Health - Health, Nutrition, and Training - 国产吃瓜黑料 Online /health/ Live Bravely Tue, 27 May 2025 04:23:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://cdn.outsideonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/favicon-194x194-1.png Health - Health, Nutrition, and Training - 国产吃瓜黑料 Online /health/ 32 32 Prevent Injury on Leg Day with This Dynamic Stretch Routine /health/training-performance/leg-day-stretches/ Tue, 27 May 2025 09:30:02 +0000 /?p=2704997 Prevent Injury on Leg Day with This Dynamic Stretch Routine

A physical therapist shares six dynamic stretch moves to do ahead of your next leg day workout.

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Prevent Injury on Leg Day with This Dynamic Stretch Routine

Whether you鈥檙e running, biking, or climbing, your workout should always begin with a basic bodyweight warm-up to prime your muscles and joints for peak performance. The same goes for preparing for leg day at the gym.

Dynamic stretching, in which you move your muscles and joints through their full range of motion, helps your body prepare for the work ahead. As 国产吃瓜黑料 previously reported, this kind of movement helps improve blood flow, increase heart rate, and improve coordination and control.

The more specific the stretches are to the main activity ahead, the better. 鈥淭he simplest thing is to just get deeper into the motions you鈥檙e going to be doing,鈥� says , a physical therapist and spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association, based in San Francisco. So, for a squat session in the gym, you can begin with some deep bodyweight squats. Before a trail run, you might do some side steps to prepare for leaping over rocks and roots. Ahead of a bike ride, do a hip flexor stretch to bring movement to the muscles that will be working overtime in a seated position.

鈥淯nderstanding what muscles are at work [in the activity ahead] can help you build the best dynamic warm-up routine,鈥� says Malek.

The more specific the stretches are to the main activity ahead, the better.

There鈥檚 also value in tailoring your warm-up to your body鈥檚 unique needs. If you have a history of hip discomfort or tightness, add some extra stretches designed to improve range of motion in the hip joints, says Malek. 鈥淭here’s a lot of room to make it fit for you,鈥� she says.

6 Dynamic Stretches to Prepare for a Lower Body Workout

Before any lower-body-focused workout, Malek suggests doing dynamic stretches that target the hips, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, as well as the joints of the hips, knees, and ankles.

This routine should take about 15 minutes to complete if you do two sets of 10 reps for each movement.

1. Bodyweight Squats

Muscles and joints worked: glutes, quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, hip joint

  • Begin by standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and your toes turned slightly outward. Your arms should hang by your sides; pull your shoulders back and down.
  • Send your hips back and bend your knees at the same time, lowering your hips towards the floor as if you were sitting in a chair. As you begin this motion, raise your arms in front of you, no higher than shoulder height, keeping your gaze forward and your chest upright.
  • Pause for a few seconds at the bottom of the squat before pressing through your feet and rising back up.

2. Squat Reach

Muscles and joints worked: glutes, quads, hamstrings, adductors; knee, ankle, hip, and shoulder joints

  • Get as low as you can into a deep squat, so your buttocks are just slightly off the ground.听 Keep the back of your thighs as close to the back of your calves as you can manage without too much discomfort. Your feet should be slightly wider than hip-width apart, planted firmly on the ground with your toes pointed slightly outward.
  • Press your arms against the inside of your knees.
  • Twist your torso to your left and reach your left arm up into the air at the same time, allowing your right arm to press deeper into the inside of your right knee. Your gaze should follow your left hand upwards.
  • Pause for a moment, then switch arms.
  • After you鈥檝e completed one reach on each side, grab your toes with both hands and raise your hips until your legs are straight鈥攐r close to straight. That completes one rep.
  • Keeping your fingers hooked under your toes, lower back into your deep squat to begin the next rep.

3. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Muscles and joints worked: glutes, hip flexors, hip joint

  • Begin in a half-kneeling position (essentially a ). One leg should be bent at the knee in front of you (a 90-degree angle) with your foot flat on the ground. Your other leg should be bent behind you (also at a 90-degree angle), with your shin and the top of your foot flat on the ground.
  • Slowly lean your hips forward so that your knee bends even more (to about a 45-degree angle), feeling a stretch in the hip flexor of your rear leg.
  • Hold that bent position for two or three seconds, then return to your starting point.
  • Complete all repetitions on one side before switching sides.

4. Half-Kneeling Adductor Rock-Back

Muscles and joints worked: adductors, hip flexors, hip joint

  • Begin on all fours.
  • Straighten one leg out to the side and slightly behind you. You should feel a slight stretch in the groin of the outstretched leg, even without movement.
  • Rock your hips back and hold for about five seconds to deepen the stretch. Then rock forward, bringing your shoulders over your hands. That鈥檚 one rep.
  • Complete all repetitions on one side before switching sides.

5. Side Steps

Muscles and joints worked: adductors, quads, hamstrings, glutes, hip joint

  • Begin standing with your feet together, hands by your sides.
  • Jump your outside leg out to the side, then quickly bring your second leg to join it.
  • Repeat on the opposite side.
  • Continue alternating sides until all reps are completed.

6. Dynamic Calf Stretch

Muscles and joints worked: calves, ankles

  • Place your hands against a wall with your arms outstretched at shoulder height.
  • Step back about two feet away from the wall and lean forward until you start to feel a stretch in the back of your calves. Your upper body will be angled toward the wall.
  • Pedal your feet, coming up on your toes, you鈥檒l feel a stretch in your calf as you press the heel back down to the floor.
  • Continue alternating feet for the full set of repetitions.

Want more of听国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Health stories?听.

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New Research Says Endurance Athletes May Need as Much Protein as Weight Lifters /health/nutrition/endurance-athletes-protein-needs/ Sun, 25 May 2025 17:17:01 +0000 /?p=2704895 New Research Says Endurance Athletes May Need as Much Protein as Weight Lifters

Many endurance athletes don't eat enough protein. Here's what you need for optimal performance and recovery.

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New Research Says Endurance Athletes May Need as Much Protein as Weight Lifters

You鈥檇 have a hard time finding any serious endurance athlete in 2025 who thinks protein doesn鈥檛 matter. Gone are the carb-centric days of pasta and Gatorade and nothing else. But figuring out how much protein runners, cyclists, and other endurance junkies actually need鈥攁nd when they need it鈥攔emains a work in progress.

I鈥檝e grappled with these questions a few times recently鈥攊n a piece busting some common protein myths, and in another discussing the idea of maximum protein intake. But now a in Sports Medicine, from a research team led by Oliver Witard of King鈥檚 College London, offers a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge. Witard and his colleagues focus on two key questions. First, how much protein do endurance athletes need on a daily basis to stay healthy and optimize long-term training adaptations? And second, what role can the tactical use of protein play in speeding up short-term recovery and boosting performance?

Protein for the Long Term

Government guidelines currently recommend getting at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (g/kg) each day. For someone who weighs 150 pounds, that works out to 55 grams of protein. For reference, a standard 5-ounce can of tuna has about 20 grams of protein.

There are two main problems with this guideline, however. First, it鈥檚 intended to be the minimum required to stay healthy, not the optimal amount to maximize performance. Second, it was formulated using a measurement technique that involves tracking the amount of nitrogen being consumed and excreted from the body, which some scientists believe underestimates protein needs. A newer approach called the 鈥�,鈥� which involves labeling one specific type of amino acid with a carbon isotope to see how quickly it鈥檚 burned, gives higher numbers and is also more practical for testing specific populations like athletes.

The usual argument for getting lots of protein is that it provides the building blocks鈥攁mino acids鈥攆or building new muscle. That鈥檚 important for strength training, but endurance athletes need it for other reasons. One is that these building blocks are used to repair the muscle damage incurred by hard training: the longer and harder you run, the more damage you incur, and more protein you presumably need for repairs.

During prolonged exercise, your body also starts burning amino acids for fuel. The amounts are generally small, and how much you burn depends on the nature of the exercise and what else you鈥檙e eating, but in some cases 5 to 10 percent of the fuel you need for a given workout is provided by protein. If you鈥檙e training hard, you鈥檒l need to eat extra protein to replace those losses.

There are some more subtle possibilities, too. Muscle isn鈥檛 the only part of the body that鈥檚 built from protein. One of the key adaptations athletes gain from endurance training is an increase in the amount of protein in the mitochondria, where cellular energy is generated. The more protein in the mitochondria, the more efficiently it creates energy. A few studies have sought to听 figure out whether eating more protein boosts the mitochondrial response to exercise. The results so far haven鈥檛 been convincing, but it鈥檚 still an open question.

Witard and his colleagues pooled data from various indicator amino acid studies to assess protein needs for endurance athletes under various conditions. Here are some of the key numbers:

bar graph showing protein needs for endurance athletes
Data from indicator amino acid studies suggests that endurance athletes need more protein than untrained people. (Photo: Adapted from Sports Medicine)

The indicator amino acid data suggests that even untrained people need about 1.2 g/kg of protein per day, 50 percent more than the FDA鈥檚 recommended daily intake of 0.8 g/kg. And endurance athletes need another 50 percent more than untrained people, with a level of 1.8 g/k/g ensuring that 95 percent of people are getting all the protein their bodies can use. In comparison, using the same indicator amino acid method find that resistance-trained athletes need somewhere between 1.5 and 2.0 g/kg per day, raising the possibility that endurance athletes might actually need more protein than lifters.

