J.P. Hilsabeck is one of those guys on Survivor you probably won't remember in a couple of weeks. He was barely featured because his impact in the game was invisible. Well, you might remember him for stripping down naked to prove he didn't have an Immunity Idol, but not for anything strategic.
You may also remember him for falling victim to the biggest blindside so far on Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers. J.P. nearly made it to the end of the game because multiple people were planning to take him to the final three, knowing he would be easy to beat.
Image: CBS
Here's what a few of his fellow castaways said about his odds of winning the game...
Roark Luskin: As somebody who respects strategy over survival, I could never give it to J.P. He's a lovely guy, and he's a wonderful leader. You don't hear it on the show, but he was guiding us through the challenges with such leadership and authority. No shade at J.P., but he's my least likely pick.
But J.P. doesn't see it that way. In fact, he couldn't disagree more.
"That's funny they would say that because they voted me off," J.P. said in an e-mail interview. "I guess I wasn’t the easiest person to beat after all."
Image: CBS
His surprise ouster came as Lauren initiated a new alliance that broke apart the powerful seven-strong voting bloc. J.P. said he doesn't blame anybody in particular for targeting him and admits he appreciated the way they played it: "Can't really pinpoint one person, but my hat goes off to them for making a move!"
Image: CBS
One of his allies in the majority alliance was Chrissy, who has been bashed repeatedly as an immoral, condescending liar by numerous previously eliminated players. J.P. doesn't like the negativity some of the other players have been dishing out toward her.
"I believe they’re very unfair," he said about the accusations against her. "Chrissy and I got along great. I think she is an outstanding person and game player."
He said her actions were all a part of the environment that Survivor brings.
"This game is all about being a liar. For someone to say that means they got outplayed. Everyone plays the game different."
Do you think J.P. was a strong player? Join the conversation now and leave a comment below.
Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross is always 50 shades of fierce, so we're inclined to throw our hard-earned cash at anything she deems gift-worthy. And judging by the must-have holiday picks she shared with People, we're more convinced than ever she's the kind of BFF anyone would be lucky to have.
They say the sign of a true tastemaker is someone who can introduce you to things you never realized you needed until you see them. This is a defining factor in Ross's gift picks.
Would we have considered $20 truffle salt prior to reading this list? Probably not. But when Ross suggests it as a "sophisticated salt for your eggs, popcorn, salad and radishes," all we can think is, "Where have you been all our boiled eggs' lives?"
Would we normally scoff at $125 sweat pants? It's quite possible. Yet we imagine the Freecity version Ross recommends must be so soft and buttery, they'd be like a loving embrace for your legs.
Ross rounds out her gift picks with classics like a Diptyque Roses candle, Jenny Fisher Baby Samira Hoops and Sephora Collection liquid lipstick. Of course, not to be forgotten are a few playful pieces from her recent collaboration with JCPenney (hello, party-ready dishware).
So, go on, treat yo' self this holiday season. Or, better yet, treat someone else. 'Tis the season for giving, after all, and who wouldn't want to cozy up over the holidays in a pair of $125 sweat pants and nosh on truffle-salted popcorn curated by Tracee Ellis Ross?
If you thought ridiculous beauty standards for women peaked with the thigh gap, you're going to want to sit down for this. (Or maybe not, since sitting can create stomach rolls, which we're also not supposed to have.) Allow me to introduce the "armpit vagina."
The alleged "armpit vagina" — also known as the "arm vagina" — is the fold of skin formed when your arm is lowered against your torso. Yes, that's it. Basically, everyone with arms and a torso has it regardless of size. It's just one of those things that happens when you have a body and is in no way abnormal or ugly or deserving of its own name.
Although the specific origin of this faux anatomical term is fuzzy, many credit Jennifer Lawrence for introducing it into the body-shaming lexicon when she used it during a SAG red carpet interview in 2014. Thankfully, the idea didn't really pick up steam after that, but recently received major exposure when Hollywood stylist Rebecca Corbin-Murray mentioned it in an interview with The Times on Nov. 29. Detailing how her A-list clients are always worried about one body part or another, she said that one that comes up a lot is the "arm vagina."
As Gaby Hinsliff pointed out in The Guardian, Corbin-Murray isn't trying to give women a complex about their arms; rather, she was highlighting the unattainable beauty standards set for women in the entertainment industry.
And on top of everything else, the term "armpit vagina" is inaccurate and misleading. The arm crease in question is not a narrow canal with the ability to expand during penetration and childbirth. I believe the term they're looking for is "armpit vulva" or "armpit labia," describing the exterior part of the genitals.
We're already told that our armpits are repulsive — that we have to take every precaution to make sure they stay dry, smell fresh and are hair-free. But even if we accomplish all that, we'd best not rest our arm too close to our body, because then we'd run the risk of inadvertently recreating another body part that many people find too heinous to even say out loud.
Nope. Repeat after me: This is not a thing.
I for one refuse to live the rest of my life (or even pose for photos) as that golden robot from Star Wars. And if you look at a woman's armpit and see a vagina, you need an anatomy lesson — and a new hobby.
There is something about children trying on their parents’ clothes that really excites the internet. Factor in celebrity kids like Blue Ivy Carter, North West, Luna Stephens and Penelope Disick, and you really have a recipe for a viral video. Because celebrity moms — from Beyoncé to Kim Kardashian West to Chrissy Teigen — are just like many other moms, and love sharing adorable videos of their kids with their millions of social media followers, we’re frequently granted an inside look at these A-list families — and their wardrobes.
Whether you’re looking for a pick-me-up or just want to gush over cute kids doing cute things, these crazy-adorable clips of celebrity daughters trying on their famous moms’ high heels are sure to brighten your day. Ahead, take a look at 10 famous toddlers attempt to walk (OK, more like wobble) in their moms’ oversize, sky-high stilettos. If you want to know what it’s like to walk in Beyoncé’s shoes, just ask Blue Ivy.
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 1
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 1
Chrissy Teigen & Luna Stephens, 1
Though these might not have been mom Chrissy Teigen's chunky-heel sandals, Luna, 18 months at the time, showed off her expertise in walking in high heels in this adorable video taken by her grandma, Vilailuck Teigen. In the cute clip, Luna can be seen wobbling in her grandma's heels as she makes her way across the room, stretching out her hands for balance.
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 2
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 2
Beyoncé & Blue Ivy Carter, 5
The only person who knows what it's like to walk in Beyoncé's shoes is her 5-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy. In a slideshow posted to her Instagram, the singer shared an adorable clip of Blue Ivy walking in her sparkly pink pumps. The snaps show Blue Ivy's tiny feet swamped by her mom's shoes as she leans over a chair with one foot daintily in the air.
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 3
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 3
Kim Kardashian West & North West, 4
We're sure Kim Kardashian West has an entire closet filled with high heels, so it would make sense that her 4-year-old daughter, North, would sneak in there and steal a pair. Ahead of North's cousin Penelope Disick's fifth birthday party, Kardashian West shared a video of her daughter adorably walking in her sparkly purple pumps. The clip shows North running (more like wobbling) over to Kardashian West, upset that she's trying to take a video of her with flash on. "No flash!" North exclaims.
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 4
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 4
Kourtney Kardashian & Penelope Disick, 3
If you've ever wanted to look inside Kourtney Kardashian's shoe collection, her daughter, Penelope Disick, gave you a sneak peek. In this picture posted to Kardashian's Snapchat, Penelope, 3 at the time, can be seen staring at the reality star's shoe collection while wearing a veil (uhh — Kardashian was never married) and some heeled leopard-print rain boots.
Victoria Beckham's daughter Harper is so good at walking in heels, her mom has gone on the record to say that "she can wear heels like most grown-ups cannot." Given Harper's talent, it makes sense that she's been ogling over her mom's crystal slippers for quite some time. So when the tot was able to finally get her hands on them, the former Spice Girl had to take a picture. In this snap, Harper can be seen modeling her mom's oversize sparkly slippers, which have a noticeable amount of room in the back.
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 6
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 6
Drew Barrymore & Olive Kopelman, 4
For Drew Barrymore's daughter Olive, wearing heels makes her feel pretty. So when Olive, 4 at the time, tried on her mom's strappy gold sandals, Barrymore had to whip out her camera and take a picture. Judging from her Instagram caption, the photo was actually a sweet moment in her mother-daughter memory book. "This is beauty to me. My sweet Olive in my shoes. This is also a girl flirting with feeling pretty," Barrymore wrote.
