9LIST STORI3S | MATTHEW JUDON
THE ART OF THE SNACK | SAPPHIRE CUISINES OF INDIA
This month's The Art of the Snack comes from Sapphire Cuisines of India which is exactly what's needed when it comes to having savory frinds for the holiday season that provides the right amount of comfort. We took some time to talk with its owner,
Darshan R. Shah. He talks about the Executive Chef and how he came to the restaurant on the UWS. In addition, he talks about what can be expected for guests when they come with friends and family to dine. As always, we always like hearing what we should eat and drink when we're celebrating our moments. He gives us the scoop on a number of dishes and cocktails that we should make a note of upon our next visit.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell me about Executive Chef Sachin Wagh. What is his culinary background and how did he come to Sapphire Cuisines of India.
DARSHAN R. SHAH: Executive Chef Sachin Wagh is an internationally known Indian chef who had previously worked with me at the internationally famed restaurant adä. adä was the only Indian restaurant in the world that was awarded the coveted “Five Star Diamond Award.” Thereafter, Chef Sachin also was the executive chef for Inflight Catering Corp where he spearheaded the Inflight Kitchen. His kitchen was the only one internationally to have an astounding 97% food approval rating to the passengers in Jet Airways. From our time at adä, Chef Sachin and I have a relationship that goes back about 20 years.
AM: How would you define the style of cooking and how does that mesh with the menu at Sapphire Cuisines of India?
DRS: Well, the very first thing I would point out are the ingredients. Indian food has long been the best tasting food in the world; however, spices were used to camouflage inferior ingredients instead of accentuating quality ingredients.
Second, in order to have the food taste its best, it’s necessary to grind the spices fresh and not purchase pre-ground or pre-blended spices.
AM: Sapphire Cuisines of India relocated to the UWS, how has it been to relaunch here and to merge elements of the former location while adding in new focuses for a fresh start?
DRS: Although they were successful in their old location, we felt a fresh new start would be optimal including maintaining some of the old favorites. We have therefore re-imagined the old Sapphire Cuisines of India.
AM: What can guests expect when they come to dine here?
DRS: Hope, quality service, and an amazing food experience as we continue to evolve.
AM: Can you tell me about the interior of the restaurant and what you have available for patrons who wish to eat outside?
DRS: It is a restaurant with a clean look and feel where diners are not overwhelmed with a busy interior, but also an outdoor patio providing spacious seating and a beautiful view of Broadway.
AM: What does Avant-Garde Indian dining mean?
DRS: To us at Sapphire Cuisines of India, it means that we can have a presentation of Indian food as we “eat with our eyes.” The menu and presentations continue to evolve at Sapphire though COVID has also been a difficult time for all in our industry.
AM: What are 3 appetizers that you suggest we should order when visiting?
DRS: I would suggest our Dahi Kebab, Hung yogurt, spiced, pan seared, over mustard tempered raw slaw; Shrimp Balchao, spicy shrimp in a tangy sauce; and Vitamin bhel, millet with raw mango, gram crisps, mint and tamarind sauces.
AM: What are 3 main dishes that we should enjoy when visiting?
DRS: Goan Barbeque Ribs, with masala truffle fries; Filet Mignon, with cumin tempered fingerlings; and our Morel Mushroom Biryani with truffle oil.
AM: What are 3 cocktails that you suggest?
DRS: A full bar is available, but the cocktail menu still being produced.
AM: To complete our meal, what are 3 desserts that you suggest?
DRS: The Masala Chai Panna Cota, Phirni Crème Brulee, and our Kheer, or rice pudding.
AM: As we begin to enter the fall and holiday season, are there special dishes or events that will be available during that time?
DRS: There were many things we had slated for this time, however, with the uncertainty we are facing, we are waiting for all these bans to be lifted and life returning to normal.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Sapphire Cuisines of India
Read the DEC ISSUE #72 of Athleisure Mag and see The Art of the Snack | Sapphire Cuisines of India in mag.
Featured
AWARDS SEASON | 28TH ANNUAL SAG AWARDS
This morning the 28th Annual SAG Awards nominees were announced. This show is slated to air on Feb 27th at 8pm EST on TNT and TBS at The Barker Hanger in Santa Monica. It’s always a fun show to watch and as usual, a number of our favorites are being highlighted from the shows themselves to the actors and teams involved.
We predict that the names in bold are those that will win, the ones that are in bold italics are those that we correctly identified as winning and the names in italics are those that won that we didn’t guess correctly.
