22 Feb
Blog

Our Experts Reveal Their Top 10 Tips For Skin Care

Beautiful skin is not difficult to obtain, but it requires basic know-how. Who could ask better than our internal experts how you can take care of your best fortune? Eminence Organics Product Support Representative Alicia Hawthorne and Alana Henrikson Bring a combined 29 years of aesthetic experience and they have summarized their knowledge in an unshakable set of skin care bids. Here are their top 10 skin care tips that they must follow.

Cleanliness not only stands for piety, but also for divine-looking skin. The first law in skin care is that you remove your makeup every night before bed. It prevents breakouts and premature signs of aging.

Turn this sports mantra into your skin care and protect your skin from the sun. Even if sun damage does not show up immediately, it will occur later. So if you protect yourself from too much UV radiation, you are ahead of the game. Also on cloudy days, make sure to wear sunscreen or a double moisturizer with a sun protection factor such as our Lilikoi Mineral Defense Moisturizer SPF 33.

Every month you have to put your face in the hands of a professional. A monthly review by a beautician means that if a problem like clogged pores develops, you can start treatment before it gets serious.

Don't look for bugs. It may be tempting, but popping and squeezing your problem skin causes an inflammatory response. And once the skin becomes inflamed, it causes hyperpigmentation spots or disrupts collagen production – which leads to dark acne spots or depressed acne scars.

Exfoliate at least once a week (depending on your skin type). This keeps the pores clean, which reduces the pore size.

Woman applying eye cream

The fragile area around our eyes is the first giveaway of aging. Keep it hydrated with eye cream every morning and evening to keep crow's feet and deeper lines at bay.

Serums and oils can solve certain problems, especially dehydration. A serum that contains hyaluronic acid hydrates and prevents signs of aging. It is an ingredient that we naturally have in our body that helps keep the skin beautiful and plump, but we lose it from the age of 25.

Be nice to your skin! Your skin goes through many changes in life due to the environment, stress, hormones and aging. Get plenty of sleep, treat yourself to our recommended home care products, and treat yourself to a facial at the closest Eminence Organics Partner Spa

Which of these 10 golden rules do you prefer to follow? Let us know in the comments or share it with us on social media.

22 Feb
Blog

The 4-Hour Fat Loss Elixir For Busy Lifters

Years ago you were young and had little responsibility. They wanted to build muscle, lose fat and gain superhuman strength. You trained for two hours six days a week. You felt invincible.

Then you have matured and life has changed.

Today you are dealing with high-level work projects, They have family celebrations to attend. Training days six days a week for two hours per session are long gone. You're in luck now if you exercise for an hour two days a week.

The pounds have crept in. You feel lazy and tired. The thought of being in the gym for two hours is as painful as growing grass. You need an iron workout plan that gets you in and out of the gym within four hours or less a week so you can dominate every day.

If only there was someone who could put together the potion that would allow busy lifters to maintain strength and protect muscles while losing stubborn fat.

Well, look! I present the 4-hour fat loss elixir for busy lifters.

Put a stranglehold on your muscle

The first instinct for some lifters is to swap workouts for hours with slow, boring cardio at steady state. I understand because I was there.

Four years ago I lost 14 pounds in one year. Ten came from fat and the remaining four were stolen from muscles. You may think four pounds is not a lot, but it's massive in an athletic 5 "and 170lb frame.

Imagine putting up four lean, delicious 16-ounce steak fillets. Now imagine these fillets as thick muscle plates on your back, chest, shoulders or arms.

It is the difference between a "thin fat" body and a muscular body,

It makes a difference whether you have enough muscle to fill a medium or large shirt.

Learn from my mistakes. If you want to show a slim and muscular body, don't skimp on weights.

A calorie deficit is required for you to lose body fat. You need to burn more calories than you consume, If you're in a calorie deficit, maintaining strength and muscles is key. When you consume fewer calories, your body wants to draw energy from every available source. Sometimes it wants to enjoy muscles.

Don't let that happen. Your body needs a reason to protect your hard earned muscle. Lifting weights is the solution. If you consistently practice the three mechanisms for muscle growth during a fat loss phase, you will keep a muscular body during fat loss. What are you?

Mechanism 1: mechanical tension

This is the process of progressive overloading or an increase in strength over time, You need to generate as much force as possible across the entire range of motion.

In rare cases, someone has to do their maximum with one repetition on one elevator. You should do repetitions in the range of 3-5. Pull the right muscles together and lift the weight with maximum strength with each rep.

Mechanism 2: muscle damage

Do you have to forget your muscles? No!

You can cause muscle damage in several ways. Create muscle damage using a slower pace for the eccentric (unloaded) part of an exercise, change an angle to target another part of a muscle, increase weight, or stretch a muscle under tension.

Mechanism 3: metabolic stress

Here you chase the pump. It is the time at the end of a set when your muscles are exhausted and you feel a deep burn.

The more muscles you have, the more calories you burn. Lifters with a higher muscle-to-fat ratio have increased energy consumption at rest. 3Even if you don't have a lot of time, you burn more calories while doing nothing because you have made lifting a priority,

The best approach for you is to lift to protect your muscles. Use your diet to lose fat. If you need a reminder, repeat this message for yourself or go to the old school and write it 100 times on a board like a child sent into detention:

"I will lift weights to build and protect my muscles. I will use my diet to lose fat. "

Protect your muscle with heavy days

The first two ingredients in your elixir are separate heavy training days for your upper and lower body. The goal is to maintain or build strength (in some cases).

Below is your preparation for heavy days:

  • CNS activation
  • Primary power movement
  • Antagonist force movement
  • Primary support exercise for strength training
  • Secondary support exercise for the antagonist power movement

Each session begins with an explosive movement to activate your central nervous system (CNS). CNS activation prepares your nervous system for the imposed neurological demands in the ongoing strength-based exercise. Jumps, throws and slams are perfect examples.

Next, continue with your primary strength movement of the day. By moving, your body responds better to building and protecting muscles by improving your neuronal efficiency. Why is that important to you?

Through neuromuscular adaptations to heavier loads, contractions can be performed powerfully and efficiently. This means that we can better utilize the full potential of our existing muscle mass.1 This leads to higher testosterone levels, a greater ability to build muscle in the future, and a better looking body

Each session ends with a support exercise for your strength movements, It gives you the opportunity to train the muscles that are responsible for maximizing every movement pattern. Use the so-called post-tetanic potentiation (PAP) because your CNS has been activated.

