These coaching cues will help you nail every rep and build your best body
I work with an array of clients—from elite athletes to Bob in accounting. So you might assume I use different coaching cues for different fitness levels.
But the truth is, I’ve found that most people respond to the same cues regardless of ability.
(Transform your body from top to bottom with The Anarchy Workout. One guy lost 18 pounds of fat in just 6 weeks!)
Take the squat for example. These are two common cues you might hear:
One: Squeeze your glutes. Two: Crack a walnut between your glutes.
With my clients, the second is always best.
It’s an external cue, which takes your attention away from your body and directs it toward an outcome (breaking the nut).
The first cue, on the other hand, is an internal cue, which focuses on a body part and how it moves or works.
Coaches will use both internal and external. But I find that the following 9 external cues are magic for my clients. I say them, and—bam!—they instantly correct their form. They also work much better than “Hey! Stop doing that!”
Apply them to your own workout for flawless technique and greater gains.
Deadlift “Squeeze an orange in each of your armpits until you make orange juice.”
Why it works: You’ll activate your latissimus dorsi—the largest muscles in your back—so that they can assist in the big lift.
Maintaining this contraction throughout the entire exercise also prevents your upper back from rounding. And that’s important, since the more stable your spine, the more weight you can move.
Straight-Leg Deadlift or Romanian Deadlift
Create as much distance as possible between your head and butt.
Why it works: A perfect hip hinge is imperative for the straight-leg deadlift. But for many guys, it’s one of the hardest movements to master.
If you concentrate on pushing your head and butt away from one another as the weight lowers, however, your hips have to maximally bend. This fully engages your hamstrings and glutes so you can powerfully lift and lower the bar.
Squat Point your belt buckle toward your chin.
Why it works: Tilting your pelvis backward places your spine in a neutral position. This not only reduces the stress on your lower back and your risk of spine injuries, but also promotes more stability throughout your core.
@ 3 Exercises You Should Do Every Day
Rear-Foot-Elevated Split Squat or Bulgarian Split Squat Crack the concrete with your heel.
Why it works: You’ll find that your weight shifts forward into your toes as you lift and lower. This can cause your heel to come off the floor, placing a lot of stress on your knee, and activating your quad instead of the glutes. It can also decrease your strength.
Pressing through the heel of your front foot helps it stay flat during the exercise.
Pushup “Push your upper back toward the ceiling at the end of the movement.”
Why it works: This not only works your chest, but also engages your serratus anterior, a small but important muscle that helps move your shoulder blades.
If you neglect the serratus anterior, it becomes weak. And this puts you at a higher risk of shoulder impingement, a painful injury in the shoulder joint.
It also messes up your posture, tilting your shoulder blades forward and down. Do you want to look like a hunchback?
Kettlebell SwingHike the bell as hard as possible.
Why it works: You’ll build momentum on the very first swing. You can’t do that if you’re standing with the bell hanging straight down.
Here’s how to do it: Place the kettlebell about a foot in front of you, then lean forward to grab the bell. Your arms will be extended in front of you. Tilt the handle toward you, while trying to break it in half with your hands.
@ 10 Exercises That Burn More Calories Than Running
Now explosively “hike” the bell between your legs. When your arms hit the top of the inside of your thighs, explosively “pop your hips forward as you let the weight swing up to chest level.
Pullup Put your shoulder blades in your back pocket.
Why it works: This prevents the traps from doing all the work. Instead, it ensures you initiate the movement with your lats and teres major, the muscles in your shoulder blades.
Overhead Press Prepare for a punch in the stomach.
Why it works: Most men overarch their backs whenever their arms go overhead. This not only sabotages your strength, but also increases your risk of injury if there’s load involved.
Prepping your gut for a punch forces you to brace your abdominals-hard. Bracing your core keeps your pelvis in alignment and helps you maintain a neutral arch the entire time.
Roasted carrot soup is one of my favourite winter recipes. A minimal recipe, with few ingredients, the magic of the soup is in roasted carrots. Roasting enhances the sweetness of the carrots and combined with onions, ginger and garlic; this soup is heaven in a bowl.
