Tag: organic

Categories
Fresh Fashion Lifestyle

Faux Leather Pieces That Look And Feel Like The Real Thing

Are you lusting after the newest dusty rose moto jacket gracing the shelves of your favorite boutique, but can’t justify buying the gem, knowing the potential ethical costs?
Luckily for you, sustainable, faux leather is a rising star in the fashion industry and is an important player in the mindful consumerism movement. This animal-friendly sister of traditional leather is good for your wardrobe, good for your conscience, and good for all creatures, great and small.
It’s clear that cruelty-free businesses have headed a widely welcomed shift in collective consciousness. We now have a seemingly never-ending list of items that are as humane as they are chic. From jackets to pants and shoes to purses, you can feel safe making faux leather a staple in your wardrobe.

What is faux leather?

If you’ve ever heard the term “faux leather” thrown around, then you’re likely familiar with imitation leather made from plastic—and let’s be honest, you may be a bit hesitant about it as well. Although “pleather” might ring a bell, don’t get the millennial-era staple confused with what’s trending today. Now the name of the game is faux leather, and it’s been getting serious play in the last few years from brands big and small; Stella McCartney is one of the biggest major brands laser focused on this form of cruelty-free sustainability.
The leading material for faux leather in previous years was PVC. Thanks to some major reworking in the ’70s, polyurethane became the widely accepted leather alternative. But now our faux leather pieces feel like the real thing, if not better.
Truth be told, though, polyurethane isn’t the most environmentally sustainable choice considering the details of its production. Many of the solvents polyurethane pieces require are highly toxic, and the product itself is incapable of biodegrading or being recycled. That said, any form of faux leather is arguably better than animal farming for something as impermanent and insignificant as pop culture’s aesthetic waves.
While most brands still opt for 100 percent pure polyurethane as the chief component in their faux leather products, others focus on truly sustainable leather alternatives create their textiles from recycled nylon, cardboard, rubber, and cork. Each one boasts its own benefits, but all are valid alternatives to painfully produced cowhides. For our friends who are eager to support businesses that decrease our carbon footprint and eliminate animal harm, then the latter group of materials is for you.

The Brands to Look For

If you’re looking for high-quality pieces that are also kind to our furry friends, look no further than these eco-friendly brands.

Fauxgerty

The leather jacket: Is any wardrobe complete without one? Now you can get a cruelty-free one that looks and feels just like the real thing. Fauxgerty, based in St. Louis and Los Angeles, is rooted in mindfulness and consciousness. Every piece is cruelty (and PVC!) free and ethically made. Brand founder Chrissy Fogerty pays Fauxgerty sewers 36 percent over the regional average because she stands with and values those involved with the company’s mission. We’re torn between the vegan leather and suede Dolma and the faux suede Swazey, which comes in a stunning olive green. Might just need to get both.

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Jeane & Jax

Montreal-based luxury vegan brand Jeane & Jax has mastered the art of blending cruelty-free fashion, reasonable price points, and premium quality. We especially love the Chloe tassel bucket in ivory and the Maya perforated zip crossbody in coral.

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Matt & Nat

Matt & Nat’s pieces are some of the most consistently stylish ones on the market. For a modern take on another ’90s trend, try their Aki belt bag. Need something a little roomier? We like the Mini Fabi, which is perfect for on-the-go fashion.

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Dr. Martens

Even Dr. Martens has hopped on the vegan leather train. The ’90s staple remains relevant by creating their classic 1460s with 100 percent vegan construction; try the cherry red color for a modern twist. We’re always happy to recommend a good Chelsea boot, and you can’t go wrong with the Flora.

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Categories
Conscious Beauty Lifestyle

Meet Skinno, The App That Wants To Tell You What's In Your Skincare

Aqua. Propylene glycol. Aloe barbadensis leaf juice. Phenoxyethanol. Fucus vesiculosus extract. These are all ingredients of the closest skincare product to my desk right now (Mario Badescu’s Facial Spray—rosewater version, obv).
But what are those things? Aqua: water—got it. Aloe barbadensis: aloe vera is good! The rest? Not so sure. Some of them sound pretty chemical-y, and I never did too well in chemistry class. That extract though, that’s probably good, right?
And herein lies the problem with skincare: Most people don’t know what’s in their products. And even if they’ve heard of some of the product’s ingredients, the average consumer doesn’t know what those ingredients do. Or if they’re effective for their skin type. Or if they’re even all that safe.
You’ve likely heard various reasons we should avoid synthetic chemicals: If you can’t pronounce it, don’t use it! That ingredient is a chemical! Chemicals are used to clean toilet bowls! (Nevermind the fact that even plain old water is a chemical substance—effectively, everything is, in fact.) This fear of chemicals, often termed “chemophobia,” is misguided at best, as plenty of researchers attest.
Still, the cultural trend toward safety via nature has led to an industry-wide movement—which is a bit misleading given the fact that “natural” means zilch to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates (but doesn’t approve) cosmetics and skincare in America. That term, and some others like “clean” or “green,” aren’t actually regulated at all. While the FDA does ban intentionally false or misleading packaging, it’s the responsibility of the manufacturers to act in good faith when it comes to what can be put on the front of products.
So what’s a consumer to do?
This is a problem Lisa Guerrera has been researching for years. A self-described skincare junkie, Guerrera is a chemist focused on the science of skincare. She did her undergraduate thesis on chemophobia, and now she’s pursuing her master’s in cosmetic engineering and building Skinno, an app aimed at educating consumers about ingredients in their products.
Most consumers have difficulty decoding ingredients and their applications. Guerrera, Skinno’s founder and CEO, realized that this lack of knowledge—combined with the largely unregulated cosmetics industry—leads consumers to make decisions about products based on marketing and scare tactics instead of concentrating on ingredients.
Guerrera co-founded Skinno with Christina Torres, whose background is in biology and science communication, in October 2017. The app, which has been in development since February, uses a scanner to read ingredient labels and break down what’s in your product and what those ingredients do. The app’s searchable ingredient database is entirely sourced by Torres, who has professional experience with biological databases; she personally researches each ingredient and writes consumer-friendly descriptions. Skinno also has a Routines feature to help users remember to actually use their products.
As the Skinno team develops the app further, they’re focusing on personalizing users’ skincare experiences: What does your skin need and why? What are the best ingredients to achieve that and why?
We hopped on the chance to speak with Guerrera about the app and how it can help consumers navigate the current skincare market.

