Blog – Tagged "Wellness" – Page 4

Fight Your Insomnia with a Subscription to Boredom

It’s no secret that a good night’s rest is getting harder to come by, and no one knows this better than American adults. Averaging 6.8 hours per night, 40 percent of U.S. adults get less than the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep.

There’s nothing more frustrating than lying awake at 2 a.m. after a long day, eyelids propped open by racing thoughts and worries. For some, being well rested is as simple as adopting healthy habits like avoiding caffeine, exercising frequently and keeping away from phone screens before bed. If you’ve tried every trick and tip but still find yourself staring at the ceiling, endlessly counting sheep, then let “Sleep With Me” podcast’s dulcet tones carry you to dreamland.

Podcaster Drew Ackerman suffered from insomnia as a child and learned to remedy his sleepless nights by exchanging “silly, boring stories” with his brother. Cultivating a quirky array of topics from “Game of Drones” to mundane questions and tales about superheroes, Ackerman’s gravelly voice guides listeners to sleep using boredom.

We often forsake hours of sleep for work, pleasure, or just because we can’t let go of stress. One or two hours of sleep a night can make a huge difference in mood, memory, and even driving skills. Sleep deprivation can wreck your physical health and increase your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity.

While being bored doesn’t sound like the most appealing thing, Ackerman’s dull stories could keep your hormones balanced and immune system strong with the added hours of sleep. Studies show that 1-2 more hours of sleep a night impacts reaction time, productivity, and accuracy. So, when bedtime rolls around, sit back, relax, and drift to sleep with Ackerman’s attempt at writing sidekick fanfiction.

Start Summer Habits That Will Last All Year

summer like the finish line for our wellness goals when we could use it as a starting platform?

Here are a couple of ideas for healthy habits you can implement this season to keep yourself feeling healthy and strong long after those tan lines fade.

Eat your colors

With so many fruits and veggies in season, summer is an easy time to time to stock up on your favorites. Many produce options freeze well to be enjoyed far past their showcase at the farmers market. Pop zucchini, tomatoes, tomatillos, and berries in the freezer now to make tasty stews and smoothies all year.

Let the grill times roll

Who says the grilling fun has to stop when the leaves change? Investing in an inexpensive grill pan is a great way to keep enjoying meals of grilled veggies and lean proteins, even when your outdoor grill is frosted over.

H2Oh so important

You’re drinking a lot more ice water for a sip of cool relief right now. Developing this habit of drinking more water in the summer months makes an easier pattern to follow come fall. Use fun printed cups to feel a little more fabulous. Or, for a little more glam, sparkling varieties are a delicious way to enjoy some tasty bubbles, no ID required. Plus, staying hydrated will help you combat dry skin in the winter months. Win-win!

Oops, I think I just exercised?

Staying active is easy in the summer, so keep the momentum going year-round by adding a few extra layers when the temperatures drop. Or, if your favorite trail starts to require snowshoes, try out a new fitness class to keep your workouts fun and exciting, no matter what the weather.

Stay-cation state of mind

Days spent poolside keep us feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Maintain this clear mind by incorporating me-time year round. Finding an indoor lap pool or try meditation for ideal ways to create time for yourself. Coloring and journaling are also simple ways to de-stress when bikini season flees.

Be a sunscreen queen

It’s easy to stay on top of sunscreen application in the summer months. However, it is important to remember that you can still get sunburned in the winter. Continuing to use products with an SPF of at least 30 will help to reduce sun damage and risk for skin cancer. So, lather up!

Protect Your Skin with These Simple Sunblock Rules

(Ahem.) You’re using a fitness monitor to ensure you’re moving as much as possible. You drink water like it’s going out of style. You’re even counting fruits and veggies at each meal to bulk up calories with plants instead of junk.

But what have you done for your skin lately?

Sunblock is no joke, ya’ll. There’s a reason they put it in chapstick, facial moisturizer, T-shirts, and hats...you need it as much as you need apples, water, and a good bounce-free jog.

