Imaxtree

As if dull, tired, skin weren’t enough to ruin your day, studies show that yellow eyes can make you look older, more tired, or even sad. Plus, when the whites of your eye turn yellow, it can be a sign of a larger health issues like allergic reactions, glaucoma, and toxin buildup, among other ailments. Once you’ve ruled out health issues after heading to a medical professional, here are 10 ways to make the whites of your eyes look brighter.

For Immediate Results

Eye Drops: There are plenty of eye drops out there claiming to make the whites of your eyes brighter, but for quick results when you need them most, try these Innoxa Blue Drops. The drops are blue in color, which will counteract the red or yellow tint in your eye, making them appear brighter and whiter. Be careful not to use them on a regular basis, as you can get what’s called “rebound redness,” which basically means that your eyes will look white a few minutes after using the drops, and then the redness will return hours later with continued use. If you wear contacts, Los Angeles–based dermatologist and author Jessica Wu recommends using a moisturizing eye drop such as Refresh Tears.

Soy Milk: “Soak a few cotton pads in cold soy milk and hold them over your eyes,” says Dr. Wu. “The cold temperature, along with the anti-inflammatory proteins in soy milk, will shrink blood vessels to reduce bloodshot eyes and decrease puffiness.”

Plenty of Fluids: Dehydration can really take a toll on the whites of your eyes, which is why drinking plenty of water is extremely important.

MORE: Genius Tricks to Make Your Eyes Look Brighter

Shimmery White Shadow: Using a shimmering white eye shadow just in the inner corners of your eyes can make a world of difference. Besides brightening up the darkest, shadowed place on your face, you’ll be brightening your yellow or red eyes, too, making everything fresh!

Blue Eyeliner or Mascara: For an approach with makeup, take out your favorite blue eyeliner or mascara. In the same way that blue eye drops will counteract the yellow and white colors, so will blue makeup. Applying blue liner along the bottom lash line will be especially effective. Tap some concealer on your upper and lower eyelids as well, Dr. Wu recommends.

For Gradual Results

Eat Carrots: Vitamin C is extremely helpful in brightening your eyes, as it can help prevent the buildup of foreign debris that can come into your eye. Carrots are high in vitamins A and C and will promote a brighter, healthier looking eye.

MORE: The 5-Second Trick That Makes You Look More Awake Instantly

Avoid Sugars and Fats: If it isn’t clear by now, sugars and fats aren’t doing you any favors. We’re all suckers for candy and junk food, but the effects of eating foods with high sugar and fat content are nothing but terrible. These become toxins that flood your liver, and when your liver can’t work properly, the toxins take over your body, which can result in yellow or red eyes. Avoid processed, sugary, and high-fat foods to clear out your liver (and thus, your eyes).

Avoid Caffeine: Like we mentioned earlier, anything that dehydrates you can wreak havoc on your eyes, and caffeine is one of the biggest culprits of dehydration. If you’re going to drink one cup of coffee or caffeinated tea a day, match it with one glass of water to balance out the dehydration. After that, steer clear of coffee, tea, or caffeinated soda.

Wear Sunglasses: “Wear sunglasses when outdoors because wind and UV rays can cause thickening and yellowing of the whites of your eyes, a condition called pterygium,” says Dr. Wu.

Avoid Irritants: Avoiding irritants, from smoke and dust to pollen and any other allergens, can seriously help your eyes to stay white. Steer clear of smokers on the street or hanging around with any friends while they’re smoking, and do what you can to keep your living area free of dust and allergens. These can cause red eyes practically instantly.

Getty Images

Lindsay Ellingson has walked in eight Victoria’s Secret runway shows, so when we had the chance to hear details about the diet and exercise regimen she follows, we were ready to take notes. Apparently, the 31-year-old lingerie model doesn’t subscribe to fitness fads, but rather relies on her New York–based Pilates instructor for twice-weekly workouts, which she balances with high-intensity cycling sessions and weight-lifting. When it comes to her diet, Ellingson—who also has worked brands including Chanel, Gucci, and Clarins and recently launched a campaign for Fruit of the Loom—is all about quinoa, and shared the exact ingredients she adds to her go-to lunch. Keep scrolling to see her complete food and fitness diary.

For breakfast I had:
Today I had yogurt muesli with an English breakfast tea.

For lunch I had:
I’m in St. Tropez right now, so it was just delicious: sea bass with ratatouille at my hotel. [That meal] isn’t a normal lunch for me, but I feel like when you’re by the sea you just have to have the fresh fish. But for an average lunch, I love having kale salads, I’ll go to Juice Press or any local juice shop and just get a salad. I love Sweetgreen, they have great quinoa salads. I love to put quinoa, kale, tomato, a little bit of feta cheese, avocado, and then balsamic vinegar and oil.

@lindsellingson

For dinner I had:
Oh gosh, I was on a plane again! But usually I buy an organic roasted chicken, make baked sweet potatoes, then have a quinoa salad. I’m obsessed with quinoa as you can probably tell by now.

I love snacking on:
There are these things, do you know Chia Pods? Have you seen those before? They’re really good, and they come [in] a coconut flavor that’s really good, or I’ll just grab an apple with almond butter. [I like] Justin’s [brand of almond butter], the crunchy one.

Getty Images

My all-time favorite workout is:
Right now it’s Pilates, though I change it up all the time. I’m doing private training with Annie Venier at Le Petit Studio NYC. She is incredible, she’s really changed my body. She tailors everything to your body and what you need, so it’s a great workout. I do that two days a week and then I switch up in between. I’ll also do 30 minutes of cycling—I really love cycling and prefer it rather than running, [which] feels hard on my knees. I do weight-lifting with really small weights as well, I do that with my husband. I use 10- to 20-pound weights for 20 minutes, repeating each motion five times. In total I would say I do four workouts each week since I take Friday through Sunday off to let myself relax.

