S. market under a variety of names: kohl, tiro, surma, kajal, kwalli. The FDA headline on the subject offers a stern warning: “By Any Name, Beware of Lead Poisoning.”
The FDA is serious about the threat. They set an import alert for products that use the terms kohl, kajal, or surma on their labels. This is one ancient cosmetic that belongs in the past. If you’re prone to eye infections, there are antibiotic drops for that. Modernity does get some things right—leave this one buried.

2. From Cleopatra to Cara Delevingne

The recent move toward a full-eyebrowed look would have been familiar to Egypt’s most famous queen. Women of Cleopatra’s time filled out their brows with charred almonds, per Marie Claire. This little trick isn’t relegated to years that end in B.C., either.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZmX_0Ql4eT/?taken-by=caradelevingne
“My late grandmother used various nuts for makeup!” Kormeili tells HealthyWay. “The key is to slightly charcoalize the nut over a flame until it is black. The black ‘ink’ is a natural product used for eyeliner and pencil. It is natural and organic.”
But what if Cleopatra wanted a little more color? That’s when she’d touch up her brows with powdered malachite, a copper ore with a green tint, wrote Casson. Cosmetics manufacturers use copper powder in their products to this day, according to CosmeticsInfo.org. You could be putting on your face like Cleopatra already!

3. A Soak of Milk and Honey

“Age cannot wither her,” Shakespeare wrote of Cleopatra. Today’s dermatologists might have figured out the secret of the queen’s famed agelessness.
“Cleopatra’s famed baths in the milk from [donkeys] is well known,” says dermatologist Sonam Yadov, MBBS. “The scientific basis is still in use today: The lactic acid in sour milk is an exfoliating and skin-brightening agent. Thus, her milk baths were just an ancient and effective ‘chemical peel.’ Today, we use the same lactic acid, just in more purified and concentrated forms in our offices.”
The “Father-Loving Goddess” might have mixed honey into her milk baths, according to popular legend (and about a thousand beauty blogs). That makes sense to Kormeili. She touts the skincare properties of milk and honey both.
“It is interesting that thousands of years later we are doing this and getting great results,” the dermatologist tells HealthyWay. “There are new studies to suggest that honey has both antibacterial and wound-healing properties. As such, I am using it on my surgery patients post-op! As for the milk baths, we [use] lactic acid in a variety of skin peels and products for exfoliation and skin brightening.”

Milk Baths are just like regular baths, only with an addition of milk and often other scents such as lavender, honey, and essential oils.

— Milk Positivity (@milkpositivity) April 27, 2018

Kormeili should know. She’s on the forefront of the dermatological use of lactic acid, an organic compound that comes from soured milk.
“I am currently working on an office procedure that would involve using lactic acid with a variety of other natural acids for skin brightening and melasma,” she says. “None of my patients would want to soak in a tub of milk. It is easier to get it at my office!”

4. Lipstick from the Pharaoh’s Tomb

Today, you can head to the nearest Walgreens and find lipsticks in every shade from “dusty lilac” to “warm tangerine.” Cleopatra’s lip coloring of choice would be right at home on that shelf. It’d be called “red ochre.”

Photo: Elizabeth Taylor checks her makeup before shooting the grandest scene in movie history in Cleopatra (1963) pic.twitter.com/DuPbdwDGHJ

— Channing Thomson (@CHANNINGPOSTERS) November 24, 2013

Iron oxide gives powdered red ochre a rich crimson flush. Ancient cosmetologists would mix this pigment with grease or tallow to make a bright, kissable paste that Marc Antony’s wife back in Rome probably discovered on his shirt collar (if ancient Romans had shirt collars).
Oh, and Cleopatra’s people also invented a surprisingly familiar beauty hack. “Use your lipstick as blush,” the makeup bloggers say. “It’ll look great!”

Whether you’ve been able to pull that trick off or always end up looking like Raggedy Ann instead, Cleopatra got there first. She didn’t just use red ochre on her lips, reported Marie Claire. She also rubbed it into her cheeks for a bit of definition.

5. The Mani-Pedi of the Gods

No modern woman would neglect her nails. Neither would an ancient queen. Women today don polish, shellac, gel, acrylic; women of Cleopatra’s time tinted their fingernails and toenails with henna, giving them a gorgeous scarlet glow, wrote Casson.
It might not have been a gel manicure with intricate design work, but it did the trick. Even better, henna is generally safe for adults when used topically, as in cosmetics, according to WebMD. At least the women of ancient Egypt could tint their nails without ingesting paint-chip quantities of lead.

Want to try this yourself? Go ahead! There are lots of great YouTube tutorials to get you started. We’re fans of the one above.

The Cosmology of Cosmetology

If Cleopatra were to march out of a pyramid and into the modern world, we doubt she’d be surprised by today’s makeup counter. While specific styles grow and evolve and devolve and come back before disappearing again, everyone wants to look good—preferably good enough to catch the eye, if not the heart, of the most powerful ruler on the planet.
“I think the lesson is that human bodies have not changed that much,” says Kormeili. “Neither has our desire for beauty and health!”
https://twitter.com/AwesomeANTJAY/status/922177920084221952
That’s not all we’ve borrowed from history, either. You can’t always get the look you desire with YouTube tutorials and Sephora catalogs. Even ancient Egyptians had their beauty experts, although they tended to double as physicians.
“I would recommend patients seek expert help if they are trying to improve things,” says Kormeili. “In the Egyptian times, there were ‘natural healers’ and ‘medicine men’ who would come up with the treatments. The average person did not ‘google’ ideas and do trial and error. The mistakes with skin can be so expensive to fix.”
That’s wisdom for the ages.

Tags social

Healthy Relationships Wellbeing

How To Make Friends: 7 Strategies Real Women Used To Find Their BFFs

Post author By Joni Sweet
Post date April 30, 2018

Desperation drove me to do it. “Looking for someone to chill with,” I wrote on the San Francisco Craigslist personals forum.
“I recently moved here from NY to pursue a career in journalism. It’s tough meeting new friends in a new city, especially after college,” my post continued. “I’d love to get a drink and a snack with a cool guy or girl tonight. Let me know if you’re interested.”
I read it over, and felt compelled to add one last line: “Friends only, thanks.” This was Craigslist, after all.
Having relocated to the opposite coast, fresh out of college at age 22, I suddenly found myself without any local friends. I felt pathetic publishing the post, but once the responses started rolling in, I realized I wasn’t alone in feeling lonely. There were actually a lot of us.
The demands of adulthood—from pursuing a career, to growing our families, to finding love—can cause our friendships to take a back seat (and possibly evaporate altogether). Before you know it, you look around and realize you have no one to hang out with. And at this stage in life, it’s hard to even figure out how to make friends, let alone find people with whom you’re compatible.
A response popped in my inbox from another woman about my age. We decided to have a friend date at a local restaurant. While it was every bit as awkward as a typical first date, the experience also brought me a flood of relief: Finally, someone (anyone!) to connect with! We ended up hanging out regularly during my stint in the city by the bay.
Putting yourself out there feels awkward—the fear of rejection can cause even the most extroverted people to crawl into their shells. But friendships play a critical role in our health and happiness. According to a 2016 study, researchers found that people with “a higher degree of social connectedness” had better physiological function and lower risks of certain disorders.
Equally important, our friends act as foundations of support when times get tough, cheerleaders when we’re chasing our dreams, and celebrants for our achievements, large and small.
“It’s important for women to feel connected to their friends and to have that support, especially as we go through life’s ups and downs,” says Nicole Zangara, licensed clinical social worker and author of Surviving Female Friendships: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
Making friends isn’t easy, but you don’t have to publish an awkward post on a sketchy forum to start meeting people. Real women from around the country (and the globe!) shared their top tips on finding new friends—and keeping them. Here’s how you can push through loneliness and open yourself up to friendship at any stage of life.

An Expert’s Take on How to Make Friends

When you’re feeling lonely, it’s all too easy to wallow in it and avoid trying to make friends. Why should you bother? Does friendship even matter?
Having friends absolutely matters, says Zangara. In fact, friendships fulfill more than just a social need—they also influence our health. Research shows that the presence of a “best friend” reduces the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in a person’s body. An active social life can reduce the rates of cognitive decline in old age by up to 70 percent, according to another study. Researchers say that our friends also help us adopt healthier habits, like working out and eating nutritious meals.
“If a friend is trying to get into shape, it can impact the other friends in the group to also get more active,” explains Zangara. “If someone tries to quit smoking, she might become a positive influence on her other friends to do the same. Feeling supported provides happiness and overall greater life satisfaction.”
If those aren’t enough reasons to start figuring out how to make friends, get this: A meta-analysis of 148 studies found that people with stronger social relationships had a 50 percent higher likelihood of survival. Talk about the power of friends!

