Meet Greater, the App That Sets You Up for Weight-Loss Success
http://ift.tt/2lfrlPn As the biggest kid in the class, I grew up struggling with my weight. When I started to secretly go to meetings that rhyme with Schweight Schwatchers, they never resonated. They just weren’t speaking my language. I didn't want to schwatch my schweight. I wanted to live my life! When I was the most unhealthy, it felt like every magazine I opened, TV show I turned on, product I purchased, or program I signed up for made me feel worse about myself instead of better. And I became obsessed with the idea that there needed to be a brand that didn't make me feel like I’d never be enough. I started Greatist to change the way the world thinks about health, to help everyone think of it in a healthier, healthyish way (the only way I believe works long-term). I wanted a brand to empower millennials like me to improve and celebrate us when we got a little better. And this isn't just the company's mission—it's my life's too. Today Greatist is a media business with over 10 million readers each month. We're by far the leading media brand for healthy-minded millennials. But I always intended to build more than a media company. It’s time to get Greater.Ultimately, I wanted to build the thing that truly helps millennials get healthier—the “Weight Watchers of the future.” And as of today, that thing is live! Our app, called Greater, is a mobile support group platform that lets you tackle the 30-day diet you've been most wanting to do with seven other people just like you. Download the app, build your profile, pick a track, pay $29.99 ($19.99 for a limited time), and we'll match you with the perfect team. (We're only on iOS to start, but Android will be next!) We're launching with Paleo, low-sugar, and vegan tracks... and many more are on the way. Eventually, we'll move beyond diets to any kind of program you want to try. Snap your fingers, and we'll pair you with new friends who want to start meditating, run their first 5K, or do StrongLifts too. Eventually, we'll move to a subscription offering that has both the multiplayer mode you can play today and a single-player mode to keep your momentum and progress going tomorrow. Eventually, we'll let you create your own groups with friends or even match with users nearby to meet offline. It's an ambitious vision for a future where you never have to start any program to get better alone. In the meantime, we're just getting started, and there's a lot to learn. I couldn't be more excited to share Greater with you. Download it from the App Store now, and you can get started with a team as soon as tomorrow. Why Greater?To know what to build in the first place and then be able to reach enough people with a new solution, I knew I needed to start building trust with other millennials like me who are just trying to get better. I needed to ask, listen, try things, and learn from a big audience. To start, we've learned millennials want to lose weight too. That's almost always our No. 1 health goal. But the reasons we want to lose weight are very different from those of prior generations. Millennials don't want to lose weight to fit into society's expectation for what we should look like. We want to lose weight to feel better, more confident, more comfortable, more in control. What’s holding us back then? At Greatist, we’ve been asking our audience that question for years, and we’ve learned it’s not about a lack of time or money, but actually about feeling alone. We'd go for a run if there were somebody, anybody to go on a run with. We'd eat healthily, but our partner isn’t on board. We’d stick to that diet, but our coworkers always bring in delicious, fresh-baked cookies. This makes sense to me. All the successful health changes I've made in my life have been with other people. And I know how lonely my friends can be. In a world where many millennials have turned away from civic and religious communities, we've moved online to find a connection... and yet feel more disconnected than ever. I think loneliness may be the real health issue, and that explains the meteoric rise of Zumba, CrossFit, November Project, and more. Health and wellness is the new religion, and fitness brands are the new church. But what if you don't have a Flywheel near you? What if you don't feel comfortable getting up and going to the next Daybreaker? The vast majority of people who try a diet start it alone (!). That’s why Greater is here to help fix that. The FAQsSome of the things you might be wondering about Greater: What do I get on each track?Everything you need to succeed for 30 days, including:
Why eight people per team?In our testing, eight engaged people are about the most you can keep up with. (And even in the unlikely case half aren't very engaged, there's still enough value for the people who are.) Why is each track 30 days?We believe the future of dieting isn't about sticking to one program but actually about more extreme short-term experiences for long-term learnings. Most millennials refuse to stick to one eating regime—we enjoy food and social experiences too much. No one really sticks to their diet forever, so we're more realistic. Committing to 30 days of something hard, however, is exciting. We can sign up for it, Instagram the heck out of it, and learn a couple things along the way that we can stick with. And that's real health success anyway. What's with the avatars and usernames?Health is more personal and private than you probably think. Maybe you're cool with tweeting your health struggles. Most of us aren't. Most of us don't want to share our challenges, even with our friends and family. We’re starting with avatars and usernames to create a safe, trusting environment. You don't have to share your identity if you don’t want to. You won't be judged based on your appearance. You can just be yourself. Is this really a weight loss app without a current weight, goal weight, or even weigh-ins?Yes, really. Because it's not about weight loss (though you almost certainly will lose weight).Health via Greatist RSS https://greatist.com/ December 27, 2017 at 06:10AM