There鈥檚 an important point to bear in mind, though: endurance athletes also tend to eat a lot more than the average person, which means they automatically get more protein. among American adults averages 1.25 g/kg for men and 1.09 g/kg for women, pretty close to the overall target of 1.2 g/kg for untrained people. In comparison, found that endurance athletes average 1.4 to 1.5 g/kg鈥攏ot quite at the 1.8 g/kg level, but not that far away.

There are some other nuances in that graph. Data on male-female differences is very sparse, but there are some hints that women might require more than men relative to their body weight. That might be particularly true during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, since progesterone can affect protein burning. Witard and his colleagues make a blanket recommendation that both male and female endurance athletes should aim for 1.8 g/kg, but they throw in the speculative possibility that females 鈥渕ay consider鈥� upping it to 1.9 g/kg during the luteal phase of their cycle.

Short-Term Protein Tactics

The big surprise in the data above is that endurance athletes seem to use more protein on their rest days than on training days. This finding has popped up in , and it鈥檚 definitely not what the scientists were expecting. It鈥檚 possible that there鈥檚 some quirk of metabolism that鈥檚 skewing the measurements used to assess protein needs when you try to compare exercise and non-exercise days.

But it鈥檚 also possible that the effect is real鈥攖hat when you give your body a break, its repair and adaptation mechanisms kick into overdrive and thus use more protein than usual. If this is true, it鈥檚 an argument for upping your protein intake on rest days: Witard and co. suggest aiming for 2.0 g/kg. And on a more fundamental level, it鈥檚 an argument for including true rest days in your training program periodically, since they seem to trigger recovery processes that don鈥檛 happen on normal training days. At this point, I鈥檇 say the jury is still out on whether the effect is real.

Either way, the researchers suggest aiming for 0.5 g/kg of protein following exercise to help repair any muscle damage incurred during the workout. For a 150-pound person, that鈥檚 34 grams of protein, which is what you鈥檇 get in a substantial meal with a good protein source. How soon is 鈥渁fter exercise鈥�? I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 any convincing data that says it has to be immediately after. Your next meal is fine鈥攗nless your workout was after dinner and you鈥檙e planning to head to bed, in which case you should make a special effort to get some protein in.

The data also suggests that athletes use more protein when they鈥檙e training in a carbohydrate-depleted state. In this case, we鈥檙e not talking about a consistently low-carb diet, but rather doing certain training sessions in a low-carb state to help the body adapt to burning fat more efficiently. There鈥檚 decent evidence that protein can help power these workouts, and Witard suggests taking in 10 to 20 grams of protein before and/or during this type of session.

This idea of using protein to compensate for low carbs also connects to one of the most hotly debated ideas about protein for endurance athletes. There have been various research-backed claims over the years that adding protein to a sports drink that you consume during a race or training session will enhance your performance, and that taking in some protein in the immediate post-workout window will speed up the rate at which you refill the carbohydrate stores in your muscles.

All these claims, Witard and his colleagues argue, are the result of studies where the subjects didn鈥檛 get enough carbohydrates. If you鈥檙e meeting your carb needs, adding protein to a sports drink will neither boost your performance nor accelerate your muscle refueling. There may be exceptions for ultra-endurance events, which haven鈥檛 been well-studied and have somewhat different metabolic challenges compared to a marathon. But the researchers鈥� final conclusion is a reminder that for endurance athletes, despite protein鈥檚 current popularity, carbohydrate is still king.

 


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Is It Better to Eat Throughout the Day or Have a Few Big Meals? /health/nutrition/frequent-eating-or-big-meals/ Sat, 24 May 2025 09:30:54 +0000 /?p=2703015 Is It Better to Eat Throughout the Day or Have a Few Big Meals?

Determining whether small, frequent meals or three big meals is best for you can help you maintain steady energy for your active lifestyle.

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Is It Better to Eat Throughout the Day or Have a Few Big Meals?

Getting through a full workout is tough when you haven鈥檛 properly fueled up. If you find that you鈥檙e regularly struggling with energy levels, it鈥檚 fair to wonder if you鈥檙e eating at the right frequency for your needs.

Some swear by eating small, frequent meals throughout the day, while others say it鈥檚 better to stick with three meals that are more substantial. Dietitians say there isn鈥檛 one hard and fast strategy that applies to everyone, but there are several factors to consider when choosing an eating plan for yourself. Here鈥檚 what nutrition experts have to say.

How, Exactly, Does Food Help Athletic Performance?

鈥淔ood plays a crucial role in athletic performance by providing the necessary energy, nutrients, and support for optimal bodily functions during training, competition, and recovery,鈥� says , a registered dietitian and certified sports specialist in dietetics at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

But specific elements in foods make a difference, Vavrek says. They鈥檙e called macronutrients, and they鈥檙e the nutrients your body needs in larger amounts to function properly.

For optimal performance, Stephani Johnson, nutrition researcher and adjunct professor in the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences at Rutgers University, says your body relies on three major macronutrients: carbs, fats, and proteins.

Is It Better to Eat Throughout the Day or to Have a Few Big Meals?

The resounding answer from dietitians? 鈥淚t depends.鈥� Still, many are partial to a particular eating strategy. 鈥淔rom an athletic standpoint, eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day is generally better than consuming fewer large meals,鈥� Johnson says.

Vavrek agrees. 鈥淓ating throughout the day helps maintain energy levels, optimize muscle recovery, improve performance, prevent muscle breakdown, and support overall health,鈥� she says. The (ISSN) also supports the practice of 鈥渘utrient timing,鈥� which involves eating certain nutrients throughout the day to support exercise needs.

But , senior dietitian at UCLA Medical Center, argues that your diet depends on what you鈥檙e training for. If you favor workouts that require short bursts of energy, like sprinting, Hunnes considers fueling throughout the day to be 鈥渃ompletely unnecessary.鈥� But she concedes that people who focus on endurance sports may do better with eating throughout the day to keep energy levels up and replenish glycogen stores.

Some may even benefit from a mix of both strategies. 鈥淚 prefer a little bit of each: a few bigger meals, but having some snacks in between,鈥� says Olivia Morgan, a Mass General Brigham registered dietitian and sports nutritionist, adding that athletes shouldn鈥檛 have gaps of more than four to five hours between eating times. Longer than that, and you run the risk of the body breaking down muscle, which will work against your athletic goals.

How to Eat Throughout the Day for Improved Athletic Performance

Eating throughout the day doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean constantly snacking鈥攖here is strategy involved. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to focus on nutrient timing and a balanced intake of macronutrients,鈥� Vavrek says. She recommends aiming to eat every three to four hours to maintain energy levels, support muscle repair, and prevent long periods without nutrients.

Tailoring Your Daily Meals to Your Exercise Plans

Whether you鈥檙e eating smaller or larger meals, what you鈥檙e eating matters. 鈥淔or athletes, meals should have a balance of all macronutrients,” says Vavrek. She recommends that the macronutrient breakdown of each meal should look as follows: 45 to 65 percent carbs, 15 to 35 percent protein, and 20 to 35 percent fats.

For Aerobic Exercise

The type of exercise you do is relevant, too. For intense aerobic exercise, Johnson suggests having a small, easily digestible snack with carbs to fuel your body during exercise, like a banana, dried fruit, or yogurt (if you can tolerate dairy close to a workout).

For Workouts Less Than 60 Minutes

If you鈥檙e exercising for under an hour,听 you should be fine just drinking water during your workout, says Johnson.

For Workouts That Exceed One Hour

If you鈥檙e doing higher-intensity workouts over 60 minutes, eating between 30 and 60 grams of carbohydrates an hour can help to keep your energy levels up. And for exercise longer than 90 minutes? Johnson recommends supplementing those carbs with electrolytes.

For After Your Workout

Post-workout, Johnson suggests a snack or meal that includes 鈥攍onger chains of sugar molecules that digest slowly to give drawn-out energy and prevent blood sugar spikes鈥攖o help replenish glycogen stores and protein to promote muscle recovery. An apple with nut butter or a slice of turkey on a whole wheat tortilla are ideal menu items.

For Strength Training Days

For strength training sessions, Johnson suggests having 15 to 25 grams of protein one to three hours before your workout to help prevent muscle breakdown and support recovery. After you’ve completed your workout, consume 20 to 40 grams of protein within half an hour to two hours to boost muscle building, improve recovery, and reduce soreness.

For Easy Workout and Active Recovery Days

But if your workouts are more laid-back, you don鈥檛 necessarily need to be all that strategic about your eating. 鈥淪omeone who is working out leisurely would not need to fuel throughout the day or necessarily change much about what they’re doing,鈥� says Hunnes.

If You Prefer Eating Big Meals During the Day, Do This

If you prefer to have larger meals or it鈥檚 all that your schedule allows for, Vavrek says there is still strategy involved. 鈥淭he goal is to consume the necessary macronutrients to fuel the body for training, support recovery, and optimize overall performance,鈥� she says. 鈥淭ry to avoid skipping meals and consume at least three meals a day to prevent going too long without eating.鈥� Vavrek adds that all meals should still be balanced and include all macronutrients and food groups.