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Serves: 2 as main and 6 as appetiser
Ingredients 1 kg carrots, sliced 2 onions, chopped 1 inch ginger, chopped 4 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 litre vegetable stock 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 3 tbsp olive oil Salt to taste
For garnish:2 tsp yoghurt Chives
Method *Preheat oven to 200ºC. In an oven-proof dish, toss the carrots with red chilli powder and a little salt. Drizzle about 1 tbsp oil. Spread evenly and roast for about 20-25 mins till some of the carrots just begin to turn black from the sides. Stir once halfway through.
*Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot, add onions, ginger and garlic. Sauté for about 5 mins, till the onions start to turn translucent. Add the roasted carrots (direct from the oven), vegetable stock and salt. Cover and bring it to a simmer.
*Reduce heat and let the soup simmer for another 10 mins, till the carrot is tender. *Remove from heat and puree the mixture until smooth. I simply use my hand blender straight in the pot. *To serve, add a dollop of yoghurt and a few strands of chives.
Chrissy Turner, age 8, will undergo a mastectomy in December to treat a rare form of breast cancer.
Only one in 1 million people are diagnosed with secretory breast carcinoma, a rare form of breast cancer. Eight-year-old Chrissy Turner is one of them.
The Utah girl was diagnosed on Nov. 9 after she approached her mother about a lump on her chest.
“She came to us on a Sunday afternoon, she said, ‘Mommy I have been scared and I have this lump.’ It had been there for a while,” Chrissy’s mother, Anette Turner, told ABC News.
Fortunately, Chrissy’s cancer is “very treatable,” her physician, Dr. Brian Bucher, told ABC News. She will have a mastectomy early in December, which should prevent the cancer from returning.
Chrissy Turner, age 8, has a type of breast cancer that affects less than one percent of the population.
“I was kind of scared to kind of figure out what it was,” Chrissy told ABC News. “But I knew that I could fight it off and I hope that I can fight it off.”
While she waits for surgery, Chrissy has been busy with her sister, Brianna. Recently the pair penned this inspiring (and adorable) message on a balloon: “Yea, I’m a girl. And I fight like one too.” The sisters later released the balloons into the sky.
Chrissy Turner and her sister released balloons with inspiring messages.
This isn’t the first time the Turner family has battled cancer. Chrissy’s mother, Annette, is an ovarian cancer survivor.
Chrissy’s father, Troy, has been fighting non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma since 2008. He is currently undergoing regular checkups to monitor the slow-growing cancer. Medical costs caused the family to declare bankruptcy in 2013, according to a fundraising page set up by a family friend.
Chrissy’s father, Troy, underwent aggressive chemotherapy for non-Hodgkins lymphoma when Chrissy was a baby.
To help with Chrissy’s medical bills, friends of the family have created afundraising page where well-wishers can donate online.
“I haven’t gotten personal with Annette about the costs incurred with Troy’s cancer yet, or the expected costs for Chrissy’s treatment, but I know for the past seven years, the costs they have incurred from Troy’s cancer has been devastating,” family friend Melissa Papaj says on the fundraising site.
“Words simply cannot express our gratitude to everyone for your support and prayers for our sweet Chrissy,” the family wrote on the Chrissy’s Alliance Facebook page.
Posing with Superman, Chrissy Turner shows her strength.
Let’s keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Health on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Pray for her.......................................
8 hours of sleep to improve your memory Here's a reason to make sure you sleep well before exams or a presentation. When given an opportunity to sleep for up to 8 hours, participants correctly matched 12 per cent more of the faces and names.
Do you want to better remember new names and faces? Go, hit the sack. According to researchers, people are better at remembering faces and names if they get 8 hours of sound sleep after seeing those faces and names for the first time. Many different kinds of memories are improved with sleep. While a couple of studies have looked at how naps might affect our ability to learn new faces and names, no previous studies have looked at the impact of a full night of sleep in between learning and being tested. “We found that when participants were given the opportunity to have a full night’s sleep, their ability to correctly identify the name associated with a face – and their confidence in their answers – significantly improved,” explained Jeanne F Duffy, associate neuroscientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH). Participants in the study underwent testing in a controlled environment while staying at BWH’s centre for clinical investigation.They were shown 20 photos of faces with corresponding names from a database of over 600 colour photos of adult faces and asked to memorise them. After a 12-hour period, they were then shown the photos again with either a correct or incorrect name.In addition to answering whether or not the correct name was shown, participants were asked to rate their confidence on a scale of one to nine.When given an opportunity to sleep for up to 8 hours, participants correctly matched 12 per cent more of the faces and names.The findings suggest that sleep after new learning activities may help improve memory. While the current study was conducted on healthy subjects in their 20s, the research team would like to explore the implications for people of all ages, including older adults. “Sleep is important for learning new information. As people get older, they are more likely to develop sleep disruptions and sleep disorders, which may, in turn, cause memory issues,” Duffy noted. By addressing issues with sleep, we may be able to affect people’s ability to learn things at all different ages, the authors concluded in a paper appeared in the journal Neurobiology of Learning and Memory.