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My Hypothetical Daughter Propelled Me Into Next-Level Fitness
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This year, just after reaching my annual dating quota of emotionally unavailable men, I suddenly wanted to get in shape for the daughter I haven't even birthed yet. Let me be even more transparent when I say that I'm also single right now, so the probability of nuclear family procreation is currently slim. But there was something about opening SHAKTIBARRE - the New York yoga-barre empowerment hub in Brooklyn (and soon in Harlem) - that made me feel like a mom already . . . and envision a few hypothetical children in the future, as well as the day I'll be a fit mom. One fitness strategy I learned through creating SHAKTIBARRE that will inevitably benefit my future daughter was strength training. Let's start by saying that SHAKTIBARRE used to be an NYC family's garage that wasn't even on the market yet. In the time it took to renovate the space, I carried countless pieces of delivered furniture with my bare hands from my apartment a mile away - not to mention how many boxes I broke down and carried to the trash truck, how many shelves I scaled ladders for and lifted overhead, and how much dirt-moving, hammering, and rigorous cleaning it took to turn nearly 2,000 square feet of ceiling-less hazards into a beautiful and welcoming studio. A month after opening my nephew was born, and I got to put my muscle gains into action by carrying 10 million (small exaggeration) bags of baby supplies to the studio and back every Friday, as I offered my only free day to babysit. Then came the "hold the baby for long enough in the most awkward pose ever just so he falls asleep" moments and a plethora of stroller hauling. Meanwhile, I was teaching anywhere between six and 12 classes per week. Needless to say, getting fit for the sake of an impending family of my own started becoming more and more real.
Mindful eating was the second strategy for fitness that SHAKTIBARRE taught me, meaning I could no longer isolate myself and binge (with a side of exercise addiction) when I had to lead and manage a team of 30. Our teachers, though close in age to me, became daughters in a way. Whether it was training them, helping them find subs, guiding them in their outside professional advancements, lending an ear during their sick times or family challenges, or other sacred shares, I felt a more profound reason to be healthy than ever before. I realized that though fit, I could be in even better mental shape, too. I was able to see how my work family and all the ways I needed to show up healthy and strong inspired even deeper yearnings to have a daughter of my own someday.
The third fitness strategy I learned was flexibility. As a former four-sport athlete (soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, and equestrian), I never had time to stretch. In other words: my yoga life was virtually nonexistent until about 10 years back. Once my fellow SHAKTIBARRE cofounder, Shauny Lamba, took me to my first yoga class, I realized not only how tight and unforgiving my body was but also how my mind was cycling through the same unproductive patterns and habits. Fortunately, doing just as much "brain yoga" as I now do actual vinyasa motivated me to change my approach to dating as well. Now when I date, I'm thinking, "Can this person be a reliable, adventurous, special, and memorable leader? Can this person occupy less of my energy in a negative way and more in a manner that encourages me to make healthy time for my next level of fitness? Can we and our maybe baby go on epic hikes together - strong, snacking mindfully along the way, and able to stretch both our muscles and perspectives on the regular?" It's not to say I need a husband and daughter to be my fittest self: my fitness inspiration is a higher purpose. SHAKTIBARRE and my nephew have been the best things I've witnessed in this lifetime, showing me the power of a bigger goal than being fit. Ironically, that more monumental aspiration of #daughtergoals makes me want to be even more fit. I've begun to focus on exercises that continually raise the bar for my strength and flexibility. While that "all the single ladies" necessity of being fit for yourself is what I'm 100 percent into, I must say envisioning the end of an Iron Man finish line, where I run with sweaty, outstretched arms toward a kid of my own, gives me all the feels and lets me know it's time to pause here so I can go train. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness http://ift.tt/2mWxwLI December 26, 2017 at 09:00PM
Treat Yourself to a DIY Self-Care Spa Day With These 25 Mix-and-Match Ideas
http://ift.tt/2zzNLA2 Ready for an entire day of self-care? Turn your home into a spa with these totally doable (and many DIY) ideas. Pick and choose from these mix-and-match activities, or use it as your schedule for the entire day to achieve the most blissed-out zen feeling ever. It'll do wonders for your mental health while helping you recover from workouts (and stress!) so you can keep kicking ass. Now treat yo'self!