Timing is also essential. 鈥淧re-workout meals should be consumed one to three hours before exercise,鈥� Vavrek says, noting that pre-exercise meals should lean heavily into carbohydrates. 鈥淎fter a workout, aim for a balanced meal within one to two hours.鈥�

Pro tip: You can also pre-load your meals if you have a race or event coming up. 鈥淓ating a lot of carbs the night before鈥攈ealthy carbs such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables鈥攁nd then perhaps a smaller pre-race meal of faster-digesting carbs, a banana, and a small amount of peanut butter,鈥� can be helpful,鈥� Hunnes says.

Signs You鈥檙e Not Fueling Yourself Correctly

You can feel wiped out fast when you鈥檙e not fueling the right way. 鈥淲e call it 鈥榯he bonk,鈥欌€� Morgan says. 鈥淵our body kind of runs out of that fuel, and you get feelings of weakness, like you can鈥檛 go on any further.鈥�

Hunnes says that soreness that lasts longer than normal and feeling unable to keep up your normal activity levels for days in a row are also signs you鈥檙e not getting the proper nutrition.

Experiencing mental and physical fatigue here and there can be a challenging annoyance, but attempting to muscle through energy depletion can take a toll on your body. 鈥�Chronic energy deficiency in athletes can lead to long-term health consequences such as low bone mineral density, nutrient deficiencies, and hormone dysfunction,鈥� Vavrek says.

The International Olympic Committee has several on proper fueling for athletes, each broken down by easy, moderate, and hard workout days to make the guidance even easier to follow. Morgan also suggests meeting with a sports dietitian if your budget and/or health insurance allow for it.

If the dietitian route isn鈥檛 an option, Morgan suggests taking a moment to think about when you鈥檙e hungry during the day and when you typically exercise. 鈥淎re you prioritizing fueling before your workouts?鈥� she asks. 鈥淎nd how frequently are you eating throughout the day?鈥�

While it鈥檚 generally recommended that you eat smaller meals throughout the day for athletic performance, dietitians acknowledge that this approach isn鈥檛 for everyone.

As Morgan succinctly puts it: 鈥淓verybody is different.鈥�

Want more of听国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Health stories?听.

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Protein-Dense Skewer Recipes to Try On Your Next Camping 国产吃瓜黑料 /health/nutrition/skewer-recipes/ Sat, 24 May 2025 09:00:59 +0000 /?p=2704945 Protein-Dense Skewer Recipes to Try On Your Next Camping 国产吃瓜黑料

If you're going camping, you'll want to try these four skewer recipes; they're rich in protein and nutritionist-approved.

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Protein-Dense Skewer Recipes to Try On Your Next Camping 国产吃瓜黑料

With long weekends and warm weather rolling in, you鈥檒l find me outdoors every chance I get. Honestly, I prefer glamping, but even that takes a little grit and planning. As the go-to foodie, I鈥檓 constantly tasked with prepping something hearty to energize myself and those I’m with through any planned outdoor activity. Over the years, I鈥檝e become a massive fan of skewer recipes. They check all the boxes: protein, fats, carbs, and are easy to grill or cook over a campfire.

Beyond their nutritional value, skewers win on simplicity. You can literally put anything on a stick and create endless flavor combinations.

Why High-Protein Skewers Are an Outdoor 国产吃瓜黑料 Must-Have

Hiking, swimming, kayaking, and camping are exhilarating but exhausting. Increasing your protein intake has several benefits.

Immune Support

As great as being outdoors is, Mother Nature can some not-so-great things, such as tick-borne illnesses, disease-carrying mosquitoes, or rabid animals. 鈥淧rotein can support the immune system (amino acids are essential for building immune proteins like ), helping protect you from whatever you may be exposed to outdoors,鈥� says , a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Richmond, Virginia.

Faster Recovery

Even if you do everything possible to avoid injuries, being out in nature can be unpredictable. If you trip, twist an ankle, or get scraped up, eating high-protein skewers can help support your body鈥檚 recovery. 鈥淧hysical activities such as hiking and camping exert stress on muscles,鈥澨� says , a registered dietitian based in Honolulu, Hawaii. 鈥淧rotein facilitates muscle repair and recovery, which is crucial for anyone engaging in these [physically] demanding activities.鈥�

Lots of Energy

Eating meals high in protein provides a steady release of energy, says McAllister. 鈥淭his helps maintain stamina during prolonged periods of exertion,鈥� she says. You鈥檒l benefit from having a high-protein skewer before kicking off your camping adventures鈥攐r even at dinner to help you recharge for the next day, she says.

4 Hearty, Protein-Dense Skewer Recipes

It鈥檚 easy to toss random fridge scraps on a stick and call it a skewer. But with a little intention, you can build flavorful combos that keep you full and fueled for every step of your adventure.

I鈥檝e put together four skewer recipes that, aside from being utterly delicious, will help you meet your protein needs. I also checked in with nutrition pros to back up how these handhelds can help power you through your journeys outdoors.

The best part? You can prep them ahead of time. Just pack them in a cooler until you鈥檙e ready to cook them at your campsite or outdoor gathering.

Something to keep in mind: when cooking over an open campfire flame, you鈥檒l want to use a grill grate, , or opt for a . If you need some cooking tips, check out .

1. Coconut-Turmeric Chicken and Butternut Squash Skewers

Coconut-Turmeric Chicken and Butternut Squash Skewers
Skewers loaded with coconut-turmeric chicken, butternut squash, and zucchini sizzling on the grill. (Photo: Ashia Aubourg)

Servings: 6 skewers

Duration: 30 min (plus 30 minutes of marinating)

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breast (cut into one-inch pieces)
  • 1 1/2 cups butternut squash (cut into thin chunks)
  • 1 red onion (cut into large chunks)
  • 2 medium zucchinis (sliced into 陆-inch-thick rounds)
  • 1/2 cup (melted)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons agave
  • 2 tablespoons turmeric
  • 3 tablespoons curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons
  • 2 limes (juiced)

Recipe

  1. Whisk together all the ingredients (except the chicken, butternut squash, zucchini, and red onion) in a small bowl until well combined.
  2. Place the chicken, butternut squash, zucchini, and red onion in a gallon-sized storage bag or sealable container. Pour in half of the marinade, reserving the rest for later.
  3. Let everything marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
  4. Once marinated, thread the chicken, squash, and red onion onto or , alternating between the ingredients.
  5. Grill the kebabs over medium-high heat, turning occasionally and brushing with the remaining marinade, until thoroughly cooked and slightly charred鈥攁bout 10 minutes on each side.

A Nutritionist’s Verdict: Protein-Rich and Full of Fiber

You鈥檒l get around 23 grams of protein by filling your skewers with at least three ounces of chicken breast, says , registered dietitian nutritionist based in Denver, Colorado. And if you want to bump that protein intake up even further, you can pair it with a Greek yogurt dipping sauce, says Lane.

The veggies add even more nutritional perks, too, says Burgess. 鈥淭he butternut squash adds fiber to support digestion and vitamin A to promote healthy vision and immune function, plus a hint of natural sweetness to round it all out.鈥�

2. Citrus-Honey Glazed Halloumi, Tomato, and Zucchini Skewers

Citrus-Honey Glazed Halloumi, Tomato, and Zucchini Skewers
Halloumi, tomato, and zucchini skewers marinated in a citrus vinaigrette, cooking over a grill fire. (Photo: Ashia Aubourg)

Servings: 6 skewers

Duration: 15 min (plus 30 minutes of marinating)

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces Halloumi cheese (cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 2 medium zucchinis (sliced into 陆-inch-thick rounds)
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup whole grain mustard
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Recipe

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, salt, mustard, and honey until everything is well blended.
  2. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly, until the vinaigrette is smooth and fully combined.
  3. Place the Halloumi, zucchini, and tomatoes in a gallon-sized storage bag or sealable container. Pour in half of the vinaigrette, reserving the rest for later.
  4. Let everything marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
  5. Once marinated, thread the Halloumi (handle it gently so it doesn鈥檛 fall apart), zucchini, and tomatoes onto pre-soaked wooden or metal skewers, alternating the ingredients.
  6. Grill the kebabs over medium heat, turning occasionally and brushing with the reserved vinaigrette. Cook for about five minutes per side, or until grill/char marks appear and the zucchini is tender.

A Nutritionist’s Verdict: Protein Powerhouse and Great for Immunity

Just one ounce of Halloumi provides seven grams of protein, says Burgess. Lane recommends adding three to four one-ounce pieces of Halloumi per skewer, which provides about 21 to 28 grams of protein per stick. 鈥淗alloumi provides protein for muscle repair and energy, along with calcium for bone and muscle health, which helps support physical activities like hiking and carrying gear,鈥� says McAllister.

The vegetables also play a helpful role. Zucchini鈥檚 fiber supports digestion, says McAllister, while tomatoes contribute vitamin C and K to boost the immune system, she says.

(Click the video above to follow along as the writer makes the Halloumi, tomato, and zucchini skewers. Video by Ashia Aubourg)

3. Spicy Garlic Shrimp and Creamy Avocado Skewers

Spicy Garlic Shrimp and Creamy Avocado Skewers
Sweet and spicy glazed shrimp and avocado skewers sizzling on the grill. (Photo: Ashia Aubourg)

Servings: 6 skewers

Duration: 15 min (plus 30 minutes of marinating)

Ingredients

  • 1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined)
  • 3 avocados (cut into large chunks)
  • 1 red onion (cut into large chunks)
  • 2 limes (juiced)
  • 3/4 cup avocado oil
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Recipe

  1. Mix all the ingredients together (except the shrimp, avocado, and red onion) in a small bowl to create a marinade.
  2. Place the shrimp, avocado, and red onion in a gallon-sized storage bag or sealable container. Pour in half of the marinade, reserving the rest for later.
  3. Let everything marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
  4. Once marinated, place the shrimp, avocado, and red onion onto pre-soaked wooden or metal skewers, alternating the ingredients.
  5. Grill the kebabs over medium heat, turning occasionally and brushing with the remaining marinade, until the shrimp is cooked and slightly charred鈥攖hree minutes on each side.