MORE: This Pilates Workout Will Tone Your Butt

The one thing I would never eat is:
A licorice jellybean or black licorice.

My go-to healthy drink is:
I have so many. Right now I get this drink at a small place called Tiny Empire, and it’s a spicy citrus drink; they have grapefruit, orange, cayenne, and ginger. I’m really loving that.

My go-to smoothie ingredients are:
I usually do a little bit of protein powder, almond milk, strawberries, and Justin’s almond butter. It kind of tastes like an almond butter and jelly sandwich, but way healthier.

My favorite healthy restaurant is:
By Chloe. I love the quinoa salad.

@lindsellingson

The next big health and fitness trend will be:
Right now everyone’s really into boxing, although I’m not really into these trends, and I kind of stick with what works for me and the classic workouts that elongate your muscles [like Pilates]. Underwater cycling is also becoming popular.

My signature healthy dish is:
Actually, my husband, Sean, loves to make chicken apple salad. It’s kale salad with roasted chicken and apples—he makes that for me all the time! One of my specialties is tacos, and I’ll use corn tortillas, so everything is gluten-free. Right now I’m trying the gluten-free diet, and I’m really liking it. I’ll also add turkey, kale, fresh tomatoes, and a little bit of cheddar and fresh salsa. I’m from California, so my mom, when I was growing up, made these amazing tacos my whole life.

MORE: How to Get a Bigger Butt, According to Kim Kardashian’s Trainer

The songs on my workout playlist right now are:
I’m loving the new Drake album [Views] and I’m listening to “Controlla,” Rihanna‘s “Sex with Me,” and Busta Rhymes, “I Know What You Want.” I also love Selena Gomez and a lot of old school hip-hop, too.

My guilty pleasure food is:
Anything that’s crisp, like apple crisp, or fruit crumble with vanilla ice cream. Love that! Also, I just moved to Williamsburg [Brooklyn], and there is one [restaurant] in Greenpoint that I just went to with Sean, Five Leaves, they have these amazing ricotta pancakes, but you can eat healthy [there] if you want. It’s the best brunch place.

The Instagram accounts I’m obsessed with are:
@fatmascara, @byrdiebeauty, @catquinn, and @beautyisboring_. They keep me inspired and motivated and introduce me to new trends and other different things that I wouldn’t have known about.

@lindsellingson

My favorite activewear brand is:
I have so many, I mean, I love Gap Athleta. I think like the quality of the material is on point, it’s really comfortable, and they have great styles.

When I work out I normally wear:
A legging with a cute little cropped sports bra. Athleta actually sells them—they have really [cool] matching sets.

Right now I’m working on:
A new campaign with Fruit of the Loom. I was flown in to visit this concept underwear store, I thought it was called FRUT, and I go to the register, I was so surprised that it was actually Fruit of the Loom, packaged underwear, and I haven’t shopped for packaged underwear in years. So it was a really cool way to show that what’s inside the package is what counts, and you could really feel the quality and you could see the variety, and so they totally changed my perception of packaged underwear. My favorite pieces, I loved the boy shorts. I wear them almost every night, they’re so comfortable to sleep in and they also have this lacy brief, which is really flirty and cute.

I start an average day by:
When I wake up the first thing I do is play with my dog Carly, she’s so funny and I put on my kettle and I make tea right away, I’m very “English!” Then, I watch the news a little bit, make my breakfast, and start answering my emails.

MORE: 101 Ways to Lose a Pound

Thousands—nay, millions—of stories have been written that gush over supermodels and their style (guilty!), but less attention has been paid to the very detailed way girls such as Gigi Hadid, Jourdan Dunn, Kendall Jenner, Elsa Hosk, and Joan Smalls dress when they’re headed to the gym.

MORE: 101 Ways to Lose a Pound

…Specifically, the very current yet very simple combination of sports bra and high-waist leggings, a formula that flatters every body type. Click through the slideshow to see how the supermodel crowd’s styling the activewear trend and then shop every single piece so you can re-create the look yourself—Hadid-level abs not required.

Despite the fact that my gym bag is literally the single accessory I carry around most frequently, it’s probably the item I give the least thought to when pulling together an outfit (a canvas tote recycled from a shopping trip usually suffices). Considering it’s with me all day—on the walk to the work, to appointments on my way home, on the subway, to Pilates in the evening—I’m thinking it might be time to upgrade to something a little more exciting.

MORE: The Beauty Products 7 Fitness It-Girls Keep in Their Gym Bags

With that in mind, click through the slideshow to shop 20 options that you’ll actually want to carry. And yes, there’s enough room in every one to tote around your sneakers, leggings, and industrial-size dry shampoo. Keep clicking!

MORE: Research Shows THIS Could Be the Secret to Weight Loss

Getty Images

Sure, summer is supposed to be the most carefree time of the year, but oftentimes, the stress of traveling, non-stop weddings—and, you know, all the work that doesn’t just magically disappear once the sun comes out—can pile up. Here’s how to instantly de-stress in 10 minutes, so you can spend more time actually enjoying the summer.

1. Take a Walk
The easiest way to beat stress is to walk away from the immediate source. Even if you only have five minutes to spare, get up and take a quick stroll to gather your thoughts, get your blood flowing and release mood-boosting endorphins.

2. Meditate
Just five minutes of meditating will lower your heart rate and blood pressure and relax your muscles. To get started, find a quiet place to sit and try to clear your mind of any thoughts. Then focus on one thing — your breathing, a picture in your head or repeating a mantra. Still having trouble? Follow an app, like iMindfulness, to keep you on track.

3. Pour Some Tea
Decaffeinated green tea is soothing because it contains theanine, an amindo acid that promotes relaxation. Avoid caffeinated versions because they can worsen stress.

