Not to jinx it at this late hour but, against all odds, it looks like our species will make it to 2020. Time to break out the organic, sustainably sourced champagne. (It may taste like carbonated vinegar, but at least its still reassuringly expensive.) But what then? Will humanity manage to stick it out for a few more millennia? Not if we dont manage to stay healthy in the short term.

To that end, and as in years past, weve reached out to several prominent personalities in the health and fitness world (generously defined) to get theirtake on what we might expect in the year ahead.

The Second Running Boom, according to stats collected by RunningUSA, peaked back in 2013, when 19 million people signed up for U.S. road races. Thats roughly when the headlines about how too much running would kill you hit their peak, and also when Eliud Kipchoge made his marathon debut. Since then, numbers have been steadily ebbing: they hit 18.1 million in 2018. But the bleeding has almost stopped, andbuoyed by the persistent failure of studies to find any evidence that even extreme amounts of running will kill you and the persistent brilliance of Kipchoge2020 will be the year that the trend finally turns around. Lapsed runners will return to the fold, new runners will discover the Trial of Miles, and hardcore veterans will redouble their efforts. The year will reach its apogee in December when Kipchoge, while delivering his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speechin Oslo, actually levitates from the stage (though the usual cynics will maintain that this feat is somehow linked to the bluish flame that, from certain angles, appears to flicker from the soles of his sneakers).

Alex Hutchinson, OutsideSweat Science columnist and author of Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance

I expect that people will become increasingly focused on trying to move more throughout the day. Not working out, not even going for a walk, but just taking time throughout the day to stand up from a chair and move around for a few minutes. Research shows that our bodies arent designed to be in one place for hours at a time. And of course, a short break is good for our brains.

Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project

In 2020, we will start to see a big increase in the number of people working out using virtual training programs in their homes. Indoor cycling programs like Peloton and Zwift were just the beginning. Now, with programs like those by Mirror and Tonal, your gym and trainer are coming to you, right in the comfort of your home. The big question is whether or not people will find these as fun and effective without the live person and community aspects of going to the gym.

Andy Petranek, co-founder of the Whole Life Challenge

I think that in the post-Vaporfly world we are going to see a shoe arms race as other companies jump in and the discussion about possible regulation of shoe tech heats up. I think this is going to spill over to other areas of equipment as people and companies seek novel ways to improve efficiency.

Dr. Michael Joyner, physiologistat the Mayo Clinic

In my crystal ball, Im seeing much greater attention from Big Agriculture to how its practices affect climate change, along with increasing public demand for sustainable regenerative agriculture, meaning farming practices that sequester carbon, replenish nutrients in soil, and protect water resources. Its about time!

Marion Nestle,professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at NYU, emerita, and author of Unsavory Truth: How Food Companies Skew the Science of What We Eat

Are interval workouts better for you than running long distances? Is breakfast the most important meal of the day, or is extending your overnight fast better? Which one is the evil ill to all of our problems this year: fat, sugar, or animal proteins? If there's one thing I'm sure of, its that in 2020 we will continue our back and forth arguments over what the next superfood, super-exercise, and super-supplement are. Its in our nature to get lost in the details of exercise and diet advice, while forgetting that there is no easy answer when it comes to health and fitness. And that were a diverse group of individuals, so what works for you may not work for me. My hope is that the big picture makes a comeback. Instead of trying to hack or detail our way to health and wellbeing, we settle on the few very basic things that work: move, eat real food, sleep, form real bonds and relationships, go outside.

Steve Magness, Track and Field and Cross-Country Coach at the University of Houston, and co-author of The Passion Paradox and Peak Performance

I predict a continuation of last years sentiment that women are a lot like people. We will see a wave of men vocally supporting womens sports, sharing their female sports heroes, and emphatically demanding that everyone stop boxing in the potential reach of women athletes to only female fans. This massive tide of allyship will have a profound effect on the economics of womens sports. Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird will parachute into the World Series, mid-play, and do an open arm salute.

Lauren Fleshman, retired professional track and field athlete and co-founder Picky Bars

The main trend I see continuing, since I think itsalready underway, is kind of a reversal of what happened in the last two decades: for a long time, mainstream fitness was training in your grungy gym with other human-beings, everyone kind of struggling along together. During that period, fringe fitness was using fancy gadgets and devices and technologies to boostyour training. Then, sometime in the last few years, that completely flipped. Now mainstream is training with fancy gadgets (or in specific classes) and it is only the fringe folks who are training in low-tech, grungy gyms. I think this niche will continue to grow: the return of the garage gym kind of thing. I sense that, increasingly, people are getting sick of their health and fitness being just another part of living a productive, measured, and polished life. I dontthink this kind of back-to-basics training will be mainstream again anytime soon, but I do think more people will bounce back in this direction. In running, in strength training, in cycling. You name it. Im not against stuff like Peloton. Anything that gets someone moving who otherwise wouldntbe moving is a good thing. I just think high-tech fancy fitness is saturated and people are getting sick of being measured and compared in every element of their life... For all of Crossfitsfaults (such as coming after me on Twitterfor saying that walking is the best exercise there is and gets you 99 percent of the way there, which I stand by), they do a really nice job of keeping things low-tech, hard, and community-oriented. Instead of constantly criticizing, other fitness movements could learn from this.