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 7
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 7
Mel B & Madison Brown Belafonte, 3
In 2014, Mel B caught her daughter Madison, 3 at the time, red-handed rummaging through her closet and trying on her shoes. Instead of scolding her right away, the former Spice Girl whipped out her phone and took a snap of Madison proudly posing in a bathroom with some droolworthy sparky blue stilettos on her feet.
According to the singer's Instagram caption, the shoes, expensive Jimmy Choos, were chosen by Madison because she likes the way they "click clock" on the bathroom floor. We're sure she doesn't mind the look of them either.
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 8
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 8
Mariah Carey & Monroe Cannon, 5
Last year, Mariah Carey shared a proud snap of her daughter, Monroe, 5 at the time, slipping on her knee-high black-heeled boots. In the picture, Monroe can be seen standing tall in the middle of the room with the singer's boots all the way up to her waist. Hey, if waist-high boots ever become a thing, we can credit Monroe for sparking the trend.
Katherine Heigl's daughters Nancy and Adalaide's go-to dress-up clothes are, of course, her expensive high heels. In this super-cute Instagram picture, Nancy, 6 at the time, and Adalaide, 3, can be seen hanging out in Heigl's bathroom while flaunting some seriously enviable footwear. Nancy can be seen sporting some heeled leopard-print booties, while her sister had fun in suede heeled Chelsea boots.
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 10
Celebrity Daughters in Their Moms’ High Heels 10
Mariska Hargitay & Amaya Hermann, 4
If your mom is playing one of the most badass women on television, of course you're going to want to step into her shoes. In 2015, Mariska Hargitay shared a picture of her daughter Amaya, 4 at the time, wearing her blue furry leopard-print pumps. Judging from her caption, Hargitay was about to throw out the super-retro footwear until her daughter slipped them on and decided they were worth the closet space after all.
"You guessed it — or maybe didn't guess — these were mine," she wrote. "Doesn't matter though, because my daughter Amaya rocks any pair better anyway."
If ever you needed a sign that this holiday season is going to be a good one, look no further than the whereabouts of the Law & Order: SVU family and, in particular, Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay. The former costars have become thick as thieves over the years, with their bonds of friendship cemented so firmly that at this point, they're basically bonded for life. And while we've celebrated their reunions over the years, especially since Meloni left SVU, there was something extra special about his and Hargitay's reunion at the Happy premiere party earlier this week.
Hargitay's photo is a little blurrier than Meloni's, but it does a good job of showcasing just how happy these two were when they met up at the premiere party for Meloni's new show on Syfy, Happy. Posted to her Instagram, Hargitay's caption reads, "'Tis the season... ran into this #HAPPY man," which has the added bonus of a nice bit of wordplay on the title of his show. You guys, I'm not joking when I tell you that you can literally feel the warmth radiating off of this photo.
Mariska Photo of SVU Reunion
Mariska Photo of SVU Reunion
And of course, Meloni had to post his own photo to his own Instagram page. A little more in focus but just as precious, Meloni stuck to hashtags to express his feelings about seeing his close friend (while still promoting his new show: "#Friends #Seehappy #jingleHells."
Meloni's SVU days are clearly and firmly behind him as he dives into a more unconventional and darkly comedic role in Happy. His character is a hardened ex-cop-turned-hitman who dies, comes back to life and is then aided by an imaginary friend in finding a missing girl. But if Happy is anything like the trailer, it's going to be way more rough around the edges than anything on SVU.
Once again, Reddit has blessed us with a new beauty hack. This time, it comes from user MoonlightMichelle in the Makeup Addiction thread. Instead of spending money on a pricey makeup brush cleanser, she saves time, money and space with something you may already own: Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap.
“So this morning I decided to clean my brushes and had ran out of brush cleaner so I used the Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap in Lavender instead,” she said. “IMO it worked better than any brush cleaner I’ve ever used, even the expensive ones from Sephora. My brushes haven’t looked this pretty since I first bought them my best discovery of today.”
Dr. Bronner’s, a common household item for many, uses organic and fair-trade ingredients with no synthetic preservatives, detergents or foaming agents. They preach and practice progressive business practices like giving free health insurance to employees and their families. And after all that earthy goodness, they offer range in sizing for their products — as in 2 ounces all the up to a gallon range.
And the best part is a little goes a long way. Reddit user apnuyen says, “This is what I use to clean my brushes! The bottle lasts forever too because it’s so concentrated, I only need a few drops to clean all my brushes (I do it in two batches though since the water gets all mucky) And they have great scents :).”
Both the liquid and bar products work well for brushes and Beautyblenders, which means you’ll be left with clean skin and a heftier wallet. We’d like to thank Reddit (and MoonlightMichelle) one last time for being the real beauty MVP.
I grew up in Ohio, one of the states that focused on an abstinence-only sex education. I don’t think the words gay or lesbian, let alone bisexual or transgender, were ever even mentioned in health class, though they were possibly whispered.
I know I wasn’t the only kid in my school who was curious about life outside the very heteronormative bubble we were placed in. When we studied sex education in health class, the only things that stand out in my memory were the dozens of slides we had to look at of genitals with sexually transmitted infections and the fact that we were allowed to ask questions, but only some were appropriate enough to receive an answer. The entire thing was very reminiscent of Mean Girls.
Though I’m sure I had some suspicion I might be a lesbian in high school, especially given how hard I worked to make people think I wasn’t a lesbian, my sex education left me scrambling when I did discover my sexuality. I knew some myths I’d heard about lesbians, such as cis lesbians couldn’t spread STIs to their partners, didn’t make any sense. But I didn’t really know much else either, which I found to be extremely common for lesbian and bisexual women.
Anna, a bisexual woman in her mid-20s, said she never knew that being bisexual was a sexual orientation until she went to college. “I honestly thought that ‘bi girls’ meant the girls at parties who made out for guys’ attention. I didn’t know it was even possible to like boys and girls. When I found out about being bi, my life made so much more sense to me.”
“Don’t even get me started on when I tried to sleep with a girl the first time,” M., 26, said when I talked to them. They identify as a genderqueer lesbian and were just as lost as both Anna and I felt when we came out. “There’s so much out there with cis men sleeping with cis women, but almost nothing about queer people… I didn’t learn anything in school about queer people and how they have sex. I wish I had.”
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that only about 19 percent of American high schools teach sex education that is inclusive of their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, with only 5 percent presenting LGBTQ people in a positive light. Eight states outright forbid schools to teach anything LGBTQ-related in health class, and three states that do discuss sexual orientation and gender representation require that LGBTQ people be portrayed negatively.
Three out of 4 cis women will get the human papillomavirus in their lifetimes, but if a lesbian or bisexual woman doesn’t realize STIs can be transferred by a same-sex partner, they are putting not only themselves but also current or future partners at risk for it too. Untreated, HPV has the potential to cause genital warts or even cancer. Other STIs can leave a lasting impact on a person’s life as well. For example, getting chlamydia or gonorrhea increases your chance of getting pelvic inflammatory disease and can cause infertility.
It’s obvious the United States is still failing its lesbian and bisexual girls. When sex education is presented in a traditional, heteronormative way, it is putting vulnerable populations at even more risk. The current political climate doesn’t promote much hope for a more inclusive sex education nationwide, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t doing anything.
Organizations like GLSEN have been working to change classrooms across the United States. One of their main goals is to prompt educators to “develop and implement LGBTQ-inclusive sex education curricula,” and they encourage students, parents and community members to get involved too. The IMPACT LGBT Health and Development Program at Northwestern University is another organization making strides in bringing sex education to LGBTQ students through research and community outreach to LGBTQ people living in Chicago.
People are also utilizing other means to bring education to lesbian and bisexual girls. Allison Moon released a book in 2015 titled Girl Sex 101 that covers everything from consent and communication to STIs to sex toys. It’s also the most inclusive sex ed book I’ve ever seen and goes beyond just cis women who like women to include trans and intersex women and many different ways women can have sex with each other.
Sex education for lesbian and bisexual women is far from where it needs to be in this country. Thankfully, it isn’t a forgotten issue, and many people are working hard to provide students and even adults with the resources they need.
M. said that if educators continue to fail LGBTQ students, then “it’s up to us to teach [them].” They’re absolutely right.
There’s a moment in the third episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s third season (“That’s No Lady, That’s My Cousin”) in which Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv tell the kids to gather 'round for a special announcement.
