Month: April 2018

Categories
Conscious Beauty Lifestyle

Move Over AHA And BHA: PHA Is The New Acid Everyone's Talking About

If you’re a self-proclaimed skincare enthusiast, chances are you’re familiar with chemical exfoliation. Depending on your routine, this may look like a nightly cocktail of serums, twice-weekly masks, or even regular chemical peels from your fave esthetician.
Most of these chemical exfoliants use alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) as their main ingredients, depending on what they’re targeting. If you’re at all familiar with chemical exfoliants, those should be pretty familiar to you, but now there’s a new one trending: polyhydroxy acid.

Polyhydroxy what?

Polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) are the youngest generation of acids, and oh are they powerful.
AHAs and BHAs are key ingredients in many chemical exfoliants and they’re known for their ability to strength the skin’s barrier, fight signs of aging, and provide supple hydration. AHAs, like glycolic acid, stimulate collagen production, meaning they’re great at reducing fine lines; BHAs, like salicylic acid, can penetrate pores deeply.
Studies have found that PHAs offer similar effects as both these well-known acids, but with notably fewer severe irritation responses for individuals with sensitive or dry skin.
The effects of PHAs are as comprehensive as they are plentiful. These acids:

  • Exfoliate the skin, which is crucial for removing layers of dead skin and revealing healthy new cells
  • Increase moisture retention, which can decrease signs of aging and improve the appearance of potentially worn-looking or dull skin
  • Contain antioxidants, which fight free radicals and can increase the effectiveness of sunscreen, further protecting the skin from UV exposure
  • Improve the skin’s natural barrier systems, which protects against harmful substances
  • Reduce inflammatory flares caused by dermatological conditions such as those listed above as well as acne, psoriasis, and melasma.
  • Enhance overall clarity, brightness, smoothness, and elasticity

Who should use PHAs?

While PHAs can be advantageous for every skin type, if your skin tends be hypersensitive when using products or performing peels with AHA or BHA, you’d likely benefit greatly from incorporating PHAs into your skincare routine.
The multiple hydroxyl groups in PHAs contain larger molecules than those in their sister acids, which slows down their absorption rate, meaning they cause less topical irritation. So if you have sensitive skin that can get irritated from too much AHA or BHA use, PHAs might be the acid you’ve been looking for. This means that even individuals with conditions like atopic dermatitis or rosacea don’t need to miss out on acids’ age-defying benefits any longer.
Notice any stinging or redness with AHAs or BHAs? It just might be time to make a switch!
We also want to note that the studies on PHAs’ effects have been replicated for black, Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian skin, which supports their widespread application and effectiveness.

How should I use PHAs?

As a good rule of thumb, begin your new protocol by applying PHA-containing products once per day or even once every other day. After taking note of how your skin responds, you can increase the frequency to twice a day. This type of progressive onboarding will need to be done for every product you plan on introducing! If you notice any itching, burning, or swelling, stop!
No matter where you are in your skincare journey, make sure you’re using an adequate moisturizer morning and night in addition to sunscreen with at least SPF 25 every single morning. Though PHAs have been shown to not increase sun sensitivity and potential burning like AHAs and BHAs, it’s still a good habit to practice.

Our Current PHA Faves

So, we’re all clear that PHAs should be in our daily arsenals, but which products should you pick up? Easy! Because PHAs have so many benefits, you can can find them in cleansers, creams, lotions, and serums. Whatever your skin may be needing most, there’s sure to be a product that’s perfect for you.
Looking for a cleanser? The Age Reverse Bioactiv Wash from Exuviance combines PHAs, maltobionic acid (derived naturally from maltose sugar), and botanical extracts to remove makeup, resurface your skin, and prep your canvas for the next step in your routine.
Skincare giant Glossier has jumped in the PHA game with the star of their 2018 show, Solution. Use it after cleansing to exfoliate dead skin cells for get brighter, clearer skin. (Just a note, Solution does also contain AHAs and BHAs, so if you’re sensitive, proceed with caution.)
Not using a toner? You should be. Also from Exuviance, this Moisture Balance Toner will even out your skin’s pH while using PHAs to hydrate.
Finally, get in on the PHA serum fun with the Hydrating Serum from PCA Skin. This is a perfect step right before moisturizer as it will condition, boost collagen production, and calm any redness or irritation leftover from exfoliation.

Categories
Collective Recipes The Goods

Apple Chai Cinnamon Smoothie

Whether you’re looking for a filling breakfast or a guilt-free dessert, we know you’ll love this earthy, fruity blend.

Categories
Nosh Nutrition x Advice

How To Navigate The Farmers’ Market Like A Boss Babe

In the Pacific Northwest, the arrival of spring is marked by two events: the sudden burst of cotton candy-colored cherry blossoms and the appearance of outdoor farmers’ markets. Whether you’re a diehard supporter of your local market (by this point, your favorite vendors know you by name) or you’re thinking about visiting one for the first time, we have all the tips you need to navigate the farmers’ market like a pro!

Why shop at farmers’ markets?

Shopping at farmers’ markets is, first and foremost, a fantastic way to support your local economy. According to the Farmers Market Coalition, vendors can potentially earn upward of 90 cents on the dollar for their wares due to the fact that their processing, marketing, and distribution costs are much lower or completely absent (this is compared to an average of 15.6 cents per dollar that farmers earn from food sold in supermarkets). Choosing to shop at farmers’ markets is also a great way to enjoy the best of what’s currently in season, often at a lower price than you’ll find in grocery stores.

Get to know your local vendors.

Getting to know your favorite vendors is also a major perk to shopping at a farmers’ market. Think of these people as experts: Not only do they grow, harvest, and prepare the food themselves, they’ll also know exactly what to recommend based on your tastes or what’s at the peak of its growing season.
Many vendors are more than happy to offer a sample of their wares, just be mindful of proper farmers’ market etiquette and avoid helping yourself without asking. If the stall is busy, try not to hover or engage the farmers in prolonged conversation; they still have a job to do!

To haggle or not to haggle?

If you like to haggle it’s definitely best to do so toward closing time as it’s the time of day when vendors are more likely to sell leftover goods at lower prices. Keep in mind that farmers aren’t required to haggle (after all, this is how they make their livelihood) and never attempt to barter if the vendor is busy with other customers. Again, the better you know the farmer, the better your chances are of getting a good deal on those leftover heirloom tomatoes when the market is about to close for the day.

Cutting Costs: How to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck

Fresh produce is almost always cheaper when it’s at the height of its season and farmers will sometimes sell overstock at a reduced price. Fruits and vegetables that are deemed “unattractive” may also be discounted and once they’ve been cut up no one will know the difference (all they’ll be able to taste is perfectly ripe produce). Baked goods, prepared foods, meat, fish, and alcohol can be on the pricey side, so stick to the basics if you’re shopping on a budget.