You don’t want to get burned. It hurts, it peels, it’s not exactly pretty. Under a strong microscope, sunburned skin shows damage to cells and blood vessels. With on-going sun damage, the skin starts to look dry, wrinkled, discolored, and leathery, all according to Cleveland Clinic. Getting even one painful sunburn once every two years -- which includes even mild pink or red skin -- triples your risk for melanoma skin cancer.

But the Cleveland Clinic says sunblock is more important than just avoiding a burn, because you need to avoid any and all damage to your skin by the sun. Those UV rays aren’t playing, especially UVB rays which cause burns.

How Long Can You Go Without Sunscreen?

Only 20 minutes! That provides your daily dose of vitamin D. Any longer and you need sunscreen. Reapply every two hours regardless of long-lasting or all-day claims.

Do You Need Sunscreen if You Don’t Burn?

Yes you do. Remember, it’s not just about burn avoidance, it’s about total skin protection. It’s the largest organ in (on) your body and it’s got a big job to do.

What if You Have Dark Skin?

Skin is skin! You still have to protect yours with sunblock.

Which SPF Should You Use?

No one should use less than SPF 30, but anything above SPF 45 is “silly” according to WebMD.

SPF 15 blocks about 94% of UVB rays
SPF 30 blocks about 97% of UVB rays
SPF 45 blocks about 98% of UVB rays
No sunblock offers 100% protection

Do You Need More at the Beach or Pool?

Yes! Waterproof sunblocks can’t really claim total waterproof protection, and any moisture -- even sweat -- makes sunblock less effective. Apply generously and often!

Are Spray Sunblock Products Safe?

You bet, it’s just different delivery of the same product. If you’re more likely to use the spray, then use that. If you’re more likely to use lotion, use that. Just use it!

Have more fun at this summer with Enell:

Which Healthy Habits Does Your Morning Routine Include?

Do you rise and shine, or are you more likely to rise and groan? Mornings are firmly in the love ‘em or hate ‘em camp and we each self-identify pretty strongly with one of them. There’s a group working to chronicle how we “morning” (sure, it’s a verb) and help its readers find new strategies, routines, and methods that make the morning more productive or even more bearable.

MyMorningRoutine.com interviews interesting people -- from authors and entrepreneurs to athletes and creatives -- to learn about their morning routines. Early risers, late risers, parents, and everyone in between share their take on dawn. Everything from how they cope to how they embrace and even get satisfaction out of their morning (ew!) is shared in personal first-hand accounts.

The personal narratives make for some great binge reading online and actually offer quite a bit of substance. The most fascinating take away is the data. Isn’t it always?

Since 2012 they’ve completed 175 morning routine interviews and compiled data from each. The data updates weekly as they publish new interviews. As of April 25, 2016 it is currently made up by 53% female and 47% male respondents.

These VIPs (very interesting people) average 7.5 hours of sleep each night. Not bad! The CDC says 30% of adults get less than six hours of sleep each night; while adults should be getting 7-8. Only 16% of the morning routiners fell short, getting about six hours of sleep.

This group averages a wake-up time of 6:34am and hits the sack at 11:08pm. Only 37% of them hit the snooze button. That aligns with greater data that says one-third of American adults reach for those extra nine minutes of sleep. Experts say the snooze button isn’t our healthiest morning habit; it can actually make us more tired. “Those five extra minutes in the morning are less restful than five minutes of deep sleep because they take place at the end of the cycle when sleep is lighter,” reports Greatist.

Some other morning routine fun stats include:

61% of participants have followed their routine for more than a year
77% exercise in the morning; 69% practice yoga in the morning
70% sleep in on the weekend; 31% follow their routine on the weekend
60% check their phone immediately; 52% check their email first
51% drink water first; 30% drink coffee first

Nearly 50% of morning routine participants eat fruit for breakfast, with eggs, oatmeal, and bread being other popular choices. Veggies and cereal were the least popular breakfast food options.

The Enell Guide to Being Beach Ready

We've hit the first days of spring and you've still got your heater running at your house. But everywhere you look, you're challenged to "Get Beach Body Ready!" or to "Get a Bikini Bod Before Summer!" Spring break is approaching, and you're scrambling to find a cover up because you feel like you didn't quite stick to your New Years Resolution as you had hoped.