“We’re having a baby!” Phil, beaming, tells them. The Banks kids and their cousin Will burst into hysterical laughter. When it dawns on them this isn’t a joke, Hilary pipes up.
“OK, I think I speak for everyone when I say, 'Ewwwww.'”
I remember watching this as a 13-year-old and finding it hilarious. Today, I found the clip on YouTube, did some Googling and discovered that the actor who played the first Aunt Viv, Janet Hubert, was all of 36 — and pregnant in real life — when that scene was filmed in 1992. Last month, I turned 39. Guys, I am older than Aunt Viv.
As someone who, assuming I’m ever able to have the pleasure, will have a “geriatric pregnancy,” I’ve taken an avid interest in how pop culture depicts mothers-to-be who are no longer in their so-called biological prime. Is their pregnancy used as a plot twist that devolves into a punchline? Or is it an opportunity to work in some real talk about fertility, women’s health and the factors that play a role in a female-bodied person's decision to delay parenthood?
The “later in life” pregnancy is a recurring sitcom trope that’s typically — at least in the case of Family Ties, Malcolm in the Middle and Roseanne — trotted out to accommodate an actor’s real-life baby plans. The mom-to-be is happily married to a lovable TV husband with whom she already has a handful of older children. More often than not, the pregnancy is scripted as an unplanned but not entirely unpleasant surprise. The happy couple takes a beat to laugh about their age and moan about the inconvenience of delaying all their empty-nest fun; then they quickly shift focus to the impending arrival of their precious new family member. Said newborn will inevitably vanish and be replaced by a precocious toddler with great hair after about three episodes.
As happy and wholesome as all that sounds, these scenarios gloss over much of the actual mature-mom experience. There’s little talk about infertility, the risk of miscarriage or complications that can arise and change the entire course of a pregnancy. In TV land, older moms exist by happy accident, not an agonizing deep-dive into follicle counts and hormone shots and negative pregnancy tests.
But today, there are exceptions. Most notable is how Black-ish — a show that’s progressive and daring on so many issues — handled the pregnancy of TV mom Bow (Tracee Ellis Ross) last season.
At first glance, it can seem like Bow’s pregnancy is a return to that familiar trope. She’s a 40-year-old mom with four kids, the oldest of whom is bound for college. And yet Black-ish proved that viewers can handle deeper and more realistic storylines (Bow hiding her pregnancy at work for fear of losing out on a promotion) alongside lighter fare (her being bored at Disneyland because she can’t go on any rides while pregs). The Season 3 series finale in May intensified that balance: One minute, the family is planning a baby shower; the next, Bow’s being diagnosed with preeclampsia, a very serious complication — that, yes, poses a higher risk to moms over 40. The baby is delivered by emergency C-section two months early, and Bow’s life momentarily hangs in the balance.
Happily, she and the baby recover, but it’s important that the show’s writers dared not to shy away from legitimate concerns like preeclampsia, maternal mortality and postpartum depression, the latter of which Bow has struggled with this season.
The British comedy Catastrophe has also portrayed pregnancy in a rare, refreshingly realistic light. Irish schoolteacher Sharon (played by Sharon Horgan, who writes the series with costar Rob Delaney) also has an “oops” pregnancy. The catch is that she — unlike possibly every other "older mom" on TV — is single, and the father is an American man (Delaney) with whom she’s merely had a brief fling. They do fall into screen-cliché territory by deciding to couple up and raise the baby together à la Knocked Up, but the budding rom-com remains grounded in reality as far as the actual pregnancy is concerned.
As a woman who is closing in on 40, Sharon is repeatedly reminded of the health risks linked to her pregnancy. One episode sees her being told that her baby may have Down syndrome, a situation the show handles with honesty and heart. She eventually gets the all clear, but later goes into early labor and delivers her son prematurely.
Some viewers may accuse these shows of fearmongering or of perpetuating stereotypes that women shouldn’t be putting motherhood on hold. That’s an unfair assessment. Every woman’s fertility journey is different; a woman in her mid-40s may have an effortless experience, while someone 15 years younger struggles. But to never acknowledge the concerns that real women discuss — to only tell some stories — is to do society (and pregnancy and women for that matter) an injustice.
If your holiday travel plans include some exotic locations or even just a cross-country trip, chances are you’ll be dealing with the inevitable disorientation that comes with time difference. The dreaded jet lag can wreak complete havoc on your holiday, causing you to oversleep and miss your exciting plans — or worse, prevent you from sleeping after a long day of sightseeing.
But thankfully, there’s something you can do about it — in fact, there are multiple things — and who better to help than women who travel for their careers all the time? We tapped into some of our favorite wellness experts — from nutritionists and holistic health counselors to busy, wellness-focused women who work in the industry — to give us the scoop on all things jet lag. So grab a cozy drink, put on your PJs, and pack your bags… your next vacation is as easy as one, two, three.
Stock up on natural forms of melatonin
Lauren Slayton, nutritionist and founder of NYC-based nutrition service Foodtrainers, insists on incorporating natural forms of melatonin (the hormone that induces sleepiness) on the plane in order to get adjusted to your new time zone.
“We provide our Foodtrainers’ clients with a food first-aid kit that contains wakaya ginger and walnuts,” she says. “Ginger is a natural source of melatonin, plus it’s anti-inflammatory and good for your immune system when you travel. Mix 1/4 to 1/2 tablespoon of wakaya ginger in hot water both on the plane and when you land. Walnuts are another natural source of melatonin, so we have a ‘nutcase’ we fill with Old Dog Ranch walnuts for our clients.”
A huge part of adjusting to a new time zone is managing to fall asleep on the plane, so our visuals director Meghan McNeer focuses on self-care while she’s traveling. “I start with essential oils like this altitude oil and thieves oil to boost my immunity,” she says. “I also carry this jet set kit to keep my skin hydrated. After the in-flight meal, I start the type of movie you've saved to watch on a small plane screen and put on some hand masks and eye masks. I loathe the texture of airline blankets, so I bring a thick scarf that doubles as an in-flight blanket. And travel pillows are tough, but this one is one of the nicer ones I've seen out there — and it rolls up!”
Tanya Becker, cofounder and chief creative officer of Physique 57, a strengthening barre-based workout, also has a few essentials she relies on. “I make sure to bring my lavender oil and a bottle of Dream Water to use if I’m having trouble falling asleep,” she says.
Adjust to your new time zone ASAP
Instead of falling into the trap of staying on your origin's time zone, it’s essential to start adjusting to your new one ASAP. “If you arrive in the a.m., sleep for three hours the moment you land,” says Gabby Bernstein, motivational speaker and life coach. “Then get up and have dinner and stay up until at least 9 p.m.” That should set you up for a good night’s sleep and get you on track for the next day.
However, if you simply can’t control your hunger pangs, fashion designer Norma Kamali suggests a small snack instead of a full-blown meal. “My trick is to snack when I would be having a meal at NYC time,” she says. “When we don't sleep, we need to eat. So regulating what we can control is half the battle.”
Image: Phuong Nguyen
Exercise, exercise, exercise
Our own editor-in-chief, Jessica Romm Perez, encourages not falling asleep in the afternoon or evening once you land after your long-haul flight. “Do something active — but not too ambitious — when you arrive at your destination,” she says. “Explore a great shopping neighborhood, take a short hike — no matter what, fresh air is essential.”
And if you land in the morning, Gabby Etrog Cohen, SVP of PR and brand strategy at popular spin studio SoulCycle, suggests something a little sweatier. “Whenever I take an early a.m. flight, I try to hop on a SoulCycle bike as soon as I land,” she says. “It helps sweat the recycled plane air out of me and resets my day, especially if I’m traveling across time zones.”
As much as you might crave it, avoid caffeine. It’ll just make you dehydrated and tired, insists Becker. Instead, focus on hydrating well to reduce feelings of fatigue.
“I always have lots of water in flight,” says Romm Perez. “For long-haul flights, I always pack a little Ziploc of my favorite herbal tea — it's such an upgrade from the standard-issue Lipton yellow label on board.”
Take digestion-boosting supplements
“Traveling commonly disrupts digestion, so try a magnesium supplement (like our Detox Water Concentrate) or eat foods rich in this essential mineral — like almonds, avocado, leafy greens and dark chocolate — to help keep everything in balance,” say Danielle DuBoise and Whitney Tingle, founders of Sakara, an organic, plant-based meal-delivery service. “Also, popping a daily probiotic is key — not only does it encourage digestive health, but it also boosts immunity in order to protect you against travel-related germs.”
