TIPS TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR FIRST YOGA CLASS

Yoga classes can be a great way to exercise your body and mind; many people who do yoga regularly would say that it is one of the best ways to stay in shape without over-exerting your body.

If you have never tried yoga, then you need to know a couple of things before you try your first class.

Wear light and flexible clothes

Yoga requires you to move and bend in many different ways, which is why you must pick clothing that is comfortable and stretchy at the same time. Many people wear regular gym clothing, and as long as it is comfortable and stretchy, you should be okay. Make sure to read more about the best leggings to wear when doing yoga, as that is one of the most important clothing. Keep in mind that you will be bending in positions where you might feel exposed, so make sure that you pick clothing that will make you feel comfortable in all situations.

Eat light

If you go into your yoga class with a full stomach, then you will not feel good by the end of the class. Similar to working out, you need to make sure that you are not stuffed before you go into your yoga class. As the movements that will be required of you to do will not be done at its optimal levels if you are fully fed. We recommend you have a light snack of a fruit bowl or a salad 30 to 45 minutes before your yoga class. A light meal that will not make you feel stuffed; however, it will not make you feel like you are underfed.

Arrive early

The primary reason why you want to arrive early is that you want to get all the props you need for your class. In most cases, the teacher will be there early as well. You can ask the teachers all the questions you want about yoga so that you have a clear understanding once you go into the class.

Be very careful about the breathing

Make sure that you know how to breathe when you are in a yoga class, as breathing is essential. Make sure to try and follow the breathing patterns as carefully as possible, even if you might feel like you are breathing incorrectly. Your first yoga class will not make you an expert in breathing, take your time, and enjoy the process.

Learn

Before you go into your first yoga class, we would highly recommend that you read up on clothing style and yoga class etiquette. This will allow you to feel more prepared before you go into your first yoga class, and not do something which may disrupt the class. You don't have to learn about different poses or advanced techniques, just learn about the basics of a yoga class and yoga.

Listen to your teacher

PHOTO CREDIT | Pixabay

Remember that it is your first time doing yoga, which means that you will have to listen to your teacher, especially when it comes to following different poses or trying out a new breathing pattern. The teacher knows what he or she is doing, listen to your teacher, and do what they say, and you will have a fantastic experience.

Relax

When you go into your yoga class, make sure that you stay relaxed and calm. When you are relaxed and calm, you will feel much better about the way you start and finish your yoga class, the main point of yoga is to strengthen and relax your mind. Don't go into yoga stressed out, if you do go into yoga stressed out, then you will not be getting the full effect of the yoga class. Therefore cause you to feel like yoga is not worth it.

Enjoy

Try and enjoy every single moment of yoga, and be present in the moment. Many people might find yoga classes slow, especially in the beginning. However, if you don't think about how "slow" yoga classes are and think about the present moment and what you're doing in the yoga class, you will start to appreciate the art of yoga. You need to make sure that you have an excellent first experience with yoga if you want to continue with yoga classes. Yoga can be a great way to exercise your mind and body, so make sure that you try your best to enjoy it, and in most cases, you will.

Your very first yoga class may not be the best one, which is why you need to make sure you are prepared. Go into the class with an open mind and willingness to learn, and you will have a pleasant experience. If you don't understand something during class, then make sure to ask your teacher without hesitation.

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WHY ORGANIC MEAT IS THE FUTURE OF PROTEIN

It is becoming much harder every day to try and keep up with all the things we’re told are bad for us. Plastic is bad for the environment, cars cause immense pollution, and just about everything else we do will lead to the doom of mankind. While most of these assumptions tend to go a bit overboard with their alarmism, if there is one thing that you really need to be careful about, it is the food you put into your body, particularly the meat. Organic meat has been growing in popularity over the past few years, and for good reason. Here is why organic meat is the future of protein.

More fatty acids

Fatty acids are very important components for our health, mostly because our bodies don’t naturally form them. They reduce inflammation, boost cardiovascular health, provide energy, and do a host of other functions. While saturated fat percentages are very close in both organic and conventional meat, the amount of fatty acids in the former is exponentially higher –– close to 50% higher. Omega-3 fatty acids, in particular, were prevalent in organic meat, and they are very important components for our body, which is why this is the first reason why this is a better source of protein for your body.

No additives

This is perhaps the most important reason why organic meat is much better for your health. Non-organic meats are often injected with a lot of chemicals for a variety of reasons. Water, sodium phosphate, salt, and even sometimes hydrolyzed protein are added to the cuts to add moisture, extend shelf life, add tenderness, and even add flavor. While this practice is known and approved by the FDA, this means that the meat you are eating is not 100% natural, and a lot of additives are added to it.

Organic meat, on the other hand, does not have this problem, as no additives are added. This makes it an ultimately better source of protein that is much healthier for your body. Certified organic meat as you can see here does not contain any chemicals. It even tastes better, and you can still make your favorite dishes, too. The animals that produce that organic meat are treated much more humanely, and they are looked after to ensure the quality of that organic meat.

Antibiotics usage 

You might not know this, but animals who are raised non-organically are often treated with antibiotics, even if they are not sick! This happens because farmers noticed that those antibiotics help make the animals larger, so they were often given regularly to promote growth. Unfortunately, those have a very dangerous effect on the animals. For starters, the antibiotics kill the gut microbes, which can have a negative effect on humans, also promoting weight gain. Basically, those antibiotics linger in the meat and are often ingested by humans, causing all sorts of problems. 

Organic meat, on the other hand, does not come with this problem, because animals are rarely given antibiotics. If and when that happens, it will be because the animal is sick and requires immediate treatment, rather than being used for fattening purposes as with regular meat. This definitely makes organic meat a better option for protein as it does not come with the same amount of antibiotics as conventional products.

No chemicals

Even pesticides often make it to chicken tissue and other sources of protein as well. This happens because the food those animals are given is often treated with pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, and some of those linger on after slaughter. Organically raised animals aren’t allowed to consume such foods, and they are in turn healthier and much safer for humans to consume.

Hormone injections

Unfortunately, non-organic meat is also treated with hormones, which are used to speed growth, which helps reduce feeding costs and accelerate beef production. Some of those hormones are natural; others aren’t, but they are all approved by the FDA. There are theories that conclude that those hormones can cause serious metabolism and reproductive problems for humans, but research is still scarce in that area and it is not encouraged for obvious reasons. Organic meat comes with no hormones, which is ultimately better for your health as a consumer, and it definitely is a better source of protein for humans.

At the end of the day, organic meat is safer than conventional meat for the above-mentioned reasons. It contains many more useful components for your body, and also less harmful chemicals, antibiotics, and pesticides. This is why a lot more people are shifting towards organic meat, and it is definitely the future of protein.

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10 QUESTIONS ABOUT COSMETIC SURGERY YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW- ANSWERED BY A BOARD- CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON

We sat down with Dr. Manish Shah to find out common questions that we have been asked about cosmetic surgery. From all of the different questions that have been sent to us, we have 10 answers that can come in handy for you or someone that is asking you for your knowledge.

ATHLEISURE MAG: How long do breast implants last until they have to be removed and done again?
DR. MANISH SHAH: Although the implants themselves last forever, their structural integrity does not. Over time, the average wear and tear could cause a rupture or leak. In general, saline or silicone implants should be replaced or removed every 10 to 15 years if you notice any changes. A rupture in a saline implant tends to be more noticeable, as the deflation is visible. While that may sound scary, it’s actually quite harmless, as the saline is just absorbed by the body. However, it is not as easy to notice if a silicone implant has ruptured. For this reason, most doctors will recommend an MRI every 2 years for their patients with silicone implants to check for leaks. Implants may need to be removed or replaced for other reasons too, but in general, should last from 10 to 25 years.
 
AM: If I have fat removed through liposuction, will it reappear elsewhere?
DR. MS: Technically, yes, it is possible for the fat to return, but only if you let it come back. If the patient maintains their weight, the fat will not return or appear somewhere else on your body. A little bit of weight gain is fine, such as 5 to 10 pounds, as long as patients stay close to their “post-lipo weight”. Because fat cells accumulate in an evenly distributed manner, weight gain tends to be more noticeable in areas that are untreated than treated. So, even patients who gained a considerable amount of weight post-lipo look better than they did if they had not undergone surgery.
 
AM: After repeated Botox injections, will facial muscles ever lose the ability to frown?
DR. MS: Even though one of the side effects of Botox is difficulty smiling or frowning, the effects of Botox wear off in 3 to 4 months. Repeated use of Botox causes the muscles treated to atrophy and thin out. When they "wake" back up they tend to be weaker and less likely to make wrinkle. This is why many consider Botox a great anti-aging treatment. Botox can be administered in a way in which it does not freeze the muscle completely. This is something you would discuss with your injector.
 
Discuss with the injector what your goals are. Some people such as actors need to be able to express themselves. In this case, Botox can be administered so as not to freeze the muscle completely. Others want certain muscles not to move at all. An experienced injector has the knowledge to make adjustments. We also have the ability to combine Botox with other treatments to assist your goals.
 
AM: I thought silicone breast implants can rupture, so why are they still used?
DR. MS: Both saline and silicone implants can leak. But, it is much harder to tell when a silicone implant has ruptured over a saline implant. Someone with silicone implants may go months or even years without noticing. This is due to the very thick and viscous silicone filling, moving only at very slow rates. It will generally stay within the capsule of breast tissue surrounding your implant, which makes for a simple replacement. Additionally, silicone is the gold standard against which other implantable materials get compared. It is a safe material when used in the human body.
 
AM: Will liposuction eliminate cellulite?
DR. MS: Although patients used to think liposuction could eliminate cellulite, today doctors are not recommending it for that use. In some cases, liposuction can actually make the cellulite worse by creating more dimples in the skin. While it is true that excess fat can make cellulite worse, it’s not the real cause. Liposuction on the thighs and butt only marginally improve the appearance of cellulite. On the contrary, thin skin in these areas can exacerbate the problem, especially in older women where the skin tends to be less elastic.
 
Doctors have found that ultrasound and laser-assisted liposuction can effectively reduce cellulite because it tightens the skin as it removes fat. But again, these alone will not rid you of cellulite.
 
AM: Will I have to wear my hair over my ears to cover face-lift scars?
DR. MS: On average, face-lift scars around the ears take about six months to fade and become almost invisible. You probably are going to want to wear your hair down for the first month for recovery purposes. It’s best to choose a hairstyle within this time that will not apply added pressure to the area of incision while still helping to cover up the scar at the same time. Ask your doctor how soon it is safe for you to wear makeup over the scar as a cover up option until they fully fade.

AM: Can my breast implants pop?
DR. MS: Unfortunately, yes breast implants can “pop”, but it is rare and easily treatable. Both saline and silicone implants have an outer shell that can potentially develop a tear, called a rupture. The rupture could be caused by a variety of things such as normal aging of the implant, trauma caused by a car accident, a needle insertion during a biopsy, or other factors. If you experience any changes in breast shape and size, and increased pain, firmness, and swelling over a period of weeks, these may be signs that your implant has ruptured. Most corrective surgeries include removing both implants and replacing them in the same surgery. Your surgeon might also recommend that you switch to a different type of implant. In any case, discuss with your doctor in detail the best option to avoid risk of rupture in the future.
 
AM: What happens if I’m not happy with my surgical results?
DR. MS: The first step is to be patient. Some patients look good in as fast as three weeks, others three months, and, for some, the full results aren’t apparent until six months after surgery. You should wait for all the post-surgical swelling and bruising to go away completely before fretting over the end result.
 
With that being said, speak up if you are feeling anxious. At your follow-up appointment, it is perfectly fine to voice to your surgeon that you are feeling disappointed. A good doctor will address your concerns, walk you through the recovery process, and if necessary, talk about the next steps.
 
AM: How soon after my lipo can I have sex?
DR. MS: After having a procedure like liposuction or a tummy tuck, you will definitely feel some moderate soreness and swelling. It’s normal. When it comes to resuming sexual activity, your personal level of comfort plays a large factor as there is no specific body structure you can damage after liposuction. This means your soreness or the healing process of your incisions may be the only thing stopping you from being intimate. As soon as you feel both physically and emotionally ready, you are safe to resume having sex. For most patients, it takes about a week.  But if we removed excess fat on large areas of your thighs, belly, and/or buttocks, you might have to wait a week to ten days. Before then, your body will be tender and that could make the experience painful.

AM: What is the youngest age you would consider performing a facelift?

DR. MS: When evaluating a patient for facelift surgery, age is only a relative consideration. I've performed facelifts on patients under 40 years of age who lost a lot of weight causing their face to deflate and sag. That being said, most facelift or neck lift procedures are performed on patients between 45-70 years old. If the volume loss can be managed by treatments other than facelift surgery, patients will opt for them. However, once those minimally invasive or noninvasive treatments no longer cut it, a patient can choose to have a facelift. For some patients that may be in their early 40's.

AM: Is there a trendy cosmetic procedure that you feel is a waste of money and time?

DR. MS: The procedure that I find a waste of time and money is Kybella. It is so expensive for patients and has significant social downtime. I can get better results, more quickly with neck liposuction. Also, I am still waiting to see if patients can get decent results with Sculptra injections for buttocks augmentation. For doctors that can't perform surgical procedures, or for patients who want to avoid surgery, these may be their only choices.  

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THE 8 MOST POPULAR ISLANDS TO VISIT IN 2020

The world is a treasure chest filled to the brim with fantastic island destinations that are waiting for you to explore - and explore them you should!

But where should you go first? Regardless of whether you are looking for relaxation, adventure or perhaps a little bit of both, there is the perfect island out there for you. To get you started - and to give you some idea as to what choices are out there - here is a list of eight popular islands to visit in 2020. Bon voyage! 

8 Island Destinations Awaiting Your Arrival

1. The Maldives - This tropical nation is the perfect example of paradise. It has incredible crystal clear waters and white sandy beaches. Spend your days lounging on the shore and your evenings indulging in delicious local cuisine. It may sound almost too good to be true, but in the Maldives it's reality. 

2. Ibiza - Party, party, party! If New York is the city that never sleeps, Ibiza is the island that never stops partying. This is the place to visit if you want to dance all night long and relax during the day. Of course, Ibiza is much more than just a party - but the shindigs are certainly a great addition to any holiday.

3. Iceland - Bring your sense of adventure when travelling to the magical island of Iceland. The capital, Reykjavik, offers a bit of cosmopolitan fun while the stunning nature will keep you enthralled for days on end. The natural beauty is quite literally the stuff of legends, so don't miss out on the amazing Blue Lagoon or the Northern Lights - if you are visiting during the right time of year, of course.

4. Corfu - It's difficult to go wrong in Corfu as many places there are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Old Town. History is always present and you can enjoy spending your holiday where the Romans once held court and ancient battles were fought. 

5. Mauritius - Another island often described as heaven on earth is Mauritius. If you enjoy nature at its finest then this is the place for you. Spectacular flora and fauna combined with a vibrant culture makes for the perfect holiday cocktail. The people are friendly and the atmosphere is relaxing, making this an ideal destination. 

6. Madeira - This subtropical archipelago is located southwest of Portugal, and its volcanic landscapes makes it a popular tourist destination. Dolphin- and whale-watching are only two of the magnificent activities that you can experience when visiting Madeira. There are also delicious dishes readily available, and no trip is complete without sampling the fantastic variety of street foods.

7. Bali - This one is no surprise… after all, it’s known for being one of the most fabulous travel destinations in the world. Take an Instagram tour and discover the most picture-perfect spots on the island. It’s truly a once in a lifetime experience! Oh, and if you’re looking for relaxation, don't forget to soak a while in the hot springs.

8. Cuba - Our final destination needs little introduction. Cuba has it all: fascinating history, passionate culture, outstanding food and, of course, incredible architecture. The coffee is delicious, the tamales are the stuff of dreams... a visit to Cuba is a visit to happiness incarnate.

Find Your Ideal Island

All of the islands mentioned here just about guarantee a fabulous holiday, and you can book trips to many of these destinations through holidays via Teletext Holidays. They all offer glorious beaches with crystal clear waters, challenging adventures and mouth-watering local delicacies. It doesn't matter if you are looking for a relaxing few weeks on the beach or if you want to hike in the mountains - these islands have it all. 

Search online for your perfect destination and you won't be disappointed. If you've never visited an island before, 2020 is the year to change that. There really is no reason to wait... find your perfect island holiday today!

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8 TIPS TO GET INTO THE BEST SHAPE OF YOUR LIFE

Whatever age you’re at, health and fitness should always be a top priority. It enables us to enjoy our lives to the fullest. If you’re currently planning to make some lifestyle changes for better health, you’re in for a tough but rewarding journey. Don’t panic: it’s achievable, and with some help, you can definitely do it.

Here are eight great tips to achieve the best shape of your life:

Set realistic and attainable goals

Having a goal helps you stay on track. However, it is important not to set the bar too high so you won’t end up feeling disappointed with yourself. Try to divide your main goal into small, attainable ones that you can tick off when you’re done with it. If your goal is to lose weight, break it down to smaller tasks like strengthening your lower back, shedding off those holiday pounds, and lifting weights. Relax and do one at a time, and you’ll be surprised about how much you’ve finished.

Be consistent

It’s pointless pushing yourself to do extensive workouts all in one day when you’re only going to do it once every few weeks. Remember that the best workout routine is the one you can consistently stick to. It doesn’t matter if you just have fifteen minutes to exercise. You can go out for a run and make it count. If it’s too cold, stay indoors and do squat jumps and sit ups until you start to feel sweaty. Be consistent and make no excuses.

Eat right

No matter how much you train and work out, if your diet still consists of junk food, it’s all for nothing. You really can’t out-train a bad diet. You need to eat the right kinds of food to build a strong body. Try to cook from scratch so you can eat real food. Avoid too much sugar and processed food. As much as possible, eat a balanced meal that has all the nutrients you need. Always remember that the quality of the food you eat matters more than the quantity.