4. Take Deep Breaths
Only have one minute? Stop whatever you’re doing, close your eyes and focus on your breath as it goes in and out.

5. Make a To-Do List 
Running down a long list of deadlines in your head is the worst thing you can do when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Instead, choose the three most important tasks and jot them down. Work on one at a time and check them off as you go. If you have time leftover, plop down a few more and keep going.

6. Pick Up a Trashy Novel
Ok, well it doesn’t have to be trashy. Reading any type of fiction will take your mind away from the present and essentially allow you to enter a new world. Sometimes, a little distraction is all you need.

7. Get in Some Pet Time
A study done by the University of Buffalo found that subjects who spent time with a cat or dog during times of high stress (the subjects were stockbrokers, go figure), their blood pressure was lowered. So grab your pet and get in some quick cuddle time. Don’t have a furry friend of your own? Take a trip to the local shelter.

8. Light a Lavender Candle
Light a lavender candle right before bed to help relax and clear your mind. A study by researchers at the University of Miami followed brain activity with an EEG machine, finding that those who were subjected to lavender aromatherapy showed brainwaves associated with drowsiness. The subjects also felt less depressed and had a mood boost.

9. Eat Chocolate
When you’re stressed you have low serotonin, a brain chemical that controls calmness. Sweet and starchy foods, such as chocolate, pretzels and ice cream, actually boost serotonin levels which in turn relaxes the body. A trial published in the Journal of Proteome Research found that eating an ounce and a half of dark chocolate a day for two weeks helps to reduce levels of stress hormones.

10. Listen to Music 
A 2010 study by researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center found that subjects who listened to their favorite music had better circulation as a result. Their blood vessels actually opened wider — slowing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, relaxing the muscles and creating an overall feeling of relaxation. Interesting word of advice: no matter how much you love a song, don’t put it on repeat. The doctors claimed that listening to the same song over and over will decrease the effects.

Read more: The Drink That Can Help You Lose More Weight

Getty Images

One of the most devastating findings to come down the scientific research pipeline in recent years is the revelation that it’s not carbs, fat, or sodium that’s the dietary devil: It’s sugar. Since this discovery, we’ve collectively spent half of our time avoiding the ingredient and the other half feigning ignorance, because how could dark chocolate possibly be bad for you? The fact is that sugar cravings are very real, and very difficult to resist—but Adriana Lima, who is a Victoria’s Secret Angel and a fit, beautiful person but also not a doctor or nutritionist, thinks she’s found a solution.

MORE: Breaking Down the Benefits (and Risks) of Quitting Sugar

In a new interview with NY Mag, Lima gave the rundown on her morning wellness routine, which unsurprisingly involves an avocado smoothie, asparagus, and coffee. Slightly more surprising is the fact that she sweetens that coffee with honey, which actually helps to stabilize the body’s blood sugar (true). But here’s the secret that lies within: Lima says, “I find [that] if I have honey, I don’t crave as much sugar later.”

MORE: 27 Diet Secrets from the World’s Most Beautiful Women

Lima speaks to all people everywhere with this tidbit, because who doesn’t crave sugar not in the morning or at night but rather at 2pm, when your blood sugar hits rock bottom? Yes, we should definitely take her advice with a grain of salt (it won’t kill you!), but there’s no reason not to give a teaspoon of honey in the morning a try.

Emily Ratajkowski has one. So does Jasmine Tookes, and the entire Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show posse, now that I think about it. However, most women don’t, have never, and probably will never obtain one. I’m talking about “ab cracks,” the furor-causing fitspo phenomenon subtly taking over your Instagram feed.

First coined in early July, the ab crack is essentially the divide between your abs (well, between some people’s abs) that’s basically the six pack’s less-flamboyant cousin. In the last few weeks, the #abcrack hashtag has accumulated thousands of posts on Insta and Twitter, knocking #thighgap off its pathetic perch as the most unattainable workout goal to obsess over.

MORE: 101 Ways to Lose a Pound

According to celebrity trainer Joey Thurman, the ab crack actually has a clinical name and it’s pretty much reserved for people willing to live at the gym and give up carbs for life. “What you’re referring to is the linea alba,” Thurman told me. “This is the fibrous tissue between the abdomen that generally shows up when you are incredibly lean and have great abdominal definition.”

In addition to exercising really, really hard (more on that later), anyone chasing a defined, um, linear alba, should sleep more and eat less refined foods. “Without proper sleep, your body will be inflamed, you won’t burn as much fat, you will crave more calories—and the bad ones—and your cortisol levels will be elevated, limiting any sort of fat burning,” Thurman explained. He also says the most important part of getting to actually see your abs is diet: “Avoid any processed carbohydrates and added sugar—so nothing from a bag, no bread, no cereal, and no sweets. Also, drink lots of water, because if you don’t drink water, your body holds on to it.” 

Of course, you’re not going to get off that easy—ab cracks of hashtag-worthy proportions are also sculpted at the gym. So while you’re mulling over whether an ab selfie is worth giving up pizza, click through the slideshow for the 14 ab exercises recommended by celebrity personal trainers.

MORE: 16 Healthy Travel Secrets From the World’s Most Beautiful Women

WENN

While you’re probably bummed that you already finished binge-watching season four of “Orange Is the New Black,” which dropped on Netflix last month, one of its lead actresses, Vicky Jeudy, is gearing up to start shooting season five (yay!). Fans of the show know Jeudy plays former track star Janae Watson, but may not know that the actress has to work to keep up that athletic frame during a grueling filming schedule.

Jeudy says she’s been into kickboxing and barre classes in the past, and still has a goal of getting into yoga and learning to surf, but for now the Haitian-American actress is focusing on prepping for a 5K she’ll run in the fall with J/P HRO (J/P Haitian Relief Organization).

Here’s exactly what Jeudy eats and does to stay trim when she’s crazy-busy.