Another great supplement is melatonin, which is what holistic health counselor Natasha Uspensky recommends. “Take some melatonin 30 minutes before your new target bedtime to help your internal clock reset. You may need the melatonin for the first few nights in your new time zone, which is totally fine,” she says.
Get yourself to some nature
Some fresh air and sunlight could do wonders for helping you adjust to your new time zone. “I am a huge fan of getting your feet right into the land or grass for as long as possible — even set up shop and do work from a park,” says Taryn Toomey, creator of celeb magnet workout The Class. “If there’s an ocean, get into it immediately. It helps to ground the electromagnetic system and feels incredibly therapeutic to me.”
What you eat is as important as how you rest, according to Keri Glassman, celebrity nutritionist and founder of Nutritious Life. “Start every day with a balanced breakfast that includes a high-fiber starch and a lean protein or healthy fat to help rev your metabolism, stabilize your blood sugar, control your hunger and boost your energy level — in other words, put you in the best position to fight your jet-lag fatigue,” she says.
And of course, get yourself some greens. “I always have an energy-boosting meal with lots of veg when I arrive,” says Ella Mills, nutrition writer and entrepreneur behind the brand Deliciously Ella.
Ever since Chris Pratt and Anna Faris announced their separation back in July 2017, there have been are they or aren't they rumors flying around everywhere. But the couple's latest move says a lot: The two are dunzo, like really dunzo.
Pratt and Faris officially filed for divorce, siting irreconcilable difference as the reason for the split, according to E! News.
They are seeking joint custody of their son, 5-year-old Jack Pratt, and they have both reserved the right to spousal support.
A source told the outlet that the split is amicable and that the couple is focusing on what is best for their son in the midst of their divorce.
When the two first announced their separation, they released a joint statement explaining, "We tried hard for a long time, and we're really disappointed. Our son has two parents who love him very much and for his sake we want to keep this situation as private as possible moving forward."
Faris further opened up about her marriage in her book, Unqualified, citing fame as a tough hurdle to overcome, especially when it came to Pratt's move Passengers with Jennifer Lawrence.
"Before they [Lawrence and Pratt] met in person, my publicist, out of the blue, pulled me aside. 'Anna, listen there are going to be paparazzi all over them,'" Faris wrote. "'There are going to be shots of them laughing together on their way to set. There are going to be stories circulating, and you have to brace yourself for this.'"
Faris later described the stories about Pratt and Lawrence as "totally hurtful," admitting it did impact her marriage.
Though Faris and Pratt are committed to co-parenting their son, they have already started moving on from the relationship. Faris is reportedly dating cinematographer Michael Barrett.
We may still be a month away from the Season 22 premiere of The Bachelor, but the production company behind the show is already fighting to keep the season's ending under wraps.
NZK Productions sent a cease and desist letter to popular Bachelor spoiler Reality Steve, aka.Stephen Carbone, in hopes of keeping him quiet after he teased spoilers for the ending of Arie Luyendyk Jr.'s season on Twitter.
reality steve tweet 1
reality steve tweet 1
Carbone responded to the cease and desist letter publicly on his blog, "For years I have stood behind the fact that all I really do is spoil and make fun of a silly reality show which itself is very easy to make fun of."
He continued, "This isn’t CIA level shit. This isn’t insider trading. What I do is on such a small scale in even just the TV world, it’s not really a blip on the radar. If this were the only show on television, yes, it’d probably be a big deal. But it’s not."
Carbone has no plans to let NZK Productions intimidate him. He later added a meme on Twitter that seems to be directed at the lawsuit threats.
reality steve tweet 2
reality steve tweet 2
"They are being completely unreasonable, bullying me essentially into giving up my sources, and are trying to prevent me from continuing my livelihood," Carbone said. "They are infringing on my First Amendment Rights as a reporter and trying to squash my freedom of speech because they don’t like that I’m spoiling their show."
He concluded his post by writing, "I refuse to be intimidated by their tactics in this situation, and I will proceed with this season as planned."
Carbone said he reached out the NZK Productions' legal team in hopes of coming to an agreement.
This isn't the first time NZK Productions has tried to pursue legal action against Carbone for his spoilers, which are usually spot-on since he started the blog back in 2009. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Carbone was sued twice previously. Both lawsuits were settled.
Do you think NZK Productions has the right to stop Carbone from reporting Bachelor spoilers?
There’s a reason the official wedding season is between April and September. Spring, summer and fall weddings are popular for their blooming flowers, balmy temperatures and falling leaves. Winter, however, tends to be the ugly duckling of seasonal weddings. If you’re like me, seasonal affective disorder takes its toll sometime in December, and all I associate winter with is bare trees, frozen tundra temps, lumpy sweaters and cabin fever. But! There are upsides to tying the knot during the cold season.
Other than the potential to save major cash since venues and caterers are less in-demand, getting married during winter has plenty of unique charms. It’s cozy to gather with friends and family when it’s cold out; it’s romantic, unique and memorable; snow can be beautiful (until it turns to dirty slush, that is); and you can get away with gorgeous touches like holiday-inspired decor or faux-fur wraps. Below, experts weigh in on how to make the most of a cold-weather wedding.
Drinking something that feels wintry will get everyone in the mood. “If you want to do a signature cocktail that taps into the spirit of the season, try a blood orange and St.-Germain champagne cocktail,” says New York City-based wedding and event planner Andrea Freeman. “You can even set up a cocktail station with glassware and a dispenser. If you really want to take things to the next level, you can hire a cocktail service. I also think nothing quite says winter season like champagne — offer mini bottles with personalized notes as guest favors. For a more fall-themed wedding, hot spiced cider served as guests arrive is a perfect beverage on a chilly autumn day.”
Image: Katie Osgood Blog
Make the decor festive
“Whether you elevate black and white with a metallic twist, go with winter whites or select seasonal reds and greens, you’ll want to select a cold-season color palette,” says Freeman. “For a fall wedding, burnt orange, cabernet and cream with lush greens works perfectly. Use those colors for your invites and decor elements to create a cohesive feeling from start to finish. As with any great design, layering keeps things interesting. Fresh flowers add an elegant touch when paired with candles of varying heights. To add texture, try using a faux-fur throw draped over a bench and top that with a tray filled with ornaments. Interesting vignettes like this highlight your attention to detail.”
Image: Hawthorne and Main
Pick a wintry dessert
Take the traditional parts of a wedding and put a wintry, customized spin on them, suggests Freeman. “Surprise guests with something fun, like a hot chocolate station with dessert. Personalize it, present it with a twist, and get creative. This is what makes your event memorable, customized, and will make your guests feel loved.”
Anthony Luscia, special projects editor and men’s fashion editor for Martha Stewart Weddings, suggests trying something different than the typical tiered wedding cake. “Have a warm, molten cake instead — hype up that it’s going to be cold and adapt your menu to that,” he says.
Image: Brian Dorsey Studios
Consider ice sculptures
You might think the last thing you’d want when it’s already cold outside is more ice, but it can actually play up the season in a pretty, glamorous way. “Ice is a great way to amplify a winter wedding celebration,” says Freeman. “If you’re offering a bar during cocktail hour, sculpting individual serving dishes out of blocks of ice will not only keep the seafood and cocktails chilled, but will also provide visual appeal. For a true wow factor, carve the entire station out of ice and turn it into a display. For a more modest but equally luxurious touch, carving drink trays out of ice and passing shots around the dance floor keeps the party going.”
Image: Rahel Menig Photography Blog
Give out cozy party favors
What’s a better gift to guests or people in the bridal party than a cozy throw they might even want to use that evening? “Start the experience the moment guests arrive,” says Luscia. “If it’s going to be cold, rain or snow, give them a gift bag so they can weather the conditions in a fun and festive way with hand warmers, hot cocoa mix, matching ponchos or wraps and blankets that are on palette. They can cozy up together, which is an easy and affordable way to address the weather in a positive way — and the pictures will be so cute!”
Don’t just give your guests weather-appropriate accessories — give them to caterers and other staffers who are helping to create the event. “Have the waitstaff play up the weather,” says Luscia. “Give them cute umbrellas to hold, fun hats to keep them warm, rain boots or ponchos, which are functional but also fashionable and make everything look cohesive.”