Maintain a Schedule

If you feel like you don’t have a lot of time to exercise, try creating a schedule that works for you. On a blank calendar, list down your activity plans per day and tick them off as you go. It is easier to keep track of how much you’ve exercised when you have it on pen and paper.

Keep things interesting

Boredom will make every workout routine a chore to do, no matter how effective it is. Keep your brain active and your body guessing by stepping outside your comfort zone from time to time. Try new workout routines and search for different recipes for a healthy meal. Don’t be afraid to switch things up sometimes.

Never stop learning

It is important to have a solid workout routine and stick with it as long as it works, but remember that experts discover new techniques every day. There are many new exercise routines and fitness tips and tricks you can find nowadays. You can read more beauty and health tips at Mrtrimfit.com if you’re not sure where to start. Just remember that you can always learn something new and incorporate it into your routine.

Find a Support Group

To keep yourself motivated, find friends who have similar fitness goals. It drives up the fun factor and accountability since you can encourage each other regularly. Schedule a class with a friend and plan brunch so you can both watch and motivate each other.

Don’t be too harsh on yourself

Do not punish yourself too much just because you lost control and ate that one doughnut. Spoil yourself sometimes and loosen up, but don’t forget your goals. Life is all about balance, so don’t fret too much if you gave in to temptation once.

The best shape of your life is within your reach. Don’t stop believing in yourself and push hard so you can reap the benefits.

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TREATMENTS FOR ACNE THAT WORKS

Acne is a skin condition that occurs when the hair follicles are filled with large amounts of oil and dead skin cells. In fact, suffering from acne does not just affect a person’s self-esteem and self-image, but it can also be an indicator that you need to make certain changes to your lifestyle. It is your body urging you to take better care of your health. There are different acne treatments out there. Some of them you might have tried with little to no results. This is mostly due to the fact that you do not fully understand what type of acne you have and, thus, are unable to identify the best way to deal with it.

Here are some tips, as well as acne treatments, that work wonders.

1. Identify your acne

The very first step to treating acne is identifying what type of acne you have. Different types of acne have different causes and thus need to be treated differently.

a.    Hormonal acne

Hormonal acne comes around at a certain time of the month when your hormones are fluctuating. You can identify hormonal acne by the fact that it is usually a sprinkling of zits around the bottom half of your face seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

b.    Whiteheads and blackheads

Both of these acne types are a result of clogged pores. You might be wondering what exactly clogs your pores and the answer to that is the oil your face secretes. The difference is that whiteheads have thin film covering the oil while blackheads occur in larger pores which allow the trapped oil to oxidize and have that black color

c.    Inflammatory acne

Everyone is familiar with this kind of acne. Whether it is a large pimple with pus trapped inside or smaller pimples that are inflamed and painful, this type of acne is caused by bacteria on the face.

d.    Cystic acne

Cystic acne is mainly caused due to genetic or oil gland issues and cannot be treated with the usual acne treatments such as antibiotics or gels.

2. Medicines used

After understanding the different kinds of acne, you can take the necessary steps to treat your case. Most of these cases of acne can be treated using simple over-the-counter topical creams and lotions that contain certain active ingredients. Usually, an effective treatment will include retinoid, which comes in the form of gels, creams, and lotions. You will also find a range of antibiotics to treat inflammatory acne which is, as mentioned above, the result of bacteria. Salicylic acid, which is found in a range of grains and comes in liquid form that you can apply topically to the area you have acne in one to two times a day for the desired results. In fact, some medicines include a couple of these substances at the same time to rid you of acne as quickly as possible.

3. Alternative methods

After identifying what kind of acne you have, you might be surprised to find out that the medication listed above won’t have satisfactory results. You do not have to lose hope though, because there are some alternative methods to get rid of your acne once and for all.

a.    Supplements

Taking supplements to get rid of acne is one of the most popular alternative methods used by people. This is because taking alternative supplements that contain vitamins, such as vitamins A, C, and D, is quite beneficial for your skin. Not only will they help with any acne on your body, but they will also regulate your body’s functions and give you stronger immunity to help fight off any bacteria and viruses.

b.    Laser therapy

Laser therapy is another method that people use to get rid of both acne and acne scars that are left over from past breakouts. It can be quite expensive, however, to go for sessions regularly so people usually choose to undergo laser therapy as a last resort.

c.    Dieting

Believe it or not, dieting can help you with acne. Acne can sometimes be caused by an excess of oil secretions which is a result of eating junk food regularly. Limiting your intake of unhealthy food and allergens, such as berries and chocolate, will have a serious effect on acne-prone skin

4. Home treatments

If you do not want to use medication, you can also try home treatments that have a noticeable success rate.

a.    Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar, like most kinds of vinegar, has antibacterial properties, so applying a generous amount of inflammatory acne will kill bacteria and make the pimples go down at a faster rate.

b.    Natural masks

One of the most popular masks to make at home is a honey and cinnamon mask. Both of these ingredients, which most people readily have at home, are antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidants. This means that they work wonders on your skin after a couple of applications.

c.    Tea tree oil

Although more on the expensive side, tea tree oil is a natural remedy that works well to give your skin a luminous and smooth look.

d.    Green tea

Green tea can be used on your skin in two ways. You can first brew the tea and leave it to reach room temperature. Then you can apply it onto your skin using a spray bottle. You can use the leaves to make a green tea and honey mask to calm down any inflammation and get rid of acne-causing bacteria.

e.    Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is found in many face creams and lotions already, but you can use its pure form on your skin just like green tea to decrease inflammation.

These are some of the best ways to deal with any type of acne you might have. Do not be afraid to experiment with different natural treatments and supplements at the same time to ensure that you are free from any acne that you might be suffering from. No matter what, rest assured that using these treatments will ensure that your face remains acne-free for a very long time to come if used regularly.

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EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GETTING A FACELIFT

You don't have to leave your youthful good looks behind as you age but before facial plastic surgery, get real about expectations.  With so much information out there about facelifts and facelift alternatives, separating fact from fiction can be difficult to anyone. To help one find the accurate answers they are looking for, here are some answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about getting a facelift, from how to tell if a facelift could be right for you to the best way to achieve long-lasting results.

Can Facial Exercises Work As Well As a Facelift?

There has been talk lately that performing various facial exercises can "tone" and "tighten" one’s face, much like your workouts at the gym can tone and tighten your abs or biceps.

Signs of skin aging like lines, wrinkles and sagging skin can actually be made worse by repetitive facial movements, and no amount of facial exercise is going to be able to get rid of these common signs of aging. If these are your main cosmetic concerns, a facelift or other minimally invasive alternatives like injectable wrinkle treatments are most likely going to be your best options. 

How Do You Know If It Is The Right Time to Get a Facelift?

So if facial exercises aren't going to do the trick, how do you decide if it might be time to commit to a facelift? If your self-confidence is affected by the appearance of sagging skin or deep lines and creases, or if minimally invasive treatments don't seem to be cutting it anymore, a facelift may be the most effective solution.   London, England is the home of premium cosmetic surgery. London cosmetic surgery contains board certified surgeons, common questions with answers, and recommendations vital for any cosmetic procedure.

There also isn't an age cutoff for getting a facelift. As long as you are in general good health, just about anyone at any age could be a good candidate for this procedure. You know it's time for a facelift is when you hate the look of your neck and your jawline. There is nothing short of a facelift that corrects the loose skin and neck muscles and extra fat under the chin like a well-performed facelift done by an experienced expert.

Doing your own research about a certain plastic surgeon is a start.  Many online sites offer valuable information on plastic surgery all over the world.  Educated patients that the best outcomes.

What is The Recovery Like?

Plan on taking it easy and having someone else around to help you, especially after the first few days of the procedure. The general recovery period is usually about 10 days, and stitches are usually removed after the first week. Most people feel comfortable returning to work and other normal activities around the two-week mark.

To help aid in your recovery process, make sure you're eating healthy, nourishing foods, getting plenty of rest and are following your plastic surgeon's specific recovery guidelines.

How Long Do the Facelift Results Last?

Although no plastic surgeon can guarantee the precise length your results will last, the effects of most facelifts typically lasts for years before a touch-up could be needed. To prolong your results even further, try to stay out of the sun, wear sunscreen, eat a healthy diet and talk to a skincare professional about which products are right for your skin.

You may also want to consider incorporating minimally invasive skin care treatments like laser rejuvenation into your regular beauty regimen for optimum skin health.

What Do I Look for In A Plastic Surgeon?

If you think a facelift is right for you, the first step is to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon. Look for both board certification and extensive experience performing plastic surgeries like facelift and eyelid surgery when narrowing down your search. It's also not a bad idea to schedule an in-office consultation with your top two or three picks to help you make a final decision.

Further Recommendations

However, the following points should be discussed and considered before going ahead:

●      Facelift surgery is not recommended for anyone with serious medical problems, and the candidate should be in good mental and physical health.

●      Patients with high blood pressure and diabetes have a higher risk of complications.

●      Cigarette smoking and tobacco use increase the risk of complications after surgery. It can interfere with wound healing. A person who is considering a facelift should completely cut out any smoking/nicotine products. 

●      It is important to have reasonable expectations and to remember that a facelift will not stop the overall aging process. 

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PROPER GROOMING TIPS FOR MEN

Let’s face it, the beauty industry nowadays isn’t just targeting ladies any longer – gentlemen have as much right to feel clean and look impeccable! Gone are the days of skipped showers and untrimmed beards, the man of the 21st century knows the importance of following certain beauty rituals in order to showcase the best version of himself, and with no shame.

In that spirit of rekindled love for hygiene, we’ve gathered some essential tips and tricks for guys to properly groom and freshen themselves up. From hair to skin and nails, it’s crucial to adopt a routine that will guarantee you looking sharp everyday. 

We’ve also included some products and commodities you’ll certainly find useful to have in your bathroom.

Visit your barber, regularly

Unless you’re going for a negligé bad boy look, one of the first things you should consider to improve your daily appearance is to pay your barber a visit on a regular basis. Regardless of its length or how much of it you have on your head, your hair needs a cut from time to time in order to stay sharp-looking. Let your barber give you recommendations on which hairstyle best suits you.

Choose the right hair products

Even with that, it’s essential to choose the right toiletries to have your hair looking and feeling healthy. Skip the cheap shampoo and select a product that’s appropriate to your hair type: straight, curly, prone to breakage or dandruff, etc. With an effective shampoo, your hair is bound to look thick and lustrous. Remember that synthetic gels, sprays and other hair pastes aren’t fashionable anymore. Keep it organic.

Keep your bathroom organized

Start thinking of your bathroom as your temple of beauty. As any sacred place, it must be well-equipped and organized for you to be able to prepare conveniently in the morning. This is why you should invest in keeping your space neat; there are several brand options, including this one here, which will help you in compartmentalizing your toiletries for easier and better access, along with some friendly grooming tips. A must for those looking to optimize their time in the bathroom.

Pamper your beard

Beards are a renewed trend in male grooming. A modern man does not have a beard, in fact, he wears it. As with anything that adorns your face, it should be kept trimmed and hydrated to avoid getting that caveman allure. Purchasing a beard kit that includes trimmer, scissors and oil is a fantastic idea to stay on top of your facial bush. You’ll find plenty of these kits available online.

Keep it short

Speaking of bushes, it’s important for any well-groomed man to keep his private parts from looking like a wild jungle. Pubes aren’t sexy anymore. Yes, we’re talking about both the pillar and the stones. Depending on your skin sensitivity, you’ll want to opt for either depilatory cream, trimmer or the good old razor (careful with that last one!). So start being proactive, and don’t just wait for a date night with your girlfriend to mow the lawn.

Adopt a healthy skin care routine

Know that the first step towards glowing skin is hydration and a balanced diet. Limit sweets, fast foods and saturated fat contents. This will prevent acne, rashes and other nuisances. 

Next, consider a few things:

• You need a face wash to cleanse your face, no more than twice a day. Popular options include water-based solutions or foams, depending on skin type (normal, dry, oily, combination).

• Invest in a quality moisturizer to hydrate your face and body, particularly in winter if your skin is prone to dryness.

• A weekly scrub is a great ritual to eliminate dead skin cells and feel refreshed. Look for ones with active ingredients such as charcoal.

The importance of nails

Now, we’re not suggesting you get a monthly mani-pedi (although, why not), yet it’s important to cut your fingernails and toenails on a regular basis. Along with your facial hair, nails are a prime and immediate indicator of your level of overall hygiene to strangers; failing to take care of them will result in bad, long-lasting first impressions. Again, proactive.

Fragrances: Less is more

While we all love getting compliments on how good we smell, it’s best to use deodorants and perfumes sparingly. Keep in mind that spraying yourself to death is not an alternative to your daily shower.

All things considered, gentlemen’s style is as much about fashion as it is about grooming these days. Any modern man should adopt these recommendations in order to look impeccable and to feel immaculate. Don’t just up your game to impress the ladies, do it for a healthier and finer lifestyle.

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PSYCHOLOGIST OFFERS YOUR RESOLUTION FREE GUIDE TO A HAPPIER, HEALTHIER YOU IN 2020

With the start of a new year it is important to reflect back on the prior year, assess what went well, what didn’t and decide where you want to go next. It takes a lot of mental toughness, self-love, and discipline to create the life you want. Simply coasting along on cruise control reacting to life can lead to victim mentality and stagnation. Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD is a NYC based licensed clinical psychologist. She shares key ways to get mentally fit for the new year so you can move forward successfully. In doing so, you don’t have to swear yourself to resolutions and feel like a failure if you don’t achieve them.  Just think about the life you want to create and take small steps.

Clear clutter.

Look at your surroundings. If you have junk drawers galore, a messy car, countertops and cabinets that are full of stuff you don’t even use, it is time to clear the clutter. According to Dr. Hafeez, “cluttered spaces reflect a cluttered mind. If you want to wipe the slate clean to allow room for new people and circumstances that serve you, you must get your mind clear. Many of my patients who describe themselves as anxious, stressed or even depressed say they feel better when they start clearing up their physical space.” 

Eat mind-boosting foods.

Mental fitness also has to do with how well our minds work. A loss of memory or the ability to concentrate or focus can easily shift with an improved diet. “Research finds that along with other benefits, foods rich in Omega-3, such as some fish and nuts, as well as those full of antioxidants can help protect the brain from memory decline. “Eating more fish such as salmon and add fruits such as blackberries and blueberries to your diet can help. The good news is that brain-boosting foods include delicious options such as chocolate, guacamole (avocados) and sunflower seeds.

Color!

The adult coloring book bandwagon is a good one to jump on. According to Dr. Hafeez coloring requires total focus on the present. The repetitive motion of coloring provides relief from stress and anxiety by entering a meditative state. “Not everyone can sit still and breathe for 15 minutes per day, but they certainly can color. It’s absolutely a fun way to achieve mindfulness and shake off the day,” explains Dr. Hafeez.

Apologize and forgive.

A fast way to mental fitness is forgiveness! “Carrying around resentments and guilt wears us down and can lead to serious illness such as cancer or stroke. If you experienced a tough break up, divorce or perhaps the 2016 political climate led to arguments and lost friends, reach out apologize and seek forgiveness and move on. Remember, forgiveness doesn’t mean you condone hurtful behavior. Forgiveness frees you and the other person making it easier to move forward. 

Learn something new. 

Challenge your brain by learning a new language, how to cook, paint, do Tai Chi. Pick something you think would be interesting or useful to learn and learn it. If you avoided cooking your whole life, learning the basics will serve your brain very well. According to Dr. Hafeez, “the more we can activate the cognitive functions of our brains the better our short and long-term memory and hand eye coordination will be.”

Plan and prepare more meals at home

Instead of committing to a strict diet, incorporate more home-cooked meals into your repertoire. Research shows that food made at home has less fat, calories, and sugar than meals eaten out, even if you’re not specifically trying to prepare and eat healthier meals.

Set a goal to make one new friend a month

As we get older we tend to get stagnant with our friendships and not reach beyond our formed circles anymore. Make an effort to engage the person you always see at your spin class or pass everyday in the hallway at your co-working space. Bringing new people into the fold can add spice and variety to your life.

Do something that scares you

Dr. Hafeez does not mean putting your life at risk. If public speaking has been a thorn in your side, take a class in it, and them put your lessons to use. If you would love to try snow skiing but have been too timid- take a lesson.  Has the travel bug bit you but you don’t have a companion? Throw a dart at a map and travel (safety first) wherever the dart lands. It does not matter what you do, however big or small as long as you try something previously out of your comfort zone. One completed victory will give rise to another.

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MEN'S SKIN CARE ROUTINE | 7 STEPS TO HEALTHIER, YOUNGER-LOOKING SKIN

Courtesy of Blume Skin & Body

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GRAMMYS 2020 | NOMINATIONS + PREDICTIONS

On Jan 26th, the Grammys airs with a number of artists that we have all enjoyed on our playlists. We’ll be checking out the red carpet, as well as the winners. As usual, we are listing who we predict will win in italics, who actually won in bold and those that we accurately predicted will be in bold italics.