Brad Stulberg, OutsideDo It Better columnist and co-author of Peak Performance

I think people are a bit fed up and just want to know what works. Theres ample opportunity to teach the consumer and exercise-goer instead of simply offering another product. Running will still continue to be big this year, especially going into an Olympic year. We will also continue to see the rise of disciplines outside of the fitness space but are still connected to itthink mindfulness and recovery. These arent fads and are truly here to stay.Joe Holder, fitnessand wellness columnist for GQ

People will look up from their smart watches and phones and actually speak to each other more in 2020. (A person can hope, right?)

Dr. Jordan Metzl, bestselling author and sports medicine physician

Read more from the original source:
These Will Be the Biggest Health Trends of 2020 - Outside

Wine & Dine

Text by Zaral Shah. Photographed by Joshua Navalkar

Were only about halfway into the celebratory season, but conversations filled with No more cheat days for me this year or I cant even imagine how many weeks its going to take to offset all that sugar! and I cant go see my nutritionist until I work off the mithai have taken over. To prevent deprivation from being the only solution to healthy festive eating and give sweets a starring role rather than an insignificant cameo in your diet, many Mumbai sweet spots are whipping up wholesome alternatives that are sure to leave you spoilt for choice.

With organic, vegan and gluten-free offerings, protein-packed or paleo cakes, or the many keto-friendly foods on menus across the city, the aim is primarily to create and encourage beneficial habits instead of diet fads. Laying emphasis on the keto diet, Karishma Boolani sports scientist and founder, HUMANICS shares, In the human body, the sugar burning mechanism is your fuel engine and the fat burning mechanism is your electric engine. It is essentially designed to use the fuel (sugar) energy in emergency situations and live off the electric (fat) engine for the most part. Yet the diets that most people follow have been doing the exact opposite; the majority of calories in our diet have been refined carbohydrate sources. When we eat a lot of carbs, we burn sugar as a primary energy source. The human body is the most intelligent machine, and its essential that we do not work against the way nature intended, it is very important to understand the science in order to work with its physiology and allow it to thrive.

Zaral Shah gets the facts (and fiction) about healthy sweets from the owners of five establishments that focus on unprocessed ingredients and clean eating.

Raveena TauraniFOUNDER AND CEOYOGISATTVA

Above: Vegan Saffron Malai Ladoos; Below: Vegan Gajjar Ka Halwa

Silver serving bowl, Silver urli both from Sangeeta Boochra

I developed severe lactose intolerance in 2015, which is when I began looking for dairy-free options. It was during this journey that I became passionate towards creating cleaner, unprocessed desserts with higher digestibility, because of the lack of choice for me during that time.

I think people have always been conscious of what they eat. Whats changed is that more people have begun focusing on sourcing cleaner, organic ingredients to cook with. The biggest myth about healthy desserts is that you can consume them daily. Dessert whether healthy or not should be consumed only once in a while. It cannot be a part of your daily lifestyle.

Weve used almond milk and coconut cream in the gajjar ka halwa and saffron malai ladoos. Weve done our best to get the consistency and taste as close as possible to whats already available. They are cleaner versions of the original, but you wont feel like youre missing out in any way.

We dissolve the saffron in hot water for its flavour to develop before using it; and we make our own coconut milk which we leave in the fridge overnight so that it becomes thicker in consistency like malai. These processes ensure maximum flavour and quality.

The Limited Edition Diwali Gift Box which had an organic soy wax candle and organic, vegan and gluten-free saffron malai ladoos, pistachio cookies and gajjar ka halwa were extremely popular. During Christmas, people are more focused on buying our limited-edition vegan and gluten-free pumpkin spice muffins, gingerbread spice cake or spiced plum cake. New Year is all about our savoury healthy food options ranging from beet and quinoa falafels with a spicy harissa dip to our gluten-free breads, dips and crackers.

The attendance we see for our dessert cooking classes is far higher than for our savoury food ones. Weve always received great feedback because people are happier to be able to eat something sweet without the guilt. Learning to nourish yourself, even if it is dessert, is truly empowering. We also provide an organic resource guide of where to locally source the ingredients that have been used in the workshop.

Ankita ChawlaFOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE CHEFEAT-A-WHEY

Clockwise from top: Almond and Orange Paleo Bundt Cake; Red Velvet Protein Cake; Chocolate and Almond Keto Brownies

Clockwise from above: Lotus Leaf Brass Dessert Plate from Nicobar; Spice Enamel Brass Thali (used as cake base), Marble Cloche, both from Clove

Having battled obesity for most of my teenageyears, I decided to lose weight when I was 18, and the most difficult thing to give up was sugar. Although I succeeded for a couple of years, I eventually started to binge eat sugary desserts. My face would immediatelybreak out and the numbers on the weighing scale also started to go up, so I decided to experiment with healthier dessert options to satisfy my cravings.

Today, people have become more aware and are educated about food and its impact on our health not just physical appearance, but how it affects our hormones too. It isnt about starving to lose weight or cutting off a food group entirely because those are all just short term. These days, people are not willing to compromise on their health, and so what they put into their bodies is quite important. The saying, you are what you eat fits this generation perfectly. We are a product of what we put into our bodies.