Image: Bridal Musings
Keep smiling
Luscia insists that a wedding in the rain, snow or cold can be much more memorable and unique than a sunny celebration on the beach — as long as you see things positively. “In the end, the most important thing is attitude,” he says. “It’s all about how people react to the weather that makes or breaks the day. This starts with setting the right expectations from the beginning when you see the forecast and realize that you cannot control if it rains, snows or sleets, but you can control how you react to it — make a plan that makes you excited regardless of weather conditions.”
We know about marijuana‘s ability to relieve pain, nausea and symptoms associated with cancer, menstrual cramps, multiple sclerosis, depression and a host of other diseases and disorders. But what can it do for your sex life? According to a new study, it may increase your sex drive.
The study, conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine, suggests that frequent marijuana use might be connected to more sex. In fact, the research found that people who used marijuana had 20 percent more sex than those who did not, regardless of gender.
So what’s up? Should you be smoking (or vaping or eating) pot in the name of better sex?
“Cannabis used can alleviate some anxiety around performance inhibition,” says Kat Thomas, cohost of the Better Than Sex podcast and cocreator of the Las Vegas/Los Angeles cannabis entertainment group The Green Light District. ”This can include anxiety around newer sexual partners and lessening potential erectile difficulties, which can result from anxiety.”
Thomas recommends CBD oil if you’re experiencing anxiety around sex, and THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana, if you want to make sex feel better physically or get yourself in the mood for it. But it’s not for everyone, Thomas explains, “Some people claim a more open sexual experience with their partner when high, while others claim that cannabis hinders their sex drive.” She also emphasizes the importance of understanding what the right amount of marijuana is for you.
Those in the marijuana industry have long believed marijuana can increase one’s sex drive — long before studies like the Stanford one came along. Josiah Chissoe, who works in the medical cannabis industry in the southwest, says many people use it to better their sex lives.
“I believe certain terpenes [compounds that give flavor, smell and modulate the high] found in the cannabis are responsible for the euphoric but energizing effects that some may get," he says. "These mood uplifters naturally will make your sex life better as it’s much harder to be angry after good sex.”
You don’t have to be a regular consumer of pot for it to favorably impact your libido either. “Patients who use cannabis can expect increased libido after only the first use,” says Dr. Junella Chin, a physician who specializes in medical marijuana. She recommends it to her patients in lieu of pharmaceuticals like Addyi.
There are products, such as this lubricant that’s enhanced with THC, that purport to influence the length and quality of an orgasm, but the consensus from folks who work in the cannabis industry is that in order to maximize the benefits of pot during sex, you should aim for high levels of THC.
“It releases inhibitions, relaxes, increases blood flow into the pelvis and elevates mood, which all helps increase sex drive,” explains Chin.
For some scientists, the Stanford study is a source of contention. Nicole Prause, a sexual psychophysiologist (that’s a scientist who studies sexual arousal) at UCLA, characterizes the study as “frustrating.”
“It’s being interpreted as though there’s a causal link,” states Prause. “People who enjoy new sensations tend to smoke pot and have more sex and ride motorcycles and eat rich desserts. These have no causal link.”
Prause says it’s unlikely that pot would increase sex drive since it’s been proven to result in that feeling of being content with melting into your couch, known as an aviolitional, or unmotivated, state. The notion that CBD oil would help those who are anxious about sex relax does hold up since it’s been linked to successfully de-escalating anxiety. Being anxious about sex, especially for the first time with a new person or when you’re about to try a new thing, is normal. Talk about it with your partner, and if your anxiety feels beyond your control, remember, therapy is never a bad thing.
The Stanford study, led by assistant professor of urology Dr. Michael Eisenberg, may not prove conclusively that marijuana increases one’s sex drive, but it does, as Eisenberg told Medical News Today, do much to disprove the theory that cannabis has negative effects on the sex drive of users. Either way, when it comes to both sex and marijuana products, safety is key.
The Shape of Water celebrates otherness by depicting a love story between two very unlikely creatures. It asks the question: Doesn't everyone deserve love?
Image: Fox Searchlight
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
Set in 1962, The Shape of Water is an adult fairy tale about a mute woman, Elisa (Sally Hawkins), who works as a janitor at a secret government laboratory during the height of the space race. Both Soviets and Americans are willing to do anything to get to the moon first, including capturing and dissecting a mysterious reptile that oddly resembles a man.
This movie uses metaphor to explore characters who look or feel different or are shunned by society. That's why Eliza and the Creature (Doug Jones) are mute, why Elisa's neighbor and friend, Giles (Richard Jenkins), is gay and why her co-worker/confidant, Zelda (Octavia Spencer), is black. The story gives a voice to those who typically don't have one, setting an example of inclusivity.
The story also allows a romance to spark between two, er, individuals who would traditionally be kept apart by society, government or religion.
Yes, this story is a modern-day Beauty and the Beast. But unlike the classic fairy tale, the Beast doesn't transform into a handsome prince. Instead, he remains fishy.
After rescuing the Creature from the lab, Elisa takes him home to her apartment, where he lives in her bathtub until she can make a plan for his safe return to the sea. Sharing so many similarities with the Creature and feeling empathy for his plight, she begins to fall in love with him, both romantically and sexually.
Vanessa Taylor, who cowrote the screenplay, told SheKnows about the tricky nature of the scene. For her, it had to be believable that a woman would fall for a creature with scales and vice versa.
"When I first talked to Guillermo [del Toro, the director] about the idea of a sex scene, I said, either we believe she wants to have sex with this fish-guy or we don't. If we don't believe it, we've got a huge problem. I didn't have a way of knowing if it was going to work, but I thought, wow, if it doesn't, we're all in big trouble!"
The scene could easily turn comical or just gross. Interspecies hookups are always a huge risk. In The Little Mermaid, there's a reason why Ariel gets to have legs for three days — and it has little to do with walking on land. But I digress.
After Elisa turns on all the taps in the bathroom, water fills the entire space, allowing plenty of room for the Creature to get down to business and do his "fish-guy" duties. The scene is erotic and romantic. And strange. And delightful. And thought-provoking.
According to Taylor, there is also something deeply primal happening.
"The fact that Elisa was so attracted to a creature that seemed so foreign — for reasons she was eventually able to explain, but initially it was just instinct — that's very primal. The idea that you could get past the species barrier in a story that's not presented as a straight-up fairy tale — that's primal."
We think primal love is a very good thing. With a current Rotten Tomatoes score of 98 percent for The Shape of Water, it seems at least the critics agree.
In a year filled with celebrity breakups, Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell have been a shining beacon of hope that love isn't entirely dead. And judging by Shepard's latest romantic gesture, it would appear the too-cute-for-words couple is still on a roll.
Like, really — Shepard just rented out an entire roller skating rink for date night with his lovely wife. Feel free to join us as we melt into a puddle of pure swoon.
The retro romance went down on Saturday night when the couple laced up some skates to make laps at the Moonlight Rollerway rink in Glendale, California.
Dax Shepard & Kristen Bell 2
Dax Shepard & Kristen Bell 2
"Tonight @daxshepard rent[ed] a roller skating rink. And I had one of the best nights of my life," Bell captioned a sweet snapshot with Shepard on her Instagram stories. In a photo shared to her Instagram feed, the actress joked, "Incredible night at @officialmoonlightrollerway — not a single broken bone!"
For his part, Shepard brought back all the old-school feels with a video clip of the pair during "couples skate."
Dax Shepard & Kristen Bell 1
Dax Shepard & Kristen Bell 1
If this makes you wish you could go on a double date with Shepard and Bell (which, to be clear, would make you human), well, there is in fact a chance.
The cool, kind couple has partnered with the charitable platform Omaze to support the Opening Act organization's theater program for New York City's most underserved public high schools.
By making a donation, you'll not only be supporting students, but you'll also be entered for the chance to be flown out to Los Angeles and given the four-star treatment as Shepard and Bell's guest of honor for a double date game night.
Matching holiday sweaters? Check. Cookie baking? Check. Dreams coming true by the second? Check. For details, head over to Omaze.
Welp, it's official: Beyoncé really is always three steps ahead of everyone else. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Ed Sheeran revealed that his "Perfect" duet partner goes to great lengths to protect her privacy — and the queen's commitment is pretty impressive.
Speaking to ET's Keltie Knight at KIIS-FM's iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, Sheeran discussed how his new collaboration with Beyoncé came to be. And, suffice it to say, getting in touch with Bey isn't exactly a walk in the park.
