While the first official day of Summer is a few weeks away, Memorial Day weekend is so close we can taste it. If you're looking to inject a little Summer spirit into your workout music, this playlist is just the thing you need. This mix of classic rock and indie tunes will motivate you to move your bottom off your beach towel and start getting active in the sun. Subscribe to the Spotify playlist, then keep reading for the full list of songs.
With the Memorial Day weekend here, there is no better time to find out what light beer will taste the best. Knowing the calorie count, carbs, and alcohol content in each of these readily available light brews will help you make smart and informed choices at your holiday BBQ. We tasted all of these beers at POPSUGAR HQ, where our editors shared their thoughts. Check out how the light beers matched up after going head to head and which one was the crowd favorite.
Staying away from foods that bloat your belly before the beach is helpful, but a girl's got to eat! Grabbing goods from the market is always an available option, but packing some homemade snacks that are easily transportable to the sea can be a real treat. Here are a few ideas we love for picnic-friendly healthy beach eats.
Prevention is the key to burn-free skin, but sometimes SPF lotion and a cute hat don't stand up to the Summer sun. Once you've been burned, start out by replenishing your fluids from the inside out by drinking plenty of water. If you're still in pain — or looking a little fried — then try out one (or a combination) of the following natural sunburn remedies to soothe your skin naturally.
Collodial oatmeal: Think that oatmeal baths are just for kids with chicken pox? You won't be saying so once you've soaked in some milky oatmeal after a long day in the sun. But tossing the rolled oats from your kitchen into the tub won't do. Look for a colloidal oatmeal bath like this Aveeno Oatmeal Bath ($7) that calms down and works to heal inflamed skin.
Vitamin C: Instead of popping aspirin, upping your vitamin C can help alleviate sunburn damage. "I tell my patients to take 1,000 milligrams [of vitamin C] for three days, as opposed to the recommended daily allowance of 75 milligrams, and also apply the vitamin topically," says dermatologist Mary Lupo, MD. She suggests Philosophy's Turbo Booster C Powder ($36) as a topical solution for sunburn woes.
Aloe vera: Aloe vera is king of the natural remedies. Whether you have an inexpensive gel lotion or a fresh plant at home, aloe vera will help soothe your skin naturally, since it contains nutrients that heal your skin back to health and prevent infection simultaneously. To heighten the cooling sensation, refrigerate your aloe vera gel before you apply.
How do you deal with your skin after a bad sunburn? Tell me below!
Even if you're not a dessert junkie, you might be shocked at some of the everyday foods that pile on the sugar. According to the American Heart Association, most women should be consuming no more than 100 calories from added sugars per day, or about 24 grams (six teaspoons of sugar). Added sugars come from sugars or syrups and are cooked into foods or sprinkled on at the table. While you should be concerned about all the sugar you're eating, generally speaking, naturally occurring sugars are less detrimental to your health — especially when they come in the form of a piece of fruit. The following list offers a mix of the two, but learning about all high-sugar foods will help you make smarter decisions in the future.
Spaghetti sauce: One cup of jarred tomato sauce from the store contains up to 360 calories, much of it from added sugar. Instead of buying the store-bought stuff, up the nutritional value and lower the sugar content naturally with this light and tasty raw tomato basil sauce.
Juice: Robert Lustig, a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital has said "juice is just like soda . . . there is no difference." It's not surprising that fruit juice is filled with sugar, but even a glass of V8 vegetable juice has almost eight grams of sugar per serving, and some store-bought green juices contain a large amount of apple juice. Grab your blender or juicer and go for a leafy green smoothie instead of a sugar-laden beverage. There's no need to drink all your sugar and calories for the day in one sitting.
Bread: Bread may seem like a strange place to find sugar, but two slices of wholemeal bread have almost three grams of sugar. Opt for stuffing all your sandwich fillings into a large whole wheat pita that only has 0.4 grams of sugar. Keep reading for two more surprising foods loaded with sugar.
Even if you've watched someone at the gym using a piece of equipment you haven't tried, it can be intimidating to pick it up and attempt it yourself. If you're curious how some of these fitness props work, it's time to learn what these tools can bring to your next gym session.