Well guess what. You’ve already got the bikini body (you do have a body, right?) Coconut milk or not. Resolutions or not. You have a bikini body that’s ready for the beach. Or is it?

Here are a few really important questions to make sure:

Do you have skin?
Is your heart beating underneath that skin?
Do you have a desire to go to the beach?
Is that desire matched by a desire to not wear street clothes to said beach?
Do you promise to wear sunblock, even if it’s the low SPF just so you can say you’re wearing sunblock?
Do you have obnoxiously large, yet fabulous, sunglasses?
Do you have a floppy hat fit for the Kentucky Derby but makes for great selfies in the sand?
Did you get a pedicure? Or at least apply a random color layer over the chipped color? (You know we know you’re taking a picture of your toes with the water behind them with a #BestLifeEver hashtag.)
Is your Spotify playlist current with music you’d only listen to at the beach (because you’re a grown woman after all)?
Have you packed enough snacks and cocktails and/or mocktails to get you through the afternoon?

Then you, as they say, are BEACH READY!

Every body belongs at the beach. Yes, including yours.

There’s no photoshop at the beach, only real-life bodies. They’ve got big and little boobs, stretchmarks, scars, fat, and bones. They run the color spectrum. They are old and young, wrinkled and supple. They’re hairy; some are waxed clean.

So wear a bikini only if you want to; if you’re comfortable in it. Wear a one piece if you want to; if you’re comfortable in it. Wear a T-shirt and sweat pants if that’s your jam. Don’t wear anything at all -- they make beaches for that, too!

Half the people you’ll see don’t care and the other half are likely as self-conscious as you are. In the end … just do you.

No matter what you decide to wear to the beach, remember that CONFIDENCE IS SEXY so be sure to wear that!

Wellness Splurges You Totally Deserve

You’ve heard the oxygen mask cliche about taking care of yourself before you can take care of those around you. It may get overused, but it holds water and few things express this idea better. How can you help someone else breathe if you can’t draw your own breath?

We’ve all been the woman who wears her bras too long, wears a chipped and cracked pedicure, can’t remember the last time she had a haircut, and sometimes the last time she had a shower. All too often we come last — but we absolutely should not.

The fitness industry is full of luxuries that aren’t exactly necessary… but have you ever seen yourself in a pair of $200 yoga pants? There are other luxuries that are accessible, that you totally deserve, and should absolutely make room for in your budget.

Personal Trainers

A trainer can be one of the best advocates in your wellness arsenal — not only do they hold you accountable, but they also push you and keep you on track. Find someone you jive with; you shouldn’t be uncomfortable in your bra and you shouldn’t be uncomfortable with your trainer.

Wellness Retreat

A few days away to focus on nothing more than yourself is a gift from which you’ll reap the benefits for a long time to come. Be it yoga, meditation, bootcamp, food, there’s one to suit your mindset and goals. Save with something nearby, or truly getaway to an exotic and new location.

Wearable Tech

Get your wrist some new bling that does more than just look pretty. These trackers monitor everything from steps to how you sleep and your heart rate — valuable personal analytics that can help you manage your progress toward goal.

Cooking Class

Not only can this be a fun girls night out, but you’ll take home some valuable skills for prepping healthier meals at home. Discover new ingredients, cooking styles, and best of all recipes at your local class.

Good Shoes

… make that GREAT shoes. The ones that fit you like a glove, that are made for the sport you’re pursuing, and won’t leave you cringing and your shins throbbing. Get a proper fitting and buy yourself some legit footwear.

Good Bras

… make that AWESOME bras, like the Enell. If you’re a size C cup or above, you know your sports bra is no joke! Invest in something that will bring you comfort and security and is going to go the distance with you.

A Massage

Sixty minutes alone in a dark, quiet room… sounds like a fairy tale? Wait until you add in the masseuse! Reduce stress, muscle tension, pain and clear your mind, all things necessary to take care of yourself and those around you.

