Cassey Ho Created a Timeline of ‘Ideal Body Types’ to Show the Ridiculousness of Beauty Standards

The Kardashian family is, arguably, the collective royalty of social media—and the onslaught of butt workouts, waist trainers, and detox teas promising to score you Kim and Khloé’s genetic hip-to-waist ratio is proof of just how potent their influence has been. Though curvy figures like theirs are in vogue now, they haven’t always been the “to-die-for” body type. In fact, it’s easy to forget how much beauty standards have changed over time.

For the last few decades, the “ideal” female body has continuously changed—like fashion trends—to reflect pop culture. And, although chasing this changing beauty standard is totally fruitless, many women still feel like they need to look a certain way to feel beautiful.

RELATED: The 20 Best Cassey Ho Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

To draw attention to just how ridiculous that is, Cassey Ho, the fitness diva behind Blogilates, recently took to Instagram to serve up a reality check. In two photoshopped photos of herself, Ho morphs her body (with the help of some sort of editing app) to fit the ideal body standard of today and that of various times through history. “If I had the ‘perfect’ body throughout history, this is what I’d look like,” she wrote alongside the photos.

RELATED: How a Bikini Competition Totally Changed Ho’s Approach to Health and Fitness

She continued by breaking down exactly how society’s aesthetic ideals have changed over the decades, starting with the 2010s era (aka right now). “Big butts, wide hips, tiny waists, and full lips are in,” she wrote. “There is a huge surge in plastic surgery for butt implants thanks to Instagram models posting ‘belfies.’ Even cosmetic surgery doctors have become Instagram-famous for reshaping women. Between 2012–2014, butt implants and injections rise by 58 percent.”

Related: Cassey Ho Opens Up About Her Past Eating Disorder: ‘I Thought I Had to Be Super Skinny’

Take it back a decade (to the mid ’90s and 2000s) and, “big boobs, flat stomachs, and thighs gaps” were in, Ho noted. “In 2010, breast augmentation is the highest performed cosmetic surgery in the United States,” she wrote.

The ’90s, on the other hand, were all about being “thin,” and “having angular bone structure,” wrote Ho. Hop back a few more decades, and you’ll notice the ’50s were the age of the hourglass shape. “Elizabeth Taylor’s 36-21-36 measurements were the ideal,” she wrote. “Women were advertised weight gaining pills to fill themselves out.”

RELATED: What I Wish I Knew Sooner About Losing Weight

Rewind to the ’20s and, “appearing boyish, androgynous and youthful, with minimal breasts, and a straight figure” was the trend. During this time, women were choosing to hide their curves by “binding their chests with strips of cloth to create that straight figure suitable for flapper dresses.” Finally, if you go as far back as the Italian Renaissance, Ho points out that, “looking full with a rounded stomach, large hips, and an ample bosom” was the status quo. “Being well fed was a sign of wealth and status,” she wrote. “Only the poor were thin.”

While what is considered attractive has changed considerably over time, one thing has remained the same: the pressure for women to fit the mold. But by breaking things down, Ho hopes that women will realize that the pressure to conform is often unrealistic, not to mention unhealthy.

RELATED: Iskra Lawrence Just Posted the Same Photo Before and After FaceTune: ‘The Real You Is Good Enough’

This is true, not only in relation to the decade you live in but also where you live. As we’ve previously reported, the “perfect body” ideal is actually different all around the world. While Chinese women feel pressure to be stick thin, those in Venezuela and Columbia are celebrated for their curves and even prefer a body type that would be in the “overweight” BMI range.

The takeaway: Trying to fit an idealistic aesthetic is a lose-lose situation for women. (Check out these inspiring women who are redefining body standards.)

As Ho puts it: “Why do we treat our bodies like we treat fashion? ‘Boobs are out! Butts are in!’ Well, the reality is, manufacturing our bodies is a lot more dangerous than manufacturing clothes. Stop throwing your body out like it’s fast fashion.” (Related: Where the Body-Positivity Movement Stands and Where It Needs to Go)

At the end of the day, regardless of what your body might look like, it’s far more important to practice healthy habits and take care of the skin you’re in. “Please treat your body with love & respect and do not succumb to the beauty standard,” says Ho. “Embrace your body because it is YOUR own perfect body.”