Foam Roller
Showing your muscles a little TLC is essential after a tough workout, and the foam roller is the gym tool that can help. Beyond treating your body to a mini-massage, correctly using a foam roller loosens stiff muscles and prevents future injury. While these foam rolling moves are essential for endurance runners, anyone who spends time at the gym will benefit from taking the time to roll out before or after your workout. Keep reading to learn how to use two more essential fitness props.
Celebrate your healthy accomplishments with a healthy (and cheap!) treat for $10 or less. Instead of breaking the bank, overindulging, or hindering your healthy progress, each of these ideas supports your new balanced lifestyle.
Keep reading for five more ways to treat yourself for $10 or less.
While the concept of burning fat might feel elusive, reaching your goals might be easier than you think. Boosting your metabolism plays an essential role in the process, and these techniques are all specifically linked to burning fat. Take these four tips to heart to see big results.
Go for the big burn: When it comes to the workout that truly blasts the most fat, Len Kravitz, Ph.D., puts it simply: "to burn more fat, burn more calories." Your lengthy leisurely walk or restorative yoga class is a great start, but they're not necessarily going to help you take off weight. If you're not sure where to start, then try this ten minute exercise to get you going.
Drink green tea: Green tea does more than calm you down and prevent sickness. According to a study from American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, drinking tea may have fat-fighting effects. The combination of green tea's high content of caffeine and catechins stops the body from absorbing carbohydrates and helps burn more fat. Drink it with meals, enjoy it before a workout, and basically do whatever you can to take teatime regularly. Keep reading for two more ways you can burn more fat.
Spaghetti sauce: One cup of jarred marinara sauce from the store contains 14.5 grams of sugar, much of it from added sugar. Instead of buying the store-bought stuff, up the nutritional value and lower the sugar content naturally with this light and tasty raw tomato basil sauce, perfect for a refreshing Spring supper.
Juice: Robert Lustig, a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital has said "juice is just like soda . . . there is no difference." It's not surprising that fruit juice is filled with sugar, but even a glass of V8 vegetable juice has eight grams of sugar per serving, and some store-bought green juices contain a large amount of apple juice. Grab your blender or juicer and go for a leafy green smoothie instead of a sugar-laden beverage. There's no need to drink all your sugar and calories for the day in one sitting.
Bread: Bread may seem like a strange place to find sugar, but two slices of whole wheat bread have four grams of sugar. Opt for stuffing all your sandwich fillings into a large whole wheat pita that only has 0.5 grams of sugar.
Keep reading for two more surprising foods loaded with sugar.
While the concept of burning fat might feel elusive, reaching your goals might be easier than you think. Boosting your metabolism plays an essential role in the process, and these techniques are all specifically linked to burning fat. Take these four tips to heart to see big results.
Go for the big burn: When it comes to the workout that truly blasts the most fat, Len Kravitz, Ph.D., puts it simply: "to burn more fat, burn more calories." Your lengthy leisurely walk or restorative yoga class is a great start, but they're not necessarily going to help you take off weight. If you're not sure where to start, then check out these exercises that burn the most calories in 15 minutes to have an idea of what you should be looking for when choosing a new workout.
Drink green tea: Green tea does more than calm you down and prevent sickness. According to a study from American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, drinking tea may have fat-fighting effects. The combination of green tea's high content of caffeine and catechins stops the body from absorbing carbohydrates and helps burn more fat. Drink it with meals, enjoy it before a workout, and basically do whatever you can to take teatime regularly.
Keep reading for two more ways you can burn more fat.
Planning a healthy Summer getaway? Consider one of these yoga festivals that aim to bring like-minded yogis together through music and yoga flow. Each of these festivals offers an experience that will leave you rested, refreshed, and heading back to the "real" world with a positive attitude. Click through to learn about the festivals we'd love to attend before you book your next adventure.
If you haven't worked with soba yet, it's time to acquaint yourself these protein- and fibre-filled, gluten-free buckwheat noodles. They help bulk up many salad and soup recipes, but they also stand strong on their own. Smooth and tangy ginger peanut dressing complements the chewy noodles and crisp veggies. This is one recipe you'll love having for leftovers the next day, since the flavours develop with time. Keep reading for this quick and satisfying gluten-free recipe.