HealthyWay: I love the idea of knowing what each ingredient in my products is used for. What’s your ultimate goal for Skinno?

Guerrera: Ultimately we want people to be educated about their products before they buy them. Consumers have the right to easy access to scientifically accurate information about products, and we know Skinno will be able to help with that through instant education and personalization.

What can ingredients tell us about our skincare products?

Ingredients can tell us a lot! These days, a lot of products are marketed based off of some “miracle” ingredient that will cure all our skin woes, but in reality, if you look up the ingredient, there is no real research backing up those claims. Ingredients can tell us if a product is really doing what it’s claiming to do for our skin.

What should people be paying attention to when they’re buying their skincare?

Definitely pay attention to what’s at the top of the ingredients list. Those are the most concentrated ingredients in a product. So if a product is claiming certain things, you would want the ingredient that will do the thing to be toward the top. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but it’s overall a good rule of thumb.
People should definitely pay attention if they have a known allergy or sensitivity to an ingredient. Sometimes ingredients can be called a different name, but it’s still the same ingredient. So it’s important for people to pay attention to the label to make sure the product doesn’t contain allergens. Skinno will actually alert you if an ingredient you’re allergic to is in a product!

Are ingredients with names we can’t pronounce or things that are “chemical-y” necessarily bad? What about ingredients we notice all the time or ingredients that are “natural”? How can Skinno help users tell the difference?

Everyone has heard the rule, “If you can’t pronounce it, don’t put it on your skin!” But that is so wrong! There are tons of amazing ingredients in skincare with long, complicated names or names that are unfamiliar. Just because something “sounds” like a chemical doesn’t mean it’s bad for you. The idea that chemicals are “bad” stems from the societal phenomena of “chemophobia,” or fear of chemicals. We are conditioned to be wary of unfamiliar chemicals or anything that sounds chemical-like. With Skinno, my hope is we can educate people to know that just because it sounds scary, doesn’t mean it is!
Natural ingredients are interesting … They don’t really exist. Natural has no meaning or definition under the FDA, so companies can label pretty much any product as “natural.” So even ingredients that are “naturally derived,” usually from source plants or other means, are usually put though many chemical processes before arriving in your skincare bottle. This by no means makes them worse; I just want people to see that there isn’t much of a difference just because something is labeled natural.

How can skincare junkies know what’s best for their skin, besides trial and error? How do you see Skinno helping them?

The best way to mitigate trial and error when it comes to product choice is to make educated decisions before purchase. Being a skincare junkie myself, and someone on a budget, I research every product as much as possible before I decide to buy it. Skinno can really help people with this task. Instead of taking hours to do research on every product, you can just scan to see what each ingredient does and, in the future, if it will actually work for your skin type. Certain ingredients can work better for certain skin types, and we can help you decipher that!

Skincare is really having a moment. Why are you building this app now?

Honestly, it was just good timing! I’ve always loved skincare, and the opportunity to build this app fell into my lap, so to speak. But I really felt people were craving more information about the products they use every day. Ingredient consciousness is on the rise, especially in skincare, which is uniquely chemistry-driven and difficult to dissect. I wanted to help people become smarter consumers.

Tell us more about the app’s tech! The scanning feature is one of the coolest things I’ve seen and reminds me a lot of technology I’ve only seen in shopping apps or on Google Translate.

Yes exactly! So we are using optical character recognition or OCR technology to literally read ingredient labels with your smartphone camera. It’s the same tech Google Translate uses; we’re applying it to ingredient labels. This means that if a product is not in our database or doesn’t have a barcode, you can still scan it and get a readout on the ingredients, which is totally unique to our app!
We do have a barcode scanner just in case the ingredients aren’t on the product. We’re also launching the app with machine learning in September, so the app will learn about you and your skin over time to give you personal recommendations.

Right now, the app is in beta. What can beta testers expect from the experience?

So right now the app can only give you simple ingredient explanations, and you can use the routine feature and be able to flag ingredients you like and ingredients you’re allergic to or don’t like. But we’re pushing new updates to the app every few days with improvements and fixes. Users will basically get a glimpse into how an app is really made. They will see us grow a lot in the next few months. All the features in there now are very basic, but they are stepping stones to help us get to the final version of the app. We always ask users to give us as much feedback as possible. We’re building this for you!

What features are you hoping to incorporate as you further develop the app?

Our biggest project is the complete personalization of the app. We want to be able to give easy-to-understand, simple, and personal skincare recommendations to users, instantly. That means when you’re shopping and scan a product with Skinno, we can tell you immediately if we think this product is worth the purchase based on multiple factors such as skin type, your environment, and budget, to name a few!
To do this, we will be using machine learning and a skin type quiz (that we’re developing right now) to learn about the user over time. The other big feature is product comparison. We can automatically compare the ingredients so you know whether to splurge or save!

What challenges have you faced creating this app?

