What tips are worth ripping out & sticking on the fridge and what tricks should be used as gum wrappers? Keep reading!
~Tips Worth Investing In~
Flavor On The Go
Check out that cute, totally portable bottle of Sriracha! I had no idea that this was a thing, but it sounds like a life-saver for the ultimate Sriracha lover who's stuck at a restaurant who's yet to get with the times. Apparently you can get tiny, portable soy sauce clip ons too which could be an actual life-saver for me to put my gluten free soy sauce in.
More Cheese Please
According to SHAPE magazine and Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, eating cheese can boost your metabolism. We all have microbes in our gut that recognize cheese entering the body and trigger production of butyrane. Butyrane has various effects that include speeding up metabolism and regulating cholesterol. So throw away your Laughing Cow wedges (you don't need to deal with the tummy troubles from all those chemicals anyways) and break open the real cheddar.
Feel Happier
I'm a UCLA Bruin through and through, but I have no problem recognizing a genius study done by UC Berkeley that showed that subjects who experienced awe - such as reveling in the beauty of a flower or piece of art - had far fewer indicators of stress than subjects who experienced just a moment of joy. Furthermore, "emotions like wonder and amazement are linked with an increased state of well-being". So next time you need a happiness boost, go sightseeing instead of shopping.
Ladies, Travel Solo!
Channel your inner #GirlBoss and make your next getaway a trip for one. SHAPE mag's Sonia Gil shares, "Conquering something by yourself is exhilarating, empowering, and extremely fulfilling." There's no telling what you'll find when you're following your own game plan and whims.
A 5 Minute Workout that Actually Works?
Apparently many of SHAPE's readers were eager to find out if in the midst of a crazy, chaotic day it's possible to reap the benefits of exercise in only five minutes. Here's the verdict: yes...and no. A five minute workout can in fact increase cardio ability and rev the metabolism if you're willing to go "lungs on fire fast" and use the Tabata method to alternate between cardio moves for 20 seconds of all out high effort and 10 seconds rest. This is also known as HIIT. That being said, five minute workouts are not an effective exercise choice 7 days a week. Longer time periods of exercise are necessary for overall toning, fat burning, and various other health benefits.
~Tricks I'm Not Buying~
I was really impressed with SHAPE's lack of juice cleanses, get thin quick scams, etc. until I flipped to page featuring "Eat This! Not That!". In last week's discussion of how I made peace with no longer being "the skinny girl", I explained how at age thirteen, I saw "Eat This! Not That!" in Barnes & Noble and it triggered my battle with anoreixa and orthorexia. The book actually encourages fear foods by making clear distinctions between what is "good" and what is "bad". I was disappointed to see SHAPE magazine sponsoring such blatant, unacceptable food shaming.
~What Do You Think?~
What are the best things you've taken away from the magazine?
What would you like to see less of?