A Nutritionist’s Verdict: Heaps of Protein and Loaded with Healthy Fats

Three ounces of shrimp pack nearly 20 grams of protein, says Burgess. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a high-protein seafood that cooks fast,鈥� says McAllister, perfect when you want quick, fire-ready ingredients.

Avocado brings even more to the table, says McAllister, offering healthy fats for lasting energy, fiber for digestion, and vitamin E to support immune health. Together, this skewer delivers big on flavor, nutrition, and fuel.

4. Sticky Maple Ginger Tofu and Pineapple Skewers

Sticky Maple Ginger Tofu and Pineapple Skewers
Grilled tofu and pineapple skewers with a sweet maple-ginger glaze. (Photo: Ashia Aubourg)

Servings: 6 skewers

Duration: 15 min (plus 30 minutes of marinating)

Ingredients

  • 32 ounces firm tofu (cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 1 陆 cups fresh pineapple (cut into 2-inch pieces)
  • 1 red bell pepper (cut into large chunks)
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil
  • 2/3 cup or soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons garlic (minced)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves

Recipe

  1. Mix all the ingredients together (except the tofu and pineapple) in a small bowl.
  2. Place the tofu and pineapple in a gallon-sized storage bag or sealable container. Pour in half of the marinade, reserving the rest for later.
  3. Let everything marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
  4. Once marinated, place the tofu and pineapple onto pre-soaked wooden or metal skewers, alternating the ingredients.
  5. Grease the grill with oil to prevent sticking. Grill the kebabs over medium heat, turning occasionally and brushing with the remaining marinade, about seven minutes on each side.

A Nutritionist’s Verdict: An Excellent Source of Vegan Protein and Fiber

Hikers who follow plant-based diets should definitely try this recipe, says McAllister. 鈥淭ofu provides vegan protein (nearly 6 grams per ounce), calcium, and healthy fats, which support muscle and bone health,鈥� she says. 鈥淧ineapple offers vitamin C for immunity and fiber for digestion.鈥�

Ginger brings an added bonus, says McAllister, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce pain and swelling from physical activity. Lane recommends packing a container of cooked quinoa for an extra protein boost鈥攐ne cup has about 8 grams鈥攖o serve on the side.

To help spread your protein intake throughout the day, nutritionists typically recommend aiming for 20 to 30 grams per meal, says Lane. On average, if you鈥檙e adding at least two ounces of meat or seafood per skewer, two skewers will get you into that range. He says you鈥檒l usually need about three skewers per serving to hit that target for plant-based protein sources like tofu.

鈥淥f course, everyone鈥檚 protein needs and hunger levels vary,鈥� says Lane, 鈥渟o feel free to adjust the protein-to-veggie ratio based on your preferences.鈥�

Want more of听国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Health stories?听.

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12 Mindfulness Activities for When You Can鈥檛 Sit Still /health/wellness/active-mindfulness-activities/ Wed, 21 May 2025 09:33:56 +0000 /?p=2704268 12 Mindfulness Activities for When You Can鈥檛 Sit Still

Active mindfulness activities like primal screaming, high-intensity workouts, and punching a pillow can help you access calmer energy.

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12 Mindfulness Activities for When You Can鈥檛 Sit Still

The majority of mindfulness activities are calm and quiet. But sometimes, when you鈥檙e too angry, anxious, or stressed, sitting still is the last thing you want to do.

鈥淲hen we鈥檙e in fight-or-flight mode, our nervous system wants to do something鈥t鈥檚 wired for movement,鈥� says mindfulness teacher and author . Stomping your feet, screaming in the car, punching a pillow, or enjoying a high-intensity workout are all valid examples of active mindfulness. 鈥淚t can be loud. It can be sweaty. It can be shaking on your bedroom floor,鈥� says Acosta. 鈥淭he key is presence.鈥�

While Acosta considers this sort of movement a prelude to the ultimate sanctuary of stillness, doing something active, embodied, and even aggressive with that energy (safe expressions only, of course) can feel like a revolutionary act in of itself.

鈥淚 think there鈥檚 something deeply healing about letting our energy move in a way that is bold, expressive, and a little wild,鈥� says meditation teacher . 鈥淭here鈥檚 the physical release but also the freedom that comes from emotional expression.鈥�

Benefits of Active Mindfulness

The main benefit of this sort of mindfulness is the active part. Instead of squashing your emotions or attempting to silence them, this approach offers catharsis and, according to experts, a sense of control by giving you something to do.

鈥淲hen we give ourselves permission to move with an intentional intensity, we create space for emotions that might otherwise stay stuck in the body鈥攍ike anger, grief, or anxiety鈥攖o be explored, seen, felt, processed and released,鈥� says Kamau. 鈥淭his kind of movement invites us back into our bodies, into embodied presence, and into a more grounded state of being.鈥�

Our experts note that, once you move through some of your louder uncomfortable emotions with active intention, what you鈥檒l find underneath is a greater sense of calm. So embrace your high-energy state, but don鈥檛 be surprised if a want of stillness follows.听鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to force it鈥攕tart where you are,鈥� says Acosta. 鈥淥nce your body feels safe, calmer practices can offer the deeper integration work.鈥�

12 Active Mindfulness Practices to Release Excess Energy

From (safely) punching and screaming to an impromptu dance party, these mindfulness activities make the act of calming down a real-deal verb.

1. Enjoy Some Primal Screaming

Primal 听is exactly what it sounds like: the release of emotions via a loud, cathartic holler.

鈥淚t can offer psychological and emotional benefits when done safely and intentionally,鈥� says psychologist听, PhD, citing emotional release, stress reduction, and a feeling of calm as potential primal screaming benefits. 鈥淔urther, some people experience increased self-awareness from connecting with an unresolved inner conflict, and thus feel empowered.鈥�

2. Jump Around

Bouts of aggressive intuitive movement鈥攕uch as jumping, stomping, bouncing, jiggling, and shaking鈥攃an help reset the nervous system in just a few minutes.

鈥淓motions are energy; when they get stuck, they tend to become dense and heavy, so shaking and movement can help us to get emotions back into motion and support us in releasing them,鈥� says Kamau. 鈥淪haking the body or moving intuitively for just a few minutes can help discharge nervous energy and regulate the nervous system.鈥�

3. Dance, Dance, Dance

This one is easy. Put on a high-energy song and get grooving鈥攁nd make it as weird and expressive as you鈥檇 like. As Acosta notes, this is about release, not performance. 鈥淟et it be messy, stompy, wild,鈥� she says.

4. Box Breathing with Clenched Fists

Yes, breathing exercises鈥攁ctive ones. Try box breathing鈥攊nhaling on a four-count, holding for four, exhaling on a four-count, holding for four鈥攚hile clenching and releasing your fists. According to Acosta, pairing breath with muscular tension and release helps regulate both body and mind.

5. Take a Fast-Paced Walk

This is an especially good option for those who tend to spiral. 鈥淎 brisk walk releases endorphins, reducing stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression,鈥� says Bacow. 鈥淚t can be an energy and mood booster, enhancing circulation and the flow of oxygen in the body.鈥�

Acosta notes that intention, rather than distraction,听is key here. 鈥淟et your steps be your meditation,鈥� she says.

6. Scream Into a Pillow

Channel your inner middle schooler and stifle your screams of frustration with a comfy pillow.

鈥淪ounds intense, but it works,鈥� says Acosta. 鈥淚t gives voice to the thing you鈥檝e been holding in.鈥�

7. Hit the Gym

Doing productive or good-for-you things can be difficult when you鈥檙e seething. Still, if you鈥檙e able to get yourself to a gym, some solid movement can really help.

鈥淎 very intense workout, like running quickly on a treadmill or furiously climbing on a stair climber, will release endorphins and get your energy moving and out,鈥� says Bacow. As a bonus, you鈥檒l feel physically stronger, which is always a win.

8. Breath of Fire

Breath of fire鈥攁 mainstay of 鈥攊s thought to 鈥渂urn through鈥� thoughts and stagnant energy. Plus, it鈥檚 expert-approved.

鈥淭his is probably one of my favorite breathing techniques,鈥� says Kamau. 鈥淭he rapid succession of the breath helps to increase circulation and oxygen flow which helps you to experience a sense of mental clarity and alertness.鈥�

Breath of fire centers on short, forceful exhales through the nose. Kamau suggests two to three rounds of 30 breaths followed by a stillness practice. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like what happens when you shake a snow globe,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t helps to get things moving and creates the internal conditions for us to settle and access a state of calm.鈥�

9. Do Some Karaoke

This was suggested by Acosta as a tongue-in-cheek alternative to screaming into a pillow, but it鈥檚 genius. Pick your favorite angry or energetic jam and belt it out, whether in your house, your car, or鈥攊f you have the guts鈥攁t an actual karaoke bar.

10. Punch a Pillow

For a safe, private physical release of tension, take your anger out on a pillow.