Marcus Lloyd

I start an average day by: Lately, eating watermelon.

For breakfast I had: Oatmeal.

For lunch I had: Chicken and salad—that’s what I decided to stick with while on set.

Today I snacked on: Almonds.

My go-to healthy drink is: A smoothie with whatever I feel like adding to it.

The one thing I would never eat is: Oysters!

My favorite workout is: Bike riding with Central Park Sightseeing in Midtown!

MORE: The Products 7 Fitness It-Girls Keep in Their Bags

WENN

My guilty pleasure food is: Thin-crust pizza with light cheese.

The one thing that always gets me motivated to work out is: [Doing it] with friends.

My favorite healthy restaurant is: Beyond Sushi, a vegan and vegetarian restaurant in New York.

My favorite healthy snack is: Watermelon—I love it so much.

The fitness blog and Instagram account I’m obsessed with is: Nutritionist and yoga guru Kimberly Snyder.

MORE: 20 Recipes That Will Make Your Skin Glow

Marcus Lloyd

The three ingredients you’ll always find in my kitchen are: Lemons, almonds, and watermelon.

My biggest health tip for travelers is to: Make sure the water you’re drinking is clean.

My signature healthy dish is: I don’t have one at the moment but I really want to learn how to make veggie rolls.

The best part of my job is: Playing make-believe with friends.

My favorite activewear brand is: Bandier.

My summer health tip is: Eat lots of fruit. It’s the best season for it now.

MORE: 21 Ways to Cook with Healthy Spices

@vickyjeudy

MORE: 20 Stealthy Low-Carb Lunches

Regardless of whether the world of Instagram fitspo inspires, appalls, or straight-up baffles you, IG’s become the place to see snaps of girls proudly baring their toned arms and ab cracks. Most people will tell you to follow buzzy trainers (hello, Kayla Itsines) or supermodels like Candice Swanepoel on the media app if you’re hoping to get a fitspiration hit, but the real place to see social media’s most exercise-obsessed women is on curator accounts like @fitness and @fitnessgirlsmotivation.

MORE: 101 Ways to Lose a Pound

Unlike blogger and model accounts, these pages aren’t about one specific person. Instead, they’re a shameless roundup of crazy-hot women—both celebrities and regular, nonfamous people—from around the world, a strategy that’s earned some pages millions of followers. So you can love ’em, hate ’em, or just sit there judging them, but we guarantee you won’t be able to stop staring at these utterly gratuitous fitspo accounts. Scroll through the slideshow to see 30 of the most popular.

MORE: How to Get a Bigger Butt, According to Kim Kardashian’s Trainer

@joja

In the past few months we’ve asked countless Victoria’s Secret models to spill their workout routines and food diaries. Elsa Hosk told us that she swears by regular boxing sessions, Lindsay Ellingson said she alternates between Pilates classes, cycling, and weight training each week, and Miranda Kerr gave us the lowdown on her crazy-complicated 10-ingredient smoothie recipe. However, now all you need is Instagram to see exactly how supermodels exercise, thanks to the launch of a new fitness account by Victoria’s Secret girls Josephine Skriver and Jasmine Tookes called JoJa.

Since launching five weeks ago, the models have shared detailed videos outlining how to do their favorite workout moves, and the strategy’s attracted nearly 25,000 followers already. Although, considering they have a total of 3.3 million followers between them on their personal accounts, we’re sure this number is going to skyrocket over the coming weeks.

Ahead, we chat with Skriver about the workouts she and Jasmine swear by, exercising with friends, and what we can expect from JoJa.

StyleCaster: What’s the JoJa account about?
Josephine Skriver: Jasmine and I created the JoJa account because fitness is important to us. Maintaining healthy and strong bodies is something that is not only key to our careers, but it helps us feel good mentally and physically.

Why did you decide to work on the project together? 
It kind of came up organically. We both work out at the same gym here in New York, we’re both obsessed with Instagram, and we both have very similar body types and exercise methods. So then we thought, You know what? It would be cool to chronicle all of the things we do and help those people who are looking to either start their exercise plan or try something different.

@joja

How is this account different from other fitspo accounts on Instagram?
I think both Jasmine and I grew up idolizing the Victoria’s Secret Angels when we would see them in the catalog or on the runway during the fashion show. At that time, there wasn’t social media that made their workouts accessible. We have the honor of learning from some of the best trainers in the world so if we can share some of that knowledge with our followers, that’s a great win for us.

MORE: Jasmine Tookes Shared Her Week in Workouts

Why do you think working out with a friend is the best motivation?
You hold each other accountable for being there and coming with their game face. It’s great to walk in and leave everything at the door and get your mind and body right. You bond, learn, and grow. It’s what all relationships are about.

What does an average week of working out look like for you both? 
Jasmine and I both work a bunch, so the best part of working out is that every day is different—so you can try out moves and figure out what works best for you. On the days we are able to work out together, we typically do an hour or so. It’s a lot of body-weight and light-weight moves. The repetition depends on the move, but we have lots of fun things on [our Instagram] for people to try out, and we plan on lots more to come!

@joja

How have you influenced each other’s health and workout habits?
We each have our strengths and weaknesses. Jasmine is incredibly strong on her upper body so it’s always a fun challenge for me to try and keep up with her. We both love eating healthy, but also love to indulge in not-so-healthy meals once in a while. We keep each other balanced, though, and check each other if we’ve had one too many cookies. Haha!

Where do you plan to take the account? Will there be a fitness brand launching soon?
Right now we’re just having fun and hoping that people find the videos useful. I don’t know where it will go from here, but we’re looking forward to seeing.

MORE: 101 Ways to Lose a Pound

What photos have you noticed get the most comments and likes? Have you learned any tricks for Instagram success?
I think the reason why we’ve been able to grow this account in such a short amount of time is because we are being genuine and giving a glimpse into our fitness world. We realize that these workouts are challenging and we want people to take a look and at the very least try it because we’re trying a lot of things for the first time too so we’re right there with them.