TELEVISION AWARDS
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTORcIN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Murray Bartlett, "The White Lotus"
Oscar Isaac, "Scenes From a Marriage"
Michael Keaton, "Dopesick"
Ewan McGregor, "Halston"
Evan Peters, "Mare of Easttown"
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTORcIN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Jennifer Coolidge, "The White Lotus"
Cynthia Erivo, "Genius: Aretha"
Margaret Qualley, "Maid"
Jean Smart, "Mare of Easttown"
Kate Winslet, "Mare of Easttown"
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIEs
Brian Cox, "Succession"
Billy Crudup, "The Morning Show"
Kieran Culkin, "Succession"
Lee Jung-jae, "Squid Game"
Jeremy Strong, "Succession"
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIEs
Jennifer Aniston, "The Morning Show"
Jung Ho-yeon, "Squid Game"
Elisabeth Moss, "The Handmaid's Tale"
Sarah Snook, "Succession"
Reese Witherspoon, "The Morning Show"
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Michael Douglas, "The Kominsky Method"
Brett Goldstein, "Ted Lasso"
Steve Martin, "Only Murders in the Building"
Martin Short, "Only Murders in the Building"
Jason Sudeikis, "Ted Lasso"
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Elle Fanning, "The Great"
Sandra Oh, "The Chair"
Jean Smart, "Hacks"
Juno Temple, "Ted Lasso"
Hannah Waddingham, "Ted Lasso"
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
"The Handmaid's Tale"
"The Morning Show"
"Squid Game"
"Succession"
"Yellowstone"
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES
"The Great"
"Hacks"
"The Kominsky Method"
"Only Murders in the Building"
"Ted Lasso"
OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES
"Cobra Kai"
"The Falcon and the Winter Soldier"
"Loki"
"Mare of Easttown"
"Squid Game"
MOTION PICTURE AWARDS
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Javier Bardem, "Being the Ricardos"
Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Power of the Dog"
Andrew Garfield, "Tick, Tick... Boom"
Will Smith, "King Richard"
Denzel Washington, "The Tragedy of Macbeth"
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Jessica Chastain, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"
Olivia Colman, "The Lost Daughter"
Lady Gaga, "House of Gucci"
Jennifer Hudson, "Respect"
Nicole Kidman, "Being the Ricardos"
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Ben Affleck, "The Tender Bar"
Bradley Cooper, "Licorice Pizza"
Troy Kotsur, "CODA"
Jared Leto, "House of Gucci"
Kodi Smit-McPhee, "The Power of the Dog"
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Caitríona Balfe, "Belfast"
Cate Blanchett, "Nightmare Alley"
Ariana DeBose, "West Side Story"
Kirsten Dunst, "The Power of the Dog"
Ruth Negga, "Passing"
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE
"Belfast"
"CODA"
"Don't Look Up"
"House of Gucci"
"King Richard"
OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
"Black Widow"
"Dune"
"The Matrix Resurrections"
"No Time to Die"
"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings"
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
Featured
9LIST
Read the DEC ISSUE #72 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST in mag.
Featured
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelor
THE BACHELOR S26. E2. | CLAYTON DIGS DEEPER INTO THE RELATIONSHIPS
On today’s episode of ABC’s The Bachelor, we see the women getting relaxed in the Bachelor Mansion which seems like forever since we’ve seen it. Jesse Palmer introduces himself to the women formerly. He also leaves them the first date card.
Teddi, Ency, Malina, Gabby, Mara, Sierra, Geneivieve, Serene, Cassidy and X +head to their first group date with Clayton Echard. Joining this date is Hilary Duff and the women fangirl that she’s arrived. They are going to hang out with kids while creating a fun birthday party for one of them. Cassidy is not interested in getting the party ready and the girls notice that she’s nowhere to be found - they know she’s been hanging out with Clayton and has turned the group date into a 1-on-1 date. In addition, Cassidy let the kids know that she didn’t like them and dropped the cake that was made by Genevieve!
They move on to the cocktail portion of the night. Clayton says that he enjoyed the effort that took place and can’t wait to get to know more about them. As he chats with Serene and has the sweetest first kiss, Cassidy is throwing the gauntlet of being the utmost villain. The ladies at the cocktail party let them know that they don’t like how she has acted and she lets them know that she isn’t there for that and that she thinks that she’s going to get the rose.
Back at the house. another date card arrives with Susie getting the 1-on-1 date. Back at the cocktail party, it’s getting pretty intense. Clayton gives the rose for the group date to Cassidy which definitely makes the mood shift even further.