A super-fast WiFi pavement in UK with 166 Mbps speed
Chesham market town in Buckinghamshire will be the first in world to get a 'smart' pavement with super fast public WiFi all free for residents.
United Kingdom’s Chesham market town in Buckinghamshire will be the first in world to get a ‘smart’ pavement with super fast public WiFi all free for residents. Virgin Media United Kingdom’s Chesham market town in Buckinghamshire will be the first in world to get a ‘smart’ pavement with super-fast public WiFi free for all its residents.
UK-based Virgin Media is overseeing the installation of this WiFi network and according to a report in Telegraph UK, the smart WiFi pavement will benefit “Chesham’s high street and parts of Lowndes Park.” According to a press statement from Virgin Media, the company is promising download speeds of up to 166 Mbps and they can download a 634 MB file in less than 35 seconds, which should cover favorite TV episodes for many.
Virgin Media adds that the “Smart Pavement” will connect directly to the company’s fibre network and provides the ultra-fast WiFi via a submerged access point which is placed beneath a specially developed resin cover. It is also rainproof and the company adds that the access point uses a “mixture of the latest tech including fibre optic cabling and superior DOCSIS 3 technology.” According to Virgin Media, the WiFi will be accessible even at distances of up to 80 metres.
“Not only is this the first time we’ve built metropolitan WiFi directly from our street cabinets, it is also the UK’s first deployment of a WiFi connected pavement,” said Gregor McNeil, Managing Director of Consumer at Virgin Media in a press statement.
The pilot is available to all 21,000 residents and businesses of Chesham.
International Space Station marks 15 years of nonstop human presence
Watch live view from Space Station
Since the first permanent crew moved in on Nov. 2, 2000, 220 people have come and gone, representing 17 countries.
Image: NASA
The International Space Station when it was under construction (left) to what it is now.
Humankind marked an off-the-planet pinnacle Monday: the 15th anniversary of continuous residency at the International Space Station.
NASA and its global partners celebrated the milestone, as did the six astronauts on board. The U.S., Russian and Japanese spacemen planned a special dinner 250 miles up. Commander Scott Kelly, seven months into a yearlong mission, said the biggest benefit of the orbiting lab is furthering long-term exploration goals deeper into space.
“The space station really is a bridge. It’s a test bed for the technologies that we need to develop and understand in order to have a successful trip to Mars,” American astronaut Kjell Lindgren noted during a news conference.Since the first permanent crew moved in on Nov. 2, 2000, 220 people have come and gone, representing 17 countries.
The United States is in the lead because of all the space shuttle flights that were needed to deliver station pieces; Russia is in second place, and Canada and Japan tied for third. At least one American and one Russian have been on board at all times.
More than 26,500 meals have been dished up, according to NASA, and the complex has grown from three to 13 rooms since 2000.
The current structure has a mass of nearly 1 million pounds and as much pressurized volume as a Boeing 747.
The most important experiment, Kelly said, is about keeping humans alive in space. His one-year mission with Russian Mikhail Kornienko, due to end in March, includes 400 experiments, many of them medical.
Americans have never spent this long in space; the Russians have, but it was decades ago on the former Mir station. NASA puts the number of experiments at this space station, over the years, at more than 1,760. At the same time, there have been 189 spacewalks to build and maintain the outpost since construction began in 1998; No. 190 will occur Friday when Kelly and Lindgren venture out for the second time in 1½ weeks. As the space station ages, more maintenance will be required.
NASA hopes to keep the complex running until 2024. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden called Monday’s milestone “a remarkable moment 5,478 days in the making.” “It has taught us about what’s possible when tens of thousands of people across 15 countries collaborate to advance shared goals,” Bolden said in a statement.
One sticking point, one to two decades ago, was a name for the place other than International Space Station — ISS in NASA shorthand. The original inhabitants — American Bill Shepherd and Russians Sergei Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko — christened their high-flying home Alpha when they arrived, but the name didn’t last. Kelly remembers wishing back then that the space station had a real name, but the various countries couldn’t agree on one.
