Women's Health July - August 2014

Find the Perfect Fit I used to think that being “into fitness” meant I had to like— and excel at— every workout I tried. And over the years, I’ve indulged in a smorgasbord of shape-up endeavors with varying degrees of success. Some left me energized and inspired (strength training! Pilates! stand-up paddleboarding!). Others left me demoralized or, worse, injured (running! surfing! boot camp!). To be sure, working out is not a one-stylefits-all proposition. Not every workout is suited to, or even safe for, everyone. Seems logical, but when you hear a friend swear up and down that Zumba melted the fat off her body in record time, you wonder if that’s finally what’s going to do it for you, too. But if dance fitness is not your thing because it…

Birchbox + WH = Killer Beauty Loot! We’ve teamed up with Birchbox— a beauty e-commerce company that sends tailored beauty samples to your home for $10 a month— to curate a special box! Inside, you’ll find awesome primping products that easily upgrade your look (your box may include picks from Benefit Cosmetics, Dr. Brandt, Caudalie, Miss Jessie’s, and more!)— plus a booklet of our confidencebuilding challenges. Skip the waiting list and get theWHbox as your first shipment— plus a special code for an extra $10 (100 Birchbox points) to spend— when you sign up for a subscription at birchbox.com/womenshealth by July 15. Sweat with Us When you’ve hit a humpday slump, check out a new fitness routine every Wednesday afternoon on our site’s home page. Just look for the badge…

We have the answers! Q What’s the final word: Does lifting heavier weights make you bulk up? — Taylor, Doylestown, PA It can build definition and strength more quickly than lifting light weights. But will it turn you into the Hulk? Not possible. “Most women don’t physically bulk up through strength training alone, since they have less testosterone and often don’t respond as quickly to weight training as men do,” says Mike Bracko, Ed.D., an exercise physiologist in Calgary, Alberta. “The average woman would probably have to train for four hours a day and make drastic diet changes to get really big muscles.” The flattering, toned muscle youare building will also help you stay strong for years to come. “When you lift heavier weights, your muscles pull on your tendons,…

FERTILITY FRAGILITY Yet another reason stress sucks: It can throw a wrench in your baby-making plans. Women with the highest levels of alpha-amylase— an enzyme that’s found in saliva when you’re stressed— were 29 percent less likely to get pregnant, compared with the least frazzled women, reports a new Human Reproduction study. Stress may affect an egg’s ability to move through the fallopian tube, or it may interfere with implantation in the uterus, says study author Courtney Lynch, Ph.D. The Latest News on Health, Sex, Nutrition, Beauty, and Fitness THIS JUST IN Dye…Another Day At-home hair color is traditionally a one-application product. But the new L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Mousse Absolue ($15, at drugstores) dispenses developer and dye from two separate chambers. This means they mix when you pump out…

CANINE CAL BURNER Enlist your pooch to help you get rid of your pooch! These playtime tweaks from JT Clough, author of 5K Training Guide— Running with Dogs, will get you and your pup frying fat together. 1 FETCH Become a moving target: Instead of standing in one place after you throw the ball, jog or walk in another direction and let your dog meet you there. 2 FRISBEE After each disk throw, hit the grass and do as many pushups as you can until your dog returns. (If you notice your form breaking, switch to kneeling pushups.) 3 WALK Whether your daily leash time takes you down the sidewalk or to the park, mix in at least three sets of 10 walking lunges— it burns more calories than just…

GO THE DISTANCE Which states’ residents last longest in bed— and which finish first? Spreadsheets, a new app, compiled users’ sex-stamina stats and found the following: THE LONGEST New Mexico 7:01 minutes/seconds West Virginia 5:38 minutes/seconds Idaho 5:11 minutes/seconds South Carolina 4:48 minutes/seconds THE SHORTEST Alaska 1:21 minutes/seconds South Dakota 1:30 minutes/seconds Vermont 1:48 minutes/seconds Montana 2:03 minutes/seconds THIS JUST IN Big-O News When it comes to climaxing, the size and location of your clitoris may matter, reports a new study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Researchers found that women who were less likely to orgasm during any sexual activity had smaller hot buttons that were located five to six millimeters farther above the vaginal opening than those who orgasmed easily. Have your partner home in: Hitting the right…