@joja

What other Instagram accounts do you follow for fitness advice and motivation?
We love Victoria’s Secret Sport, of course, because we see all of our fellow Angels on there and also Jen Selter, and our gym Dogpound to see what other people do while they are there to try it out.
What workout do you hate doing?
Burpees.

What new fitness trends have you noticed, and why do you think they’re going to be popular?
I don’t think it’s new, but the booty is a big priority for both Jasmine and me. Weighted squats and lengthening moves are great for that.

(Nike)

There’s less than a week to go until the Rio Olympics, and to find out what it’s like for the stars of the Games—the athletes—we’re chatting with female sports stars to find out how they train, live, and eat. Today we’re speaking with Marlen Esparza, an American boxer who took the bronze at the 2012 Olympics in London in the women’s flyweight division. Esparza’s been sponsored by Nike, Chobani, CoverGirl, and even landed a Vogue spread ahead of the 2012 Games. Here, she spilled exactly what it takes to be a world-class athlete, so keep scrolling.

For breakfast I had:
I usually make a smoothie for breakfast around 8 a.m. that includes Nutty for ’Nana Chobani Greek yogurt with chopped-up bananas, organic honey, powdered peanut butter, chia seeds, almond milk, and steel-cut oats all blended together.

For lunch I had:
Protein! I had grilled chicken, sweet potato, and asparagus for lunch around 1 p.m.

For dinner I had:
I will usually have chicken, steak, some kind of protein and more veggies for dinner around 7 p.m.

MORE: 7 Female Olympians on the Biggest Issues Facing Women in Sport

Today I snacked on:
I love Mango Chobani Greek yogurt, it’s one of my favorite snacks. Another snack that I pre-make is a special oatmeal, which is whole-grain steel-cut oats with cashew milk, powdered peanut butter, organic honey, and chia seeds, and I let it sit in the refrigerator overnight and eat it cold.

The one thing I would never eat is:
Egg yolk, I only eat egg whites.

My all-time favorite workout is:
Running! I love to listen to music and clear my head when I run.

I think the health and fitness trend that will dominate in 2016 is:
Juicing and “boxercise.”

The health trend I just can’t get behind is:
Yoga.

My favorite healthy restaurant is:
Bowl of Heaven in San Diego. I love acai bowls!

My go-to smoothie ingredients are:
Nutty for ’Nana Chobani Greek Yogurt with chopped-up bananas, organic honey, powdered peanut butter, chia seeds, almond milk, and steel-cut oats all blended together.

CoverGirl

Each week I usually work out:
I usually work out twice a day, six days a week. My first workout I do mostly running and conditioning and my second workout I do boxing drills and sparring.

Some of the fitness blogs and websites I follow include:
Nike NTC, Self, and Shape.

My favorite Instagram accounts are:
Nike Women, Nike Running, and Women’s Running.

MORE: A Comprehensive Guide to Hollywood’s Die-Hard Sports Fan

The three ingredients you’ll always find in my kitchen are:
Powdered peanut butter, bananas, and some flavor of Chobani Greek yogurt.

My signature healthy dish is:
I do a healthy dessert to cut down on cravings after dinner that is yogurt, almonds, chopped-up banana, peanut butter, and one scoop of cottage cheese all mixed together with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

The health app I couldn’t live without is:
Nike NTC app! It has challenging workouts when I need to change things up in the gym or even in hotel rooms when I am traveling.

The top three songs on my workout playlist right now are:
“Impatient” by Jeremih, “Controlla” by Drake, and “Summer 16” by Drake.

The best part of my job is:
Getting to do what I love and have such an intense passion for. I love being a role model for girls in the younger generation since I did not have a female to look up to when I was starting out in the sport, and that made it difficult at times.

At the beginning of most days I:
Take my dog, Magic, for a long walk! Once I get back, I make my favorite breakfast smoothie (above).

@sharonstone

Summer’s a constant battle between needing to bare all of your skin and feeling the impulse to cover it up. Especially as Instagram turns into a gallery of bikini selfies courtesy of Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and other celebs who probably spend more time at the gym in a week than we would in an average month. However, today it’s not some 20-year-old supermodel on the ‘gram inspiring your summer health kick, but 58-year-old actress Sharon Stone.

MORE: 30 Instagram Accounts That Are the Definition of Fitspo

Stone shared a photo of herself wearing a black and white printed triangle bikini while swimming in a pool with her 131,000 Instagram followers yesterday and hell, we’re impressed. She’s two years shy of hitting 60, and seems to be in better shape than most of the 20-somethings you’ll see sun-baking at the gym pool on the weekends—just look at those abs. Damn, Sharon, what’s your secret?

MORE: 101 Ways to Lose a Pound

There are thousands of complicated pre-wedding diet plans on Pinterest alone that promise to get you into the best shape of your life but demand you follow a hard-core exercise and meal plan that—to those of us not comfortable with the idea of restricting ourselves from living life just so we look slimmer in a dress—might seem completely insane.

The good news: This five-day meal plan made to detox and de-bloat ahead of your wedding day from Dr. Amy Shah, an integrative medicine advocate and doctor who’s known in the wellness sphere for her life-changing cleansing plans.

Here, Dr. Shah designed a crazy-easy menu to easily follow in the five days leading up to your wedding, packed with healthy, nourishing, sane ways to look and feel amazing—even if you’ve done nothing to prepare in the months prior. Click through the gallery for the recipes.