“Now, it’s the ‘space station’ to me and I think it’s a great name,” Kelly told reporters. “The name ‘International Space Station’ really represents what it is. So in some ways, maybe it’s a better name.” As for day-to-day life, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui said the space station has yielded a unique culture given all the nationalities involved, with the crew members respecting each other. If this were practiced back on the planet, he noted, “the Earth will be a much better place.
We do not condone hiring social escorts. Paying for love is like having sex for virginity. To the men out there, even if you do not respect women and would like to treat them as your play things, you should respect yourselves. Somewhere on Earth, there is a lady who will love you for who you are regardless of shape, size and color, you just got to be patient, good things come to those who wait. Yes, social escorts might tend to be prettier than the average girl, but at what cost? You fork out large sums of money for a night and she leaves you high and dry the next day. Check out the top 10 most expensive female escorts in the world that leech off men's desperation.
Zahia Dehar resembles a life sized version of a Barbie doll. It will come to be of no surprise if she reveals that she is trying to emulate the famous Mattel doll. Many of her photos look unreal, they just look like photos of a mannequin, even her body proportions are highly unnatural. Zahia does not really charge on a nightly basis, instead her fee is $32,000 per month, so she is more of a sugar-baby looking for a couple of rich sugar-daddies.
Loredana Jolie, $2,000/ per night
Loredana Jolie is notorious for being one of Tiger Woods' companions. Loredana claims she was only paid $15,000 at one time from all the men she has been with, so it is estimated that she costs $2,000 a night.
Just Kassandra, $3,000/ per night
Just Kassandra is very exclusive and only accepts the clients that she likes. She will meet them in person first and if they are to her liking, she will then make the additional arrangements. She has a passion for traveling, so she typically prefer men of adventure and riches to invite her into their high-powered world. Her website depicts her as a very classy lady with whom men would want to show off.
Ashley Dupre (Kristen), $4,300/ per night
New York Govenor Eliot Laurence Spitzer had a little affair with a woman named Kristen a.k.a Ashley Supre. Apparently, Spitzer has been a customer of the Emporer's Club VIP that helped arranged his trysts with Kristen and several other women. He paid over $80,000 in companions, and it didn't work out for him when his dirty little secret was leaked. He was forced to resign as govenor while Kristen shot to fame for the scandal and has been featured in Playboy and other men's magazines.
Miss Maya Blue, $4,500/ per night
Maya Blue is an enterprising young woman with her own website that includes a section describing herself, a photo gallery, rates and suggested services. For some reason, despite the steep prices, men can't seem to get enough of her. The traveling courtesan has men talking about her on Internet forums everywhere.
Ava Xi'an, $6,500/ per night
Ava Xi'an used to be a New York Realtor and did not set out to be an escort. She is a victim of one of those sob stories where her father got ill and had no health insurance to pay off his medical bills. His heart surgery was going to cost more than they could afford, so Ava studied the art of coquetry and being a professional social escort. She decided to market herself to the more upscale clientele because she wanted to make the most money in the shortest period of time. She got so good at it that before long, she was making $45,000 a week and she had enough money to pay for her father's surgery.
Natalie McLennan, $16,000/ per night
Natalie McLennan was formerly known as the number one social escort of New York City. Her career took a plunge as she got busted by the police for money laundering for a prostitution ring. After that, she wrote an autobiography called “The Price: My Rise and Fall As Natalia, New York's #1 Escort” which didn't bring in as much dough as her previous job.
Lauren, $24,000/ per night
Lauren is a very secretive social escort who charges an exorbitant rate of $24,000 for a night. All we know is that she is loved for her personality, wit, charm and sensuality in bed.
Cannes Film Festival Favorites, $40,000/ per night
Social escorts from all parts of France, Spain and Italy flock to the 10-14 day Cannes Film Festival which is typically held in May. The competition is fierce between the escorts and they are situated everywhere hawking their goods in hotel lobbies, marinas, clubs and restaurants. The highest paid and most sought after social escorts don't even need to lift a finger, men go to them and “book” them before the Cannes Film Festival. They have prearranged dates that will even take them out of the bedroom and into the prestigious A-list party scene. These select few are known for making $40,000/night.