鈥淧hysically acting out frustration or anger can help release built-up tension in your muscles and nervous system,鈥� says Bacow, adding that a pillow is a safer target than walls, objects, or your fellow human beings. 鈥淏ottling up emotions can lead to greater stress and punching a pillow can be a way to acknowledge and express those feelings constructively.鈥�

11. Try Somatic Journaling

If you鈥檙e searching for a high-energy release, journaling is likely not in your running list of mindfulness activities. But when you鈥檙e ready to process some of the emotions swirling around inside you, somatic journaling, or writing that focuses on sensation rather than thought, may be a good choice.

鈥淭here is something cathartic about allowing words, emotions, and sensations to live on the pages of a journal rather than in my mind,鈥� says Kamau. She suggests journaling about your bodily sensations prior to an active practice and then again afterward, offering a few prompts below:

What sensations am I aware of in my body in this moment?

Where in my body am I holding tension or tightness?

What does it feel like?

What is my body trying to communicate to me through sensations and emotions?

12. Run Away

Okay, let鈥檚 be clear鈥攚e aren鈥檛 literally suggesting that you strive to escape the realities of the world. Rather, should you feel like a quick sprint down the block, our experts are in full support. Acosta swears by a quick run. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like hitting a reset button,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou move the energy through instead of letting it fester in your chest or gut.鈥�

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Can You Get the Same Gains Without Lifting to Failure? /health/training-performance/training-to-failure/ Mon, 19 May 2025 17:52:28 +0000 /?p=2704148 Can You Get the Same Gains Without Lifting to Failure?

According to new research, keeping two repetitions in reserve is almost as good as training to failure at the end of every set.

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Can You Get the Same Gains Without Lifting to Failure?

Failure is a big topic in the weight lifting world these days. When you鈥檙e doing an exercise, do you need to push each set to the point that you literally can鈥檛 complete one more rep? Old-school practical wisdom says yes. More recent scientific studies have suggested that training to failure isn鈥檛 necessary, and might actually be counterproductive because it takes such a big toll on both your muscles and your mind.

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, according to a in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise鈥攂ut the results lean toward the idea that failure isn鈥檛 necessary for most of us. The study finds that getting close to failure produces strength gains that are similar to going all the way. That said, training to failure does build a little more muscle mass at some locations. The results of the study also offer some useful clues for those of us seeking the biggest muscle gains from the least amount of time and effort in the gym鈥攏ot because we鈥檙e lazy, I hasten to add, but because we want to spend that time and effort in other ways.

Brad Schoenfeld and his colleagues at City University of New York (CUNY) Lehman College put 42 participants鈥�34 men and 8 women鈥攖hrough an eight-week full-body training program. One group was assigned to complete all their sets to failure while the other was instructed to always stop short of failure. The volunteers were all experienced lifters who had been hitting the gym at least three times a week for more than a year, which means there were no easy gains to be had. And the experimental lifting protocol called for just two workouts a week, with each workout consisting of just one set of nine different exercises. In total, each workout took about half an hour.

This idea of short, single-set workouts isn鈥檛 radical or new. Back in the 1970s, Arthur Jones, the inventor of Nautilus exercise machines, an approach that relied exclusively on single sets to failure. The problem is that pushing to true failure is no joke. It takes a lot of mental focus, and it also takes more time to recover. If your primary interest is another sport like running, you don鈥檛 necessarily want your legs to feel like lead the day after a strength workout. So it would be nice if it were possible to get most of the benefits of a hard workout while stopping short of true failure.

To test that theory, the approach Schoenfeld and his colleagues used is called 鈥渞epetitions in reserve.鈥� The subjects in the non-failure group were instructed to continue each set until they felt they had two repetitions in reserve, meaning that they would be able to squeeze out two more complete reps before failing on the subsequent one. It seems like a much more humane way to train鈥攁nd it also turned out to be fairly effective.

The most surprising result of the study is that both groups got measurably bigger and stronger even though they were working out less often than they were before the study period. That fits with a bunch of previous research on the 鈥�minimum effective dose鈥� for strength training. It doesn鈥檛 mean that half an hour, twice a week is sufficient to maximize your gains. But it does mean that those of us for whom strength training is mostly a means to some other end (like staying healthy, avoiding injury, or being able to carry a heavy pack) can make progress with a relatively modest investment of time.

As far as the efficacy of training to failure goes, there were a whole bunch of different outcomes in the study. The simplest were one-rep max in the bench press and squat, as measures of upper and lower body strength. To test explosive power, the researchers used a countermovement jump (CMJ), which simply involves squatting down then leaping as high as possible in a single motion. To test muscular endurance, they had the subjects complete as many reps as possible (AMRAP) on a leg-extension machine lifting 60 percent of their body weight.

Here’s听what the outcomes looked like for various measures of strength and muscle size听in the failure and reps-in-reserve (RIR) groups:
Strength increases were similar with and without failure, but power increased more when training to failure. (Illustration: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise)

The four tests of strength (bench press, squat, CMJ, and AMRAP) are at the bottom. The solid vertical line at 0.0 corresponds to no change after eight weeks of training. Both bench press and squat increased, with no significant difference between groups. For example, max squat increased by 13.2 percent on average in the failure group and 12.4 percent in the reps-in-reserve group. Same with muscular endurance (AMRAP). Power (CMJ), on the other hand, increased more in the group that trained to failure.

The picture was different for muscle size, which is shown in the upper part of the graph above. Researchers used ultrasound to measure various points along the mid and lateral quadriceps (MQ and LQ on the graph) as well as the biceps and triceps. In most (but not all) cases, training to failure produced bigger gains in mass鈥攚hich might be ideal if you鈥檙e working out for aesthetic reasons, but not necessarily if you鈥檙e training for a weight-to-strength ratio sport like cycling or climbing.

There鈥檚 a key caveat here, which is that estimating reps in reserve is an inexact art. To check how inexact it was, the researchers sometimes asked their subjects to keep going after they鈥檇 estimated they had two reps left. The estimates were fairly good and got better over the course of the eight-week study. But these were experienced lifters who had presumably experienced true failure many times before. For newbies, , it鈥檚 probably a good idea to do at least some training to failure so that you know what it feels like. Then, once you have a good internal benchmark, switch to a reps-in-reserve approach.

In some ways, this line of research reminds me of the current debate in the endurance world about Norwegian double-threshold training. The underlying premise of the Norwegian method is that hero workouts that leave you crumpled by the side of the track are counterproductive. Better to push hard enough to stimulate adaptation but not so hard that you can鈥檛 recover for the next workout. Those who hope to win bodybuilding competitions will undoubtedly鈥攁nd wisely鈥攌eep lifting to failure. On the other hand, for those who want muscle and strength but care more deeply about tomorrow鈥檚 run, keeping a rep or two in reserve sounds like a great plan.


For more Sweat Science, join me on and , sign up for the , and check out my new book .

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I Used Chat GPT to Meal Plan鈥擴ntil a Nutritionist Set Me Straight /health/nutrition/chatgpt-meal-planning/ Fri, 16 May 2025 09:20:29 +0000 /?p=2703204 I Used Chat GPT to Meal Plan鈥擴ntil a Nutritionist Set Me Straight

I asked ChatGPT to create a nutritious meal plan for one week. A nutritionist and AI expert said the meal plan was restrictive and unrealistic.

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I Used Chat GPT to Meal Plan鈥擴ntil a Nutritionist Set Me Straight

Up until now, I鈥檝e resisted using ChatGPT, mainly because I鈥檓 terrified I’ll love it too much and be even more addicted to my phone. Everyone around me swears by it, like my best friend who relies on it for healthy recipe ideas. She is among many using听听to plan weekly meals. You merely ask the bot to whip up a meal plan that caters to your dietary needs and budget, and within seconds, it delivers听a handful of recipe ideas along with a detailed grocery list.

Considering the right now (the cost of a dozen eggs is up 303 percent since 2019, and frozen orange juice has more than doubled), it makes sense that people are doing whatever they can to save. AI technology has its downsides, though. ChatGPT is known to , and we recently learned that it can have serious environmental consequences because of the unconscionable amounts of water it uses to keep its servers running efficiently. According to , sending the bot a 100-word message, roughly the length of this paragraph, uses approximately 17 ounces of water. For reference, that’s slightly more than the liquid volume in your favorite grande-sized Starbucks drink.

(Can you guess how many grandes it would take to input this entire article into ChatGPT? Look for the answer at the end.)

Aside from holding on to some money, people seem to really like ChatGPT鈥檚 meal recommendations. I eventually caved and decided to put the trend to the test to see how good of a nutritionist-slash-chef ChatGPT would really be.听I also interviewed a sports nutritionist and a biomedical data scientist with expertise in artificial intelligence to get their two cents.

Join me as I walk you through my week of following ChatGPT鈥檚 meal advice.

My Grocery Budget Is $125 Per Week. Here鈥檚 What the Bot Suggested I Make.

I have a grocery budget of $125 per week. I鈥檒l be feeding myself, my husband, and our very cute rescue dog Ollie, whom we already spoil with fresh, human-grade dog food. My husband eats pretty much anything, while I consume a strict gluten-free (GF) diet.