Health via POPSUGAR Fitness http://ift.tt/2mWxwLI December 26, 2017 at 04:18PM
How to Fight Dry, Itchy Eyes This Winter
http://ift.tt/2zz7CPD By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, Dec. 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Add dry eyes to the health woes of winter. "On average, the humidity drops in the winter with the colder weather [and] most people turn on the heat in their homes or offices to combat the cold," said Dr. Marissa Locy, who's with the University of Alabama at Birmingham's department of ophthalmology. "What you end up having is lower humidity outside, and even lower humidity inside -- making for warm, dry conditions where moisture can evaporate from the eye faster than normal," she explained in a university news release. That can leave your eyes feeling dry, gritty, stuck and irritated. What to do? Locy suggests several steps to protect your eyes from becoming dry:
During cold weather, your eyes can dry out even more if you wear contacts. So, Locy said, be sure you always wear clean contacts to reduce itching and possible infection. Dry eye can sometimes progress to dry eye disease. See your doctor if you're concerned. Dry eye cannot be cured, Locy said, but symptoms can be relieved by using eye drops, ointments or medication, or by plugging some tear ducts to slow the drainage of tears from the eye's surface.
Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ December 26, 2017 at 03:32PM
Seniors Don't Need Calcium, Vitamin D Supplements
http://ift.tt/2BTqY8p It turns out there's little evidence supplements protect against hip fractures and other broken bones in older folks. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ December 26, 2017 at 03:32PM
10 Signs Your Good Workout Habits Are Going a Little Too Far
http://ift.tt/2zzrGS0 As a trainer and a Pilates instructor, I am always encouraging my clients to get more active. Taken to the extreme, though, too much exercise will have negative consequences on the mind and body. We asked some experts in fitness, nutrition, and psychology to help identify symptoms of overexercising - keep reading to find out what they said.
Health via POPSUGAR Fitness http://ift.tt/2mWxwLI December 26, 2017 at 03:00PM
Doctors to Remove 10-pound Tumor From Boy's Nose
http://ift.tt/2pAsyq4 Doctors to Remove 10-pound Tumor From Boy's Nose Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ December 26, 2017 at 02:42PM
How to Forgive Someone Who Will Never Say Sorry
http://ift.tt/2leM5aa If a poisonous snake bites you, the bite can kill you, right? Wrong. It’s not the bite itself, but the venom inside of your body, that’s fatal. Forgiveness works the same way. We can fight with a person we love. A friend might deeply hurt our feelings. Perhaps we’re neglected by a relative. All of these things hurt, yes. But none have to cause long-term harm if we harness the power of forgiveness. Here are some techniques to try when you need to forgive someone, especially someone who’ll never say they're sorry: 1. Peace into the present.Whether you realize it or not, if you hold on to resentment, you’re living in the past. Because those "hurts" happened in your past, right? Can even just this truth free you up a little? When we’re fully present today, now, there is no past or future. And nobody’s making us feel bad. 2. Flip your focus from others to yourself.When we allow someone to upset us, we grant them tremendous power over our well-being. Instead of thinking of the person who has wronged you, can you switch your attention to you? Can you sit with your emotions and not judge them? Can you say, “Yes, I feel angry/disappointed/screwed over… but I can choose to feel something better. I can feel/think about/focus on something else." Because all that matters is you. And the good news is, your thoughts are one of the few things that you have 100 percent control over. 3. Take responsibility for your feelings.Wayne Dyer said, “By changing the way you choose to perceive the power that others have over you… you’ll see a bright new world of unlimited potential for yourself… you’ll know instantly how to forgive and let go of anything.” This means that when we recognize that it’s us, and only us, that determines how we feel, we gain a superpower. We lose the victim story. We can release judgment and blame. When we own how we feel, we can decide to feel good. And feeling resentful becomes an insane, self-harming choice. 4. Own your part.In many of life’s ups and downs, we're quick to jump to judgment without assuming any personal accountability. Let’s say your sister-in-law is always making digs at you. Did you write her off as a moron the first time you met, so she only gets your sarcastic, icy side? If your boss is currently micro-managing you, is it because you dropped the ball the last couple of months because of your breakup (and you kinda know it)? If someone else is solely responsible for your misery, then you have to wait for that person to change before you can be happy. But what if you could change, now, in an instant? Doesn’t that feel like a relief? 