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Anna Victoria: 'I Used To Eat Fast Food Three Times A Day'

We’re launching National Workout Buddy Day on March 1! Post pics with your exercise pals (using #NationalWorkoutBuddyDay), and if you tag @WomensHealthMag, we may share your photo.

Yes, 29-year-old Instagram phenom Anna Victoria has a successful workout program (Fit Body Guides). But she didn’t always have the healthiest relationship with food and exercise. “I was disillusioned with the fitness industry growing up,” says Anna, who was raised outside of Sacramento. “People who lived that lifestyle, it seemed they acted like they were better than you because they worked out and ate healthy. I really didn’t subscribe to that type of mentality.”

In fact, she flat-out rejected it, eating fast food three times a day from the time she could drive until her early twenties in college. Then she was hit with GI distress so severe it landed her in the ER. “I keeled over; my digestive system just shut down.” Still, she was so busy working and going to school full-time that she didn’t right her own ship for a few years. But in 2012, when she moved to China with her husband, he urged her: “Okay, Anna, you have no more excuses, you need to start taking care of yourself.”

Without much direct support living abroad, she started an anonymous Instagram page, sharing healthy tips that motivated and inspired her—”but never a photo of me,” Anna adds. A year later, she felt comfortable enough to post a personal transformation picture. Then she got certified as a trainer and launched the brand as we know it today—one that stands out for pulling back the curtain on those “perfect” images so often seen on social media, posting her own “belly rolls” or revealing how certain poses superficially give “Insta-worthy” looks.

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With her new Body Love with Anna Victoria app, members (or, as she calls them, “Body Love Babes”) get three strength workouts a week and three cardio and ab workouts—each just 30 minutes. “I’m a personal trainer, so I want people to push themselves to be their best. But how that reflects physically is not everything. I believe that you deserve to love your body through all stages of your journey.”

Reality Check

Though Anna owes her career to Instagram, she can’t imagine growing up in the social media landscape of today. “Young girls are looking to influencers and models and saying, ‘I want to look like that. I’m going to do everything to look like that.’ But that’s not what it should be about.” That guiding principle now informs what she preaches and what she posts—helping her followers see through the artificial film to reveal true wellness.

Don’t fall into the “Healthy-Food Porn” vortex.

Scroll through the ‘gram, and it might seem as if people are eating nothing but veggie bowls and smoothies. Hogwash. “I practice an 80/20 approach,” says Anna. “Eighty percent of the time, I focus on fueling my body with whole foods and balanced meals. And the other 20 percent, I enjoy whatever I want.” One of her go-tos? Taco Bell.

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Go beyond lip service.

“There’s this big conversation around love your body. And yes, love your body.” But, she adds, it’s not enough to just post feelings about your body. You’ve got to move it and feed it right. “Aim to feel your best. If you’re not feeding or nourishing your body, if you’re not treating it well, I don’t think that is love.”

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Shift your thinking about transformation photos.

Anna has admitted on Insta that, at times, she’s been reluctant to share certain pics because of others’ opinions. (“You lost your butt… Your boobs got smaller… I prefer the left,” she writes in one caption, imagining the comments.) “Why do before-and-afters have to be about liking one and disliking the other? Why can’t we appreciate our bodies in both but be proud of the mental, emotional, and physical strength gained in the time between the two photos?”

This article originally appeared in the March 2018 issue of Women’s Health. For more great advice, pick up a copy of the issue on newsstands now!

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The best way to remove eyelash extensions

Name one reality TV star who doesn’t wear eyelash extensions. We certainly can’t. From the entire Kardashian/Jenner clan, to the leading ladies of the Real Housewives franchise, to every spin-off in the Bachelor franchise, it’s clear eyelash extensions are having a major beauty moment both on-screen and off.

While eyelash extensions are a great way to transform your look and are guaranteed to make you feel more glam than any drugstore mascara ever could, it’s important to remember that eyelash extensions actually can be harmful when not applied or cared for correctly. This is especially important when it comes to removing them. Here’s the best way to remove eyelash extensions.