Opening Yourself Up to New Friends

Making friends as children was breezy for most people. Just sharing a favorite color could be enough for two girls to become besties.
But when we grow up, things swing the opposite direction. It’s like we forget how to make friends once we graduate. What’s the deal?
“When we’re young, we have many opportunities to meet other people in our classes, at our extracurricular activities, on our sports teams, and in clubs,” says Zangara. “It gets harder as an adult because you have to intentionally create the opportunity to meet people, and some of us don’t want to put forth the effort, or even know how.”
Realizing your need for genuinely intimate relationships with friends is a step in the right direction. But before you can approach others, you need to make sure that you’re approachable yourself.
“When making new friends, especially if you’re self-conscious, try to be open minded and ask others about themselves,” Zangara suggests. “Sometimes just a smile can make you seem much more approachable and friendly. Making good eye contact also helps, and you will seem confident.”
People are drawn to each other for different reasons, whether it’s an ambitious career, a shared interest in science fiction, or a quirky sense of humor. It’s natural, and while there’s no way to force it, giving off a confident, positive vibe will increase the likelihood that someone will be charmed by you.

Strategies for How to Make Friends

When you’re longing to find the Thelma to your Louise, you might be at a loss for where to go. But you’re not the first person to navigate the world of making new friends. We asked women from around the world about the strategies that helped them find their besties. While none of them suggested Craigslist, they did share the clever ideas that worked for them.

1. Sign up for sports.

Sherri Bourdo, a physical therapist in Fort Myers, Florida, found herself lonely when she relocated from Wisconsin. So she started looking for ways to keep busy and pursue her passions—and that’s when she found some local friends.
“Volleyball is one of my passions, so I checked into all the local clubs and recreational centers for teams that may need an additional player. Just my luck, a team needed one girl and I joined them for the season. They became (and still are) some of my closest friends,” she says. “The great thing with volleyball or any sport is that most people who play are usually into health, fitness, and staying active, which can help you continue connecting with other people and building more friendships.”
If traditional team sports aren’t your thing, try other ways of being active, like a Pilates class or group hiking. There’s something about the act of moving your body makes it easier to build connections with others.

2. Give someone a compliment.

Bars are a great place to meet friends, right? That’s what Samantha Allen, a legal assistant in Boston, believed when she was looking for new pals. It generally worked—but she did something extra at a local watering hall that made a big difference.
“A few months ago, I complimented a woman at a bar on how wonderfully she matched her red lipstick to the same red shade of her leather purse, and we’ve been good girlfriends ever since. We spent the rest of the night hanging out, and today when we go to dinner or out for walks, we always laugh that so few people meet new friends the way we did,” she says.
Noticing something unique about another person and actually speaking up about it can break the ice on a new relationship. Try complimenting one new person a day to see where it leads you.

3. Try something unexpected (like karaoke).

Whether it’s indoor rock climbing, singing in a choir, or taking a pottery-making class, a new activity can help you break out of your shell and meet friends from other walks of life. For Alexandra Palombo, a communications specialist in Washington, D.C., that activity was joining a competitive karaoke league (yes, that’s a thing).
“Part of its appeal is that you could potentially meet 47 other people that you didn’t know before on any given night,” she says.
It turns out that friends who sing together, stay together. Even though Palombo has since left the league, she credits the experience as the thing that helped her make “about 80 percent” of her local friends, including both her old roommate and her boyfriend of five years.
“I highly recommend that people who are new in town search out stuff like this and give it a try,” she says. “Worst case scenario: It’s no fun. The best case, though, is that you make a ton of new connections outside of your workplace.”

4. Connect through your kids (or your dog).

“Kids are your key and entryway to meeting friends,” says Alison Bernstein, founder of real estate strategy firm Suburban Jungle and mom of four children.
Each social or recreational activity your child has during the week creates an opportunity to strike up a conversation with another mom and hopefully hit things off as friends.
“Chat with other parents at birthday party drop-offs or sporting events,” Bernstein adds. “As your kids make friends, you’ll automatically have things in common with their parents as all your children will go through their ‘firsts’ together, from starting kindergarten, to gaining independence, and ultimately graduation. That common bond goes a long way.”
Don’t have kids? A dog can have a similar effect on helping you make friends, says Bernstein.
“Dogs are always a conversation starter,” she says. “Many towns have dog parks which are great places to socialize. You can meet so many people there and set up dog play dates.”

5. Go on a retreat.

Retreats are like summer camp for grown-ups—not only are they a chance to step outside the routine of everyday life, they’re also a catalyst for friendships to form and deepen, fast. That’s what Andrea Valeria, digital nomad and vlogger at It’s a Travel O.D., recently discovered during a multi-day retreat with nine other women in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
“I’m constantly trying new travel-related experiences so I can meet more cool people,” she says. “Most recently, I went on an all-women’s entrepreneurial retreat by Vaera Journeys. Spending a week with women who like to hustle as much as I do turned out to be a great idea. I walked away inspired and with a few new friends.”
You don’t have to go too far from home to find a retreat, though. Look for a local retreat with a theme that interests you, whether that’s yoga, spirituality, getting back to nature, or anything else, so you can make friends who are as enthusiastic about something as you are.

6. Get digital.

As isolating as social media and the internet can be, online spaces can also be useful places for making connections—if you know where to look. Estrella Sansait, a Canadian expat living in Spain, says that online groups make it easier for introverts like her to find new friends.
“Opening up to new people has always been a bit of challenge for me. When I moved abroad, I forced myself out of my social comfort zone and was able to create connections with a handful of amazing people through Facebook groups and Meetup. Some of them are still in my life,” she says.
Jacquelyn Kyle, a travel blogger based in New Jersey, also had good luck making friends through digital platforms.
“I used BumbleBFF. It felt a bit shallow to swipe ‘no’ on potential friends, but it was remarkable to me how similar the process is to dating. I went on a few BumbleBFF ‘dates’ that were just as awkward as any romantic date, but before too long I met Alexa. We connected immediately, and each ended up sharing much more about our lives than we’d planned. She’s my best friend, and I’m so happy I met her,” says Kyle.

7. Connect with people in your field.

Your profession instantly gives you something in common with potential new friends, along with tons to talk about. Emily King, owner and creative director of Whiskey & White Events, says that she leveraged her career as a “solopreneur” to spur her social life.
“Not having any coworkers can be lonely. So I’ve intentionally reached out to other creative business owners in my city and industry and a small group of us meet once a month for what I call my Encouraging Friendship Group,” she says. “We talk about our businesses and provide each other with inspiration and support to follow our dreams, both personally and professionally. It’s been incredibly rewarding.”
Wondering how to make friends in your field? Try going to local networking events, joining professional associations, or even just inviting someone with an interesting background on LinkedIn out to coffee. You never know where it might lead.

The HealthyWay Friendship Challenge

Now that you know some ways to start making friends, it’s time to go out and try them. HealthyWay’s challenging you to put yourself out there and approach three potential friends in the next week. Go head, invite a colleague out for drinks, ask the cool girl in your spin class to go to brunch, or set up a much-needed mommy date. Let us know how it goes by hitting us up on Facebook, or snap a pic with your new friend and tag us on Instagram @itsthehealthyway.

Tags Featured, search

Mindful Parenting Motherhood

Wonder Weeks Are The Key To Calming Your Fussy Baby

Post author By Katie Martin
Post date April 29, 2018

When my son was around 4 months old, I was pretty sure that my normally smiley, sweet, angel baby had suddenly been swapped with a miserable little creature who cried all the time and simply would not sleep. Like, at all. It. Was. Brutal.
And just as suddenly as he’d started acting like a sleep-deprived monster, my child’s sunny disposition returned. After some research, I discovered my baby was probably experiencing what’s commonly known (and feared by parents everywhere) as the four-month sleep regression.

While researching my kid’s behavior during a precious moment of peace, I stumbled across the phrase “wonder weeks” several times, and it seemed to completely describe what we were going through with the sleep regression. Interestingly, it also explained other fussy behavior during what they say are milestone months of a child’s development.
If your little one is experiencing sleep regression, separation anxiety, or simply can’t be soothed, the key to calming them may be understanding wonder weeks.
I spoke to Xaviera Plas, CEO and co-author of The Wonder Weeks, about everything you need to know about wonder weeks (and how you can use that information to plan ahead for big developmental changes).