Is the produce at farmers’ markets organic?

If you regularly shop for organic produce and this is an important factor for you, make sure to check with someone at each stall to see if what they’re selling has been certified organic by the USDA. It’s important to consider the fact that organic certification can be incredibly costly for farmers and many of them essentially grow their produce organically but aren’t able to afford the actual certification. Although they might not be certified, chances are that produce bought from a farmers’ market is locally grown with care and attention to soil, growing methods, and heirloom varietals.

What to Bring to the Farmers’ Market

Shopping at farmers’ markets is a very different experience than shopping at a grocery store and can be very enjoyable if you’re prepared. Make sure you bring reusable bags or a basket. A small carry-cart on wheels is super helpful if you’re planning on buying a week’s worth of food. Recycled jars and other containers are environmentally friendly and can also be helpful if you’re shopping for bulk goods.
Don’t assume that vendors will take credit cards (although some do). Bring cash instead (this can also be helpful if you’re trying to stay within a certain budget). Finally, give yourself plenty of time to look around before you begin buying; you’ll have an easier time refining your shopping list and finding the best bargains.
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Categories
Health x Body Wellbeing

How To Get Rid Of Hives (And Keep The Itch Away)

So your skin is covered in itchy red welts, and you’re desperate for anything, ANYTHING to make it go away. Welcome to the world of allergies, where hives are an irritating side effect.
Although the name sounds like a place where bees live, hives can happen when you encounter just about anything you’re allergic to, not just stinging pests. And when those welts start to well up on your skin, you’re going to want to know how to get rid of hives from the comfort of your home—and how to do it fast!
So let’s do this, shall we?

How to Get Rid of Hives

Before you do anything to treat your hives, you need to know what you’re actually dealing with.
Are there red blotches that look like welts on your skin? Is it itchy? Try pressing on it. Does it blanch, or turn white when you press down, and then turn pink or red again when you let go?
If the answer to all three questions is yes, you’ve probably got urticaria, the medical term doctors use for hives. Unlike rashes, which tend to spread and don’t blanch when touched, hives tend to stick to one part of the body and blanch, says allergist Tania Elliott, MD, a spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and chief medical officer at EHE. They can show up anywhere on the body, and the itch can be mild to severe, making you want to tear at your skin with sandpaper for some relief.
Now for the good news: Most people’s hives are acute, meaning they will go away within 24 hours. Fortunately, treating acute urticaria at home is fairly simple.
Elliott suggests hitting the pharmacy for a non-sedating or non-drowsy antihistamine. Brand name products like Claritin and Zyrtec or generic versions will all do the trick, taking the itch out of hives in about 20 minutes.
If you want to go the natural route, hit your kitchen. Grab a plastic baggie and fill it with ice cubes. Wrap the ice in a thin towel and place it up against the hives. Your body’s nerves will only be able to send one response to the brain, Elliott says, so your body will either process the cold or the itch. The cold from the ice will overwhelm and quell the itch, at least temporarily.
You can also apply some aloe vera to the affected area, according to esthetician Ildi Pekar. Not only is the aloe plant known for its skin-healing properties, it’s also naturally cooling, so it offers a similar sensation to ice without the need to hold a baggie full of ice cubes against your skin.
One important thing not to do? Don’t scratch furiously at your skin, no matter how much you are tempted. Deep scratching opens up the skin, which can lead to infection, taking a simple case of “treatable at home” hives into “it’s time to see the doctor now” territory.
Of course, if the hives aren’t your only symptom and you’ve got a fever and chills along with those red welts, don’t stick around the house. Call your doctor immediately. It may be nothing more than a simple virus that you’ll kick in 24 hours, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Elliott says, “If symptoms ever progress beyond the skin, such as difficulty breathing, swelling, feeling faint, or vomiting, that is a serious emergency and 911 needs to be called.”

What causes hives anyway?

Now that you’re feeling better, it’s time to get to the root of the problem.
The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology estimates some 20 percent of the population will deal with urticaria at some point in their lives. The main cause for all those hives typically comes down to just three things: food, medication, or illness.
Yes, illness. While most people think of hives as a reaction to an allergen, sometimes they’re just the body’s way of reacting to the flu or another sickness.
“It’s the immune system getting funky and going awry, and the allergy system goes along for the ride,” Elliott explains. In other words? You aren’t allergic to anything, but your body is reeling from infection. That’s why if you show up at your physician’s office with hives, doctors will typically ask if you’ve just gotten over an illness or opt to run tests for flu, strep throat, and the like.
If you haven’t been sick and don’t sense you’re coming down with an illness, an allergy to food or medication is another likely cause. While your body can react to other allergens, typically airborne environmental allergens don’t cause hives, Elliott says. “You’d really have to be rolling in it [for that to happen],” she says. Instead, most environmental allergies cause contact dermatitis with a rash that doesn’t blanch and tends to spread.
With true hives, on the other hand, typically you’re dealing with something ingested or something already going on internally, she notes. In cases of ingested allergens, the allergy cells in your body get aggravated and then release a chemical called histamine, which causes swelling, itching, and redness.
The reaction typically kicks in within 15 minutes, Elliott says, but doctors advise you to look to medicines or food you ingested within the past six hours, as there can be a delayed response.
Look for patterns. Have you taken a new medicine that you’ve never taken before? Did you eat a new food? Have you had itchy welts after eating one specific food? If it happens more than once, start writing things down. If you do end up scheduling an appointment to see a physician, you’ll want to take a food diary with you when you visit the doctor.
If your hives are acute—which is the case for most people who experience hives—they will go away within 24 hours, and it’s unlikely you will need to see your physician. They may come back again when you eat that one food item or take that one medication, but they’ll likely disappear once again within 24 hours, provided you don’t have contact with that allergen again.
Other people have what are called chronic hives, meaning they stick around for at least six weeks. But you don’t have to wait that long to get some help: It’s when the hives just won’t go away after a week or two that the medical community recommends you visit an allergist.
During your appointment, they’ll run blood tests and sometimes targeted food allergen tests (if you notice, for example, that the hives have occurred after eating a specific food) to see if they can pinpoint the problem. Typically adults can account for their eating habits better than kids, Elliott says, so it’s rare for doctors to have to run extensive food allergy testing on grown-ups.
While you’re there, the doctor will also look for other issues going on in the body. On rare occasions, hives can be a signal that you’re fighting an autoimmune disease or even a blood cancer, but that tends to come with additional symptoms. Again, Elliott is quick to point out that this is rare, but if you’ve got joint pain along with the hives, for example, or extreme fatigue, your doctor may start digging deeper to determine whether the hives are part of a larger problem or if they exist on their own.
Some people may also suffer from hives that can be traced back to temperature triggers, says allergist Ashok Gandhi, MD, of the Marion Area Physician Group in Marion, Ohio. For some folks, that means they experience hives in the winter when their body gets especially cold. For others, they may have a hive flare-up in sunlight.
But the majority of chronic hives sufferers are in Hilary H.’s boat. The hives sufferer tells HealthyWay she has lived for years with what’s known as “idiopathic hives,” meaning doctors can’t figure out why the itchy red welts crop up on her body.
“They began appearing about four years ago, and after a few months of having me try a combination of steroids and antihistamines to keep them under control, my immunologist declared them chronic,” Hilary tells HealthyWay. “When the immunology resident delivered the news that they were chronic, she prescribed antihistamines and told me, ‘You will be taking these…for the rest of your existence.’ That phrasing still cracks me up!”
Chronic hives remain a mystery for doctors, even the experts in the allergy field. “In a lot of chronic cases, even after all the testing, we still cannot find the reasons for hives,” Gandhi explains.
It’s frustrating for patients, but Elliott likes to tell her patients that hives are similar to conditions such as high blood pressure in that regard. She says most people simply accept that there are many factors that could be causing their high blood pressure…and the same goes for hives. It doesn’t mean they can’t be treated, nor does it mean you can’t live a normal life. It just means you don’t know why you have the condition. Half of chronic idiopathic (unexplained) hives cases will go away within a year, Elliott adds.