The best method for removal depends on what kind of eyelash extensions you have

“Getting eyelash extensions regularly can, and usually does, lead to loss of your own natural lashes,” skin-care expert Dr. Lamees Hamdan told Refinery29. While this is a known risk, Dr. Hamdan stresses that the biggest problem with the application of professional eyelash extensions is the glue that is used to bond the fake lashes to the natural lashes. “The lash glue is a chemical, and usually contains irritating chemicals that can potentially cause inflammation, irritation, allergic reactions, or dry eyes,” he explained. It’s this same lash glue that you need to be cautious of when wanting to remove eyelash extensions, because you will pull out your real lashes if you try to remove the extensions yourself. 

Speaking to PopSugar, eyelash expert Loreta Jasilionyte confirmed that it’s important to visit a lash technician to get professionally applied eyelash extensions removed safely. There is no other way.

If you’re looking to remove individual lashes you applied at home, Jasilionyte says, “The safest method is to use a micro swab or cotton bud, wet the swab slightly with water, and gently brush across the bonding area.” If you’re having difficulty, do not tug or pull at the lashes. Instead add a natural oil that’s gentle on eyes, such as jojoba or olive oil.

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Re-Create Your Favorite Euphoria Makeup Looks With These Tips From the Show's Makeup Artists

Kat’s Black and Red Winter Formal Look

Kat’s Winter formal look is subtle yet bold. The linework on her eyes will take some precision to re-create but can absolutely be done with a steady hand. Check out this look on the show here, as well as a couple shots from behind the scenes.

Products you’ll need to re-create this look:

Jules’s Juliet Look

Jules looks oh so ethereal as Juliet for Halloween, down to her perfectly glittery makeup look. This face requires a good bit of sparkle and shine, and Davy told POPSUGAR, “I always use glitter gels, not loose glitter glue, because it is a nightmare.”

Products you’ll need to re-create this look:

Maddie’s Rhinestone Eye Look

What’s great about Maddie’s makeup looks is that though they look intricate and tricky, they’re actually “very user friendly,” Davy told POPSUGAR. “Maddie probably has the easiest looks to re-create.”

Products you’ll need to re-create this look:

Jules’s Subtle Neon Eye Look

Jules’s looks are always bright and fun. This is one of the simpler ones to re-create because you can use your fingers to put your colors wherever you want.

“The components of all Jules’s looks are a pastel, something shimmery, and a neon. It’s her formula.” — Doniella Davy, Euphoria makeup artist

Products you’ll need to re-create this look:

Rue’s Glitter Tears

No Euphoria look is complete without some glitter, especially if you’re re-creating Rue’s iconic glitter tears. They’re actually very easy to do, and according to Davy, this look from the carnival is the absolute easiest. Rue’s other tears from the show could also be an adventure to try, but Davy warns that they’re also incredibly messy.

Products you’ll need to re-create this look:

Kat’s Halloween Look

Kat goes all out for her Halloween costume of Thana in Ms. 45. Her makeup look requires precision and dedication, but it looks badass when done. Davy said her best advice for this one is to use tape to create a sharp line on your cat eye.

Products you’ll need to re-create this look:

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The Fall Hairstyle Trends Blowing Up on Instagram Right Now

The Fall Hairstyle Trends Blowing Up on Instagram Right Now

For every messy, straight-from-the-beach, IDGAF hairstyle you pulled out this Summer, there’s a Fall equivalent waiting around the corner to zhuzh it up. (We’d like to think of the season as the Jonathan Van Ness to your fourth-day topknot, but, um, in that fun, equally aspirational way.)

“During the Summer, people tend to let go of the rules and set their hair’s natural texture free,” said Devin Toth, hairstylist at SGK Salon in NYC. “However, Fall hair embodies chic, clean sophistication, and people give it a little more attention. Your vibe can be playful, edgy, or even ruffled by a hat and scarf, but ultimately your hair this season will require and deserve a little more je ne sais quoi during the morning preparation, because it won’t just be tucked away anymore — it will be at the forefront of your overall style.”

Rest assured: just because the days of undone beachy hair have gone by way of Summer Fridays and rooftop hangs, doesn’t mean the hair forecast will be time-consuming. In fact, we’ve asked Toth and Ashley Streicher, celebrity hairstylist and Sun Bum brand ambassador, to break down the Fall hairstyle trends that are easy to do (maybe just not . . . get-up-and-go easy).






