"I have an email address I email [to get in touch with Beyoncé]," Sheeran told Knight, adding, "So I emailed that and we got on the phone, and it's been in the works since May." However, Sheeran divulged one more particularly intriguing detail about Beyoncé's online behavior: the Beyhive queen's email address "actually changes every week."
While there's often a focus on the most glamorous aspects of celebrity life, Ed Sheeran just shined a subtle light on one of the less than stellar side effects. With fame comes a following, and with a following as big as Beyoncé's, sometimes that means taking drastic measures to maintain a modicum of privacy.
Fortunately, Sheeran managed to stay in touch with Beyoncé despite her stealthy email tactics. The two recorded a stellar version of his hit song "Perfect," which was released on Thursday.
In 2016, shortly after an off-camera Access Hollywood conversation between then co-anchor Billy Bush and now-president Donald Trump surfaced, Bush left NBC. Now a year later, with Trump implying his voice on the infamous recording could have been faked, Bush just penned a pointed New York Times op-ed calling out the current POTUS.
"He said it. 'Grab'em by the pussy,'" Bush starts the scathing commentary.
"Of course he said it," he continues. "And we laughed along, without a single doubt that this was hypothetical hot air from America's highest-rated bloviator. Along with Donald Trump and me, there were seven other guys present on the bus at the time, and every single one of us assumed we were listening to a crass standup act. He was performing. Surely, we thought, none of this was real."
Bush goes on describe in detail his horror upon hearing the stories of woman after woman — Natasha Stoynoff, Rachel Crooks, Jessica Leeds, Jill Harth, Kristin Anderson — coming forward with shocking allegations against Trump which corroborated the Apprentice mogul's words on the bus.
Bush accuses Trump of "currently indulging in revisionist history," saying of Trump's suggestion the Access Hollywood recording is fake, "This has hit a raw nerve in me."
Explaining his complicity during the day in question, Bush admits he had his mind on the bottom line. "Was I acting out of self-interest? You bet I was. Was I alone? Far from it. With Mr. Trump's outsized viewership back in 2005, everybody from Billy Bush on up to the top brass on the 52nd floor had to stroke the ego of the big cash cow along the way to higher earnings."
In Bush's case, it worked. He reveals that due to his successful rapport with Trump, "NBC tripled my salary and paid for my moving van from New York to Los Angeles."
So while Bush doesn't cop to enabling Trump's sexual transgressions, he does confess that he and the others present that day were guilty of "sacrificing a bit our ourselves" to climb the corporate ladder.
Bush doubles down on his stance against Trump, pointing out that he raised concerns about Trump's candidacy early. His concerns, he says, were rooted in those off-air conversations with Trump, one of which Bush divulges for the first time in the op-ed.
"In the days, weeks and months to follow, I was highly critical of the idea of a Trump presidency. The man who once told me — ironically, in another off-camera conversation — after I called him out for inflating his ratings: 'People will believe you. You just tell them and they believe you,' was, I thought, not a good choice to lead our country," Bush says.
Bush ends the op-ed by reflecting on how, despite the last year's turmoil, he is heartened to see the hard conversations happening around the country regarding sexual harassment and assault. And, at the end of the day, he feels as though his controversial role in the conversation has ultimately strengthened his character.
"I know that I don't need the accouterments of fame to know God and be happy," he writes. "After everything over the last year, I think I'm a better man and father to my three teenage daughters — far from perfect, but better."
Is there any sound more ominous in this world than opening chimes of "All I Want for Christmas is You"?
In my opinion, no, there is not. Why is it ominous? Because those opening chimes, those chipper little tinkling bells, signal to me that the next three-odd minutes of my Christmas cheer are going to be downgraded to negative levels. It's almost amusing how much my skin crawls at the thought of this song being on rotation in every damn store, car, home, radio and other assorted playback devices because it shouldn't get under my skin that much. And yet — and yet — there's something about the vapidity, the ubiquity, the extremely saccharine nature of "All I Want for Christmas Is You" that makes me want to shout from the rooftops that this song is the worst Christmas song of all time.
Now, I've only included a clip of this song to remind you of what exactly we're talking about here. First released in 1994, Carey's first Christmas song was an unbelievable success. Faith that this song would become everyone's holiday jam was so strong that Carey's then-husband, record exec Tommy Mottola, wanted a second music video made in addition to the one above. You know, just so everyone would have plenty of cheery visuals to accompany this cheerful song. Bah humbug.
It sat comfortably at the top of various charts at home and abroad in its initial release and has gone on to be the top pick for so many people, year after year after year. It regularly lands at the top of best Christmas song listicles time and time again. It's been used as the climactic love anthem in the equally beloved Christmas film (don't even get me started on this one) Love Actually. Seriously, people, what gives?
But while everyone is flipping their lid for "All I Want for Christmas is You," I'm over here heavily sighing. Maybe it's because I'm not a diehard Carey fan. Hell, I'm not even remotely a Carey fan. I can't deny that she's talented and is worthy of the praise, but if music requires an emotional or, bare minimum, strong gut reaction, then Carey doesn't really hit that mark for me. And to be a true fan of this song, in my opinion, you have to be a fan of Carey or at least the kind of music she's bringing to the table. Again, that sort of vocal-acrobatics-heavy performance inside a sugary-sweet pop song just ain't my thing, fam. But good on you if you like it.
In addition to Carey being a no-go for little ol' me, I just can't get with this song. The protagonist of the song wants a man for Christmas. That's all she wants — big freakin' deal. We all want to find love, Carey, and we definitely would love to make things merrier around the holidays by having someone to cuddle up with. But don't go reminding us of what we can't have (unless we have it already)! Why not take the Eartha Kitt approach, as is the case with "Santa Baby"? The way I see it, love is good to have, but why does that mean you have to love a person?
And if that's too bitter a reason for you, put this in your pipe and smoke it: This song is so bright and peppy, I feel like I'm being swallowed alive by a smiling Santa Claus. The song shines brighter than the glow of a million light bulbs on a very small tree in an abnormally tiny room. You're smacked around the head with this never-ending earworm to the point you're begging for "Carol of the Bells" to come on, just to bring some somber relief to the festive proceedings. This is a song so unabashed in its joyful resplendence that you just want to give it a chill pill because, like, we get it, dude. We get it.
It's not that I don't love Christmas, nor that I have anything against being happy and in love during this time of year. But for pity's sake, let's just stick to Bing Crosby when it comes to the Christmas tunes and call it a day, OK?
You don't need to spend countless hours in the gym to sculpt the strong arms and physical confidence of a character like Wonder Woman. You just need to commit to a consistent strength training regimen. Two to three total-body resistance training sessions a week are enough to build muscular strength and to stimulate changes in body composition, and those sessions don't need to be long or drawn-out. If you can carve 30 minutes from your day to dedicate to your workout routine, you can start carving those shoulders, biceps and triceps.
Image: Gabriela Arellano/SheKnows
Workout 1: Total Body Circuit
Perform each exercise for 45 seconds, followed by a 15-second break as you rotate to the next exercise. When you've completed all of the exercises, rest for two minutes before continuing. You'll perform the full circuit three times.
Wall Balls: Stand facing a wall and hold a medicine ball at your chest in both hands. Squat down, keeping your weight in your heels, lowering your glutes until they're at or below parallel with the ground. Powerfully press through your heels to extend your knees and hips, and as you do, throw the medicine ball as high as you can against the wall. Catch the ball as it drops back toward the ground, and continue the exercise.
Lunge with Arms Overhead: Stand tall with your arms extended over your head — you can hold dumbbells or a medicine ball to make the exercise more challenging. Take a large step forward with your right foot, planting your heel before bending both knees, lowering your back knee toward the floor. When your front knee forms a 90-degree angle, press through your right heel and extend your knee to stand up as you simultaneously take a large step forward with your left foot. Perform a lunge with your left leg and continue the exercise, alternating legs with each lunge.
Single-Arm Kettlebell Chest Press (Right Arm): Lie on a bench with a kettlebell in your right hand, your arm extended directly over your chest. Engage your core and inhale as you bend your right elbow and lower the weight toward your chest — use your abdominals to keep your hips from rotating to the right as you lower the kettlebell. When your elbow bends to 90 degrees, exhale and press the weight upward, extending your elbow to return to the starting position.
Single-Arm Kettlebell Chest Press (Left Arm): Perform the exercise detailed above, but switch arms, this time holding the kettlebell in your left hand.
