Doing something for yourself, just because you enjoy it and without there having to be any purpose to it. In times of great uncertainty this can prove to bring valuable moments of comfort. Suddenly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us found ourselves confined at home. Some could continue to work from home, others were unable to do so because they run a store, café or hairdresser’s, for example. This…
When it comes to essential oil for diffuser, it is normally straightforward. We all have different scents for different spaces and purposes. Applying the suggestion of mixing essential oil below to explore different results with existing scents at home. Using an essential oil diffuser is fairly straightforward: Just drop in some water and oils, press go, and let it stream the pretty scents of whatever plant you’ve chosen. But a…
When I’m really stressed, I feel it in my body. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve also been feeling super tense lately. But there are relaxing exercises we all can do to both reduce total-body tension and calm our worried minds. They might not be a cure-all, but they may make you feel better for the moment. “We tend to separate out the mind and the body, and they’re so linked,” clinical psychologist Charlynn…
Strength training is not only about squatting or pressing—there’s a lot of foundational work at its core that can help set you up for success. One example of this is a rotator cuff workout, which can help protect your shoulders so you can use those muscles more efficiently and safely. Many people tend to neglect their rotator cuff, a group of four muscles that come together at the head of your humerus…
Many people tend to skip back work in favor of pressing exercises when they strength train, which tends to make the muscles in the front of the body, like the shoulders, stronger and more developed. As a result, this imbalance between front and back muscles can lead to rounding or hunching with your posture. That’s why exercises that strengthen your rear delts—the small muscles on the back of your shoulders—are especially…
If you’re looking for a quick, personal-trainer-approved way to burn out your shoulders, back, chest, and arms, an upper-body circuit workout can be a fantastic choice for your next routine. Circuit training—where you go through a bunch of exercises without resting between them—is one of the most efficient ways to work all the upper-body muscle groups you’re targeting. Plus, when you don’t take any rest, you get a cardio boost along with the strength-building benefits…
One of the biggest barriers to starting (or maintaining) an exercise program has to do with something I call fitness resistance—the reluctance to welcome fitness into our lives in the form of a sustainable workout routine or program. But I also know that engaging in regular exercise brings so many benefits—everything from improvements in self-esteem and energy to just feeling better in general—which is why I want to help people work to…
When you’re stressed, adding an hour-long workout to the mix might make it even worse. But if you still want to move, a 15-minute cardio workout can be just what you need. This workout is super efficient if you’re strapped for time or simply don’t want to spend all the time you do have working out. That’s because the 15 minutes includes both your warm-up and your workout. Warm-ups are especially important for cardio workouts because they…
When I’m really stressed, I feel it in my body. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve also been feeling super tense lately. But there are relaxing exercises we all can do to both reduce total-body tension and calm our worried minds. They might not be a cure-all, but they may make you feel better for the moment. “We tend to separate out the mind and the body, and they’re so linked,” clinical psychologist Charlynn…
1. RAISE A BAR When I’ve got a lot going on with work, I need to make sure I have easy, satisfying snacks at the ready—otherwise, I end up skipping meals and feeling exhausted by the time I have a moment to put something together. I make a point to take a little break from what I’m doing, maybe sit outside or say hi to my cat. That little moment…
Simple Ways to Help with Anxiety My family has pet bunnies: two tiny creatures who, even after years of us holding them, act as if we might eat them every time we approach. The other day I sat down with the fluffy white one, John, who recently received a haircut courtesy of my three-year-old daughter, who, perhaps in solidarity, also cut her own hair. As I held him against my chest,…
