A Day in the Life of Hint Founder and CEO Kara Goldin

Everything You Need To Know About Stretching During A Workout

1. Why to Stretch: It’s not just for gym rats. According to Tipps, all of us, no matter how athletically inclined, should be incorporating stretching into our schedules.

“Many people ignore stretching when working out or just as a daily routine,” she says. “Stretching has an array of health benefits that serve as building blocks for longevity and physical well-being.”

Stretching increases flexibility, which improves range of motion in addition to improving workouts, and it delays the effects of atrophy later in life. It also aids posture and relieves stress. In terms of exercising, stretching has advantages both pre- and post-workout.

“Stretching increases blood flow to the muscles and improves your circulation,” explains Tipps. Because of this, failing to stretch beforehand can result in injury, and neglecting to do it afterward can lead to enhanced soreness and a longer recovery period. You’re also making yourself more susceptible to pain, inflammation, and tension in general, Tipps warns.

2. When to Stretch: Most people are at least vaguely aware of the benefits of stretching, but a lot of confusion surrounds when to actually do it during a workout. Contrary to popular belief, the heavy-duty stretching should be reserved for when you’ve finished exercising.

“After your workout is a better time to stretch with more dedication,” Tipps confirms. “Your muscles are tense, and they are tired and stressed in a good way. So stretching can help relieve that tension and reduce the soreness that results from working a muscle.”

Allot 10-15 minutes for these post-sweat stretches. Before your workout, simply stretch lightly, keeping the time to less than 10 minutes.

“Ease your muscles into the idea that you will be challenging them to perform,” Tipps instructs.

3. What to Stretch: Both of these stretch seshes should always address your arms, legs, and back, regardless of what areas that workout focuses on.

“There are different parts to each of these areas, so concentrate on those that your workout calls for that day, but don’t neglect everything else altogether either,” advises Tipps. “Remember, a lot of workout routines include compound exercises, which are multi-joint movements that work several muscles at one time.”

Although stretching might initially seem like yet another chore to add to your to-do list, its benefits are invaluable enough to no longer ignore. As Tipps encourages, “Stretch regularly, and over time you will reap the benefits and maintain your mobility.”

How do you stretch when working out?

There are quite a few stretches you can do when working out depending on what your body needs. No matter what you end up going with, remember not to force it — stretching should, well, stretch your muscles, but it shouldn't be painful! Check out these Pro Tips To Reach Your 2024 Fitness Goals, The Best At-Home Workouts, and 9 Easy Stretches You Can Do To Exercise At Your Desk for more ideas!

Is it better to stretch during or after a workout?

Nichole Tipps recommends saving your more intense stretches for after a workout. But don't be afraid to do a few easy stretches beforehand!

What is scrappy cooking?

"Scrappy Cooking is the concept of transforming the world’s most commonly wasted foods into delicious recipes — and starting is as easy as chopping up a broccoli stem into a stir-fry," she tells me over email. "Seriously, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Look at the plants you have that you bring into your home every week, and see if there are ways to repurpose them."

With the help of Carleigh's Instagram page, I turned some broccoli stems into French fries and used up the last of my peanut butter for a noodle salad sauce. If you want to turn your groceries into a one-of-a-kind meal but aren't sure where to start, Carleigh recommends looking at every single aspect of the plant.

"Whenever I bring a plant into my home, I think about what part of the plant is discarded, and then I research whether or not it’s safe to consume (this part is important)!" she says. "Once I identify it’s edible, that’s where the fun begins. A great example of this is something like celery, which I buy often. I was discarding the celery leaves for years, only to find out they taste almost exactly like parsley and make a great base for a tabouleh style salad."

Is PlantYou vegan?

Yes, a lot of PlantYou's recipes are vegan, and they're all plant-based! Some of Carleigh's favorite recipes include mocha chocolate granola with spent coffee grounds, "chips" made out of beet greens, and pickle juice as a marinade (which is something I learned Chick-Fil-A does!). These recipes might sound intimidating or time-consuming, but that's exactly why Carleigh's PlantYou social media exists.

I can speak from experience that the videos are easy to both understand and put into practice. (Plus, the recipes are super versatile, because "when you’re cooking with just plants, if you screw something up, you can almost always fix it!"). But there are a few steps that always make these scrappy processes easier.