Susie’s 1-on-1 begins with Clayton and they have a helicopter date and of course, fly over the mansion. After exploring the area, they land on a yacht and enjoy champagne. He sees how Susie is just a chill woman who is appreciative. They end their date at the Hudson Loft for dinner and a bit of dancing to a song performed by Amanda Jordan. Of course, she receives the date rose.
The next date card arrives and Marlena, Elizabeth, Kate, Sarah, Lindsey, Rachel, Tessa and Shanae are going out as a group. Their group date is with Ziwe as she plays a game to illustrate red flags with a game of “never have I ever” and then they get ready for an obstacle course. Throughout the date, Shenae tries to push her way through; however, she misses some things while being mad at others who are getting further with him. Thankfully she doesn’t win, but she vows to recover her footing at the cocktail party. Sarah wins the challenge and they are onto the cocktail party. Clayton lets them know that he had a great time and that he looks forward to getting to know more about them.
In the first group date, we watch as Cassidy goes into attack mode to get what she wants. We saw Shenae talk with Cassidy and get pumped up to also gain ground like her friend; however, when we see her on the other group date, we realize that her actions don’t quite match what she says she wants to do. When Shenae finally gets time with Clayton, she decides to share that Elizabeth is not there for the right reason which definitely feels like she is grabbing at straws on this one. He pulls Elizabeth to the side to address the potential issue.
Sarah gets the group date rose. Shenae and Elizabeth chat and we all know that Shenae tried to throw her under the bus when she did nothing wrong. Shenae outs her ADHD status in front of the women and says that she is confused about their sidebar conversation. Ultimately, the entire situation is extremely messy and leaves everyone unsettled when it comes to what they can expect for the rose ceremony cocktail party.
At the party, Eliza does the cutest mini date in teaching Clayton how to scrapbook which was cute. She didn’t have a date this week, but found a way to stand out. Shenae takes the time to talk with Elizabeth to try to squash everything (mainly because Cassidy told her to stop what’s going on). Shenae continues to fan the flame by reiterating that maybe Elizabeth’s ADHD is the problem and that that condition doesn’t allow her to remember that they had had a talk to handle everything. In the end, Elizabeth is rightfully offended and shares with the women. In front of the larger group Shenae continues to mock her ADHD to a point where Cassidy even says that she has gone too far and that she can’t support that kind of behavior. Clearly their duo is quickly coming to an end.
Cassidy leaves the chaos to take some time with Clayton - even though she has a rose already. The ladies all support Elizabeth for being classy in the face of Shenae’s inappropriate behavior. Other girls wonder if they will have less time to connect due to the fact that there is all this drama going on. Cassidy lets the girls know that she is relentless in her pursuits. Interestingly enough, Cassidy told Sierra that she has a friend with benefits at home and she goes to Clayton to let him know what she has been told. She even pulls Cassidy aside to let her know what she did.
In 2 weeks, we’ll find out whether Cassidy will keep her rose and who will be selected to continue their journey.
SENT HOME: We have a cliffhanger so no one was sent home tonight.
RECEIVED A ROSE: Cassidy, Susie, Sarah
Each night during the season, we tweet about The Bachelor and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
SEASON 26 - EPISODE 2
Since we have a cliffhanger, we’re going to stay with our picks from last week, Eliza, Ency, Rachel and Teddi.
THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
Featured TV Show
9PLAYLIST | RYAN SEACREST
Read the DEC ISSUE #72 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | Ryan Seacrest in mag.
Featured
AWARDS SEASON | 79TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBES WINNERS
The 79th Annual Golden Globes took place tonight with no attendees (except for Jamie Lee Curtis who wanted to show her support for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). Over the past year, the HFPA has been embroiled in a number of issues due to their lack of diversity. The outcry became so loud that NBC stated that they would not air this awards show which typically is one that kicks off the year and has a number of phenomenal looks that hit the red carpet. We’ll have to see how many changes that they have made to see when NBC will pick it up again.
Despite not airing and not having attendees, they still announced winners through their website and social media.
Our predictions are in bold, the ones in bold italics are those that we correctly identified as winning and the names in italics are those that won that we didn’t guess correctly.