My ChatGPT Prompt and Answer

I typed the following prompt into ChatGPT to get my personalized grocery list:

I want a meal plan for a week filled with delicious and nutrient-dense, gluten-free recipes. Please provide meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Beverages like smoothies are also okay to include. I have a budget of $125 and can only purchase my ingredients from Trader Joe’s. Please show me the meal plan, separating it by day from Monday to Sunday, with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and one snack listed for each day. Add in treats for my dog Ollie. Then, please show me a list of all the specific grocery items I need to buy from Trader Joe’s, including the specific item name of each individual product, so I know exactly which items to look for. Please include the prices next to each item on the grocery list. Please include the actual item names from the Trader Joe’s store in my grocery list, but not in the meal plan itself.

Here’s the one-week meal plan ChatGPT recommended:

Monday

  • Breakfast: Greek yogurt with sliced banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon
  • Lunch: Quinoa salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and a lemon-tahini dressing
  • Dinner: Grilled chicken breast with roasted sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli
  • Snack: Apple slices with almond butter

Tuesday

  • Breakfast: Oatmeal topped with mixed berries and a drizzle of honey
  • Lunch: Leftover grilled chicken breast sliced over a bed of mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette
  • Dinner: Stir-fried shrimp with frozen stir-fry vegetables and cauliflower rice
  • Snack: Carrot sticks with hummus

Wednesday

  • Breakfast: Smoothie with spinach, frozen mango, chia seeds, and unsweetened almond milk
  • Lunch: Tuna salad (canned tuna, mayo, celery) served in lettuce wraps
  • Dinner: Beef and vegetable kebabs with a side of quinoa
  • Snack: Rice cakes with peanut butter

Thursday

  • Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with saut茅ed spinach and gluten-free toast
  • Lunch: Leftover beef and vegetable kebabs with a side salad
  • Dinner: Baked salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts and quinoa
  • Snack: Cucumber slices with guacamole

Friday

  • Breakfast: Chia pudding made with unsweetened almond milk, topped with sliced strawberries
  • Lunch: Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with cauliflower rice
  • Dinner: Grilled turkey burgers (no bun) with a side of roasted sweet potato fries
  • Snack: Mixed nuts

Saturday

  • Breakfast: Gluten-free pancakes topped with fresh blueberries and a drizzle of maple syrup
  • Lunch: Leftover turkey burger patty with a side salad
  • Dinner: Vegetable and chickpea curry served over quinoa
  • Snack: Greek yogurt with a handful of granola

Sunday

  • Breakfast: Smoothie bowl with blended a莽ai, banana, and almond milk, topped with granola and coconut flakes
  • Lunch: Leftover vegetable and chickpea curry
  • Dinner: Roast chicken with a side of steamed green beans and mashed sweet potatoes
  • Snack: Sliced pear with a handful of walnuts

At first glance, my resounding thought was:听I am going to be very hungry. The recipes seemed healthy, but left something to be desired (like carbs). I got over my initial skepticism and screenshotted the itemized grocery list the bot gave me. I drove to my local Trader Joe鈥檚 with a couple of reusable shopping bags in tow.

an itemized grocery list from ChatGPT
ChatGPT had assured me that I wouldn’t spend over $125. (Photo: Grocery list screenshots: Julia Ries; Collage; Ayana Underwood/Canva)

ChatGPT Left Out Many Items I Needed. I Went Over Budget.

A few of the recipes ChatGPT shared look similar to the meals and snacks my husband and I already eat鈥攍ike salmon and Brussels sprouts, smoothies, eggs, and toast鈥攁nd I was amped to add rice cakes and gluten-free pancakes to my diet. Plus, Ollie was wagging like crazy when I returned home with chicken jerky treats. But most ingredients鈥攍ike the cucumbers, a veggie I detest, and chia pudding, which I鈥檝e somehow never had鈥攄iffered from what鈥檚 typically on our weekly menu.

My trip to TJ’s, from start to finish, lasted an hour, mainly because I had never bought many of these items before and therefore had no idea where in the store they were located. The larger dilemma was that a handful of ingredients needed to make the meals ChatGPT suggested were not budgeted for or included in the grocery list the bot sent me.

For example, it suggested I eat toast with eggs for breakfast on Thursday morning, but didn鈥檛 tell me to buy bread. The same happened with sauce for the stir-fry, quinoa for the salad, and salmon dishes, almond milk for the chia pudding, guacamole, honey, and Greek yogurt for my snacks. It also lacked all the basic ingredients you need to cook (like olive oil or butter). And Brussels sprouts were listed twice on my shopping list.

What I鈥檓 trying to say is: ChatGPT鈥檚 meal plan and ingredient list were far from perfect. It was missing items needed to prep various recipes, prices were inaccurate, and two items (the pears and frozen a莽ai bowl) weren鈥檛 in stock. My receipt totaled $160鈥揳bout $35 over my desired budget. However, it would have been far higher had I bought all of the ingredients I needed, but weren鈥檛 included on the shopping list. Fortunately, I already had most of them at home.

A grocery store receipt alongside bags of groceries
ChatGPT led me to overspend. Bummer. (Photo: Julia Ries)

I Made ChatGPT’s Honey-Berry Oatmeal

Believe it or not, the recipe I was most excited to make was Tuesday鈥檚 breakfast: oatmeal topped with mixed berries and a drizzle of honey (that I subbed with maple syrup). I love a bowl of hot oats and fruit to start the day. It鈥檚 delicious and keeps me satiated until lunchtime.

A bowl of oatmeal with strawberries, chia seeds, nuts, and Greek yogurt
A hearty breakfast. (Photo: Julia Ries)

(Watch the video below for a behind-the-scenes look at me whipping this up in my kitchen.)

This Meal Plan Is Very Restrictive and Will Negatively Affect Athletic Performance, According to a Nutritionist

I was dying to know what a professional dietitian thought of ChatGPT鈥檚 food recs, so I hopped on a Zoom call with , a sports nutritionist. Her take? 鈥淚f you eat like this, you鈥檙e going to feel like shit.鈥�

I am a 36-year-old 5鈥�6鈥� female who weighs about 130 pounds. I鈥檓 physically active: I take Ollie on two hour-long strolls every day (like I said, spoiled) and I vigorously exercise (a jog, spin class, or hot yoga session) for about 30 to 45 minutes five days a week. I hike most weekends. According to Kleiner, I should be consuming roughly 1,950 calories every day to maintain my weight, with an average macronutrient distribution of 40% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 30% protein. But ChatGPT had me eating about 1,200 calories a day.

鈥淲hat ChatGPT gave you is the classic female restrictive dietary pattern,鈥� Kleiner says. I feel like this was especially true because the bot听saw the words 鈥済luten-free” in my prompt. ChatGPT crawls what鈥檚 promoted online, Kleiner says. “And so that鈥檚 what it draws from.鈥�

ChatGPT already听knew I was a woman, as I briefly used it earlier this year to craft a professional bio. Besides, the bulk of GF content out there is likely from women (women are more inclined to follow a GF diet than men, shows). It can be a pretty if you’re not careful. That’s what ChatGPT saw,听so that’s what I got.

If you eat like this, you鈥檙e going to feel like shit.

That鈥檚 not the only way the meal plan fell short. It didn鈥檛 provide enough veggies, dairy, and grains, Kleiner says, and if I adhered to it, I wouldn鈥檛 come close to meeting my daily vitamin and mineral needs.

The lack of protein, which plays a crucial role in repairing muscle and building strong bones, especially for women, alarmed her. And I鈥檇 probably wind up constipated since I鈥檇 be ingesting too little fiber. That might also wreck my microbiome and set off a cascade of inflammation in my body, says Kleiner. She says I probably wouldn鈥檛 sleep well because I鈥檇 be so underfed. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e setting yourself up for failure on a diet like this.鈥�

As such, she noted that I could also expect my athletic performance to suffer. I likely won鈥檛 have enough energy to get out the door. Even if I do, she explains that I won鈥檛 have enough fuel in my body to reach a high enough intensity to reap the benefits of my workouts. I asked what my recovery would look like on this diet. Her response?

鈥淵ou won鈥檛 recover.鈥�

Which Is Better: a Nutritionist or ChatGPT?

According to Kleiner, while tempting, this trend highlights why working with a (human) professional is so important. They can assess your overall health and activity levels to craft tailored meal plans that will help you hit your athletic goals, prevent chronic diseases, and be a happier, healthier person overall.

It鈥檚 not a human, it鈥檚 a robot spitting out words.

The bot doesn鈥檛 think critically about what I, Julia, need to eat. As , the faculty director for medical education in artificial intelligence at Stanford Medicine, says, ChatGPT basically reads the Internet and then copies and pastes whatever it finds (hence the 1,200-calorie diet). Chen says AI is pretty good at answering simple, straightforward questions, but also makes things up and pulls false information from the Internet.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not a human, it鈥檚 a robot spitting out words,鈥� he shares. When I asked if he鈥檇 ever recommend it for meal planning, he said he wouldn鈥檛 use it for medical advice, in general. 鈥淒on鈥檛 plan your health around it,鈥� he says.

Will I Use ChatGPT to Meal Plan Again?

The truth: probably not. I want my food to energize me so I can work, exercise, care for Ollie, read, and hang out with my family and friends. ChatGPT鈥檚 plan just won鈥檛 fuel me properly. Besides, spending an hour at the grocery store shopping for ingredients I wasn鈥檛 entirely jazzed about wasn鈥檛 exactly my most efficient trip to Trader Joe’s.

