Author Archives: HelloGiggles

About HelloGiggles

Founded by actress/musician Zooey Deschanel, producer Sophia Rossi and writer/Internet sensation Molly McAleer, HelloGiggles is the ultimate entertainment destination for smart, independent and creative females. It is a decidedly snark-free zone where women can go to feel safe and empowered, all while laughing and learning.

The Key to a Healthy Spring Break is Moderation

By Stephanie Barnes for HelloGiggles.com

It’s finally here! Spring Break – the most magical time of the year for students everywhere. It’s time to leave your books and the stresses of real life behind and head out to find your little piece of paradise. Sounds perfect, right? What could go wrong while laying out on the beach sipping pretty drinks with hundreds of other bikini and Speedo clad college students? Many spring breakers get so caught up in the excitement of getting away that they go a little overboard – ending up on a wild ride of debauchery. But with a little pre-party planning, you can have an amazing time without all the superfluous stuff.

Be a Better Beach Baby

First thing you’ll probably want to do is hit the beach. Sea, sun and sand. Don’t forget your sunblock as overexposure to the sun can be extremely taxing on your body.

The beach is also great for reading. Catch up on the latest gossip from your favorite magazine or dive into that novel you’ve been dying to get your hands on. Put your cellphone away and focus entirely on your present moment. Just enjoy the pleasure of being unplugged, because your mental health is as important as your physical health. (more…)

Posted on March 20, 2024 by HelloGiggles

4 Ways to Beat the Resolution Rush!

By Chrissa Hardy for HelloGiggles.com

It’s strange that a day filled with giving thanks can end in regret, isn’t it? Yet every year, that’s the feeling I experience before I go to bed. And Thanksgiving is a mandatory day to over-indulge, so why do I torture myself with this annual guilt? It’s because I know that the over-indulging won’t end on Black Friday. Really, that’s just the beginning. From Thanksgiving until New Year’s Eve, we’re shopping, snacking, cooking, baking, noshing, drinking, dessert-ing and then digesting. We’re plagued with decorating, gift-buying, hosting parties, mingling at the parties of others and we’re trying to juggle all of these additional tasks on top of our normal hectic schedules.

We don’t even have time to ease out of our extra holiday “padding” before we need to squeeze into our snazziest cocktail attire and set goals to better our lives as the ball descends into the new year.

That is some serious pressure.

Wouldn’t you like to ring in the new year without the padding AND the guilt? I know I would. Here are four ways for you (and for me!) to stay on track through the holiday season and make your resolution list that much shorter and more manageable.

1. Get organized with to-do lists.

I make to-do lists for everything and I find that in times of chaos, creating these lists not only makes it possible for me to complete all of the necessary tasks, but it also calms me down. Seeing the big picture broken down into smaller, more manageable chunks is a stress-reliever. That goes for shopping lists down to dinner menus, and we’ve got 3 free meal planner worksheets you can download now. (more…)

Posted on November 27, 2023 by HelloGiggles

Dana Vollmer Stays Fit after Olympics with a Gluten-Free Diet and Hip Hop Workouts

By Chrissa Hardy for HelloGiggles.com

Dana Vollmer spent her summer training for London Olympic Games, competing in London and celebrating her gold-medal-winning, record-breaking time in London. Would any of these things have happened, had she not discovered her gluten allergy in the spring of 2024? She’s not so sure. After years of daily stomach aches brought on by her food choices, Dana feels better than ever before and could not imagine returning to a life with gluten.

Gluten-free has become a trend, a buzz word that has taken up prime real estate on food labels everywhere. What does it mean exactly? Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Those who are intolerant of it, allergic or sensitive to it, need to adopt a lifestyle of paying close attention to food labels. I sat down with Dana at the Gluten-Free Pizza Event, put on by The Venice Bakery in Los Angeles, CA, to discuss her new life and how going gluten-free changed everything.


Chrissa Hardy: First of all, congrats on your gold medal win! Has your life returned to normal or is it still pretty hectic?