Michelle Braun, $50,000/ per night
We do not know what makes this lady so special that men pay $50,000 a night for, but her clients include “big names”, as mentioned by her lawyer, Marc Nurik
Google planning a ‘watershed’ quantum computing announcement for December 8
According to Steve Jurvetson, venture capitalist and board member at pioneer quantum computing company D-WAVE (as well as others, such as Tesla and SpaceX), Google has what may be a “watershed” quantum computing announcement scheduled for early next month. This comes as D-WAVE, which notably also holds the Mountain View company as a customer, has just sold a 1000+ Qubit 2X quantum computer to national security research institution Los Alamos…
It’s not exactly clear what this announcement will be (besides important for the future of computing), but Jurvetson says to “stay tuned” for more information coming on December 8th. This is the first we’ve heard of a December 8th date for a Google announcement, and considering its purported potential to be a turning point in computing, this could perhaps mean an actual event is in the cards.
Notably, Google earlier this year entered a new deal with NASA and D-WAVE to continue its research in quantum computing. D-WAVE’s press release at the time had this to say:
The new agreement enables Google and its partners to keep their D-Wave system at the state-of-the-art for up to seven years, with new generations of D-Wave systems to be installed at NASA Ames as they become available.
Jurvetson made mention of the date in a comment on his Flickr account, specifically below a photo that he posted 3 years ago (below) showing Rose’s Law, a theory that suggests that sometime around the end of this year quantum computers should have power that’s “faster than the universe.” So far, he notes, Rose’s Law has seen itself proven mostly accurate — not unlike Moore’s Law, which was remarkably predicted by Gordon E. Moore after just five data points.
From your Starbucks latte to the orange-laced displays at your local grocery store, it’s official:Pumpkin spice season is officially upon us. What you may not realize, however, is that this iconic American fruit (yes, it’s technically a fruit!) has some serious beauty benefits.
“Pumpkin contains enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids that increase cell turnover, brighten and smooth skin, and are great exfoliaters,” explains New York dermatologist, Patricia Wexler, M.D. Vitamins A and C help prevent free-radical damage and boost collagen production for younger-looking skin. The zinc in pumpkin seeds is good for acne to help decrease oil production, while the essential fatty acids help with barrier function to increase hydration, she adds.
The beloved fall gourd is even good for your strands. “The essential fatty acids and vitamins A, C, and E help increase the moisture of hair and maintain cell turnover of the scalp while healing inflammation,” says Wexler. And if you have an oily scalp, you’ll appreciate this—the zinc in pumpkin helps control the level of sebum, or oil, the scalp produces, says Wexler.
Ready to give pumpkin a go? Try these at-home recipes created by licensed esthetician Michelle Ornstein, who is also founder and formulator of Enessa Skincare. And if you’re not a DIY type, we’ve also suggested product versions you can nab on your next store or Sephora run.
Face Mask
¼ cup pureed pumpkin ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp manuka honey
Mix ingredients together. Apply a thin layer to skin, and rinse off after five minutes.
Turmeric powder helps brighten skin and heal inflammation associated with acne, while manuka honey is a humectant that provides moisturization and additional anti-acne properties, says Ornstein.
RELATED: The Secrets to Healthier Skin and Hair Are Hiding in Your Spice Rack
¼ cup pureed pumpkin 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed ¼ cup benzonite clay ¼ cup chamomile tea
Mix ingredients together. Apply a thick layer to skin. Wait 60 seconds, and then massage to exfoliate and rinse off.
The ground flaxseed is the secret ingredient here that washes off the dead skin cells that the pumpkin enzymes exfoliated off, says Ornstein.
Product pick: Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, $42, peterthomasroth.com
Body Scrub
1 cup pureed pumpkin ¼ cup jojoba oil ¼ cup coffee grounds ¼ cup Himalayan salt
Mix ingredients together. Use as a body scrub in the shower or bath.
Jojoba oil is super-nourishing and rich in antioxidants, making it a great carrier oil for a body scrub. Caffeine from coffee grounds helps smooth out skin and reduces the appearance of cellulite as a bonus. Pink Himalayan salt contains trace minerals that are beneficial for skin, says Ornstein.