When your muscles produce maximum effort, this increases the ability of the nervous system to recruit muscle fibers during subsequent efforts. If you start a heavy workout, the rest of the workout will be more effective because you can recruit more muscle fibers. 4 Use heavy / moderate weight for the support exercises.

Protect your muscle with easy days

The next two ingredients in your fat loss elixir are two separate light training days for your upper and lower body, The goals of these days are to give your CNS a break and force lactate production to release growth hormone for fat loss.

Remember that you are busy and stressed with professional and family matters. Exercising with heavier weights puts a huge strain on your body and your CNS. Give everyone enough time to relax from the intense neurological demands of heavy lifts.

The solution is to include two days with less weight. Your CNS does not have to be used for lighter weights. In these sessions, teach your muscles to bend and keep them under constant tension. They repair underdeveloped muscles and build a better connection between mind and muscle.

Their ability to keep tension constant for at least 40 seconds forces lactate production, which leads to the release of growth hormone. Growth hormone regulates the metabolism of the whole body, and exercise is the strongest stimulus to induce its secretion in humans. 2

Since we need to maintain tension longer these days, the reps are 12 or more with shorter rest periods between exercises. You stay focused, increase your heart rate and burn more calories because you work out more muscles in less time.

You also have to encounter muscle failure during some exercises, Muscle failure is the signal for muscle growth and protein synthesis. Sure, your goal is not to build muscle. However, stimulating the process of protein synthesis during a fat loss phase increases your body's ability to maintain muscles. An error is achieved by expanding sets with two methods: drop sets and pause / pause.

  1. With drop sets, you train shortly before failure. Then drop the weight between 15 and 25% and do as many repetitions as possible until the error occurs.
  2. With rest / break sets, you also train shortly before the failure. Then rest for 10-15 seconds. Once the time is up, you can do more repetitions until it fails.

Below you will find your preparation for light days::

  • Representatives of 12+
  • error
  • One-sided exercises
  • Antagonist supersets

When life goes crazy and the trips to the gym are inconsistent, your muscles become fragile, Do you feel that one arm or leg is weaker than the other? You may find it difficult to play your muscles on one side of your body.

If one side is weaker than the other, you feel that you are not getting enough of your workout. Regain your muscles with one-sided movements and feel invincible again. One-sided refers to a movement in which each side trains independently.

One-sided training helps you to correct imbalances in the muscles, improve your explosiveness and sportiness and make your training more varied. Every day of light begins with a one-sided superset.

They do antagonist supersets so you can squeeze multiple muscles at the same time without losing strength, This method consists of pairing two exercises of opposite muscle groups in a superset (two successive exercises). There is a short pause between exercises and a moderate pause after one set of both has been completed.

Your training plan

Day 1 – Day of the heavy lower body

  1. Vertical jumps – 3 x 5, pause 60 seconds
  2. Front squats – 5 x 3-5, break 2-3 min
  3. Barbell RDL – 4 x 6-8, break 90-120 sec
  4. Bulgarian Split Squat dumbbell – 3 x 8-10 per leg (slowly eccentric), break 75-90 sec
  5. Lying or sitting hamstring curl – 3 x 8-10 (pause / pause in the last two sets), pause 75-90 seconds

Day 2 – rest

Day 3 – Day of the heavy upper body

  1. Tilt Plyo Push Up – 3 x 5, pause 60 sec
  2. Incline barbell bench press – 5 x 3-5, break 2-3 min
  3. Pendlay Row – 4 x 6-8, pause 90-120 sec
  4. Dips – 3 x 8-10 (slow eccentric), pause 75-90 seconds
  5. Supinated pull-ups or supinated lat pulldown – 3 x 8-10 (pause / pause in the last two sets), pause 75-90 sec

Day 4 – Day of the light lower body

  1. DB Reverse Lungs – 3 x 12 (per leg), pause 45 seconds
  2. Weighted hip joint with one leg – 3 x 12 (per leg), break 60-75 seconds
  3. Leg press – 3 x 12-15 (pause / pause in the last two sets), pause 60 seconds
  4. Leg extension – 3 x 12-15 (drop set on the last two sets), break 30 seconds
  5. Pull cable – 3 x 12-15, pause 60 seconds
  6. Hanging leg raises – 3 x 12-15, no break *
  7. Kettlebell Swings – 3 x 20-25, pause 60 seconds *

* Finisher for the session

Day 5 – rest

Day 6 – Day of the light upper body

  1. Single arm DB Z Press – 3 x 12 (per side), rest for 30 seconds
  2. Single arm row with split posture – 3 x 12 (per side), pause 60-75 seconds
  3. DB flies tend – 3 x 12-15 (drop set on the last two sets), break 30 seconds
  4. Tilt DB Reverse Flyes – 3 x 12-15 (drop set on the last two sets), pause 60 seconds
  5. Lean Away Cable Curls – 3 x 12-15 (3 seconds peak contraction), pause 30 seconds
  6. Triceps pushdowns – 3 x 12-15 (drop set on the last two sets), pause 60 seconds
  7. Shrug – 3 x 15 + 10 sec. Hold the last iteration, rest 30 sec
  8. Side elevations tend – 3 x 15 + max. Partially, pause 60 seconds

Day 7 – rest

Your best approach to muscles

Life is short. Don't spend ages in the gym. Each training session should not last longer than an hour, Take four to six weeks and use this plan to make yourself feel invincible again. You deserve the chance to dominate work, rest and play every day and in every way.

references::

1. Helms, Eric, Andy Morgan and Andrea Valdez. The muscle and strength pyramid: training. United States: Muscle and Strength Pyramids, LLC., 2019.

2. Ignacio, Daniele Leão, Diego H. Da S. Silvestre, João Paulo Albuquerque Cavalcanti-De-Albuquerque, Ruy Andrade Louzada, Denise P. Carvalho and João Pedro Werneck-De-Castro. "Thyroid hormone and estrogen regulate growth hormone release induced by exercise." Plos One 10, no. 4 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0122556.

3. Rolfe, D.F. and G.C. Brown. "Cellular energy use and molecular origin of the standard metabolic rate in mammals." Physiological Reviews 77, No. 3 (January 1997): 731-58.

4. Thibaudeau, Christian and Paul Carter. Maximum muscle bible. Saint-Raymond, Que´bec: F. Lepine Pub., 2016.

21 Feb
Blog

Puma Smartwatch Review: This Smartwatch Isn’t As Atheltic As It Looks

Puma smartwatch

"The Puma smartwatch looks good, but it doesn't work."