What the heck is a wonder week?

“Wonder weeks are developmental leaps,” Plas explains. “Until not so long ago, we thought babies developed gradually. Now, we know that development occurs in leaps. It takes a brain change to enable a baby to learn and do new things.”
Plas’ parents, Dutch-born researchers Frans Plooij and Hetty van de Rijt, discovered that several primate species showed regression periods when the baby primates clung more closely to their mothers.

Their initial findings led them to wonder (pun intended) if human babies would behave similarly during periods of developmental growth.
Plooij and van de Rijt’s theories were correct, and they turned their research into a groundbreaking book. In 1992, they published the first version of The Wonder Weeks in Dutch. The book is now a tool for parents with fussy babies everywhere.
Their research has been backed up by studies out of Britain, Spain, and the Netherlands. In a study of Catalonian infants, researchers at the University of Girona in Spain corroborated Plooij and van de Rijt’s theory that infant development occurs in leaps. According to the study, “There is evidence of major reorganizations in psychological development. These reorganizations appear to be marked by discontinuities, that is, sudden spurts or changes in the behavior patterns [of infants].”

Thanks to her parents’ research, Plas says, “We now know exactly when a baby will make a developmental leap, a wonder week. The Wonder Weeks informs parents about these leaps (10 leaps in the first 20 months), when they are, what the brain change is all about, what a parent can expect after their baby took the leap, and most important, how parents can help their baby to make the most out of each leap.”

But wonder weeks aren’t exactly wonderful.

They do, however, indicate major milestones in your child’s development and growth.
Plas tells HealthyWay that identifying a wonder week is easy: Just look for the three Cs:
Clinging, Crying, Cranky.
Oh boy. Now, before you plan to drop your kid off at Grandma’s and hop on the fastest flight out of town, remember: Your baby needs you most during a wonder week.

“What would you do if your whole world changed drastically and suddenly?” asks Plas. “You would be clinging on to the only people you know (parents), you would be crying, and cranky, too, right? And if everything changed…you would lose your appetite, too, and you surely wouldn’t allow yourself a good night’s rest!”
Even though it can be completely frustrating and overwhelming, this is how your child is going to deal with the first phase of a wonder week. You may also notice that during a wonder week, your baby wants to nurse nonstop and wakes up often during the night even if they’re usually a good sleeper.
“If you think about all of these signs, you will notice that they are all signs of stress,” says Plas. “The start of each wonder week is a brain change, which is a lot to deal with for a baby.”

Understanding that your child is about to go through or is going through a wonder week can help you plan ahead for fussy behavior. For example, you may want to reschedule that family vacation to the Bahamas if your baby will be going through a wonder week during that time. Lazing the day away in a beachside cabana might sound like your idea of paradise, but to baby, the stress of going through big neurological changes may be compounded by being in an unfamiliar location or different sleeping space.

Good news: You can comfort your baby during a wonder week.

“What your baby wants most of all when going through a leap is to get to know and familiarize itself with the new perceptional world he or she has entered with this wonder week,” says Plas. “This is why parents need to familiarize themselves with the perceptual world of that specific leap. It will help parents to really understand what their baby is going through. This way, parents can understand and help their baby much better. Plus, when a baby is helped to understand the new perceptional world, the fussy phase is shorter. Good bonus!”
One way to really put yourself in your baby’s booties during a wonder week is to familiarize yourself with each wonder week well before it begins.
Nicole Johnson, creator of the Baby Sleep Site, says, “It’s best for you not to create new long-term habits for a short-term problem.” That’s why Johnson developed a handy chart of the most common wonder weeks your child will experience.

Parents, familiarize yourselves with this chart. Put it in your Google calendar. Get it tattooed on your arm. Do whatever it takes to memorize each developmental milestone and the corresponding wonder week. You’ll thank me later.
For example, my baby slept through the night almost from birth. Then (as I mentioned earlier), he went through a four-month sleep regression. The first couple of nights, I tried letting him cry it out. Let’s just say it didn’t work. He cried for hours, even after I caved and tucked him into bed with me.
A few days later, when I stumbled across Johnson’s chart, I realized, Oh, hey, this might be a wonder week.
According to the wonder weeks chart, right around four months, your child hits a big growth spurt. So, had I understood in advance that my baby was going to be cranky because he was growing, crying because his brain was learning something new, and clinging to me for comfort because he didn’t understand what was happening, I might not have gotten so incredibly frustrated with him, which would have been less stressful for both of us.
During a wonder week, your baby may not nap or sleep consistently through the night. “We do often need to give our little ones more support during a wonder week, but if you can avoid going overboard and ‘extreme’ in how you handle it, you will get through it faster and back to better sleep faster,” says Johnson.
“If you don’t normally bed-share, for example, if you begin bed-sharing, you are communicating that this is the new sleeping arrangement, and it’s not easy to change it back once the wonder week is over,” she explains. “If you need to, go ahead and sleep in your little one’s room or in a bed next to him or her. It’s a lot easier to get yourself out of their room than them out of yours.”

Sunny days, chasing the clouds (of wonder weeks) away…

Remember, parents: This too shall pass!
The crankiness, crying, and clingy behavior your baby exhibits during a wonder week will eventually go away as your child passes from a wonder week into what’s called a sunny week.
Praise be!

So just to recap what we’ve learned so far, a wonder week happens in three stages. We’ve covered the first two: the brain change, which happens in leaps, and the fussy stage (the three Cs), which is when parents can help reduce the amount of stress baby experiences during a wonder week. The third stage is what Plas likes to cheekily call “The Week of Wonder,” or when your baby finally connects the dots and can apply the developmental change he or she just experienced to their new understanding of the world.
After all this, says Plas, is a sunny week, or “a period that nothing changes in the brain, a period in which a baby understands the perceptual world it lives in. Until a baby is—like being struck by lightning—going through another brain change and thus back to another leap forward!”

Parents can enjoy the sunny weeks by sticking to their child’s normal routines while still exposing them to new places, foods, and things. Sunny weeks are a great time to take trips with little ones because they’ll be more able to adapt to their new surroundings during a sunny week.
During sunny weeks, though, parents should also be looking ahead to future wonder weeks, so they’re not totally ambushed during their child’s next big neurological development.

Get yourself the Wonder Weeks app ASAP.

“I decided to [download the Wonder Weeks app] because at about 5 weeks, Naomi became really fussy, and I was concerned she might be sick. I googled it and stumbled upon the wonder weeks,” says first-time mom Tracy Jarrell.

“What it was describing sounded like what she was going through, so I downloaded the app. It has seemed to line up pretty well with her leaps and has helped because it helps me as a parent understand what she is going through developmentally and how to help get through the leaps with activities that helps her use the new connections she has made,” Jarrell says. “It has also reassured me as a parent that these are learning stages, so the clingy fussiness is just part of her learning.”
Mom Kayla Hanks also downloaded the Wonder Weeks app after a friend suggested she try it. “My friend stated that this app was a lifesaver for being a first time mommy with twins,” she says. “I feel that in those first months, it definitely helped. I kind of felt like it gave me a heads up that my son would be experiencing increased fussing. My son is now over a year old, and I feel like I have a better grasp on his moods without the app.”
The Wonder Weeks app (available from iTunes and Google Play) essentially creates a personalized developmental growth chart for your baby, so you know when your child’s wonder weeks are coming up (because while wonder weeks do happen during certain specific week ranges, your baby’s wonder weeks are likely different from another baby’s).
The app also helps parents by teaching specific activities and coping techniques that apply to each wonder week as your child experiences it.

The Wonder Weeks app isn’t free, but trust me, it’s worth the $2.99 to download, and the other in-app purchases paid for themselves a thousand times over the first time my baby experienced a wonder week.
To get the most out of the app, Plas suggests, “Please always enter the due date (not birth date) of your baby because leaps are calculated by due date. And if you have any questions, ask us on Facebook, and we’ll always answer them!”
We’re coming up on eight months with my munchkin, and according to my wonder weeks chart, that means we’re headed straight for another sleep regression (say it ain’t so!). But this time, thanks to the Wonder Weeks app (and lots of coffee), we’re prepared for the sleepless—and fortunately temporary—nights ahead.