15 Easy Healthy Choices You Can Make Everyday

It’s refreshing to see that in the last ten years our culture has moved further away from calorie counting, carb watching, and scale weight and very much more toward overall healthy living. The embracing of wellness, fitness, and health is a trend that’s been long overdue. You’re less likely to hear that someone is on a diet than you are that they are being more mindful.

Now that’s a “diet” we can all afford to be on.

Whether you’re taking your first steps toward a lifestyle makeover or need to check-in and make some adjustments, here are 25 ways you can make healthier choices every single day.

healthy choices

1. No menu extremes. Anytime a menu describes something as the ultimate, bottomless, or platter, you’re getting too much of something your don’t need. Stick to trimmer, more realistic servings that aren’t smothered and piled high.

2. Give up mayo. It’s not that it’s that bad for you, it’s just that there’s something that accomplishes the same thing and does so with better flavor and while being better for you. Spread fresh avocado instead of mayo on your next sammy.

3. Hydrate! You hear it all the time so maybe start doing it. Drink more water. There’s no specific rule for how much, just stay ahead of thirst. Drink water in place of most anything else and you’ll feel the difference in almost every aspect.

4. Get your Zs. You really do need about eight hours of sleep each night, so how much are you depriving yourself of? Try going to bed or waking up 30 minutes early, and add 10 minutes to each end until you optimize your schedule.

5. …And do it screen free. Ditch the screens about half an hour before bed to give your brain a rest. You’ll be surprised how much easier you fall asleep and how much better you do sleep.

6. Do a purge… of all the junk in your house! Change toothbrushes, hairbrushes, mattresses, kitchen sponges, makeup brushes, flip flops, running shoes, yoga mats, and anything else that’s “expired” without your knowing.

7. Move. Walk the dog, play with your kids, go for a run, do yoga, swim a couple of laps, or even take the stairs instead of the elevator — it all counts toward movement that your body needs!

8. Skip workouts. Skipping is actually better for you than walking or running, and a heck of a lot more fun! Give this a try to find that fitness “thing” that you enjoy.

9. Don’t skip meals. Your body needs fuel first thing in the morning, to power through the mid-day, and to get you through the night. That said, don’t deprive your body.

10. Fruit first. If you have any other side option than fries, take it! Fresh fruit, side salads, rice and beans, and steamed vegetables are a few common side dish items that are way better than another plate of fries.

11. Hungry or bored? When you reach for the cupboard, use this Michael Pollan quote as a litmus test for whether or not you’re hungry or bored: If you’re not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you’re probably not hungry.

12. Say no to neon. If your soda, cereal, yogurt, or cocktail looks eerily similar to the same shade as your favorite nail polish — just don’t eat it.

13. Eat junk food. Want cookies? Want fried chicken? Want pizza? Go ahead, just make it yourself. There are no “bad” foods, but there are some pretty unhealthy preparations. Make it yourself, control the ingredients, and enjoy!

14. Focus. If you’re eating, do that. Turn off the screens, sit at a table, and focus on the meal. If you’re running, do that. If you’re playing with your kids, do that. Just focus and get more out of the moment.

15. Wear the Enell Lite. When you aren’t worried about jarring your breasts with spontaneous activity, you’re more likely to take a lunch break to go skipping, play with your kids, or join a random dance party. You never know! Try the Enell Lite.

How to Take 10 Minutes for Yourself

It’s hard to say this is a particularly busy or crazy time of year. Those moments of chaos exist throughout the year, no matter the season. Equal opportunity madness!

Sometimes you’ve got to step away from the crazy as opposed to thinking it will pass. There’s always something going to eat up our time, cause us stress, and demand more of our focus than is deserved.

Carve out 10 minutes for yourself during the day to leave the madness *over there* and clear your head, your spirit, your heart *over here.* Whether it’s getting away from your desk, the kids, or rush hour, your body will thank you in spades when you make this a consistent part of your day.

10 minutes

“Anyone who lifts weights knows you can do more when you allow yourself a short break to recover. Whether you are trying to complete 40 push-ups or finish a major project for work, sometimes you need a minute or ten to recover physically or mentally,” suggested Brooke Randolph, LMHC.