No matter the time or place, self-love is always ~in~.

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Rock Climbing 101 – Health

Chelsea Piers

 

Although I always enjoy a good cardio workout, I often steer clear of strength training. That’s because it’s probably my biggest weakness, fitness-wise, so I know I should do more strength training–not less.

Thankfully, I’ve recently discovered rock climbing, which provides a great workout for both your arms and legs. It also helps to improve flexibility (another weak spot for me). And even though it seems pretty stationary compared to say, running, after climbing for a few hours you’ll definitely break into a sweat (and burn over 700 calories an hour!).

I had my first rock climbing experience at Chelsea Piers in NYC where I tried belaying, a technique in which you wear a climber’s harness and a partner helps prevent you from falling too far.

I would love to say that I mastered every climb, but the truth is I was utterly exhausted after three hours, and had to repel back down halfway through my last climb.

But I did learn a lot, and, now that I (sort of) know what I’m doing, I’m determined to go back and try again, and maybe even try bouldering, which is rock climbing without the rope and harness.

Here are a few facts and tips I picked up along the way:

Knots matter. Before I could even start climbing up the wall, I was given thorough training instructions on how to tie a figure eight knot. This is what secures the climber’s harness to the climbing rope, so it’s important to master this one!

Be aware of numbers. Rock walls aren’t colorful just for fun. The colors indicate different paths climbers can try, with each trail having a different level of difficulty. Levels can range from 5.1 to 5.15.

Beginners can try only grabbing holds of a certain color, but placing their feet anywhere. More advanced climbers can try only using one color for both their hands and feet.

Remember to communicate. It’s important for the climber and belayer to be aware of what the other is doing, and tell each other what they need. For instance, the climber will say “on belay,” and wait until the belayer says “belay on.” The climber will say “climbing” once they are ready, and begins when the belayer says “climb on.”

Chalk it up. You should have a chalk bag attached to your harness. The chalk helps you grip the holds better when your hands start getting sweaty.

It’s not all about the arms. In the beginning, I thought I would primarily be using my arms for climbing. I quickly learned that the smartest way to climb is by using a lot of leg strength to push yourself up, rather than pull.

Don’t overexert yourself. Try to make a bunch of smaller moves, rather than several big ones. Stretching for bigger moves will use up more energy than necessary.

Be creative. Rock climbing is like a puzzle; you need to figure out where to put your hands and feet in order to get to the top in the quickest and easiest way possible.

Take advantage of the rock wall itself, not just the holds. Try putting your hands on the same hold, if possible, or switch feet by shuffling one to the other if necessary.

Take a break. Don’t be afraid to just let go of the wall and “hang” if you’re getting tired. It’s not a race to get to the top.

“Sit” back and enjoy the ride down. When you’re ready to come down, lean back and come down in a seated position. Try to keep your legs fairly straight, with your feet flat on the wall (you can “bounce” off it).

 

 

 

 

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5 Ways to Stay Motivated During the Holidays

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When the holidays roll around, it’s always more difficult for me to stick to my healthy habits. Traveling adds even more of a challenge since my time is often packed full of family visits and get-togethers. Even though I might not be able to exercise as much as I typically do, fitting in even a few workouts is better than none at all. Here are five tips to stay motivated even with a busy holiday schedule!

Go for a walk
Walking is an easy way to burn calories and you can do it just about anywhere, so I look for opportunities to walk more during my travels. I’ll opt to take the stairs at the airport instead of the escalator and walk with my suitcase through the terminal instead of taking a shuttle or using one of the moving walkways. Walking before breakfast or after dinner with a family member is a great way to get in some activity without it disrupting plans for the day.