Tags Commerce, search

Refresh x Recover Sweat

Best Ways To Clean A Yoga Mat, According To Experienced Yogis

Post author By HealthyWay Staff Writer
Post date April 29, 2018

If you’re dedicated to your yoga practice, you probably love your yoga mat and would like to know how to treat it right, which means cleaning it from time to time. Why? Downward dog, for one—not to mention Child’s Pose—puts you nose-to-surface with your yoga mat. Nothing ruins the bliss of a pranayama breathing exercise like the smell of last week’s hot yoga session rising up from your lululemon or Stella McCartney.
But many of us hesitate over our yoga mats with our Lysol wipes in hand, wondering if we should risk making contact. Will this cleanser ruin the yoga mat’s finish? Will it make our Manduka smell like chemicals forever?
Dozens of yoga mat cleaning products are available, but that doesn’t exactly address our indecision. Search for “yoga mat cleaner” on Amazon and you’ll get nearly 300 results. Not all of them are relevant, but the thought of wading through them makes us want to pop into lotus pose for sanity’s sake.
If you can relate, take a deep breath and read on. We talked to experienced yogis to find out what they use to clean a yoga mat, how they do it, and when. Here’s your all-in-one guide to keeping your yoga mat clean.

Why It’s Important to Clean Your Yoga Mat Regularly

The choice of a yoga mat is personal, but one thing is for sure: You get what you pay for. Higher-end mats like the Manduka Mat PRO are built to repel moisture, channeling sweat away to prevent the growth of microbes. Other luxury choices like lululemon yoga mats prevent germs from taking over thanks to a built-in antibacterial additive.
If you opt for a more affordable yoga mat, you’re probably looking at PVC, and you might have to clean it more often to blast away bacteria. While all-natural yoga mats are terrific, they often need more intense cleaning than their high-tech counterparts according to Maxine Chapman, yoga teacher and founder of wellness subscription service Buddhibox.
“Some yoga mats are made with natural fibers like cork or jute that are more porous,” Chapman says. “For these type of mats, I definitely recommend rinsing the whole mat with a hose or in the shower, then hanging to dry.”
No matter what yoga accessories you choose, keeping a clean mat is the right move for your health. Back in 2006, when public, shared yoga mats were a big thing at gyms, podiatrist Greg Cohen warned the New York Times of a 50-percent increase in athlete’s foot and plantar warts over two years.
“The first thing I ask is, ‘Do you do yoga?'” Cohen told the Times. This was Brooklyn Heights in the ‘00s, so who didn’t do yoga? Ultimately, Cohen attributed the increase in athlete’s foot and plantar warts to his patients’ use of shared athletic mats.
Even if you wisely decline to share yoga mats, it’s always a good idea to keep your own gym gear clean. Microbiologist Robert Lahita told Elle in 2016 that yoga mats are “a very fertile source for infection, mainly because people sweat on them and they are rarely cleaned.”
Let’s prove that last part wrong.

How often should you clean your yoga mat?

Given the wide variety of brands, materials, and designs in today’s yoga-mat marketplace, it’s tough to nail down a one-size-fits-all schedule for cleaning yoga mats. In fact, the experts tend to vary a bit on their recommendations.
“I practice every day, but only clean my mat about one or two times per month,” says Jenay Rose, otherwise known as Instagram wellness star @namastejenay. “I always do a dry wipe-down before and after practicing, but keep in mind I don’t really practice hot yoga. If you do, or if you sweat a lot, you’ll definitely want to clean your mat more often.”
Chapman agrees with Rose’s point about hot yoga.
“I would say if you are practicing hot yoga, [you should clean the yoga mat] every single time,” she tells HealthyWay. “For other styles, once or twice a week. If the mat starts to smell or feels dirty, you definitely need to clean.”
Rose mentions a few other telltale signs that it’s time to clean your yoga mat thoroughly.
“If your mat feels dirty, or has little bits and pieces, particles of dirt, on it, it’s probably time for a cleaning,” she says. Which brings us to our next point.

Yogis Explain Their Favorite Ways to Clean a Yoga Mat

Once you decide to clean your yoga mat regularly, you’ve got a dizzying array of options for how to execute the task at hand. You could invest in some yoga mat wipes. You could try a do-it-yourself yoga mat cleaner. You could even try cleaning your yoga mat with vinegar. If you’re really lucky—and you pick the right yoga mat—you might even be able to toss it into the washing machine. But what do the experts do with their own heavily used yoga mats?
Annie Appleby, who teaches yoga at Stanford University and runs yoga provider YogaForce, prefers to go the all-natural route.
“I love tea tree oil,” Appleby tells HealthyWay. She uses 100 percent pure essential oil, which she suggests you “buy from any health food store or online from Amazon. Put a few drops on a damp cloth lightly soaked in hot water.”
In a YouTube clip demonstrating her all-natural way to clean a yoga mat, Appleby takes her damp, tea-tree-oil-infused cloth and vigorously wipes down the surface of her mat. She’s done in just a few seconds. But what if you want something more tailored to the yoga-mat-cleaning task than tea tree oil?
Chapman prefers a ready-made yoga mat cleaner—provided it’s all-natural, of course.
“I like to rinse [my yoga mat] then spray with an all-natural cleaner,” Chapman says. “My favorite cleaner is Om Spray from Oiliving Life. [The maker] is in Florida and has a very clean line of sprays and cleaners.”
Depending on your mat, though, you might want to avoid even the natural cleansers, warns Rose.
“To clean my yoga mat, which is a Liforme, I dampen a towel with water and wipe down,” she says. “Because of the material of this mat, which is on the stickier side, I don’t use any cleaner, as it can damage the sticky aspect.”
For the record, the Liforme website recommends dish soap, heavily diluted with water, and cleaning their products once every five to 10 uses. The site also warns that “over-cleaning or using abrasive products will wear out the materials faster.”
So would Rose ever consider going with another yoga mat, maybe one that’s more receptive to serious cleansing products? No way, she says.
“I love this mat because it is totally non-toxic, thick, non-slip, and lasts me about one to two years of daily use.” She goes on to say, “Mats…that have toxic chemicals are going to need cleaning more often, in my opinion, because they begin to smell as the chemicals are stripped away…this is why I practice on a mat that is non-porous and made of non-toxic chemicals. And since it is already a ‘clean’ mat, it lasts longer and can withstand a lot more.”
Meanwhile, perhaps unsurprisingly, microbiologist Lahita counsels more extreme measures. As he told Elle, “I advise people to clean their mats with a Lysol spray or bleach diluted in water.” He points out that DIY approaches like cleaning a yoga mat with vinegar won’t kill off every type of bacteria.
On the other hand, bleach can damage the surfaces of some yoga mats, according to a report by Rodale’s Organic Life. Always follow manufacturer’s instructions and, when in doubt, reach out to the supplier of your yoga mat for details.

Drying a Yoga Mat: Taking It Slow

What is washed must be dried, and there is a right way to dry a yoga mat. Expert consensus seems to be that hanging your yoga mat until it air-dries is the gentlest way to get ready for tomorrow’s yoga class, if not the quickest.
“Open it and let [it] hang, or just dry [it] on the floor overnight,” says Appleby. Rose agrees.
“Lay flat to dry!” she says. “Don’t ever roll [your yoga mat] up while it’s still wet, because it won’t dry and may take on a mildew smell, depending on the quality of your mat.”
Besides, we’d add, bacteria love moisture. That is where they live.
If your yoga mat is still damp when you’re getting ready for your next session, resist the urge to toss it into the dryer. Most manufacturers, including lululemon, advise against tumble-drying—presumably because the heat and rough treatment can damage your yoga mat. The safest route is to air-dry.
Most importantly, enjoy your next session secure in the knowledge that your yoga mat is as fresh as you feel when you make it to savasana!

Shop Recommended Products:

Tags Commerce

Healthy Pregnancy Motherhood

Here’s Why Stripping Membranes Isn’t The Greatest Way To Induce Labor

Post author By Katie Martin
Post date April 28, 2018

Being pregnant really is great: You get to eat all the soft pretzels and ice cream you want, because at a certain point, you just stop looking at the scale when they weigh you during OB appointments. But trust me, there will come a time when you’re 100 percent over being pregnant.
For me, that time came at around 37 weeks, when, on our nightly walk, my husband literally had to call an Uber five blocks from our house because I just could not waddle any farther. Fast forward three weeks later, and I was STILL pregnant.
At my 40-week appointment, my doctor suggested that we start thinking about induction, because it was obvious that my nugget liked the womb a little too much. She suggested a procedure called membrane stripping, which sounded totally gross and a little scary, so I immediately said no. Instead, I was scheduled for a c-section when I hit 41 weeks. Three days later and still pregnant, I was rethinking my hasty decision when contractions started.
I didn’t have to have my membranes stripped to induce labor, but if I had been pregnant just one minute longer, I was definitely would’ve been considering my options. If your pregnancy is near or at full term, your doctor may also have suggested membrane stripping (also called membrane sweeping) as a way to induce labor. Stripping membranes is a relatively common procedure, but is it really worth it?
To find out, I spoke to mamas, doctors, doulas, and other pregnancy experts to get the real scoop on membrane stripping.