Now, how should you spend those 10 minutes? Honestly, do just about anything you want! Keep it light, fun, easy. Make sure it’s something you enjoy. Those 10 minutes should feel like a mental pampering.

Dance. Make a three-song playlist and dance your face off. It’s completely energizing, wakes up those endorphins, and will absolutely put a smile on your face.

Skip. Speaking of things that always make a smile — try skipping! Better for you than walking or running for a host of reasons, it also just makes people feel happy.

Color. Adult coloring books are totally in, and totally creating zen. Free printable coloring sheets and coloring books designed for an adult audience are easy to find. Some find it a meditative, de-stressing way to awaken creativity, imagination, and reset focus.

Yoga. For more traditional meditation and zen, give yourself ten minutes of yoga. Even this brief act can lower heart rate, increase oxygen, strengthen core, promote better sleep, and a host of otherten minute yoga benefits. Videos, apps, and guides exist across the internet to guide you through a series.

Nap. Science says the ten-minute nap is an ideal length of time for best results and sustained results. Close your door, dim the lights, and catch some brief Zs to really reset.

Play. Really let loose and just play. Swing at the park, throw on some roller skates/blades, shoot a few hoops, draw a hopscotch board, get out a deck of cards, draw on the driveway, ride a bike, play tag with the kids… you get the idea!

Laugh. Pull up clips from last night’s late shows or watch clumsy baby animals learn to walk. Whatever tickles your funny bone, seek it out and have a good laugh.

Cry. If it’s all feeling like too much, seriously let it go! Crying is incredibly therapeutic, as it lowers stress and elevates mood. Find a clip from Beaches or Steel Magnolias and let the tears flow.

Primp. Paint your nails, curl your hair, slap on a fresh layer of gloss, get a chair massage. When you feel like you look your best, you tend to believe it.

Shop. There’s actually something to be said for “retail therapy.” A quick pass through your favorite store for a new sports bra, great new shampoo, steal on a killer pair of shoes, or a new bangle or bauble might be just what your spirit needed.

Goal Tattoos Mark Your Biggest Wellness Milestones

It’s nothing new that women like to reward themselves for hitting a weight loss or fitness goal. How they are doing it seems to be changing, and a little more permanent!

New clothes, pedicures, race entry fees, a fancy dinner, or indulgent dessert are all common ways people celebrate these major wellness milestones. For some, it’s not nearly enough. More and more women are getting goal tattoos as markers for their hard work and accomplishments.

goal tattoo

“For me, tattoos are a way of honoring my body. I’ve struggled with my body image issues for most of my life, so to love it enough to see it as a canvas for illustration speaks highly to my body image now,” shared Jill Grunenwald, a healthy living blogger with two tattoos to show for her accomplishments.

Would you get a tattoo to mark your next weight loss goal or race finish? Here are a few women who share their what, where, and why.

Sarah Quina — Firebird on the back of her neck.

She was reward for getting back to a happy weight after losing 100 or so pounds. I felt like I was rising from the ashes as it were. I was back to 240 from 345 and felt great… I had planned to keep going with the weight loss at the time, but hit a huge plateau right after I was inked. It lasted for months, but eventually I gave up in favor of maintenance. I’d catch a glimpse of her every then and again and be reminded to finish what I started. Which I eventually did. I’ve kept off 185 pounds for more than 10 years.

Dani Holmes-Kirk — Celtic symbol of strength on her ankle; collage of running/triathlon symbols on her foot.

It keeps me connected to my journey and that I am strong enough to keep the weight off. I have a tattoo on my left foot that I keep adding to in regards to my fitness endeavors. So there is a 13.1, the 3 symbols for triathlon (swim, bike, run), a 26.2, a 48.6 and a Mickey head which is a reminder of doing the inaugural Dopey Challenge (5k, 10k, Half and Full marathon in 4 days in 2014). It also features the words “Finish What You Started,” which is in relation to my weight loss and fitness journey. Then it has the date 4-15-13 (I ran the Boston Marathon the day of the bombing).