We face a lot of challenges since we’re building a product using technology that’s never been applied to this space. Definitely the biggest challenges we face are building out an extensive database with ingredients verified by science literature. It takes a long time to truly research each ingredient. Next is our OCR scanner: Round bottles or shiny packaging can be challenging, so we are in the process of creating our own technology to read special packaging. Lastly is automating something so personal! We have to consider skincare and people’s preferences from all angles, so I talk to a lot of people about skincare daily.
Both Christina and I are women in science, a sometimes difficult position to be in professionally, but getting better every year thanks to amazing initiatives. But now we are also women in tech, a notoriously hard industry to get into, especially knowing that only 3 percent of companies backed by Venture Capital Investment are women-owned. We’ve definitely had people doubt us, ignore us, and assume we didn’t have the knowledge to execute this, but that only makes us work harder and smarter. We also have amazing mentors that have believed in us from the start, so that has been very encouraging.

Can you tell us about your personal skincare journey?

My skincare journey has been a long and very difficult road. Since I was 12 I’ve dealt with cystic acne, a severe type of acne that comes in the form of very painful, long-lasting cysts on the skin. I tried so many products, went to many dermatologists, and over the years developed my knowledge on skincare via trial and error, reading, googling, and getting my degree in chemistry and learning formulation. I even remember at multiple points in my life looking at my face in the mirror and actually crying because of all the painful cysts. I still have acne today, but thankfully it isn’t as bad now because I found it was hormonal acne and took the steps to get treated for it. Now I focus on acne scar reduction and keeping my dry skin moisturized.

What are your favorite ingredients?

That’s such a hard question these days! Definitely a favorite is ceramides. Such an amazing ingredient to have in a moisturizer. Another is lactic acid: It’s a gentle yet effective exfoliant that’s great for dry skin like mine.

What are your favorite products right now?

Products I’m loving are the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser; it’s been my holy grail cleanser for years. Next is the Dr. Jart Ceramidin Cream, a new favorite moisturizer. Lastly, the e.l.f. Cosmetics Primer sheet mask, it’s got some surprisingly great ingredients and only costs $2!
Download Skinno for iOS to try it out yourself and follow Skinno on Instagram to keep up with their progress.

Categories
Gym x Studio Sweat

So You Want To Powerlift? Here's What You Need To Know

Growing up, I wouldn’t have described myself as strong. My favorite food was sugar, I was naturally thin, and I had virtually no muscle mass. I spent my free time mostly sitting indoors, reading, on the computer, or watching TV.
When, one year, I tried out for my high school’s competitive dance team and made it, my body was not prepared. I vomited after my first line drill. My movements were never sharp enough or large enough. For my efforts I earned a hairline fracture in my tailbone, probably from too many high kicks thrown up without proper form.
The older I get, the more I care about becoming sturdier. I want to take up space confidently. I want as best I can to avoid the osteoporosis that has shrunk so many women in my family. I want to see what my body can do when it’s actually fed and trained to support the movements I make. And I would never be mad at #bootygainz.
Enter powerlifting—a sport that more and more women are turning to for the same kind of help. If you’re interested in making gains in both mind and body, take note of the three Ps of powerlifting: power, program, and protein.

Power

Powerlifting, often associated with testosterone and a bygone era, is having its other cultural moment. Women now make up one-third of the United States’ competitive lifters, and the number of female competitors doubled between 2014 and 2016, with the largest increase taking place between 2015 and 2016. The shift feels intuitive—increasingly, women are breaking down barriers to areas they’ve been shut out of. Gone are the days of three-pound weights. Now we’re awake. And we want to get swole.
Leah Prinzivalli, covering the inclusive, activist-minded Women’s Strength Coalition in New York City, wrote, “Imagine a 1980s ideal of a meathead, then add empathy and send her to therapy, and you’ll have a pretty good sense of the WSC lifters’ vibe.” This observation would likely hold up while scrolling through the female-lifter influencers of Instagram. Story after story reflects the same narrative of heavy lifting as healing from so many deprivations: of love, of food, of power.
Evidence supports the notion that taking on sports can have a spillover effect into other areas of life. Research from EY and espnW, for example, has shown a positive correlation between women who play sports and women who excel as business leaders.

Program

Powerlifting is a strength sport that focuses on three main lifts: the bench press, squat, and deadlift. (It’s distinct from weightlifting—also known as Olympic lifting, which comprises the snatch and the clean and jerk—and bodybuilding, which involves lifting heavy weights as well, but is more concerned with aesthetics than strength.) Competitive powerlifters have three attempts at each lift, with their heaviest lifts from each category averaged to create their overall scores.
Of course, you don’t have to compete to reap incredible benefits from powerlifting, such as improved glucose tolerance and heart health, lower risk of injury or loss of function over time due to reduced muscle mass, and increased confidence and strength.
While there are plenty of online resources to help educate you on the basics of powerlifting, dietitian and certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) Matthew Stranberg recommends finding an experienced coach. Stranberg is also an exercise science advisor for an outpatient eating disorder treatment program for competitive athletes.
“It takes thousands upon thousands of repetitions to undo something that you’ve learned over time, so doing it right the first time makes the process a lot better,” Stranberg tells HealthyWay. “That doesn’t mean you have to have a coach throughout, but getting an assessment—just like if you went to the doctor to get a baseline reading, or you would go to a tutor to help learn a different language as opposed to just kind of showing up and using Google translator—that can make a world of difference.”