  • Slim and sporty design

  • built-in GPS

  • Sharp, bright screen

  • Slow and sluggish

  • Bad battery life

  • Uncomfortable

  • Too expensive

As the third largest sporting goods manufacturer in the world, Puma is a big brand, but the simply named Puma Smartwatch is the company's first foray into the world of smartwatches. The Puma Smartwatch is manufactured by the Fossil Group and has familiar specifications and the Google Wear OS.

Puma has monitored the sporty design and offers its own app with some deeper fitness features than typical Wear OS watches, but it's also one of the slowest and flawed ones we've tested – a high price for fitness.

Design and comfort

The Puma smartwatch definitely looks like this. It is slim and very light with a striking paint job that contrasts black with daylight yellow. This is a smart watch that is hard to ignore. It is reminiscent of the Fossil Sport, but there is only a single crown and the flanking buttons that you would normally find on Fossil smartwatches are missing.

Puma smartwatchSimon Hill / Digital Trends

A smooth, perfectly round, beveled aluminum dial is held from black plastic that extends from the tabs and has cut-off parts to achieve the eye-catching two-tone look. The crown is also yellow with the Puma logo.

The Puma Smartwatch has a silicone strap with a black latch and the Puma logo is embossed at the end. Because the Puma Smartwatch is light and slim, it slips easily under the cuff and rarely gets stuck – which can be a problem with an oversized watch like the Diesel On Axial.

However, the daylight yellow prevents it from fitting in. The Puma Smartwatch looks out of place with a buttoned shirt in an office environment or even with a casual outfit in a bar. This is a smartwatch that wants to go to the gym or run.

I was expecting the silicone wristband and light weight to result in a smartwatch that's comfortable and easy to forget you're wearing, but in fact I found the Puma smartwatch a little uncomfortable. The structured silicone band is a little stiffer than other silicone bands I've worn.

On the positive side, it grips your wrist and the oversized end of the strap ensures that it never comes loose even during a hectic workout. Although you can easily change the band, it can be difficult to find an alternative that fits your body. There are four dials designed by Puma, all of which are a bit boring. Aside from the ubiquitous Puma logo, they don't really match the rest of the design in terms of color or appearance.

The 1.19-inch AMOLED display looks good in a 44 mm case and is sharp, bright and legible in most lighting conditions.

Puma smartwatchSimon Hill / Digital Trends

The Puma smartwatch has a distinctive look that fits the brand, but it feels a little cheap and looks bad in non-athletic environments. In some markets, there are less eye-catching color options for white and rose gold or black and gray, which may offer a bit more stylistic versatility.

Software and performance

Wear OS looks good, but it doesn't work well. This is a complaint I had with the Michael Kors Access Lexington 2 and it's a complaint my colleague had with the Fossil Gen 5, but it's worse with the Puma Smartwatch. There were many random freezes when using this smartwatch, which were often left behind when the screen was swiped, and loading apps was consistently slow.

The Puma smartwatch is equipped with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor, but unfortunately someone made the wrong decision to use 512 MB RAM instead of 1 GB. The difference in daily use compared to Wear OS smartwatches, which I recently tested and which have 1 GB RAM, is pronounced. Using the Puma smartwatch is frustrating. It is slow and has to be reset far too often.

Puma smartwatchSimon Hill / Digital Trends

The rotating crown works well and is the best way to get close control when trying to swipe up or down a list. You can also install a number of apps from the Play Store, from shopping lists to music controls to all kinds of fitness options. Although there are more choices than ever, the overall level of polish and functionality isn't very impressive and still fades compared to the Apple Watch's special app store.

The Puma Smartwatch has a microphone, so you can use Google Assistant from your wrist. However, there is no speaker, so the answers are in text form. There is also support for Google Pay so you can pay from your wrist, which is sometimes convenient.

Internally, the Puma Smartwatch has 4 GB of storage space for music and apps. Most other current versions of Fossil have 8 GB.

GPS and app compatibility

As an outrageously sporty device, the Puma smartwatch has to shine in the fitness department, and I think it does too. You’ve integrated Google Fit for basic tracking. There's also a heart rate monitor, built-in GPS, and water resistance from 5 ATMs that you can swim with.

While Google Fit is enough for casual coaches to track their progress every day, more serious athletes may want to try the PUMATRAC app installed on the Puma smartwatch. However, you also need to install the companion app (for Android or iOS). on your smartphone. With PUMATRAC, you can leave your phone at home and track your heart rate, distance, pace, altitude and calories with the Puma Smartwatch. It's also packed with workouts, allows you to create a fitness workout plan, and even offers coaching.

Puma smartwatchSimon Hill / Digital Trends

I found that the Puma smartwatch was generally good for fitness tracking, but in some cases it had trouble getting a GPS fix and sometimes it couldn't sync with the Google Fit app on my phone become. There was no obvious reason for it. Heart rate, pace, and distance data all seem to be pretty accurate.

Battery life

Puma is optimistic that the smartwatch will offer a 24-hour battery life, but I've never come close to that. It got me through an average day, but only by switching to battery saver in the evening. If you are a very light user, you may be taken to bedtime. If you want to track your heart rate and get lots of notifications or use other apps, you can expect the steam to go out in the early evening.

The charging cradle has a magnetic contact and stays nicely in place. Charging only takes about an hour, but you will likely still have it charged overnight.

Puma smartwatchSimon Hill / Digital Trends

Price, availability and guarantee

The Puma smartwatch costs $ 275 (or £ 249) and can be purchased directly from the Puma website or from various retailers. It comes with a standard two-year warranty that covers defects in material and workmanship under normal use for the period from the date of purchase and lasts for two years.

Our opinion

The Puma Smartwatch is a well-known Fossil Wear-OS device, which is disappointed by its low RAM and offers even more faulty performance than your usual Wear-OS device. Poor battery life is also not an advantage. It looks sporty and has a good range of fitness tracking features, but is too expensive for what you get.

Are there alternatives?

If it's primarily a fitness tracking watch you're looking for, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is the best choice. Depending on the size chosen, the price is almost exactly the same at $ 280 or $ 300. It has better software, more comprehensive training tracking, and better battery life.

For iPhone owners, the latest Apple Watch is the obvious choice. Starting at $ 400, it's much more expensive, but superior in every way. If that's too much, consider Apple Watch Series 3, which costs $ 200 or $ 230 depending on the size you choose. It's still a better option than the Puma smartwatch.

How long it will take?

It offers water resistance up to 50 meters, but the Puma smartwatch has an aluminum case and plastic eyelets. It is therefore difficult to say how well the shocks can withstand. It should take a couple of years.

