6 Moves You Can Do With A Foam Roller (Besides Stretching!)

You see it sitting in the corner at the gym, your friends swears by it, but how do you actually use it? Besides rolling over it to work out kinks and sooth sore muscles, you can actually use the foam roller as a great tool to build muscle. 

To find out how, we turned to Anna Kaiser, founder and instructor at AKT in Motion (she’s also the trainer behind the enviable bodies of Sofia Vergara, Kelly Ripa, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Shakira). Kaiser’s such a pro with the foam roller, she teaches private and semi-private classes dedicated to it called Roll Play. 

But, in case you can’t make it to her New York studio, we’ve got you covered with six moves you can do anywhere, as long as you’ve got your trusty foam roller (Amazon’s got a billion you can pick up just in time to keep your New Year’s resolutions). | via

Everything you should know about lifting weights

Quick: What’s the first thing that comes to mind when someone says weight lifting? Seriously jacked up bodies? Intimidatingly heavy looking dumbbells? Chest-bumping bros? If any of those mental images have scared you away from the weight room, you’re missing out. Because as great as cardio is, weight training is the perfect complement to your hours on the elliptical — and, sometimes, it’s even better for your body. | via

This shoulder workout will have you proudly rocking tank tops all summer long!

Just in time for tank top season! This workout uses a series of exercises to isolate the shoulders and strengthen the surrounding muscles like the triceps and chest. You’ll need a resistance band, med ball or squishy ball and dumbbell or kettlebell. You can always sub the weights with a water bottle. Real Mom Model Melissa will demo the moves and modifications and go through every single rep with you. Your shoulders will be burning by the end of this workout!

Moves You’ll See

Elevated Shoulder Taps

Decline Pushups

Tricep Dips on Step

Band Pull Aparts

T Raises with Resistance Band

Upright Rows

Woodchoppers

Single Arm Clean and Press

Windmill

8 mascara mistakes you're making

While there are certain steps in a beauty routine that can require more patience and practice like a smoky eye or an ombré lip, how to apply mascara is more on the “no-brainer” end of the spectrum. But for something that seems relatively fool-proof, there are actually a number of common mistakes made before, during, and after application. And really, who knew there were so many intricacies to a product that takes only seconds to use? 

But these mistakes are totally worth fixing because mascara is one of the holy makeup trinity (as I like to call it). As in, one of the three makeup game-changers. Brow pencils (or powders or gels, whatever you prefer) help frame the face. Lipstick (especially in a brighter hue) can help you look instantly polished. And mascara helps open your peepers, making you look more bright-eyed and awake.   | via

5 easy, cute bobby pin hairstyles

If I say “quick and easy hairstyle,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? A ponytail? A top-knot? While these are both cute and classic options, we all do them, so we all know how easy they are. On top of that, hair ties can actually cause damage to your hair. So for a ‘do that is still easy, cute, and doesn’t cause as much breakage, try out some hairstyles that only use bobby pins. And while these styles take about the same amount of effort as a top-knot, they look like they require a bit more, and bring a little something extra to boot. But before you start, here are a couple tips to help your pinned hairdos last longer. | via

7 real ways to like your body more

If there’s one thing that’s become clear to me over the last few years, it’s this: Nearly every woman I meet, work with, or assume is perfect probably struggles with her body image. No, we don’t all have eating disorders or even disordered eating habits. But, unfortunately, every woman I’ve ever taken the time to ask has admitted she has an issue with at least one part of her body, face, or appearance. 

Personally, I came to the disordered-eating party a bit late. I had managed to mostly fixate on disliking other parts of myself (see: my personality) until I was 24, when I took a job working the night shift as an editor at a different website. I suddenly found myself under increasing amounts of stress, and (just for extra credit!) in a half-baked relationship with a guy who withheld his affection. | via

5 travel hacks to use on your next vacation

You don’t have to be a millionaire to travel (although that helps) but you do need to be smart. Ever wondered how your friend from college managed to pull off a round-the-world trip on a backpacker’s budget, or how your intern can afford to take more vacations than you? It really comes down to making travel a financial priority, but these five travel hacks can help give you a running start on your next dream getaway. | via

Whiten Your Teeth Naturally With These 4 Unexpected Helpers

In a world of Whitestripped smiles, it takes courage to do things the natural way. You might look like a temporary freak with your mouth full of black activated charcoal, but commercial bleaching and whitening products can sensitize your teeth and wear down your enamel, resulting in chompers that look permanently blueish or grey. Hot! And have you seen how much some of those whitening products cost?

These gentler natural remedies are inexpensive and incredibly simple, though it’s still important to use moderation. Too much lemon juice can make your teeth porous. Use sparingly, and you’ll be rewarded with a Tom Cruise-like smile. | via

5 personal hygiene mistakes you might be making

Adulting is hard — just when you think you’re doing OK, science pops up to tell you you’re doing it all wrong. Inspired by Buzzfeed’s recent article about proper showering etiquette, I have compiled a list of all the hygiene-related things you should be doing if you want to call yourself a responsible member of society, covering everything from how often you should wash your bath towels to how often you should wash yourself, and more. Don’t be discouraged if you’ve been getting some of these wrong your entire life; there’s always room for change. And just to prove to you that you’re not the only one whose hygiene habits are now suddenly questionable, I’m going to include my personal guesses before the actual answers. | via

8 Yoga Poses You Should Be Doing Before Bed

Yoga can be an awesome form of exercise or even just a way to unwind and de-stress after a long day. While yoga definitely does the mind and body good, it also can do a lot more than just tone your body or quell your inner thoughts. Doing certain yoga poses is a great way to help you unwind before going to sleep at night.

After sitting at a desk all day or going through the hustle and bustle of daily life, a relaxing sequence might be just what you need before hitting the sack. With the help of Los Angeles-based yoga teacher Sarah Ezrin, we’ve come up with eight yoga poses to do before bed. 

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