The biggest myth Ive come across since starting Eat-A-Whey is that people think that healthy means calorie- and fat-free. But no food you consume, other than water, is calorie-free. Our desserts are just healthier alternatives to the regular, high carb, sugary desserts. People need to understand that weight loss is all about calories. Its calories-in versus calories-out. If youre exceeding your daily recommended calorie intake, whether eating healthy or unhealthy food, you are going to gain weight.

Weve replaced the two main evil ingredients that youd find in a regular almond and orange cake: jaggery for white sugar, and almond flour for refined flour. Both of which spike insulin levels.It took us a while to nail the taste of the cake, as we were trying to bring out the real taste of orange by using fresh orange juice and no added flavouring. And weve been very fortunate to have only gotten rave reviews!

Aside from the whey protein powder used in the red velvet protein cake, we add almond flour and skim milk which increases the protein content. The other biggest source of protein is the Greek yogurt in the icing.

Rohan AgnaniHOME BAKER/ENTREPRENEURCHUBBY BAKER & CO.

I am diabetic and started this journey as a very personal one, and I also needed to control my sugar intake because I was on a ketogenic diet. But at the same time, I generally have the massive urge to eat something sweet during the day, so I knew I had to start understanding the world of keto desserts.

Honestly, people have become more conscious of what they are eating owing to the realisation of how damaging sugar and carbs are in general, especially when consumed on a daily basis. We are open to tonnes of information directly from health consultants and doctors due to Instagram and YouTube. One of the biggest myths about healthy desserts is related to taste; people think they taste horrible, but to the contrary, I have had non-keto customers specially asking for my keto cookies as they love the way they taste. The second comes from bakers who think that if they use wheat instead of flour, jaggery or sucralose instead of sugar, their desserts will be healthy. Thats actually a much more harmful myth. These desserts are probably better than having the desserts made by the former ingredients,but in no way are they completely harmless.

The chewy chocolate chip cookies are suitable for a keto diet as they are made with100 per cent dark chocolate which means that there is no mixing of milk solids or sugar. We also use almond flour which is the go-to flour for anything healthy. Other healthy flours being coconut flour, flaxseed powder, cilium husk, pumpkin seed meal amongst others. And we use erythritol and stevia as the sweetening agent which are keto compliant.

There is a mix of preferences when it comes to people wanting healthier alternatives of their favourite desserts.There are many who do love to go and try the healthier versions by choice and then some have no option but to do so. There are also those who do not want to fiddle with the sinful regular desserts as they can afford to eat them, health-wise. The response to my healthy bakes has been great, especially from customers who are not new to keto and other low carb diets. But those who are trying low carb diets and foods for the first time usually take a while to get accustomed to the taste.

Tara Bose KapurFOUNDERBOMBAY BIZARE BAKER

Vegan Doughnuts with Chocolate, Vanilla Cinnamon, Strawberry or Raspberry fruit pulp

Roti box lid (used as plate), Lotus Leaf Brass Dessert Plate both from Nicobar

I have always been a discerning, passionate foodie; I travel a lot and love dessert. When my son, now 16, was diagnosed with severe food allergies back in 2012, we reacted by stopping consumption of all foods he couldnt eat. A couple of years later, I wanted to order him a birthday cake but could not find anyone who was ready to make one which was suitable and, in despair, decided to bake it myself. It is still a massive favourite and appears on theBombayBizaremenu as homemade chocolate cake (vegan).

What do healthy desserts mean? The term sugar-free means many different things. It could mean the use of a sugar substitute like erythritol, stevia or monk fruit, ora sweetener like honey or dates which would be very bad for a diabetic person or one on a keto or low carb diet. So whenever a customer asks me for sugar-free, I always clarify what exactly they mean. All vegan and gluten-free bakes are made with raw cane sugar. And we offer customers the coconut sugar option too.

Most items on our menu are created in response to customer requests. The vegan doughnuts came into being as a vegan customer in Delhi asked my partner, Jyotika Kapur, if we made them. And so we did a recipe search and trials, and the doughnuts made it to our menu!

Our substitute for regular flour varies from whole wheat and almond flour to coconut, oatmeal, rice, tapioca or even millet flour.Recipes vary depending on the flour being used. We always have trials for our bakes and If it doesnt meet our standards, then it doesnt make it to the menu.

At least 50 per cent of our customers ask for details like the nutrition value or carb content, which chocolates and sweeteners we use or how many servings there are in one cake. Im self-taught and enjoy meeting the challenges given by clients. I started with vegan baking and added gluten-free, and the range now includes, vegan, gluten-free, vegan and gluten-free, sugar-free, egg-free, dairy-free, keto, non-fat and low carb.

Radhieka Mustafa PandeyaFOUNDERFITNESS BAKERY

Above: Nut Butter Balls, Rose And Pistachio Truffles; Below: Lemon And Orange Muffins

Top to bottom: Lotus Leaf Brass Bowl, Lotus Leaf Brass Dessert Plate, Roti Box lid (used as plate), all from Nicobar

My husband used to compete in physique competitions and couldnt eat dessert the regular ones. So I started baking specially for him. That is how I got into creating healthy desserts.

Two things have happened. Firstly, people have become more conscious of what they are eating because there has been a push from the alternate ingredient industry about healthier food options. There has also been a growth in gyms, studios, supplementsall of which are pushing for healthier lifestyles.And secondly, everything is now on social media. You see influencers eating healthy products, promoting them and looking great in the process; that motivates you too.