Should you buy one?

No. There are better options for the same money or less.

Editor's recommendations




21 Feb
Blog

6 Surprising Ways To Use Eminence Organics Apricot Body Oil

Whether you're struggling with cold weather or drying hot days, a delicious body oil is the perfect choice to invigorate your senses and soothe your skin. ON Fashion. ELLE and Marie Claire The award-winning apricot body oil is a mixture of fragrant fruits, moisturizing grape seeds and moisturizing jojoba oils for skin that is irresistibly smooth and supple from head to toe. Warm this luxurious oil in your hands for a deeply moisturizing, sensory massage – and if you feel more inclined due to your blissful state, try these unexpected options to incorporate this body oil into your personal care routine.

Eminence Organics Apricot Body Oil

Mix one to three drops of apricot body oil with your favorite body lotion to get a particularly rich pleasure. We recommend combining it with ours Coconut Firming Body Lotion – another ELLE favorite – provides dry skin with intensive moisture. The coconut, shea butter and grape seed oil in the Coconut Firming Body Lotion makes the skin look firmer and firmer, while the apricot seed oil and jojoba oil in our apricot body oil give an exceptionally soft and smooth feeling. Massage into dry hands and elbows for an additional dose of long-lasting moisture.

For a comprehensive skin care treatment, add one or two capsules of apricot body oil to your bath. Dim the light and close your eyes for a pampering aromatic experience. Muscles tired and painful after a hard workout? Add two cups of epsom salt to your apricot-infused bath for ultimate relaxation. As soon as you get out of your heavenly bath (if you can!), Smooth a few drops of the oil onto slightly damp skin so that the feel-good ingredients can penetrate deeper.

Woman applying oil on leg

Say goodbye to dry and flaky skin by mixing a few drops of apricot body oil with two shakes Strawberry and rhubarb Dermafoliant. Rub your hands together to get a creamy paste and apply to dry areas as a gentle full body scrub. The rice powder and lactic acid in the Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant remove dead skin cells and polish the skin structure so that they look perfectly polished, while the oil adds a dose of deep moisture for beautiful, velvety skin.

Our apricot body oil is not only a rich massage oil – it is also fantastic for moisturizing dry, rough parts of the body such as elbows and knees. This skin remedy is comparable to any body lotion that sinks moisture into your weather-tanned skin and smoothes uneven problem areas.

Woman looking at dry hair tips

Don't limit this oil to just skin care! If you suffer from thirsty, damaged hair tips, our apricot body oil can be used as an emergency intensive hair conditioner. Dab a few drops of oil on the ends of your hair to rehydrate and repair them.

Nails and cuticles tend to suffer, especially in harsh winter months, and develop a ragged and unkempt appearance. If you find your cuticles desperately need some TLC, rub in a drop of apricot body oil to smooth them out and take care of your nail beds. Your nails (and hands!) Will look smooth in no time.

Dry off dry skin (and hair) with our apricot body oil – discover this abundant multi-purpose oil in a partner spa of Eminence Organics and bring home relaxation at the spa level. Or even better – experience it in the spa with the healing effects of a professional massage. Find the closest partner spa and let us know in the comments below or on social media. What is your favorite way to enjoy this body oil?

21 Feb
Blog

Vision Drills for Better Performance in Physical Movement

Everything you have ever experienced will be experienced, all exercises or personal bests that you have ever performed have started and ended in your brain.

All the movements, skills, thoughts and everything that makes you special are contained in this 3 pound organ,

  • How does your brain know what to do at a certain time?
  • How does your brain collect information?
  • And how does it decide what to do with the information collected?
  • More importantly, how does your brain collect information and what does it do to your training, performance, or recovery?

You bet your ass does!

This is not a neurological lecture, but before we look at the importance of how your brain collects information and how it can be improved, we need to understand in a very basic way how the brain works.

Brain Basics

Your brain uses sensory inputs to collect information, These sensors receive input, and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS) send these signals to the brain, which then essentially decides on the action and then generates a motor output that is relevant to the decision.

At a very simple level, it is.

The brain has three ways to collect information or input:

  1. Exteroception: surveillance of the outside world
  2. Intercept: body awareness and feelings
  3. Proprioception: awareness of the body and limbs in the room

These inputs are then integrated together to create and update the map of the brain of everything. Of you, the world around you and how you move through it. The brain updates past experiences, senses, and prediction processes to make decisions that dictate the body's actions.

Now that we've largely understood how the brain does things, we need to find out why it does them.

The answer is simple: survival.

The goal of your brain is to keep you alive, Point. Do not keep alive in ten years, but today.

How it does it is through prediction. Our brain masters pattern recognition. Every second of every day, the 120 billion neurons in the brain process information based on past experiences to predict the results of actions. This is your brain that uses pattern recognition to decide actions.

The inputs your brain uses to move around the world have a hierarchy:

  1. Visually
  2. vestibular
  3. proprioceptive

If these sensory inputs match (i.e. there is clear information from all three systems and good integration into the brain), you can work well with your brain and perform when it matters. No matter whether CrossFit, Powerlifting or just lifting something off the floor.

If there is a mismatch, we run into problems, If there is bad information that informs the brain maps and pattern recognition skills, I fear that they will try to limit the likelihood of death – usually by creating pain to attract attention or inhibit movement.

In this article, I will focus on exercises to improve your visual system, as 70-90% of all sensory inputs are visual.

The role of seeing

There are two classifications of human vision::

  1. Looking stabilization: A fundamental element of all other eye movements and enables us to see objects and interpret the visual scene to create perception.
  2. Shift view: This allows us to focus on a moving target. Think the ball is racing towards your face on the field.

There can be any number of things that affect these two patterns and interfere with your visual system, which in turn can dramatically affect your performance without you even knowing it.

The key to training your visual system for performance is training your eye muscles to function properly. Finally, poor muscle function leads to problems with gaze shifting and gaze stabilization.

We'll cover one drill for stabilization and one for shifting. In my video you will find a demonstration of the individual exercises.

I recommend that you record the practice and watch it again to see how you do it, This way you can adjust accordingly.