Product pick: Bath & Body Works Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Shea & Sugar Body Scrub, $17,bathandbodyworks.com
RELATED: How to Exfoliate Every Single Body Part—the Right Way
In-Shower Body Moisturizer
1 tsp pumpkin seed oil (such as Roland Virgin Pumpkin Seed Oil Cold Pressed, $10, walmart.com) ½ cup coconut milk 1 tsp monoi oil (such as The Body Shop Spa Wisdom Polynesia Monoi Miracle Oil, $20, thebodyshop-usa.com)
Mix ingredients in a spray bottle, and spray on body in shower after cleansing, making sure to rinse completely.
Coconut milk is extremely hydrating and rich in anti-aging and soothing fatty acids and oils. Monoi oil contains methyl salicylate, which nurtures skin and prevents environmental damage, says Ornstein. This one is so unique, you’ll need to make it yourself!
Hair Mask
1 Tbsp pumpkin seed oil
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup jojoba oil
5 drops eucalyptus essential oil
5 drops peppermint essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
Mix ingredients together. This can be used as a scalp treatment or hair oil mask on clean hair. Allow it to sit for several minutes, then rinse out completely.Coconut, eucalyptus, and lavender are all natural ingredients that help stimulate the scalp to protect against hair loss. Jojoba oil hydrates both the scalp and hair, says Ornstein.Product pick: Sexy Hair Pumpkin Puree Treatment Masque, $25,
amazon.com
Peel-Off Exfoliating Treatment
½ cup pumpkin juice (While this can be difficult to find in stores, Ornstein says it’s easy to juice at home. “Simply peel it and separate out the stringy pulp and seeds before juicing,” she says.)
2 packs unflavored gelatin ½ tsp tomato juice 2 tsp egg whites
Microwave the mixture so everything dissolves together, and then wait for it to cool (but not to completely solidify). Apply two layers onto skin, allow to dry, then peel off.The gelatin creates the peel-off mechanism while tomato juice helps brighten skin and control sebum production. The egg whites help lift and tighten skin, says Ornstein.Product pick: Freeman Beauty Pumpkin Peeling Mask, $2,freemanbeauty.com
Michelle Obama Opens Up About Her Less-Than-Healthy Past
“It got to the point where our pediatrician pulled me aside and urged me to make some changes for the sake of our daughters’ health.”
First Lady Michelle Obama is living proof that just because you live in the White House doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun. While she certainly takes her Let’s Move! campaign seriously, she’s also danced up a storm with Jimmy Fallon and tweeted inside jokes to her husband. It’s clear she’s high-energy (um, have you seen this workout video?), but more importantly, she’s driven by a serious passion to help America get healthy.
RELATED:A Message from the First Lady of the United States
In this exclusive interview, the FLOTUS explains why putting yourself first is key to getting and staying healthy, how she’s helping kids learn to love being active, and what she hopes to achieve next.
On Her Less-than-Healthy Past… “Too often, we as women work so hard to take care of everyone in our families and manage everything at our jobs, and we forget to pay attention to ourselves. In fact, our own health is often our very last priority—that last item on the to-do list that we never quite get around to.
"That used to be the case in my own life. I remember back when our older daughter was born, and I was exhausted, struggling with all those late-night feedings and diaper changes while trying to manage my own career and support Barack’s career. Back then, I was barely able to take a shower every day, let alone get to the gym. And one day, my mother sat me down and told me, ‘Michelle, you cannot be there for everyone else if you’re not there for yourself.’ Like usual, she was right. And while, like many women—and men—I’ve struggled to find the right balance, I try to make sure that my own health and wellbeing is up there at the top of the list along with my family’s.”
On Walking the Walk… “I certainly don’t consider myself a fitness icon—that’s way too much pressure! But I do hope that by being active, whether by hula-hooping with kids on the White House lawn or by hitting the gym as often as I can, I’m showing people that there are all kinds of ways to get fit and that it’s really about finding the activities that work best for your own body. I hope I’m also showing people by example that getting fit can be fun!”