How to treat the discomfort of hives.

Prednisone, a steroid, can keep hives at bay, Gandhi says, but it has drawbacks: Once you stop prednisone, the hives tend to come back. “Prednisone on a long-term basis also has a lot of side effects, so it’s not a real solution in terms of solving hives on a long-term basis,” he adds.
Doctors often turn to prescription-strength antihistamines to keep the redness and itchiness at bay. Medications such as Allegra or Zyrtec, which are available over the counter to be taken daily, are often increased to twice-a-day prescriptions to help get rid of hives. Zantac, an over-the-counter medication best known for treating acid reflux or heartburn, may also be added on for hives sufferers, as it’s been found to be effective for soothing urticaria.
If the hives don’t respond to the pill options, the next step is an injectable medication called Xolair, Gandhi says, which you receive at your allergist’s office. If you’ve heard your friends talking about their allergy shots, this is one of them. Because you have to return to the doctor’s office monthly, it can be inconvenient for patients, and it’s typically expensive, requiring prior authorization from insurance companies.
“It has its own set of side effects that one has to keep in mind,” Gandhi warns, “But it works pretty good for the hives which are not responding to any of the other [medications].”
Regardless of treatment, and regardless of the cause, doctors hope that the hives will eventually go away, and for most people they do, Elliott says. About half of chronic hives sufferers will see them simply disappear within a year. Others may see them go sometime within two years.
If they don’t disappear, and no other symptoms crop up that cause doctors to investigate further, a daily antihistamine regimen becomes a part of life. Even there, the news isn’t all bad.
Hilary has managed to get her hives under control with twice-daily Allegra, and she can go weeks without a hive popping up. Then again, it’s not all smooth sailing.
“Then suddenly something will set them off without warning, and I’ll add another antihistamine (Zyrtec or Pepcid),” she says. “Typically that gets them back under control within a day or so.”
“Usually any individual hive or patch of hives doesn’t last for more than 24 hours, although more might crop up that will also last 24 hours,” she adds. “ If they’re really itching or painful, I find that cooling my skin off can provide quick temporary relief. So I might run my hands under cold water or take a cool shower or hold an ice pack on them to take the edge off. That really helps!”

Never again!

If you can determine the trigger for your hives, you’re in luck. A specific food or medication can be avoided, which means you can avoid future flare-ups.
Sometimes your allergist may recommend a low histamine diet as well, Elliott says, as histamine is contained in a variety of foods.
“Ever get an itchy mouth from eating pineapple? That’s because it’s high in histamine content!” she notes. “Other foods to avoid [include] alcohol, aged cheese, processed meats, and dried fruit.”
All that said, sometimes hives show up only once, never to return again. Unless you’re seeing them repeatedly, the experts say you can often keep on living life the way you always have without fear of a recurrence.

Categories
More Than Mom Motherhood

How I Make Myself A Priority: Tips From A Busy Mom

Last summer, I was not in a good mental space. My business was going very well, which was wonderful, but that meant I was working more than ever. My husband had started a new high-stress job and was basically non-existent on the homefront; my daughter was being a full-force threenager, with all the boundary testing that entails. When a miscarriage added an additional heap of physical and emotional turmoil, I realized that in order to survive, I needed to start putting myself higher up on my priority list.
With everything seemingly in shambles, I revamped my existing routines and started new ones, changing my day to allow for more self-care and quiet time.
Most moms could benefit from putting more focus on self-care. Whether you are going through a particularly tough time like I was or you’re just feeling bogged down by the stress of motherhood, making time for yourself can leave you feeling happier and more balanced. If you’re preparing to start a new job or welcome a new baby, taking a bit of time for yourself can help you recharge to face the challenges of those changes with ease.
Fitting self-care in as a busy mom is challenging, but essential. Here’s what worked for me:

Learning to Let Go

Truth be told, I was always jealous of my husband’s ability to take care of his needs. Although I might feel frustrated when he was reading or playing games without noticing the mess around him, I also wished that I could do the same, going for a walk when I needed some alone time or taking time for a hobby even when there were dishes to be done.
Last summer, I started doing just that, taking a page out of his playbook. Now when I want (or need) to relax for a minute, I don’t ask myself whether the dishes are done, the floor is swept, or the bills are paid. I just take care of me. All that other stuff can wait. This might mean waking up to dirty dishes or having laundry sit in baskets for a while, but taking away the self-imposed pressure to always be productive has cleared lots of mental space.

Getting Physical

I always feel better when I’m working out regularly, and even if this isn’t the case for you, exercise has proven benefits. If you hate the gym, find a fun movement routine that works for you, like gentle yoga at home or even a dance class. Rather than squeezing in my workout around client calls and childcare obligations, I now make it an integral part of my day that is booked right into my calendar.
Most days I go to the gym before taking my daughter to school (she protests, but tough luck, kid). If I can’t go early, I work out after school drop-off, even if that means getting a slightly later start to the work day. The key is figuring out what time will work for your schedule and making fitness a priority.

Choosing Indulgences

Everyone has an activity that can instantly make them feel more relaxed and centered. For me, that is a hot bath. I would hate to reveal what I spend on bath bombs and wood-wick candles, but the truth is that those expenses are investments in my mental health. Most nights I end my day with a long, hot, relaxing bath where I don’t worry about anyone or anything beyond that locked bathroom door, and that is priceless.