DubyaWife — Phoenix between her shoulder blades; DubyaWife on her ankle

I knew I wanted [a tattoo] once I hit the goal for getting under 200 pounds. The phoenix represents rebirth… I felt like after I hit my goal I was a new person. So I wanted something that represented change.

Jill Gruenwald — Shanti on her back; Ohio with 13.1 on her wrist

One is for my 100-pound weight loss and means peace in Sanskrit. I chose it as a means of letting myself come to peace with ever getting up to 300 pounds and peace with my journey and choices. These days I’m actually about 40 pounds above that number so it represents peace in a totally different way.

The other is my half-marathon tattoo, which this proud Clevelander actually got in Savannah last year during FitBloggin!

Stephanie Suire — Breathe on her wrist

I started training for my marathon this year. It means three things: remember to breathe when I am running and want to quit, when I get stressed and anxious about life I need to remind myself to slow down and breathe, and also to breathe in the word of God each day.

What You Can When You Can Should be the Golden Rule of Fitness

Are you an all or nothing person? As in, you either give something your absolute attention or best, or don’t do it all. It’s a common misconception within fitness and wellness that you either put everything into it, or leave it alone.

That mindset is how we end up with millions of people who don’t do any exercise at all. It’s how we end up with millions of people who don’t eat a better diet. It’s how we end up with millions of people who feel like they can’t keep up, so why try.

It’s for this that #WYCWYC (pronounced wick-wick) was born. It stands for What You Can, When You Can — Healthy Living on Your Terms.

“The wycwyc way isn’t about changing your life overnight: it’s about knowing that the road to improvement is paved brick by brick, step by step, and by simply doing what you can, when you can.”

wycwyc

So what if you can’t get to the gym for an hour (or more) every day. So what if you had to fast food it instead of brown bag it. So what if you didn’t have time to make a perfect batch of cupcakes for the class party. You’re doing the best you can.

You’re doing … what you can, when you can.

The idea spread like wildfire in mid-2013 when Roni Noone and Carla Birnberg — strong, influential voices within the fitness blogging space — started wycwyc’ing. They were all too familiar with waiting until a situation was absolutely perfect to workout, eat right, or make time for themselves. They were also all too familiar with the power of small changes. Their commitment to living in the moment and doing the best they could when confronted with each choice took off and turned into a hashtag campaign on social media that has, as they say, gone viral.

In fact, the WYCWYC philosophy has garnered so much support and following that you can now pick it up in paperback; the What You Can When You Can book.

Their philosophy is about recognizing that you’ve done your best, you make compromises when you need to, and that ultimately that’s enough. It all adds up to big progress.

Maybe you missed your step class? No sweat. Take the family for a walk after dinner.

Perhaps you don’t feel like dragging yourself to yoga, but riding bikes to school with the kids will lift your spirits.

Your family is seriously craving pizza for dinner. Go for it… just walk or bike to the nearest restaurant instead of having it delivered.

Beating yourself for bingeing on half a season of shows on Netflix? So move while you watch. Triceps dips, jumping jacks, planks, push-ups, and so much more can be done right in front of the TV.

The dinner party has rolls and chocolate cake; so you don’t take both. You compromise and leave the bread and splurge on dessert.

WYCWYC is for everyone who takes the stairs instead of the elevators, walks past people riding up the escalator, parks in the furthest spot in the lot, crunches on apples instead of potato chips, drinks water to cure boredom not hunger, and plays driveway basketball with the kids instead of going to spin class … and is OK with all of it.

When you join the WYCWYC movement, you give yourself permission to be flexible, to stop drowning in unattainable perfection, and to be a real life human.

Remember to Take HEART for Better Health

Here’s a pretty sobering fact about heart disease that every woman should know and be mindful of:

It’s the number one killer of women.

That’s right, heart disease kills more women than any other cause of death. It’s deadlier than all forms of cancer, killing one in three women.