5. Stop looking to feel slighted.Be honest now: Don’t we all know those people who walk through life looking for occasions to be offended? Can this also be you, at least sometimes? Do you look for a bad driver to swear at, a colleague to snub you, a big opportunity to fall through because you worry that someone has something against you? When we lose our openness to be offended, we’re essentially asserting our power, saying “I have control over how I’m going to feel. And today, I feel good.” There’s nothing more mighty than that. 6. Apply a loving lens.This allows us to be thankful for all of life’s (difficult!) lessons. The Dalai Lama once said, “The enemy is a very good teacher.” Taking whatever has hurt you as a lesson will have you moving on at lightning speed. Are you upset because your S.O. does not treat you with enough respect? What does this teach you? Do you need to be less tolerant of people’s bad behavior? To be more assertive? To love yourself more and others will follow? When we see our life’s experiences through a loving, patient lens, our life’s lessons are learned quickly. Finally, ask yourself: Would you rather forgive or feel like sh*t? Susie Moore is Greatist's life coach columnist and a confidence coach in New York City. Sign up for free weekly wellness tips on her website and check back every Tuesday for her latest No Regrets column! Health via Greatist RSS https://greatist.com/ December 26, 2017 at 06:34AM
19 Keto Lunches That Will Help You Stick to Your Resolutions
http://ift.tt/2zxtlYe It’s probably not surprising that the vast majority of New Year’s resolutions have something to do with food and diet. It could be ditching gluten or minimizing meat. It could be eating more veggies or dialing back the booze. This year, we’re predicting the hot trend will be the high-fat, moderate-protein, super low-carb lifestyle that’s the ketogenic diet. One thing all these lofty goals have in common? More often than not, they’re abandoned by Valentine’s Day.
Photo: My PCOS Kitchen
From golden-brown chicken and lightly grilled asparagus to cool avocado chunks and creamy spheres of mozzarella, this produce- and protein-packed dish is the best of both raw and cooked worlds. With every forkful being a flavor explosion, it’s a salad you’ll look forward to digging into come lunchtime.
Photo: The Iron You
With carb-free “bread” slices made from mozzarella and Parmesan and grated cheddar in the middle, this grilled cheese isn’t messing around. Don’t worry though; each sandwich also packs in two cups of grated zucchini as part of the bread, so nobody can tell you that you aren’t eating your veggies too.
Photo: Welile
Being keto and vegan may be an added challenge, but recipes like this prove that it’s far from impossible. Lots of olive oil, nuts, and avocado provide those satisfying healthy fats, and cauliflower is so much better to munch on than leafy greens.
Photo: Savory Tooth
Only five of the 15 minutes it takes to make this salad are put toward actual cooking. Once you sear the shrimp in butter, it’s just a matter of dicing some veggies and mixing up a dressing. Super easy, super fast, super flavorful.
Photo: Hey Keto Mama
If you’re going keto, prepare to become best friends with cauliflower, since it makes meals like this possible. Standing in for rice and topped with some sauced-up chicken, avocado, and cheese, it lets you be carb-free and still enjoy the whole enchilada.
Photo: Meal Prep on Fleek
Spend 30 minutes prepping this dish, and you have your next four lunches ready—talk about a time-saving recipe. Plus, as the salmon and veggies sit in the marinade, they’ll taste better with each passing day (just make sure to use up the fish by that fourth day).
Photo: My Cooking Spot
Coated in balsamic vinegar instead of mayo, this Italian-inspired tuna salad holds up great as a take-to-work option. Stuffed into tomatoes, it’s not only a perfect low-carb option, it also scores some serious presentation points.
Photo: Eat Drink Paleo
Was sushi a weekly occurrence during your pre-keto days? There’s no need to take it out of the rotation. Simply take the rice out of your roll and let the salmon, avocado, and cucumber play the leading roles.
Photo: Inspector Gorgeous
Use your new keto lifestyle to up your veggie intake in creative ways, like this recipe. Here, big slices of eggplant replace bread, with classic panini goodies like mozzarella, basil, and tomato tucked inside. Serve with a creamy and easy garlic aioli, and your gourmet lunch is ready.
Photo: Ketogasm
Think pork chops and apples are more of a dinner dish? This blogger’s meal-prep method shows you how it can be just as suitable as a lunch option. And before you protest that apples aren’t keto-friendly, note that instead of the fruit, it’s chayote squash getting the cinnamon and nutmeg treatment in this recipe. It’s so worth trying!
Photo: Whip and Wander
If your body’s still adjusting to the high-fat lifestyle, your digestion may need a bit of a nudge. Keep your gut health in check with probiotic-rich foods like kimchi. The fermented cabbage can do wonders for your tummy—not to mention, when mixed with a bit of mayo, tuna, and avocado, it makes for a pretty awesome lunch.
