This Kickstarter Is Making Workout Clothes That Will Fit Every Type of Body

That’s why Roddy Lindsay founded Zabit, a new habit coaching service that relies on pairing clients with personal coaches – AKA the ultimate accountability buddies!

Whether you want to improve your workout plan, decrease your use of social media, limit your alcohol consumption, or get better sleep, Zabit coaches are there to motivate you toward your goals with one-on-one personalized messages, just like you're texting your best friend.

“Zabit’s mission is to make accountability universal and affordable. Adding accountability to everyday habits to make them long-lasting should be as easy as ordering an Uber,” said Lindsay, founder and CEO of Zabit. “By combining the empathy of human coaches with the ubiquity of mobile technology, Zabit is forging a new paradigm for behavior change.”

Zabit’s personal coaches are psychologists, wellness professionals, and advanced clinical psychology students with at least three years of training, so they’re equipped with all the right knowledge to help you stay on track with your goals, no matter what they are.

When it comes to your personal goals, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. Pair with a Zabit coach today – you can get started now with a free 2-week trial. From there, plans start at just $8.99 per week.

Why Your Flexibility Stalls

As though going through puberty weren’t enough of a struggle, it’s also the time when you start to lose your natural flexibility. “No one is more flexible in their life than they are as a child,” says Dr. Leython Williams, a doctor of physical therapy at Athletico Physical Therapy. “However, during puberty, children often become temporarily less flexible. Some children have slow growth spurts, while others grow very quickly. This temporary decrease in muscle length/flexibility is a result of their bones growing faster than their muscles and tendons can stretch.”

Note that Dr. Williams refers to this particular loss of flexibility as temporary — meaning we can’t blame puberty for the fact our toes seem to be getting farther away every time we try to touch them.

“There is no specific age when we wake up and our flexibility has ‘officially declined.’ However, it is a fact that as we age our flexibility decreases, which leads to decreased functional ability and mobility,” he explains. “As our bodies get older, we lose a small amount of flexibility as a result of the normal aging processes. There is loss of water in our tissues and intervertebral discs, increased stiffness in our joints, and a loss of elasticity in muscles and tendons. In our 20s and 30s, it is important that we develop a consistent static and dynamic stretching regimen to establish and maintain flexibility and range of motion more easily into our older years.”

That’s right: What you do now matters later. And this isn’t just about keeping up in yoga, Dr. Williams cautions. “It becomes imperative that we stretch regularly to decrease our likelihood of various injuries.” Jill Belland, co-founder of Barre Belle, agrees. “It’s easy to feel invincible if you’re young and injury free! Flexibility will reduce your risk of injury: What doesn’t bend will break. Increased range of motion, balance, and mobility are all linked to flexibility and contribute to overall strength and fitness.”

How to Get It Back

When you’re a kid, flexibility comes naturally; when you’re an adult, you have to take responsibility for improving and maintaining it. “Peak flexibility age for adults can differ person to person and depends largely on their physical activity habits,” says Dr. Rachelle Reed, PhD, Pure Barre’s manager of training development and barre kinesiologist. “Notably, flexibility can be improved at any age when flexibility training is incorporated into a regular exercise routine. It’s important for adults to be strategic about including flexibility training into their workouts, because maintaining flexibility and physical function as we move into middle and older adulthood is associated with better quality of life and independent living.”

There’s no one flexibility standard everyone has to meet, Belland reassures: “There is no golden rule for what perfect flexibility is person to person, but there are simple markers such as touching your toes from a forward fold for hamstrings/lower back, or reaching for your hands behind your back, with one hand behind the head and the other behind the waist, for shoulder mobility. You don’t need to be a contortionist; moving around with fluidity in your everyday life and having good range of motion in your favorite activities without feeling pain or tension is a better way to gauge your own personal goals.”

But where do you start if you want to improve your flexibility? Dr. Reed explains, “There are two main types of flexibility training that you should aim to incorporate into your routine: Dynamic stretching, where a stretch is performed by moving through a challenging but attainable range of motion several times in a row, and static stretching, where a stretch is held in a challenging but attainable position for a longer period of time (at least 10-30 seconds).”

How do you know how far to go? “Our muscles have a natural stretch reflex that prevents us from going too far into a stretch, which can also cause injury,” Belland tells us. “Aim to gently stretch through this reflex. The key to increasing flexibility is about time under tension: It takes around 20 seconds to ease through the stretch reflex. Reintroduce the stretch and hold it for 10 seconds longer, working up to one minute. The second time you introduce a stretch, the stretch reflex will diminish, allowing your body to get deeper into your stretch and also building better muscle memory.”