Knowing My Limits

Most women tend to spread themselves thin, taking from their own reserves to care for friends and family members. Although it’s still a work in progress, I’ve learned to recognize my limits and say no more often. Whether that means doing fewer extracurriculars with my daughter, declining a work project, or RSVPing no to a social engagement, I now weigh how much time and emotional work is required for an activity before I say yes.
Self-care can sound like a buzzword, but until you’re doing it, it’s hard to understand how life-changing it can be.
In the past nine months I’ve seen real changes: I’m more patient with my daughter and less likely to bicker with my husband. I have more energy and motivation to tackle challenging projects at work and at home. All of that, I believe, has come from finally giving myself permission to make time for me.

Categories
Fitness Advice x Motivation Sweat

Why Sore Muscles Aren’t Always A Reason To Skip The Workout

Some of us endure more aches and pains than others, but muscle soreness is a fairly universal experience. Since muscle tissue covers the entire body, muscle soreness can be felt almost anywhere. From stiff shoulders to nagging IT bands, your soreness can paint a picture of what’s happening beneath the surface.
Whether we’re setting a personal best at the squat rack or busting out a 60-hour work week, we can feel the somatic manifestations that indicate the residual impact of our efforts and lifestyles, and in many cases that means muscle soreness. The question then becomes, “What does this soreness mean for me, my body, and my routine?”

Understanding the Pain

Suffice it to say, muscle pain can be the result of a variety of causes including but not limited to tension carried in one area of the body, stress-related exacerbation, overuse during exercise, or even injury. Understanding why you’re feeling post-workout muscle soreness and how to approach it can be confusing, but we’re here to help!
As irritating as it may be, soreness after an intense workout is completely natural. It’s a sign that your muscles are benefiting from the applause-worthy effort you’re allocating to your training. Most active individuals have experienced a broad spectrum of muscle soreness throughout their journey, ranging from intra-workout exhaustion to struggling to climb the stairs the next day. The latter can often be the most severe form of muscle soreness, plaguing individuals with swelling, muscle aches, stiff joints, and even weakness in the hours following the sweat sesh.
If you’re keen on understanding these processes on a scientific level, here’s a crash course: The brief burning associated with effortful training and longer-lasting pain are both influenced by the same molecules in the body. The pain receptors associated with muscle soreness only respond with feelings of fatigue and pain when the specific molecules are present and grouping with one another. What often contributes to the transition from short-term burning to true delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, may be a markedly stronger concentration of these molecules in the muscle and surrounding connective tissues.
Combining this biochemical reality with exercises that increase the likelihood of tears is one sure-fire way to wake up feeling nasty.

The Dreaded Delay

Delayed onset muscle soreness, aka DOMS, varies from the typical muscle soreness that develops during exercise. Instead, DOMS emerges “12-24 hours after the exercise has been performed and may produce the greatest pain between 24-72 hours” afterward according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Whether someone notices their pain peaking on, say, the second or third day after an intense workout is highly variable. This is essentially due to the nature of human beings as bio-individuals. Also noteworthy?  Preexisting inflammation, accumulating stress, and even dehydration can also influence how muscle aches manifest, potentially accelerating or complicating the process of post-workout soreness.
There are a wide range of activities that have the potential to cause DOMS due to the biomechanical processes involved. During heavy training, microscopic tears are made in the tissues and fibers of the muscles actively being used. Individuals are most likely to experience this and the resultant muscle soreness when they’re introducing new training stimuli. This can include trying out a new mode of exercise, increasing weight in the gym, or amplifying the volume of the training load.
According to the ACSM, individuals who routinely take part in strength training (i.e. bodybuilding and weightlifting), decline walking, jogging, step aerobics, and jumping are especially prone to experiencing DOMS. These activities are commonly associated with microtears in the muscle due to the dynamic eccentric motions they involve. During an eccentric exercise, the muscle is lengthened. Conversely, a concentric exercise involves a shortened muscle. For example, you perform a concentric movement as you curl a dumbbell, contracting and shortening the bicep. You perform the eccentric portion of the movement as you lower the dumbbell back to the starting position, with the bicep fully stretched and elongated.
With that said, if you see that your personal trainer is planning out a gnarly day of “negatives,” get ready for some pain. This type of workout has the athlete focusing on eccentric movements more than usual, with greater tension and time spent in the elongated portion of each lift. The same goes for the runners who opt for sprinting down the hills of their weekly courses as opposed to taking a more graceful (and less high-impact) walk. That quick escalation in force is sure to cause a reaction, and—depending on a person’s fitness level—some muscle soreness during and potentially after the activity.

Busting the Muscle Soreness Myths

Muscle soreness is just lactic acid buildup, right?

Wrong. This is one of the most common myths floating around conversations on post-workout pains. In fact, lactic acid is not a component of DOMS at all. During exercise, our bodies break down molecules for energy. During this process, it’s normal for cells to become more acidic, which is typically at the root of the muscle-burning sensation you feel toward the end of your WOD. Lactate is one of the byproducts of this process, but what many people don’t realize is that lactate is actually cleared from the body within 30 to 60 minutes of finishing a workout, which means it isn’t causing the soreness you’re experiencing hours or days after your sweat sesh.

No pain, no gain!

Truth be told, soreness alone is a poor indicator of training intensity or future muscle growth. While you should feel a bit of soreness following a workout, no one should be avoiding squatting down to the toilet the next day. Given the long list of confounding variables associated with the presentation of DOMS, it’s impossible to use its symptoms as a one-stop shop for determining who’s a better athlete. Mild discomfort may be healthy, but severe pain is in no way desirable. Pushing yourself beyond the onset of sharp pain in hopes of achieving your daily goal only increases the likelihood of injury.

Should you push through the pain?

From professional athletes to everyday asphalt kickers, everyone is susceptible to the discomfort of delayed onset muscle soreness. In fact, it’s inevitable. That being said, the severity of the pain tends to decrease as individuals increase the consistency of their training. This means that you’re likely to feel less sore when your workouts become a daily habit.
Because new stressors are one of the predominant causes of DOMS, it’s normal for an individual to feel less soreness during their third or fourth week of exercise than they were during week one. With time, your body learns to adapt to your high demands. Remember, a little pain is a sign that your muscles are recovering and rebuilding. In fact, the ACSM explains that “just one bout of soreness-producing exercise actually develops a partial protective effect that reduces the chance of developing soreness in that same activity for weeks or months into the future.”
Our bodies eventually learn to distribute the workload evenly, which thwarts microscopic damage in the muscle tissue, presenting both a blessing and a curse. This is the same reason it’s so important to frequently introduce novel stressors into your training regimen. As annoying as DOMS may be, those microtears and subsequent rebuilding are crucial for growth. Without new stimuli, the body’s natural modifications toward greater efficiency can impede long-term goals. If you’ve ever experienced a plateau in your journey, this may be the underlying cause.
If you can push through the grueling muscle soreness and continue to shock your muscles during your training, they’ll develop into larger and stronger tissues. According to Monica Vazquez, a NASM-certified personal trainer, a fair amount of trauma in the form of microtears (nothing bigger, friends) is an essential step in stimulating the protein production that contributes to growth. Whether you’re heading to the gym to tighten up your tummy or feather your quads, don’t shy away from a few DOM-induced twinges.
If the pain is a bit too much to push through, simply take a step back from your original plan and opt for a less-demanding load. This can range from dropping your deadlifts to a slightly lighter weight to skipping the gym altogether and jumping into a cycling class to get your blood flowing rather than spending the day on the couch! Still too much? Head into your local yoga studio for a vinyasa flow and a few blissful moments in savasana. The bottom line is there’s no reason to stop exercising altogether.