Lounging all day at the beach might be your speed, but anyone who's fallen out of a bikini can tell you, they wish they'd thought their top choice through. If you're going to be active at the beach this Summer, click through the following trendy picks to inspire smart swimwear beyond the standard triangle top.
If you haven't worked with soba yet, it's time to acquaint yourself these protein- and fiber-filled, gluten-free buckwheat noodles. They help bulk up many salad and soup recipes, but they also stand strong on their own. Treat your taste buds to this Thai-inspired salad, perfect for warmer weather. Smooth and tangy ginger peanut dressing complements the chewy noodles and crisp veggies. This is one recipe you'll love having for leftovers the next day, since the flavors develop with time. Keep reading for this quick and satisfying gluten-free recipe.
It's still technically Spring, but given how April showers have quickly passed into sunny May days, now's the perfect time to head to the outdoors and fire up the grates for a pre-Summer cookout.
You could go for the classic sides — or just grab bags of your favorite chips — but putting in some extra effort won't go unnoticed by all your guests who are looking forward to what you'll be heating up on the grill! Click through to check out eight less-conventional sides that will have everyone impressed.
We know you're spending plenty of time getting your body bikini ready with healthy food and fun workouts. While taking note of these tips to make bathing suit shopping easier is a great start, being equipped with as many tools as possible will help you feel confident before running around on the beach. In case you're concerned about unnecessary extra bloat before you rock your bikini, here are six foods to avoid right before you hit the beach.
Carbonated drinks: While you've hopefully taken the initiative to say goodbye to soda for good, sparkling water can be a decent substitute if you can't get enough of those bubbles. With that said, it's best to avoid any carbonated drinks before you hit the beach to steer clear of unnecessary belly bulge or gas.
Salt: Supersalty foods or added salt don't necessarily make you gassy, but they definitely make you retain water. Even though those cantina chips and salsa may seem like the ideal prebeach grub, opt for something with lower levels of sodium to help you feel your best before you head to the ocean.
Cruciferous veggies: They're great foods for long-term weight loss, but if there's one time not to chow down on a heaping helping of broccoli, cabbage, or kale, it's right before you hit the beach! These veggies contain a complex sugar called raffinose that's known to cause some lovely bloat.
Keep reading for three more foods to avoid before the beach.
Paleo dieters craving a big bowl of stir-fry will find delicious comfort in this fresh, bright, and satisfying cauliflower "rice" recipe. Beyond being a Paleo-friendly offering, this grain-free stir-fry has zero cholesterol, is low in sodium, and offers your entire daily recommended intake of vitamin A and vitamin C in just one meal. While this recipe requires a decent amount of chopping in the kitchen, once the prep is done, the cook time is under 15 minutes — just trust me on this one, the healthy result is well worth the effort.
Keep reading for your new favourite Paleo recipe.
Paleo dieters craving a big bowl of stir-fry will find delicious comfort in this fresh, bright, and satisfying cauliflower "rice" recipe. Beyond being a Paleo-friendly offering, this grain-free stir-fry has zero cholesterol, is low in sodium, and offers your entire daily recommended intake of vitamin A and vitamin C in just one meal. While this recipe requires a decent amount of chopping in the kitchen, once the prep is done, the cook time is under 15 minutes — just trust me on this one, the healthy result is well worth the effort.
Keep reading for your new favorite Paleo recipe.
Anyone who runs a 10.5-minute mile needs to listen to this new 5K playlist on her next run. There's a little something for every runner's needs in this perfect blend of rock, pop, and soul. Subscribe to the Spotify playlist, then keep reading for the full list of songs.
Standing poses might not be as glamorous as the big arm balances, but their benefits are plenty. They can open up your chest and shoulders and help you build long, lean, and strong arms and legs. The following 31 standing poses vary from beginner to advanced, so try out those that only serve you right now. Instead of feeling discouraged about those you can't do yet, look forward to what you'll be able to do a few months down the line!