Protein

Are you using powerlifting to supplement your performance in another activity? Are you pursuing maximum strength? Is looking “bulky” a concern? (As CSCS and Girls Gone Strong co-founder and owner Molly Galbraith illustrated at length, “bulky” is a very misunderstood term.) Your goals will affect what you eat to fuel your body throughout training.
One thing’s for sure: You’ll probably want to consume significantly more protein.
“To increase muscle mass in combination with physical activity, it is recommended that a person that lifts weights regularly or is training for a running or cycling event eats a range of 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, or 0.5 to 0.8 grams per pound of body weight,” advises the American College of Sports Medicine.
So, as a 5’2” (and a half!) 130-pound woman who is looking to gain strength and muscle mass while losing some fat (but not necessarily weight or size), I would want to consume between 65 and 104 grams of protein daily and the right caloric profile for my goals. That much protein, for example, might look like 1 to 2 scoops of protein powder in a smoothie with breakfast, 1 cup of Greek yogurt with lunch, and 2 single chicken breasts (or 2 cups of tofu) with dinner.
As always, be aware that no diet or exercise regimen is a magic pill. “Oftentimes people use these as a maladaptive coping skill, and although exercise can be helpful, and although trying to eat in a way that nourishes your body can be helpful, if that is your way of coping with stress, or uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and emotions—that’s a lot of times where disorder can take place,” cautions Stranberg, who recommends engaging a dietitian and therapist along with a coach if you’re dealing with these issues.
Last week, at my first training session, my coach asked me to think of the reasons I decided to take up powerlifting. He said to remember them because they would come in handy as the challenges grew.
Maybe this strength sport is appealing to you because you’re sick of not being able to lift your suitcase or your kid without getting winded. Maybe you want to stay sharp at work. Maybe you just want some control in a country that seems fixated on stripping you of basic bodily autonomy.
Powerlifting can’t solve everything. But all of these are fine reasons to take hold of the bar and push like hell.

Categories
Happy x Mindful Wellbeing

One Minute Of Meditation A Day Is Good Enough (Really)

I grew up knowing that meditation was good for me. Our high school guidance counselors frequently suggested meditation to us as a stress-management technique. Experts on The Oprah Winfrey Show recommended meditation. Multiple media outlets frequently reported on the benefits of meditation.
Like many people, I had the knowledge that meditation is good for you—but I still didn’t do it.
Why? Mostly I believed I lacked the time. Not to mention that I simply got bored if I had to sit still for longer than 10 minutes.
I know I’m not alone. Many people agree that meditation is good in theory, but they struggle to practice it. In Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, author Dan Harris provides a pretty bold solution. He asserts that one minute of meditation (nearly) every day can be beneficial.
I know what you’re thinking: One minute? How can anything positive come out of only one minute of meditation a day?
One minute of meditation is just a stepping stone. It’s an excellent start for those who struggle to get into meditation—or those who are skeptical of the practice in general. Here’s why.

1) It makes you aware of the buzz within your own mind.

If you’ve ever tried meditation, you probably realized that it’s really hard to soothe your brain: Your thoughts are constantly buzzing around in your mind. Truthfully, though, this is a good thing.
This awareness of your own thoughts is beneficial in itself, Harris said in an interview with NPR. He notes that beginner meditators realize that their minds are constantly busy, which is an important realization in itself. Once we begin to notice how busy our brains are, we have a better understanding of our thoughts.
Take, for example, my own experiences with meditation. I often have mean or judgmental thoughts, like everyone else. For example, I might judge a person by their appearance or I might have body-negative thoughts even though I don’t put much stock into looks.
I might not believe these things, but I still think them. My gut tells me to be ashamed of these thoughts and hide them instead of unpacking them.
When I became aware of how many thoughts flow through my mind, I realized that the loudest thoughts aren’t necessarily ones that need to define my actions or my attitude. I’ve learned to examine the thoughts I have and process them instead of letting them rule my actions.
One minute doesn’t seem like enough to clear your thoughts, but that’s not what you’re aiming to do. An awareness of that “buzz” in your mind is super beneficial in itself, and it can be achieved in just one minute.

2) It helps you form a habit.

Forming a habit is extremely hard but extremely rewarding.
One of the many tricks when it comes to forming a habit is routine. The key is consistency, not quantity. Doing something everyday-ish, as Harris says, means you’ll be able to form the habit and become acquainted with doing it often.
Ten minutes a day can be pretty hard to set aside, but I think we all have at least one minute where we’d otherwise be scrolling through social media. It’s easier to commit to one minute a day, which means this habit will be easier to stick to.

3) You’ll likely increase the time you spend meditating.

Once you’ve formed that habit, it will be easier to increase the time you spend meditating.
Scientific studies have suggested that meditation improves one’s emotional wellness. Gratitude meditation has been linked to better mental health and emotional regulation, and other studies have shown that meditation can improve your ability to cope with stressful circumstances. Even better, experts have suggested that the optimal amount of time for meditation each day is five to 10 minutes.
Spending 10 minutes a day meditating is a hard sell if you’re unsure if it works. One minute, on the other hand, isn’t much to lose. Once you try it for a minute each day, you’ll see the benefits. Meditating will sell itself.
Once you’re into it, it’s easier to think, Hey! I can do this for a few more minutes. Soon you’ll build up to a longer amount of time. More minutes spent meditating equals more benefits for you!

How to Start Meditating

Yes, 60 seconds of meditating per day can be super useful—but if you’ve never done it, you might be wondering where to start.
First, remember to keep your expectations low. You won’t be able to “calm your mind” immediately, nor will you be able to clear your thoughts. Let them buzz. Notice them. Try not to get wrapped up in them; instead, watch them float by like you’re watching a movie.
Second, being comfortable is important. You probably don’t need a meditation cushion as you’re only still for a minute, but you should sit in a comfortable space free from distractions.
Try to focus on something still, like a simple object in front of you or a wall. You can also focus on your own breathing. For beginners, focusing on something tangible is a fantastic way to get into meditation.
Still struggling? Try a guided meditation or download a meditation app like Headspace.
Remember that you don’t need to be a mindfulness master to get meditation to work for you. Even if you feel like you’re not doing it “right,” it can still benefit you—one minute at a time.