The lemon and orange muffins are made with almond flour, which is high in MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids), protein, manganese, vitamin E and coconut. It is also high in fibre, MCT and iron. And they are sweetened with raw organic honey which is unprocessed, high in antioxidants and boosts immunity.

Rose and pistachio is a match made in heaven. When you add the white chocolate, it becomes a festival in the mouth. After several trials, we fixed a certain ratio of dried rose petals to pistachio to white chocolate, to attain the perfect amount of flavour from each of these and not make it overly sweet or overbearingly rose-y.

There are a lot of people who dont always want chocolate or those who are travelling with the cake so cant have fruit in it. Once you take chocolate and fruit out of the mix, there arent too many options left. We thought of coconut its healthy, stays longer and tastes great. Cinnamon adds a lovely flavour to enhance the coconut. Figs just elevate the entire confection by adding a chewy texture and slight sweetness.

People love that they can turn to us for healthier options of their favourite desserts. Many clients tell us that they no longer enjoy regular desserts because they are so used to ours. It also takes guilt out of the equation. Although I still say that dessert is a treat and should be looked at as such especially if youre trying to lose weight or are diabetic.

Continued here:
Letting Them Eat Cake - VERVE

Editors Note: Each weekMaynard Webb, former CEO of LiveOps and the former COO of eBay, will offer candid, practical, and sometimes surprising advice to entrepreneurs and founders. To submit a question, write toWebb atdearfounder@fastcompany.com.

Q. I have a new product in the market and theres some interest, but we havent yet proven product market fit. Truth be told, there are some things that have been criticized and that we have to defend. Whats the best way to handle this?

Founder struggling post launch

Dear Founder,

This is pretty straightforward. Acknowledge the concerns upfront. Dont be defensive or flip about it.

Share what makes you excited, and talk about whats going well but acknowledge that other things are not perfect. Tell the truth. Things go awry when you give a B.S. explanation when theres trouble on the horizon.

This is an important time to connect with the customers you have. You need to delight them and earn their loyalty. Then, you can work on your go-to market plan and customer acquisition.

If some of the criticism you are receiving is from investors or VCs, not customers, keep in mind that these people have to say no so many more times than they can say yes. Sometimes there may not be a real problem with your business; it might just not be a fit for them. However, you can always use this as an opportunity to get better. You must accept the fact that they are passing, but you can ask them for more insight. Consider inquiring, Is there anything other than what youve already told me that other VCs may be concerned about? You might be surprised at how much you can learn and how much one no can help you secure the next yes.

Q. Whats your best fundraising advice?

Founder of an early stage company looking for seed money

Dear Founder,

I understand that this is going to sound counterintuitive, but it can often be better to raise money when you have nothing than when you have something.

It depends on the industry of courseif you were launching new detergent or diet drink, youd actually need a productbut if you are in enterprise software, you can raise money with a good reputation and a great concept, even if its not built yet.

The fact is, if you have a product and are beginning to get it moving, but it doesnt yet have real traction, it can be hard to raise money. On the flip side, if you raise money before you build something, you can create excitement about the possibilities and an investor can have more authorship of the product, which, for many, is an attractive opportunity.

View original post here:
Startup help: How to deal with a flailing product launch, and best fundraising advice - Fast Company

Tom Brady is one of the greatest athletes of all time and certainly one of the most famous. The quarterback for the New England Patriots has maintained a thriving career at an age when many football players have already retired or moved on to become sports announcers or commentators.

Still, all of that success doesnt come easy. Brady follows a notoriously strict diet and exercise routine, one that he is willing to break only on the most special occasions.

Read on to learn about Bradys insane diet plan, whether or not he ever has cheat days and the unique ways that he and his family celebrate the holiday season.

At the age of 42, Brady has honed his dietary needs to an exact science. Brady has claimed that his unique eating plan, known as The TB12 Method is a mixture of Eastern and Western philosophies and that, to him, it feels unnatural to eat many of the processed foods that have become very common in American society, like fried foods and white bread.

Instead, his diet is full of fresh fruits and vegetables that give him steady energy all day.

Brady starts an average day with electrolyte-infused water and a blueberry-banana smoothie that could also have nuts and seeds. Following his morning workout, Brady drinks even more electrolyte water, and possibly some eggs and avocado for a nutritious, hearty breakfast.

For lunch, Brady packs in the vegetables: usually a salad with nuts and fish. For dinner, although Brady doesnt eat a ton of meat, he will usually fuel up with some lean protein such as roasted chicken and even more vegetables.

Brady does snack throughout the day, though not on processed things such as candy or chips. Instead, he reaches for protein-packed hummus or savory guacamole.

In general, Brady will allow himself to have a small treat such as bacon or a single slice of pizza if he really wants one. However, during the holidays, he goes all-out and indulges in one particular holiday treat that holds special meaning for him and his family.

Recently, Bradys wife, Gisele Bundchen, shared a video on social media that showed Brady pulling a massive tray of biscuits out of the oven. The quarterback glazed the biscuits with butter as his wife laughingly looked on.

The biscuits are from a treasured recipe that Bradys grandmother passed down. He has admitted that his favorite part of every holiday was eating those biscuits. Now that his grandmother is no longer alive, he keeps the tradition going by making them every holiday season and then coating them in butter and syrup.

Brady even brings a couple of trays of the biscuits to treat his team members during special occasions.