Keep it short (and sweaty)
When my schedule is jam-packed with travel and activities, I don’t usually have time for a long workout. I create short, challenging workouts that torch calories and leave me a sweaty mess by the end. Usually, my workouts are 20 minutes or less, but I really push myself, so I find them to be just as effective as my regular workouts. Check out this 15-minute workout you can do just about anywhere!

Use your packing to motivate you
When packing my luggage for a trip, I make sure to pack my sneakers and at least a couple of workout outfits. It’s tough to make excuses when I have everything I need to exercise!

Rise and shine
I love to sleep in on vacation, but most mornings I wake up early to fit in a workout before everyone else gets up. Usually I’ll go for a run or bust out a quick CrossFit-style workout before breakfast. Fitting in my workout first thing prevents me from skipping it later in the day when I get busy with fun plans with family and friends.

Recruit a workout buddy
When I’m traveling my husband is usually my dedicated fitness buddy. He works out with me and keeps me motivated. If he’s not available, I’ll recruit another family member (or friend) to join me for a walk or run. Exercising is a great way to stay active while having fun and enjoying the company of loved ones at the same time!

Read Tina’s daily food and fitness blog, Carrots ‘N’ Cake.

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This Is the Best Anti-Aging Workout, According to Science

You’re already using anti-aging moisturizers and anti-aging eye creams–is it time to adopt an anti-aging workout, too? 

A new study published today in the journal European Heart Journal says when it comes down to the anti-aging effects of exercise, cardio is queen. Endurance exercise–like running, swimming, or bicycling–and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) both slowed signs of aging compared to lifting weights–at least on the cellular level.

Here’s how the study went down: A team of German researchers divided 124 healthy but inactive adults between the ages of 30 and 60 into four groups. One group carried on with their non-existent exercise routines. The other three sweated it out for 45-minute sessions three times a week for 26 weeks.

The endurance training group walked or ran continuously. The HIIT group completed a warmup, four rounds alternating between faster and slower running, and a cool down. The resistance training group used eight different strength-training machines to complete a circuit of exercises including seated chest presses, lat pulldowns, and leg presses.

At the end of the study, people in both the endurance training and the HIIT groups had experienced anti-aging effects of their workouts, while the inactive and resistance training groups did not. Those turn-back-the-clock effects were measured at the cellular level, by examining white blood cells from blood taken before the start of the study and days after the final exercise session.

RELATED: The 27 Best Anti-Aging Tips of All Time

In those cells from runners and HIIT-ers, researchers noted two important changes: Their telomeres–the caps at the ends of  chromosomes–lengthened, and telomerase–an enzyme involved in maintaining those caps–increased. These effects “are both important for cellular aging, regenerative capacity, and thus, healthy aging,” study author Ulrich Laufs, MD, of Leipzig University in Germany, said in a statement.

Telomeres naturally shrink over time, and as they do, cells die instead of continuing to divide. Cell death is bad news not just for wrinkles and gray hair, but for risk of age-related health concerns like heart disease, cognitive decline, and even early death.

So what was it about endurance and HIIT workouts that could stave off that shrinkage? The researchers hypothesize that those types of exercise affected levels of nitric oxide in the blood. Since nitric oxide increases blood flow and lowers blood pressure, it could in turn have affected the cell changes found in these two groups of participants.

RELATED: Find Your Perfect HIIT Routine With These Top Workout Videos

This isn’t the first study to link exercise to telomere length. A team from Brigham Young University found that adults who jogged for 30 to 40 minutes five times a week had telomeres as long as those of people who were 9 years younger than them, for example. And HIIT workouts have been previously linked with additional anti-aging cellular changes. The new study, however, is thought to be the largest ever to directly compare the anti-aging effects on telomeres of different types of exercise.

However, according to an accompanying editorial published alongside the study, this research doesn’t necessarily mean one workout or the other is better for your physical fitness. “The authors reported that changes in telomere length were not associated with changes in cardiorespiratory fitness,” write the editorial authors, of Newcastle University in the UK. Further studies are needed, they say, to clearly understand the link between telomere length, telomerase activity, and disease prevention.