Categories
Well-Traveled

What Every Woman Traveler Needs to Know Before Taking Her First Solo Trip

I’ve got a case of wanderlust, and a serious one at that. My dream lifestyle involves bouncing from one country to the next, with all the essentials right on my back. And while I haven’t gone full digital nomad…yet…I do travel a lot—more frequently than I can find a companion to come with me.
So what’s a wanderer to do? She hits the road on her own.
Getting the confidence to travel solo, though, is a trek in and of itself. The first day of my first solo trip in 2010 involved holing myself up in a hotel room. I had left the familiarity of New Delhi, where I studied Hindi and Indian art with 20 other American college kids, to conduct field research on local cuisine around India. An overnight train ride dropped me (and my unmanageably large backpack) off 900-ish miles south in Ahmedabad, and it hit me: I was alone. I felt vulnerable and intimidated, so when I arrived at the hotel, I struggled to leave. I felt like a failure.
But time was ticking and I needed to begin my research, stat. It took hours of giving myself an internal pep talk and making expensive long-distance calls to friends back home to finally work up the courage to leave my hotel room. But I did it, and it turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, inspiring countless future trips around the world with no one’s hand to hold but my own.
Hopping on a plane to somewhere you’ve never been, where you don’t speak the language, and you have little idea where to go or what to do…it sounds ludicrous, I know. But there’s something deeply invigorating about getting up in the morning and having the entire day to explore the world alone. You have no one to answer to but yourself.
Trust me, you can do it. Any woman with a bit of grit and a lot of curiosity can (and should) take at least one solo trip.
When it comes time for yours, I’ve got some tips that can make your adventure easier and (hopefully) more fun.

Spin the globe.

The destination you choose will set the tone for your journey. If it’s your first time traveling solo, look for a place that has a strong tourism infrastructure: lots of hotels, restaurants, and things to do. That will make it easy for you to meet other people and enjoy the experience with minimal hassle.
Just as important is safety, especially when you’re a woman traveling alone. The U.S. Department of State publishes official travel advisories that can warn you about potential dangers in different parts of the world. TripAdvisor and travel forums can give you recent travelers’ perspectives of a place. The Lonely Planet destination guidebooks (a must-have on every trip I take) also offer traveler-specific guidance on dangers and annoyances you might experience on your trip.
Having never been the victim of a crime abroad, I genuinely believe many places in the world are safe and welcoming. Do your homework before you hop on the plane, leave your valuables at home, and remain assertive and confident no matter what the trip throws your way.

Dress the part.

What you wear plays a big role in how you experience foreign destinations. It’s a reality I don’t love, but it’s been my experience nonetheless.
I feel more comfortable when I cover up with cotton garments on my trips—often knee-length skirts (or longer), T-shirts, and jackets and scarves. However, if locals are wearing shorts and tank tops, I consider that a cue that it’s fine for me to do so too. Uniqlo and Zara have become my go-to stores for updating my travel wardrobe.
Dressing like a local is another way to show respect for host country and blend in. Visit a local mall or market early in your trip and see what clothes catch your eye.

Shop Travel Essentials:

 

Getting Around

Getting around in a foreign country is equal parts confusing, frustrating, fascinating, and fun. I recommend taking a private cab (or arranging a pickup from your hotel) when you go to a new country alone. It’ll help you get your bearings after a long flight.
But try using public transportation throughout the rest of your trip. Riding the subways or hopping on buses saves you money and immerses you in the culture, showing you what it’s actually like to live in a different place.
Some of my most vivid memories from my time in Jakarta, Indonesia, involve bumpy rides around the metropolis backed by the music of buskers on the crowded Kopaja buses, and it was a lot more colorful than sitting alone in a taxi.

You do you.

There’s nothing like the feeling of freedom you get when traveling solo. Feeling ambitious and want to take on a five-mile hike followed by an afternoon of museum hopping? Go for it! Has the trip worn you out and you need a break? Sip coffee and pore over a novel at a cafe all day—no judgment.
No matter how you choose to spend your days, you’ll learn about yourself, what you find fulfilling, and what it takes to live authentically—all skills that will continue enrich your life back home.
You can also consider diving deep into something that intrigues you. If you’re completely obsessed with the local cuisine, fill your itinerary with foodie activities and restaurant reservations. A cooking class, a stroll through a food market, and dinner at the place all the locals love are all musts. Immersing yourself in an area of interest will give your trip a greater sense of purpose.

Oh, the People You Meet!

It’s a fact: When you take a solo trip, you’re going to get lonely. But here’s another fact: You’re going to meet people.
Eager for some companionship after spending a few days alone, I made conversation with a woman playing solitaire in the hotel room of my guesthouse in Amritsar. She was friendly, and we decided we’d go see the festive border ceremony between India and Pakistan, a day trip I was nervous about taking on my own. There, we danced to Bollywood music with Indian women in the streets as tens of thousands of people showed pride for their countries, waving flags and chanting.
It was electrifying to share this experience with someone I’d only just met. Friends are surprisingly easy to come by when you’re traveling.
Take the plunge and book a flight to that place you’ve always dreamed of visiting. And take it from me: Leaving your hotel room will be the biggest challenge of your first trip alone.
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Categories
Mom x Body Motherhood

Train Your Mind, Change Your Body: Nadia Murdock Tells HealthyWay About Her Powerful Personal Transformation

After struggling for years to face the woman she saw staring back at her in the mirror, Nadia Murdock decided once and for all that she would change her body (and her mind) for the better. Nadia became her own very first personal training client—and through hard work, the right mindset, and a little help from her loving support system, she was able to unlock the true potential that had been inside of her all along.
Although the road wasn’t always easy, Nadia has since become an author and fitness coach. If you’ve ever struggled with your outward appearance or feeling unsatisfied with your overall health and happiness, Nadia’s personal transformation journey is definitely worth your consideration.

How It Began

Your story is so inspiring. Can you tell me a bit about your personal fitness journey and how it all began?