Drill 1: eye stabilization

  1. Put yourself in a neutral position.
  2. Hold a target (pen) at arm's length directly in front of you. Stare at the target for 30 seconds.
  3. You need to focus on the goal because an inability to stabilize your eyes usually means very small, quick movements of your eyes away from the goal and then back to the goal.
  4. When looking back, try to notice excessive facial tension, eyelid flutter, excessive blinking, or tears in the eyes while trying to focus on the target.
  5. Once you've done this assessment in a neutral position, do the same test in each of the other four positions. Above, right, left and below.
  6. Pay special attention, as it is very likely that you will find one or more positions in which to struggle with your eye stabilization.
  7. It is important that the goal remains in focus at all times. If it becomes blurred, reduce the distance to the neutral conductor, keep it pressed.
  8. Do this exercise three times through each position.

Exercise 2: shifting eyes

Stand in a neutral position and hold a pen in front of you in a neutral position.

Try to smoothly follow the pen as you move it from the neutral position to one of the following eight positions and then back to the neutral position:

  1. Above
  2. Low
  3. Right
  4. Left
  5. High and right
  6. Above and left
  7. Down and to the right
  8. Below and left

You should repeat this test three times at each of the eight positions, You will look for two things when you look at the drillback:

  • Excessive swaying of the body.
  • Poorly coordinated eye movement. This is usually seen as some kind of ratcheting or jumping movement that prevents them from following the target smoothly.

Each of these can indicate poor visual motor control.

Make your vision clear

The goal of these exercises is to make your eyes work properly so that the information your brain receives is as clear as possible, This way, your brain is not afraid of being able to move fully in all available ranges of motion.

Remember, if the brain can predict, you can perform.

references::

1. Gaymard, B. & Pierrot-Deseilligny, C. (1999). Saccade neurology and smooth tracking. Current opinion in neurology.

2. Hughes, A.E. (2018). Dissociation between perception and smooth tracking of eye movements when assessing the speed of moving Gabor targets. Journal of Vision.

3. Ingster-Moati, I., Vaivre-Douret, L., Bui Quoc, E., Albuisson, E., Dufier, J.L. & Golse, B. (2009). Vertical and horizontal eye movements in children: a neurological development study. European Journal of Pediatric Neurology.

4. Krauzlis, R.J., Goffart, L. & Hafed, Z.M. (2017). Neural control of fixation and fixative eye movements. Royal Society B Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences.

18 Feb
Blog

Apple CarPlay (2020) Review: The Last Word In Auto Infotainment

What is Apple Carplay new 3

Apple CarPlay (2020) Review: The last word in infotainment

"Continuous improvements have made Apple CarPlay an essential feature for new cars."

  • responsive

  • Clean, intuitive interface

  • Extended third party app support

  • Apple Maps is still tightly integrated into the user interface

As with many automotive technologies, the quality of OEM infotainment systems can vary widely from manufacturer to manufacturer or from model to model. Even if a manufacturer uses infotainment technology correctly, there is hardly any incentive for companies to develop and support a specific system as soon as the car rolls out of the showroom. This can lead to outdated information, permanent errors in the software and functions that no longer work right away.

When Apple closed CarPlay at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2014, it tried to put an end to this nonsense by creating a unified interface with its own design that would help you avoid the problems often associated with Cupertinos' OEM systems self-grown, self-supported solution. By adapting the user interface specifically to drivers, Apple wanted to make the roads safer by reducing possible distractions that would distract the driver's gaze (and attention) from the road.

In a way, CarPlay delivered straight from the gate. The user interface was intuitive and responsive, so drivers could access what they wanted with minimal effort so they could focus on the task at hand. But there were a few wrinkles that needed to be ironed out after the debut.

Apple has refined and improved CarPlay over the years. With some of the key changes made in the recent updates, we thought it was time to take a look at the state of Apple CarPlay in 2020.

compatibility

You need a few things to use CarPlay. On the mobile side, you need an iPhone 5 (or newer) with iOS 7.1 (or higher), and most vehicles need a wired USB connection. Some companies like Audi and BMW now support wireless CarPlay. We love the convenience of the function – but be warned, it can affect battery life.

Apple CarPlay iconsApple CarPlay icons

CarPlay compatibility is now almost ubiquitous on the vehicle side – at least as part of an option package for new vehicles. While it is supported even more than Android Auto, it is worth noting that the launch of the Google platform is currently not as widespread.

Some automakers have problems with CarPlay support, but most are boutique brands. For example, if you own a 2020 Aston Martin Vantage or a 2019 Rolls-Royce Cullian, you're out of luck with the OEM hardware. However, something tells us that you will make it.

interface

Distracted driving was associated with nearly 3,200 fatal accidents in 2017 alone, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with cell phone and SMS use identified as the main drivers for a significant proportion of these incidents. Apple developed CarPlay to minimize these distractions, and Siri is the star of the show.

Incoming text messages are shown by a pop-up banner at the top of the CarPlay display and read out by the system when they are accessed. Once you're done, you'll be asked if you want to respond by voice. The answers will be read back for accuracy and confirmation before being sent. It is a function that has worked excellently in recent years and continues to do so today.

The implementation of Siri (and general utility) left something to be desired when CarPlay was originally launched. Fortunately, Apple has reworked Siri with iOS 13, which leads to noticeable improvements in CarPlay.

From a visual standpoint, it is now less intrusive and appears as a translucent waveform overlaid on the screen that is active at the time the function is invoked, rather than Siri simply taking over the screen completely.

Apple has also expanded the tools available to app developers to integrate Siri features into their own software. For example, you can go to a Spotify playlist or go to instructions with a voice command.

Apple CarPlay dashboardApple CarPlay dashboard

In addition to an improved dashboard layout that divides the area between navigation and frequently used apps, CarPlay for iOS 13 allows a device bound to CarPlay to be used for other tasks without affecting the display on the CarPlay display. For example, when a passenger queues a song on this iPhone, the vehicle's infotainment screen does not suddenly change from the navigation screen to the music app. This may seem trivial, but it makes a big difference in everyday use.

iOS 13 also introduced a redesigned music interface in CarPlay. The album art is now emphasized more, both in Now Playing and elsewhere. The user interface has been optimized to make navigation through your album collection more intuitive.

navigation

Apple has completely revised its native Maps app for iOS 13. These changes lead to more details and expanded functionality in CarPlay. The biggest game changer in CarPlay's relatively short history made its debut a year earlier when iOS 12 introduced support for third-party navigation apps. This immediately brought two heavyweights into play: Waze and Google Maps.

Apple CarPlay Google MapsApple CarPlay Google Maps

Although Apple Maps has improved since its rocky debut in 2012, it is still catching up. Google Maps in particular leaves little to complain about in 2020. With real-time redirection of traffic, offline maps (useful when cell coverage is not or insufficient) and Siri integration, which are now all part of the mix, it is fully functional. CarPlay-compatible navigation program that iOS users have been waiting for.