Renegade Row: Set up in a high push-up position, gripping a kettlebell or dumbbell in each hand so your bodyweight is being supported by the tool. Keeping your core tight and your hips steady so your body maintains a straight line from heel to head, lift one weight from the ground, bending your elbow and drawing the weight toward your chest as you squeeze your shoulder blade toward your spine. Return the weight to the ground and repeat on the other side. Continue alternating sides.
Hanging Knee Raises: Hang from a pull-up bar, your arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Engage your core and bend your knees to draw your knees toward your chest. Slowly and steadily extend your legs back to the starting position, really focusing on using your abs to perform the exercise rather than momentum gained from swinging.
Dive Bomb Push-ups: Start in a downward-facing dog position with your hips pressed up toward the ceiling, your legs and arms extended so your body forms an upside down "V" shape. Bend your elbows, lowering your head between your arms. As your head nears the floor, look forward and begin pressing your chest and torso forward as you continue to extend your hips and lower them toward the ground. As you press your chest forward, extend your elbows and lift your chest, ultimately entering an upward dog position, so your legs are hovering just off the ground and your torso is tall and forward-facing. Reverse the movement to return to the downward dog position and continue the exercise.
Mountain Climbers: For a quick burst of cardio at the end of your circuit, set up in a high pushup position, supported by the balls of your feet and your hands. Draw one knee toward your chest, placing your foot lightly on the ground. From this position, hop both feet into the air, switching their locations — extending the bent knee and bending the extended knee. As soon as both feet touch the ground, immediately hop them back into the air again to continue the exercise. Move as quickly as you can with good form.
Image: Gabriela Arellano/SheKnows
Workout 2: High-Intensity Tabata Series
Tabatas are a specific style of high-intensity interval training where each Tabata lasts four minutes, consisting of eight rounds of 20 seconds all-out effort followed by 10 seconds rest. For this workout, you'll perform three different Tabatas, each using two exercises that you'll alternate between. After each Tabata, you'll rest one minute before proceeding to the next series of exercises. When you've completed all three Tabatas, you're only halfway there. Give yourself one extra minute of rest, then repeat all three Tabatas a second time.
Tip: It's a good idea to download a Tabata timer on your smartphone to automatically time the intervals for you.
Tabata 1: Mountain Climbers and Burpees
Mountain Climbers: Set up in a high push-up position, supported by the balls of your feet and your hands. Draw one knee toward your chest, placing your foot lightly on the ground. From this position, hop both feet into the air, switching their locations — extending the bent knee and bending the extended knee. As soon as both feet touch the ground, immediately hop them back into the air again, alternating foot position. Move as quickly as you can with good form.
Burpees: Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Squat down, placing your hands on the ground between your feet. Hop both legs back into a high plank position before bending your elbows and lowering your chest to the floor. Push up from the floor to return to high plank before hopping your legs back to their starting position. From this low squat, jump up into the air, clapping your hands over your head. Land lightly on the balls of your toes with your knees and hips slightly bent, your core engaged. Immediately drop your hips and squat down to continue the exercise.
Tabata 2: Thrusters and Inchworm Push-ups
Thrusters: Hold a set of dumbbells in your hands at your shoulders, your legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart, your toes angled slightly outward. Engage your core and press your hips back, lowering into a squat position. From the bottom of the squat, press forcefully through your heels to extend your knees and hips, returning to standing. As you do, press the dumbbells straight over your head, extending your elbows. Immediately bend your elbows to bring them back to your shoulders before you continue the exercise.
Inchworm Push-ups: Start standing with your feet hip distance apart. Tip forward from the hips, reaching your hands to the ground in front of your feet, keeping your legs straight. Walk your hands forward, allowing your hips to lower as you walk forward until you're in a push-up position with your core engaged and your torso straight. Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the floor to perform a push-up. Press through your palms to return to the push-up position, then walk your hands back toward your feet. Use your glutes and hamstrings to pull your torso back to standing. That's one repetition — continue the exercise.
Tabata 3: Dancing Crab and Bear Squats
Dancing Crab: Start in a tabletop position supported by your feet and hands, your hips lifted toward the ceiling. Engage your core and lift your left hand and right foot off the ground simultaneously as and reach to touch them across the front of your body. Return your hand and foot to the floor before repeating on the other side. This exercise requires a fair amount of balance, so move slowly and focus on form until your balance and core strength improve.
Bear Squats: Start in a high push-up position with your core engaged and your palms under your shoulders, with your feet positioned wider than hip distance apart. Bend your knees and press your hips back, extending your shoulders upward to move your body into a squat-like position, always keeping your knees from touching the ground. When you've pressed your hips back as far as you can, extend your knees, returning to the high push-up position.
Image: Gabriela Arellano/SheKnows
Workout 3: Double Circuit Series
This workout consists of two separate circuits, each of which you'll perform a total of three times. The first circuit focuses on upper body strength and the second focuses on lower body strength.
Upper-Body Circuit
Perform each exercise for 50 seconds, resting only long enough between exercises to switch to the next move (about 10 seconds). After performing all four exercises back-to-back, rest one minute before repeating the circuit two more times. After completing all three rounds of the upper-body circuit, immediately follow with the lower-body circuit.
Jumping Jacks: Stand tall with your feet together and your hands at your sides. Jump up into the air, spreading your legs wide as you simultaneously sweep your arms out and up, raising them over your head. When your feet land, immediately reverse the exercise, jumping up into the air to draw your legs back to your midline as you sweep your arms out and down, returning them to your sides. Continue as fast as you can for the duration of the exercise.
Banded Push-ups: Set up in a high push-up position with a resistance band wrapped over and across your shoulder blades, anchored in place with your hands. The band should be stretched tight in this high push-up position. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the ground. When your elbows are bent at 90 degrees, press through your palms and extend your elbows, pressing against the resistance of the band to return to the high push-up position. Continue the exercise.
Superman Banded Lat Pulls: Wrap the center of a resistance band around the base of a sturdy pole. Lie on your stomach and grasp an end of the band in each hand so the band is taut when your arms are extended straight over your head. Engage your core and lift your feet and shoulders slightly off the ground. Maintaining this lifted position, squeeze your shoulder blades toward your spine and bend your elbows, pulling the resistance band tight as you draw your hands toward your shoulders. Slowly reverse the movement, extending your elbows over your head. Continue the exercise.
Banded Lateral Shoulder Raises: Stand on the center of a long resistance band, holding one end of the band in each hand at your sides. Engage your core and raise both arms out to your sides, pulling against the resistance of the band while keeping your elbows straight. When your arms are lifted to shoulder height, slowly reverse the movement and return your hands to your sides.
Lower-Body Circuit
The lower-body circuit is identical in format to the upper-body circuit. Perform each exercise for 50 seconds, resting only long enough between exercises to switch to the next move (about 10 seconds). After performing all four exercises back-to-back, rest one minute before repeating the circuit two more times.
Marching Twists: Stand tall, your feet hip distance apart, your core engaged, and your elbows bent at 90-degree angles. Position your arms so your hands are lifted over your head with your elbows extended out to the sides as if you were giving a "touchdown" sign. From this position, lift your right foot from the floor, bending your knee and drawing it toward your chest as you simultaneously twist your torso to the right, reaching your left elbow to your right knee. Lower your right foot as you twist your torso back to center, then repeat on the opposite side. Continue alternating sides for the duration of the exercise.
Squat Jumps: Stand tall, your feet wider than shoulder width apart. Engage your core and swing your arms back as you press your hips behind you, bending your knees to lower yourself into a squat. From a deep squat position, powerfully explode through your feet as you swing your arms over your head, extending your knees and hips as you jump up into the air. Land softly on the balls of your feet with your knees and hips slightly bent before rolling back to your heels to continue the exercise.
Sprinter Jumps: Stand on your right foot, your left knee bent behind you with your elbows bent at your sides. Tip forward from the hips, leaning your chest toward the ground as you reach your right arm back and your left arm forward. From here, powerfully press through your supporting foot as you jump from the ground, drawing your left knee forward and lifting your torso to an upright position as you swing your right arm forward and your left arm back. Land softly on the balls of your feet and catch your balance before repeating the exercise. Perform half of your set supported on your right foot before switching sides.
Sprinter Sit-ups: Lie flat on your back with your legs straight and your arms extended next to your sides. Engage your core, and in a quick and powerful movement, sit up, drawing your right knee to your chest as you rise. Slowly extend your leg and lay your torso back down to return to the lying position. Repeat on the opposite side and continue alternating.