I was fairly healthy before leaving home for college, largely because I rarely had access to bad foods in our home. It wasn’t until my freshman year of college when I had junk food at my fingertips—not to mention the excessive late nights and college parties—that it really started to add up.
I was unhappy with the college I had chosen, so I would pretty much eat all the time and watch movies. After transferring I would work out here and there but was not active enough to truly see a difference. My eating habits slightly improved but remained unhealthy overall. It wasn’t until my senior year of college (I explain this in detail in my book You Can Have It All) that I got serious about my food choices and exercise and started to train my mind so I could change my body!

When did you realize that you wanted to change your life? Was there a specific moment that lit your fire?

My fourth year of college allowed me to re-evaluate what I was eating and how I needed to clean up my lifestyle. My brother gifted me a gym membership and that was such a pivotal change in my life.

How did you turn these thoughts into actions initially?

I kept my own version of a fitness journal where I recorded motivational quotes, recipes, after photos to remind me of how far I have traveled in my fitness journey … and I really put myself out there taking every group fitness class imaginable.

What was the hardest part of your personal transformation?

Realizing these things take time and there is no quick fix! Because of that experience, it’s the number one lesson I share with my clients and students. Also, learning to stop comparing myself to others. Nothing is wrong with a little healthy competition—actually it’s a great motivator!—however it took some time for me to realize just because I am not size 2 doesn’t mean I am not healthy and fit!

Was there ever a time when you felt like giving up and returning to your old lifestyle?

Definitely! It was a few years after grad school and I landed my first full-time job. Over the years I became very unhappy in that position and as a result my old habits started to creep back in (similar to my college experience). Although I was still going to the gym, my physique reflected otherwise! I still remember looking at a photo thinking something had to change! I landed a gig as a fitness contributor for a blog and that really helped put me back on track. I started trying new classes, meeting new people, and surrounding myself with the right energy.

HealthyWay
Carley Storm Photography for Yaysay Media

Barre

Why did you decide to become a fitness coach?

More and more people started asking me for fitness advice both through my column and at the gym. I had dinner with a friend visiting from out of town and explained my working situation and my love for fitness. She encouraged me and convinced me I could live my dream and I needed to pursue my passion in health and wellness. So I looked into certifications and went for it!

How did you initially discover barre?

I was mainly teaching Zumba classes and I was looking for a way to diversify my teachings. I had taken a few barre classes on my own as a student and really loved the variety of the workout. As a fitness writer I had come in contact with several barre professionals and actually pursed my certification through Beyond Barre, who I had interviewed in the past.
I gravitated to the concentration on form and the variety that the certification offered. It was an excellent stepping stone for me to create my own classes. Since then I have received continuing ed certifications with Barre Variations and BarreAmped BOUNCE.

What keeps you coming back to barre?

I was originally drawn to barre as a way to add variety to my teachings. It then became the perfect option for me while I was pregnant with my son. Not only was barre perfect during my pregnancy, but post pregnancy too. Barre can be taught in so many different ways and styles; no workout is the same!

What do you enjoy most about being a fitness coach?

Hearing about everyone’s transformation. Whether it’s how much stronger they feel or how clothes fit them better, knowing that I helped to make a difference in someone’s life means a lot!

What other types of physical exercise do you enjoy outside of barre?

I make it a point to still find time for my own personal workouts outside of barre, which include spin, BODYPUMP weight lifting classes, Zumba, and BODYATTACK, which is like kickboxing.

HealthyWay
Carley Storm Photography for Yaysay Media

Motherhood and Words of Wisdom

What is your personal training philosophy?

I really like to keep my relationships personable; it truly resonates with my personality. I also make it a point to customize my programs. There is no cookie cutter approach at Nadia Murdock Fit! My mind and body program digs deep to discover what obstacles and mental roadblocks are preventing each individual from achieving their goals. It worked for me and I created it to help others, hence my tagline: #trainyourmindchangeyourbody.

What words of wisdom or encouragement do you have for other women who are starting their health and wellness journey?

Don’t give up, don’t get discouraged, try to remain positive no matter what! A lot of people may not be supportive during your transformation. Do not allow that energy to derail you from your goals.

How do you balance motherhood with your career, training schedule, client needs, et cetera?

Oh—this is a big one! I am still figuring this out but it definitely takes a team to make it achievable. My husband and mother have been very supportive, and we all work together to make it happen! I think making any kind of time for myself is so vital and makes me a better mom.

What is your advice for fellow mothers who want to change their lives—especially when it comes to their experience of health and wellness—but who may feel discouraged due to time constraints or feelings of guilt about taking time for self-care?

Again, I’m still figuring this out! I think a lot of things as a mom—especially a first-time mom—are ongoing learning experiences. I do feel it’s not only important for moms but great for children to witness self-care! They are truly sponges and if they learn this important lifestyle lesson firsthand, they are more likely to make it part of their own lives.

One of your qualities that I’m always drawn to is your positivity and sincerity. How do you stay so positive and emotionally intelligent?

That is a really sweet thing to say, thank you! I think kindness goes a long way, and I feel good when I can make someone smile or improve their day in some way. I went through a period in my life when I wasn’t always so positive. Looking back on it now, that was a result of unhappiness in either my career or health journey.
Positivity is now a part of me for many reasons—most of all gratitude. When you can be thankful for what you have it’s really easy to be positive. I also think weeding out negative energy is a must in order to be the most positive version of yourself.

I see on your website that you’ve recently launched the NMFit Mind & Body Podcast. Could you give our readers a sense of what they can expect from your podcast?