TELEVISION
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series -- Musical or Comedy
Anthony Anderson, "Black-ish"
Nicholas Hoult, "The Great"
Steve Martin, "Only Murders in the Building"
Martin Short, "Only Murders in the Building"
Jason Sudeikis, "Ted Lasso"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series -- Musical or Comedy
Hannah Einbender, "Hacks"
Elle Fanning, "The Great"
Issa Rae, "Insecure"
Tracee Ellis Ross, "black-ish"
Jean Smart, "Hacks"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series -- Drama
Brian Cox, "Succession"
Lee Jung-jae, "Squid Game"
Billy Porter, "Pose"
Jeremy Strong, "Succession"
Omar Sy, "Lupin"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series -- Drama
Uzo Aduba, "In Treatment"
Jennifer Aniston, "The Morning Show"
Christine Baranski, "The Good Fight"
Elisabeth Moss, "The Handmaid's Tale"
Mj Rodriguez, "Pose"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Paul Bettany, "WandaVision"
Oscar Isaac, "Scenes From a Marriage"
Michael Keaton, "Dopesick"
Ewan McGregor, "Halston"
Tahar Rahim, "The Serpent"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jessica Chastain, "Scenes From a Marriage"
Cynthia Erivo, "Genius: Aretha"
Elizabeth Olsen, "WandaVision"
Margaret Qualley, "Maid"
Kate Winslet, "Mare of Easttown"
Best Television Series Drama
"Lupin"
"The Morning Show"
"Pose"
"Squid Game"
"Succession"
Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
"Dopesick"
"Impeachment: American Crime Story"
"Maid"
"Mare of Easttown"
"The Underground Railroad"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jennifer Coolidge, "White Lotus"
Kaitlyn Dever, "Dopesick"
Andie MacDowell, "Maid"
Sarah Snook, "Succession"
Hannah Waddingham, "Ted Lasso"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Billy Crudup, "The Morning Show"
Kieran Culkin, "Succession"
Mark Duplass, "The Morning Show"
Brett Goldstein, "Ted Lasso"
Oh Yeong-su, "Squid Game"
Best Television Series -- Musical or Comedy
"The Great"
"Hacks"
"Only Murders in the Building"
"Reservation Dogs"
"Ted Lasso"
FILM
Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy
"Cyrano"
"Don't Look Up"
"Licorice Pizza"
"Tick, Tick ... Boom!"
"West Side Story"
Best Motion Picture -- Drama
"Belfast,"
"CODA"
"Dune"
"King Richard"
"The Power of the Dog"
Best Motion Picture -- Foreign Language
"Compartment No. 6"
"Drive My Car"
"The Hand of God"
"A Hero"
"Parallel Mothers"
Best Screenplay -- Motion Picture
Paul Thomas Anderson, "Licorice Pizza"
Kenneth Branagh, "Belfast"
Jane Campion, "The Power of the Dog"
Adam McKay, "Don't Look Up"
Aaron Sorkin , "Being the Ricardos"
Best Original Song -- Motion Picture
"Be Alive" from "King Richard" - Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Dixson
"Dos Orugitas" from "Encanto" - Lin-Manuel Miranda
"Down to Joy" from "Belfast" - Van Morrison
"Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)" from "Respect" - Jamie Alexander Hartman, Jennifer Hudson, Carole King
"No Time to Die" from "No Time to Die" - Billie Eilish, Finneas O'Connell
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
Ben Affleck, "The Tender Bar"
Jamie Dornan, "Belfast"
Ciarán Hinds, "Belfast"
Troy Kotsur, "CODA"
Kodi Smit-McPhee, "The Power of the Dog"
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
Caitríona Balfe, "Belfast"
Ariana DeBose, "West Side Story"
Kirsten Dunst, "The Power of the Dog"
Aunjanue Ellis, "King Richard"
Ruth Negga, "Passing
Best Actor in a Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy
Leonardo DiCaprio, "Don't Look Up"
Peter Dinklage, "Cyrano"
Andrew Garfield, "Tick, Tick ... Boom!"