"The low hanging fruit to reducing food waste in your kitchen actually starts before you grocery shop," Carleigh says. "I always recommend people sit down for an hour one day a week, and make a really basic meal plan, outlining what they plan to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then, before they head to the store, shop their fridge and pantry to avoid duplicate buying. Now it’s time to compile a shopping list, and only buy what you have a plan for! Done right, this will take care of 80 percent of your food waste."

What can I buy to save money on food?

In addition to meal prepping (check out our favorite apps to reduce food waste, too!), the PlantYou chef + author recommends having a few recipes that use up a bunch of ingredients in one go. "It’s really important to lean on staple recipes that allow you to 'clean out the fridge,' which is really what my new Scrappy cookbook is about," Carleigh Bodrug says. "I wanted to arm people with great base recipes (like stews, curries and stir fries), where they can interchange the vegetables and produce items they have on hand every week to reduce waste and save money."

"By using up leftovers, repurposing ingredients, and being more mindful about the food you’re bringing into your home, you'll notice a decrease in your grocery bill," she continues. "The average American family of four wastes over $1700 worth of groceries per year — which is like a phone bill every month! Not only does being Scrappy benefit your wallet, but it also feels great knowing you're making healthier choices and contributing to a more sustainable planet."

Okay, so you know what you want to eat, and you've budgeted for groceries, what now? "I look for ingredients that are versatile and can be used in multiple recipes to minimize waste," Carleigh says. "Quality, longevity, and sustainability are key factors in my purchasing decisions."

What is the proper way to store food?

After you've whipped up recipes like the Fiesta Fries below, it's important to store them properly to ensure they're fresh for as long as possible. "Use quality food storage and meal prep containers, and keep fruits and vegetables separate to prevent them from spoiling," Carleigh tells me. "Different types of food will require different conditions for optimum long-term storage. This applies to fresh produce, as well as dry and canned foods."

We all have days we don't want to cook (PlantYou's Carleigh Bodrug included), which is the perfect opportunity to support a local business. "On days when I don't feel like cooking, I usually rely on quick and easy options like smoothie bombs from my freezer, which are in my new cookbook," she says. "I also often have homemade soup ready to go that I’ve made in advance or have frozen in the freezer. Sometimes, my husband and I opt for ordering in from local restaurants in our small town in Ontario, especially on Friday nights after a long work week. It's a convenient way to support our favorite vegan small businesses while enjoying a hassle-free meal."

PlantYou's Fiesta Fries — Delicious Loaded Fries You Can Make Today!

Ingredients:

• 6 medium-size Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced to desired size, around 1/2 to 3/4 inch recommended
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 cups Vegan Ground Beef or your favorite vegan ground beef substitute
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, pinto beans, or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 yellow or red onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water or extra-virgin olive oil

Suggested Toppings:

• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced Handful of fresh cilantro (optional)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup Sunflower Cream Sauce

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F, and line a baking sheet with a reusable baking mat or parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, combine the sliced potatoes with the garlic powder and salt and toss until coated.
3. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and roast for 35 minutes, or until crispy, flipping halfway through.
4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine the ground “beef” with the black beans, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and the water. Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the onion starts to turn translucent.
5. Assemble on a serving platter with the fries on the bottom, topped with the ground beef mixture and your desired toppings.

Excerpted from PlantYou: Scrappy Cooking: 140+ Plant-Based Zero-Waste Recipes That Are Good for You, Your Wallet, and the Planet by Carleigh Bodrug. Copyright © 2024. Available from Hachette Go, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Giselle Go, Cofounder of DAMDAM

The former editor in chief of Harper's Bazaar Singapore (the youngest to hold the title at just 26) turned skincare entrepreneur is Philippine-born and sought to build a clean skincare brand as an ode to the Japanese culture she loved and respected so deeply. Enter DAMDAM, a brand dedicated to preserving ancient Japanese beauty regimens, such as "osoji" and "mochi had," heritage Japanese beauty ingredients like the Shiso Plant and Komenuka Oil, and a team of partners and vendors that collaborate with the brand by creating hand-crafted atelier and preserve Japanese land through regenerative farming practices. The brand is a 5-star best seller on Sephora and one that's hoping to inspire more people to partake in minimalist routines that place an emphasis on mindfulness.