Photo: The Iron You
How do you contain your cheeseburger fixin’s without the bread? Easy. Go the Jucy Lucy route, and stuff the greens and the cheese inside the beef patty. It tastes great, and, let’s be honest, it’s much more fun to eat this way.
Photo: My Life Cookbook
Conventional pizza might be off-limits on the keto diet, but since life without pizza is never an option, here’s an alternative. The crust is made not just with cauliflower, but also with ground beef for some more protein, while the avocado and cheddar toppings are all about healthy fats.
Photo: Hey Keto Mama
Given the focus on high-fat, moderate-protein meals, a ketogenic eater needs a good egg salad recipe up their sleeve. This one is perfect, since it adds in avocado for extra heart-healthy fatty acids and dill for a boost of fresh flavor.
Photo: Easy Health Living
Ditch the bread and load up on the filling (the best part, anyway) with this chicken Philly cheesesteak-in-a-bowl. You’ve got everything from the meat and the Worcestershire sauce to the provolone and the peppers, so you’d never miss the hoagie roll.
Photo: My Life Cookbook
Three words: Cheese. Cream. Rice. Okay, fine, so it’s not exactly rice, it’s riced cauliflower, but once you cook it and coat it with said cheese and cream, we promise you’d never be able to tell the difference.
Photo: Happy Keto
Pack a thermos with this rich, six-ingredient broccoli soup. The rich coconut milk will make sure your taste buds are happy, and the anti-inflammatory turmeric and ginger will make sure that your immune system is too.
Photo: Diet Doctor
They look almost exactly like regular tortillas, but the wraps for these cheesy wedges are actually made from mostly eggs and coconut flour. Once the quesadillas win you over, feel free to use the tortilla to keto-fy other dishes like soft tacos.
Photo: Keto Karma
This make-ahead, slow-cooker chili makes up for the lack of beans by including ground sausage alongside the ground beef for a seriously meaty meal. Just be sure to check that your tomato paste doesn’t have any added sugars—those are no-no’s on the keto diet! Health via Greatist RSS https://greatist.com/ December 26, 2017 at 06:11AM
7 Muffin Tin Recipes That Make the Best Desserts
http://ift.tt/2zy02ox If you don’t already have a muffin tin sitting in a cupboard somewhere, it’s time to get one. It’s not on the same level as, say, a baking sheet or cutting board when it comes to kitchen staples, but it does come in handy an awful lot. Besides baking cupcakes, muffins, and egg muffins, muffin tins can be used to make a whole host of perfectly-sized desserts. From brownie bites to adorable mini pies, next time you want to bake individual desserts, grab a tin, cupcake liners, and one of these delicious muffin tin recipes. It’s like meal-prepping your dessert… what could be better?
You’ll be glad these brownies come in mini containers; the temptation to cut a huge slice would be tough otherwise. They’re rich and fudgy without using any flour or dairy and taste just like a peppermint mocha latte. The secret ingredients? Black beans, cocoa powder, cashew milk, coffee crystals, and vanilla and peppermint extracts.
These pies are a perfect snow-day activity. Make your own dough (fair warning, it has to chill for two hours), then roll it out and make little crusts in the cups of muffin tins. Scoop the raspberry mixture in before covering with small strips to make a lattice top.
These little tarts would be perfect to bring to a party, especially since they’re full of good-for-you ingredients, meaning you’ll feel okay swiping one (or a few) for dessert. The crust is made with almonds, oats, and pecans, while the filling is sweetened with dates, maple syrup, and cinnamon.
Baking a cheesecake can seem like an intimidating task (what the heck is a water bath, right?), but this muffin tin recipe simplifies things. Start with a date and pecan crust, then add the cashew-based filling. Major tip: Line the tins with plastic wrap if you’re not using cupcake liners.
Anything that looks like a giant Reese’s Cup is A-OK in our book. These guys get their richness from full-fat coconut milk and bananas and are topped with chopped peanuts and mini chocolate chips. They take some time to make, mostly because you need to freeze them for a few hours to let them set, but the creamy, peanut buttery taste is most definitely worth it.
OK, we all know the best part of carrot cake is the cream cheese frosting, but it’s also where tons of sugar gets packed in. These mini carrot cakes will take care of your dessert craving sans frosting and sneak in healthy ingredients like carrots, oats, walnuts, and Greek yogurt.
Who would’ve thought to make Rice Krispies this way? With just three ingredients (four if you add chocolate chips!), they’re already super simple, but now you don’t even have to worry about cutting them up. Grab some crispy rice cereal, nut butter, and brown rice syrup or honey, and you’re ready to go. Health via Greatist RSS https://greatist.com/ December 26, 2017 at 05:55AM |
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