Cooper Hoffman, "Licorice Pizza"
Anthony Ramos, "In the Heights"
Best Motion Picture -- Animated
"Encanto"
"Flee"
"Luca"
"My Sunny Maad"
"Raya and the Last Dragon"
Best Actor in a Motion Picture -- Drama
Mahershala Ali, Swan Song"
Javier Bardem, "Being the Ricardos"
Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Power of the Dog"
Will Smith, "King Richard"
Denzel Washington, "The Tragedy of Macbeth"
Best Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama
Jessica Chastain, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"
Olivia Colman, "The Lost Daughter"
Nicole Kidman, "Being the Ricardos"
Lady Gaga, "House of Gucci"
Kristen Stewart, "Spencer"
Best Actress in a Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy
Marion Cotillard, "Annette"
Alana Haim, "Licorice Pizza"
Jennifer Lawrence, "Don't Look Up"
Emma Stone, "Cruella"
Rachel Zegler, "West Side Story"
Best Director -- Motion Picture
Kenneth Branagh, "Belfast"
Jane Campion, "The Power of the Dog"
Maggie Gyllenhaal, "The Lost Daughter"
Steven Spielberg, "West Side Story"
Denis Villeneuve, "Dune"
Best Original Score
"The French Dispatch"
"Encanto"
"The Power of the Dog"
"Parallel Mothers"
"Dune"
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
Featured
9LOOKS | ZIMMERMANN
Read the DEC ISSUE #72 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LOOKS | Zimmermann in mag.
Featured
S2. E2. | ATHLEISURE KITCHEN WITH CHEF AARTI SEQUEIRA
On today’s episode of Athleisure Kitchen, we sit down with Aarti Sequeira who is also in the NOV ISSUE #71 of Athleisure Mag. We begin by talking about her culinary journey and how we first met her during in season 6 of Food Network’s Next Food Star where she won her season. We talk about her show Aarti Party, her love for sharing Indian foods and being a Food Network personality as a host and a judge. Just in the past weeks alone, we have enjoyed her judging on the latest season of Halloween Wars and then immediately after, she is judging Holiday Wars! She shares how she takes on her role as a judge and why honesty is essential when she is interacting with contestants. We also talk about her latest project, My Family Recipe Journal which allows people to record their family recipes as well as to add new ones that you have created with your friends and family. She talks about the importance of maintaining these culinary moments and how through this, families can still be connected through space, time and generations.
You can stay in the loop on who future guests are by visiting us at AthleisureStudio.com/AthleisureKitchen and on Instagram at @AthleisureKitchen and @AthleisureStudio. Athleisure Kitchen is hosted by Kimmie Smith and is Executive Produced by Paul Farkas and Kimmie Smith. It is mixed by the team at Athleisure Studio. Our theme music is "This Boy" performed by Ilya Truhanov.
Featured
THE PICK ME UP
Read the DEC ISSUE #72 of Athleisure Mag and see The Pick Me Up in mag.
Featured
PHOTO CREDIT | Pexels/Kampus Production
HOW TO HAVE HEALTHIER SLEEP HABITS IN 2022
Sleep is an essential component of your overall health and well-being. Even though sometimes you may neglect it, sleep helps your body repair, be fit, and get you ready for another day.
Getting adequate sleep can prevent excessive weight gain and heart disease. Sleep disorders, lifestyle choices, sleep disorders, or work obligations can also contribute to your lack of adequate sleep. In addition, you are likely to have less sleep if you have poor sleep hygiene.
Mattress quality also contributes to the quality of sleep you are likely to get. A bad mattress can cause discomfort making it difficult to fall asleep. In addition, poor quality sleep can adversely affect your physical and mental health. Here are tips to help you improve your sleep.
What are Unhealthy Sleeping Habits
Some unhealthy habits include:
● Eating a Large Meal– While your body can do two things at once -sleeping and digesting, hitting your bed right after eating is not ideal. As you could suffer from unwanted heartburn or much-needed bathroom breaks - it could also negatively affect your sleep cycle.
● Using Your Bedroom for Multiple Things– The growing use of electronic devices such as gaming systems, televisions, computers, and other gadgets can harm your sleep. It can interfere with both the quality and quantity of sleep, and to counter this factor, keep technology out of your bedroom.
● Drinking Alcohol, Coffee, or Smoking Before Bed– Drinking alcohol before bed can make you tired and fragment your sleep stages. It can also worsen snoring and sleep apnea. On the other hand, caffeine drinks work as stimulants and can make you stay awake for long. If you are sensitive to caffeine, avoid taking it 4 to 6 hours before bed.
● Vigorous Exercise Before Bed– Thirty minutes of exercise a day can give you a good night's sleep. However, strenuous physical activity can stimulate your nervous system and raise your heart rate, making it difficult to fall asleep. Therefore, avoid vigorous exercise before bed as it affects sleep quality.
6 Tips to Improve your Sleep:
1. Have a Sleep Schedule
Keeping a regular sleep schedule can help you improve your sleep and help you wake up quickly. Set aside at least 7 hours for sleep, and make sure that you wake up at the same time every day. If you do not fall asleep within 20 minutes, leave your bedroom, do something relaxing, and go back when you feel tired.
