Christina Stiehl

Well+Good • 11th April 2023

Curious About Contrast Bathing? Here’s What It’s Like—And Why It Can Be Beneficial for Your Overall Health

Research shows that subjecting the body to drastic changes in temperatures may have physical benefits, such as pain relief, reduced inflammation, and improved circulation. But what about alternating between extreme temperatures? This method of switching from hot to cold (or cold to hot) temperatures, often going back and forth several times, is called contrast therapy, or contrast bathing, and has its own set of purported health benefits.

Noom • 14th February 2023

How to identify—and break—a weight loss plateau in 2023

When people set out to lose weight, they might assume the numbers on the scale will go down steadily. In reality, it’s more common for your weight to fluctuate—you’ll go up and down. But if you’re following your program successfully, you should be able to steadily lose weight in a descending trajectory overall.

Noom • 14th February 2023

How I learned to overcome all-or-nothing thinking

In my three decades of being alive, I’ve learned a lot about myself. I do better when I have structure and a set schedule, it takes me about two hours to get fully ready (I have an intense skincare routine!), and I’m definitely someone who “sweats the small stuff.” I’ve had anxiety for as long as I can remember, and when I’m feeling stressed out, I tend to throw my hands up and abandon my routine and healthy habits.

The Well • 13th February 2023

How to Deal with Menopausal Symptoms Naturally

Whether you dread it or welcome it, reaching menopause (defined as going 12 months without a period) is an inevitable life stage for every woman. The average age of onset is 51, though it can happen in your 40s or in rare cases, even earlier. The transition stage just before menopause, when your period may become irregular or unpredictable, is called perimenopause.

What to Expect • 24th June 2019

Best High-Protein Pregnancy Snacks

You’ve probably heard that it’s important to eat enough protein each day, especially because this macronutrient is the building block of bones, muscles and skin. Because the amino acids contained within protein are essential to healthy cell growth, eating enough protein during pregnancy is important both for fetal development and the overall health of the pregnant person while the body is undergoing so much change.

The Well • 13th February 2023

9 Natural Ways to Soothe PCOS Symptoms

If you are one of the 5 million women with polycystic ovary syndrome (known as PCOS), you know how tormenting the symptoms can be — we're talking weight gain, acne and excess facial hair. Additionally, PCOS is typically marked by a lack of ovulation, which can make getting pregnant difficult.

POPSUGAR Fitness • 20th December 2021

Yes, Women Can Build Lean Muscle Quickly — These Experts Explain How

There are no shortcuts for building muscle, but that doesn't mean you can't learn how to build muscle fast — you'll just need to implement a few key strategies and stay very consistent with your routine. And no, before you ask, building muscle for women doesn't mean automatically mean you'll get "bulky." (Reminder: there's also nothing wrong with that.) You can build lean muscle, add muscle tone and strength, and look more defined with strategic training and nutrition.

Shape • 20th July 2021

Is the Afterburn Effect Too Good to Be True?

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has become the "it" way to work out over the last few years. Fans of this super-efficient workout swear by its ability to torch calories, burn fat, and build muscle, all in much less time than, say, a 5-mile moderate-intensity run.

POPSUGAR Fitness • 6th April 2020

11 Signs You May Have Alcohol Use Disorder, and When You Should Seek Help

Enjoying a glass of wine at dinner or a few drinks on the weekend is usually no cause for concern; many people can drink in moderation and continue to live happy, successful lives. Some people, however, can't just stop with one or two drinks; they find that alcohol interferes with their everyday life and often leads them into dangerous situations. If you fall in the latter group, you may be one of the 16 million US adults who have alcohol use disorder (AUD).

SELF • 29th June 2021

10 Things ADHD Is—and 3 It Isn't

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is one of those mental health conditions that has become cultural shorthand in a pretty inappropriate way. Ignoring the fact that “I’m so ADHD” isn’t even grammatically correct, throwing this acronym around to flippantly explain distraction or disinterest waters down the true meaning of this extremely nuanced disorder.

POPSUGAR Fitness • 28th April 2021

I Watched the Headspace Guide to Sleep on Netflix and Fell Asleep Within Minutes

Since the coronavirus pandemic hit, my sleep and wake schedules have been thrown all out of whack. More than a year later, my routine hasn't recovered, and, coupled with the overall stress of life, my sleep has suffered. Luckily, I found some relief in the Headspace Guide to Sleep series.

POPSUGAR Fitness • 15th April 2021

FYI, You Can Still Get COVID-19 If You're Fully Vaccinated — Here's Why You Shouldn't Worry

Yes, it's still possible to get COVID-19, even if you've been fully vaccinated, in what experts are calling "breakthrough infections."

POPSUGAR Fitness • 13th October 2020

You're Not Too Young to Think About Breast Cancer — 6% of Diagnoses Are Under 40

We've become inured to the narrative that breast cancer is a disease that only affects women in middle age and beyond. The reality is that six percent of breast cancer patients who were diagnosed in 2019 were under 40.

POPSUGAR Fitness • 12th June 2020

Real to the People Launches Free Mental Health Services For Black Women, People of Color, and Allies

Real, a membership-based organization for therapy and mental health services, launched Real to the People in March 2020 to offer free therapy services to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, in the aftermath of the killings of Black Americans George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Nina Pop, among others, Real to the People is offering free group support sessions via large digital events that hold up to 400 people.

POPSUGAR Fitness • 23rd March 2020

I'm Worried About a Million Things Right Now, and Not One of Them Is Gaining Weight

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, especially here in NYC, the last few weeks have drastically changed for all of us... As someone who lives with bipolar II, which includes depression, hypomania, and anxiety, the constantly changing news cycle and imminent threat of sickness has thrown my mental health into a tailspin.

Thrillist • 29th November 2016

How to Sleep Like a Baby Without Taking Drugs Like an Adult

While an extra glass of wine or sleeping pill can make you pass out pretty quickly, the best sleep is the natural kind. Here's how to make sure your circadian rhythm is on point, and your eyes aren't bleary, bloodshot balls of fire every day at work.

POPSUGAR Fitness • 9th August 2019

Why I Refused to Succumb to the Pressure of Losing Weight Before My Wedding

It feels like my entire life has been impacted by diet culture. The first time I remember thinking I needed to lose weight was when I was 6 years old; I sucked in my tummy at a Girl Scouts meeting and told a friend I wanted to be "this skinny."

POPSUGAR Fitness • 27th January 2019

We Answer Once and For All: Do You Really Need to Eat Breakfast?

It's sound advice we heard from our moms since we were little: eat breakfast; it's the most important meal of the day. As we got older, that advice evolved into "if you eat breakfast, you're less likely to feel famished and gorge at lunchtime."

POPSUGAR Fitness • 26th January 2019

If You're Trying to Build Muscle, You Should Be Eating a Lot of Carbs — Here's Why

Building muscle requires a diligent effort of strength training (such as weightlifting) and dialing in your diet. And while eating plenty of protein is important — protein is the building block of muscle and helps build and repair tissue — there's a macronutrient that's often overlooked when it comes to making muscle gains: carbohydrates.

POPSUGAR Fitness • 19th September 2018

The 5 Symptoms of PCOS to Look Out For, According to Doctors

Polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, is a complicated hormonal condition that affects an estimated six to 12 percent of people with female sex organs (as many as five million), according to the CDC. However, these numbers may vary, as many people have PCOS but do not know it.