For many users who were used to the look and feel of Google Maps, iOS 12 support transformed the overall usefulness of CarPlay from temporary curiosity to car navigation.

App support

As mentioned earlier, iOS 12 has greatly improved CarPlay's third-party app support, but Google Maps and Waze aren't the only apps that will benefit from the change.

The list of supported apps by CarPlay now includes WhatsApp, Spotify, BBC-Sounds, Amazon Music, Google Play Music, iPlayer-Radio, CBS-Radio, Pandora, Slacker-Radio, Gezeiten, Audible, NPR One, VOX, Clammr , Downcast and Here This applies in addition to the native iPhone apps that are compatible with CarPlay.

Our opinion

CarPlay has come a long way since its original iteration and shows this. Apple has reduced fat while improving the strengths of the user interface, which enables more meaningful integration of third-party apps. These changes have resolved many of the previous frustrations. In short, it is now the infotainment replacement solution it should be.

Should you get it

If you have a compatible iOS device and infotainment system, you owe it to yourself to try CarPlay. It is (usually) free of charge. So what do you have to lose?

Editor's recommendations




18 Feb
Blog

Makeup Mistakes That Are Bad For Your Skin

It happens to the best of us – some days we are really good at taking care of our skin, others much more effort. If you notice increased breakouts, increased dryness, or other signs of irritated skin, this may be due to one of the most common makeup mistakes:

1. Wear makeup in bed

After a long day or night, it can sometimes feel like an insurmountable task to wash off the makeup before going to bed, but it needs to be done. Why?

Your skin produces oil and sebum naturally throughout the day. When combined with makeup that stays in your pores for hours (not to mention bacteria that come in contact with your skin by touching your face or pollution), there is great potential for breakouts. Clogged pores, dull complexion and increased blackheads are just a few of the problems that can arise if you go to bed without washing your face.

The best way to avoid these skin problems is to Do a double clean before you call it a night. An oil-based cleanser is best for breaking up and removing makeup, followed by a second cleaning with your favorite formula that works deep in the pores to remove makeup impurities and traces after the first cleaning.

Eminence Organics rice milk 3 in 1 cleaning water

2. Exercise in make-up

Sport is actually great for the skin, however If you do this with a full face of makeup, you can expect breakouts and irritation!

When sweat, oil, and makeup are combined, there is an increased risk of clogged pores, dull complexions, and uneven texture. Before going to the cardio machine, cleanse your skin quickly with a gentle but effective formula like Eminence Organics Rice Milk 3 in 1 Cleanser that moisturizes and moisturizes the skin while makeup is cleaned, strengthened and removed.

3. Skip an SPF moisturizer

You know that Sun protection is important to protect the skin from harmful UV rays. Did you know, however, that using a sunscreen moisturizer brings double benefits to your skin? When the skin is dry, the make-up is difficult to apply and often dries out the skin even more, which leads to a dull complexion and increasingly visible fine lines and wrinkles.

Firm and moisturize the skin with an SPF cream before applying makeup – especially with a formula that addresses certain skin problems, such as a protective or corrective moisturizer.

4. Use expired products

You may have spent a pretty penny on this foundation or love the color of your favorite lip gloss. However, if you use the products for six months to a year, you're probably using expired makeup.

For some reasons, it is important to note the expiration dates of cosmetics. First, aged or expired makeup doesn't work as effectively due to changes in the consistency or degradation of active ingredients like SPF. Second, your skin could react to compromised ingredients. It is known that when using expired cosmetics, irritation, inflammation, redness, bumps and even blisters occur on the skin.

Bacterial growth is much more likely with expired products and when applied to the skin can increase the risk of infection or swelling in the eyes, lips and skin. Always pay attention to the expiry dates of cosmetics and throw them away if they look a little suspicious!

Woman applying lipstick

5. Apply makeup to dry skin

Have you ever tried applying lipstick to dry, flaky lips? You know that the results are less than excellent.

Apart from the appearance, the lipstick is not so easy to apply to dry lips and, depending on the formula, can zap traces of remaining moisture. The best way to keep your lips plump and healthy is to use a moisturizing balm before applying the lipstick.

Dry lips can tear or become irritated. Therefore, always use a lip balm rich in vitamins and antioxidants, which deeply replenishes the moisture and at the same time promotes collagen production.

6. Do not clean tools properly

When was the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes and tools? If it's longer than a month, your breakouts or dull complexion may be the result of using dirty brushes.

Make-up brushes and sponges absorb oils, dirt and bacteria from the skin every time you use them – imagine walking for weeks or months without thoroughly cleaning them! Dirty makeup brushes can bring bacteria and debris into your pores and endanger your overall skin health. Wash all makeup brushes and reusable sponges monthly – weekly if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin.

Our leading skin care trainer, Natalie Pergar, tells us all about these makeup mistakes and more in her video "In The Mix" below:

(embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65BF3Tpxbfo (/ embed)

These are some of the most common makeup mistakes that ruin your skin – have we missed any? What are your tips to keep your skin healthy and glowing? Let us know in the comments below or on social media.

17 Feb
Blog

Determining Heavy Loads and Understanding Intensity in Weight Lifting

Many books on strength training contain chapters on intensity and their meaning. They describe 100% intensity as the weight of which you can only do one repetition in a given exercise. If you can do more than one repetition of the exercise, its intensity is lower. The more repetitions you can do, the lower the intensity of the weight.

This discussion then inevitably leads to how high the maximum repetitions will be at certain intensities, Any trainee who has reached the intermediate level will be interested because he wants to make sure that he works with the right intensity for the repetitions he does.

They don't want to work with too low an intensity and they don't want to work with too heavy an intensity either. Many trainees become a little too ambitious and are wrong on the side of the serious. The lazybones or Timider does the opposite. Therefore, knowing the repetition intensity diagram is critical.

The relationship between intensity and 5×5

For newer advanced trainees it can be decided that they follow one of the standard strength development programs, in which they go through five sets of five (5×5) each. This is prescribed by Berry, Starr, Ripp and many others – because 5×5 works.

So they take the appropriate percentage for 5 reps for the athlete. This is about 89% give or take, often rounded to 90% on average to simplify the math (as I will do here). They can start at 85% if they want to familiarize themselves with a new program – and that's fine because the improvement will happen quickly.

Then the trainee does 5×5 for the squat, bench and other strength exercises. However, 5×5 doesn't work as well with deadlifts as it can be tiring, but 5×5 works fine for most other lifts.