That said, the bot did provide a good jumping-off point. For example, I鈥檓 a big fan of turkey burgers and sweet potato fries (my suggested Friday dinner), but I also want recipes that are more nutritious (and creative) than breadless patties with fries. So, I might use the bot to shop for base ingredients, but then I鈥檒l add my own touches to create a meal I鈥檓 excited about. This is where AI and tools like ChatGPT shine, Chen tells me. For example, these are the tweaks I’d make to the turkey burger meal: turkey burgers (with gluten-free buns, cheese, avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes), sweet potato fries (with ketchup), and a side salad with veggies and green goddess dressing.

Kleiner says the oatmeal breakfast is a fine start, but it would be excellent if I added nuts or seeds plus a dab of Greek yogurt鈥攁s you can see, I followed this advice.

AI models can generate ideas you may not have thought of (like pears paired with walnuts), but it鈥檚 always smart to flesh them out or validate their advice with reliable, trusted sources such as nutritionists or dietitians.

鈥淯se it to brainstorm,鈥� Chen said. But that’s it.

(As for the answer to that trivia above: 22 grande-sized drinks. That’s how much water it would take to input this article into ChatGPT. Yikes.)

Want more of听国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Health stories?听.

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A 7-Move Dynamic Stretching Routine to Loosen Your Upper Body /health/training-performance/dynamic-upper-body-stretches/ Wed, 14 May 2025 09:37:40 +0000 /?p=2703641 A 7-Move Dynamic Stretching Routine to Loosen Your Upper Body

A physical therapist shares a seven-move dynamic stretching routine to warm up your muscles before your next upper body workout

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A 7-Move Dynamic Stretching Routine to Loosen Your Upper Body

If your typical gym session warm-up begins and ends with a casual five-minute jog on the treadmill, you may be short-changing the impact of your workout. To enhance your performance and prepare your body for the movements ahead, add dynamic upper body stretching to your warm-up routine.

Dynamic Stretching Primes Your Muscles Before a Workout

During dynamic stretching, you take a muscle and joint through its full range of motion, mimicking the exercises you鈥檙e about to do, explained , a physical therapist and spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association, based in San Francisco. So if your strength session is going to include barbell or dumbbell rows, for example, you might warm up with a set of rows using a light elastic band, moving the same muscles and joints but at a lower level of intensity. To prepare for a day of kayaking, you might include some wrist rotations and shoulder rolls. Scapular protractions and retractions鈥攚hen you bring your shoulder blades forward and away from the spine and pull your shoulder blades backward and toward the spine, respectively鈥攜ou can get your shoulders ready for reaching, grabbing, and pulling on climbing holds.

鈥淵ou’re priming all those muscles and joints that are about to play a role in your workout,鈥� Malek says.

Unlike static stretching (when you get into a stretch and hold it for 30 to 60 seconds), dynamic stretching gets your muscles and joints warmed up by revving your heart rate and increasing blood flow to the area, says Malek. There鈥檚 a neuromuscular element too, she says, in which you鈥檙e also improving your coordination, proprioception (your body鈥檚 ability to sense its place and movement in space), and control.

The key is to keep moving throughout the stretch rather than holding in place. Fluid motions have been shown to improve performance in your main workout by . Doing dynamic stretching prior to a workout has been shown to during that activity and decrease the risk of exercise-related injury.

Before your next workout, try spending a few minutes priming your muscles for movement with dynamic stretches specific to your sport. 鈥淭hat would get you the most bang for your buck,鈥� says Malek.

Here are seven stretches that, done together, will work all the joints and most of the upper body muscles..

7 Dynamic Stretches to Prepare for Your Upper Body Workout

Before any upper-body-focused workout, Malek suggests doing dynamic stretches that target the arms and shoulders, the thoracic, cervical, and lumbar spine, and your core.

If you do two sets and ten reps for each movement, this routine should take you about 15 minutes to complete.

1. Arm Circles

Muscles and joints worked: shoulders (anterior and posterior deltoids), traps, rotator cuff, shoulder joint

  • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
  • Open your arms out to your sides and begin to rotate them in small circles forward, keeping your arms relatively straight (you can have a soft bend in your elbows)
  • Continue to make your circles larger until you鈥檝e reached your end range of motion
  • Reverse the circles, starting small and getting bigger as you go

2. Banded Upright Row

Muscles and joints worked: shoulders (anterior and posterior deltoids), traps, rhomboids, biceps, shoulder, and elbow joints

  • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
  • Loop a in a light weight under both feet and hold the opposite end in your hands (your hands should be slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart, and your knuckles should be facing forward)
  • Keeping your torso upright, pull up on the band, drawing your elbows high up towards your ears. Pause when the band meets your chin.
  • Slowly lower your arms down. Repeat.

3. Plank Scapular Protraction/Retraction

Muscles and joints worked: core muscles, pecs, lats, traps, rhomboids, serratus anterior, shoulder joints

  • Begin in a straight-arm plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders (avoid raising your hips or allowing them to dip down, causing an arch in your back)
  • While pressing your hands into the floor, squeeze your shoulder blades together, then push them away (the only part of your body that should be in motion is your shoulder blades)

FYI: If a full plank is too challenging, you can drop your knees to the floor .

4. Standing Open-Book Wall Rotations

Muscles and joints worked: shoulders (anterior and posterior deltoids), shoulder joint; cervical, lumbar, and thoracic spine

  • Begin by standing sideways to a wall
  • Take a small step back with the foot closest to the wall
  • Raise both arms up in front of you and bring your palms together at chest height (the back of your hand closest to the wall should be in contact with the wall)
  • Begin to reach your outside arm away from your opposite hand, opening up as wide as you can, rotating your torso as you open up
  • Follow your moving hand with your head and your gaze

5. Thread the Needle

Muscles and joints worked: core muscles, thoracic spine, shoulder joint, and elbow joints

  • Begin on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders
  • Lift your left hand from the floor and reach your left arm underneath your right, with the back of your left hand gliding along the floor
  • Your left elbow will bend as you reach, and your right elbow will bend as well as you continue to reach across the floor. Allow your head to twist to the right.
  • Try to keep your hips still throughout the movement, keeping the motion contained to your torso and arms
  • Slowly slide your left arm back to the starting position
  • You can repeat all repetitions on one side before stretching the other side, or you can switch sides with each repetition

6. Dynamic Chest Opener

Muscles and joints worked: pectorals, shoulders (anterior and posterior deltoids), shoulder joint

  • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
  • Bring your palms together with your arms straight at chest height
  • Open your arms as wide as possible out to the sides, then bring them back together in the center

7. Wrist Rotations

Muscles and joints worked: wrists

  • Sit or stand in a comfortable position
  • You can extend your arms or keep your elbows bent at your sides
  • Rotate your wrists outwards in slow circles
  • Then rotate them inwards in slow circles

Want more of 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Health stories? .

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Extend Your Athleticspan. Here鈥檚 How. /health/wellness/extend-your-athleticspan-heres-how/ Fri, 09 May 2025 11:08:23 +0000 /?p=2701934 Extend Your Athleticspan. Here鈥檚 How.

Eternal鈥檚 sports-minded health care program keeps members active and healthy longer

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Extend Your Athleticspan. Here鈥檚 How.

The only problem with all the active pursuits you love? You know you can鈥檛 do them forever. But what if you could do them longer and maintain a higher level of performance now and for years to come?

Enter . The company is reimagining health care for people who care about staying active, bringing the kind of obsessive, athlete-focused attention the pros get to the rest of us. It鈥檚 a radical new approach, and it鈥檚 changing the equation when it comes to aging and athletic performance. As the company鈥檚 chief medical officer, Dr. Desmond Wilson, puts it, 鈥淚 want you to be able to do what you love in some form for the rest of your life.鈥�

Created for people who can't imagine a life without being active, Eternal helps you build a holistic strategy for your fitness, health, and aging goals.
Created for people who can’t imagine a life without being active, Eternal helps you build a holistic strategy for your fitness, health, and aging goals. (Photo: Eternal)

What Makes Eternal Unique

Extending your 鈥渁thleticspan鈥� requires a new, high-performance health care program unlike anything seen before. Here鈥檚 how it works.

Comprehensive Tests

The diagnostics go way beyond the basic blood labs and assess for whole-body, sport-specific fitness. Doctors look at more than 195 biomarkers related to health and athletic performance, including hormone levels, bone density, blood sugar, and body mass. There are tests for VO2 max and lactate threshold, a DEXA scan for body composition, and sport-specific strength, power, mobility, and stability tasks. 鈥淚 had never undergone such an extensive workup,鈥� says a runner who joined Eternal in the fall of 2024.

Expert Team

Eternal assembles an integrated team of advisers and practitioners that might include doctors and experts in performance medicine, nutrition, behavioral health, sleep, coaching, and women鈥檚 health. And these experts actually talk to each other, so the whole team is evaluating your situation. That means, for example, the trainer who is considering your joint pain is talking to the doc reviewing the endocrinology results. And the term 鈥渆xperts鈥� is not used loosely. Member advisers include high-caliber specialists like female physiologist and nutrition scientist Stacy Sims and Golden State Warriors vice president of player health and performance Dr. Rick Celebrini, PhD.