2. Pay Attention to What You Eat and Drink
Avoid taking a heavy meal just before bed, which can lead to discomfort that could force you to stay awake longer. Don't go to bed hungry either, and avoid alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine.
3. Create a Peaceful Bedroom
The more pleasant your environment is, the better sleep you get. Start by clearing clutter, keep your room cool, invest in good quality sheets, and add a relaxing scent to improve your mood.
4. Limit Your Daytime Naps
The more you sleep during the day, the less tired you will be at night. Daytime naps will likely increase your insomnia symptoms.
5. Exercise During the Day
Moderate to vigorous exercise during the day can increase the quality of your sleep. For example, running on the treadmill, pedaling, or simply walking can significantly improve sleep.
6. Keep Your Stress low
Avoid stress and go to bed only when you are sleepy. High levels of stress can lead you to feel overwhelmed right before bed and result in a racing mind that doesn't want to shut down.
Going the Extra Mile—Tips When Daily Tasks to Improve Sleep Aren't Working
1. Reduce Blue-Light Exposure During the Evenings
Too much exposure to blue light can affect your sleeping and waking internal body clock. Reduce blue-light exposure by cutting back screen time 2-3 hours before bed. Or invest in UV protectant glasses.
2. Purchase a new mattress
What if your mattress is the reason why you are not getting a good night's sleep? A mattress should support the health curvature and fit your budget. Finding the right mattress can add up to great sleep. You can shop Nolah mattress online and start enjoying your sleep.
3. Invest in Blackout Curtains
Blacking out light can increase your melatonin levels and make you fall asleep faster. In addition, investing in blackout curtains can improve the quality of your sleep as they can absorb noise, block direct sunlight, and control your room's temperature.
4. Take melatonin supplements
Melatonin supplements work as any sleeping pills, and you should use them as directed by a physician.
5. Rule Out Sleeping Disorder
Review your sleep history with your doctor to rule out any sleep disorder. Then, your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask questions to see if there could be an underlying sleep problem.
Sleep Well
For you to get high-quality sleep, it depends on how much you exercise, the combination of foods and drinks, and how much time you spend on your screens. A good sleep should refresh you and keep you alert and ready for the day. Ensure you take the proper steps to get the best sleep possible
Featured
ROCK THIS AFTER YOUR WORKOUT WHEN YOU'RE OUT AND ABOUT
Read the DEC ISSUE #72 of Athleisure Mag and see Rock This After Your Workout When You’re Out and About in mag.
Featured
IN OUR BAG | GIFT GIVING FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Read the DEC ISSUE #72 of Athleisure Mag and see In Our Bag | Gift Giving for the Holidays in mag.
Featured
HOW TO NATURALLY KEEP YOUR SKIN SPOTLESSLY GLOWING
The way your skin looks can have a huge impact on your self-esteem and confidence, and that is no secret. This is why you find many people looking for remedies to deal with skin problem areas like fine lines, blackheads, wrinkles, dryness, and pretty much anything that prevents flawless skin.
PHOTO CREDIT | Pexels/Polina Kovaleva
While synthetic cosmetic products may work, some people find them harsh on the skin, often leading to unpleasant side effects over time. This is the main reason natural skincare alternatives are increasingly gaining popularity today. With this being said, here are some tips on how to naturally keep your skin spotlessly glowing.
Use a Natural Exfoliate:
Dead skin that clogs pores and traps extra oil can be removed with natural exfoliants like lemon. Squeeze a fresh lemon into a bowl after cleaning it. Using a cotton wool ball, apply the juice to your face, allowing ten minutes before rinsing with cool water. You can dilute the juice with water if your skin is the sensitive type. Repeat the process in the morning and evening. Apart from lemon, other suitable remedies include:
● Tomatoes - Tomatoes contain citric and malic acids. These are great at removing dead skin while unclogging pores, revealing the brighter, smoother layer of skin underneath.
● Papaya - Thanks to its natural bleaching capabilities, papaya can help you get rid of dark spots and acne scars. This fruit contains antioxidant properties that help keep aging signs like crow's feet (around the eyes) and wrinkles (around the lips) at bay.
● Banana - Next time, instead of throwing away that banana peel, massage it on your face or skin to decrease wrinkles, treat acne, and moisturize dry skin. Banana peels are high in vitamin C and other antioxidants, making them an excellent complement to your skincare regimen.