In the meantime, don’t go giving up your strength sessions. These results fall nicely in line with common exercise recommendations. “Our data support the European Society of Cardiology’s current guideline recommendations that resistance exercise should be complementary to endurance training rather than a substitute,” study co-author Christian Werner, MD, of Saarland University in Germany, said in a statement.

Same goes for recently updated exercise guidelines for Americans, which suggest getting 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity per week, as well as at least two sessions of muscle-strengthening activity.

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Your Healthy Travel Planner – Health

What do Block Island, Durango, and Ocho Rios have in common? Each is a destination where my usually healthy son came down with strep. After a decade of ruined trips, I begged his doctor to give me a just-in-case batch of antibiotics. And, of course, he never got strep again.

The moral? Be prepared anyway. And our guide will help you do just that by arming you with everything you need to know (what to wear, first-aid essentials, midflight yoga stretches, hotel-sheet checks) to make your travels happy and healthy.

Make Your Next Trip Go Smoothly
Avoid Airplane Health Risks
The Ultimate Small-Space Stretch
Should You Be Flying?
Healthy-Hotel Checklist
3 Must-Pack Items
What You Need to Know About Vaccines, Risky Hot Tubs, and More
Travel Snacks 101
Vacations for Body and Mind
Make Any Trip Healthier

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Jillian Michaels Discusses Health, Aging and Her New Book

What does the expression “aging gracefully” mean to you?

I think generally it’s come to mean, “Oh, just accept it.” For me, aging gracefully is striking a balance—between your emotional state, physical state, and your psychological state—that allows you to have longevity, vitality, and quality of life for years to come. It’s not accepting a slow descent into decrepitude. There’s just no reason for that.

One of the six key strategies in your book is managing stress. How do you do that in your own life?

You have to give up the notion of perfection, because it’s an impossible endeavor, especially once you have kids. Maria Shriver once said you can do it all, but not at the same time. I say you can do it all, but just a little bit more s—ty, and that’s life. No, I’m not getting to that 90-minute yoga class like I used to. But if I do a 20-minute workout in my living room and I eat carefully, that’s good enough.

I also have something called the 12-hour rule. On top of eight hours of sleep a night, you’ve got 16 waking hours in a day. That equals 112 hours a week. If you spend 50 running your family and household, and 50 running your career, that leaves you with 12. Twelve hours for four 20–30 minute workouts, a date night, time with friends, one doctor or a beauty appointment. If you give yourself those 12 hours, you should have the time to manage the stress in your life so it works for you and not against you.

RELATED: Work Your Entire Body With Jillian Michaels’ 12-Minute Cardio Workout

There’s a difference between chronological age and psychological age. How old do you feel?

I actually feel my exact age, in the best way possible. At 44 I’m a very different person than I was at 34 and 24. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve matured. The world humbles you, and forces you to learn things like patience and diplomacy.

Is there one epiphany from the past decade that really stands out?

I used to have an all-or-nothing mind-set. I thought, “I’ll shoot for the stars” and “I have to win”—and I realize now that that’s really not what life is about. As much as people can tell you, like, “Hey, it’s about the journey,” it takes time to get to that frame of mind. For me now, it’s about avoiding extremes of all kinds. It’s about living in that gray zone, where you can see all points of view, and you take what works for you and leave what doesn’t.

What advice do you give to someone who’s worried about getting older?

My book is about looking at the processes that are happening in the body, and taking control of them. You can control the aging process, for the most part. You can’t control everything. But you can control it in such a way where you feel and look and live great, well into your older years.

Is there anything about aging that worries you?

Not really, not at this stage of my life. I feel more confident than I ever have. That’s another thing that comes with age: You really don’t give a s— what people think about you anymore, except for the people you love. You’re not putting on a front. You’re not trying to prove yourself. You’ve gotten past those struggles, hopefully. I believe that as you get older, if you keep doing the work, you just get better.

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ADHD: First genetic risk locations uncovered

The largest genetic study of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder finds 12 genomic segments that raise the risk of developing the condition.



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