How can you relieve the ache?

First things first, let’s discuss preventative methods. While there are indeed a few tricks to help with easing the symptoms, averting the onset of DOMS altogether is—of course—the ideal. The ACSM explains that one of the best ways to prevent muscle soreness is by gradually progressing through a new program. This gives the muscle tissue sufficient time to acclimate to the new stress while still ensuring a decent workload for muscle development. While there can still be a novel stimulus, the body will be capable of adjusting in a way that minimizes the severity of symptoms. This won’t sidestep all soreness, but will certainly ease things up enough for you to walk without a limp.
Between sessions of exercise, give your body appropriate time to recover. It’s important to understand that this can be done without taking rest days. Instead, try to engage different muscle groups by alternating types of exercise. If you went on a 5k trail run on Monday, perhaps your Tuesday workout will involve a swimming cap and pair of goggles. If you’ve just trained legs, wait two to three days before returning to the gym for another taxing leg workout. Instead, think about incorporating a few upper body splits within that time frame.
Unfortunately, there is very little evidence that treatment strategies significantly decrease the recovery time associated with DOMS. That said, there are a variety of anecdotal recommendations for easing the symptoms of muscle soreness. Keep in mind that the reduction of pain does not necessarily represent recovery. Sometimes it’s just a Band-Aid effect, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with seeking relief from DOMS. Just keep in mind that these strategies may help diminish the pain, but the underlying muscle damage is still present.

Take a dip (or turn to the freezer).

The ACSM notes that ice pack application may be helpful, and this is backed by a study on cold water immersion (CWI) for athletes. One key finding in this randomized control trial was the impact of being immersed in 6° C water for 10 minutes. This was the most successful treatment for reducing muscle soreness and painful stretching. For ladies at home, this would be the equivalent of an ice bath. While beneficial and applicable for athletes, a frozen ice pack will have similar, spot-treatment effects for those who prefer a less extreme method.

Reach for a latte.

A turmeric latte, that is. Loading up on turmeric—or more specifically, curcumin—can help you address your muscle soreness. It’s one of the most potent compounds in turmeric and what gives the spice its natural orange–yellow tint. This small molecule “exerts potent anti-inflammatory effects.” Curcumin has also been shown to significantly reduce pain and may even help with strength loss. However, it has poor oral bioavailability, meaning that our bodies are incapable of absorbing the amount it would take for us to experience its maximum benefits. This issue can be resolved and the effects enhanced by pairing turmeric with black pepper.
If you’ve been waiting to try a few homemade curry recipes, now is the perfect time! Another option is the increasingly popular golden milk latte. Whether you elect to pick up a mix from the local grocer or blend your own, pairing it with a steaming a cup of almond milk may hit the spot. For maximum benefit, you can dose up to 8g of curcumin or turmeric, which is the equivalent of about two teaspoons.

Stretch and release.

In addition to applying ice packs and ingesting a decent dose of turmeric, you can also gently stretch your sore muscles and take part in stress-relieving activities. Stretching—whether this is done with a yoga flow, a foam roller, or an easy cycling session—can target the affected muscle tissue and ease out the tightness associated with sore muscles. To build on this relief, meditation can have a more extensive reach and help with reducing tension throughout your entire body.

Should you see a doctor?

While muscle soreness is often benign, this isn’t always the case. In some cases, the aches and pains could be symptoms of a more serious health concern—especially when the pain is consistent and you are without relief. If you feel any of the following possibilities may apply to you, you should schedule an appointment with a doctor:

  • Significant pain that arises without a distinct cause
  • Pain that occurs with a rash
  • Pain that begins after a tick bite
  • Pain accompanied by redness or swelling of the limbs
  • Pain that develops after a change in medication
  • Pain that occurs with a fever

If your muscle pain is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, you could be experiencing a medical emergency. In these cases, secure a ride to your local hospital or walk-in clinic as soon as possible:

  • Sudden water retention
  • Reduction in urine output
  • Darkened urine
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Vomiting
  • Difficulty catching your breath
  • Stiffness in your neck
  • Inability to move the affected area of your body
Categories
Nosh Nutrition x Advice

The Benefits Of Wheatgrass: The Surprising Truth Behind The So-Called Miracle Juice

Wheatgrass is a health-food phenomenon. You might have heard of wheatgrass from a friend who swears it gives her a much-needed energy boost. Or perhaps you’ve read tales of its ability to naturally cure diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and AIDS.

iStock.com/Madeleine_Steinbach

Wheatgrass is harvested from the early growth (usually the first 7 to 10 days) of the common wheat plant Triticum. It can be freeze-dried and taken as a powder or pill or consumed as a shot of juice. Wheatgrass has a very bitter, grassy flavor. which is why it is often taken as a shot rather than as an actual drink. Wheatgrass has many perceived health benefits that are widely touted by fans of this chlorophyll-tinted green juice.
But are these claims backed up by science? And if they aren’t, should you be including wheatgrass in your diet?

Wheatgrass is Loaded With Nutrients

Wheatgrass is well known for its purported ability to treat all sorts of health problems, but what is its actual nutritional profile? It turns out that wheatgrass is a good source of amino acids; vitamins A, C, and E; iron; and calcium. Fans of wheatgrass believe it should be consumed as quickly as possible after it’s been exposed to air to prevent nutrient loss.
As Loraine Dégraff, author of The Complete Guide to Growing and Using Wheatgrass explains:

The nutrient level of the wheatgrass reduces if it is exposed to air too long before it is consumed. Also, how old is the grass? Grass that is juiced too long past the ‘prime time’ of harvest (7 to 10 days for indoor) is already compromised as far as nutrition is concerned. The method of growth can also affect nutritional absorption. Indoor grass, which is probably more familiar to most, is consumed for therapeutic benefits. Its nutrients include simple sugars, which can cause a spike in blood [glucose] level. Outdoor grass, consumed for health benefits, include[s] complex carbohydrates that are easily assimilated. Of course, both growers feel their method is best. I find, however, that most people can stick with the outdoor grass longer because of the taste factor.