Cleansing Often
Regular cleansing is one of the main tricks in the book to ensure spotless skin. If you’d rather not go for those harsh chemical-laced cleansers, you could opt for raw milk. It is known to help rid debris as well as dead skin cells necessarily clogging the pores. You won't have to worry about blackheads forming. It not only removes excess oils and debris from the skin, which cause clogged pores and acne, but it also includes lactic acid, which kills the germs that cause acne. For bright skin, add a pinch of turmeric and apply it daily.
Support Healthy Collagen Growth
Alongside the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, the skin is one of the many parts of the body consisting of collagen as the main component. Due to factors such as age, poor diet, and disease, this component may weaken over time so that it no longer best performs its purposes in connective tissues as efficiently as before. While collagen can be found in food, dietary collagen is not usually as adequate and bioavailable as the collagen present in today’s quality supplements. This is why the folks at Cira Nutrition would recommend taking a collagen supplement if you want to improve your skin’s glow.
Moisturize and Massage
Ghee is a renowned natural moisturizer. It boasts high levels of vitamins and antioxidants, which nourish and revitalize dull skin. You just need to apply and massage it on your face to realize the results. Cow ghee is both suitable for oily skin and dry skin. If you have oily skin, you may add three to four drops of lemon juice to the ghee.
Putting ghee on your belly button (or the naval region) is another fantastic method to incorporate this miraculous ingredient into your beauty routine. Use it every night before you go to bed. Don’t forget to take lots of water as it’s the best way to keep your skin supple and your body hydrated.
Featured
Finally, regular exercise can help support a healthy body, including your skin’s appearance. When combined with adequate rest and quality sleep, you could easily say goodbye to risks such as fine lines and premature wrinkles. Getting a natural glow for your skin has never been this easy.
HOW TO DRESS | AFTER RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR
Read the DEC ISSUE #72 of Athleisure Mag and see How to Dress | After Ringing in the New Year in mag.
Featured
PHOTO CREDIT | Adobe Stock/Yavdat
6 BENEFITS OF TELEHEALTH FOR YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY
Today, technological advancement is changing how operations are conducted in almost every economic sector. People are developing ways to adopt the new norm by deploying sophisticated mechanisms like telehealth to enhance how they dispense their products and services. So far, it’s proving to be a safe avenue that complies with the prevailing restrictions like social distancing brought by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Consequently, the uptake of telehealth has penetrated the fitness world, causing a shift in how fitness instructors and their clients interact. It combines professional fitness services and smart devices using internet connectivity to transmit workouts. This proves beneficial for both parties involved by saving time and money.
Typically, you rely on the physical presence of your fitness instructor to design a gym workout program and monitor your progress when you attend the prescribed fitness session. It takes a lot of planning for you and your instructor to determine your training requirements and how best to achieve your fitness goals.
Here are six benefits of telehealth for your fitness journey.
1. Cost Saving
Expenses like a gym membership, fitness program subscription, travel to fitness centers, and trainer’s fees are attached to your fitness journey. In addition, this may overstretch your finances which can frustrate your fitness goals if not well planned.
Luckily, telehealth is here to bridge the gap by cutting costs and being accessible from the comfort of your mobile device. Hence, you’re not required to physically be in a gym to train or get instructions from your trainer.
2. Easy For Self-Management
To reach your fitness goals, you have to discipline yourself and train as prescribed in your training program. You want to maximize any free time you get to break a sweat to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Telehealth is an opportunity to monitor your progress throughout the fitness journey and highlight points that need improvement. It can beat or surpass your targets and keep you motivated when you hit your milestones.
It becomes easy for self-management when you have a busy schedule and want to sneak in a fitness session in your calendar. Also, it becomes easy to control the intensity of your workouts to avoid overtraining your body or fatigue.
3. Customized Training
Usually, fitness instructors ask standard questions like your fitness goal to design your training programs. Doing so makes it easy to narrow down what to include in their workouts and the training requirements to reach peak performance.
Once done, the instructors can recommend a customized training routine to follow in your fitness journey. They can save video recordings of complex workouts through telehealth mediums like smartphones and tablets that you can copy during training sessions.
4. Fitness Program Optimization
Telehealth can provide the extra exercises your fitness trainer forgot to include in your workout plan. It allows storage of fitness materials that you can benefit from by referring to previous programs and adding fuel to your fitness quest.
Furthermore, you can use smart telehealth devices like mobile phones to monitor your fitness journey data storage and management. It can be accessed upon request to assist with the planning and developing future fitness targets.