Yanghee Paik, CEO and co-founder of Rael

“I like to call myself an accidental entrepreneur," says Yanghee Paik, a former Hollywood exec who co-founded Rael feminine care products. "I was looking for new inspiration and ways to make a bigger impact on people’s lives when I met my other co-founders.” Together, they saw an opportunity to bring safe and effective technology of Korean feminine care products to the U.S. market. Rael’s first organic cotton pads launched in 2017 and became #1 best-selling pad on Amazon. All Rael period care products are developed without toxins and are hypoallergenic, soft, and breathable. The packaging is also something you don't mind leaving on your countertop.;)

Dev Heyrana, Fine Artist and Hip Hop Dance Teacher

Heyrana's particular brand of creativity is one-of-a-kind. She manages to be warm, welcoming and woke, with a focus on inclusivity, social justice and motherhood that comes through in every piece of art she creates. Born in The Philippines and immigrated to the U.S. when she was 9 years old, her family comes from the island of Cebu. "I'm a proud Cebuana. My childhood in the Philippines felt like freedom. I had my swimsuit in my backpack for whenever we decided to swim and I biked everywhere." But immigrating wasn't easy as a child. "I witnessed racism towards my family and didn't know how to make sense of it," she told us in our Creative Crushin' series."These events left a mark. I was a quiet kid and observed everything and everyone around me. I think about my grandparents, Lolo Jose and Lola Rita, a lot as I walk through life. When I make decisions. As hard as it feels, you have two choices, do you let it take you down or take it one step at a time forward. I kept going and it really shaped me as to why I am the way I am today."

Trisha Okubo, Founder of Maison Miru

Trisha Okubo (pictured center) started out as a Stanford engineer but always had a passion for fashion, sculpture and architecture. She discovered the magic of making jewelry, intersecting form and function, art and science, order and chaos. "It’s wearable sculpture, a thing of beauty that captures your magic: your experiences and memories of the people you love," she says. "Miru in its native Japanese is evocative of sight. It is a reminder to open your eyes, to see the world in a new way." Maison Miru is launching its limited edition jewelry collection today, in collaboration with Heart of Dinner, a non-profit organization that provides hot meals for the most vulnerable Asian elderly community around Manhattan's Chinatown area, in honor of AAPI Heritage Month. The Heart of Dinner System Kit features three styles curated by Heart of Dinner founders Yin Chang and Moonlynn Tsai (pictured left and right). Made to be waterproof, sweatproof, and life-proof, the kit will include the Classic Heart Nap Earrings, Shooting Star Open Hoops, and Classic Arc Ear Cuff. 20% of the proceeds from the kit will be donated to Heart of Dinner.

Lin Chen, Founder of Pink Moon

A Brit + Co Self Care Award winner, Pink Moon is an online shop where you can find eco self-care, wellness, and lifestyle brands, with more than 30 percent of them being founded by women of color. When launching Pink Moon's in-house collection, Lin made the decision to create it as an open love letter for her Chinese heritage with the launch of a gua sha tool and accompanying face oil. Aromatherapy also plays a big role in Pink Moon's self-care in-house collection with original blends in signature candles, body/hair oils and more. 1% of Pink Moon's revenue goes to a nonprofit of your choice with every purchase.

Fiona Co Chan, Founder of Youthforia

Fiona founded Youthforia from the ground up while living in Hong Kong during the pandemic. An econ major who worked in business development for a software startup, she found that frequent travel to China was hard on her skin. She founded Youthforia, a makeup brand made famous on TikTok, uses plant-based ingredients and functions like skincare you can sleep in!

Rachel and Jiyoon Han, Founders of Bean & Bean Coffee

Not only did this mother daughter duo found Bean & Bean, but they're both certified Q graders (or coffee sommeliers)! The brand first got their start in 2008, after Jiyoon's parents immigrated from South Korea and opened the first ever roastery in Queens, NY. They're focused on ethically-sourced product, supply chain transparency, and Female Equity in Coffee.