Stripping membranes sounds kind of icky.

So you’re not wrong—membrane stripping isn’t exactly a day at the spa.
But what really happens when they strip your membranes?
“Membrane stripping is a mechanical method of induction used between 38 and 40 weeks gestational age to prevent post-term pregnancies (after 41 weeks gestation),” says Tami Prince, MD, the founder of the Women’s Health and Wellness Center of Georgia. “An OB-GYN will insert a finger into the cervix and sweep between the membranes of the amniotic sac in an effort to separate the sac. This action increases endogenous production of prostaglandins, oxytocin, and phospholipase A which help to soften and dilate the cervix.”
Say what, now?
Okay, let me break this down with a little anatomy lesson: You know how your OB provider typically does weekly cervix checks toward the end of your pregnancy to check dilation and effacement? Well, stripping membranes is kind of like that.
Remember the female anatomy poster in your OB-GYN’s office? The cervix is essentially the gateway to the uterus. There’s the external orifice, which is where the doctor will insert their finger. Things get uncomfortable when the doctor has to reach for the internal orifice, where the membranes of the amniotic sack, also known as the bag of waters, is attached to the uterine wall.
Your doctor will then gently sweep their fingers back and forth (FYI: It does not feel gentle) to try to separate the membranes from the uterine wall, which tells your body it’s go time.
The idea is that stripping membranes kick-starts labor, so unlike a medicated induction, your labor will still start semi-spontaneously after a membrane sweep.

Does stripping membranes actually work to induce labor?

“The jury is still out on the effectiveness of membrane stripping alone,” Prince tells HealthyWay.
“Efficacy depends on gestational age, with it being low at an earlier gestational age and increasing after 38 weeks.”
So what does the research really tell us about the efficacy of membrane sweeping?
According to one 2010 study involving 30,00 women in 22 trials, “routine use of sweeping of membranes from 38 weeks of pregnancy onwards does not seem to produce clinically important benefits.” In laywoman’s terms, results showed that membrane sweeping didn’t induce labor in enough cases to warrant its recommendation as a regular induction method.
The 2010 study focused on women who were at full-term pregnancies, between 38 and 40 weeks. That said, another study found that membrane sweeping actually was successful in late-term pregnancies, or those lasting longer than 41 weeks, and significantly reduced the need for other induction interventions.

How is an expecting mama supposed to know what to do?

The information presented in different reports can be confusing, but basically, if your body is poised for labor, stripping membranes will be more likely to induce labor. If you have it done too early, though, it may not work—and it may increase the need for other interventions later.
Prince says despite the conflicting data, research does show that stripping membranes is safe and comes with minimal risks. Since stripping membranes is a low-risk procedure, it is often touted as a “natural” alternative to induction with oxytocin or vaginal prostaglandins and can usually be done in your provider’s office, unlike other pregnancy interventions, like versions, which must be done at the hospital.
Still, while they’re rare, there are some risks associated with stripping membranes.
“During the stripping process … the physician could inadvertently place a finger through the amniotic sac as opposed to between the membranes, causing a rupture of membranes,” explains Prince. “Once membranes rupture at term, labor must be augmented if a woman is not already in active labor. Also, stripping may involve mechanical dilation of an unfavorable cervix. The cervix is highly vascular and bleeds easily during pregnancy so women may experience light spotting afterwards.”
What does Prince mean by “augmented”?
Basically, if the doctor accidentally ruptures the amniotic sac while stripping membranes, it means you may end up having an emergency c-section.
This is a worst-case scenario, however. More often, doctors worry about introducing bacteria into your cervix while stripping membranes, resulting in an infection that could complicate labor and delivery.
To avoid infection, your doctor will check to see if you are GBS positive. Group B streptococcus is a type of bacterial infection that about 25 percent of all healthy women carry, and while it’s rare, it can pose serious risks as it can be passed to your baby during delivery. Doctors routinely screen for GBS after the 35th week of pregnancy. If you test GBS-positive, talk to your doctor about what’s right for you. According to a 2015 study, stripping membranes of GBS-positive women posed no threat to the baby or mother, so your doctor may go ahead with the procedure, but it’s a decision you should make together.

What do real women say about stripping membranes?

“I was 41 weeks pregnant—first pregnancy—by the time I had my membranes stripped,” says Kayla Hanks, a first-time mom in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
“I remember my mother coming into town and [being] ready for my son to be here. …Honestly, I feel like the pain [of membrane sweeping] was akin to labor itself! It took my breath away. I remember having some spotting after but [my OB] warned that it can happen. Stripping my membranes sent that early labor into overdrive (at least in my mind)! I stayed home until around 2 a.m. when my water finally broke. When we got to the hospital, they said I was only 3 centimeters along! Would I do it again? Only if it were necessary. I understand I was 41 weeks and in my first pregnancy, but it HURT!”
Ashley Phillips, a veteran mom of two, had a membrane sweeping procedure during her first pregnancy, and explains that her doctor didn’t exactly give her a choice:
“At my 39 week appointment, the doctor just told me he would be stripping membranes to try and induce labor, and because it was my first pregnancy, I didn’t know I could say no. It was a really painful experience, and I bled a lot after, almost like a light period. And I still didn’t go into labor!”
“I had my membranes stripped with my daughter, Cameron, twice,” says Jessica Stafford, who delivered each of her three children vaginally. “Each time it did nothing but cause pain and cramping. I didn’t do it with Clayton and don’t regret it, but I did do it with my third, Cohen and he was born the same day. In my experiences, it will only work if your body is ready for labor.”
Tracy Jarrell, mom to 1-year-old Naomi, says, “My labor started about 12 hours after having membranes stripped. Not the most comfortable procedure…but it did get my labor started.”

Looking for a natural alternative to stripping membranes? Try some sexy time.

If your pregnancy is at full term and you’re ready to meet your baby, there are less invasive ways to get labor started.
So let’s start with my personal favorite: getting it on to get your labor on. I personally swear this works. You may not feel like having sex at 39-, 40-, or heaven forbid, 41-weeks pregnant, but coitus (especially if you orgasm) can actually stimulate labor by triggering uterine contractions, according to a 2014 study. Plus, it’s likely the last time you and your partner can be intimate for the next six weeks, so make sure to really enjoy your sexy time.
Another proven method of labor induction is through prolonged nipple stimulation. I first read about this method of labor induction in Ina May Gaskin’s Ina May’s Guide to Natural Childbirth. According to Gaskin, “Nipple stimulation causes the release of oxytocin into the maternal bloodstream, and this oxytocin the stimulates contractions of the uterine muscles. Both manual and oral stimulation are effective at stimulation … Breast stimulation is especially effective in starting labor at term when it is combined with sexual intercourse.”
Autumn Vaughn, a licensed acupuncture physician who specializes in prenatal and postnatal care, says that holistic providers really prefer not to use the term “induction” and choose instead to focus on the long-term health of the mother and baby. “Weekly acupuncture sessions can shorten the length of labor and reduce the need for pain-management interventions because it naturally helps prepare the body for labor by ripening the cervix, relaxing ligaments and tendons, and helps baby get into the right position for labor,” says Vaughn.
And while there isn’t a lot of scientific data to support efficacy of Eastern medical techniques, like acupuncture, to stimulate labor, one study did show that women who received acupuncture had shorter overall delivery times than those who did not. Another study published in 2015 showed that acupuncture during pregnancy was found to be completely safe, so there’s no harm in trying acupuncture as a holistic alternative to stripping membranes.

What’s the bottom line on stripping membranes?