Album of the Year

Bon Iver - i,i
Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
H.E.R. - I Used to Know Her
Ariana Grande - thank u, next
Lil Nas X - 7
Lizzo - Cuz I Love You
Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride

Record of the Year

Bon Iver - Hey, Ma
Billie Eilish - Bad Guy
Ariana Grande - 7 rings
H.E.R. - Hard Place
Khalid - Talk
Lil Nas X - Old Town Road
Lizzo - Truth Hurts
Post Malone - Sunflower

Song of the Year

Lady Gaga - Always Remember Us This Way
Billie Eilish - Bad Guy
Tanya Tucker - Bring My Flowers Now
H.E.R. - Hard Place
Taylor Swift - Lover
Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell
Lewis Capaldi - Someone You Loved
Lizzo - Truth Hurts

Best New Artist

Black Pumas
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Maggie Rogers
Rosalía
Tank and the Bangas
Yola

Pop Best Pop Solo Performance
Beyoncé - Spirit
Billie Eilish - Bad Guy
Ariana Grande - 7 rings
Lizzo - Truth Hurts
Taylor Swift - You Need to Calm Down

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Ariana Grande & the Social House - Boyfriend
The Jonas Brothers - Sucker
Lil Nas X - Old Town Road [ft. Billy Ray Cyrus]
Post Malone - Sunflower [ft. Swae Lee]
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello - Señorita

Best Pop Vocal Album
Beyoncé - The Lion King: The Gift
Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Ariana Grande - thank u, next
Ed Sheeran - No.6 Collaborations Project
Taylor Swift - Lover

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Andrea Bocelli - Sì
Michael Bublé - Love (Deluxe Edition)
Elvis Costello & The Imposters - Look Now
John Legend - A Legendary Christmas
Barbra Streisand - Walls

Rap Best Rap Album
Dreamville - Revenge of the Dreamers III
Meek Mill - Championships
21 Savage - I Am > I Was
Tyler, the Creator - IGOR
YBN Cordae - The Lost Boy

Best Rap Song
YBN Cordae - Bad Idea [ft. Chance the Rapper]
Rick Ross - Gold Roses [ft. Drake]
21 Savage - A Lot [ft. J. Cole]
Nipsey Hussle - Racks in the Middle [ft. Roddy Ricch and Hit-Boy]
DaBaby - Suge

Best Rap Performance
J. Cole - Middle Child
DaBaby - Suge
Dreamville - Down Bad [ft. J.I.D., Bas, J. Cole, EARTHGANG, Young Nudy]
Nipsey Hussle - Racks in the Middle [ft. Roddy Ricch and Hit-Boy]
Offset - Clout [ft. Cardi B]

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
DJ Khaled - Higher [ft. Nipsey Hussle and John Legend]
Lil Baby and Gunna - Drip Too Hard
Lil Nas X - Panini
Mustard - Ballin [ft. Roddy Ricch]
Young Thug - The London [ft. J. Cole and Travis Scott]

Rock Best Rock Performance
Bones UK - Pretty Waste
Gary Clark Jr. - This Land
Brittany Howard - History Repeats
Karen O & Danger Mouse - Woman
Rival Sons - Too Bad

Best Metal Performance
Candlemass - Astorolus - The Great Octopus [ft. Tony Iommi] Death Angel - Humanicide
I Prevail - Bow Down
Killswitch Engage - Unleashed
Tool - 7empest

Best Rock Song
Tool - Fear Inoculum
The 1975 - Give Yourself a Try
Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall
Brittany Howard - History Repeats
Gary Clark Jr. - This Land

Best Rock Album
Bring Me the Horizon - amo
Cage the Elephant - Social Cues
The Cranberries - In the End
I Prevail - Trauma
Rival Sons - Feral Roots

Best Alternative Music Album
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
James Blake - Assume Form
Bon Iver - i,i
Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
Thom Yorke - ANIMA

R&B Best R&B Performance
Daniel Caesar - Love Again [ft. Brandy]
H.E.R. - Could’ve Been [ft. Bryson Tiller]
Lizzo - Exactly How I Feel [ft. Gucci Mane]
Lucky Daye - Roll Some Mo
Anderson .Paak - Come Home [ft. Andre 3000]

Best Traditional R&B Performance
Bj the Chicago Kid - Time Today
India.Arie- Steady Love
Lizzo - Jerome
Lucky Daye - Real Games
PJ Morton - Built for Love [ft. Jazmine Sullivan]

Best R&B Song
H.E.R. - Could’ve Been [ft. Bryson Tiller]
Emily King - Look At Me Now
Chris Brown - No Guidance [ft. Drake]
Lucky Daye - Roll Some Mo
PJ Morton - Say So [ft. JoJo]

Best Urban Contemporary Album
Steve Lacy - Apollo XXI
Lizzo - Cuz I Love You
Georgia Anne Muldrow - Overload
Nao - Saturn
Jessie Reyez - Being Human in Public

Best R&B Album
BJ the Chicago Kid - 1123
Lucy Daye - Painted
Ella Mai - Ella Mai
PJ Morton - Paul
Anderson .Paak - Ventura

Latin Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album
Bad Bunny - X 100Pre
J Balvin & Bad Bunny - Oasis
Flor De Toloache - Indestructible
iLe - Almadura
Rosalía - El Mal Querer

Dance Best Dance Recording
Bonobo - Linked
The Chemical Brothers - Got to Keep On
Medusa - Piece of Your Heart [ft. Goodboys]
RÜFÜS DU SOL - Underwater
Skrillex and Boys Noize - Midnight Hour [ft. Ty Dolla $ign]

Best Dance/Electronic Album
Apparat - LP5
The Chemical Brothers - No Geography
Flume - Hi This Is Flume (Mixtape)
RÜFÜS DU SOL - Solace
Tycho - Weather

Comedy Best Comedy Album
Jim Gaffigan - Quality Time
Ellen DeGeneres - Relatable
Aziz Ansari - Right Now
Trevor Noah - Son of Patricia
Dave Chapelle - Sticks and Stones

Spoken WordBest Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling)
Various Artists - Beastie Boys Book
Michelle Obama - Becoming
Eric Alexandrakis - I.V. Catatonia: 20 Years As A Two-Time Cancer Survivor
John Waters - Mr. Know-It-All
Sekou Andrews & The String Theory - Sekou Andrews & The String Theory

Remix Best Remixed Recording
Madonna - I Rise (Tracy Young’s Pride Intro Radio Remix)
Miley Cyrus - Mother’s Daughter (Wuki Remix)
Jorja Smith - The One (High Contrast Remix)
Mild Minds - Swim (Ford. Remix)
Marie Davidson - Work It (Soulwax Remix)

Music for Visual Media Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Various Artists - The Lion King: The Songs
Various Artists - Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Taron Egerton - Rocketman
Various Artists - Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper - A Star Is Born

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Alan Silvestri - Avengers: Endgame
Hildur Guðnadóttir - Chernobyl
Ramin Djawadi - Game of Thrones: Season 8
Hans Zimmer - The Lion King
Marc Shaiman - Mary Poppins Returns

Best Song Written for Visual Media
Chris Stapleton - The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy
Dolly Parton and Linda Perry - Girl in the Movies
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper - I’ll Never Love Again (Film Version)
Beyoncé - Spirit
Thom Yorke - Suspirium

Packaging Best Recording Package
Voces Del Bullerengue - Anónimas & Resilientes
Chris Cornell - Chris Cornell
The Muddy Basin Ramblers - Hold That Tiger
Bon Iver - i,i
Intellexual - Intellexual

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
Thom Yorke - Anima
David Gray - Gold in Brass Age
John Coltrane - 1963: New Directions
Wilhelm Furtwängler & Berliner Philharmoniker - The Radio Recordings 1939-1945
Various Artists - Woodstock: Back to the Garden - The Definitive 50th Anniversary

Best Album Notes
The Complete Cuban Jam Sessions - Judy Cantor-Navas
The Gospel According to Malaco - Robert Maravich
Pedal Steel + Four Corners - Brendan Greaves
Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection - Jeff Place
Stay ’68: A Memphis Story - Steve Greenberg

Producer Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Jack Antonoff
Dan Auerbach
John Hill
Finneas
Ricky Reed

Music Video/Film Best Music Video
The Chemical Brothers - We’ve Got to Try
Gary Clark Jr. - This Land
FKA Twigs - Cellophane
Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus - Old Town Road (Official Movie)
Tove Lo - Glad He’s Gone

Best Music Film
Beyoncé - Homecoming
David Crosby - Remember My Name
Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool
Various Artists - Shangri-La
Thom Yorke - Anima

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HOW TO GAIN MUSCLE WITHOUT FAT: RULES FOR YOUR DREAM GAINS

One of the most prominent myths in the fitness world is that gaining muscle means you also gain fat. This is just simply false.

It’s on countless fitness magazines – you have to eat a lot to gain muscle and mass. For some people, this becomes an endless cycle of eating too much to bulk up and then go to awful crash diets to shed excess fat and reveal those hard-earned muscles.

Some turn into fat-burners, which are in most cases unhealthy, if not dangerous. Needless to say, this cycle is not the best way to go about it.

Also, many people get stuck at the first step and are unable to lose excess fat. This is why some people are turned off on the idea of weight training.

Ways on How to Get Your Dream Muscles without Fats

So you want to know how to gain muscle without fat? Here are some tips.

Eat Lean, Increase Your Protein

PHOTO COURTESY | UnSplash

Exercise and training are just parts of clean bulking. The other half of the battle is in the kitchen. And this battle can boil down to one word – quality.

Choose quality calories

Do your muscle a favor and stay away from refined grains, sugar, poor-quality protein. Examples of quality protein include lean and grass-fed meat, wild seafood, free-range eggs, beans, and nuts.

Of course, the readily available protein bars and protein shakes are good options. This is because they come with essential vitamins and minerals, but make sure it’s a good quality brand.

The key is to eat a balanced meal around protein. Also, make sure you include nutrient-rich food and low-glycemic carbohydrates (i.e. dried beans and legumes, most fruits, non-starchy vegetables, and some starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, cereals, whole-grain bread, etc.). Healthy fats such as those from avocado, egg, cheese, dark chocolate, fatty fish, nuts, chia seeds, etc. are also good.

Fuel Right

When you’re working out, your body will need the right food to perform at its best and recover better. Try to breakdown your daily food intake into 40/30/30 percentage, that’s 40% protein, 30% carbs, and 30% fat. You need to save most of your carbs to your workout days for a quick energy boost.

Also, since your body’s metabolism is kicking after your workout, it is best to eat a big and healthy meal to help your muscles recover.

Skip the Processed Food

Burger and fries may be super convenient and can get you to your desired calorie intake. However, it can’t contribute anything to your desired goals and can hinder. All those salt, sugar, and saturated fat will cause your body to crash.

You will feel low in energy and unable to perform at your best at your workout. Do this while putting in extra and unwanted fat to your body.

When looking for fuel to get you through your workouts, choose healthy alternatives such as brown rice, whole grains, potatoes, yams, oats, etc. Also, stay away from refined oils, as this can add extra calories to your diet and leads to more fat.

Move Often

You are already training religiously five times a week, eating clean, and stayed discipline against food binges. However, if the rest of your days is sedentary (working in front of a computer), you are still on a fat-storing mode.

Prolonged sitting causes the body to release cortisol, the stress hormone. When this happens, the body turns on its fat storage mode. The best way to get around this is to get up and move around every 30 minutes, especially if your job is sedentary by nature.

If possible, you can also get a standing desk. Standing for a prolonged time can help your body burn fat. Of course, do it gradually to allow your body to develop those muscles required for prolonged standing.

Hit the Gym Hard

There’s no going around it. You can’t slack off at the weight room and expect changes to your body. You need to clock at work.

So talk to your trainer about your goals. Don’t have a personal trainer? Easy, there are lots of resources online that can help you get started.

As you progress in your training, or if you want to be serious in your training, then you need to find a fitness coach. Most gyms have their trainers that can guide you through the process.

Tone Down the Cardio

Cardio exercises have long been touted as the go-to fat loss solution. Many people assume they need to do hours on the treadmill or elliptical for it to be effective.

While this seems logical (as we always see lean runners), the catabolic activity that our body gets while doing cardio results in a tradeoff of muscle.

Cardio releases adrenaline and cortisol hormones, they breakdown tissues. Doing too much of it, especially when there are not enough calories, interferes with muscle development (anabolic process) and slows down your metabolism.

Should you need to do cardio, make sure you don’t exceed 30 to 45 minutes a day, a maximum of five times per week. Also, you can get a better and more challenging workout doing HIIT (high-intensity interval training).

These routines combine aerobic and anaerobic exercises. They are short, quick, but intense exercises that can challenge your whole body.

Get Enough Sleep

Rest is crucial for muscle development. We build muscles when we sleep. If your body is not getting enough sleep, or your sleep is constantly interrupted, then your body won’t be able to go to its recovery phase thoroughly and will switch out its fat-burning mode.

So how do you make sure you get enough sleep? Take enough calories throughout the day. You can supplement your diet with magnesium as well.

Take Supplements

You can double up on your effort to gain muscles with the intake of supplements. The right weight gainer supplements can fast track your way to building the muscles you want. There are supplements for women that workout and men, too.

Make sure you choose the right supplement for your needs to get the best results. If you have a hard time choosing the right supplement, you can consult with your trainer or nutritionist.

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THE BACHELOR S24. E3. | CAN WE GET BACK TO THE DATES?

If you have yet to check out this week’s episode, stop reading this and catch it on your DVR or On Demand as below we have spoilers! If you have watched it or just enjoy reading recaps, then continue on!

Week three starts off with of course #ChampagneGate - is Hannah Ann a “champagne stealer”, does Kelsey even like champagne (it was Dom which tends to be something that everyone is able to consume without an issue) even though she held onto it for a year for a special moment, how does the rest of the house weigh in on this and more importantly - does Kelsey need to have a course on what bullying entails? Thankfully, we get to head out to a bit of line dancing with Peter and Victoria P to see their energy as well as to hear about her backstory - which was heartbreaking and is giving us a bit of the feels! Of course back at the house, the drama over champagne has continued with Sydney letting all of us know what we have been thinking, Alayah isn’t exactly on our list of people we would hang out with and a few people cosigned the sentiment.

The night took on quite a twist when it came to the afternoon party. With Peter coming to terms with comments that were said about Alayah, he ended up leaving to assess what happened. At he Rose Ceremony, he even had Chris Harrison remove one of the rose to send a total of 4 girls home that he didn’t feel were there for him. It seems like at the end of each week’s episode, Peter has yet to have a smooth one. Hopefully, the upcoming weeks won’t continue to be as crazy as they have been!

As always, every episode of ABC’s The Bachelor is tweeted by (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to give their commentary on what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns if we were choosing right now! We will also say who we think should take it all.

We also suggest a podcast that we’re obsessed with, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour which is hosted by Rachel Lindsay (contestant on The Bachelor Season 21; The Bachelorette Season 13) and co-hosted by Becca Kufrin (contestant on The Bachelor Season 22; The Bachelorette Season 14) who continues to provide more scoop on what’s going on and what they anticipate happening in the next episode!

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LAST WEEK’S EPISODE

We were all about Hannah Ann, Mykenna, Natasha and Sydney. We thought Sydney would ultimately win The Bachelor’s heart.

WEEK 3

This week, we definitely loved Victoria P for her one-on-one date with Peter and then being vulnerable enough to share where she came from. They look absolutely adorable and can’t wait to see more of who she is as we go throughout the season. Although we have seen Hannah Ann a lot and she continues to be involved in the aftermath of #ChampagneGate, the chemistry is definitely there. Sydney came out swinging by standing behind being truthful about Alayah and opening the door to others in the house weighing in privately. Unfortunately, Mykenna and Natasha aren’t in our picks of who will continue onto Hometowns, we are bringing in Madison as Peter has a lot of synergy with him as we continue into the season.

Ultimately, we think that Victoria P. could win Peter’s heart.

OUR HOMETOWN PICKS

HANNAH ANN

MADISON

SYDNEY

VICTORIA

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ALAYAH, 24 - Miss Texas 2019; San Antonio, TX

ALEXA, 27 - Esthetician; Chicago, IL

AVONLEA, 27 - Cattle Rancher; Fort Worth, TX

COURTNEY, 26 - COSMETOLOGIST; Venice, FL

DEANDRA, 23 - Home Care Coord; Plano, TX

EUNICE, 23 - Flight Attendant; Chicago, IL

HANNAH ANN, 23 - Model; Knoxville, TN

JADE, 26 - Flight Attendant; Mesa, AZ

JASMINE, 25 - Client Relations Mgr; Houston, TX

JENNA, 22 - Nursing Student; New Lennox, IL

KATRINA, 28 - Pro Sports Dancer; Chicago, IL

KELLEY, 27 - Attorney; Chicago, IL

KELSEY, 28 - Professional Clothier; Des Moines, IA

KIARRA, 23 - Nanny; Kennesaw, GA

KYLIE, 26 - Ent Sales Assoc; Santa Monica, CA

LAUREN, 26 - Marketing Executive; Glendale, CA

LEXI, 26 - Marketing Coordinator; NY, NY

MADISON, 23 - Foster Parent Recruiter; Auburn, AL

MAURISSA, 23 - Patient Care Coord; Atlanta, GA

MEGAN, 26 - Flight Attendant; San Francisco, CA

MYKENNA, 22 - Fashion Blogger; Langley, British Colmbia, Canada

NATASHA, 31 - Event Planner; NY, NY

PAYTON, 23 - Biz Dev Rep; Wellesley, MA

SARAH, 24 - Medical Radiographer; Knoxville, TN

SAVANNAH, 27 - Realtor; Houston, TX

SHIANN, 27 - Admin Asst; Las Vegas, NV

SYDNEY, 24 - Retail Mktg Mgr; Birmingham, AL;

TAMMY, 24 - House Flipper; Syracuse, NY

VICTORIA F., 25 - Med Sales Rep; Virgina Beach, VA

VICTORIA P., Nurse; Alexandria, LA

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WHY BLOOD OXYGEN LEVELS ARE IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHEN EXERCISING

The amount of gases and oxygen circulating in the blood can affect performance during exercise. Knowing the oxygen you are using is also indicative of how well you are processing and utilizing oxygen in the body. If you’re able to use oxygen effectively, you have more chances of doing longer and more challenging workouts. In contrast, low oxygen levels will cause you to tire more easily and get dizzy and drowsy.