In addition to the famous biscuits, Brady has a few other holiday traditions that he and his family look forward to all year long. Recently, Brady opened up about a few of his favorite parts of Christmas, which include colored lights rather than the white variety, and chocolate chip cookies he doesnt like gingerbread.

In spite of the inevitable craziness that comes with the holiday season, the decorated football player revealed that he feels very blessed. He also admitted that he loves listening to Christmas music on the radio and that he gifts his teammates with comfortable Ugg shoes, thanks to his modeling contract with the shoe company.

Read more here:
Tom Brady Cheats on His Diet in the Sweetest Way During the Holidays - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Todd Williamson/E! EntertainmentGetty Images

Fact: Jennifer Aniston has looked jaw-droppingly fit and healthy for decades. But, TBH, shes really hit her stride these days. At 50, Jen has ridiculous abs, glowy skin, and legs even Rachel Green would die for. But while Jen works hard, she also seems to be pretty chill about her approach to health. Here are the health and wellness habits she swears by to capture that truly JA vibe.

1 Get into planking

To challenge her, Jennifers trainer Leyon Azubuike told Womens Health that he has Jen do plank flow, where she starts in a standard plank, then moves to a side plank, then moves to plank with shoulder taps, and so forth.

2Don't take your fitness too seriously

"I went from being a crazy workout girl to sort of saying, 'My body wants a little bit of a break,'" Jen told Women's Health. "So I kind of stay with more simple stuff and taking walks and not being neurotic about working out and eating right. I started to enjoy life a little bit more. The only downside to that is theres that couple extra pounds and about 4,000 pregnancy rumors, but you know, other than that, it feels great."

3Stretch your core

"We do a lot of things that stretch the core, so well do things where shes hanging on a pullup bar, then she pulls her knees up and brings them back down, Azubuike told Womens Health.

4Think outside the sit-ups

Jennifer loves doing V-ups and using an ab wheel, Azubuike told Womens Health. "Well use a sit-up to shock the body occasionally, but its not a major part of our core regimen, he said.

5Don't rush your workouts if you have the time

Jen doesnt pop in and out of the gymshe spends up to an hour and a half working out during each exercise session, Azubuike told Womens Health.

6Be flexible with your workouts

Everybody has someplace they need to be, and Jennifer is no exception. Azubuike told Womens Health that he uses a training technique called "periodization" with Jen, which adjusts things based on her schedule. "Depending on where we are in that cycle dictates the duration and intensity of Jens workout," he says.

"If I know Jen isnt filming anything, its a different phase than if I know she has something coming up tomorrow. If shes going to be walking up to receive an award, Im not going to destroy her legs in the gym the day before."

7Read up on intermittent fasting

"I do intermittent fasting, so no food in the morning," Jennifer told UK outlet Radio Times. "I noticed a big difference in going without solid food for 16 hours."

8Find time to sweat, no excuses

Sometimes Jen will work out in the middle of the night when shes shooting. "She has to respond when I say go," Azubuike told Womens Health. "If she has a shoot at 3 a.m. and we need to work out before that, lets go...we respect each other in that regard, so its a constant back and forth with mutual respect and understanding."

9Find your beast mode once in a while

Azubuike made it clear to Womens Health that he doesnt go easy on his famous client. She definitely should be commended, because when I get into go-mode, Im in go-mode, he said.

10Eat nutrient-rich foods

Azubuike told Women's Health that hes big on his clients (including Jennifer) eating nutrient-rich foods, like mix of healthy carbs, protein, leafy greens, and bright, colorful veggies.

11Get. Some. Sleep.

You wont find Jen up at the crack of dawn. She told Radio Times that she usually wakes up at 9 a.m.

12Try resistance bands

They factor big-time into Jens workouts. "We box, we jump rope, we do strength training, we do a lot of work with resistance bandswere big on resistance bands," Azubuike told Womens Health.

13Mix up your workouts

Azubuike told Womens Health that hes constantly rotating Jens workouts. Its always hard, shes consistently being challengedIm a big fan of switching things up, so the body reacts in a positive way and changes, he said.

14Try boxing

"Its the longest workout Ive actually stayed with consistently other than yoga," Jen told InStyle. Theres something about the mental aspect of boxingthe drills, your brain has to work, youre not just sitting on a bike. Its amazing.

15Don't be bullied into weight loss

According to the book, Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show That Defined a Television Era, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of Friends, author Saul Austerlitz said that Jen faced a lot of pressure over her weight and looks during her time on the show. She had to lose thirty pounds if she wanted to stay in Hollywood, he wrote.

Jen previously addressed this in the 90s. "The disgusting thing of HollywoodI wasn't getting lots of jobs 'cause I was too heavy," she told Rolling Stone in 1996, as reported by Harper's Bazaar UK. "I was like, 'What?!'"

16Make exercise a consistent habit

Making exercise a regular part of your day is clutch. Jennifer told Radio Times that she tries to do five workouts a week.

17Keep pushing through challenging exercises

Jennifer didnt love using a jump rope when Azubuike first tried her out on it because she thought it was challenging, her trainer told Womens Health. But she kept at it. "I just made her keep on doing it, and now shes great at it, he said.

18Have compassion for past relationships

Hating on exes never helped anyones mental health. Jen is friendly with both of her ex-husbands. Justin Theroux regularly slides into her Instagram comments and was even spotted at her Friendsgiving dinner this year. Ex-husband Brad Pitt was also spotted at Jens 50th birthday party, per People.