Stripping membranes is most likely to be effective later in pregnancy, with the highest rates of efficacy after 38 weeks. Believe me, I get it. Pregnancy is hard. And when 37 weeks is technically considered full term, it’s ultra-tempting to schedule a membrane stripping procedure to help get that baby outta there as soon as possible.
Still, an astonishing amount of prenatal growth occurs in the final weeks of pregnancy, so unless there’s a true medical need for baby to be born sooner, it’s probably best for baby to bake until at least 39 weeks.
Still, there are times when a scheduled birth is easiest for everyone. We’re a military family, and I know several women who have chosen a scheduled induction so that their partners could be present for the birth because of impending deployments. Or a medical condition could prompt an early delivery that is in the best interest of both mother and baby’s health.
Ultimately, whether to have your membranes stripped should be a decision you and your doctor make together. If you feel at all pressured to have a membrane sweep done (or any procedure you don’t have a good feeling about during pregnancy) you should definitely seek a second opinion, because there are induction alternatives that may be just as efficient as stripping membranes at inducing labor.
After all, the most important thing is making sure your little nugget is happy and healthy when they decide to make their debut.
[related article_ids=18074]

Tags search

Nosh Nutrition x Advice

What Are Natural Flavors? The Truth Behind What You See On Ingredient Labels

Post author By Joni Sweet
Post date April 28, 2018

Look on the ingredients label of almost any packaged food, and you’re bound to come across the ubiquitous phrase “natural flavors.” It sounds innocent enough, and it might bring to mind drops of fresh lemon juice, crushed berries, or even some infused hibiscus tea. It’s natural, after all!
But whether you’re concerned about potential allergens or you’re just plain curious about what you’re eating, you might be surprised at what you discover when you dig a little deeper into what “natural flavors” really means. Are they really natural? Where do they come from? Are natural flavors healthy? And why won’t food companies get a little more specific about the natural flavors they’re using in their products?
“Natural flavors are way more confusing than most people think. The assumption may be that they are simple ingredients direct from nature, when in fact they are often chemically altered,” says Dana Angelo White, a registered dietitian in Fairfield, Connecticut. “In many cases, they are derived from substances that in no way resemble the food flavor they represent—meaning the natural flavor that gives something a strawberry-like taste may contain no actual strawberry.”
There are probably more questions than answers when it comes to these mysterious ingredients, but learning about how natural flavors differ from artificial flavors, what impact they might have on our health, and what regulations the government has placed on labeling them can help us make informed choices at the grocery store. Here’s what you need to know about natural flavors.

What are natural flavors?

As White mentioned, there’s a chance that a natural flavor contains none of the original ingredient it’s trying to mimic. So what exactly are they?
“According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), natural flavoring can come from an altered version (or versions) of a spice, fruit, fruit juice, vegetable, vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, root, bud, root, leaf, or plant material, as well as meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, or dairy,” says White.
Flavorists manipulate these ingredients in labs through processes like distilling, roasting, fermenting, and heating in order to turn them into flavoring agents for food.
Natural flavors can also contain one or more chemicals to give a product a specific taste. To get a natural flavor that resembles passion fruit, for example, flavorists may actually use the sulfur-containing volatiles from grapefruit—a less expensive, more widely available fruit. The flavorist might then blend in notes from other ingredients, such as cherries, to create a more passion fruit–like taste.
So why do food manufacturers go through all that trouble, instead of just putting real passion fruit into the product?
“Natural flavors are appealing to food manufacturers because they add flavor without changing the nutritional composition of the food. They can also enhance the aroma and flavor of processed foods, which may make them more desirable,” explains White.

How does the FDA regulate natural flavors?

Whenever you’re talking about ingredients, it’s critical to look at regulations from the FDA. The governing body controls the legal definitions of terms like “natural flavors,” “organic,” and other common terms.
As long as the original source of a chemical was a plant or animal product, it can typically be called a “natural flavor,” according to the FDA. Natural flavors also have close cousins, known as artificial flavors—a term that has its own strict definition.
“Artificial flavors do not need to be derived from plant or animal materials,” says White. “In many cases, natural flavors are more expensive.”
Artificial and natural flavors both contain chemicals. Surprisingly, natural flavors often come from obscure sources that are harder to come by than their artificial counterparts, which has led to environmentally conscious criticisms of natural flavors, and the assertion that “consumers pay a lot for natural flavorings. But these are in fact no better in quality, nor are they safer, than their cost-effective artificial counterparts.”
Food companies are not required to disclose exactly which natural or artificial ingredients are in their products. I was surprised to see “natural flavors” on the ingredients label of an organic smoothie I was drinking at breakfast one morning, so I called the company and asked what they were made of. The representative said she didn’t have the details, and wouldn’t be able to find out for me.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if food companies worked very hard to protect their recipes,” says White. “Many flavorings are made from numerous chemicals, so it might be a difficult answer to give.”
The one thing that the representative at the smoothie company did let me know was that because the product was certified organic, all of its ingredients (including natural flavors) came from organic sources.
“According to the FDA, organic products can’t contain flavorings made with synthetic solvents, carrier systems, or preservatives. Products that are labeled as ‘made with organic ingredients’ have fewer restrictions,” says White.

How do natural flavors affect our health?

Natural flavors are in tons of packaged food products on the grocery store shelves. In fact, they’re the fourth most common nutrition label ingredient (behind salt, water, and sugar), according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which rates more than 80,000 foods.
Should we be concerned about how such a prevalent ingredient might be affecting our health?
“Natural flavors are classified as ‘GRAS,’ meaning they are ‘generally recognized as safe.’ But I’m not aware of any testing done on these products when consumed for the long term or when eaten in combination with others. There are so many flavorings, and millions of possible combinations,” says White.
The EWG says that high doses of the chemicals used in natural flavors might actually be toxic, but because natural flavors are so potent, food manufacturers only need to use a very small quantity in each product to make a big impact on our senses.
Most healthy adults can tolerate the amount of natural flavors we typically consume without a known impact on health. However, people with severe allergies to specific ingredients will need to do their homework (or avoid natural flavors altogether) to ensure every product is safe for them to eat. The top eight major allergens, like soy and eggs, are specifically mentioned on labels of products that contain traces of them. But if you have a less common food allergy or you’re sticking to a strictly vegan or vegetarian diet, you’ll need to call the company to see if the natural flavors used in a particular product might contain something you’re trying to avoid.

Food Swaps if You Want to Avoid Natural Flavors

Even though there’s no official data about the long-term health impact of natural flavors, some people are dedicated to avoiding the consumption of vague ingredients. Fortunately, brands are starting to offer some favorite foods that are free of natural flavors.
“I love products that use real ingredients for flavor,” says White. “Spindrift is a perfect example. It uses real fruit and tea to enhance sparking water. It represents what natural flavors should mean.”
LARABAR is a reliable brand for granola bars without natural flavors—great for a morning meal on the go, says White.
For snacks, White has recommendations for treats that are free from natural flavors.
“Instead of packs of chewy fruit snacks, choose dried fruit. It’s naturally sweet and needs no additives. Trader Joe’s has a great selection,” she says. “Skip processed salty snacks and reach for air-popped popcorn. Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop Sea Salt is my favorite—the ingredients are simple and clean.”
Got a sweet tooth? Pass on the commercially baked goods you find at convenience stores and instead bake something from scratch at home, says White. Your local bakery might also have cupcakes, pastries, and cookies that don’t contain natural flavors—just call and ask.
Knowledge is power when it comes to building a healthy, balanced diet. The more you know about natural flavors—and all the other ingredients on your foods’ labels—the more confident you can be in your choices at the grocery store.