The body needs oxygen to function, and each tissue in the body utilizes oxygen to function properly. Exercising depletes the body of oxygen, and the body eventually slows down after a length of time doing strenuous physical activities.

The following are just some reasons why oxygen levels are important to know when exercising:

1.     Knowing your blood oxygen levels will keep you from fainting

Fainting is a sudden loss of consciousness that can happen to athletes who have been exerting too much effort. Fainting can happen to endurance athletes in triathlons, and it is usually a combination of many factors, foremost of which is the lack of oxygen in the brain. Low blood pressure is also a factor in fainting. Loss of consciousness because of fainting is not really considered to be a serious issue.

Fainting usually results from oxygen levels in the brain dropping too low. The result of this is the reduction of blood pressure in parts of the body. Fainting is a survival mechanism since the brain gets extra blood at the expense of other parts of the body.

Sometimes people who exercise get dizzy after their workouts, and this is caused by a lack of oxygen.

When you are exercising, your muscles use up a lot of oxygen. Your breathing and heart rate naturally increases so that oxygen-rich blood can flow into your veins and muscles. Some people forget to breathe adequately during their exercise, and this results in the heart not being able to pump up enough oxygenated blood into the brain. Dizziness occurs when the brain lacks oxygen

It is important to breathe properly while exercising to make sure you are getting enough oxygen throughout your body.

Many people tend to withhold their breath during certain exercises, such as core exercises. Try to find a balance between tightening your muscles and getting enough breath. Practicing the right balance can make performing this exercise easier.

2.     You will be able to exercise more efficiently

The body uses oxygen as a source of energy, and it keeps the body working at an optimal level. On average people need an oxygen saturation level or SpO2 of 89 percent to maintain healthy tissues and proper functioning at the cellular level. Lower SpO2 than the recommended amounts can cause strain in internal organs. The body won’t be working at its optimal best.

Below average SpO2 levels are also known as hypoxia and can be a sign of underlying diseases related to lung and sleep. Low SpO2 may require a person to have a supplement of oxygen to help the body work at an optimal level and prevent damage at the cellular level.

The oxygen saturation level indicates how much oxygen is reaching the tissues during exercise. It is important to know your SPO2 levels after every workout. Above-average blood oxygen levels mean the body will convey the oxygen throughout the body quicker. Below average blood oxygen levels mean the body will transmit oxygen to the tissues slower  resulting in fatigue and sluggishness during workouts.

A pulse oximeter can measure the oxygen levels in the body. The pulse oximeter is non-invasive and painless and gives a general guide as to the oxygen present in tissues like the finger earlobe and nose. It uses a clip-like device with a probe to be placed in the body parts mentioned.

3.     Knowing your oxygen levels will help you guard against dehydration

Dehydration is a condition of a lack of water supply in the body. Most endurance athletes, such as triathletes, travel long miles, and distances to perform physical feats. The types of activities they do vary from swimming to cycling to running. These athletes need to be constantly hydrated, and there are usually water stations whenever a triathlon event is held in a city or area. Fainting spells and dehydration are certain conditions that these athletes or anyone exercising for a prolonged period of time will face.

Dehydration is more than depletion of water in the body. Lack of water also causes a decline in the blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain. It is important to be aware not only of how much oxygen you are taking in but also of how much water you are ingesting. Water and oxygen go hand in hand in giving the body sufficient resources to the body to perform at optimum levels. The lack of water will affect the distribution of oxygen in the brain, so it is crucial to drink water at a constant level during any physical exertion.

Can You Boost Your Oxygen Before Exercising to Keep the Levels from Dropping?

There is really no surefire way to boost oxygen levels and keep them from dropping when exercising. Oxygen naturally drops after any physical activity. However, there are some supplements that are touted to boost oxygen levels, and they are available in forms such as tinctures available in liquid format. Some are even available in a can and even have flavors such as tropical breeze.

Some athletes use oxygen supplements to boost their performance. Since oxygen is known as a natural source of energy, it is accepted as a sports enhancer.

The amount of oxygen levels in the body can actually be boosted by exercise and deep breathing such as yoga. The body works to keep SpO2 levels up during exercise, which can train the body to keep oxygen levels up even when at rest. One hour of brisk exercise such as intense walking, running, cycling, and dancing for at least several times a week can significantly increase SpO2 levels.

Diet also has an effect on oxygen levels. Eating chlorophyll-rich foods such as spinach, lettuce and seeds and nuts such as sunflower seeds and almonds can draw more oxygen into the blood, thus increasing SpO2 levels.

Final Thoughts

Oxygen is crucial to exercise since it is used by every cell and tissue in the body. Determining oxygen levels are as important as the heart rate and pulse rate before starting on an exercise regimen. The amount of oxygen you receive can be improved by increasing your physical activity and improving your diet. Good oxygen levels mean a more effective workout session and a more efficient way of reaching fitness goals.

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

7 EXHILARATING WATER ACTIVITIES TO TRY ON YOUR NEXT BEACH VACATION

Are you heading away on a beach vacation soon? Read on for seven water activities for thrill-seekers to try between suntanning and lazy beach chair naps.

Are you pondering what you're going to do on your next beach vacation?

For many people, a beach vacation is a chance to relax, forget about work, and read a good book. But, if you're one of those people who find lying on the beach for hours to be boring, then you may be concerned with how you're going to fill your time. 

The good news is, there are plenty of water activities that can keep you occupied on your next beach vacation. 

Check out this guide to learn about the top exhilarating water activities you need to try on your next beach vacation. 

1. Snorkeling

The great thing about snorkeling is that it's an activity that anyone can enjoy, and it comes at a super low cost. All you need is a snorkeling mask and you're good to go. 

However, even though snorkeling is quite easy, there are some things to keep in mind when you go so you can avoid the dangers of snorkeling. Here are some of the top tips for beginner snorkelers:

• Adjust your snorkeling mask so it's slightly snug, but not super tight

• Practice snorkeling in a pool or shallow beach before hitting the deep ocean

• Snorkel from a beach, not a boat if it's your first time (you'll also see better marine life this way)

While most beachside hotels rent snorkeling gear, it's still a good idea to call ahead and ask. The hotel can also give you some tips on the best snorkeling spots in the area. 

2. Scuba Diving 

If snorkeling leaves you wanting to discover underwater life even further, then it's time to move onto something bigger and better: scuba diving. 

Unlike snorkeling, scuba diving does come with a big learning curve. In fact, to scuba dive legally, you need to obtain a license. Luckily, obtaining a license only takes a few days of coursework, and there are scuba diving certification courses offered all over the world. 

If you live in a big city, even if it's not near the beach, there's still a good chance that you can earn your certification through a local PADI club that uses a pool to teach you the skills. 

Also, if you're not quite sure if scuba diving is for you, you can do a discover scuba dive. This allows you to test out scuba diving in a shallower level of water without having to fork over all the time and money that goes into the full course. 

3. Kayaking 

If you're going somewhere with calm waters, then kayaking is the perfect activity to try on your next beach vacation. 

Not only is kayaking fun and relaxing, but it's also a great way to get in some exercise. In fact, it's estimated that the average person will burn between 300 and 400 calories per hour kayaking. 

If you haven't booked your beach vacation yet and are looking for some great places to go kayaking, here are some of our top suggestions:

• Na Pali Coast, Hawaii

• Dalmation Coast, Croatia

• Galapagos National Park, Ecuador

• Turks and Caicos

• Belize Barrier Reef

• The southern coast of Crete, Greece

5. Stand Up Paddleboarding 

Over the last few years, paddleboarding has spiked in popularity amongst water enthusiasts. 

The great thing about paddleboarding is that it can be as relaxing or as invigorating as you want it to be. While some people choose to plow through the water at top speed, others paddleboard leisurely, even taking time to lie on their board and enjoy the sites. 

In addition to renting stand up paddleboards, another thing that's becoming super popular is doing water yoga while on paddleboards. Depending on where you're staying, your hotel may even offer a yoga paddleboard class. If not, you can still rent a board and try your hand at a few poses. 

6. Surfing 

Of course, no list of water sports would be complete without mentioning surfing. While this sport comes with a big learning curve, there's perhaps nothing more invigorating and rewarding than catching your first wave. 

If you've never surfed before, we definitely recommend taking a few lessons before you paddle out on your own. If you're looking for some great surf spots for beginners, we recommend the following:

• Waikiki, Hawaii

• Morro Bay, California

• Cocoa Beach, Florida

• Byron Bay, Australia

• Algarve, Portugal

• Santa Elena, Ecuador

• Guanacaste, Costa Rica

7. Kite-Surfing 

If you've tried traditional surfing and are ready to take things to another level, then we recommend trying your hand at kite surfing. 

Just like paddleboarding, this is a sport that has grown significantly in popularity over the past few years. Plus, this is the perfect sport to try on a windy day when it's a bit too chilly to just lay on the beach. 

Much like regular surfing, the learning curve for kite-surfing is quite steep. However, this is a watersport that will keep you entertained for hours on end. 

8. Jet Skiing

If you're looking to get your adrenaline pumping but don't have the time or patience to sit through a bunch of surf lessons, then we recommend jet skiing. 

Typically, most beach resorts have jet skis that you can rent by the hour. And, the great thing about jet skiing is that you can take a partner along with you to enjoy the water. 

Just remember to wear a life jacket and to only attempt this sport if you're a strong swimmer. 

9. Parasailing 

Last but not least, we have parasailing. If you're looking for a water activity that allows you to enjoy views of the ocean with little to no effort on your part, then parasailing is for you!

Most hotels and popular beaches offer parasailing excursions, so be sure to check with where you're staying to see what options you have. 

Are You Ready to Try These Water Activities? 

With this list of water activities in hand, there's no way you're going to get bored on your next beach vacation!

Who knows, you may just find a lifelong hobby that you end up planning the rest of your vacations around. 

If you liked this article, be sure to check back in with our blog for more vacationing tips and tricks. 

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

HER RECIPE FOR SUCCESS WITH CAT CORA

This month's cover is graced by the first female Iron Chef, Restaurateur and TV Personality, Cat Cora. In addition to our photoshoot for our Holiday issue, we sat down with her to talk about her trailblazing career, her mentors Julia Childs as well as Regynald Washington, a number of exciting projects that she has coming up as well as her latest TV show - ABC's Family Food Fight.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment that you realized that you wanted to be a chef?

CHEF CAT CORA: I think that I really realized that when I was about 15 years old and I had always been around restaurants. My grandfather has restaurants, my godfather had restaurants. I had amazing cooks: my father, my mother, my grandmother all around me - cooking different things. My mom and grandmother could bake and it was very global cuisine. My dad was Greek-American so we learned Greek food and of course, I lived in the South in Mississippi so we had good southern food. So I think that being around restaurants my whole life and growing up around them, it was really in my DNA. So around the age of 15, I thought, “I really want to do this.” I love the vibe and energy of a restaurant and kitchens. I thought that I would want to go in and pursue this lifestyle and this way of living through my career. Again, I thought that I was just born to do this even though it seems like it sounds a little corny.

AM: We love this. So where did you train and where did you go to school, what were various kitchens that you started in before opening your first restaurant?

CHEF CC: Well, I started by going to the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. I got my degree in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition with a minor in Biology and I really thought that I was going to go Pre-Med and then I took a detour because I loved health and wellness so much. I thought, “this was great.” I loved being fitness and health-oriented.

It was a perfect fit for me and really after graduation, I backpacked around Europe to 9 countries and just fell in love with food again. When I went back home, I said, “I know I have this degree and it will be great to fall back on, but I think that I want to go back to that first love and that’s food and restaurants!”

So I started working in restaurants and went onto training at the Culinary Institute of America. I was lucky to meet Julia Childs who became a mentor of mine at Natchez, Mississippi at a book signing. I felt that was like the planets aligning for me. I went to see her and was able to get advice from her and she mentored me. She told me to go to the Culinary Institute of America which is the Harvard of culinary schools and I applied pretty much the next day! I went there and graduated with honors and I went to France and cooked in 2 and 3 star Michelin restaurants at a time when women weren’t really allowed in French kitchens. They weren’t welcome there and that was about 20 years ago – which isn’t that long ago. I got 8 or 10 rejection letters in a row from 3 starred Michelin chefs and finally, I got 2! One from Georges Blanc and one from Roger Vergé. They were legendary chefs and I took both of them. I couldn’t choose as one does very classical French and one does Nouvelle Cuisine which is a newer French style – so I took both. One was in the south of France and one was in the northern part of France. They’re very different regions, different foods and ingredients as well. It’s an experience that I would never change for the world. It was very tough, especially as a female as I was the only one in the kitchen at the time. It was very daunting for a lot of chefs and many wouldn’t do that, even male chefs because they knew that French kitchens, and especially 3 starred Michelin kitchens, were very distinguished and very tough.

I did it, I got through it and came back to the US to a lot of job offers and I settled in NY for a little while for about 5-6 years. Then, I got a job offer in Napa Valley as an Executive Chef at a restaurant called Don Giovanni and then the rest was really history because I started working in kitchens as an Executive Chef and just worked my way up into opening my own company. I decided that I wanted to work for myself and be an entrepreneur as I had always had that entrepreneurial spirit and so, I did that and started Cat Cora, Inc. I started TV by chance and got an offer by Food Network by chance because I was on a local channel at the time. I opened Postino at the time where I was an Executive Chef and partner in the Bay Area. They ended up calling me a month later to audition me for my own show and to do guest appearances and that was in 1999.

I’ve been doing TV ever since – 20 years of television and it has been amazing. It’s been such an incredible journey and being able to do various things in this industry has been such a gift and a blessing. I feel that I love having restaurants, I love doing television and creating. My wife, Nicole who is an amazing producer in her own right, and we’re starting to get behind the camera to create shows, producing, doing cookbooks – and this world is so heady and beautiful. It has been such a blessing and here I am – here with you guys! It’s been great! To do this photoshoot and your magazine is so beautiful and to be able to do a high fashion shoot like this is just something that I love. I love fashion, I love jewelry, I love styling and having that from head to toe – whether it’s a pair of sunglasses like we talked about down to the shoes and everything in between! It’s so exciting to me and I love it and I love fashion. This has been such a blast!

AM: We love having you as the cover of Athleisure Mag’s 48th Issue for Dec as well as having this interview available for our podcast show Athleisure Kitchen! We know that you’re a perfect fit for our issue as a trailblazer with a number of accolades including being the first female Iron Chef, the first female that was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs Hall of Fame, your career in TV, restaurants and more! Hearing you speak about Julia Childs – what an amazing opportunity to have her as a mentor! What is a piece of advice that she gave you that you still use to this day as you continue to navigate your empire?

CHEF CC: I think that the best piece of advice that she ever told me was to always pay it forward – no matter what you do. My parents also told me that in a different way. They were always giving back to people. My mom was a nurse and my dad was a school teacher. We didn’t have a lot of money, but they always gave back to people in charitable ways and I think that that was ingrained in me as well as my siblings at a really young age.

When I met Julia, she said the same thing! She was so generous with her time and her advice – she did so much nurturing with me and the one thing that she said, was that she did this for me and that it was my turn to do it for somebody else. I think that she saw a passion in me and that it was really what I was meant to do, my destination and my fate.

That was pretty powerful for me and I have done that ever since. We have a women’s empowerment culinary internship that we started where we take one intern a year and they come to my house and are really embedded in our company and our lives for a week. They stay with us, we cook together, they spend time in some of my restaurants. Nicole and I will spend time with them on the business end of it to teach them what we do as a business and to teach them those skills. I think that that is important in this day and age that you have a business sense as well as that creative which goes hand in hand. I think that has been really powerful. I started Chefs for Humanity 15 years ago that is all about emergency feeding relief. It’s about helping to end hunger in the world, fighting hunger and it’s also about nutritional education so we are kind of a three-fold mission that’s been really amazing. We have done programs with Michelle Obama when she was in the White House and I spent time with the Obamas as well and they were so about creating programs that bettered everybody whether it was school feeding – Chefs Move to School, Let’s Move – which was about getting active when they realized that there was an obesity epidemic and other initiatives.

We’ve done multiple things not only here in the US, but globally. So those are the kinds of things that I do to pay it back and I try to do it every day! Whether it’s to young professionals that are looking for advice and on our social media, we’re constantly having questions from people asking if I can mentor them, answer a question or them, give them advice and direction, where they should go to culinary school, what road they should take now and what their next step should be. I feel like I’m constantly and I love giving advice to people and helping them to understand the next step – the way that Julia helped me. My next step for me was that she basically took me by the hand and said, “you’re next step is that you’re going to go to the Culinary Institute of America and get a culinary degree.” I was able to tell her again later, that I was going to go to France and was able to come full circle with her again.

AM: She must have been so proud of that!

CHEF CC: Yeah, she was – she was very happy!

AM: How would you define your style of cooking?

CHEF CC: I would say, very Mediterranean oriented. I can cook almost anything at this point of my career and I mean that in a very humble way. It’s just that I have been trained and especially with Iron Chef, every single battle that I did – it was a different cuisine so that taught me and gave me an ability to research to really understand that cuisine, that region and that country. I got really adept at different cuisines and throughout my cuisine whether it was Asian, Italian – obviously, I grew up in the Greek Southern heritages.

I think that different cuisines from around the world – I love to learn so much about each one of those and it’s like I’m a sponge and want to know more and be curious about things. I think that that gives you an edge and keeps you on your toes and you should always have a curiosity about something else. You’re never done learning. But if I had to answer what is my soul food, Mediterranean food. Foods of the sun and living that lifestyle. The Mediterranean diet is the healthiest diet on the planet and we know that – research has shown that. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, fruits and vegetables, lean meats and those types of things. Lots of fish with all of those Omega oils and that’s what I grew up on even though we were from the south – we indulged in southern food too. There was good fried catfish, okra and biscuits and all of that!