MORE: 101 Ways to Lose a Pound

Day One
Breakfast: Chia seed pudding
Lunch: Green gut juice
Dinner: Spicy eggplant “parm”

Day Two
Breakfast: Rose coconut cardamom
Lunch: Gut salad
Dinner: Creamy cauliflower soup

Day Three
Breakfast: Chocolate green shake
Lunch: Gut salad
Dinner: Spicy eggplant “parm”

Day Four
Breakfast: Rose coconut cardamom
Lunch: Green gut juice
Dinner: Grilled asparagus and brussels sprouts

Day Five
Breakfast: Chocolate green shake
Lunch: Gut salad
Dinner: Indian roasted cauliflower

MORE: Follow Anna Victoria’s Exact Pre-Wedding Workout Plan

Getty Images

People talk about flossing like it’s the be-all and end-all of personal hygiene, a thing I have long believed to be untrue. Brushing your teeth twice a day and using mouthwash, preferably of the antibacterial sort, seems like plenty of effort to maintain fine dental health without driving a piece of minty string between each and every tooth in your mouth, which takes a long time and is boring. Zzzz.

I’ve almost always been in the minority of believing that flossing is a) a scam and b) a huge waste of time, which is probably because those are opinions that are subjective and that I made up for my own defensive purposes. After all, the federal government has recommended a good floss as a necessity since 1979. But wait! The Associated Press is suddenly, for some reason (do staffers at the AP hate flossing their teeth, too?), backing me up on this.

Last year, the news agency launched an investigation into whether or not flossing is, as the American Dental Association insists on its website, “an essential part of taking care of your teeth and gums.” This strongly worded recommendation has appeared in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans issued every five years—which, the AP says, must under law be based on scientific evidence. In the 2016 edition, the latest dietary guidelines have been wiped of any mention of flossing. Let’s call it a coincidence.

MORE: The Best Foods to Eat for Whiter, Healthier Teeth

Or not. In a letter to the AP, the US government admitted that the efficacy of flossing has never been fully researched to standards. The AP looked at the most “rigorous” studies on flossing over the past decade. The findings, as they report: “The evidence for flossing is ‘weak, very unreliable,’ of ‘very low’ quality, and carries ‘a moderate to large potential for bias.'” Womp!

Even companies with large market shares in the flossing business had a hard time submitting evidence of their claims that floss reduces plaque or gingivitis. Procter & Gamble directed the AP to a two-week study that had already been discounted as irrelevant in the 2011 research review; Johnson & Johnson spokesman Marc Boston declined comment when the AP sent him a list of studies contradicting his claim that floss helps remove plaque.

The ADA awards its Seal of Acceptance to companies after a rigorous evaluation and does not profit from the floss-making companies it approves of, but it does accept funding from those companies and allow them to design the studies. The organization has promoted flossing since 1908—until now, because as dentist Damien Walmsley, a scientific advisor to the British Dental Association, told the AP, “It’s important to tell people to do the basics. Flossing is not part of the basics.”

MORE: How to Whiten Your Teeth Using Stuff You Already Have

@whitneybearr

Can a drink that looks, feels, and tastes like water be the answer to your skin, hair, and nail problems? That’s the thought behind the skyrocketing growth of the drinkable beauty industry, a logical next step to the superfood-filled smoothie and juice craze that—during the last few years—managed to simultaneously take over your bank account and your Insta feed. But instead of relying on fresh produce to boost wellness from the inside out, brands are starting to look to things we’d typically apply to our faces before bed, such as collagen and hyaluronic acid, and making them as easy to drink and carry around as a bottle of Fiji.

The latest brand to get in on the drinkable beauty game—social media fave Dirty Lemon, known for its lemon charcoal detox water—just released Skin + Hair, a concoction that contains a blend of herbs that contributes to skin and hair health as well as summer’s biggest buzzword, collagen. “The beverage utilizes the benefits of hydrolyzed marine collagen, which has a proven history of efficacy in the nutricosmetic space,” founder Zak Normandin told us, which is just a fancy way of saying it’s got the seal of approval among proponents of the beauty-from-within movement.

@dirtylemon

MORE: Your Complete Guide to Skin Care and Beauty Oils

@leavesyoubreathless

Skin + Hair contains a base of cleansing, alkalizing cold-pressed lemon juice and a blend of ingredients that have proven beauty benefits, according to Normandin. Specifically? “Red clover, which contains a high concentration of isoflavones, which your body uses to support healthy lymphatic function, immunity, healthy skin, and a balanced endocrine system. Case studies have shown a direct link between isoflavone supplementation and improved skin elasticity/wrinkle reduction,” he explained, adding that horsetail, which is high in silica, has been shown to boost the growth of strong, shiny hair.

As for whether drinking collagen can really transform your skin, the jury seems to be out, but some progressive beauty experts agree that it can have positive impacts. Recent research published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that tossing back a collagen drink every day could be the key to better skin within eight weeks.

New York–based dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe also recently told us that attitudes are shifting in favor of drinkables among pros in the wellness industry: “Although many dermatologists, myself included, used to be very skeptical that liquid collagen could make any difference on the skin, recent research shows that it really can and that results are long-lasting,” she said.

MORE: 101 Ways to Get Flawless Skin

If you’re keen to give it a try, you can order a case of six ($65) easily, although unconventionally, via text: Dirty Lemon created a platform that lets you not only order by sending a message, but also ask questions, get shipping updates, and send feedback. All orders are also shipped overnight for free, so it’s actually easier to shop over SMS than to trek to your nearest Whole Foods. Plus, it tastes refreshing, citrusy, and a little spicy, and has just 10 calories—so even if Dirty Lemon Skin + Hair doesn’t overhaul your complexion (or your Instagram feed), it still tastes really good, so it’s a win-win. 

@paigejimenez

@yasmin_le

@dirtylemon

@rickibarton

@caseadillla

TKTK

@jaimefraiche

@dirtylemon

@whitneybearr

@dirtylemon

@kendalllmarieee

Getty Images

With the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio just days away, all eyes are on Gabby Douglas. But she’s used to the attention: The 20-year-old phenom won the world over four years ago in London when she became the women’s all-around champion—a coveted title she is set to defend this year—and made Olympic history as the first black women’s gold medalist.