After about a week, the trainee consumes a full 90%. But it doesn't always run as smoothly. For example, the fifth iteration may fail on the last sentence. What happened? Are they getting weaker now?

The answer is no. Everything is fine, even if the last repetition is missing. It is indeed a good sign. Why? Because it means that their intensity is at the ideal point, How is it so you have been taught that you always do your full five reps.

What happens is that the repetition intensity graphs are based on only one set, not on multiple sets. Her creators have forgotten the important concept of fatigue. We only have so much in the tank for a particular workout or a day before we need to rest. We cannot work 100% indefinitely. We are all intuitively aware of this.

A sprinter can't keep up with a marathon runner for long. Even the marathon runner has to save his speed for the end of the race. This also applies to intensities of less than 100%. The 90% repetitions cannot continue indefinitely either because the trainee eventually shows signs of fatigue. At the last sentence he runs out of gas.

Actual, relative and perceived intensity

This is especially true when the sets have just gained weight. Suppose the PR squat was 300 pounds and he did 270 for 5X5 as recommended and all 25 reps were completed. You can then have tested their maximum and found that they can now make 320. In this case, the trainee dutifully adds £ 18 to his work sets (the £ 20 increase x 90%).

With renewed enthusiasm for squats, they find that the last set may have consisted of only 3-4 repetitions, while the fourth set consisted of only 4. The trainee is not weaker, instead they are not yet used to working with the extra pounds.

On their next workout, they often do a full 4th set and 4 reps on the 5th set. Finally they can do the full 5×5. With that extra weight, they actually got stronger. It only takes a little adjustment time,

Most trainees will be familiar with this pattern when they gain experience. What may require more awareness is what happens within a single sentence. It should be noted that the fatigue factor is effective from the very first sentence. Let's look at the first set of a 5×5. The above trainee takes £ 270 for five as this is the mandatory 90% of his 1RM.

On the first repetition, 270 feel like 90%. This repetition takes a little time for the trainee, so that the second repetition feels like 275. Not a jump big enough to notice a 300 squatter. Then the 3rd repetition may feel like 287. Number 4 will feel like 296 and the last iteration will feel like 300. Further repetitions are by definition impossible because it is a 5RM.

Only one set behaves at 5 rpm. Things get hairier when we go to multiple sets in a 5×5. Depending on the fitness of the individual, the effects of fatigue appear in the last sentences. On the 5th or even the 4th set, 270 first repetitions feel more like 285. Subsequent repetitions feel 300 closer and closer until at some point the perceived intensity is greater than 300. These repetitions fail.

All of this means that if you say 90% sentences about yourself, for example, you have to realize that not all sentences or even all repetitions feel like 90% to your organism. You will actually work with a slightly higher perceived intensity, As such, you have to take that into account when programming. But how can you counteract these factors when planning a training session?

One way is to try the full 90% for all sentences, knowing that the last one or two sentences may fail. At this point, you can continue with the next exercise and hope that your strength will improve in the next session. Alternatively, you can take a 6th set and make up for the missing repetitions if you don't add one or two additional repetitions. This leaves you in a better mood after making mistakes.

Another way, especially if you are compulsive to do all 25, is to start at less than 90%, so repetition 25 is just about successful. This is a more conservative method, in which the perceived intensity is lower at the beginning but higher at the end.

Regardless of the exact method, the working weights are only increased when the trainee can do all 25 repetitions with the prescribed weight – this keeps everyone honest,

Use the drop set

Another way is the drop set method, which was borrowed from bodybuilding, If you feel the last reps are failing, the bar can be lowered 5 to 10 pounds to ensure successful reps. You will still feel like maximum repetitions so little is lost.

The only problem is that the lifter has to stop in the middle of the set to change the weight. This can be avoided if there are two wizards who can quickly remove the unnecessary plates before the last repetitions. In such cases, these plates should only swim outside the collar. Finally, the entire last sentence can be removed if no help is available.

Think of the 3 forms of intensity

This whole article is about the trainee making the difference between the actual intensity (actual resistance), the relative intensity (% of 1rpm) and the perceived intensity (i.e. how heavy the weight is for the organism actually feels).

When programming, the latter is most relevant in terms of customization and recovery considerations,

16 Feb
Blog

Ecovacs Deebot 960 Review: So Much Wasted Potential

Deebot 960 absorbs chips

"While the Deebot 960 has impressive AI and a mop function, its potential is not being exploited."

  • Great pull

  • Don't eat socks

  • App is not reliable

  • Connecting to the app is difficult

  • Dust container is small

  • Features don't work well

We love many of the other intelligent robotic vacuum cleaners that Ecovacs has released. A few even made our best robot vacuum on the annual list. So I was pretty excited to try it out Deebot 960, It comes with advanced AI and it even wipes, so it sounded like a vacuum that our best-of list could do with the others. After trying it out, I was deeply disappointed.

The app

First, let's talk about the app. The Ecovacs Home app was the most aggravating app I've ever dealt with. As with most smart devices, you need to connect them to an app before you can use them with the app. Typically, this is a quick process that takes a few minutes at most. Not with the Ecovacs Home app.

It tends not to find your Deebot. Therefore, you need to go through a number of troubleshooting steps for it to work. Some of these steps include accessing the Wi-Fi settings on your phone and selecting the Deebot from the list.

If that doesn't work, you will need to try turning off the data on your phone, at least 5 feet from your router (or getting closer depending on the direction) and turning the bot on and off at the charging station. Pressing different buttons on the Deebot and so on.

After trying the various troubleshooting tips for the app and support pages on the website for hours, a customer service representative gave me an eleven-step process to try to get the app up and running. Yes, it didn't work either.

The app tends to stop working for no reason.

If you get the bot to connect to the app, you won't get too excited. The app tends to stop working for no reason. Then you have to delete the app from your phone and start over.

I thought I might have a problematic deebot right now, but a look at the app's reviews on the Google Play Store shows that these issues are common. (I contacted Ecovac to check for an update to fix the app issues, but I haven't received a response yet.)

mapping

This intelligent robotic vacuum cleaner offers many great functions. They just don't seem to work very well. The main feature is the ability to map your entire home using AIVI technology. The problem with this is that you have to scan your whole house. There is no way to create separate maps for each room.

If you choose to create just a map of your bedroom (like me), the vacuum cleaner won't clean any other room. While mapping your house, you need to have plenty of light in each room and leave the house with all of your pets so that the Deebot can create an accurate map. I just jumped on the bed and stayed there while it was pictured, but most people don't have that luxury.