Eternal
Whether you鈥檙e an elite or lifestyle athlete, Eternal maximizes your health, challenges your performance edges, and discovers areas of intervention that typical healthcare providers don鈥檛 address. (Photo: Eternal)

Personalized Plan

Everything is designed to address your particular needs and real-life changes. Injuries to manage? A race coming up? Hormonal shifts in perimenopause? Whatever your goals, from completing a fun run to winning a century ride, your team takes it all into account to form a complete picture. 鈥淲e take in all this data in the context of you as an athlete and a person and where you are in life, then we come up with strategic priorities,鈥� says Wilson, an internal medicine physician and dedicated trail runner himself.

The Member Experience

For the past 25 years, Kim Gaylord and her husband have built their summers around trail running. For six weeks, they drive their camper van from their Northern California home to their favorite trails across the West, from the Sierra Nevada to the Rockies. 鈥淭hose are the happiest times,鈥� says Gaylord, 54, who runs every week, year-round. 鈥淚 want to continue having an active, healthy lifestyle, to be able to still go on these van trips, running up mountains.鈥�

But as she鈥檚 entered her sixth decade, the former competitive ski racer has faced new struggles, from symptoms of menopause to waning energy. Gaylord鈥檚 primary care doctor didn鈥檛 help. 鈥淭he general health system is extremely frustrating,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou tell your doctor that you鈥檙e a runner, and they think it鈥檚 too extreme.鈥� She needed a support system that understood running isn鈥檛 just a hobby, but a key piece of her identity.

Eternal
With Eternal you get extensive diagnostics, an elite team of experts to make sense of it all, and a guided plan that reflects the life you want to live. (Photo: Eternal)

That鈥檚 when Gaylord decided to try Eternal. Like all members, Gaylord started with a thorough in-person physical assessment. Then her personalized care team convened to crunch the numbers and build a personalized blueprint encompassing training, nutrition, sleep, behavioral science, medicine, and more.

For example, Gaylord鈥檚 results showed her aerobic fitness markers were excellent, but she lacked the strength and durability she鈥檇 need to maintain her trail running for the long haul. Knowing Gaylord鈥檚 aversion to working out in a gym, her care team designed an at-home routine tailored to her weak areas. 鈥淭hey listened to me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 doing a very personalized strength workout for me.鈥�

Ongoing Support

That initial blueprint is just the start. Through regular video check-ins with doctors and coaches, members stay accountable and fine-tune their programs. Experts are available for consultation anytime. At six months, members repeat biomarker and performance tests to measure improvement and update their action plans.

Eternal is reimagining healthcare for people who care about staying active, bringing the kind of obsessive, athlete-focused attention the pros get to the rest of us.
Eternal is reimagining healthcare for people who care about staying active, bringing the kind of obsessive, athlete-focused attention the pros get to the rest of us. (Photo: Eternal)

This kind of personal attention might feel like it belongs only to the realm of elite or professional athletes, but Eternal caters to anyone who values an active, healthy lifestyle. Current members鈥� goals run the gamut from getting on the podium at an ultramarathon to simply extending the pleasure of hiking. One member hopes to beat his 5K personal record from a decade ago; another was recently diagnosed with Lyme disease and wants to continue running while managing her condition. Eternal also helps people going through physiological changes, like women who want to ease perimenopausal symptoms.

鈥淵ou can come to us in any form,鈥� Wilson says. 鈥淵ou do not need to be a professional or ex-college athlete. You just have to be somebody who鈥檚 passionate about staying active and we will support you.鈥�


Founded by Alex Mather, co-founder of The Athletic and a founding member of Strava鈥檚 product and design team, Eternal is dedicated to extending the 鈥渁thleticspan鈥� and performance of passionate athletes, from lifestyle to elite. By combining cutting-edge diagnostics, expert coaching, and personalized concierge care, Eternal empowers people to stay healthy and active for life. Eternal is now accepting members and has locations in San Francisco and New York. To learn more and join the waitlist, visit.

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This App Wants You to Touch Grass鈥擫iterally /health/wellness/touch-grass-app/ Fri, 09 May 2025 09:33:18 +0000 /?p=2702880 This App Wants You to Touch Grass鈥擫iterally

'Touch Grass' blocks your most addictive apps until you go outside and physically touch some grass

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This App Wants You to Touch Grass鈥擫iterally

We should all be spending more time outside and offline鈥攐r, in contemporary terms, . The slang phrase emerged (somewhat ironically) on social media in recent years as a means of letting someone know they need to unplug and reconnect with the real world. Now, there鈥檚 an app for that.

Studies that time spent in nature can boost your mood and overall sense of well-being while lowering stress levels, , and attention span. In short, the best way to counter the effects of your screens is to step away from them and into the world.

is a fairly straightforward way to ditch your phone, laptop, or Netflix queue for a bit of fresh air. The app encourages users to physically step outside, find a patch of grass to touch, and maybe even enjoy a walk, the elements, or some blend of the above. And, so far, we’re a fan; Emma Veidt, editor of our sister publication听Backpacker, has used the app for months. “It has genuinely improved my doomscrolling,” she says. (She also ranked it among her she’s used this spring.)听 So, I decided to give it a try for myself.

How Does the ‘Touch Grass’ App Work?

Touch Grass is sort of like a digital lock box for your phone, or at least your most distracting apps. The impetus to trade a few moments scrolling for a quick jaunt outside comes as soon as you open the app (currently available for download via the Apple App Store exclusively)听or visit its eponymous website. As a welcome, prompts calculate your daily screen time, which, if you’re anything like me, is a chilling stat to have thrown in your face.

According to , excessive screen time is linked to higher levels of depression and anxiety, not to mention eye, neck, and shoulder strain鈥攁ptly called “tech neck”. Studies have also to substance use disorders and early-onset dementia.

Per the app’s calculator, at my current rate, I am likely to spend 2,007 hours, or 83 days, online this year. That鈥檚 nine years over a lifetime.

Clearly, I need to go touch grass.

After a few introductory lines about the perils of spending your day staring at screens, the app links up to Apple Screen Time for stats (your daily screen time is listed on your profile). It then requests that you grant both camera (for the grass touching part) and location access (allowing you to set your app limits to align with sunrise and sunset). Finally, the app听asks you to set a goal; options include things like 鈥淐onnect with People鈥� and 鈥淏e More Present.鈥�

Next, you can select up to two apps鈥攎ore, even entire categories like 鈥済ames,鈥� if you upgrade for $5.99/month or $49.99 annually鈥攖o block until you physically go outside and听touch grass.

Blocking Addictive Apps

Block options include 鈥渜uick break,鈥� which can be adjusted from 15 to 60 minutes, and 鈥渕edium break,鈥� from 30 to 120 minutes, along with 鈥渟mart break,鈥� which uses sunrise and sunset times to block based on time of day. 鈥淩est of day鈥� blocks your chosen apps until midnight. You can toggle between block options and disable the more intimidating ones鈥攊t鈥檚 all very choose-your-own-adventure.

Once an app is blocked, you鈥檒l notice that the icon looks faded out鈥�the way an icon looks when it’s not finished downloading to your phone. A tiny hourglass symbol听on said icon also indicates its blocked status.

Get 国产吃瓜黑料

When you attempt to open the app, Touch Grass prompts you to head outside and put your hand in the green stuff. Once the in-app camera verifies that you have, in fact, touched grass, you will have access to your app for your designated amount of time and are free to re-block when you鈥檙e done.

What Happens If You Can鈥檛 Touch Grass?

This was one of my biggest questions, and since the app dedicates a slide to it during the app’s set-up process, I am obviously听not alone.

You Have to Pay to *Not* Touch Grass

A 鈥渟kip鈥� option allows you to bypass the grass mandate, but there鈥檚 a catch鈥攜ou only get one skip for free. After that, skips cost whatever price you鈥檙e willing to pay between $0.99 and $9.99.

If you鈥檙e wondering why you would choose to fork over money, it may help to know that 50 percent听of Touch Grass鈥� revenue goes to planting trees and various rewilding charities in the UK.

My Experience Using 鈥楾ouch Grass鈥�

touch grass app
The author using the Touch Grass app. (Photo: Touch Grass; Calin Van Paris, Canva)

While I would love to block all social media for hours at a time, my profession dictates that I stay relatively plugged in. While I鈥檇 like to blame my screen addiction听on my day job, time spent using Touch Grass reveals that my social media habit is a personal problem.

Getting started with Touch Grass gave me instant anxiety. The unease that comes with blocking a well-used app (in my case, Instagram) for any amount of time, even while in full control of the choice, is definitely a sign of a greater problem. As I select Instagram as my to-be-blocked app, I am struck by an irrational fear that I will never be able to access it again.

What if something glitches and I鈥檓 locked out forever?

This does not happen. Instead, the small hourglass that appears on the now-faded Insta icon serves as a visual reminder that that mindless scroll is currently off limits. Though subtle, these visual cues are effective, deterring me from several unnecessary scrolls throughout the day.

Once my late afternoon slump hits, I convince myself that I’ve earned some Instagram brain rot. I tap the app, acknowledge Touch Grass’ pop-up, and head into my backyard to find some grass. I touch it, the app scans the photo, and Insta is unlocked. But then I notice the lilac tree blooming overhead, and I smell those blossoms instead of scrolling. I tilt my head up to feel the sun on my face. I stand outside for 20 minutes, listening and breathing and noticing.

I don’t scroll through Instagram; when prompted, I ditch my “short break” settings to “smart break.” I don’t make it until sunset, but the intention was there. Baby steps.

Want more of听国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Health stories?听.

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