If you’re still worried about injuring yourself — especially if you’ve been injured in the past — Dr. Williams recommends seeing a physical therapist for guided stretches. Belland reminds us that you don’t have to go to the gym or spend hours on stretching. “Stretch a little bit every day when you can fit it in after a workout or in front of the TV. If you just don’t think you’ll stretch on your own, getting to a yoga or a barre class is helpful if you need the accountability of a dedicated time and space.”

Speaking of the gym, just as your phys ed teacher told you, stretching is especially important before and after a workout. “Far too often active individuals begin their workouts without a dynamic stretch,” Dr. Williams says. “Dynamic stretching increases one’s range of movement and blood flow to soft tissues prior to physical exertion and/or sport performance. This type of stretching is vital in improving performance and reducing the risk for injury.”

But you don’t have to be an athlete to benefit — in fact, stretching is an important antidote to all that sitting those of us with desk-based jobs tend to do. “Sitting at your desk all day can lead to decreased flexibility in hip flexors and hamstrings by keeping them in a shortened position for a prolonged period of time,” Dr. Williams warns. “Consider a standing desk or work station or taking several breaks throughout your work day to stand up and stretch.”

1. Cleanse

The first step in any good skincare routine is cleansing. In the morning, opt for a lightweight cleanser that's gentle and water-based to freshen up your skin. This option from CeraVe is great for most "normal" skin types. Or, at night, you can use an oil cleanser to help remove makeup and sunscreen from throughout your day.

2. Exfoliate

Once you're finished cleansing, you'll want to exfoliate, which is key to maintaining radiant skin. By getting rid of dead skin cells, exfoliating regularly will speed up skin turnover, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, keep your pores clear, and enhance the absorption of your anti-aging skincare products.

You can choose between chemical exfoliators, such as glycolic or lactic acid serums, which contain alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), or physical exfoliators, which use gentle abrasives like sugar or coffee to buff away dead skin. We like the La Roche-Posay Ultra-Fine Scrub for Sensitive Skin!

Peels and wash-off masks — like this option from LOOPS — also fall into this category and should always be applied to clean skin. This is particularly important for chemical peels since they require a specific pH level to properly exfoliate, meaning layering them on top of other products may reduce their effectiveness.

To cash in on the benefits of exfoliation without going overboard, do this step two to three times a week, either in the morning or at night. Keep in mind that over-exfoliation can damage your skin barrier.

3. Apply Serums

Next, move on to applying your serums. These lightweight formulas contain high concentrations of active ingredients designed to combat wrinkles, boost collagen, and increase overall skin health.

For the best anti-aging benefits, we recommend using a vitamin C serum in the morning to brighten your complexion. The Olay Super Serum (one of our anti-aging faves!) has Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Collagen Peptide, Vitamin E, and Alpha Hydroxy Acid — covering a ton of bases for you with one product!

Later, at night, use a retinol serum to encourage cell turnover and reduce fine lines. It's important to note that if you're using retinol, sunscreen should always be applied because it can make your skin more sensitive to the sun's rays.

4. Moisturize

After serum application, you can help lock in hydration and seal the benefits of your previous products by putting on moisturizer. You can search for moisturizers that are formulated with active ingredients like ceramides, collagen, or hyaluronic acid to strengthen your skin barrier. The Kiehls Ultra Facial Cream is definitely a moisturizer favorite among B+C staff!

During the daytime, opt for a lightweight moisturizer that has SPF to protect against UV damage. And before bed, you can lather on a richer anti-wrinkle cream that has peptides or ceramides to support skin repair.

If you happen to use facial oil, you can always mix a few drops into your moisturizer to create a quicker skincare routine. Otherwise, apply facial oils after you moisturize.

5. Use Eye Creams

Last but not least, eye cream is a critical final step for any good anti-aging skincare routine. The delicate skin around your eyes is typically the first to show signs of aging.

Use a lightweight formula that's hydrating but doesn't feel heavy during the daytime. And just like your evening moisturizer, you can apply a richer eye cream at night. Looking for something to use? The Summer Fridays Jet Lag Overnight Eye Serum is one of our favorite eye creams!

When selecting an eye cream, look for products with hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump or retinol to smooth fine lines and increase collagen production. Plus, for an extra boost, wear an eye mask a few times a week to refresh tired eyes.