19Own your morning

When Jen wakes up, she takes a mindful approach to her day. She told Radio Times that she has a celery juice and meditates before jumping into a workout.

20Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Jennifer has inspired her own yoga instructor, Mandy Ingber, to stay well-hydrated. Jen is definitely somebody that has encouraged me to hydrate," Ingber told ABC News. "She is a hydrator from way back in the day."

21Set aside time to pamper yourself

Jen told Australia's Now to Love that she makes time to pamper herself one day a week. "Sunday is my spa day. I usually do a little mini facial time where I just give myself a good scrub, use a mask, and then the new Aveeno hydrating facial," she said. "I leave it on overnight and when I wake up I have that dewy, glowing, twinkling skin."

22Watch your water intake before a workout

It wont end well for you. If you pound water right before your workout, youll just feel heavy and full and sluggish the entire time, Azubuike told Womens Health.

23Get a little sunbut wear sunscreen

Jennifer is all about hanging out outside, but she wears sunscreen. I still sit in the sun...you need that vitamin D for a glow and your mood, Jennifer told Vogue.

24Find a puppy love

Jennifer's adorable dog Clyde is her BFFshe even takes him to work sometimes.

25Dont let yourself get thirsty

"The common misconception about hydration is that you should wait until youre thirsty, and then drink until youre full," Azubuike told Womens Health. Instead, he said, you shouldnt even let yourself get to that point.

Being hydrated all day is important for your energy, and in turn, your workouts. Just be careful about chugging RIGHT before.

26Eat healthy fats

As far as food goes, Azubuike told Womens Health that he encourages Jennifer to reach for healthy fats. "I love avocados, coconut oil, salmon, fish oilanything thats a good form of fat is great," he said.

27Experiment with pre-workout snacks

Something like peanut butter and banana can be a good pre-workout snack, Azubuike told Womens Health, but its not for everyone. "It takes trial and error to see what works best," he said.

28Keep a fitness journal

Azubuike recommends this. "Write down how certain foods you ate make you feel during a workout," he told Womens Health. "And also journal what days you mentally werent checked in as well, and why, in case that made an impact. Maybe its because you didnt sleep well, it was rainy outside, etc."

29Pencil in recovery days

Jennifer told People that she usually takes off on Sundays to give herself a little time to recover from all the badassery she drops at the gym the rest of the week.

30Bring a good attitude to every workout

Hey, Jen does. Shes very diligent. She is ready to work out hard, every single time she hits the gym, Azubuike told People. Whether it be a 45-minute session, whether it be a two-hour session, shes always ready to go.

31Be consistent

Azubuike told People that Jen is incredibly consistent and hardworking, and that makes my job a little bit easier. Shes a very good, natural athlete.

32Mix up your yoga

Jen told People that shes big into taking a spin-yoga class several times a week, which is 25 to 30 minutes of spinning and then 30 to 40 minutes of yoga.

33Learn to crave exercise

Of course I [get bored], Jen told People. Its when I take breaks and then I get back into it, thats when its hard. But once Im back into it, I love it and I crave it.

34Switch up your cardio

I usually do a trifecta of cardio, Jen told People. Fifteen minutes on the bike, 15 on the treadmill running and then 15 on the elliptical. You have to shake it up, you know, muscle confusion.

35Work out even when you dont feel like it

Jen has learned a little trick that works for her. Bite the bullet. Just bite the bullet and do it, she told People. Think of a wonderful pasta or Mexican meal that you want to have on the weekend and dangle that in front of you like a little carrot.

36Do body weight exercises

Jennifer told People that shes big on using her own body weight for workouts. Or, if shes at the gym, shell add a little weight. Grab little five-pound weights if you have nothing else, and just move them around, she said.

37Have a go-to smoothie

Jennifer is big into a fruit-filled smoothie made with bananas, cherries, blackberries, a greens powder, a collagen peptide, a little cacao powder, chocolate stevia drops, and chocolate almond milk, she told People. You can see I like chocolate-flavored. I don't like protein taste."

38Lean into that endorphins high

You know what, there are days I go I cant and I dont want to, and I think you just have to listen to your body, Jen told Womens Healthand she'll take those days as rest days.

And then there are times when you go, 'Really? Do you really not want to?' And then if you just say, OK, Im going to get on some machine for 10 minutes, you just start to get the endorphins going. Then you feel great, and you just keep going. So sometimes you can actually override the I dont want to work out.

39Freeze some fruit for a snack

Jennifer told Womens Health that she loves to nosh on frozen grapes. I like the red onestheyre really easy and delicious, she said. They give you that frozen crunch. I was at a spa one time, and they gave me a little cup of frozen grapes after my mud bath soak or whatever. It was sort of like, This is genius.

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40 Jennifer Aniston-Approved Diet And Fitness Habits You Should Try - Women's Health

The holidays are a particularly challenging time for people with dietary restrictions. Whether they are with family, friends or coworkers, festive gatherings around food can be stress-inducing for those who have limitations to what they can eat. We can all play a role of arming ourselves with information about dietary restrictions in order to be supportive and caring.

