15 Books That Will Inspire You to Lead a Healthier Life

First, most people wear their running shoes too small. Almost everyone I have had to fit for running shoes for the first time has had to go a half to a full size up. Remember:

• Running shoes do not stretch like leather shoes
• Running shoes should notneed a break in period
• Your feet do swell when you're running and walking

A good rule to follow is that you should have a finger tip’s length between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. This ensures your feet can swell properly, you won’t lose toenails, and you'll have less risk of injuries like plantar fasciitis and shin splints.

Next, there are two types of running shoes: neutral and stability shoes.

• Neutral shoes are for people who do not overpronate
• Stability shoes are for those who do overpronate.

Overpronation is when one’s arches and ankles collapse/roll inwards when standing on one leg, running, or walking. If you have low arches or flat feet, you will likely need a stability shoe as it will provide better arch support. Many people assume that if you have high arches you need a stability shoe with more arch support, but this is rarely the case. If you have a high arch and a neutral gait (no overpronation), you should let your feet and ankles do the work and not rely on a stability shoe. Luckily there are dozens of options for both types of feet, so let’s get into some of my favorites.

Best Running Shoes For Neutral Runners

Brooks Glycerin 21

The Glycerin 21 is a popular, highly-cushioned running shoe from Brooks. The Glycerin has become a fan favorite for its soft feel and unmatched bounce. Plus, being in its 21st iteration, you can feel secure knowing that the Glycerin has served runners well for years.

Best Running Shoes For Stability Runners

Asics GT 2000 12

The Asics GT 2000 version 12 is a lightweight and bouncy stability option from Asics. Many stability shoes feel heavy and clunky, but Asics has found a way to alleviate overpronation without sacrificing lightweight performance

Best Running Shoes For Trail Running

Brooks Cascadia 17

If you’re looking to hit the trails for a run, getting a shoe with better traction and grip is the best option. Trail shoes have lugs on the outsole that help with stabilizing your feet on wet rocks and slick mud. The Brooks Cascadia is a no frills, do it all shoe that will make trail miles fly by in comfort.

Best Running Shoes For A Lightweight Option

Hoka Mach 6

Whether you're doing sprints on the treadmill or have a 5k goal race in mind, a lightweight running shoe may be the best option for you. The Hoka Mach 6 is a neutral running shoe that weighs less than most shoes on the market, making it perfect if you want to pick up the pace or feel less weighed down.

Best Running Shoes For Looks

On Cloudeclipse

Although this is super subjective, I think On has some of the best looking running shoes out there. With a chunky midsole and a unique look, the On Cloudeclipse delivers on fashion and function. While this shoe may be categorized as neutral, there are stability elements, such as a plastic speedboard to add rigidity to the foam, making it a great shoe for people with all arch types.

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!

As a Power of Women honoree, Mariska was recognized in regards to her work as an advocate for sexual assault survivors. She took the stage and used her platform to discuss rape and assault conviction reversals, shining a light on the recent overturned ruling in Harvey Weinstein's landmark NYC case. Here's what she said:

Today I want to talk about reversing convictions, and more specifically I want to talk to you about how impossible it is to reverse mine. It’s impossible to reverse my conviction that survivors matter. It is impossible to reverse my conviction that what happens to us matters, and that our society must respond to survivors with a more a compassionate, holistically, deeper, and more nuanced understanding of what healing means.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that after a trauma, survivors can reclaim lives of hope, of possibility, of audacious risk, beautiful intimacy, and glorious, glorious abundant joy. And I stand before you as evidence of that statement.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that we must listen to survivors as experts on what justice means. It is extraordinary how little their voices are consulted, let alone incorporated, in the process of deciding how to repair harm. Justice is not a one-size-fits-all journey.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that patriarchal impunity has to end. Patriarchal impunity is when a male-dominated system exempts perpetrators from punishment. Studies show that only 20% of all rape cases in the U.S. are reported to the police, and that between 5 and 0% of all rapes result in a guilty plea or a conviction. So why do 80% of victims not report? Because they're met with a system that grants impunity to perpetrators; a system that blames victims; a system that accepts only those victims who are experienced as "real" rape; a system that completely misunderstands the neurobiology of trauma, which causes behavior in women that doesn't fit the picture of how a "real victim" would act.

Is that change needed that victims should just pull themselves together? Just buck up and report anyway? No. No, it's the system that receives them that needs to change

It is impossible to reverse my conviction — and the conviction of my extraordinary team, The Joyful Heart — that the backlog of untested rape kits can be brought to zero; that the testing of all new kits must be mandated; that we need a statewide kit tracking system; and that survivors have the right to access the status of their kits.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that grammar — yes, grammar — that we use when we speak about rape must change. In the sentence, "A woman is raped," there's a crime and there's a victim, but there's no perpetrator. Where's the perpetrator? Where is he? Statistically, as we know, most likely he's walking free. He's so free that he doesn't even appear in the language about the crime that he committed. Is that not extraordinary? It's extraordinary that in the very grammar, the perpetrator goes free. Reintroducing perpetrators in the language of rape will make some very unwieldy grammar, but that's the nature of change. It's unwieldy, it's messy, it's uncomfortable, but it's necessary.

Hargitay continued on in her prolific speech to describe that rape shouldn't be considered a "crime of passion" because it's "not simply the next step in the trajectory of his passion" when a man takes a consensual hookup too far and assaults a woman against her will. She stated that it's "an exercise of power," doubling down that the language we use is important.

The speech went on to address that rape is both about power and control, as a "construct" that was "built, and assembled, and reinforced over time." She noted that there are people with these positions of power — and she specifically called out those in the entertainment industry — that could make a difference and aligned themselves to victims and survivors.

After this and some other remarks, Hargitay specifically called out the Weinstein conviction reversal. She said:

I do want to say something about the Harvey Weinstein conviction, specifically about the reason that it was overturned: too many women's voices. Too many women's voices were allowed to speak. Hallelujah! Amen! I can't imagine anything more beautiful than that. The Daily podcast episode talked about how it was so risky for the prosecution to have that many women testify. Risky to let women speak? You're damn right it is!

Too many women speaking brings change. Too many women speaking shakes the establishment. Too many women means we get listened to more, and people might actually hear what we have to say. Look what happened when women started saying just two words, right? Me too — just as an example — a tidal wave of change. Me too.

And then of course, there was the response: the Me Too Movement. The backlash. The examination of whether the changes that have come are lasting, or are even positive. Of course there's a backlash! What did they expect? For women to speak repeatedly, loudly, together, with a purpose — for there to be no backlash? The backlash is evidence of how powerful those voices were, how powerful those voices ARE.

Watch Mariska Hargitay's Full Speech Here

Turns out that your TV heroes really can be your IRL heroes after all. Long live Olivia Benson! Long live Mariska Hargitay!