Yes! The NMFIT Mind & Body podcast launched back in March. My goal was to bring some of my online interviews into an audible version. I focus on different topics with my interviewees, ranging from reiki to female entrepreneurship. I also include my own personal chats because I wanted to offer another opportunity for my audience to get to know me on a personable level. Have a listen! It’s like chatting with your girlfriends—perfect to listen to during your next run or commute to work.
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Categories
More Than Mom Motherhood

Always A Mom: Relearning To Love Mother's Day After My Son's Passing

Mother’s Day. It’s roses and balloons, poems and sweet little notes. It’s kisses and hugs. It’s the beautiful little ceramic box my then-9-year-old son got me in Brooklyn (with the help of my mom, visiting from France) reading, “A mom’s love is the best gift of all.” It’s the beautiful note he wrote, saying “Happy Mother’s Day … but mostly, it’s my birthday!”
Mother’s Day. It’s music and laughter and kindness. It’s signs everywhere: outside, inside, on TV, on the web, on social media, on restaurant boards, on shop windows. It’s that day—one full day—where the bond between your child and you is here, for all to celebrate. For you, for your circle, for society.
Mother’s Day is recognition: You. Are. A. Mother.
Until it stops.
I lost my beautiful 17-year-old son 6 years ago. Since then, Mother’s Day has been blades in my heart and daggers in my soul, to say the least. (And not only on the actual day, but for weeks prior.) It feels like a constant attack: There is no escape, and wherever you try to turn your head, you are faced with another commercial, another social media post that says, well, it is happening. Without your child.
HealthyWay
Where are you? Where do you fit? Where do you fit without disrupting people, society, and norms? Without disrupting the order of things? Where do you fit when there will be no balloons, kisses, hugs, or flowers? When there is just you and the constant reminders of the absence?
In 2010, a mother created International Bereaved Mother’s Day. It’s “intended to be a temporary movement [and] … a heart-centered attempt at healing the official Mother’s Day for all mothers.”

CarlyMarie, who started International Bereaved Mother’s Day, says on the website, “I believe that we can do this and that sometime in the near future there will be no need for this day at all because all true mothers will be recognized, loved, supported and celebrated.”
My friend Irene Vouvalides, who is a board member of the support group Helping Parents Heal, gave me good advice when she told me, “We celebrate Mother’s Day as we celebrate the bond created by mother and child. We are mothers, always, regardless of whether our children walk this earth or not.”
My son’s birthday is on May 11, so it usually falls a few days before or after Mother’s Day; sometimes his birthday is on Mother’s Day itself. The first years after his death, this has compounded my pain in ways that I can’t put into words. I was unable to step outside to listen to children’s laughter, to hear the music, the noise, see the full restaurants, the cards and flowers and balloons and kisses.
Irene told me that through the few years since our children died, she is finding that Mother’s Day has become “less tortuous and more peaceful.” Every year now, she buys something for herself in her daughter’s name. This year, I will do the same.
I used to say, “We are still mothers.” This year, I am saying, “I am your mother. Here. Yesterday. Always.”
It’s still a process, but I’m starting to understand and accept that we can still honor Mother’s Day. Even though our children are no longer physically present, our children—my child—are still here.
I love you, Keanu. I blow kisses to the sky today and on this Mother’s Day, and I thank you for being my amazing son, today and always.

Categories
More Than Mom Motherhood

All I Want For Mother's Day Is A Night Alone

The only thing I want for Mother’s Day this year—and every year—is a night alone in a hotel. I want to revel in the absolute silence of a child-free bedroom. I want to order a $36 room service hamburger and not have to share it with someone under the age of 5. I want to go to sleep between sheets that someone else has washed. I want to sleep until I wake up, after which I will enjoy a boiling hot cup of coffee and read The New York Times from cover to cover.
In short, the only thing I want for Mother’s Day is to pretend I’m not a mother.
Before the keyboard critics rush to accuse me of being an unloving, negligent mother, let me state for the record that I love my children—but I don’t love being with them every single second of every single day. Any woman who says that she can’t imagine needing a break from her children probably doesn’t have them.
If you have even an inkling of what the average day is like for a busy mom with one, three, or 15 kids—essentially being a short-order cook and a maid and a worker bee and a chauffeur and all the other stuff you can possibly think of—you’ll understand why the one thing I ask for every Mother’s Day is a night away from my family.
To be perfectly honest, the thing I need a break from the most is the constant touching.
Before I had children, I didn’t understand the term “touched out.” In fact, my high-school self—the one who threw herself at any male human with a pulse—would think it was totally insane that someone wouldn’t want to be touched all the time. Flash forward 20 years or so to a life that’s filled with small humans clinging to my person from 6 a.m. (on a good day) until 8 p.m., and then sometimes a large human trying to touch me in all the wrong places from 8 p.m. on. These days, I can’t even handle wearing synthetic fabrics because they’re too clingy.
It’s not just the touching, though. It’s the talking, too, and the constant interruption that has precluded me from finishing one New York Times article, let alone the whole paper, for going on six years. Sometimes I just want to read about the tragedies happening around the world while drinking a cup of coffee that hasn’t been microwaved five times. And that’s why I always tell my husband to forgo the jewelry, flowers, or other fancy gifts, and just book me into the closest hotel for a glorious 24 hours away from all of my loved ones.
Experience has taught me that I have valid reasons for taking a yearly sabbatical from motherhood, and not a single one of them is because I’m a selfish narcissist, thank you very much.

After just 24 hours alone, I feel recharged.

Having the opportunity to think only about my own needs for one day makes me better able to handle the non-stop demands of my family when I return. My daily meditation practice assists me in staying patient and present most of the time, but sometimes even mindfulness and ohms are powerless to combat the frustration of never being able to pee without an audience.

If you don’t ask for what you want, you’ll get what you don’t want.

Mother’s Day can easily transform from a day that’s about you to a day that’s all about your mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, and stepmother-in-law. My first Mother’s Day, I spent the day attending three separate brunches before the day ended in tears: mine and my son’s. Don’t be a martyr and end up feeling cheated out of your day.

Vacations are good for your health.