Dietary restrictions go beyond typical concerns for healthy eating or even weight loss and affect those where the restriction is more by necessity, not choice. Common dietary restrictions include food allergies and intolerances, vegetarian and vegan diets, and medical concerns that require special diets. Even if you dont have a dietary restriction, you likely have a friend or family member who is affected.

Here are some of the most common dietary concerns.

Food Allergies

About 32 million Americans have food allergies and although over 170 foods have been reported to cause allergic reaction, there are eight allergens that are most common. These top allergens include peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, soy and wheat. Severity of allergic reactions can vary from headaches, rash, diarrhea and vomiting to more severe reactions like swelling of the airway and anaphylaxis, which can be fatal. The only treatment for food allergies is complete avoidance of the allergen.

Food Intolerance

Different from a food allergy, food intolerance is a digestive system response rather than an immune system response to a food. It occurs when a person is unable to properly digest or break down food. For example, intolerance to lactose, which is a sugar in milk and other dairy products, is the most common food intolerance. Food intolerance affects the digestive tract and may include nausea, stomach pain, gas, cramps, diarrhea and bloating.

Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity

People who have Celiac disease are unable to eat any foods that contain gluten. Common gluten-containing foods include wheat, barley, rye and bulgur and foods that contain ingredients derived from these grains. While those who are sensitive to gluten, but do not have Celiac disease may be able to tolerate small amounts of gluten, individuals with Celiac disease have to strictly limit even the possibility of cross-contamination of their food with gluten.

Vegetarian and Vegan Diets

While vegetarians avoid meat, chicken and usually seafood, some vegetarians consume eggs or dairy products. However, vegans do not consume any animal products. For those who avoid meat and other animal products, it is often a long-term lifestyle choice informed by beliefs around animal rights, environmental concerns, health concerns or religious and spiritual beliefs.

While vegans and vegetarians can plan meals at home that are nutritionally balanced, containing all the nutrients that they need, social gatherings that do not take into account the needs of vegetarians can be harder to navigate. People who do not eat meat benefit from having a plant-based protein option, typically made from beans, tofu, nuts and seeds along with other vegetables.

Low-Sodium Diets

While the typical American diet includes about 3,400 mg of sodium daily, most people should be taking in closer to 2,300 mg of sodium daily. People on a low-sodium diet should further reduce their salt intake to about 1,500 mg per day. Low-sodium diets are prescribed to those with high blood pressure, kidney disease, liver disease and heart problems among other health issues.

These are some steps you can take during the holidays to help support your loved ones with dietary restrictions:

1. Ask guests ahead of time if they have any dietary restrictions so you understand how you may accommodate their unique needs.

2. At buffet-style meals, label foods that contain allergens, animal products or gluten.

3. Dont downplay the seriousness of another persons dietary restriction.

4. Read food labels and ingredient lists to be aware of foods contents.

If you have dietary restrictions, here are some steps you can take to make holiday meals less challenging:

1. Communicate clearly to hosts about your dietary restrictions. Most people are more than willing to accommodate your needs if they are informed.

2. Offer to prepare and bring some items to share that are safe for you to consume.

3. Take the initiative to choose a restaurant or venue that is able to accommodate people with dietary restrictions.

4. Plan non-food activities like volunteering, fun outdoor sports or crafting that bring people together during the holidays without a focus of food.

LeeAnn Weintraub, a registered dietitian, providesnutritioncounseling and consulting to individuals, families and businesses. She can be reached by email atRD@halfacup.com.

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How to navigate the holidays if you have dietary restrictions or food allergies - The Mercury News

Restricted diets are more likely to feel lonely when they can't share in what others are eating, researchers have found.

A recent study reveals that people with restricted diets are more likely to feel lonely

Holiday celebrations often revolve around eating, but people with restricted diets are more likely to feel lonely when they can't share in what others are eating, researchers have found.

Across seven studies and controlled experiments, the findings, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found that food restrictions predicted loneliness among both children and adults.

"Despite being physically present with others, having a food restriction leaves people feeling left out because they are not able to take part in bonding over the meal," said study lead author Kaitlin Woolley," Assistant Professor at Cornell University in the US.

For example, in one experiment, assigning unrestricted individuals to experience a food restriction increased reported feelings of loneliness. That suggests such feelings are not driven by non-food issues or limited to picky eaters.

"We can strip that away and show that assigning someone to a restriction or not can have implications for their feeling of inclusion in the group meal," she said.

According to the researchers, further evidence came from a survey of observers of the Jewish holiday of Passover.

When reminded during the holiday of the leavened foods they couldn't enjoy with others, participants' loneliness increased.

Further evidence came from a survey of observers of the Jewish holiday of Passover. When reminded during the holiday of the leavened foods they couldn't enjoy with others, participants' loneliness increased.

Yet, within their own similarly restricted group, they felt a stronger bond. But when restricted from sharing in the meal, people suffer "food worries," said the researcher.

They fret about what they can eat and how others might judge them for not fitting in.

Those worries generated a degree of loneliness comparable to that reported by unmarried or low-income adults, and stronger than that experienced by school children who were not native English speakers, according to the research.

Compared with non-restricted individuals, having a restriction increased reported loneliness by 19 per cent. People felt lonelier regardless of how severe their restriction was, or whether their restriction was imposed or voluntary.

To date, Woolley said, children have been the primary focus of research on the effects of food restrictions.

A nationally representative survey she analysed from the Centers for Disease Control did not track the issue among adults.