A Brief History of Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass has been a part of American popular health culture since the 1930s. An agricultural chemist named Charles F. Schnabel noticed the wheatgrass that he gave his dying chickens helped the chickens recover quickly. Schnabel began selling dried wheatgrass and eventually received funding from Quaker Oats and American Dairies Inc., at which point wheatgrass began to be sold in powdered form all over the United States.
In the mid-20th century a woman named Ann Wigmore claimed to have cured her cancer thanks to her wheatgrass consumption. She went on to champion wheatgrass as a powerful healing agent in conjunction with a raw food diet, eventually co-founding the Hippocrates Health Institute, an alternative medicine facility in Florida.

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In 1982 Wigmore was sued by the attorney general of Massachusetts because of her false claims that wheatgrass could take the place of insulin for diabetics. She was sued again in 1988 for stating that it could cure AIDS. Although she ultimately won that case on First Amendment grounds, the judge ordered her not to claim to be a doctor who can treat or cure illness.  

The Benefits of Including Wheatgrass in Your Diet

Including wheatgrass in your diet is a great way to get in an extra serving of fruits and vegetables. But in an article published by the UK’s National Health Service, dietitian Alison Hornby says, “There is no sound evidence to support the claim that wheatgrass is better than other fruits and vegetables in terms of nutrition. It cannot be recommended above any other choices in this food group.”

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If you love wheatgrass, then you should certainly include it in your diet. But if you don’t, you can get the same nutrients from eating the same amount of broccoli or spinach.

Is wheatgrass a cure for cancer?

Despite the fact that wheatgrass used to be (and still is) heavily promoted as a cure for cancer—along with many other diseases and ailments—there is no conclusive scientific data to support this claim. There is some potentially promising research that wheatgrass may provide relief from some of the side effects of chemotherapy, but more study is needed to determine what implications this might have for other patients.
It should be noted that the American Cancer Society encourages many forms of complementary therapy to mainstream cancer treatment but “urges patients who are thinking about using any complementary or non-mainstream therapies to first discuss it with their health care team.”

What about chlorophyll?

Wheatgrass is prized for its levels of chlorophyll, a green phytonutrient that naturally occurs in plants so that they are able to absorb energy from the sun. Hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, helps to carry oxygen throughout the bodies of animals. Structurally, chlorophyll and hemoglobin are similar, and both are considered the “lifeblood” of the bodies they inhabit.

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Wheatgrass devotees believe that chlorophyll has the ability to reverse the aging process, suppress the appetite, reverse [linkbuilder id=”6690″ text=”thyroid problems”], and cleanse the blood, although there have been no significant studies to show these claims are actually true.

Are there any side effects of consuming wheatgrass?

Most people who consume wheatgrass don’t experience side effects, but some people may suffer from nausea and may find the strong grass-like taste overwhelming. There is also a possibility that contamination from microbials may occur because wheatgrass sprouts are grown for 7 to 10 days before being harvested for their leaves (for this reason pregnant women are advised against consuming wheatgrass).

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Although some wheatgrass enthusiasts insist this is a detoxification process your body is going through, if your symptoms persist it’s more likely you have an intolerance to wheatgrass. It’s also important to use caution if you have a wheat or gluten allergy, as wheatgrass can occasionally be a trigger for hives or swelling in the lips and tongue.

The Best Way to Include Wheatgrass in Your Diet

According to Dégraff, the best way to consume wheatgrass is to juice it:

The best method for obtaining the full nutritional benefits of the wheatgrass, especially the live enzymes, would be to juice it yourself and drink the juice within minutes of juicing. The nutrient level of the wheatgrass reduces if it is exposed to air too long before it is consumed.

TJ DiCiaula, co-owner of SuperCharge! Foods in Madison, Wisconsin, agrees on the importance of drinking the wheatgrass juice as fresh as possible and recommends doing the following:

Upon juicing—it is always best to consume the juice immediately and ‘chew’ the juice, which means to swish the juice around in the mouth to mix enzymes and absorb as much as you can in the mouth like you would in taking medicine or a tincture under the tongue.

DiCiaula does acknowledge that for most people, it “is more feasible to juice several days to a week’s worth at a time. They say there is one active enzyme in wheatgrass that will oxidize after 20 minutes. Otherwise the shelf life of the juice varies with its nutrient density and bioenergy. It seems the core nutrition remains but enzymes will begin to break down over a couple days and the juice will begin to lose its sweetness.”

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The experts agree that the juice should be made with freshly harvested wheatgrass leaves whenever possible and should be consumed as quickly as possible for optimal nutrient absorption.

Alternative Ways to Consume Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass can also be administered in pill or powder form. Due to the potential for microbial contamination in freshly juiced wheatgrass, some experts recommend reaping the nutritional benefits in supplement form rather than as a juice. It’s important to make sure wheatgrass in pill or powder form follows protocol for food labeling and that the supplements come from an FDA-approved lab.

How much wheatgrass is it safe to consume?

There is currently no established dosage of wheatgrass that is officially deemed safe or unsafe. However, RxList and several other sources give the following guidance: “Wheatgrass is LIKELY SAFE when taken in food amounts. It is POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts for up to 18 months or when applied to the skin as a cream for up to 6 weeks. Not enough is known about the safety of long-term use of wheatgrass as medicine.”

Growing Your Own Wheatgrass at Home

Growing wheatgrass at home ensures you’ll always have fresh leaves to harvest for juicing, and it’s relatively simple to do using only a few special pieces of equipment. DiCiaula recommends the following:

To grow wheatgrass at home you will need a tray, medium, seed, water, and nutrients. Lights may be necessary but good light through a window can also work. Wheatgrass doesn’t like it over 72 degrees or high humidity. Fans can be used to provide some wiggle-room in certain conditions. Of course, the more conducive the environment is to facilitate life growth the better.

iStock.com/Madeleine_Steinbach

If you’re brand new to growing wheatgrass, Dégraff suggests purchasing a wheatgrass-growing kit, “You can work with a kit that comes with most of what you need or you can gather your own supplies. For growing indoors, you would need:

–wheatberries (seeds)
–a jar for sprouting the wheatberries
–a good soil mixture: one good ratio is 50 percent compost, 40 percent topsoil, and 10 percent vermiculite (a quality organic gardening soil can also be used)
–a tray or some type of container for planting [that’s] at least 2 inches deep
–a second tray (or brown paper) for covering during the germination period
–a spray bottle for misting the plants
–good light and ventilation

The website SproutPeople has detailed instructions for growing your own wheatgrass at home, with videos, images, and notes on best practices for growing and harvesting the leaves from homegrown wheatgrass.

Wheatgrass Precautions

Because wheatgrass is a raw food product, the possibility of accidentally ingesting mold or coming in contact with E. coli, Salmonella, or Shigella bacteria is potentially something to be concerned about.

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Carefully examine wheatgrass plants for signs of rot and mold, making sure to rinse the leaves before juicing (when in doubt, discard it). Well-drained soil is also important for preventing harmful bacteria from growing in the soil, so make sure the tray you’re using to grow the wheatgrass has drainage holes drilled in the bottom. If purchasing ready-made wheatgrass, look for brands that have been pasteurized. This ensures any existing bacteria have been killed via heat.