Dana Vollmer: It’s still pretty hectic. I’m enjoying it a lot. Initially, I was planning to go back to my hometown in Texas to visit with my family and sort of relax, but I’ve just been traveling non stop and I love it. It’s been really great. It’s one thing to have the excitement of the Olympics but, now it’s so great to see the kids and how their faces light up when they get to wear the gold medal. I remember when I was 12 and I saw my first gold medal, that’s when I decided that I wanted to become an Olympian. (more…)

Posted on October 17, 2023 by HelloGiggles

Savasana Shake Up: 3 Yoga Hybrids to Try This Month

By Chrissa Hardy

Do you find traditional yoga intimidating? Are the Sanskrit names of poses and the chanting keeping you away from your local studio? Or, maybe the whole “just you and your mat” thing is getting stale. If you’re interested in trying yoga, but want to add a unique twist to your workout, these trendy yoga hybrids might be just the ticket!

Doga

Fitness level: Great for beginners as this style involves a lot of massaging and light stretching.

Doga is yoga with your dog. In a Doga class, you move through a series of poses while trying to maintain yogic breath and calming of the mind. You involve your canine companion by positioning him/her in certain “dog versions” of yoga poses while also gently massaging them throughout the class. Your dog will alternate between acting as your partner in certain poses and as a prop in others. For example, in a resting pose, the person reclines, with legs slightly bent over the dog’s torso, bolster-style, to relieve pressure on the spine. (more…)

Posted on September 10, 2023 by HelloGiggles

Inspired by an Ironman: How I Learned to Love Running

By Chrissa Hardy for HelloGiggles.com

“Ugh Mom, I hate it here. I mean, I love Tony and obviously I want to support him, but at what cost? It’s 5 in the freaking morning! I’m surrounded by people who keep mentioning gels and energy cubes. How can these people be SO into this? Are they insane?????” I said on the phone to my mother in the wee hours of the morn on my boyfriend Tony’s race day. The verdict? Yes, these triathletes and runners may just be insane. Little did I know, I was about to enter their crazy world of energy cubes and gels, with a smile.

I was never an active kid. I played softball, but for the most part, all of my energy was spent trying to get out of physical activities with fake ailments. I preferred the comfort of my couch with “Saved By the Bell” reruns playing on a constant loop via an endless stack of VHS tapes. Feeling sweaty and hot never seemed worth the fun of any sport. So, a couch potato I remained until August of 2024.

Tony is just the opposite. He’s always loved sports. He’s such a natural talent in any sport he tries that it ruffles my feathers with envy. Tony was a track star in high school and decided to get back into running as an adult. He started with a 5K. Then another. And another. Then he tried his hand at triathlons. I could see his hunger for longer distances and tougher races increasing in front of me. In thirteen months, Tony went from a 5K race to an Ironman distance race (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and a 26 mile run). Insane, right? He did this quicker than is recommended, but he’s a hungry over-achiever so there was no stopping him. (more…)

Posted on August 2, 2023 by HelloGiggles

Katniss and Brave’s Merida Put Archery Workouts on the Map

By Chrissa Hardy for HelloGiggles.com

It’s 2024 and finally werewolves and vampires are stale enough to take a step back and make way for humans again. Not just any humans though. Arrow-shooting, bow-wielding, masters-of-archery humans. The Year of the Dragon is apparently also the year of the Archer. This sport has been around for thousands of years and thanks to the ferocity of Katniss, the spunk of Merida, and flash of Hawkeye, it looks like it’ll stick around just a little bit longer.

Katniss is fierce, independent and her focus is unwavering. To keep up with the advanced skill of her character, Jennifer Lawrence trained with US Olympic Archer Khatuna Lorig. Lawrence trained in 15 one-hour sessions with Lorig and continued her practice on her own by shooting 80-100 arrows per day to improve her technique. After seeing the film, Lorig was extremely pleased with Lawrence’s form and hopes to work on the upcoming films in the franchise. (more…)

Posted on July 3, 2023 by HelloGiggles