Actual scientific research shows that taking a break from your usual routine provides countless benefits, including reducing stress and increasing productivity. Take a break from the full-time job of motherhood, and reap the benefits of your time away.
I know it might not sound festive, especially when you’re caught up in the excitement of new motherhood and think that your baby is the most magical and wonderful thing in the world. But just wait, mama. Wait until you haven’t showered for six days and you can’t remember the last time you ate a meal without simultaneously holding a baby. Sure, your kid may be the “reason for the season,” but I guarantee that you’ll feel a whole lot happier about your choice to breed after a good night’s rest, an overpriced room service meal, and a Netflix binge.
 

Categories
Happy x Mindful Wellbeing

The Apps That Help Me With My Mental Health

At least once a week, I wonder what I did with all my time before I had an iPhone. I like having my little supercomputer in my pocket, with all the world’s information (and my friends’ selfies) at my fingertips, but I’m old enough to remember the years before my family got our first desktop computer too. It was a childhood unplugged—full of running around outside, playing make-believe, and reading all afternoon long. But the ’90s are long over and it’s 2018, baby; if you aren’t connected, people are going to look at you like you’ve got three heads.
Unfortunately, there have been plenty of studies that show a negative link between the use of technology and mental health issues. As wonderful as technology is for modern medicine and maintaining far-flung friendships, some researchers have associated heavy social media usage with mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety, and with poor self-esteem, attention-seeking behaviors, and difficulty regulating emotions—not what we’d call great news.
On the other hand, I was fortunate enough (ha) to experience depression, anxiety, and body image issues years before Snapchat was a gleam in Evan Spiegel’s eye. Lucky me! So while I completely understand the researchers’ point, for me, correlation doesn’t equal causation.
In fact, I’ve found a way to make technology work for me and my mental health. Through careful curation of my social feeds and researching apps that support my well-being, I’ve found a few tools that actually help me when my mental health is suffering—and I love that I can keep them all right in my pocket.
These are the apps that I use when I need a little pick-me-up (or calm-me-down).

Headspace

The OG meditation app is a tried-and-true classic for many, which is why almost everyone has heard of it. Though I’ve practiced yoga (off and on) since I was 15, I never got fully into the whole meditation thing—that is, until my anxiety hit a major level a few years ago and I could not figure out what would calm me down when not my Lexapro was not doing its job. Enter on-the-go meditation: With a pair of earbuds, a charged phone, and Headspace, I’ve been able to meditate everywhere from the middle of HealthyWay HQ to my daughter’s soccer practice.
Download Headspace for iOS and Android.

Oak

I’ve learned a lot of coping mechanisms for my anxiety over the years and those, in combination with my SSRI coursing through my veins, have made a huge difference in how I live my life. The best technique I’ve learned when I’m really feeling it is mindful breathwork. However, if you’ve ever had major anxiety waiting for a concert to start because you notice the room seems too small for all of us and what if we run out of oxygen and we never see our families again?—well, sometimes reminding yourself to breathe isn’t at the top of your priority list.
This is where Oak comes in handy. There are meditations available on the app, but my favorite part is the Breathe feature, which will lead you through one of three breathing exercises, complete with visualizations for you to focus on as you calm your wild mind.

Download Oak for iOS.

A Soft Murmur

On occasion, I experience anxiety that manifests itself as insomnia—no matter how tired I am, I just can’t sleep. While I do have a sleep playlist always ready to go on Spotify, not even the sweet sounds of Ludovico Einaudi’s piano is enough to lull me off to dreamland.
That’s when I need to bring in the big guns: A Soft Murmur. This background noise app lets you create your own mix of ambient and white noise sounds. (My favorite mix is of ocean waves, rain, and thunder.) While it’s a more passive form of relaxation, my mental health definitely suffers if I don’t get enough sleep at night, so this is a must-have on my phone.
Download A Soft Murmur for iOS and Android.

Recovery Record

Like most teenage girls, I had body image issues. For me, those body image issues came out in the form of disordered eating behaviors, like restricting and purging. While I’ve managed to get those behaviors under control in the years since college, it’s still hard for me to focus on any sort of “diet” without triggering an unhealthy mindset. Counting calories, for instance, is out of the question for me, as it’s far too easy to fall back into patterns I’d rather avoid. That said, when I want to analyze what I’m eating to make sure I’m making good nutrition choices, it’s nice to have an app that won’t encourage me to eat less or compete with others.
Recovery Record helps you log your meals and snacks and helps you track your emotions before and after you eat, so you can stay on track and understand your eating patterns—in a healthy way.

Download Recovery Record for iOS and Android.

Instagram

You might wonder what the hell I’m talking about, putting Instagram on this list, but hear me out. It’s true that if you’re following hundreds of models who love FaceTune a little too much, bloggers who are constantly posting #spon content, and your frenemies from high school, your Instagram experience probably isn’t all that fun. It can breed feelings of competition and jealousy and can compel you to engage in performative behaviors you don’t even enjoy. But the beauty of Instagram (like most social platforms) is that you can curate your feed—which is exactly what I’ve done.
When I’m having a crappy day, I always head straight for Instagram. There, I know I will see photos of baby elephants (because I follow at least four accounts dedicated to pachyderms). I’ll find beautiful pictures of people and places around the world (because I’ve followed local photographers from cities big and small) and art that makes me think (artists on Instagram are peak #inspiration). I’ll be able to watch videos of babies giggling and babbling away (because I’m a total creep and follow chill moms who are doing their best). Best of all, I can see snaps from my sweet friends, sharing the things they care about. If you’re feeling icky about Instagram, follow my lead and unfollow everyone—then build your feed back up to accounts that bring a smile to your face every time.
Download Instagram for iOS and Android.

Categories
Gym x Studio Sweat

10 Dollar Baby: My First Boxing Class Experience

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!
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