Farah Jesani, Founder of One Stripe Chai

A daughter of South Asian immigrants, Farah Jesani started her career in NYC's corporate world. I graduated from the University of Georgia with a business degree and moved to NYC to work in the corporate world. She soon realized that the chai options offered at coffee shops didn't really reflect the bold and flavorful chai she grew up drinking. That's when the seeds for One Stripe Chai were planted...Founded in 2015, One Stripe Chai combines rich, spicy masala chai with black tea for an all natural chai concentrate that even the pickiest chai drinkers will love.

Tina Chow Rudolf, Founder of Strange Bird

Rudolf's fascination with beauty and skincare originates from watching generations of mothers before her. Her grandmother would give her mother facials using egg whites, cucumber, ginger and ginseng — all ingredients from their kitchen. Strange Bird (also her husband's nickname for her) is a plant-based and crystal-charged beauty brand that combines ancient Chinese beauty traditions with high vibrational alchemy to help women create a daily practice that supports their skin goals and their life goals. Products include ingredients such as ginger, ginseng and goji berry in organic blends as well as flower and gem essences such as amethyst, rose quartz and crab apple.

Clara Jung, Founder of Banner Day Interiors

Clara left a career in corporate law to start Banner Day Interiors when she realized that legal research and courtroom appearances didn't satisfy her creative desires. Her creative and comfortable style helps her clients transform ordinary rooms into stylish spaces. Originally from Los Angeles, Clara attended Cal and fell in love with the charm of Berkeley (shortly after graduating, she joined the Peace Corps in Nepal teaching English), where she now lives.

Sravya Adusumilli, founder of Mango People

Chemical engineer turned beauty entrepreneur Sravya Adusumilli was inspired by her South Asian roots when creating the plant-based multi-functional makeup brand beloved by TikTok. She struggled to find a brand that was truly clean and inclusive of all skin-tone shades so she began experimenting and researching Ayurvedic rituals and teachings to utilize powerful plants and pigment-rich fruits, flowers, and herbs to heal the body, mind, and spirit. After five years of intensive research and several iterations later, Mango People was born.

Ming Yi and Ching Yeh Chen, Founders Of Pearl River Mart

This duo founded Pearl River Mart in 1971 as the world's first Chinese American department store. People of all backgrounds can learn about Asian history and culture beyond NYC through their online site. Pearl River Mart has two events to celebrate AAPI heritage, including"Just Between Us," a new exhibition curated by Arlan Huang in partnership with Think!Chinatown at their SoHo location starting 5/4 and Pearl River Mart's Second Annual AAPIHM Sunset Celebration in conjunction with Lunar Hard Seltzer and Gold House will be held at their Chelsea Market location on 5/19.

Jennifer Tsay, Co-Founder & CEO of Shoott

Jennifer Tsay is a SAG-AFTRA actor whose personal experience with "side hustles" led her to launch a company that puts creatives and freelancers first. Shoott seeks to make professional photography more accessible to everyone with "Insta-worthy" 30-minute outdoor photo sessions that are free to book online and allow customers to pay only for photos they love at $15 per photo or less. In spite of the pandemic, demand for bookings grew and the company is now available in 600 locations across 60+ cities nationwide.

Diane Reade, Founder of MO MI

Diane's mother and grandmother raised her with holistic, naturopathic, aromatherapy and encouraged her to seek wellness beauty rituals. Diane says her Asian heritage inspires her creative process when sourcing plant-based ingredients that have been used for centuries. Her personal care brand MO MI is animal- and planet-friendly and incorporates values from Diane's heritage and from time spent living, working and traveling in Europe and Asia.

Eunice and Sabrina Moyle, Founders Hello!Lucky

Eunice and Sabrina are bi-racial Chinese-white sisters who grew up in Asia and Africa. They founded Hello!Lucky in 2003 as a letterpress greeting card studio with a distinctive humor and style inspired by their Asian and Midwestern roots. Since then, Hello!Lucky has grown to become a design and licensing studio with the mission of delivering joy, creativity, and connection through their products, which include greeting cards, best-selling children's books, and home goods. They are committed to supporting the highest good of their customers and promoting self-awareness and social justice. They published Sloth and Smell the Roses, a children's board book on mindfulness and self-compassion and in 2018 published Be the Change: The Future Is In Your Hands, a DIY book for girls and women about using creativity to inspire community and civic action. Sabrina serves as Board President of @mosaicproject, an Oakland-based youth non-profit that provides immersive, experiential learning in building inclusive, equitable, peaceful communities.You can follow along with Eunice and Sabrina @helloluckycards and @helloluckykids.