Mostly, I grew up on the Mediterranean diet of steamed artichokes and olive oil and lemon – lots of citrus. It’s so good for you and I think that those types of foods really draw me in. It keeps bringing me back to that and my roots – it’s really strong in the way that I cook as I cook from that Mediterranean perspective in that way.

AM: We could eat hummus every day!

CHEF CC: I think I do eat hummus every day!

AM: It’s so good! What are your 3 favorite ingredients that you like to have on hand when you’re in kitchen with Nicole and the kids?

CHEF CC: I always have citrus. I always have a big bowl of citrus so I pull from that a lot. I always finish dishes with a little squeeze of lemon, lime or tangerine – whatever it is depending on what I am cooking in terms of the style. Garlic is a big part of our cooking and I cook with it every day! It’s so good for you and heart healthy and I love really good Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Those are 3 staples that you will always see in my kitchen. You will never not see good Extra Virgin Olive Oil and it doesn’t have to be super expensive. It’s a little mind boggling how many olive oils there are to choose from these days. So I think that if people look for Extra Virgin always because that’s the first press and you’re going to get the most nutrients and then you look for Cold Pressed which means that there is no heat in the processing of it because that takes away from all the nutrients you’re trying to get when heat is involved. Those are 2 tips for your listeners and readers when they are looking to pick out their Olive Oil.

AM: When you opened your first restaurant, what was that like coming from other people’s kitchens to being in your own space to run it entirely?

CHEF CC: I mean when I opened my first restaurant, Kouzzina by Cat Cora in 2008 – which was 3 years after I started Iron Chef as I started that in 2005, we went for a lot of seasons and it was still going and there were a number of reruns. But in 2008, I started my first restaurant in Disney at the Boardwalk in Orlando. Kouzzina means kitchen in Greek and it was this gorgeous restaurant. We had a wood burning oven and we had this olive oil bar where we olive oil bar where we poured the different kinds that we got all over Greece. It was just a gorgeous restaurant and I think that as my first, I was nervous, but I was super excited. I really did things differently and unorthodox. Most chefs open their first restaurant and then they build from there. They get their TV show and they do their books. I kind of did it the opposite and and it’s the way that it felt and it worked for me. It was a better fit for me to do television, to get all of the experience from a lot of amazing chefs when I was coming up in the industry. I was able to hone my style if you will and who I was, my identity as a chef and then went on to create my company, did television, did my cookbooks and things like that. I kind of did it all and then had a restaurant, but that worked and that was the higher plan.

I think it was amazing. I would have to say that I was in a place where I was more mature, more seasons and able to take on multiple responsibilities and to juggle multiple things going on because I had the experience to do so. I had an amazing partner in Disney. When you’re picking partners and day to day operators, you have to have amazing brands that they always want to succeed and their goal is to be the best. Their standard of excellence and quality is as high as you can get which Disney is and I still have a great relationship with them to this day and we have done multiple things along the years and I think that it is just a fantastic way for me to start my restaurant.

AM: In looking at your restaurants like a portfolio, you have those that you have done in the resorts, the curated version that you did with Weight Watchers at the Barclay Center and then your partnership at Aramark which is beyond ridiculous – how do you go about deciding the kinds of restaurants you will do and the kind of partnerships that you do?

CHEF CC: Yes, again – I had this amazing mentor, Regynald Washington who started my first restaurant in Disney World and he was with me when we started that and he left to go to HBF (Hojeij Branded Foods) which now owns all my airport restaurants. He called me and said, “you gotta do airport branded restaurants with us.” I couldn't resist and we have done some amazing things – 6 airport restaurants around the country. Then it just kind of expanded and I have my partnership with Aramark and we’ve done these beautiful stand alone restaurants, corporate dining, but also 600 pop-ups around the country. Then it just kind of expanded and I have my partnership with Aramark and we’ve done these beautiful stand alone restaurants, corporate dining, but also 600 pop-ups around the country as well.

Then we have Mesa Burger which is in Santa Barbara, Montecito and Goleta and we’re going to expand that out all over the country. It continues to be beautified. My restaurant in Singapore was just phenomenal and it was great to have an international presence and I learned a lot from that experience. There are these amazing things that continue to grow and it's so organic. It happened organically from the very beginning. The Walt Disney restaurant, was just organic and then it expanded from there.

I like that and I also love the idea of putting restaurants – I mean I love stand alone and we’re doing them as well, but I like building those that are in the landscape of America in places where whether it’s an airport, amusement park, national park, corporate dining – places where people really needed healthy cuisine and you were at the mercy of what was there. Stadiums are a good example of this as they have changed dramatically as you’ve seen. People are like, “wow, I can get a healthy meal here while I am watching a concert or a ball game!" If my flight gets delayed, I love that I can go to Cat Cora’s Kitchen and sit there and have an incredible healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner. I think that it’s giving people that access to health and wellness and that foundation where we’re not even saying that we are a health and wellness restaurant. Our foundation is based on health and wellness and we cook great food! That’s where for me, I felt that I was given a service that really I wanted to give but it was unexpected. It happened so organically. I mean, before my restaurants, when I was traveling in airports, I couldn’t get an egg white omelet anywhere. Now, that’s what I offer to people and if you want an American breakfast, you can get that there too! I like to offer that healthy option and I think that that is what was missing.

AM: We always like asking people about their 3 signature dishes at their restaurants and as you have a number of them, we’ll let you choose what restaurants you would like to include in this mix!

CHEF CC: I would say that if you’re in Santa Barbara (Montecito or Goleta) whether you’re already flying in or just making your way to Mesa Burger because it’s worth it – we have amazing Craft Burgers. I’d say our signature is probably the Montecito Burger which is this chefy burger that has this truffle aioli on it and very umami yumminess. We also have great craft burgers with Brioche buns – very umaminess and we have one of the very best vegan burgers that you will ever have. We also do gluten free buns and we do lettuce wraps around a burger so it’s a fun place to go. There are great craft beers and wines so you can just have fun.

At Cat Cora's Kitchen, you gotta try my Spicy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons – delicious for any of the airports you’re going through!

At my Wicked Eats and Olio concepts that are more of a Mediterranean Bowls so you can get quinoa, a salad, a pita and you can put it with different toppings, sauces and things! I love the Salmon Bowl with quinoa and some of the lettuce and different sauces and toppings on it that are so delicious and very healthy as well. It’s very health forward, but so delicious that you won’t even care! You’ll just know that it’s delicious and yummy. Those are some of the things that we have been doing.

AM: We’ve been talking about your TV work today and one of our personal favorites was BRAVO’s Around the World in 80 Plates!

CHEF CC: Oh thank you! I love that show and it was so fun shooting it.

AM: I can only imagine! And obviously being a judge in a number of shows like Top Chef and the numerous appearances you’ve had in other shows. Did you ever say when you first started that your brand was “x” and these were the things that you were going to do to get to where you ultimately wanted to be?

CHEF CC: I think you always have to be strategic the way that you want to represent your brand. You have to make sure that what you do moves the needle and that you have to be conscious as that’s important to be that way in business as well as socially. It’s important to us. My philosophy with restaurants and food is sustainability – it’s important as well as health and wellness. We want to make sure that we are taking care of people and the Earth. In business I think that having integrity, morals, being honest and kind – it’s sometimes hard to do because it is business and sometimes you have different opinions than your business partners. At the end of the day, it’s about rising above that and being super conscious about how you go about conducting yourself and business dealings. It's really about making people happy and that’s what you’re here to do. It’s important to make money, enriching your business and going in a direction that is successful with your business financially, your messages and how they affect your brand.

I think that we’re strategic. We don’t do anything in a vacuum and I think that I learned that from my wife who is an amazing producer, creative director and so many other things with Universal Music and then I got her and thank God because all of these artists that she blew up all over the world you know and had this amazing effect on and her genius – I got that! For me, it’s about taking that and she taught me to not do things in a vacuum and to be strategic and thought out. It's got to be well executed and you have to be passionate about it and it has to make you happy in the morning. You have to be happy about what you are doing in the world and for every action there is a reaction. There is cause and effect and each of us is a big part of that. We have to be very conscious about how we go about moving in our lives.

AM: So ABC’s Family Food Fight, how did you decide that you were going to be a part of that and what drew you to this project which has a great group of people with yourself as well as Graham Elliot and Ayesha Curry.

CHEF CC: It was such a fantastic opportunity. I love Ayesha, I adore her and her family. Graham – I’ve known him for years and he is like a brother as I’ve known him for 20 years. We’ve been running in the same circles and have been doing the same events. I have a lot of respect for both of them and the respect was mutual around the table with all of us. We had the best time on that show and I think what drew me was food and family.

At the end of the day, where I’m at my life today and where I have come from to now – I look at the most important thing thing at the end of the day is food and family and family and food. I look at our children, our 6 boys, my wife, our extended family because that is what you have. That’s what real. You can always look to your family to ground you and to bring it back.

That is what grounds you and I look to my family as a beacon so that I know my direction. I think that that’s why I wanted to do this show. These families came together, they cooked together all the time and they competed together because yes the money was big. It was important and life changing for a lot of people, but they also wanted to do it so that they could compete together and say that they did it with their family and to make them proud. Each of the families were so different as they were a melting pot of different heritages and cultures, recipes and personalities. That was so special to that show and made it so enriched for us. It was so fascinating and wonderful!

AM: We live in an age of social media where it’s so important to be able to utilize it to show who they are as a person beyond being in the kitchen as well as their skills. How important do you think social media is for chefs to show themselves in a 360 way?

CHEF CC: I think that’s super important and has been great for us. There was a time when there was no social media and it wasn’t even two words that we knew. It may seem strange for some people to hear this but there was a chunk of my career where this didn’t exist. You know, telephone, text, computer, email – things like that is how we communicated. I think that this has been so much fun to learn about social media and continue to learn and each day, there is something new to learn. But there is something about being able to go directly into people’s homes and right in front of them. To be able to say, here I am and this is who I am. I’m doing this today and cooking with my kids making pasta and join us. Like, really it’s such an amazing one on one interaction while you're being able to do so in front of a million people. It's one on one in the moment for all of us even when I am looking at something or someone’s video that I admire.

That’s what I think is cool because we get this one on one interaction and it’s such an intimate connection with people that you really admire. You get to see their lives and it’s very voyeuristic because you get to see them in their and what they do when they’re not an actor on the screen or a musician and not a chef when they’re at home. It’s just seeing them at home with their family and I think that there is something really special about that and it makes the world smaller in a good way. I think it brings all of us from around the world together in a place, intimacy and connection that you wouldn’t have otherwise. I find myself stopping for selfies and stopping for this or Instagramming my food you know. A lot of interaction, but I think it’s really beneficial for connecting with people around the world.

AM: You have a number of cookbooks under your belt. Is there anything that you are working on right now that our readers can find out about that we should keep an eye out for or check your social media for?

CHEF CC: Yeah, I have 3 cookbooks and a memoir. We are working on a cookbook which will be out next year. We can’t tell you what it is yet, but it will be good when you see it and I’m super excited about the concept and think it’s a great idea. When you see it, you’ll love it. I think it will be a little disruptive which is cool and is a good thing. You guys need to just check out my Instagram for any updates which will be coming out next year.

AM: Licensing is a massive component to a business and we know that you are in business and we know that you are involved in that. Do you have any new products that are coming out or partnerships that you can talk about?

CHEF CC: We are definitely doing some partnerships. I just launched a caviar line with California Caviar. I just did Rachel Ray today and we’re doing something really cool around it so check that out. I just launched it and it’s called Crème by Cat Cora. A beautiful caviar that’s American white sturgeon caviar and its farm-raised. It’s in partnership with American Caviar and a women-owned company which I think is super amazing. They’re so dynamic. I’ve always loved caviar, but I never knew how it was made really. They brought it to our house. We made caviar and I have so much of a bigger appreciation for how it is made and harvested because it’s very time consuming in how it is made. You’re talking about very little eggs and you have to be really delicate with them. So it takes a lot to make a tin of it or even 3 tins made and you’re like wow the process is incredible. It’s a sustainable product which I am proud of and much more approachable for people. One of the reasons why I wanted to do this was to make it approachable for people as I think that some people have this idea that caviar is too fancy and that they wouldn’t be able to afford it and that they can’t use it. That’s why I was so interested in doing this not just because of the company’s history and that it’s a woman-owned and run company, but it’s a beautiful made product that is done sustainably that people can enjoy.

AM: That’s so exciting!

CHEF CC: With caviar, I don’t know if people know this but there are so many amazing omega oils in it. 2 tablespoons have 7 grams of protein and it has only 5 grams of fat. It’s a lot of incredible vitamins and minerals that you get from that because of the fish oils – very healthy and beneficial for people.

AM: We had no idea that it had protein in it. We love eating it on our salads as well as on potato chips.

CHEF CC: Potato chips and sour cream is one of the best ways to eat it!

AM: You have so much going on with your business, your wife, family and more – how do you make sure that you check in with yourself and give yourself the time that you need to make sure that you’re ok?

CHEF CC: I work out everyday. It’s one of my things. Because of my degree in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition wellness has always been in my life. In college when I put on the extra 10 - 15, I was like I have to do something about this because it’s not working. Getting in shape became a lifestyle and I feel that it is a lifestyle for me. Just like I get up in the morning to take a shower or to go to my meetings, I know that I will schedule when I need to workout. Part of my job is to stay healthy for my family. I just look at it like that and if people looked at it as something that they needed to do that wasn’t just a luxury or an add on – it’s something that you can add into your day. You don’t have to do it all day. You can literally walk for 30 minutes.

I got into shape by walking. I didn’t go out and hit the elliptical or the gym. It was literally me going out and walking. I got into shape, lost the 15 pounds and I just got into it. I stay regulated. I really enjoy myself and I really believe in the 80/20 rule for myself and we live by that. It’s 80% of the time – sometimes it’s 90% or 70%/30% if I’m on vacation. I try to stay in that 80/20 where I’m eating clean 80% of the time and then I have fun where I’m enjoying myself where I can have an indulgent and enjoy myself. If you can give yourself permission to enjoy your food and still make smart choices 80% of the time – you’re ahead of the game.

Exercising and eating healthy go hand in hand because you can’t exercise a bad diet. But you also need that hand in hand exercise – so eat healthy and even if it’s little baby steps that’s great! I love to workout taking bubble baths and I take a lot of them when I can. I always try to find a semblance of balance. There is a real need for us to slow down and take off half a day or a full day - even 2 days if you can. If you get the weekends off great although we’re always working so that may not always happen. I tell Nicole that since we work together – I ask her when we’re scheduling our next day off. Are we getting a massage, a mani/ pedi, taking a walk or even a museum just to do something mindless and to see beautiful art which is something that we would like to do. Or it can be a theater or a nice dinner! Tonight, we’re going to have date night and we can unwind, rejuvenate and come back to that balance and that grounded place.

AM: What are your favorite methods that you like to do when you work out?

CHEF CC: I like to mix it up. I have been working out for many many years so I find that my body and I think that exercising is individual to each person so there isn’t something that works for every body. I find that if I exercise in one mode like the elliptical, after 5 days my body gets used to it and I have to get off that and go for a run instead or do crossfit or go do Soul Cycle with my wife. We will mix it up. I have a road bike that I love to do road cycling with and I don’t have the time to do it as much as I would like, but I love to do it when you can. Your body does get used to exercises and it becomes not as effective. It doesn’t mean that you can’t go back to it but you do want to change it up so that your body is thrown off in a good way. It will find a new muscle to work on.

AM: You clearly travel a lot. What are 3 items that you like to carry in your carry- on that makes your flights easier or to feel like you’re at home?

CHEF CC: I always have my earbuds – always. I always have a nice comfy pair of socks to throw on. I always have a good book just in case. I like to have one and I like how it feels to flip that page. Even if I don’t get to use it then, if I can read a few pages it's nice to do! Number 4 that I had to throw in. I always carry a cooler bag with healthy snacks. Even if we’re flying First Class and getting meals, I still like to carry my almonds, fruits, berries, protein bars – I always carry a lot of healthy snacks and just go. I want to stay cognizant and have brain food because we’re on the go constantly and that we have something that’s healthy as an alternative. If you pack a few healthy things then you won’t get off track and have empty calories. You don’t want to stay dang, “why did I eat that?” When you’re hungry, you get irritable and your energy drops tremendously. But when you have healthy snacks, it keeps the energy up, you’re happy and it works better. When you know you have something yummy that came from your refrigerator, that’s also a comfort from home too!

IG @CatCora 

Hear Chef Cat Cora on our show, Athleisure Kitchen which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multi-media podcast network! Make sure to subscribe to find out when the episode drops. You can hear it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts and wherever you enjoy listening to your favorite podcast.

We photographed our cover story and recorded our podcast at 498 West End Ave #12A. We sat down with broker, Louise Phillips Forbes of the Louise Phillips Forbes Halstead Team to talk about this property as well as the neighborhood that it is located in.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We enjoyed shooting in 498 West End Avenue’s penthouse and for this shoot in #12A, it was a lot of fun due to the layout as well as the way that natural light that comes in this space – can you tell us about the features of this unit?

LOUISE PHILLIPS FORBES: You nailed it! The layout and light in this apartment are truly amazing, plus it has outrageous scale. The home is nestled in a corner unit on a high floor with 4,120 sf across 5-BR and 5.5-BA with three exposures and stunning Hudson River views. Newly renovated and reimagined with designer details by CetraRuddy Architecture, this home is a rare combination of prewar craft and contemporary artistry, perfect for entertaining!