However, it avoided the sock I threw in front of it, so that's something.

AIVI is supposed to scan the room so the Deebot can avoid objects that are too large to absorb, but the little bot didn't seem to know at times that it had this technology. It would ram into furniture legs with a force that set my teeth on the edge. It got caught on cords and I had to keep pulling things out of my grip. Deebot even came across its own charging station. However, it avoided the sock I threw in front of it, so that's something. It also didn't try to get under furniture where it would get stuck.

Ecovac Deebot 960 scanning

It has a feature that you can use the app to block certain areas on the cleaning card to tell the bot where to stop cleaning. Unfortunately, it didn't work that well. Sure, the Deebot won't go where you set up the non-clean area, but the app doesn't let me set up a non-clean area within 10 feet of the charging station. We have found that the Neato Botvac D6 works much better when it comes to restricted areas and avoiding obstacles.

You can also instruct the Deebot to clean only certain areas to get good stain cleaning. Like the other features, this was frustrating. I often tapped the screen to set up a spot cleaning area and nothing happened. After about a dozen taps on the screen, the square would finally appear on the screen and I could adjust its size and position.

Ecovacs Deebot 960 cleaning cards

In the following screenshots you can see how the Deebot maps areas. The green box is a spot clean. The red boxes are not clean areas. The lines are the paths that the vacuum has taken to clean the room. As you can see, the bot can be unpredictable and even miss spots.

vacuum

While Deebot does a great job at corners, backing it up and vacuuming it several times to make sure the area is clean, it still seems silly to an intelligent vacuum cleaner. However, the suction power is great. It actually sucks enough to fluff the carpet fibers over time, giving the floor the satisfactory vacuum lines like a post. When it comes to noise, the carpet is a bit noisy. It distracts quite a bit on hardwood and linoleum.

Alina Bradford / Digital Trends

My biggest complaint about the functionality of the vacuum cleaner is that the bot doesn't tell you when its dust container is full. It just keeps going throughout the cleaning cycle and fluffing lint around on the floor until it finds it's done and returns to the charger.

In addition, the dust container is tiny because it takes up space for the wiping equipment, so you have to empty it several times during a cleaning cycle. It is not very practical. The Deebot really needs to be able to dispose of its own container like the iRobot Roomba s9 Plus. The s9 Plus can empty its own container up to 30 times in a special waste container without having to touch anything.

One feature I really like is that there is a small tool next to the dust container that you can use to clean and unravel the roller. When you're done, the tool snaps back into a small slot so it won't get lost.

Wipe

While wiping seems to be an obvious and necessary function for an intelligent robotic vacuum cleaner, I feel that it didn't save me any time. Instead of filling a bucket, I had to fill the Deebot's reservoir and attach his little wipe. It also took ages to do a job that I would have done with a manual mop in less than 5 minutes.

Then I had to drain the dirty water out of the bot and clean and dry the wipe pad. In my opinion, this feature is not useful for any robotic vacuum cleaner unless it can self-clean like the new Narwal T10 that we saw at CES 2020.

Our opinion

The Ecovacs Deebot 960 seems to be a great idea that just didn't work. Though annoying like a champion, its features simply have too many problems to make it a good choice over so many other great intelligent robot vacuum cleaners on the market. While the wipe function appears to be a great addition, it doesn't save you time. Overall, the Deebot 960 is a missed opportunity to be something very special.

Are there any better alternatives?

Although it has good suction power, it quickly fills up with dirt and then doesn't tell you that it needs to be emptied. For this reason alone, I would probably use the Neato Botvac D6 or the iRobot Roomba s9 Plus. $ 1,150 is also far too high for what the 960 has to offer.

Will it take?

Ecovac generally makes well-designed robotic vacuum cleaners, and the Deebot 960 is no exception. It is made of very thick plastic with a metal plate that spans the top of the device. It seems like it will take a long time. It comes with a 1 year limited warranty.

Should I buy it?

The Deevac 960 has a lot of potential, but is insufficient in many ways. I would not recommend buying one. Even if you overlook the crazy problems connecting to the app, the features don't work as well as they should.

Editor's recommendations




16 Feb
Blog

Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020: Entering A New Decade Having Finally Made Peace With Myself Inside & Out

Well that passed in a jiffy, didn't it? It seems as if I called a half a liter of Prosecco a few weeks ago in 2019 and wondered what the next twelve months would bring, just so that it would last a lot in bloom and come by in a flash. Perhaps it is a sign that we are getting older, that time is passing faster, and that we are constantly recognizing this fact out loud, or maybe just because we all seem to fit so much more into our days, weeks and months. But it's a little scary to be back in a brand new decade – and still no sign of hoverboards.

The past ten years have been revolutionary for me personally: They have transformed me from a social butterfly living in London, who spent her weekends feeling incredibly lonely (and her weeks incredibly stressed), into a married, country-loving homeowner, freelance consultant and dog mother. Frankly, it's more than I could have ever dreamed of – even if it wasn't necessarily the dream that I would have admitted to everyone (including myself).

Although the years have been full of lessons, struggles and successes, I can think about how I can finally love and respect myself internally and externally. And that's the only achievement of the past decade that I'm really proud of.

Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020: Enter a new decade after finally making peace with myself Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020: Enter a new decade after finally making peace with myself Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020: Enter a new decade after finally making peace with myself

As a 37 year old (honestly, how the hell did that happen?) I wish I had spent a lot less time and energy shaping myself into what I thought the world wanted and more time, just to embrace the joys of youth.

Too much of me was used for yo-yo dieting, wearing uncomfortable shoes, pretending to like sports, and impressing people I wouldn't remember a few years later. Too much of me was put on putting on a brave face, creating an impenetrable exterior, proving myself worthy, and analyzing every encounter. Too much of me was used to measure my value by the size of my jeans and seek approval from the opposite sex.

Not enough time was spent just laughing, enjoying the energy and wrinkle-free complexion of the youth. And boy, what would I give to have the liver / figure / face of my 27 year old self!

Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020: Enter a new decade after finally making peace with myself Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020: Enter a new decade after finally making peace with myself

Partly driven by age, partly driven by love and partly driven by the fact that I make my living by posting photos of myself on the Internet, my own self-acceptance brings peace. I no longer feel like I have to adapt to an ideal because I have learned that it is impossible to try: I know that I am as fabulous as I am and I do not need someone else's approval to cement that.

So when we start a new decade, may it give you the confidence to love and celebrate your best self – in whatever form, overclad * or otherwise.

* You really can never be over-dressed!

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