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Workout 4: Compound Total-Body Strength
This total-body strength training routine features a straightforward circuit. You'll perform each exercise for 45 seconds before resting for 15 seconds, making sure to repeat unilateral exercises that target one side of the body on each side before proceeding to the next movement. After performing a single circuit of eight minutes of work, you'll rest for two minutes. You'll perform the circuit three times through.
Modified Pull-ups: Find a sturdy bar that's positioned parallel to the floor at roughly chest height or slightly lower. Grip the bar and walk your feet forward until you're hanging under the bar with your arms extended and your feet touching the ground, your body positioned at an angle. From this position, bend your elbows, squeeze your shoulder blades toward your spine and pull your chest toward the bar. Reverse the movement and lower yourself slowly back to the starting position. Continue.
Sumo Squat to Jack Jump: Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width apart, your toes angled outward. Engage your core and, keeping your torso upright, squat down, reaching your hands toward the ground. When your knees are bent at 90 degrees, press through your heels and jump up into the air, sweeping your arms out to the sides and over your head. As you jump, quickly squeeze your legs together at the height of the jump before immediately swinging them outward again so you land with your feet wide, in their original position. Continue the exercise, moving as quickly as you can.
Single-Leg Deadlift (Left Side): Stand balanced on your left foot, your knee slightly bent and your right leg extended behind you. Engage your core and keep your torso straight as you tip forward from the hips, reaching your hands toward the ground as you raise your right leg behind you. When your torso is roughly parallel with the ground, squeeze your left-side hamstring and glute to pull your torso upright, returning to the starting position.
Single-Leg Deadlift (Right Side): Repeat the previous exercise, this time balancing on your right leg.
Lateral Medicine Ball Throw (Left Side): Stand about two or three feet away from a sturdy wall with your left side facing the surface so your body is perpendicular to the wall. Position your feet shoulder width apart and hold a medicine ball with both hands at your abdomen. Bend your knees slightly and shift your weight to your right foot as you rotate your core slightly, bringing the medicine ball to your right hip. Powerfully shift your weight to the left as you twist your torso and shoulders toward the wall, throwing the medicine ball across your body and into the wall. Catch the ball as it bounces off the wall and immediately twist back to the right to "load" the exercise again. Continue the movement.
Lateral Medicine Ball Throw (Right Side): Repeat the previous exercise, this time positioned so your right side is closest to the wall.
Biceps Curl to Shoulder Press: Stand tall, your feet hip distance apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended at your thighs, your palms rotated so they're facing away from you. Keeping your upper arms fixed to your sides, engage your core and bend your elbows, drawing the dumbbells to your shoulders as you perform a biceps curl. Once the dumbbells reach your shoulders, rotate your shoulders back as you twist your hand in and forward until your palms are facing straight ahead. From here, press your arms directly over your head, extending your elbows. Reverse the movement, lowering the dumbbells back to your shoulders before rotating your palms inward and lowering the weights back to the starting position.
Triceps Chair Dip: Sit on the front edge of a sturdy bench or chair with your palms gripping the front of the seat directly under your glutes. Step your feet forward until your legs are extended, your heels on the ground. Press through your palms and extend your elbows to lift your hips off the bench. Bend your elbows straight back to lower your glutes toward the floor. When your elbows are bent at 90 degrees, press through your palms to reverse the movement and extend your elbows, pressing yourself back to the starting position.
Image: Gabriela Arellano/SheKnows
Workout 5: Total-Body Cardio
This total-body cardio workout will challenge your upper body and core every bit as much as your lower body. Spend 10 minutes performing each type of cardio, alternating between 30 seconds of high-intensity effort and 30 seconds of lower-intensity recovery time.
Rowing machine: Use a cardio rowing machine to tax your lower body, core and upper body all at the same time. Remember to keep your low back and abs engaged and your torso tall throughout the exercise to maximize the workout's effectiveness. Really focus on proper form, extending your legs first to drive your glutes away from the machine before leaning back and pulling your arms toward your chest.
Boxing: If you have access to a boxing bag, use it. Perform fast and hard right-arm jabs for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of lower-intensity alternating jabs, then switch arms, performing fast and hard left-arm jabs for 30 seconds. If you don't have access to a boxing bag, simply shadow box following the same sequence. Remember to stay light on your feet and to keep your core engaged.
Cycling: Finish up your cardio with a lower-body-focused bout of cycling. Simply increase the intensity for 30 seconds by ramping up the resistance on the bike or the speed of your pedaling. Follow with 30 seconds of lower-intensity effort. Continue alternating for the full 10 minutes.
Complete this sentence: When the weather outside is frightful... kids stuck inside are sure to be a nightmare. That's how the song goes, right?
As much as parents love a chance to bond with our little ones, cabin fever does take its toll after a while — on kids and adults alike. And did you know that kids over 6 require about an hour of exercise a day, whereas toddlers need a whopping 180 minutes every day? Pretty tough to accomplish when it’s colder than a polar bear’s toenails outside — regardless of how many times per day said kids insist on scream-singing, "The cold never bothered me anyway!"
Luckily, there are ways to wear out restless kids (and regain your sanity) without totally trashing your house — or having to get everyone bundled in Arctic-grade snowsuits to head outside. The games ahead are chock-full of hyperactivity-draining fun, and they're a great opportunity for you to play with your favorite little snowbirds in the comfort (read: warmth) of your own home. Plus, in our experience, a little exercise works mental-health wonders for snowbound parents too.
It’s literally freezing outside, so why not shake it off with a (metaphorical) freeze dance? This takes all the fun and freedom of a good old-fashioned dance party and turns it into a game the whole family can enjoy. You each take a turn DJing while everybody else dances, and when the DJ stops the music — everyone freezes. Last person to freeze is the next to DJ. There’s even a Spotify playlist to get you started.
Indoor field day
All the fun of the field without any of the grass stains. Many conventional relays and similar activities can be translated to indoor play with a little creativity. For instance, try plastic bottle bowling (with a squishy ball to preserve your furniture, of course). Or go for a hallway relay race or a beanbag toss. The possibilities are as boundless as your kids' ever-wild imaginations.
Balloon volleyball
Have a couple of budding athletes on your hands? Satisfy their craving for sports with this snowy-day activity. Set up a net in your living room or basement — or anywhere you can clear some space. Blow up a balloon, and use it in place of a volleyball for the ultimate bad-weather tournament. Who needs the beach?
What if your living room isn’t a living room at all — but a full-fledged obstacle course in disguise? It can be just that with minimal effort. Create a few obstacles, such as a limbo pole made from a broom and a row of chairs to crawl under. Add in a few heart-pumpers, like a jumping jack station or a Hula-Hoop stop. It’s sure to make bedtime go a little bit smoother.
Fitness videos
Adults use videos to exercise at home; why can't kids? With tons of fun (and free) online options, like this one from Fitness Blender, kids can gamify a fitness routine by working in fun twists on exercises. Bonus: They'll be watching something other than cartoons. (Probably keep this option for tots over 2, though.)
Kid yoga
If your family is more into Downward Dogs than push-ups, you can easily orchestrate a custom kid yoga session. Plus, kids are naturally flexible, so they may find yoga even more accessible than you do. Start with a few kid-friendly poses, like Downward Dog, Warriors, Cat/Cows and Puppy posture. Write each pose on a note card and draw them at random. Make sure to woof and moo out loud at all the appropriate moments. Or you can just try one of these amazing spoof videos from Cosmic Kids.
Exer-gaming
Like it or not, some kids will simply feel more engaged if there’s a screen involved — which is why we’re so thankful for active games like Dance Dance Revolution, Walk It Out, or Punch-Out. Known as exer-gaming, these programs trick — er, encourage — kids into getting off the couch and working up a sweat, all disguised as a lazybones video game. Hey, whatever works.
The classics
Let kids take a trip down memory lane to revisit some of the games of your own youth. Classics like hide-and-seek, red rover, capture the flag and freeze tag are active, simple and fun — and way better than sharing your childhood nostalgia via Atari and snap bracelets.
Indoor playgrounds
If you’ve got a really bad case of cabin fever on your hands, you may want to get out of the house for a little while. No, not skiing or ice fishing. Simply head straight to an indoor playground. These do in fact exist in many cities and towns (you can usually find one via a quick Google search). They feature tons of engaging equipment, from fanciful slides to inflatable climbing areas to ball pits. The only problem? Convincing kids to go home again.