Tags search

Gym x Studio Sweat

10 Dollar Baby: My First Boxing Class Experience

Post author By Taylor Geiger
Post date April 28, 2018

Ever since I was a young tomboy who routinely wore oversized soccer shorts, I’ve always felt an urge to punch things during frustrating situations or periods of anger. Yes, I am well aware that this makes me sound aggressive, but I’ve never punched a human being and am generally well mannered. My only victims have been bedroom walls, pillows, and couch cushions, occasionally resulting in hand pain that I instantly regret as embarrassment from my rage and tantruming washes over me.
After my boyfriend witnessed one of my recent pillow-punching sprees, he suggested that I try a boxing class (or 20) as a new venue for releasing my negative energy. If I enjoyed throwing punches so much, I might as well be hitting a bag with gloves on and optimizing my workout, he reasoned. This seemed like a natural fit for me, so I enrolled in my first TITLE boxing class, which was my favorite price: free.
Since I’m not the cardio queen I once was, I opted for the 30-minute evening class on a Friday after work. After a day filled with meetings and a gnarly commute, I was more than ready to let my fists fly.
The moment I pulled into the parking lot, however, I couldn’t help but feel slightly intimidated. Would there be real boxers here? Would I look like a total weakling? Could I even move the bag with one of my punches?
After a couple minutes of worrying, I called my ultimate ride-or-die chick, my momma, to ask her if I should even walk inside. “You’ll feel so much better after you take this class. You know you will,” she assured me confidently. As the saying goes, momma knows best. Her words fueled my fire as I entered the boxing gym for the first time.
Since this was my first boxing class, I needed to learn how to properly wrap my hands to support my wrists and prevent any broken bones. I had purchased wraps on Amazon prior to class, but most boxing gyms, including TITLE, provide wraps for purchase.
After meeting my instructor, she showed me how to properly wrap my hands and wrists, taught me the basic punches that would be used during class (jab, cross, hook, and uppercut) and gave me a pair of boxing gloves still wet with sweat from another human being.
I cannot lie…the sweaty gloves grossed me out. I immediately grabbed some disinfectant wipes that were hanging on the wall and began wiping down the inside of each glove. I know a badass boxer probably wouldn’t be fazed by this, but I’m a newbie and I couldn’t ignore it.
The class began with 10 minutes of cardio to warm up and after about five minutes of non-stop action, my face was as red as a cherry tomato. This warm-up was definitely not for the faint of heart since it involved continuous movement. One moment we were sprinting, then doing jumping jacks, bear crawls, burpees, and beyond. I could tell my instructor was going to push me, and I enjoyed the challenge.
Following the cardio portion of class, we did four consecutive three-minute boxing rounds—throwing different combinations of punches and doing footwork around the bag. After the first two rounds, I realized what a full-body workout boxing can be and gained a new respect for those who pursue this sport on a competitive level. I can assure you, boxing is way harder than it looks on television! I finished all four rounds and loved being able to punch the bag as hard as I possibly could without experiencing pain in my hands, or the embarrassment of punching inanimate objects in my home.
The ass kicking—I mean, workout—ended with seven minutes of ab exercises using medicine balls and a healthy amount of glute bridges, which got my buns burning. I love doing ab exercises and my yoga practice definitely came into play here, making this the easiest portion of the class for me by a landslide. I was extremely glad that I chose to start with the 30-minute class because I truthfully don’t believe that I could have worked out at this level for 60 to 75 minutes.
Drenched in sweat with my baby biceps popping for the world to see, I headed home to shower off. It was when I first raised my arms to lather my shampoo that reality struck: I’m gonna be sore tomorrow. My body was not deceiving me, and my arms (mainly the outside of my biceps and forearms) were sore in places that I didn’t know existed. I don’t want to sound dramatic—I was still able to raise my arms to get dressed and style my hair—but I could definitely feel the impact of the workout on my upper body for the next two days.
Overall, my first boxing experience was a great stress-reliever and a fantastic full-body workout. My personal recommendations for anyone who is considering trying boxing for the first time are to hydrate properly before and after class, focus on your breath during your punches, and ask someone knowledgeable at the gym or studio you choose to teach you how to wrap your hands and wrists properly to avoid injury. Don’t be afraid to start with a shorter class and work your way up. Happy hitting!
[related article_ids=3738,16316]

Tags Featured, organic, sfs-backfill

Fresh Fashion Lifestyle

Citizen’s Mark: A Startup That’s Crowdfunding Sustainable Workwear To Take On Fast Fashion

Post author By Maggie Tyson
Post date April 27, 2018

We get why people like fast fashion: It’s trendy, it’s accessible, and it’s cheap. But as more stories come out about working conditions in factories and the impact that these mega-retailers are having on Mother Earth, buying fast fashion is starting to feel a bit indefensible. How can we claim to be interested in social justice and environmental consciousness but still contribute to the insane carbon footprint the fashion industry has?
Enter socially responsible clothing. More and more people are considering their social views when they head to market, allowing ethical fashion brands their place in the spotlight, and it seems that the movement is here to stay.
One of these brands is Citizen’s Mark, a fashion startup founded by former UN policy official Cynthia Salim. Salim started the company when she realized that while men have no shortage of professional workwear options, the same cannot be said for women’s wear. After speaking to women, all of whom were searching for a high-quality, go-to piece for their wardrobes, Salim got to work creating Citizen’s Mark much-talked-about blazer. Citizen’s Mark has been committed to responsible quality since day one: the blazers—available on their website—are made by hand in a solar-powered Portuguese factory that pays its workers living wages. Salim also hand-sourced every element of the jackets: From the wool, which is made in a mill that prioritizes water conservation, to the biodegradable cotton seed lining to the buttons made by hand in Nepal, she made sure that each material choice reflected Citizen’s Mark’s values of responsibility, sustainability, and transparency.
Not content to stop there, Salim’s onto her next project, which she’s taken to Kickstarter for grass roots funding. The Better Than Silk blouse is a machine-washable (!) blouse made from lyocell, an extremely eco-friendly fabric. Salim says, “We spent a year with our industry-leading weaving partner in Switzerland tweaking multiple technical weaving factors to make [the lyocell] drape like silk.” There are long-sleeved and sleeveless versions available, making this workwear staple a year-round necessity.
We spoke to Salim about the Better Than Silk collection, how Citizen’s Mark is responding to the fast fashion industry, and why she’s using Kickstarter to bring ethical fashion to the masses.

HealthyWay: Can you tell us more about the materials you’re using for the Better Than Silk shirt?
Salim: Better Than Silk is made of 100 percent lyocell, which is sustainably forested tree fiber from Austria. It’s actually an eco-fashion staple, but it’s always made into t-shirts and blankets, never anything as luxurious as silk—until now.
I spent a year convincing suppliers that it can and should be done, and that’s how we ended up with Better Than Silk. It’s a miracle eco-fiber that finally looks luxurious enough to wear to work. Lyocell is biodegradable, made in a closed-loop production process, and breathable and moisture wicking (unlike silk, which traps heat).
You’re so involved in every step of your production process. Can you tell us the details of how this shirt is being made, and why you made the choices you did?
We started with lyocell because it’s hands down one of the most sustainable materials in the industry. Plus, it’s incredibly soft, breathable, and comfortable. The trick was giving this eco-fiber a luxury makeover. Once we picked this raw material, I had to convince weavers (the next step in the process) to spend the time with me to make it look like silk. I had to explain that working women pretty much have to choose between silk (which is dry-clean intensive) or polyester (which never biodegrades).
We adjusted yarn type, weight, density, finishing—about a dozen technical decisions—and did several trial weaves before we got to the final result. Then we headed to our factory in Portugal to get it set up for production in a living wage factory.

I think it’s so exciting for people interested in the process of fashion design to have a chance to be involved in a launch campaign. What made you decide to use Kickstarter to fund production?
Launching on Kickstarter means we get to answer to our customers and community instead of speed and margins-driven investors. In a message to our community, I wrote: “We’ve never been a margins-driven, venture-backed engine for wealth creation. We’re a values-driven, community-backed engine for change. And we’d like to keep it that way. That’s why, after one year of developing Better Than Silk, we’re asking you to join us in making this a reality by backing our Kickstarter campaign.”
What was your original vision for Citizen’s Mark? How has it grown beyond that initial idea?
I was so surprised by how Citizen’s Mark evolved! I thought people would like the product but hesitate because we’re a new brand. It turned out to be the opposite. People really identified with the brand and values, but many were looking for something at a lower price point than our super boardroom-ready Italian wool blazer. That’s one of the reasons we created Better Than Silk, a really versatile product that our growing community wanted.
Fashion has always been an important tool for women who want to send a message. What message do you want Citizen’s Mark to send, and how do you keep that in mind as you’re designing?
We design to project credibility, and I think that’s a really interesting design philosophy. When you think of brand identities, you can think of a lot of brands that embody hip, cool, sexy, edgy, and these other human dimensions really well, but people rarely design for women to look credible.
That’s what I think about when I look at a design: Would I think this woman is credible?
Can you share your thoughts on the evolution of the fast fashion market and where ethically produced items fit into that production cycle?
I think we’re moving in the direction of timeless classics from a trend perspective, which will really help us move away from fast fashion. Fast fashion is about planned obsolescence, where brands plan for something to become obsolete or out of date to make you buy another one. We operate in a completely opposite way, where we want to make one thing that you never have to re-buy.
Of course, that feeds into price because of the quality measures that go into it, but I think we’re all slowly moving towards more sustainable apparel purchases.