But increasingly, Woolley said, food restrictions are being carried into adulthood, or adults are choosing restricted diets such as gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan for health or ethical reasons.

"Up to 30 per cent of all participants in the research deal with restrictions, Woolley said.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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People With Restricted Diets More Likely To Feel Lonely - Doctor NDTV

Life longevity may seem beyond ones control, but many healthy habits may lead a person to reaching a ripe, old age. These include drinking coffee or tea, exercising, getting enough sleep and limiting alcohol intake. Taken together, these habits can boost a persons health and put them on the path to a long life. There is another healthy habit one should try and incorporate into their diet which is backed by science and promoted by health advocates. What is it?

Apple cider vinegar is the most popular type of vinegar in the natural health community.

It is claimed to lead to all sorts of benefits, many of which are supported by science.

Some of the benefits of apple cider vinegar include aiding in weight loss, reducing cholesterol, lowering blood sugar levels and improving symptoms of diabetes.

Adding apple cider vinegar into your diet could also help boost life longevity.

READ MORE: How to live longer: Best diet to increase life expectancy - foods to eat and avoid

Apple cider vinegar is made in a two-stop process, related to how alcohol is made. First the apples are crushed to yeast, which ferment the sugars and turns them into alcohol.

Secondly, bacteria is added to the alcohol solution, which further ferment the alcohol and turn it into acetic acid, the main active compound in vinegar.

Organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar also contains mother which are strands of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria that give the produce its murky appearance.

DONT MISS

Some people believe that the mother is responsible for most of the health benefits, although there are currently no studies to support this.

Apple cider vinegar only contains about three calories per tablespoon, which is very low.

There are not many vitamins or minerals in it, but it does contain a small amount of potassium.

How can apple cider vinegar help to increase life expectancy?

Several risk factors of heart disease can be improved by apple vinegar consumption.

In a study with the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, the dietary acetic acid in apple cider vinegar was analysed on animals.

The study found that consuming apple cider vinegar could help to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, along with several other heart disease risk factors.

Some health experts believe that apple cider vinegar contains anti-cancer effects. In another study, the effects of apple cider vinegar on cancer cells was analysed.

The study concluded that the vinegar can kill cancer cells and shrunk tumours. However, all of the studies were done in isolated class in test tubes, or rats, which proves nothing about what happens in a living, breathing human.

Apple cider vinegar is not a miracle or a cure-all product, however, the vinegar does clearly have some important health benefits and could aid in living a longer and healthier life.

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How to live longer: Adding this drink to your diet could increase your life expectancy - Express

A vegan diet is generally healthy, low in cholesterol and protective of heart disease, but its followers must take vitamin B12 supplements or risk a condition that causes permanent numbness in their hands and feet, experts say.

Most people get their vitamin B12 from milk, but the plant-based substitutes do not have high enough levels to protect adults and children from peripheral neuropathy, which is irreversible.

Young festival-goers on a vegan diet may be at particular risk. Kids these days inhale laughing gas, said Tom Sanders, professor emeritus of nutrition and dietetics at Kings College London. That can actively cause vitamin D deficiency. There is a danger of young people going vegan, not having B12 and it could tip the balance to them getting a serious neuropathy.

It could easily be remedied by the manufacturers of plant-based milks, he said. Levels should be higher in plant milks than they are at the moment. If they were three times higher, there wouldnt be a problem.

Internet claims that vegans do not need extra B12 were not evidence-based, he said. Im concerned that many people think it is a myth, said Sanders. Gorillas eat a vegan diet, but B12 is produced in the colon and they probably dont wash their hands, he said, so end up ingesting it. The Jains in India eat a vegan diet, but, he said, all the Jain doctors I know have B12 injections.

Studies have shown that B12 levels in vegans are about a third of what is needed. Other aspects of the vegan diet are healthy but, said Sanders, B12 is the one thing we are concerned about. There is particular worry about children. In one case, a baby who was breastfed by a mother who was B12 deficient ended up with neuropathy.

Sanders and Tim Key, professor of epidemiology and deputy director of the Cancer Epidemiology unit at Oxford University, have both researched the health of those who eat a vegan diet for many years. Key is himself a vegan and takes vitamin B12 tablets regularly.

Key said there was limited data available. The Epic study based at Oxford follows about 2,000 people. Together with a study in California, there is data on about 10,000 people in total. Its not enough. We dont have precise estimates of long term health in vegans, said Key.

But what they have been able to observe so far is that people eating vegan diets tend not to be overweight if anything, some are very thin and may have problems in older age when weight loss becomes an issue. They have low rates of type 2 diabetes and diverticular disease of the colon. They have low cholesterol and low rates of heart disease and they may have lower cancer rates.

However, bone fractures are about 30 per cent higher as a result of lower bone density. That might have something to do with calcium and possibly even B12, said Key. They may also have higher rates of hemorrhagic stroke.

A vegan diet that is high in fruit and vegetables and pulses is likely to be healthy, but vegans can still overdo the biscuits, confectionery, cakes, chips and beer, said the scientists, and some meat substitutes, such as vegan sausages, are high in salt.

So far, there is no evidence that vegans live longer. There is no significant difference in total mortality between vegans and meat eaters, said Key. Guardian

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Vegan diet carries risk of permanent numbness in hands and feet - The Irish Times