MORE: How America’s Best (and Hottest) Divers Prepare for the Rio Olympics

In addition to her gymnastics accomplishments, Douglas has become a veritable businesswoman, with her own reality TV show, Barbie doll, line of unitards with GK Elite, and a New York Times best-selling book under her belt.

But training is always top of mind; you don’t score gold twice in a row without intense dedication. Depending on the day, Douglas can be found working with coach Kittia Carpenter upwards of six hours at a time, often with only one day off a week. We were surprised to find that she doesn’t have a strict diet, but it makes sense considering she has the incredibly fast metabolism of an athlete who trains nonstop.

“I try to eat very healthy foods and drink lots of liquids,” says Douglas, shocking us to our very core. “I include lots of vegetables and fruits and lean protein in my diet. I have my cheat days when I splurge, but I don’t go too crazy with it.” And when it comes to snacks, she’s into fruits, nuts, whole grain bars, and, oddly enough, bagels with peanut butter.

And though she could probably sit down at any of the world’s best restaurants, Douglas says she prefers home-cooked meals—with one exception: “There’s a really cool place in Downtown Columbus that I really enjoy called Forno Kitchen and Bar.”

MORE: Food Diary: Here’s What Fitspo Sensation Kayla Itsines Ate Today

Otherwise, she turns to the same place we do for recipe inspiration: to @buzzfeedtasty, @tastemade, @lovefoodextra. “I love salmon, mashed potatoes with grilled asparagus,” she says, mentioning her grandmother often cooks for her while she’s training. Olympic gold medalists: They’re just like us.

@stellamaxwell

Maxim just named Stella Maxwell as the sexiest woman alive this year, and, TBH, we can’t blame them (see above!). The 26-year-old was born to Northern Irish parents and grew up across Belgium, Australia, and New Zealand, before settling on New York. And, just 12 months after landing a contract with Victoria’s Secret and walking in the brand’s fashion show, she was handed her angel wings in 2015, something reserved only for the brand’s biggest names. This year alone she’s already walked in shows for Marc Jacobs, Balmain, Versace, and Fendi, and graced the covers of magazines like Vogue España and Elle France.

We caught up with Maxwell to find out what it takes to maintain the sexiest body alive (at least according to Maxim), and chatted about the new, semi-vegetarian diet she’s following right now, plus the workout routine she sticks to. Keep scrolling!

For breakfast I had:
Usually I’ll keep it quite simple, like eggs and avocado. I’ve been trying to cut out some meat lately, so I’m trying to keep it more vegetarian. Sometimes I’ll have cereal.

For lunch I had:
A salad with some chicken. Sometimes I’ll have fish or another protein.

@stellamaxwell

For dinner I had:
I’ve been going to really amazing vegan restaurants lately. There are a lot of really nice vegetarian places here in New York, so I’ve found a few restaurants that I really love, so I eat out a lot for dinner.

My favorite healthy restaurant is:
Because I’m cutting back on meat, there’s one called Blossom in New York and I really love that one for vegan. Cafe Gitane is really close to my house, and that’s great too.

MORE: 101 Ways to Lose a Pound

My go-to healthy drink is:
A smoothie.

@stellamaxwell

The one thing I’d never eat is:
There’s nothing I’d never eat. I’ve always been pretty adventurous when it comes to food.

@stellamaxwell

My guilty pleasure is:
Chocolate. I really like those Ferrero Rocher chocolates–—uh, they’re amazing.

My favorite workout is:
I’ve been getting into doing a lot of yoga lately, and working out with my trainer. I work out three to four times each week and because I work out a lot during the week so I try to just fit [exercise] in around that. [We  do] a lot of weights focusing on building lean muscles rather than bulking up. There’s a lot of stretching and jump rope.

MORE: Follow This Wedding Workout From Instagram Star Anna Victoria

I’m obsessed with following on Instagram:
Mainly my friends actually, I don’t really follow anyone I don’t know. I do follow [brands and bloggers], but I try to keep Instagram fun as well, I’m interested to see my colleagues and friends.

The best part of my jobs is:
Probably shooting with the incredible people that I get to work with.

@stellamaxwell

My favorite activewear brand is:
VS Sport. That’s all I wear! They actually just sent me their new pant and top sets—it’s kind of a tie-dyed blue with a neon yellow strap. It’s really cute and everyone compliments me, even on the street people say like, “Your workout gear is really rad.”

My health tip to travelers is to:
Probably take a nice eye mask and little ear buds so you can sleep!

The ingredients you’ll always find in my kitchen are:
I always have water and I always have some form of fruits and vegetables.

@stellamaxwell

What’s worse—a blah, shapeless pair of granny panties, or a brutal yeast infection that won’t go away? Both suck, but I think most women would choose the formless undies over the misery of an infection. And yes, sometimes it is a matter of choice, since the cut and material of most sexy women’s underwear aren’t especially conducive to wicking and air circulation down there—which experts say can directly lead to infections.

“Underwear that is made out of silk or synthetic materials is not breathable and can trap moisture, which may lead to a yeast infection,” says Dr. Mimi Secor, a nurse practitioner and spokesperson for Monistat. “Any underwear that is too tight can also create a warm, moist environment in the vaginal area and can trigger a yeast infection.” Thongs, too, are a bad idea: “They can cause bacteria to travel from the colon to the vaginal area, leading to infections,” she explains.

MORE: How to Crush a Yeast Infection Without an Rx

Yikes! So, half the underwear most of us wear is a yeast infection waiting to happen. How to deal? “To help reduce the risk of getting a yeast infection, women should keep their genital area cool and dry by wearing breathable and lightweight underwear—cotton, if possible.” And if the whole pair isn’t made of cotton, they should at least feel airy (e.g. be made of jersey or soft mesh, if not 100 percent cotton), not fit too tightly, and feature a cotton panel liner to keep your vaginal area dry (bonus points for organic ones that don’t irritate).

