Author: Richard C. Trotter
As the saying goes, if you have your health, you have wealth. Good physical and mental health impacts all areas of your life, but it can feel daunting to make big changes. Spoiler alert: your entire life does not have to be overhauled to start a healthy lifestyle! You can make daily progress towards big goals without changing every single thing about your current daily routine and activities. Remember that big changes happen as a series of smaller steps. We have outlined eight cornerstones of good mental and physical health and broken them down into smaller, doable habits. Start with…
A good spa feels like another world. As soon as you walk through the door, you feel your shoulders relax, you breathe a little easier, and you tell your worries that you’ll get back to them in approximately one to four hours. There’s no room for stress in this sanctuary! At the Island Spa at the Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Hura, which I was lucky enough to be able to visit, your journey to bliss begins even before you step foot in the spa. The only way to reach the spa—the only one in the world located on…
It doesn’t matter if you’re desk-bound, vying for a marathon finish line, or consider yourself a cyclist or CrossFitter — you’ve probably got tight hips. The more than 20 muscles that make up your hips are responsible for stabilizing your pelvis, moving your legs from side to side, and shortening to draw your knees toward your chest every time you sit down, run, jump, or pedal, explains Kelly Moore, a certified yoga instructor and co-founder of MindFuel Wellness, which brings health and wellness initiatives to companies throughout Chicago. RELATED: 15 Stretches You Should Do Every Damn Day Basically, your hips do a lot…
Cadbury Crème Eggs are as synonymous with Easter as the bunny rabbit itself. Cracking through the chocolate shell into the sweet fondant center is the kind of moment kids can’t wait for, but as adults, they’re a lot sweeter than we remember. Our homemade version tames the sugar count by substituting dark chocolate for milk chocolate and nixing the corn syrup. The children will love to help make them, and perhaps it’ll start a new Easter tradition. Homemade Chocolate Creme Eggs Recipe Yields 24 Active time: 1 hour, 30 minutes [skinnybox] Ingredients 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened1 teaspoon vanilla extract1…
“If the mind is tranquil and occupied with positive thoughts, the body will not easily fall prey to disease.” – Dalai Lama XIV Study after study confirms that physical and mental health are intimately intertwined. The body’s biology and chemistry directly influence our state of mind, and our emotions, thoughts, and beliefs strongly affect the processes associated with physiological well-being. This relationship is crucial for the healthy functioning of both body and mind, so it makes sense that it’s widely known as the mind-body connection. Here are 21 powerful to-dos that may help you restore and strengthen this supremely beneficial…
The goal of ab exercises isn’t all about sculpting a six-pack or chiseling your middle. The core of every day movements comes from just that — your core. You need a solid midsection to stand upright, stay steady on your feet and twist and turn sans injury. (Though scoring flat abs is certainly a sweet bonus!) So how do you land a stronger core? Work it from every angle and switch up your routine often. That’s where these 50 anything-but-boring abs exercises come in. They’ll skyrocket your strength and stability — and help you score that toned midsection in the meantime.…
Ever have those days when you feel hungry all day long? Us, too! The good news is there are plenty of healthy foods and meal combinations you can enjoy to help you feel full without breaking your calorie bank. The key is prioritizing the following three components: low-calorie protein, water, and fiber. According to Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Eat Your Way to Sexy, “All three or any one of these will fill you up before they fill you out, so you push away from the table before you’ve overeaten.” But before you start rooting through your fridge and cupboards, be…
A leg workout isn’t just about chiseled quads, sculpted calves, or a toned behind. Building strong muscles in your lower body translates to more power, speed, and overall ease of movement. Plus, because your bottom half hosts the body’s biggest muscles, the more you strengthen them, the more calories you’ll burn with every movement. Don’t believe us? Take it from Ben Booker, lead trainer for Daily Burn’s Live to Fail program (a strength training program for men and women). “I was once the guy that skipped leg day, or at least didn’t give it the attention it deserved when I…
Do you ever talk to a friend and just feel utterly drained after? Maybe you’re emotionally spent or need some time to decompress alone, or you feel overwhelmed by their problems with barely any mental space left to process your own. If any of this sounds familiar, you may have been zapped by an energy vampire. And regaining agency over your energy will require learning how to deal with energy vampires both in the moment and outside of interactions with them. Like the term insinuates, an energy vampire is someone who sucks the energy out of someone else through the…
Whether it’s pre-workout, post-workout or just a small bite in the middle of the afternoon, one of the best ways to guarantee that a snack will keep you satisfied is to make sure it’s filled with a healthy boost of protein. Studies suggest that eating protein increases the body’s production of hunger-fighting hormones, which explains why high-protein snacks are so great at staving off hunger. But don’t worry — that doesn’t mean you have to rely on store-bought protein bars, boring hard-boiled eggs, and dry-roasted nuts. We’ve rounded up 15 healthy, filling and delicious snacks with at least five grams…