However, the internet of things (IoT) or smart devices is susceptible to cybersecurity threats that may expose your private information. It would be best to learn how telehealth technology works before introducing it to your fitness journey.
5. Convenient Training Partner
Looking at the functions of telehealth, in general, gives you the idea of working out at your convenience. You can remotely engage your fitness instructor for more insights into your training regime and continuously improve your fitness state.
The key is having a smart device, internet connection, and access to fitness portals providing telehealth services. You’re encouraged to train while remaining focused on reaching your fitness destination consistently.
6. User Friendly
Judging by the rise in the adoption of telehealth in most spheres of life is enough to prove that it’s not complicated to use in your fitness journey. You can interpret the prescribed workouts and health tips to boost your fitness condition.
In addition, you can get real-time results translated from the data saved in the telehealth systems to evaluate your performance on exercises in your training programs.
Conclusion
The benefits of incorporating telehealth in your fitness journey have a common foundation—convenience and low costs. You can access your fitness program, follow the right training requirements, and monitor your progress while reaching your fitness goals.
However, it is essential to learn how the telehealth systems operate to avoid confusion when translating the prescribed fitness plans. Also, ensure that you consult your fitness instructor before introducing such technologies in your fitness journey.
Featured
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelor
THE BACHELOR S26. E1. | CLAYTON BEGINS HIS JOURNEY
We kick off the New Year with Season 26 of ABC’s The Bachelor, which focuses on Clayton Echard as he starts his journey (he is coming off of Michelle Young’s The Bachelorette season 18). Jesse Palmer kicked off the season by reminding us that he was The Bachelor season 5. Having a host that is also a form Bachelor and also played professional football is nice to have that balance and to bring in that level of warmth.
We get a recap of what took place during his season with Michelle and he addressed the fact that he didn’t have the most screentime so it would seem surprising that he would be the next Bachelor.
The fact that the mansion is back, it’s definitely like coming back to an old friend as it’s a stomping ground that we know well. We’re also introduced to the women that we’ll get to know very well.
We meet Salley and we realize that she was supposed to get married and the day of meeting Clayton, she tells him that she was supposed to be married. She lets him know that she is conflicted and he offers her a rose and ultimately, she declines it! Thus all happened pre-limo!
He connects with Jesse to talk about what happened and now we’re finally meeting the women. It’s always fun to see the personalities and how they connect with their intended as they come out of the limo. The mix of sweet and over-the-top entrances is always fun to watch. All the women have arrived and Clayton gives a toast as they begin to get to know one another. He gets 1-on-1 time with each woman, but it’s an extended kiss with Teddi that the girls see where they realize that this is getting serious. Interestingly enough, Teddy didn’t intend to kiss on the first night. The first impression rose arrives and they know that it’s time to step it up - if they have yet to do so. Although everyone enjoyed the dates and times with him, Claire says that he’s not her type and that she feels it’s not a fit. He walks her out as he only wants people that want to be there. He lets them know if anyone wants to step out, now is the time. He then asks to see Teddy so that he can give her the First Impression rose. He also lets them know that the cocktail party is now over and the rose ceremony will begin. The women wonder if the time that they had was enough to ensure that they will be able to stay in the house. He lets them know after tonight, he knows that his wife is in the room and he apologizes to those that he didn’t get a chance to speak to.
SENT HOME: Claire, Daria, Hailey, Ivana, Jane, Lindsay D, Rianna, Salley and Samantha.
RECEIVED A ROSE: Cassidy, Eliza, Elizabeth, Ency, Gabby, Genevieve, Hunter, Jill, Kate, Kira, Lindsey W, Mara, Marlina, Melina, Rachel, Sarah, Serene, Shanae, Sierra, Susie, Teddi, and Tessa.
Each night during the season, we tweet about The Bachelor and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
SEASON 26
We’re sharing who you can expect to see on the upcoming season of S26 The Bachelor. The first night brought a lot of surprises from Salley leaving before the limos arrived and kicking out Claire who was unquestionably rude. Teddi received the First Impression rose so we think that she along with Eliza who had a fun interactive German lesson, Enyc who brought a new vibe by talking with Clayton in Persian and Korean as well as the flight instructor, Rachel could be a great group heading to Hometowns!
THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
Featured TV Show
BEESWAX BEAUTY
Read the DEC ISSUE #72 of Athleisure Mag and see Beeswax Beauty in mag.
Featured
ATHLEISURE BEAUTY
Read the DEC ISSUE #72 of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure Beauty in mag.
Featured