Joy Cho, Founder and Creative Director of Oh Joy!

LA-based Joy Cho exploded in the world of licensing with home decor, kids, pet, and furniture collections with brands such as Target, Band-Aid, Calpak, Petco, Keds, and more. She has authored six books and consulted for hundreds of creative businesses around the world. For two years in a row, Joy was named one of Time's 30 Most Influential People on the Internet and has the most followed account on Pinterest with over 14 million followers.

Andrea Xu, Co-founder and CEO, Umamicart

Conceived by Andrea Xu to serve as a one-stop-shop for home cooks, Umamicart, an online market, prioritizes Asian American-led businesses, immigrant-led businesses, and the mom-and-pop suppliers and producers behind consumers' favorite heritage brands, as well as the inspiring Asian American founders that are reinterpreting traditional flavors with new and personal products.

Angela Chau Gray + Ervina Wu, Co-Founders of YINA

YINA is a beauty and wellness brand based in California whose mission is to demystify and enliven Chinese Medicine. Co-founded by Dr. Ervina Wu, a licensed in TCM, the brand features products for skincare, wellness and more.

Vicky Tsai, Founder of Tatcha

One of our favorite Teach Me Something New podcast guests, Tsai's personal skincare routine (equal parts skincare + meditation) is as impressive as it is inspiring. Her customers include celebrities like Meghan Markle and Kim Kardashian who are fans of her Japanese skincare products, which are based in ancient Geisha beauty practices. For Vicky, skincare *is* self care, and we all need to take time for ourselves to wash away the day, and start fresh each morning.

Syama Meagher, Co-Founder of Rendall Co.

Syama Meagher originally planned to launch Rendall Co. as a home goods brand featuring aprons but pivoted to premium face masks at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. The styles were bestsellers and now the brand finally launched its collection of aprons, which feature durable chambray and denim fabrics and professional quality workmanship. We love our Bistro apron!

Hanna Chiou, Co-Founder of Habbi Habbi

Hanna Chiou grew up in the U.S. speaking her parent's native language Mandarin but not reading it. "It's challenging because Chinese is character-based so most books from Asia are intimidating because there are a sea of characters — and speaking doesn't translate to reading," she told us. Habbi Habbi was her answer to accessibility and ease of learning with a set of language books that kids can tap with the simplicity of a translating wand (our kids love theirs!).

Justine Tiu & Adrian Zhang, Co-Founders of The Woobles

We love this online learning platform for crochet. The brand sells beginner crochet kits that have been designed leveraging UX research and customer feedback to push through initial frustrations of learning a DIY art through remote learning.

Kirstie Wang, Founder of A Jar of Pickles

Kirstie Wang started A Jar of Pickles with $200 as a side hobby business that eventually grew multi-6 figures in revenue while she worked full-time jobs in UX design and marketing. She started it as a hobby Etsy shop in college after teaching herself digital design. She recently took the leap and quit her full-time job to grow A Jar of Pickles, pursuing her passion to share what she's learned by coaching other small business owners. You can enroll in her Selfmade course, Organic Social Media Growth, starting on May 25.

Clare Ngai, Founder of BONBONWHIMS

Before Clar Ngai launched BONBONWHIMS, she moved to the U.S. at the age of 19 to study journalism. From there, she's been working in the fashion industry for the past 10 years. Her experience with the digital and influencer aspects of fashion have come in handy because BONBONWHIMS speaks to several generations with its Y2K appeal.

It was during the pandemic that she began creating the bones of BONBONWHIMS to fuel her own passion and raise awareness for BIPOC organizations like Stop AAPI Hate.

Since its creation, BONBONWHIMS has been featured on stars like Megan Thee Stallion and Demi Lovato.

We are also big fans of our Selfmade members, including Christine Tong (above), founder of Christine My Linh, Shannon Huang, founder of The Soul Edit, Justine Pon of The Ponnery, Sruti Bharat of FutureMap, Koyun Fan, co-founder of Sticky Rice Sisters, and Poy T. Granati of Summer Space Studio.