To Wheatgrass or Not to Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass offers some wonderful nutritional benefits and is a great source of vitamins and minerals. Despite its reputation as an all-encompassing health food that can cure cancer, AIDS, and diabetes, there is no scientific evidence that these claims are true.
Enjoy wheatgrass because it makes you feel good and it adds value to your life. And always remember, if wheatgrass isn’t for you, opt for other green veggies with a similar nutritional profile, such as broccoli and spinach.

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And if you do want to try wheatgrass? We’ve got a recipe for that!

Making It Taste Good: A Simply Sweet Wheatgrass Smoothie Recipe

This wheatgrass smoothie uses powdered wheatgrass instead of freshly juiced for the sake of ease and convenience. Organic Wheatgrass Juice Powder and Amazing Grass Organic Wheat Grass are both high quality and readily available options. Otherwise use your favorite brand for this recipe.

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Baby spinach adds plenty of green nutrients and complements the nutritional profile of the wheatgrass powder. Frozen bananas lend a creamy texture and a touch of natural sweetness, although fresh bananas work just as well in a pinch. Antioxidant-rich blueberries give this smoothie its intensely dark green color. Kefir is a fermented dairy product containing gut-healthy probiotics with a texture that is somewhere between a liquid and solid yogurt.
Yields 2–3 generous servings

Ingredients

  • 2 frozen bananas, sliced into smallish pieces
  • 1½ cups plain or flavored kefir
  • 2 cups frozen blueberries
  • 4 cups baby spinach, lightly packed
  • 2 tsp. wheatgrass powder
  • Ice water or coconut water

Special equipment

  • High-powered blender
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Spatula
  • Large glass for your smoothie

Method

  1. Add the frozen bananas, kefir, frozen blueberries, baby spinach, and wheatgrass powder to a high-powered blender.
  2. Blitz the ingredients together until smooth, pulsing occasionally for a super-smooth texture. Add ice water or coconut water as needed to create a pourable texture, scraping down the sides with a spatula so that all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
  3. Pour into large glasses and enjoy!

Bonus

If you have smoothie leftovers, try freezing them in popsicle molds or even ice cube trays for a healthy frozen treat!

Categories
Fresh Fashion Lifestyle

Yes, Athleisure Is Still In: Here’s How To Wear It

When this year started, you probably had some sort of fitness-related goal, right? (We definitely did!) As we’re really digging into 2018, we’re still chasing those goals—and trying to look good while doing it. Our top tip for an easy way to feel fit? Pick up a few new pieces of work-to-workout attire; it’s certainly been helping us up our style game in the gym (and everywhere else).
Get on the fit and fab train by incorporating these athleisure trends into your wardrobe. After all, keeping it sporty and comfortable 24/7 is the dream!

What is athleisure anyway?

At its core, the athleisure trend involves wearing gym clothes outside of the gym—in a fashionable way. The term athleisure has been around since the early aughts but didn’t become a global trend until fall 2014, when the world decided leggings and a hoodie could be worn in a fashion-forward way. (Thank you, Vogue.)
When we think athleisure, visions of yoga pants, leggings, and sports bras dance in our heads, and shopping bags from athletic clothing companies like adidas, Nike, lululemon, and Athleta abound. Pair one or two of those items with some casual closet staples and you’ve got yourself a solid athleisure outfit.
If you haven’t seen women wearing sneakers and sweat-wicking tops everywhere from school to the grocery store, you haven’t been looking. Women’s willingness to take these sporty essentials out of the gym and studio is why athleisure has become—and remains—so popular.
This trend has been seen all over the globe on everyone from big name celebrities to fashion bloggers to your co-workers. Personal trainer Massy Arias even kicked off 2018 in an athleisure outfit on New Year’s Eve when she paired athletic leggings with metallic sneakers, a crop top, and an edgy metallic jacket.
True, some people may say the trend is dying, but a glance around during any shopping trip or coffee run will show you otherwise. If you’re late to the athleisure party, have no fear; we’ve got your back. Read on for our favorite pieces (and how to wear them).

How to Buy Athleisure (That Actually Looks Good)

The great thing about wearing an athleisure look is that you probably already have a gorgeous piece or two in your workout clothing drawer. Beyond those go-tos, we suggest you keep a few things in mind as you begin building your athleisure arsenal.
Ideally, your athleisure wardrobe should consist of functional workout wear. This is most important for leggings or yoga pants because these are items that can get worn out easily. Plus, they’re typically more expensive, meaning you won’t have as many leggings to swap out as you will cotton t-shirts or tanks.
Don’t forget to look for workout gear with interesting details. Shiny leggings that look like faux leather? You got it. Moto-inspired stitching or padding? Absolutely. These are the kinds of things that make an athleisure outfit look intentional, instead of like you forgot to change after spin class.

Athleisure That’s Worth the Splurge

We’re always on the hunt for the newest and best workout gear, and getting a stylish outfit out of the deal is an awesome bonus. That said, prepare to splurge on pieces that you’ll actually wear to work and to work out. High-quality leggings will never be a bad choice; cheaper leggings have a tendency to be see-through (or become see-through with regular washing), which isn’t ideal.
The same goes for yoga pants. “No athleisure outfit would be complete without yoga pants. I love my workout pants, but I often find them too constricting for leisurely activities. Yoga pants work better for me because they’re as comfortable as sweats but look cuter,” says NYC-based fashion blogger Claire Shay.
Other items, such as gym sneakers, jackets, and sports bras, are a great place to invest in your workout wardrobe. Ko Im, who is a yoga and meditation teacher and editor of NY YOGA + Life, says you always need a good sports bra for your favorite workout activity. “And socks—always need more socks.”
We also suggest splurging on pieces you know you’ll wear for years. If you’re just dipping your toes into the athleisure trend and your usual style doesn’t include workout gear, it can be better to save. But if you’re a regular gym-goer who’s ready to incorporate your love of function and mobility into your everyday (and night!) wardrobe, look at pricier athleisure pieces like leggings from Girlfriend Collective and Alo or a supportive bra from Vimmia.

Save your pennies on these athleisure pieces.

There’s no need to drop a bunch of cash on a whole new chic athleisure wardrobe. Pieces you can save on are hoodies, joggers, sweatpants, and your collection of workout tees. Some of these (like cotton tees) you probably already have a whole bunch of. Im, for one, says not to waste your money on workout shirts: “You get freebies all the time and you get tired of wearing the same design anyways.”
These items are pretty much a dime a dozen, and a luxury pair of joggers probably won’t look significantly different from ones you can find at Target.