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This 69-Year-Old Lifter Has a Stronger Grip Than You

Grip strength is an important component of your overall health and fitness—and an old-timer just showed up a gym full of lifters, handling over 200 pounds. The 69-year-old Odd Haugen has such burly forearms and fingers that he claims to have trademarked the nickname “Vice Grip Viking.” More like “Nice Grip Viking,” am I right?

Odd’s display was caught on camera by YouTubers Juji & Tom, a.k.a. content creator Tom Boyden and athlete Jon Call, who performed a series of weightlifting tricks and stunts during his stint on Season 11 of America’s Got Talent. In a video posted earlier this year, they claimed to have captured current World’s Strongest Man champ Martins Licis setting the world record for grip strength, at 205 pounds… but it looks like the V.G.V. just smashed that, lifting 208.

The video also includes a different challenge in the form of the “loser’s grip,” a tool which is much more difficult to handle due to its pyramid shape. Everybody in the gym struggles to lift this one except Odd, of course, who beats the others with his vice-like grip and lifts the 28-pound weight. That man must have one hell of a handshake.

But grip strength is more than just a cool stunt. Grip strength is important for your overall lifting prowess, since you’ll only be able to handle heavier loads if you can physically hold them off the ground, it’s and also a predictor for health and mortality. If you’re working on your lifting game, here are some tips for building your grip strength:

Looking to get hands of iron? These climbing experts can show you how. And check out these six moves for building strength in your forearms that you can incorporate into your workout.

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How To Recreate An Iconic Lady Gaga Beauty Look — Straight From Her Makeup Artist

How to Recreate 2 Iconic Lady Gaga Beauty Looks — Straight From Her Makeup Artist

Lady Gaga thinks you should know: you don’t have to recreate her beauty looks. The intention behind Haus Laboratories, in fact, is for you to “use these products as tools for self-expression,” said Sarah Tanno, the star’s longtime makeup artist. “There are no rules — just enjoy the process.”

Still, any Lady Gaga fan worth their weight in Monster merch knows the woman is a beacon of makeup inspiration — the kind that could shape an entire persona — and who are we to deprive you of your creative outlet? I know I’d personally give my left leg for her Met Gala lashes (and frankly, I know I’m not alone), which is why we’re serving up the next best thing: a step-by-step tutorial to two (of 1.2 million) iconic looks.

“She always used to say that for her, it was watching her mother put on her lipstick and be brave for the day that made her love makeup,” said Tanno. “I see that come full circle in Gaga’s life, where maybe she’s not feeling her best but we put on her face and she goes out there and she does it — no matter what it is. It’s like her armor.”

To recreate these two in particular, we used a handful of the new Haus products (which are now available on Amazon) and a mix of other brands, too. “[The response] has been all over the place,” she said. “Some people expected it to be super crazy, but the truth of it honestly is we have very sophisticated taste in makeup. The tips and tricks are built into this makeup; it’s not what the product is that makes it crazy, it’s about what you do with the product and how the product works.”

Coming right up: proof of Tanno’s makeup magic that’ll leave you all Gaga, ooh la la.














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The Top 4 Makeup Trends For Fall, According to a Makeup Artist

The Top 4 Makeup Trends For Fall, According to a Makeup Artist

As you’re swapping your rompers and tank tops for jeans and sweaters, you should also consider giving your makeup a refresh with these Fall trends. This year, we’re saying goodbye to the bright hues of Summer with some bold and sultry makeup.

To find out what looks will be rolling out this upcoming season, we reached out to Kelli Bartlett, makeup artist and artistic director of Glamsquad. From monochromatic colors to graphic eyeliner, she’s breaking down exactly how to get the four makeup trends ahead.















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How to Make Your Own Turmeric and Honey Face Mask

Long considered a superfood in the health world, antioxidant-packed turmeric is a wonder ingredient for your skin too. Its anti-inflammatory properties can help calm redness, reduce the appearance of scarring, brighten skin, and even help fight acne.