Related: The Workout That Michelle Obama Will Be Doing this Year
On Helping Her Family Stay Healthy… “Back when I was a busy working mom living in Chicago, Barack and I didn’t always make the best nutrition choices. We were a little too dependent on our microwave and the local takeout places. It got to the point where our pediatrician pulled me aside and urged me to make some changes for the sake of our daughters’ health. That was a real wakeup call for us, so we started making some simple changes that made a big impact: cooking at home more, eating more fruits and vegetables, and drinking more water. And we could really feel the effects on our bodies. ”
On the Success of Let’s Move!… “We’ve helped create healthier daycare centers—where fruits and veggies have replaced cookies and juice—for 1.6 million kids. We raised standards for school meals, and more than 30 million kids are now eating healthier school breakfasts and lunches. We created our Let’s Move! active schools program, and nearly nine million kids are attending schools where they get 60 minutes of physical activity a day. Thousands of chain restaurants have created healthier kids’ menus, and food and beverage companies have cut 6.4 trillion calories from their products. And today, childhood obesity rates have finally stopped rising, and obesity rates are actually falling among our youngest children. ”
On What She Hopes to Achieve Next… “While we’ve made some real progress on this issue, we clearly still have a long way to go—nearly one in three kids is still overweight or obese—and I really wish we could solve this problem more quickly. Unfortunately, our childhood obesity epidemic has been decades in the making, and we can’t fix it overnight. But if we keep pushing forward in all sectors and giving families the information and support they need to make healthy choices, I believe we will be able to give all our kids the healthy futures they deserve.”
Related: Shonda Rhimes Wants Her Daughters to Own Their Sexuality
On What We Can Do to Help… “One of the most important things we can to do to protect women’s health is to protect the Affordable Care Act that my husband passed back in 2010. Because of this law, most health plans now cover preventive care like pap smears, contraception, and flu shots—with no out-of-pocket costs. Insurance companies can no longer discriminate against women—believe it or not, insurance companies used to be allowed to charge women more than men for the very same coverage. And they can no longer discriminate against you and charge you outrageous rates if you have a pre-existing condition like HPV or even pregnancy—yes, pregnancy was sometimes considered a pre-existing condition.
"This law has helped so many women, and we need to make sure that no one takes away the protections it provides for us and our families.
Today’s makeup can stand up to heat, long hours of wear, and even a Soul Cycle session. While this saves us the worry of having to reapply all the time, it does have a serious downside: Trying to get all that damn product off. Constant scrubbing is a disaster for your lashes and can cause major irritation to the delicate eye area and sensitive skin. Here’s how to gently (yet completely) remove your makeup.
Protect Your Eyes The skin around your eyes is the thinnest on your face. That’s why it’s prone to irritation, inflammation (hello, bags!), and dark circles. So first things first: A fragrance-, oil-, and alcohol-free liquid makeup remover is a great gentle option for everyday use. We love Renée Rouleau Soothing Eye Makeup Remover ($21.50, reneerouleau.com), which has a PH of 7.2. (Your tears have a natural pH of 6.9 to 7.5, so it won’t sting.)
Apply two to three drops of liquid makeup remover on a cotton pad, and hold it on your eye for 20 to 30 seconds, says Viviana Martin, the Director of Global Artistry and Pro-Artist Relations for Kevyn Aucoin. This allows the remover to start dissolving the makeup before you rub. You can then gently rub your eyes, but make sure you don’t pull and that you aren’t too rough, which can break your lashes.
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Pick a Heavy-Duty Remover if You’re Wearing Waterproof Makeup Because they have a stronger consistency, oil-based removers are ideal for removing waterproof makeup, says Martin. “A regular remover may not be able to handle the long-wearing action of a waterproof mascara,” she says. MAC Cleanse Off Oil ($31, maccosmetics.com) is a good option.
Be aware, however, that the oil can leave greasy residue behind. It can also create a barrier against other products, such as eye cream or moisturizer—stopping them from penetrating your skin. To prevent this from happening, do a full cleanse after you take off your makeup.
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Use Towelettes Sparingly Makeup remover wipes have their benefits, but because they’re not highly saturated (the whole point is to reduce mess, after all), they require constant scrubbing, which can, of course, cause irritation and damage. So only use them in a pinch (like after a workout).
DIY It Combining a little bit of Vaseline and moisturizer and rubbing it into your skin works wonders when you don’t have a traditional makeup remover handy. Martin also recommends another DIY idea: honey. Similar to an oil-based remover, it’s gentle on the eyes and hydrating—opposed to traditional alcohol-based removers, which can be very drying. Just remember to cleanse your face after to avoid any stickiness.
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Finish with Toner Unless your skin is severely dry or irritated, use a toner to remove any leftover makeup or remover residue. We’re fans of The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Skin Clearing Face Toner ($18, thebodyshop-usa.com), which serves as an acne treatment, too.