Our Fave Athleisure Product Picks

“I wear athleisure when I need to run errands or if I want to look cute but don’t feel like wearing a real outfit. Athleisure is also my go-to when I need to travel!” says Shay, who even wears athleisure to work—proving that she’s dialed in to the 24/7 athleisure life.
Here are our favorite picks to get you started:

Jackets

You can’t go wrong with a classic adidas track jacket—it’s an athleisure must-have, if you ask us. If you’re not digging the ’90s vibe, try this PUMA jacket instead. It has a boxy shape and reminds us of a bomber jacket gone sporty. You can wear it in the exact same way as the adidas jacket (without looking like you’re headed to a soccer match).

Shop Jackets:

Sweatshirts and Hoodies

If you’re going to wear a hoodie in a fashionable way, we suggest looking for interesting details. A plain old hoodie can do the trick sometimes, but if you’re feeling fancy, why not try out something a little different, like this twist front or criss cross sweatshirt? They do the same job but don’t look like the hoodies you stockpiled in high school. We also love this boat neck sweatshirt for understated French girl vibes and this cropped adidas hoodie for changing up the shape of an otherwise standard piece.

Shop Sweatshirts and Hoodies:

Leggings

If you’re buying leggings specifically for an athleisure look, go for something with a little more oompf than your plain old black leggings. We’re loving moto-inspired leggings: Check out this ultra-chic matte shine and mesh pair from Alo and this leather-look pair from HPE. Both pairs are so stylish that they can be worn from the studio to the streets with ease. If you want something that’s a little more basic but still great for everyday, opt for the Athleta Organic Cotton Be Present Tight.

Shop Leggings:

Joggers

Need a break from the leggings? Keep it loose and light with a standby pair of joggers. The tapered leg gives you more shape than your typical sweatpant, and they can be scrunched to emphasize a fun pair of shoes. We love these ultra-lightweight Outdoor Voices cropped joggers for spring and summer because you won’t get too hot. For a full-length pair, go for these lululemon joggers or the more budget-friendly adidas classics.

Shop Joggers:

Sneakers

Picking the right trainer is definitely dependent on comfort and the type of workouts you do, but when it comes to both style and function, we can’t get enough of these APL Running Shoes. (We’re loving those black-and-white speckled soles.) For something less suited to running but equally stylish, you can’t go wrong with the tried-and-true adidas Superstars or Gazelles in a fresh colorway.

Shop Sneakers:

Accessories

Gym accessories are typically limited to headbands and hair ties, but when you’re styling an athleisure outfit, your options are unlimited. To keep things sporty, we’re vibing with this Bando hat (to keep your post sweat-sesh hair locked down) and this neoprene backpack from Dagne Dover that can take you from work to gym and back again—a true athleisure power move.

How to Style Athleisure Pieces

Shopping is the easy part, but styling an outfit can be challenging  if you aren’t used to the athleisure life. “Styling athleisure is so different for everyone because it’s such a diverse area of fashion,” says Shay.
We’ve broken down a few situations to help you come up with your ideal outfit:

Gym to Coffee

The key rule of thumb for all your athleisure looks: Make sure your athleisure gear isn’t dirty, sweaty, or smelly. If it was arms day and your fitness chic leggings are still clean and fresh, switch out that sweaty top for an oversized sweater and grab your favorite statement clutch bag to accessorize. You can pop out for that coffee and feel confident while doing it.

Create The Look:

A Night Out With the Girls

Comfy clubwear coming your way! Philadelphia-based fashion blogger Kylie Francis says, “Don’t be afraid to go out for a night on the town rocking athleisure! Style up a mesh tee and leggings with statement earrings and wedges and you’re good to go!” We also suggest cute joggers with a pair of pumps. (Trust us, it’s way more chic than it may sound.)
As for tops, you can try them in so many different ways. You could tuck in a slouchy tee, wear a cropped tank, or opt for a bodysuit that you can dress up with statement earrings or a bold bag. A night out dancing never felt so good.

Create The Look:

Date Night

Depending on where date night is, athleisure can totally work! Mini golf date, burgers and a movie, or trivia night at a local brewpub? Athleisure is absolutely a-okay. Think trainers, leggings, a tunic, and a jean jacket. It’ll definitely send that laidback vibe you’re going for. That being said, athleisure might not be the best choice for a more formal affair. Dinner at a ritzy upscale restaurant? Save the leggings for tomorrow morning.

Create The Look:

Wear to Work

Wearing athleisure to work depends entirely on your workplace dress code. If you have a strict business-wear dress code, don’t go around getting notes in your HR folder because you’re dying to test the athleisure trend. But for workplaces with relaxed guidelines, we suggest a cool pair of sneakers, your favorite skinny jeans, a tank of your choice, and a zip-up track jacket. Wear your hair in a ponytail and go for fun earrings!
If you can go all-out athleisure style, try Francis’ standard work outfit. She wears “leggings (think fun ones, like crop or mesh) and always pair them with a strappy back bra with a open back tee or sweater. And I always pair my outfit with my Nike Metcons, since CrossFit is my go-to workout!”

Create The Look:

Weekend Wear

Athleisure getups are perfect when you’re going for a casual, comfortable look. We love trainers, scrunched joggers, a plain white tee, and a utility jacket. It’s sporty and casual—but fashionable enough to look like you’re put together.

Create The Look:

Quick Tips: Athleisure Do’s and Don’ts

In the world of fashion, there aren’t really any rules! That’s even more true when it comes to athleisure. When the look is relaxed, so are the rules. Shay says, “I think the great thing about athleisure is that there aren’t any don’ts because you can do what you want with the style!” But we threw together a few tips that can help you get a handle on the trend. From there, you can get experimental and put your favorites together in new ways.

Do:

  • Wear your athleisure look out and about before heading to the gym.
  • Mix with other wardrobe staples. Class up your comfiest joggers with a pair of slick heels. Wear leggings and a sports bra with an oversized sweater.
  • Take notes from Im, who suggests you pair the “sporty and the soft.” She says she likes to pair classic leggings with a cozy sweater, sexy top, or cool jacket and will finish the outfit with “a rockin’ pair of boots.”

 Don’t:

  • Wear your sweaty or stinky post-Bikram sports bra as a fashion statement.
  • Wear old or worn workout shirts with jeans.
  • “Be afraid to show off a fun sports bra with a really cool cutout back tank or tee!” This comes from Francis, who encourages everyone to make sure their bra is a good fit. Shay chimes in, “I find that athleisure outfits never look good on me when I don’t wear the right bra … Most workout tops are designed to be worn with workout bras or designed to have a bit of the bra peeking through for detail. Wearing the wrong bra can really damage that look!”
  • Get too matchy. Francis advises against wearing a distressed tee with distressed leggings, for example. Instead, she suggests picking just one statement piece and rocking it with staple items.

Wearing your favorite workout gear as a fashion statement is a must in 2018. Not only can you wear athleisure trends pretty much anywhere—with the right forethought, they’ll look downright smashing. Use this guide to start you on your way to an all-athleisure, all the time personal style.