With 56-feet of frontage along West End Avenue, the kitchen, lounge, and living/ dining room are bathed in natural light. Custom-color solid oak, rift-and-quartered floors throughout all public spaces are a modern twist on the parqueted floors found in the grand homes of Newport, Rhode Island. The living areas are distinguished from the kitchen by custom-designed French sliding doors. The doors feature an ingeniously recessed sliding mechanism for ease of use – all framed in an artfully articulated molding.

The kitchen is a chef's dream that embodies a level of craft and workmanship that exceeds the highest standards. From the outstanding millwork in custom chocolate-stained oak with contrasting cream-colored ceruse, to a single-slab marble hearth wall that conceals the range hood, every facet of the kitchen is designed to deliver equal portions of elegance and functionality.

Every bedroom provides an en-suite experience. Every room also features brandnew, energy-efficient windows and a superbly orchestrated medley of subtle colors and unexpected textures to create a serene sanctuary. The exceptionally spacious master bedroom includes a luxurious bathroom with a steam shower, soaking tub, mosaic marble floors and custom glasswork, furniture-like, shagreen textured vanities, and an eclectic mix of metals.

AM: What amenities are offered in this building for the residents?

LPF: The building itself is a beautiful turn of-the-20th-century piece of architecture offering a 24-hour attended lobby, private and bike storage, a fitness room and children's playroom. From the broad leafy streets outside, to its proximity to Riverside Park and bustling Upper West Side venues, 498 West End Avenue is nestled in the heart of one of New York's most desirable neighborhoods.

AM: Tell us about the neighborhood that is directly around this building and what neighborhood this is considered?

LPF: Flanked by two beautiful parks, the Upper West Side is one of the greenest neighborhoods in Manhattan. A favorite with families with its great elementary schools, safe streets and plethora of playgrounds. The vibe of the Upper West Side is relaxed, yet lively. There are plenty of bars and restaurants to frequent along Amsterdam Avenue, and Broadway. The wide, tree-lined streets also host many mom-and-pop stores, some of the best Jewish delis in the city, Zabar’s and Levain Bakery. Culture's abounds as this coveted neighborhood is the home to the American Museum of Natural History, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan and the West Side Community Garden.

AM: For those interested in this unit, how can they get more information?

LPF: For more information on this home please head over to louisephillipsforbes.com. As the exclusive broker for new development in this building my team represents new units as they become available. The pristinely designed Penthouse is set atop this landmark. It’s a 3,646sf 5-BR, 4.5-BA newly constructed full-floor duplex with an expansive wrap-around terrace, at its longest spanning close to 90 feet, which makes for a covetable outdoor space ideal for lounging as well as hosting cocktails and dinner parties against the backdrop of an exquisite panorama of the Hudson River. We also recently launched a fully renovated 2,093sf 3-BR, 2-BA residence on the 8th floor with the same designer details and notable interior features.

AM: Can you tell us about the artwork that is featured in this apartment?

LPF: The artwork throughout the two-story home has been thoughtfully curated by an interior designer to help highlight its architectural features and, of course, the views.

AM: Where can readers find out about properties that you represent?

LPF: To learn more about our listings, the team and the concierge-style services we provide, head over to www.louisephillipsforbes.com.

AM: You always have a number of amazing developments and properties in your portfolio. With 2020 around the corner, are there properties that you can share with us that you are excited about here in NYC and in The Hamptons for our readers to keep an eye out for?

LPF: With 30+ years of experience and over $4B in sales we always have some unique and exciting things on the horizon. Follow us on Instagram @louisephillipsforbesteam to keep up with us in 2020.

IG @LouisePhillipsForbesTeam

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS

Athleisure Mag's cover story was shot by Paul Farkas, using Canon Mark IV; and selected Canon lenses: EF 50 f/1.2 L, EF 24-70 f/2.8 L II, and EF 70-200 f/2.8 L II.

IG @PVFarkas

STYLE, MAKEUP & HAIR CREDITS

Athleisure Mag's Celeb Fashion Stylist, Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director Kimmie Smith, MUA Jessica Bonilla and Hairstylist Lea DeLoy share how Cat Cora's look was created for the cover editorial.

LOOK I | FITNESS

BACK COVER + PG 16 - PG 25 | BEYOND YOGA Heather Rib Cropped Tank in Navy Heather + Graceland High Waisted Midi Legging in Nocturnal Navy/Horizon Blue | COLMAR Research Metallic Jacket in Rich | KIMMIE VINCENT Collins Ave | THE9THMUSE Cleo Earrings | SALLY HERSHBERGER X REVO LIMITED EDITION CAPSULE COLLECTION X2 in Gold Frame with Champagne Lenses | SPERRY Maritime Repel Suede Snow Boot in Sand |

SKINCARE | The base was applied from a filming that took place earlier that day | Skin touched up with RIMMEL LONDON Stay Matte Concealer “Linen” | DANESSA MYRICKS BEAUTY Dew Wet Balm “Morning Dew” to freshen the skin | JOUER COSMETICS Highlight “Skinny Dip” | BRONZER | FENTY BEAUTY Sun Stalk'r Instant Warmth Bronzer “Shady Biz” | BLUSH | STEVE LAURENT Blush “Rosè All Day” | EYES | URBAN DECAY COSMETICS Naked3 Eyeshadpw Palette “Nooner” dusted all over the eyes | JOUER COSMETICS Highlight in the inner corners to open the eyes | L’ORÉAL COSMETICS Mascara "Carbon Black" | LIPS | COVER GIRL Sultry Sienna “250" |

HAIR | Hair was prepped with THEURGY Bohemian Bounce to smooth and to add body | Before curling, THEURGY Out Of Body volumizing spray gave the curl hold, memory and heat protection | After brushing through curls, THEURGY Shape Shift texturizing spray applied mostly to the root area to give the style a more voluminous undone texture and make the hair easy to go from one style to the next |

LOOK II | BOSS LADY VIBES

FRONT COVER + PG 26 | SMYTHE Long Shawl Blazer in Pewter Lamé | BLUEBELLA Avia Bodysuit in Black | MAVI Tess Super Skinny in Zipper Fly Black Jeather | TALIA JEWELRY Aria Charm Necklace | MAISON MIRU Large Celestial Illusion Hoops Earrings | LAGOS 18K Caviar Gold Diamond X Ring | SJP BY SARAH JESSICA PARKER Trois in Grey Snake |

EYES | The eyes were changed to a bolder look using KKW BEAUTY (Kim x Mario Palette) “Loyalty" | To deepen the outer V, added a black liquid | LIP | MILANI COSMETICS Color Statement Lipstick “07 Best Red” |

HAIR | Boss lady vibes were created with a deep side part, pinned over side of the ear, and soft waves for a bold sexy edge |

LOOK III | GLAM LOUNGE

PG 29 - PG 32 | AFFFAIR Bodysuit + Beaded Bomber Jacket | OLIVA VON HALLE Bella Bella Envy Short | THE9THMUSE Flow Earrings | LAGOS 18K Caviar Gold Diamond Tassel Ring, 18K Caviar Gold Ring + 18K Caviar Gold Stacking Ring |

EYES | A little shimmer on the lid with BH COSMETICS Shaaanxo Palette "Champagne Shimmer" added | LIP | FENTY BEAUTY Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer “Fussy” |

HAIR | An effortless look was created by just pulling a bit of the hair back, and channeled her inner Bridget Bardot |

LOOK IV | DATE NIGHT

PG 35 - PG 39 | OLIVA VON HALLE X MALEFICENT Aureta Grace | BLANK NYC Collarless Blazer in Cosmic Charge | TLR JEWELRY Focus on Your Earrings | TALIA JEWELRY Opus Charm Necklace |

EYES | The eyes have a bold effect using PACIFICA BEAUTY Beachy Punk Mineral Eyeshadow "Tomboy" | “Rebel” used all over the crease, lid, and bottom over the crease, lid, and bottom lash line | NYX COSMETICS Glitter Primer was applied to the lid | Primer assisted INGLOT Glitter Pigment “Blazin Rose” to stay on the lid | A black liquid liner was added and more mascara | LIP | COVER GIRL Sultry Sienna "250" added | To create an ombré effect, concealer was placed on the center of the lips and FENTY BEAUTY Diamond Milk |

HAIR | Soft waves were pinned to the side for this modern day Boho Cinderella | A layer of THEURGY Enchantment Mist was sprayed through the hair for ultra shine and to block out any humidity from ruining the style | Finally, THEURGY Retrograde Spray, a light workable hairspray was used to complete each look |

IG @Shes.Kimmie

@Laniidoa_Cosmetics

@HairByLeaDeLoy

Read the Dec issue of Athleisure Mag and see Her Recipe For Success with Cat Cora in mag.

7 GREAT WAYS TO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGht

Maintaining your ideal body weight doesn't only boost your self-confidence, but it also makes you healthier. You don't want to end up suffering from cardiovascular disease and complications caused by diabetes because of obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle. So, it's about time to find helpful ways to help you shed some pounds.

In this post, you'll learn 7 great ways to help you lose weight safely and effectively:

1.         Eat a Balanced Diet

Sometimes, going back to the basics is more effective when it comes to weight loss. While there are a lot of diet fads, like keto or juicing, eating a balanced diet and taking regular meals instead of snacking are highly recommended.

Natural foods contain L glutamine, which is an amino acid that can also be found in supplements that help regulate the number of bacteria in the digestive tract. It also helps burn calories and reduce appetite. Some examples of foods high in L-glutamine include beef, corn, eggs, tofu, white rice, and skim milk.

2.         Never Skip Breakfast

You don't have to go hungry just to lose weight. If you don't want to end up snacking throughout the day, make sure to start your day right by eating breakfast.

Breakfast is essential so you can obtain nutrients from various food sources to empower your cells and provide you the energy you need. It’ll also keep your appetite satisfied, and you'll tend to avoid craving sweets or snacks, which usually cause weight gain.

3.         Invest in a Bicycle

Unlike other forms of exercise, biking is a fun activity that can help you lose weight. Bicycling can help you burn calories, which is a unit of energy. Foods contain varying levels of calories, such as four calories for every gram of carbohydrate and protein, and nine calories for each gram of fat. An average female cyclist usually burns about 2,000 to 2,400 calories a day and an average male burns between 2,200 and 2,700.

Feel the freedom and fresh air brought about by cycling in the park or nearby natural landscapes. You'll enjoy this physical activity because it's enjoyable, taking you from different places.

You can always bring your mountain bike on an out-of-town trip and use it as fantastic tour transportation. Thus, it's not surprising why bicycling has transformed many lives, including favorite celebrities.

4.         Limit Using Gadgets and Computers

With the digital age, it's easy to get hooked on to social media or online surfing all day. Just imagine, you work in the office more than eight hours a day and still come home and sit on the couch to watch TV or check your Facebook or Instagram all night.

That's why you should stick with a schedule and limit using these devices. Essentially, be more physically active. It’ll not only prevent exposure from too much blue light from gadget screens, but it’ll also help you lose weight.

5.         Stop Cravings

Even if you're in a carefully planned diet, it can be wrecked when you give in to sweets or sugar and other food or beverage cravings. When your body lacks leptin, a hormone that signals satiety, your appetite increases. The same is true with the release of ghrelin, which leads to weight gain. That's why you have to learn how to stop your cravings.

Here are some tips to stop cravings:

●      Chew Gum: Chewing sugar-free gum tricks the brain by making you feel satisfied when you're craving sugar. It also helps keep you diverted from vices, such as drinking alcohol or cigarette smoking.

Avoid taking breath mints or peppermints because they have more sugar than gums, which makes your cravings worse.

●      Brush Your Teeth: You probably have realized that the aftertaste of toothpaste is not a perfect pair with food flavors. Hence, brushing your teeth can temporarily stop your craving when you start to feel the urge.

●      Drink Water: Sometimes, hunger cravings is actually a signal that your body needs hydration. When you feel cravings, drink more cold water. This stimulates metabolism as the body warms the water to body temperature.

It's also a good idea to squirt a piece of lemon to the water to add flavor, making you feel you’ve consumed something more filling than plain water.

●      Use Food-scented Beauty Products: The more you keep your sense of smell away from food, the greater are your cravings. Sniffing food-scented candles and beauty products, like green apple, vanilla, or banana, regularly help you avoid the hit of intense cravings.

●      Small Craving Concession: Indulging a little to your favorite foods will help prevent overindulgence later. Combine your favorite sweets to something healthier. For instance, you can dip strawberries to melted favorite chocolate.

6.         Get Enough Sleep

Sleep deprivation leads to obesity. So, if you want to lose weight, you should get adequate rest and sleep. People who have trouble sleeping feel tired the next day, and overeating is one way to replenish energy. Also, people who usually sleep late at night even snack, ruining their healthy diets. 

If you want to lose weight effectively, you should also need to get at least eight hours of sleep at night. Reduce the number of hours watching television or using your smartphone before bedtime. Also, you might need to replace your old mattress for a more comfortable sleep.

7.         Regular Exercise

While you probably have the money to spend on liposuction or tummy tuck, nothing can beat regular exercise when it comes to losing weight or getting rid of unwanted fat. In fact, cosmetic enhancements are not effective weight management techniques, and even experts don’t consider them as such.

So, why not brisk walk, jog, or run the early morning before heading to work? Or, you can exercise in the gym once you’re out in the office. Another way to get regular exercise is by climbing the staircase instead of riding an elevator. For those who are always at home, doing manual chores instead of using the vacuum or cleaning appliances also helps you lose weight.

Conclusion

Losing weight is very challenging for a lot of people. While one can easily kickstart a weight loss plan, it's hard to keep it. That's why it's important to have discipline.

Make sure to eat a balanced diet, reduce your cravings, get some exercise, and get enough sleep. Also, it's important to be mindful of what you're eating, take natural weight loss supplements as needed, and avoid overindulgence by only eating small servings of your favorite foods.

By doing so, you'll lose weight and enjoy a healthier life.

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS 2020 | NOMINEES, PREDICTIONS & WINNERS

We’re pretty excited for tonight’s SAG Awards which is known as the awards show during this season where actors celebrate actors by thanking them for their craft! Robert De Niro will also be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. As always, we’re sharing who we predict will win, who actually wins and of course which ones we correctly guessed! Our guesses are in italics, winners are in bold and then the ones that we predicted correctly will be in bold italics. Check out tonight’s awards show by tuning into TNT or TBS at 8pm EST.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
CHRISTIAN BALE / Ken Miles – “FORD v FERRARI”
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / Rick Dalton -- “ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD”
ADAM DRIVER / Charlie Barber – “MARRIAGE STORY”
TARON EGERTON / Elton John – “ROCKETMAN”
JOAQUIN PHOENIX / Arthur Fleck – “JOKER”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
CYNTHIA ERIVO / Harriet/Minty – “HARRIET”
SCARLETT JOHANSSON / Nicole Barber – “MARRIAGE STORY”
LUPITA NYONG’O / Adelaide Wilson/Red – “US”
CHARLIZE THERON / Megyn Kelly – “BOMBSHELL”
RENÉE ZELLWEGER / Judy Garland – “JUDY”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
JAMIE FOXX / Walter McMillian – “JUST MERCY”
TOM HANKS / Fred Rogers – “A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”
AL PACINO / Jimmy Hoffa – “THE IRISHMAN”
JOE PESCI / Russell Bufalino – “THE IRISHMAN”
BRAD PITT / Cliff Booth – “ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
LAURA DERN / Nora Fanshaw – “MARRIAGE STORY”
SCARLETT JOHANSSON / Rosie – “JOJO RABBIT
NICOLE KIDMAN / Gretchen Carlson – “BOMBSHELL”
JENNIFER LOPEZ / Ramona – “HUSTLERS”
MARGOT ROBBIE / Kayla Pospisil – “BOMBSHELL”

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
BOMBSHELL
CONNIE BRITTON / Beth Ailes
ALLISON JANNEY / Susan Estrich
NICOLE KIDMAN / Gretchen Carlson
JOHN LITHGOW / Roger Ailes
MALCOLM McDOWELL / Rupert Murdoch
KATE McKINNON / Jess Carr
MARGOT ROBBIE / Kayla Pospisil
CHARLIZE THERON / Megyn Kelly
 
THE IRISHMAN
BOBBY CANNAVALE / Skinny Razor
ROBERT DE NIRO / Frank Sheeran
STEPHEN GRAHAM / Anthony “Tony Pro” Provenzano
HARVEY KEITEL / Angelo Bruno
AL PACINO / Jimmy Hoffa
ANNA PAQUIN / Older Peggy Sheeran
JOE PESCI / Russell Bufalino
RAY ROMANO / Bill Bufalino

JOJO RABBIT
ALFIE ALLEN / Finkel
ROMAN GRIFFIN DAVIS / Jojo
SCARLETT JOHANSSON / Rosie
THOMASIN McKENZIE / Elsa
STEPHEN MERCHANT / Deertz
SAM ROCKWELL / Capt. Klenzendorf
TAIKA WAITITI / Adolf
REBEL WILSON / Fraulein Rahm
 
ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD
AUSTIN BUTLER / Tex
JULIA BUTTERS / Trudi
BRUCE DERN / George Spahn
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / Rick Dalton
DAKOTA FANNING / Squeaky Fromme
EMILE HIRSCH / Jay Sebring
DAMIAN LEWIS / Steve McQueen
MIKE MOH / Bruce Lee
TIMOTHY OLYPHANT / James Stacy
AL PACINO / Marvin Schwarz
LUKE PERRY / Wayne Maunder
BRAD PITT / Cliff Booth
MARGARET QUALLEY / Pussycat
MARGOT ROBBIE / Sharon Tate
 
PARASITE
CHANG HYAE JIN / Chung Sook
CHO YEO JEONG / Yeon Kyo
CHOI WOO SHIK / Ki Woo
JUNG HYEON JUN / Da Song
JUNG ZISO / Da Hye
LEE JUNG EUN / Moon Gwang
LEE SUN KYUN / Dong Ik
PARK MYUNG HOON / Geun Se
PARK SO DAM / Ki Jung
SONG KANG HO / Ki Taek
 