Contrary to popular belief, men do not have the market cornered on these heart-related deaths, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Both women and men can change the impact heart disease has on our lives, and it really only requires some simple lifestyle modifications.

heart health

H — Have more sex. That’s right, get it on with your lover more often! That quality, active time together is considered a minimal cardio workout; it’s similar to walking a 20-minute mile. A regular and consistent sex life can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

E — Eat more heart-healthy foods. A diet rich in foods like nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios), red foods (cherries, tomatoes, bell peppers), fatty fish like salmon, oatmeal, berries, olive oil, and greens (broccoli, spinach) will aid your body’s fight against heart disease. Limiting heart harmers like salt, excessive fats, and red meat is advisable, too.

A — Allow yourself to rest. You’ve got to get those zzzs to keep your ticker up and running. It’s recommended to get seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night to both greatly reduce the risk of heart disease and reduce risk of heart disease-related death. Sleep in a cool room, on clean bedding, with no light (that includes screens!).

R — Ride a bike. It’s one of the most beneficial ways to exercise out there, and greatly under utilized. German researchers saw a significant decrease in heart attack and stroke for men using a stationary bike just 20 minutes a day. So imagine what logging greater distance and time will do for you over dynamic terrain? Not to mention the overall benefit of the total body workout cycling can provide.

T — Test yourself. Get tested annually and know your numbers for cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar. Make waist size one of those numbers, too, as it is more indicative of overall wellness than even scale weight. Heart.org has a great guide to help you understand what it all means. Between visits, use the HEAR tips to get those numbers to healthier levels.

HEART will help you remember a few keys ways to make key lifestyle modifications like eating the right foods and exercising more. Consider other important preventive steps you can take like smoking cessation, losing weight, and knowing your family history.

ALSO READ: Busting 5 Big Breast Cancer Rumors

5 Doctor-Approved Ways to Beat Gym Stink and BO

Here’s a fun fact: sweat doesn’t stink. That’s right, the sweat your body produces — especially during a workout — is odorless. That fragrant body smell actually derives from “bacteria that break down proteins into acids, which then give off odors,” according to Jessica Wu, MD, a Los Angeles dermatologist.

body odor

Now, all sweat is fair game to this bacteria takeover, but certain sweat zones can be a little funkier. You probably know what we’re talking about, but just in case, Dr. Wu spells it out pretty well. “Apocrine glands, a type of sweat gland found in your armpits and groin, secrete sweat that’s high in proteins. When bacteria come in contact with the proteins, it breaks them down into odor-causing acids.”

And that is how your otherwise odorless sweat can turn into your body’s own version of stinky acid rain! Once those odor-causing acids infiltrate a shirt, bra, shoe, sock, bag, or towel, your best game plan is to always be up wind. The longer you ignore a sweat-stained item, the greater the stench.

“If your sweaty clothes sit around for a while before you have a chance to wash them, the bacteria multiply, and have a longer time to break down proteins—which means a stronger stink,” explained Dr. Wu. Now, your clothes stink and that makes you smell bad!

Here are her four suggestions (plus one of ours) for tackling the funk at the source and before it takes over the locker room!

1. Wash workout clothes (including socks) as soon as possible after sweating. Remember, she said the longer you allow dirty gym clothes to break down those proteins, the stinkier mess you’ve got to work with. Plus, clean fabrics won’t break down as quickly, meaning the investment in nice gym clothes will last longer.

2. Re-apply antiperspirant before working out. Beat the stink before it can start, or at least mask it. Dr. Wu recommends Dove for women or Axe dry spray for the guys.

3. Shave or trim hair in your underarms and groin. Sure, maintained body hair can be aesthetically pleasing, but Dr. Wu says that the longer hairs give bacteria a very plush place to grow. And by now we know more bacteria equals more stink.

4. Use antibiotic wipes to reduce the amount of bacteria on the skin. For some of Dr. Wu’s patients, fighting stubborn body odor requires a prescription for antibiotic wipes.

5. Take a shower. Take a shower at the gym or hit it when you get home, but the sooner you rinse the sooner you’ll clean your skin of the odor-producing bacteria that’s feeding off of your fresh sweat. If you can’t, using the wipes Dr. Wu recommended or a similar product is an acceptable substitution.