Pricing and availability are just two barriers to entry for people who are interested in moving beyond fast fashion. How do you see Citizen’s Mark breaking down those walls for women?
This is a huge, huge issue we’re working to tackle. There’s a minimum price that we do need to pay to ensure people get fair wages throughout the supply chain. But beyond that, we’re also a premium brand, so our prices don’t just reflect the sustainable choices we make, but also the fact that we picked really nice sustainable things. But I completely understand that price is a valid issue.
That’s also why we’re launching on Kickstarter and planning to continue to offer pre-order options—it gives consumers a chance to get 40 percent off in exchange for waiting a little bit for a timeless product anyway, it reduces inventory waste, and it allows you to be our banker, so we can answer to you in terms of values and mission alignment.
How can women make socially responsible shopping choices while still keeping their budgets in mind?
Of course some things are just beyond our budgets, but when I make a big quality purchase or social responsibility purchase, I think about what price multiple makes sense for me. For example, if I buy a coat that I know I’ll wear three times more than my regular cheap coat, or last three times longer, then three times the price of my regular coat is my budget limit.

What does the name Citizen’s Mark mean to you?
I think of all of us as citizens before consumers. That’s why the name Citizen’s Mark, and the idea of citizens making their mark through their everyday actions, is meaningful to us.
Can you tell us more about the Premium Essentials collection?
Better Than Silk is the beginning of our Premium Essentials collection, a collection of wardrobe MVPs that will last an entire phase of your career and reflect our values as socially conscious and empowered women on the rise.
What are some of your favorite ethical clothing brands (besides Citizen’s Mark of course!)?
I’m a big Stella McCartney fan and love Patagonia.
Let’s say someone wants to talk about your products with her friend: What’s your “elevator pitch” for Citizen’s Mark and the Better Than Silk shirt?
“It’s like your favorite silk blouse, but machine-washable. Can you even believe we still have to dry-clean our silk tops?!”
To pre-order a Better Than Silk shirt for 40 percent off planned retail price, support Citizen’s Mark’s Kickstarter campaign.

Healthy Her Way Lifestyle

1st Phorm Elite Athlete Jenna Fail

Post author By Taylor Geiger
Post date April 27, 2018

Looking at her now, it’s difficult to envision that Jenna Fail was once a 20-year-old housewife who felt unfulfilled and unmotivated, but she’ll be the first to tell you that a life of self-doubt and anxiety was once her reality. That is, until she attended a meet-and-greet event for bodybuilder Jay Cutler with her husband, Chris.
As she entered the event, Jenna couldn’t help but notice the women in attendance who wore their crop tops confidently–showing off their hard-earned physiques. It was right then and there that Jenna decided she would look like those women one day, and the course of her life changed forever.
As she began training, Jenna realized that she had the power not only to shape her body, but also her mind. Her newfound self-confidence permeated into all aspects of her life.
Just six years after that meet and greet, Jenna is a 4x NPC National Qualifier, 1st Phorm Elite Athlete and Elite Trainer, and the 1st Phorm 2017 Athlete of the Year. Despite having earned her success, Jenna is still as humble and kind as ever with a smile that can light up any room. She knows firsthand that if you change your mindset, you can change your life, and she’s made it a priority to share her journey to help others realize their worth and personal power.
Jenna’s journey hasn’t been an easy one, especially after she and her husband lost everything they owned, including their beloved pets Moose and Rocky, to a tragic house fire in 2017. As someone who has followed Jenna on social media for a couple of years now, I’ll never forget reading her Instagram post last March as tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t even begin to fathom her pain and heartbreak, yet Jenna, who was actually experiencing the loss, kept looking for light and positivity and remained grateful, which only caused me to admire her more.
While Jenna’s physical strength is undeniable, it’s her mental fortitude that impresses us the most. “I can tell you the most beautiful stories out of tragedies in my life only because I look for the good. The story never changed, only my perception & willingness to make something positive out of a negative,” she shared on Instagram.
Jenna is a constant reminder that things aren’t always as bad as they seem and that positivity and kindness can go a long way. If you’re feeling unfulfilled and are looking to change your life, I suggest looking to Jenna for inspiration. Don’t be afraid to start today, even if it’s just a small step!

A Day in the Life

What does your daily routine look like?

My daily routine varies day to day, but typically it’s something like: Wake up. Love on my animals a bit before getting out of bed. I keep my “Jesus Calling” devotional by my bedside and usually read my page before getting up. Then I prepare breakfast and have my coffee. I try to relax and give myself a quiet few minutes before jumping into work, but it never fails that I drink my coffee cold because I’ll answer just this one email while my eggs cook, which turns into many emails, and before I know it, iced coffee! Somedays I tell myself, “Jenna, you will finish this coffee hot this morning!” Goals!
From there, I continue on with emails, messages, and my Team Fail group while planning what I want to talk about or share on social media that day. After a few hours, I’ll eat again and then do my hair and makeup, which I really enjoy! My first career was working as a cosmetologist, so hair and makeup is something I always enjoy! It’s also a little time that I can shut off work and solely focus on something else. From there I run whatever errands I have to do that day.
On many days, I make it a point to stop by our local antique–salvage shop. I love to restore old furniture and buy unique pieces. When shopping for things like that, you have to be on the lookout regularly because they come and go so fast! Right now my current project is an old church pew I’m restoring for our foyer!
From there, if my husband is off work, we may spend a while getting some different content—pictures, videos, et cetera. Typically we do that at least once a week.
I spend about an hour to an hour and a half in the gym five days a week. Sometimes I go early, sometimes late. It just depends on my work load and my husband’s work schedule.
In the evenings, me and my husband catch up on how our day went and usually relax with something on TV. No phone! Right now we are into American Idol. We love having a scheduled program to watch because in a way to gives us a scheduled time to sit and relax together. America’s Got Talent and American Horror Story are a few of our other faves! Luckily all these shows seem to be pretty well spaced out in the year.
Then it’s time for bed! My schedule varies greatly due to travel and whatnot, but on any relaxed, normal day, this is about it. Nothing too exciting!

What are your favorite ways to practice self-care?

Writing, keeping a healthy diet, eating and enjoying the occasional donut, soaking in the tub, exercising, reflecting, devotion.

How do you stay inspired?

I stay inspired by the fact that we are all here for such a short amount of time. For many that’s scary, but for me, it easily keeps me in the “why not just go for it” mindset.

Disclaimer: Just so you know, if you order an item through one of our posts, we may get a small share of the sale.

Loving Lately…

What are the best products you’ve discovered recently?

Hands down 1st Phorm’s Opti-Greens 50! I am not the best at getting in enough vegetables each day, so having a quality product to ensure I’m giving my body all it needs to function and feel its best is amazing!

What are your favorite apps?

I am awful with apps. I am not technology savvy! I use the basic socials, and that’s about it.

Whose Instagram is on your radar?

My feed its typically full of my teammates, which I love! I feed off their positive energy and hard work. I believe your social feed should be only things that are positive for you. After all, you are seeing it all day, and you become whatever you surround yourself with. I also follow many animal pages for a laugh and smile throughout my day!

What are you reading, watching, or listening to?

Always listening to the MFCEO Project podcast and Food In Session podcast. They are amazing! I’m currently looking for a good book.
I’ve been hooked on watching Trading Spaces since it came back! TLC has been playing all the old episodes, and I’ve been binge watching! I also religiously watch the Baking Championships on Food Network, and Teen Mom.

Jenna IRL

If your pet could talk, how would they describe you?

Weird for sure. I read an article that said your cats feel loved if you sing them little songs that rhyme with their name. So, yeah, me and my husband sing little songs every day that we try and rhyme with Bug and Darla. The songs never make sense! That article was definitely someone playing a joke, and here I am—lookin’ like a fool! Geez!

What would the title of your autobiography be?

Life Goes On

What woman in history would you love to take to brunch?

Marilyn Monroe!

Would you rather explore space or the ocean? Why?

The ocean intrigues me more. I feel like there’s a bigger variety to see. Can you believe that of all the books and exploring we’ve done, 95 percent of the ocean remains unexplored? Thats crazy! It’s a very cool thought, but also pretty scary! What’s in there?!

What piece of advice has impacted you the most?

When I was growing up, my mom always said, “Suck it up and tough it out!” When I was little, I didn’t like when she said that. I just wanted to whine, but now as an adult I see how true it is. It’s nice for “Shut up and do the work.”

For more information on all things 1st Phorm, down-to-earth workout advice, and the power of positivity, be sure to follow Jenna on Instagram.

Tags HHW, noads