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
“AVENGERS: ENDGAME”
 “FORD v FERRARI”
“THE IRISHMAN”
“JOKER”
“ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD”

The Television Nominees are:
 
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
MAHERSHALA ALI / Wayne Hays – “TRUE DETECTIVE”
RUSSELL CROWE / Roger Ailes – “THE LOUDEST VOICE”
JARED HARRIS / Valery Legasov – “CHERNOBYL”
JHARREL JEROME / Korey Wise – “WHEN THEY SEE US”
SAM ROCKWELL / Bob Fosse – “FOSSE/VERDON”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
PATRICIA ARQUETTE / Dee Dee Blanchard – “THE ACT”
TONI COLLETTE / Det. Grace Rasmussen – “UNBELIEVABLE”
JOEY KING / Gypsy Rose Blanchard – “THE ACT”
EMILY WATSON / Ulana Khomyuk – “CHERNOBYL”
MICHELLE WILLIAMS / Gwen Verdon – “FOSSE/VERDON”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
STERLING K. BROWN / Randall Pearson – “THIS IS US”
STEVE CARELL / Mitch Kessler – “THE MORNING SHOW”
BILLY CRUDUP / Corey Ellison – “THE MORNING SHOW”
PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister – “GAME OF THRONES”
DAVID HARBOUR / Jim Hopper – “STRANGER THINGS”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
JENNIFER ANISTON / Alex Levy – “THE MORNING SHOW”
HELENA BONHAM CARTER / Princess Margaret – “THE CROWN”
OLIVIA COLMAN / Queen Elizabeth II – “THE CROWN”
JODIE COMER /Villanelle – “KILLING EVE”
ELISABETH MOSS / Offred/June – “THE HANDMAID’S TALE”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
ALAN ARKIN / Norman Newlander – “THE KOMINSKY METHOD”
MICHAEL DOUGLAS / Sandy Kominsky – “THE KOMINSKY METHOD”
BILL HADER / Barry – “BARRY”
ANDREW SCOTT / The Priest – “FLEABAG”
TONY SHALHOUB / Abe Weissman – “THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE / Jen Harding – “DEAD TO ME”
ALEX BORSTEIN / Susie Myerson – “THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL”
RACHEL BROSNAHAN / Midge Maisel – “THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL”
CATHERINE O’HARA / Moira Rose – “SCHITT’S CREEK”
PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE / Fleabag – “FLEABAG”

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
BIG LITTLE LIES
IAIN ARMITAGE / Ziggy Chapman
DARBY CAMP / Chloe Mackenzie
CHLOE COLEMAN / Skye Carlson
CAMERON CROVETTI / Josh Wright
NICHOLAS CROVETTI / Max Wright
LAURA DERN / Renata Klein
MARTIN DONOVAN / Martin Howard
MERRIN DUNGEY / Det. Adrienne Quinlan
CRYSTAL FOX / Elizabeth Howard
IVY GEORGE / Amabella Klein
NICOLE KIDMAN / Celeste Wright
ZOË KRAVITZ / Bonnie Carlson
KATHRYN NEWTON / Abigail Carlson
JEFFREY NORDLING / Gordon Klein
DENIS O’HARE / Ira Farber
ADAM SCOTT / Ed Mackenzie
ALEXANDER SKARSGÅRD / Perry Wright
DOUGLAS SMITH / Corey Brockfield
MERYL STREEP / Mary Louise Wright
JAMES TUPPER / Nathan Carlson
ROBIN WEIGERT / Dr. Amanda Reisman
REESE WITHERSPOON / Madeline Mackenzie
SHAILENE WOODLEY / Jane Chapman

 
THE CROWN
MARION BAILEY / Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
HELENA BONHAM CARTER / Princess Margaret
OLIVIA COLMAN / Queen Elizabeth II
CHARLES DANCE / Lord Mountbatten
BEN DANIELS / Lord Snowdon
ERIN DOHERTY / Princess Anne
CHARLES EDWARDS / Martin Charteris
TOBIAS MENZIES / Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
JOSH O’CONNOR / Prince Charles
SAM PHILLIPS / Equerry
DAVID RINTOUL / Michael Adeane
JASON WATKINS / Harold Wilson
 
GAME OF THRONES
ALFIE ALLEN / Theon Greyjoy
PILOU ASBÆK / Euron Greyjoy
JACOB ANDERSON / Grey Worm
JOHN BRADLEY / Samwell Tarly
GWENDOLINE CHRISTIE / Brienne of Tarth
EMILIA CLARKE / Daenerys Targaryen
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU / Jaime Lannister
BEN CROMPTON / Dolorous Edd
LIAM CUNNINGHAM / Davos Seaworth
JOE DEMPSIE / Gendry
PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister
RICHARD DORMER / Beric Dondarrion
NATHALIE EMMANUEL / Missandei
JEROME FLYNN / Bronn
IAIN GLEN / Jorah Mormont
KIT HARINGTON / Jon Snow
LENA HEADEY / Cersei Lannister
ISAAC HEMPSTEAD WRIGHT / Bran Stark
CONLETH HILL / Varys
KRISTOFER HIVJU / Tormund Giantsbane
RORY McCANN / The Hound
HANNAH MURRAY / Gilly
STAZ NAIR / Qhono
DANIEL PORTMAN / Podrick Payne
BELLA RAMSEY / Lyanna Mormont
RICHARD RYCROFT / Maester Wolkan
SOPHIE TURNER / Sansa Stark
CARICE VAN HOUTEN / Melisandre
RUPERT VANSITTART / Yohn Royce
MAISIE WILLIAMS / Arya Stark
 
THE HANDMAID’S TALE
ALEXIS BLEDEL / Emily
MADELINE BREWER / Janine
AMANDA BRUGEL / Rita
ANN DOWD / Aunt Lydia
O-T FAGBENLE / Luke
JOSEPH FIENNES / Commander Waterford
KRISTEN GUTOSKIE / Martha Beth
NINA KIRI / Alma/Ofrobert
ASHLEIGH LaTHROP / Ofmatthew
ELISABETH MOSS / Offred/June
YVONNE STRAHOVSKI / Serena Joy
BAHIA WATSON / Oferic
BRADLEY WHITFORD / Commander Lawrence
SAMIRA WILEY / Moira
 
STRANGER THINGS
MILLIE BOBBY BROWN / Eleven
CARA BUONO / Karen Wheeler
JAKE BUSEY / Bruce
NATALIA DYER / Nancy Wheeler
CARY ELWES / Mayor Larry Kline
PRIAH FERGUSON / Erica Sinclair
BRETT GELMAN / Murray
DAVID HARBOUR / Jim Hopper
MAYA HAWKE / Robin Buckley
CHARLIE HEATON / Jonathan Byers
ANDREY IVCHENKO / Grigori
JOE KEERY / Steve Harrington
GATEN MATARAZZO / Dustin Henderson
CALEB McLAUGHLIN / Lucas Sinclair
DACRE MONTGOMERY / Billy Hargrove
MICHAEL PARK / Tom Holloway
FRANCESCA REALE / Heather Holloway
WINONA RYDER / Joyce Byers
NOAH SCHNAPP / Will Byers
SADIE SINK / Max Mayfield
FINN WOLFHARD / Mike Wheeler

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
BARRY
NIKITA BOGOLYUBOV / Mayrbek
DARRELL BRITT-GIBSON / Jermaine
D’ARCY CARDEN / Natalie
ANDY CAREY / Eric
ANTHONY CARRIGAN / NoHo Hank
TROY CAYLAK / Akhmal
RIGHTOR DOYLE / Nick
PATRICIA FA’ASUA / Esther
ALEJANDRO FURTH / Antonio
SARAH GOLDBERG / Sally
NICK GRACER / Yandar
BILL HADER / Barry
KIRBY HOWELL-BAPTISTE / Sasha
MICHAEL IRBY / Cristobal Sifuentes
JOHN PIRRUCCELLO / Det. John Loach
STEPHEN ROOT / Monroe Fuchs
HENRY WINKLER / Gene Cousineau
 
FLEABAG
SIAN CLIFFORD / Claire
OLIVIA COLMAN / Godmother
BRETT GELMAN / Martin
BILL PATERSON / Dad
ANDREW SCOTT / The Priest
PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE / Fleabag
 
THE KOMINSKY METHOD
JENNA LYNG ADAMS / Darshani
ALAN ARKIN / Norman Newlander
SARAH BAKER / Mindy Kominsky
CASEY THOMAS BROWN / Lane
MICHAEL DOUGLAS / Sandy Kominsky
LISA EDELSTEIN / Phoebe
PAUL REISER / Martin
GRAHAM ROGERS / Jude
JANE SEYMOUR / Madelyn
MELISSA TANG / Margaret
NANCY TRAVIS / Lisa
 
THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
CAROLINE AARON / Shirley Maisel
ALEX BORSTEIN / Susie Myerson
RACHEL BROSNAHAN / Midge Maisel
MARIN HINKLE / Rose Weissman
STEPHANIE HSU / Mei
JOEL JOHNSTONE / Archie Cleary
JANE LYNCH / Sophie Lennon
LEROY McCLAIN / Shy Baldwin
KEVIN POLLAK / Moishe Maisel
TONY SHALHOUB / Abe Weissman
MATILDA SZYDAGIS / Zelda
BRIAN TARANTINA / Jackie
MICHAEL ZEGEN / Joel Maisel
 
SCHITT’S CREEK
CHRIS ELLIOTT / Roland Schitt
EMILY HAMPSHIRE / Stevie Budd
DANIEL LEVY / David Rose
EUGENE LEVY / Johnny Rose
SARAH LEVY / Twyla Sands
DUSTIN MILLIGAN / Ted Mullens
ANNIE MURPHY / Alexis Rose
CATHERINE O’HARA / Moira Rose
NOAH REID / Patrick Brewer
JENNIFER ROBERTSON / Jocelyn Schitt
KAREN ROBINSON / Ronnie Lee

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series
GAME OF THRONES
GLOW
STRANGER THINGS
THE WALKING DEAD
WATCHMEN

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

THE WHISKEY EXPERIENCE WITH TOMMY TARDIE & DARRON FOY

As the holiday season means that we have a lot more on our plates than usual, the need to find a place to take a moment is key! We made our way to NYC's whiskey destination, The Flatiron Room which is known for its staggering amount of whiskeys that are available, cocktails, entertainment and an experience that's not to be missed. We sat down with Tommy Tardie the founder of the Goodnight Group LLC which is comprised of The Flatiron Room and Fine & Rare to talk about what led to creating these spaces, the importance of cultivating these environments as well as how he stays inspired in the hospitality industry. We also took some time to chat with his head bartender, Darron Foy who lets us know about cocktails that we should try there, his interest in working in this space as well as what we need to have on hand when we try our hand on making cocktails at home.

ATHLEISURE MAG: So before The Flatiron Room, what was your background?

TOMMY TARDIE: My real background and what I went to school for was advertising. I used to be the Creative Director in advertising before I got into hospitality and once I ventured into hospitality, I started with a small lounge, had moderate success with the first lounge. I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if I could charge even more for the same drink and that’s when I went into the nightclub scene. I opened up a couple of different nightclubs and they were very profitable. Margins in nightclubs are pretty high, but it wasn’t a lifestyle that I really enjoyed and I decided that I wanted to stay in hospitality. But if I stayed in hospitality, I wanted to stay in a place that I enjoyed going to. A place that kind of put me as the demographic and that was kind of the genesis of The Flatiron Room. I looked at it and rather than doing field research, I said that I would build a place that I would want to hang out and that I would want to take my friends to.

AM: For those that have not come here, let our readers know what they can expect.

TT: I think the key word is an experience. We want guests to have an experience when they come here. We want there to be theater in the overall experience. When I say theater, people that come here equate that to the music that we have here on stage. The theater is really the whole dynamic of the room! When you walk through the room, of course you’ll see people that are on the stage – that’s part of the theater. But the way that our servers are trained and even the way that they pour their drinks at the table, the way that they climb up and down the ladders, the way that they crush ice from a 1920’s ice crusher – that’s all part of the theater and the choreography of the room.

AM: How many whiskeys do you have here?

TT: Well, that’s a great question and I can’t give you an accurate answer, but I would say around 1,200 – 1,500 unique expressions and that was a journey in and of itself. When I first opened, I thought 250 would be a respectable number. I wanted to have that amount and thought having that would be great. At the time, I thought that I knew a lot about whiskey and over time, I realized that I knew nothing about whiskey! As I started purchasing them, I got into conversations with those that were engaged and knew about the whiskeys and that’s when I went down the route of needing to get more indepth into the knowledge of the whskeys. Prior to working in hospitality, I was a creative director and I tend to be visually oriented – very right brained. So I traveled around a lot to learn about whiskeys and I went a fair amount to Scotland and just met with the distillers and saw how it was made. It really helped with my knowledge a lot. Coming back from these trips, I would come with new whiskeys and 250, turned into 300, which turned into 400, and then 500. What I quickly realized was that once you became known for whiskey, you have a responsibility to guests to have all the new whiskey when it comes in. It wasn’t something that I had factored into my algorithm. The more people came in – I had an obligation. They would say, “oh you haven’t gotten the new release from Glenmorangie?” I’d say, “oh we have to get it.” Then we breached 1,000 and there was no turning back!

AM: Just looking at this room, it’s amazing to see all of these cabinets where people can store their own whiskey – tell us about this.

TT: The idea behind this – I call it Bottle Keep. Before moving to NYC I lived in Hawaii and when I was there, I was into surfing a lot and a lot of my buddies were Japanese. We would travel to Japan quite a few times and I was younger then and we would go to this nightclub district known as Roppongi. I remember that it was such a cool concept that they had these bottles that were stored. At the time I just thought it was really cool and it must have stuck in my longterm memory. So when I opened this, I thought that having been in the nightclub business that I understood Bottle Service. Bottle Service wasn’t something that I wanted to do, but I thought if there was a way to take that concept and maturing it which made me think about my trips to Japan and I thought it would be cool. Also, bottles look cool when they’re displayed and when you hit them with the light as you’re a visual person so you uplight them and they look stunning. Also, in NYC, space is a commodity and I wanted to incorporate the bottles into the architecture. I allocated all this space for the bottles and it was a hard road initially because we had all this space. The first night we sold 3 with friends and family that purchased them. I was like, “wow we have like 800 more to go before this place looks legit.” Over the years, it grew and now, we have more demand than supply. In the manager’s office, we have an actual room where we store extra bottles.

AM: What are your favorite go to whiskeys?

TT: Oh gosh. They change, but I think that anybody that knows whiskey – I mean I could throw it back to you and you’d probably have a hard time answering because it’s very situational. Whiskey is based on the season, time of day, the mood – fortunately I have over 1,000 to choose from for my many moods. I will say that some of my hands down favorites that I tend to revert back to are: Glendronach 18 as my go-to favorite. I love a good Bowmore – if I go with peat then I like to go with something that has a nice balance of Sherry to get that smoky sweet elements and because I’m American, I have to throw in a bourbon. I tend to like bourbon’s cask strength E.H. Taylor is a full proof whiskey. Bourbon – I love Michter’s, Buffalo Trace – some of the Buffalo Trace antique collections are always good. It’s not as affordable as it used to be.

AM: What cocktail do you suggest that our readers should make sure to ask for when they come by?

TT: The one that we’re drinking now is called our Smoking Old Fashioned. We talked earlier about being theatrical and this is one of those kinds of cocktails, but it’s not all fluff. The smoke that’s put in the cocktail – the phenols that are attached to the liquor it gives a residual smoke in the flavor. I like this cocktail because being a visual person, I say that the first drink is with the eyes, the second drink is with the nose and the third drink is with the mouth. So this delivers on all three and when it comes across the room you see the smoke in it. You lift off the cap and it has that wow moment so that when people smell it they say, "wow what is that?" But it delivers on the final product because it happens to taste as good as it looks and as good as it smells.

AM: In terms of pairing whiskeys with various items offered on your menu, what do you suggest?

TT: It’s somewhat of a subjective question. I have been to a lot of tastings where they have paired items with things that people would not normally expect to pair with whiskey. For me, I like to pair cheese with whiskey. It has this creaminess and richness and it coats your mouth first. Having the alcohol interact with the viscosity in your mouth – it does something really special and brings out flavors that you normally wouldn’t expect. I will say that if I am drinking something really old and really fine, and I just want to focus on that, then I don’t want to complicate my palette at all. I don’t want to introduce other flavors in there. If it is something that is moderately priced sure I can experiment with it. But if someone is pouring me a 25-year or a 35-year whiskey – then I just want to enjoy every aspect of that from every subtle nuance. For me, a good whiskey is something that develops on your palette. A lot of people think that you have a sip of whiskey and that’s it. But if you really go in deep on the flavor of whiskey – it evolves – what initially hits your mouth when the alcohol starts to burn off and new flavors will appear, grow and resonate on your palette. I think that’s why it’s such a great sipping drink. You take a sip and sit back and let it have its way across your palette and you just enjoy it.

AM: We know that The Flatiron Room is a great place to come to and with the holiday season upon us, what events can guests come to?

TT: The 4th quarter for us – the holiday season, we have a lot of guests that come in from out of town. Unfortunately, they see that we are closed for private events – it’s the season and many times we’re closed for that. I always recommend that people call in advance to make sure that we are open. With that said, we do have some events that are open during this time where guests can come in and bring their friends and family from out of town so that they can get a taste of old New York. During Thanksgiving we had a great feast which was a prix-fixe dinner. On Christmas Day we have another event. For NYE, we’re throwing a great party and we have a tremendous band – Carte Blanche that will be performing live here. We have a number of great things taking place if you have guests that are in from out of town.