In the name of living itch-free without giving up entirely on pretty underwear, we found 20 pairs of undies that are cuter than your average boring granny panty—and they’ll keep you healthy, too.

MORE: Why Women Wax Even Though They Hate It

Getty Images

Regardless of whether you’re looking to quit birth control pills to try to get pregnant, or you simply want to experiment with another form of contraceptive, there are some things every woman needs to know before quitting cold turkey. We spoke with gynecologists and fertility experts to find out just how your body changes after you stop taking the pill—from your skin (breakouts!) to your mood, period pain, weight fluctuation, and more.

Skin

If you originally went on birth control to help sort out breakouts in your teens, there’s a chance you may have grown out of that acne-ridden stage of your life. However, for most people, as soon as the medication leaves your body and your hormones return to their natural state, your complexion will probably return to the exact condition it was in before.

“Usually most birth control pills will lower your testosterone,” explained Dr. Iris Orbuch, director of the Advanced Gynecologic Laparoscopy Center in New York City. “Testosterone in high amounts can lead to things like greasy skin and extra hair growth that causes breakouts.” While you’re taking the contraceptive, she says your hormones are more balanced, but once you quit you’ll need to start employing some other strategies to keep acne under control, like healthy eating, keeping your hands away from your face, and a strict cleansing routine. “See a dermatologist beforehand so you’re maximizing everything you can do,” Dr. Orbuch counseled. “And remember that you are what you eat, so if you put in greasy fried foods, you can expect to see breakouts.”

Once the birth control leaves your body, prepare for your skin to return to its original state. Getty Images

Period Pain and Mood Swings

Unfortunately, you can probably expect your PMS to resume as it was before you were taking the pill. “If you had bad cramps beforehand, you will probably go back,” Dr. Orbuch said. In addition to your usual array of painkillers and heat packs, she recommends ramping up your exercise for the two weeks before you get your period and before you stop taking the pill–even though it’s probably the absolute last thing you feel like doing. “Exercise is the answer to everything—it increases endorphins and makes pain less severe, that’s been shown in multiple studies,” she told us, adding that mind/body techniques such as meditation and yoga can be helpful in combating moods. If you regularly see a therapist or psychiatrist, it might also be worthwhile scheduling an extra session the week leading up to your period. “If you know you’re going to become irrational or moody at this time, there are ways to learn how to cope and be armed with tools you need to deal with it,” Dr. Orbuch said, adding that some studies also show B complex vitamins can help women in the second half of their cycles (the two weeks leading up to your period).

If period pain is debilitating, schedule an appointment with your ob/gyn to discuss the possibility of endometriosis. “The pill can make period cramps better, your cycle lighter, and it may temporize some symptoms of endometriosis, but doesn’t treat the actual disease—surgery is the only treatment,” Dr. Orbuch said.

Dr. Kimberley A. Thornton—a New York–based obstetrician and gynecologist and a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist—told us that some supplements and medication may also help. “Studies have shown 1,200mg of calcium can help reduce your symptoms of PMS. In severe cases, your health-care provider may prescribe an antidepressant be taken continuously for two weeks before the onset of symptoms,” she said. 

MORE: Why Are Millennials Ditching Hormonal Contraceptives?

Fertility

There are a lot of myths floating around that it takes some time to get pregnant once you stop taking it but this really isn’t the case for many women—Dr. Orbuch says that women “can get pregnant right after you go off the pill,” so it’s important to use another method of birth control from day one post-pill. If you struggle to get pregnant or your period doesn’t return, you may have a common condition called post-pill amenorrhea. “Women can develop a symptom where they don’t ovulate for three, six, or even nine months after going off the pill,” Dr. Orbuch said. “Because you’ve been suppressing ovulation for a while, it can take a while for it to go back to regular.” If this happens, it’s a good idea to see your gynecologist and just make sure you don’t have anything more serious.

Weight

Good news: Dr. Orbuch says ditching the pill could even lead to weight loss, albeit only small amounts. “Even though studies don’t necessarily support this, I’m a woman and I know there are certain pills that made me more hungry and made me gain weight, and I’ve seen it among my clients.”

MORE: 101 Ways to Lose a Pound

WENN

Margot Robbie‘s latest  movie—“Suicide Squad,” which hit theaters today, and also stars Will Smith, Jared Leto, Viola Davis, and Cara Delevingne—required her to get in even better shape than she was already in. (We, too, wondered how that was possible.)

In it, Robbie plays an unhinged super-villain named Harley Quinn, and in order to look the part, People reports that she worked out three hours a day, every day, for three weeks while the movie was shooting. The workouts included Pilates, ballet, jump rope, and rebounder to sculpt and tone the actress’s bod without bulking it up.

@margotrobbie

MORE: 25 Excellent Photos of Celebs Eating Junk Food

Trainer Andie Hecker helped Robbie shape up for the role, and said she was a “total trooper.” “There’s a scene in ‘Suicide Squad’ where she changes clothes in front of a bunch of dudes, so her abs needed to be impeccable,” says Hecker. “And in those tiny shorts Harley wears, her butt was constantly on display.”

Hecker adds that she had Robbie do a lot of heavy-weighted arabesque pulls hooked up to resistance pulleys and arabesque lifts with heavy ankle weights to “build and lift the butt,” plus outer thigh and glute work “to pull those muscles in and create a beautiful line from the waist to the upper thigh.”

Damn, we’re tired just reading about it. Luckily, now that the film has wrapped, Robbie can go back to her totally chill normal routine of working out a mere hour per day for five days a week.

WENN

MORE: The 50 Most Naked Celebrity Instagram Photos of All Time