“Turmeric is one of my favorite ‘inside-out’ beauty ingredients because it has the potential to address many outward concerns when ingested, and also when used in skincare,” says Dr. Nadia Musavvir, a naturopathic doctor based in L.A. and Chicago. “Its anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties have been shown to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, as well as brighten the skin by lightening dark spots and improving overall skin tone.”

Even better, you can easily whip up a turmeric mask in your kitchen. This recipe also includes soothing oats, skin-balancing yogurt, and hydrating honey for a total complexion reboot.

DIY Turmeric Face Mask

Recipe courtesy of BareOrganics

Ingredients

Directions

Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix until smooth. Spread mixture evenly onto clean face, and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse face thoroughly.

Anyone who has cooked with turmeric knows that because of the ingredient’s natural yellow color, it can stain skin (or anything else it touches). Non-organic turmeric may include colorants to keep it yellow, so be sure to use an organic variety (like BareOrganics Raw Organic Turmeric Root Powder) to decrease the chance of staining. If the mask does stain your skin, coconut oil should do the trick to remove it—try Kopari Coconut Melt Wipes ($20, sephora.com).

More Turmeric Masks to Try




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Anya Taylor-Joy May Be Hollywood's Most Underrated Beauty Icon

Anya Taylor-Joy May Be Hollywood’s Most Underrated Beauty Icon

Anya Taylor-Joy isn’t afraid to experiment with her hair and makeup when she steps out at events, trying out everything from glitter shadow to crowns to every shade of bold lipstick. With the help of her glam squad, including hairstylist Carlos Ferraz and makeup artist Nathalie Eleni, Taylor-Joy wears unusual and intricate hair and beauty looks that perfectly match her fearless red carpet style. She explained to Glamour UK that because she doesn’t wear makeup day-to-day, she’s “so extra” on the red carpet, having fun with the “glam territory”. It’s all part of her approach to create a role for herself on a night out.

The Peaky Blinders star has switched up her hair color a number of times over the years, taking cues from her roles in dark thrillers by opting for dyed black locks and dark lips. Taylor-Joy revealed to Harper’s Bazaar that she eschewed her natural blonde hair in the beginning because she thought it made her look “very soft and vulnerable”, only to come back to it later in her career to reharness her “vulnerability as a strength”. Ahead, take a look at 29 of Anya’s most extra beauty looks, which perfectly show off both sides of her personality.























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This 2-Move Dumbbell Shoulder Workout Is Great for Men Over 40

There’s something about a strong set of shoulders that just makes a physique.

But working to build mass without your shoulders clicking, popping, and grinding can feel next to impossible if you’ve had issues with your health—particularly for guys over 40. Overhead pressing motions like military presses can be pure hell, and, when performed with less-than-stellar form, can risk injury to the lower back as well.

Trainer Paul Sklar, C.S.C.S. is proof that you can build strong, healthy shoulders without pain, if you work the right way. He showed a two-move shoulder-building power combo in a recent video posted to Instagram that can help you to get the work in without risking as much damage as other moves.

The workout targets the traps, rear delts, and scapular muscles. The second exercise, a bent-over rear delt raise, hits your scapular retractors, which are key to improving posture, shoulder function, and mobility, along with reducing the risk of joint injury.

For the first move, a dumbbell shoulder shrug, you’ll grab a pair of heavy dumbbells (Sklar is holding 100 pounds in each hand) and let them hang at arm’s length at your side, with a neutral grip. From here, you’ll shrug your shoulders as high as you can without moving the rest of your body or using any momentum. Pause and squeeze at the top, then slowly lower the weights so that you feel a gentle stretch in your traps.

Next up, you’ll perform a bent over rear delt raise, using a pair of much lighter weights. Stand holding the weights in a neutral grip, then bend at the the hips and allow a slight bend in your knees (almost like you’re lowering into a deadlift) until your back is nearly parallel to the floor, allowing the dumbbells to hang directly below your shoulders. Squeeze your back muscles and raise your arms to the side, pause and continue to squeeze your muscles at the top, then lower back slowly, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows throughout.

How’d that feel? If you have cranky shoulders, it had to feel better than those overhead presses.

If you’re interested in staying fit over 40, check out the Men’s Health Muscle After 40 program. You’ll get a whole set of routines designed for guys who have gotten older, but aren’t even close to throwing in the towel on their fitness.

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