AM: Do you still do inspirational travel when you're looking for new whiskeys?

TT: Yes! It’s one of the best things about the job and getting inspired. I get to go to Scotland quite a bit when I’m over there meeting with people, the distillers, learning about new expressions when they come out. It’s funny because my knowledge base has developed so much and every year, I think that I know a decent amount about whiskey, but then the following year I look back and I think, “gosh I didn’t really know much.” Today if you asked me if I knew a bit about whiskey, I would confidently say yes. If we had the same conversation next year, I’d probably look back and say, “oh wow I knew nothing.” But it’s fun and it’s a fun journey and I love learning as well as traveling and it works out.

AM: What are 3 things that you put in your carry-on when you’re traveling to make the flight easier, or to feel that you’re at home or when you’re relaxing after having copious whiskey tastes?

TT: Great! Headphones for sure, Melatonin is my go to because if I’m traveling to Scotland it tends to be an overnight flight and that gets me there. Also a flask - they're always fun and of course when I come back, I tend to come back with one as well!

AM: You can’t have them get lonely! Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers to let them know about The Flatiron Room?

TT: If you haven’t experienced us yet, please come down and experience us! I think it’s a unique experience especially if you’re a New Yorker and people love those New York Moments. If you haven’t checked out my other property, it’s called Fine & Rare (9 East 37th St NY, NY 10016) and I recommend going there to try that out as well. It’s a similar vibe that is a little more food focused, we also have a large dynamic selection of whiskey!

IG @TheFlatironRoom

@FineAndRareNYC

@GoodNightGroup

@TommyTardie

We find out more about this incredible space from Head Bartender, Darron Foy.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you know you wanted to be a bartender?

DARRON FOY: I think it’s when I came to NY. I bartended for 8 or 9 years before that in Scotland where I’m from. It was admittingly more for financial gain as I was studying at University and I needed extra cash. I very quickly fell in love with the kind of interaction that you can have with the public. It wasn’t so much about the drinks or the crafting of the cocktails. It was actually the interaction and the evolving communication that I had with the public that grasped my love. When I moved to NY, I just noticed that the bartenders in NY – it was cool and you felt like almost important when you are working behind the bar. It was your fortress. So, I really started to delve into cocktails. As a Scotsman, we’re much more happy with a single dram, a gin and tonic or a vodka. But I started to notice very quickly with my background in music and in art that I really enjoyed crafting cocktails. So when I finally applied to come to The Flatiron Room, I had learned the NY basics of cocktails from the Manhattan, Sazeracs etc. I came here and I was immersed into the cocktails that we did at this bar. When I came to NY, I knew this was what I wanted to do to be in engaged with the public, to learn more and to educate. I wanted to perform and it’s a constant back and forth with the public.

AM: What is a shift like here?

DF: It can be anything. Tommy mentioned the word subjective in your interview a few times which I think is the perfect word to use when talking about the hospitality sector! We can have a beautifully nice relaxed night here with fantastic cocktails and great music. We can be slammed to the rafters. You can spend an entire evening not talking to your fellow bartender because you’re flying cocktails out. It’s constantly changing and by being in this – it keeps you on your toes. No day is the same; therefore, you have to be prepared for whatever comes. You may have a great customer, you may have a slightly argumentative customer. You may spend 20 minutes making a simple cocktail and they praise it to the heavens. So everyday in my opinion is a new day! I think again going back to the fact of why I like being a bartender. It’s not monotonous.

AM: What are your 3 favorite cocktails that we should have when we come to the The Flatiron Room?

DF: Normally when customers ask this, I do say whiskey as we have a fantastic collection and as a whiskey lover myself. We showcased the Smoking Old Fashioned – visually again, it’s just a fantastic cocktail. As Tommy said, you drink with your eyes and your senses and we’re trying to create a sensory enjoyment. I believe that Rye Old Fashioned with the Smoking Old Fashioned is just being elevated. Your adding the savory wood tones with the Rye Old Fashioned itself and it becomes a lot more than a simple cocktail.

One that is on the menu right now that I crafted is called the Cardamom Blossom. I’m very proud of this cocktail. It’s a link to my wife’s family and my Scottish background. It’s using cachaça, my wife’s family spent some years in Brazil and once I moved to NY we all met up finally. One of the first gifts that I got was a bottle of cachaça – I was very interested in the flavor. It has a sugar cane note and my wife’s brothers and cousins would make me Caipirinhas – a classic cocktail. I wanted to change it and I noticed that we never had a cachaça cocktail in the bar. So it's a mix of blended scotch whiskey, cachaça, and using orgeat syrup which is an almond syrup which has a nice baking taste to it. We added lemon juice, bitters, some honey and adding cardamom. It’s an egg white cocktail that I love to make – I adore egg cocktails because I like the viscosity of it and the way it looks. But it’s also very light and very plain. I’m proud of it because I think that it is a very elegant drink.

Finally, I personally feel that a very well made Manhattan is such an easy cocktail to create and very easy to muck it up. One of the things that I like to do when I go to a new bar is to order a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned because I want to see how they make it. I’ve had Old Fashioned filled with chunks of orange, cherries and I just like to go back to the classics because to me, that’s not what it is. A well made Manhattan which I think in my opinion, we do well we do well here is just an elegant and standard classic cocktail.

AM: You just shared the Cardamom Blossom that you crafted. How do you go about obtaining inspirations for creating other drinks?

DF: I think that that goes back to communication. Talking with the public, your fellow bartenders and servers. I have a music and artistic background so I feel that I have been creating from the second I could see over the stove, my mother in Scotland had me cooking. I love to cook and I love creating things. I think that I have that artistic ability where I take great pleasure in creating things. I think that people tend to be cautious when trying new things and I hope that people realize that that’s not the way to be. You have to dive into trying new things. So a lot of my experience comes from bar diving with my wife and trying new things from receiving a new whiskey at the bar and smelling it and trying new flavors and what would work with it and it’s a constantly evolving process.

Communication is great and when you talk to fellow industry professionals and why they chose certain bitters or garnishes, it helps to evolve your own personal ability. Communication is key in terms of creating new cocktails.

AM: So for the people who want to make whiskey cocktails at home, what are the things that they should have on hand as many may be a bit hesitant to do this at home?

DF: First of all having the correct tools – strainers, cocktail shakers and stirrers. Even things like good ice. You go back to the very basics when you’re crafting a cocktail. If you’re using broken up ice and it’s breaking into the cocktail, it’s diluting it too much. If you’re wanting to present it a certain way, are you using crushed ice, blazened ice, ice rocks? In terms of experimenting, you know your own palette – again maybe step away from that. If you know that you like a certain flavor and you know you can craft a good cocktail, why not remove that entirely and try something new. You might not like it, but it may open your eyes and head to more ideas and more experimentation. I think good mixers, good bitters can help the process and having a variety of good scotches, whiskeys, ryes, and bourbons etc all promote different flavors and therefore reacts with the palette differently. I love the classics such as the Angostura Bitters and the Peychaud’s Bitters. I mean, 20 years ago especially when it came to Angostura, any recipe that required a bitter would come from this brand! Nowadays, we have a fantastic array of companies, different bitters – the Fee Brothers have a fantastic range with Cherry Blossom, Aztec Chocolate, Almond Bitters and really amazing flavors. You have to experiment! You have to try these things and it’s the same as cooking. You’re not going to know unless you try. So good tills, proper ice and an open mind. You have to go in there with no prejudice and try something new. You may fail, but just pick yourself up and try it again. You can tweak it here and there and then become more confident in your ability. Once that confident grows, it’s easier for you to continue to experiment.

AM: You’re here working with so many different people that come to The Flatiron Room and being so creative. What do you do to take time for yourself when you’re not here?

DF: My wife and I are big foodies. We’re here in NY, we live in Brooklyn and where I live, we have German Beer and where I live, we have German Beer Halls, Japanese joints, I have everything there. We tend to try to find new places for food. I experiment quite a lot on my wife, she’s my biggest critic. I ask her about the cocktails if they are too strong or too sweet. When it comes to down time, it’s probably walking my dog. He’s a little pain, but I do love the little guy. Generally, just relaxing because you’re in a high strung environment. So you need to take time to recharge and I laugh at this, but as bartenders, our time off tends to be in bars because that is where we are comfortable. Even in the house, my wife laughs because she says that I’m stir crazy if I’m sitting down for more than 20 minutes not doing something and I will head to the bar. Maybe it’s the Scottish in me that is more comfortable sitting in a place with alcohol around me, but I feel that bartenders are hermits, we like what we like. We try new things but we gravitate back to the bars that we like. I mean I do go to the gym from time to time but – good food, good drink and just generally recharging your batteries so that you can come back and do your job which is important!

IG @TheLiquidArtist

Hear The Flatiron Room's Owner/ Restaurateur Tommy Tardie and Head Bartender, Darron Foy on our show, Athleisure Kitchen which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multi-media podcast network! Make sure to subscribe to find out when the episode drops. You can hear it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts and wherever you enjoy listening to your favorite podcast.

Read the Dec Issue of Athleisure Mag and see The Whiskey Experience with Tommy Tardie & Darron Foy in mag.

SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW LET THERE BE LIGHT WITH VELLO VIKHAUS

We sat down with Vello Vikhaus, a pioneer Visual Music Artist whose work has been seen in some of the biggest concerts, festivals, music videos, nightclubs and events around the world. We wanted to find out about the beginning of his career, how he collaborates with artists and projects that he's currently working on.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You've been producing, directing and performing immersive visual arts for DJs, bands, festivals, venues and brands for over 20 years, tell us about your journey in becoming a Visual Music Artist.

VELLO VIKHAUS: My journey to become a "Visual Music Artist" started early on with my love for the arts. I got a lot of support and encouragement from my mother and grandfather. My grandfather gave me his VHS porta pack camera, and that is when I really fell in love with video as a medium. Around 1986, I spent many a summer evening manipulating video feedback mix tapes. I would then take the finished works to house parties and take over the home TV system for "testing" party attendees for their visual and physical reactions to the abstract works, live.

I graduated from the School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1995 with a BFA, with focus on Art & Technology studies. During my school years I participated heavily in early electronic dance music events in the midwest area, performing and creating imagery to the music with a visual arts collective called OVT Visuals. This was a seminal time which I fell in love with creating visual artwork to music, and performing visual works live to music. My journey has involved continually and technically evolving by learning from mistakes as much as you can each time.

AM: What are some of your key influences for your love of music, art, technology and live performance?

VV: I see more amazing work than ever now on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Behance and Pinterest.

So much fun! Derivative has been a strong influence over the years as both a software platform and a community of like minded artists. I also really enjoy Siggraph, Live Design International, Mutek, Ars Electronica, Art Basel Miami and Art Chicago. I adore walking museums and historic sights which I always find inspiring. Love Blue Man Group.

AM: What were the early days like with V Squared Labs, how did you keep up with the fast-pace of a multitude of projects ranging from top artist tours and festivals, music videos, Grammy award and Red Bull parties, industry events, and more.

VV: In the early days, V Squared Labs was a small, wild boutique studio that ran undercover in an unassuming house in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. The key to keeping up with a diverse array of projects has always been the ability to remain nimble. Staffing up, collaborating, outsourcing, experimenting. The early days seem dreamy now, where you remember the outcome but forget some of the wild perilous situations. I've had the opportunity to work with so many different amazing artists over the years now, it is very humbling. I am genuinely thankful for the chances I have received.

AM: Tell us about the OG Vegas days, like creating Paul Oakenfold's immersive residency at Rain in the Palms. It not only had DJ and multi-screen VJ components, but also choreographed dancers and a fully embracing experience that was truly groundbreaking!

VV: The Oakenfold Residency really paved the way for the current Las Vegas EDM mega DJ residencies, and proved the Vegas market could go electronic. Thinking about this experience now makes it seem so primitive technologically.

AM: You've produced and live VJ'd an array of electronic dance Festival stages, sets and tours. What does it take to put that together, what are some of the highlight stories from live VJ'ing festivals and engaging with audiences over the years?'

VV: One of my favorite stories would be when I was at the premiere of the Infected Mushroom Fungus Among Us Tour at Avalon Hollywood. I remember being completely exhausted after loading out and hanging outside on the street waiting for our gear to complete load out.

While waiting, I overheard two guys talking while grabbing a late night street dog. They were talking about how it was amazing that the spheres actually moved up and down and wondering what type of hydraulics etc must have been used. Both guys definitely had consumed a few beers and other substances. I leaned over and told them that the pods never actually moved and that is what projection mapping does. They looked at each other, both completely in awe and said wooooaaaaahhhhhhhh.

AM: You have also worked with a wide range of iconic bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Police, Beyonce and hip-hop legends like Jay-Z to produce highly-emotive visuals for concert shows and tours. What differences have you encountered between EDM sets/ festivals and shows with diverse rock and rap anthems that can command crowd spirit and flow - where it is much about the respective songs and music, as well as the artists and the show.

VV: Overall music artists have very demanding schedules and require a lot of focused attention on tight timetables. For iconic bands, visual works are typically finely crafted per track in collaboration with various art directors, managers and client interests.

EDM Music festivals for me, depending on the scenario have always been a place to experiment and improvise live as a VJ. Less scripted, more in the mix. Even if it is just the opening set, the one thing most common between EDM / concert experience is the tangible energy we dance and perform to created by the music and visual expressions. Both iconic bands and EDM festivals now are getting to be more scripted and operating on similar production quality levels.

AM: When you’re creating your projects with artists, what is that process like especially when it’s for large scale shows?

VV: Our process for large scale shows follows similar structure each time whether it involves music artists, brands or agencies. We explore, concept, design, build and execute.

AM: What are some of the tools that you've used, created and mashed-up to pioneer your visual revolution through the years in multimedia content production and interactive artist-fan engagement - from animation to projection mapping to live video mixing?

VV: One of my favorite early visual DJ tools was the Panasonic MX-50 switcher. I also really loved mixing DVD's on the SVM-1000 with Pioneer DVJ-1000 turntables. We currently use Disguise, Resolume, TouchDesigner 099, Notch, Cinema 4D, Rhino, Vectorworks, Adobe Creative Suite and Unity for our production tool suite.

AM: What are some of your favorite projects you've worked on?

VV: Amon Tobin ISAM is still one of my favorite projects of all time. It represented the beginning of so many journeys.

AM: In yet another realm, how did digital native and gaming culture lead you to produce battle stage environments and projection mapping for the vibrant e-sports culture, with projects such as Starcraft 2 Stage?

VV: Even though I actually play Starcraft and Starcraft 2, it had never occurred to me that I would ever help create the SC2 stage and experience for Blizzcon. It was just good luck and a most excellent colleague referring our services, combined with a few good ideas delivered at the right time that lead to Blizzard Entertainment. My experience with gaming definitely helped me push the envelope for tight integration of in game data and statistics/APM usage to influence real time animations on the 3D set piece.

AM: What are some attractive benefits and particular challenges when building immersive environments and surfaces for nightclubs and lounges venues versus festival stages or tour show visuals?

VV: Festivals come up and down and have a very short lifespan. This is attractive and typically have a much shorter turn around. You program for what is right in front of you, and it vanishes before you know it. With permanent installations you are designing something to last, that is constrained inside an existing architectural perimeter. Permanent installations require a much higher level of finish and involve integrating more disciplines.

AM: What are some of the venues you've designed that our audience may have had the pleasure to enjoy and engage with?

VV: V Squared (now Xite Labs) has designed custom TouchDesigner video systems, staffed VJ residencies, created visual sculptures, domes and content for clubs like Kiss Kiss in Atlantic City, Project Club LA, The Heineken Dome @ Coachella, Outside Lands, Pitchfork, Marquee Las Vegas, Drai's Las Vegas, Rain, Rok Vegas, Parq, Sound Nightclub and X Nightclub.

AM: We were excited to see the announcement of XiteLabs, wow!! Tell us how it was to produce and run the very first event - a live immersive experience finale for the Los Angeles Philharmonic's 100th anniversary at the Hollywood Bowl. What are some other projects we can learn about from XiteLabs thus far and/or you can mention are in the works?

VV: This has been the first year of official business for Xitelabs. Running the LA Phil show was like standing on a high dive and jumping off once the show started. A long climb up for an exhilarating result.

Other project...... our biggest project ever....

Inauguration of The Diriyah Gate Project. Saudi Arabia.

We just wrapped this project having worked on it for about 1 year, with the show completing Nov 20th. Here is a photo. This is definitely one of the world's largest 3D projection mappings which used over 200 projectors. We also created a massive carbon fiber 50ft Falcon. This was the central character of the performance, and the national bird of Saudi Arabia.

AM: Who are three people that you've yet to work with but feel it would be a dream to work together?

VV: I would love to collaborate with Philip Glass on an immersive environmental themed piece. Something about pollution and solutions to waste management. If I could rewind time Nam June Paik would be at the top of my dream list to meet/collaborate with.

AM: With everyone looking to next year and a full festival season ahead, what shows or artists are you looking forward to that will take place next year?

VV: Looking forward to Ultra Music Festival Abu Dhabi. Should be an adventure. Also really looking forward to Bad Bunny's May 2020 show in Puerto Rico. Historic developments in the making.

AM: As someone who is always traveling, what are 3 items that you like to put in your carry on that make traveling and being on the go easier?

VV: Organic Dried Fruits, Tennis Ball, Back Knobber and my travel hoodie with an eye mask/neck pillow.

AM: It's almost 2020, reflecting back - how far do you feel the industry has come over the years and where would you like to see it develop in the near horizon in terms of music festivals, tours, club nightlife and brand/commercial campaign marketing.

VV: I think the industry has come a long way since the early days of electronic music rave events. I love festivals like Day for Night and Mutek that incorporate music and visual arts in a cohesive package. More of this please.

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