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Innermost Recommends: October 2020

30th October 2020

Health Life

30th October 2020

By Innermost

October marks Black History Month. For that reason, weโ€™ve dedicated this monthโ€™s recommendations to ways that we can learn more about black stories and achievements through the things weโ€™ve been reading and watching, and with books, TV shows and more, we've found some amazing things to share with the Innermost community. So without further ado hereโ€™s what we got up to in October.

Reading

Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala
โ€œCovering everything from the police, education and identity to politics, sexual objectification and the far right, Akala speaks directly to that British squeamishness we have when it comes to confronting issues of race and class.ย It's well worth a read.โ€ -ย Catherine

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings byย Maya Angelou
โ€œThe subject - a black woman brought up in the Deep South surrounded by bigotry and poverty - touches themes that may be familiar to many but itโ€™s the way the material has been written; thoughtful, measured and often amusing, communicated through an engaging style of writing, which captures theย imagination and leaves a much deeper understanding.โ€ - Allison

ย 

ย 

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Blackย byย Vashti Harrison
โ€œI bought theseย Little Leader books for my 4 year old niece.ย They feature trailblazingย womenย from historyย whose inspiring storiesย don't often get told in history classes. They're bold, they're bright and they're different. Just like my niece!"ย -ย Shiv

The Color Purpleย byย Alice Walker
โ€œThis is a very heavy read, with hard hitting topics that may leave you feeling uncomfortable. However, itโ€™s also about strong badass women, who stand up for themselves through the hard times they are put through.โ€ ยญ-ย Caitlin

Watching

13thย onย Netflix
โ€œThis documentary is up there in terms of something that's thought-provoking and relevant, now more than ever. An urgent and emotionally devastating exploration of racial inequality in the USA and the corruption of its justice system. It turns everything you think you know aboutย crimeย and punishmentย on it's head.โ€ -ย Shivย 


Hidden Figures
โ€œAn incredible true story you don't hear about in history classes. It's aboutย a group ofย amazing black women in America and the obstacles they had to overcome not only workingย as women at NASA, playingย criticalย roles behind the scenes in the earlyย successes of NASA's spaceย missions in the 1960s, but, also segregation as they fought for equality. Truly inspiring."ย -ย Caitlin

Selmaย on Netflix
โ€œA gripping historical drama outlining the eventsย surroundingย the historic voting rights march taken by Martin Luther King Jr and his followers from Selma to Montgomery in the face of violent opposition." - Allison

Doing

Barre classes
โ€œAs someone who used to be a dancer, I often find myself missing the routine and familiarity of doing classes three or four times a week. However, Iโ€™ve recently tried to get back into the swing of things with a mixture of barre and dance-inspired workout classes. Not only are they great for you physically, but theyโ€™re also just really good fun. Most gyms provide some sort of class like this these days, but if yours doesnโ€™t just search on YouTube.โ€ โ€“ Robyn

Stretching and meditation
โ€œIโ€™ve been making an active effort to spend time stretching morning and evening to help get my body in gear and to help wind down at the end of the day. A great way to clear an anxious mind. Madfit has some great videos to follow from home, and Mimi Bouchard has an excellent library of mindfulness/meditation techniques to choose from.โ€ โ€“ Grace

Bullet journaling
โ€œI've recently become obsessed with bullet journaling because I feel like it helps with my productivity SO much, while also giving me a bit of a creative outlet. It makes me feel so put together and artistic at the same time.โ€ - Allison

ย 

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thanks to @grace.journals for tagging me in this stunning spread! ๐Ÿ˜ // Use the hashtag #bulletjournalss for a chance of being featured. Use the code BULLET10 for 10% off at @thewashitapeshop, @notebook_therapy, and @kawaiipenshop! (they all provide worldwide shipping!). Remember to shop around! ๐Ÿ›’๐Ÿค โ€ข โ€ข โ€ข โ€ข โ€ข โ€ข โ€ข #bulletjournalss #bujo #bulletjournal #bulletjournals #study #studyblr #studygram #studyspiration #motivation #stationery #planner #pens #washitape #bulletjournals #plan #studying #bujoweeklyspread #journals #plannerjunkie #productivity #notes #studyaddict #stationeryaddict #journal #studyspo #studyinspo #journal #bujoideas #bulletjournaljunkies

A post shared by bullet journal inspiration.๐Ÿ“–โœ๏ธ (@bullet.journals) on

ย 

That's all for October. But if you can't wait untilย November and want to see what we got up to last month in September, check it outย here.ย 

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How to Beat Imposter Syndrome, According to Experts

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From the Bedroom to the Gym: Is Your Sex Life Affecting Your Workout Performance?

From the Bedroom to the Gym: Is Your Sex Life Affecting Your Workout Performance?

The relationship between sex and workout performance is one thatโ€™s long been debated by scientists and fitness fanatics alike. Itโ€™s complicated and multifaceted, so answering the question of whether your sex life is affecting your training is difficult. That said, today weโ€™re going to take a look at a variety of evidence, both academic and anecdotal, as well as several different scenarios and at least try to reduce some of the mystery around the subject. First, it helps to understand whatโ€™s actually happening to the body, both physically and psychologically, during both activities. ย  The Effects of Sex on the Body Sexual activity causes several changes to occur in the body: ย  Physical Changes That Occur During Sex During sexual activity and the lead up to it, the human body undergoes a process known as the sexual response cycle. This is the case for both males and females, though the cycle can be highly individual and may not be the same each time for each person. Describing the full sexual response cycle is beyond the scope of this article, however it consists of 4 phases: Desire Arousal Orgasm Resolution Factors such as elevated heart rate, increased blood flow and pressure and heightened muscle tension all come into play. If youโ€™d like to read about the sexual response cycle in more detail, check out this great article from Cleveland Clinic. ย  Psychological Changes That Occur During Sex Several psychological changes occur both during and after sex. Most notable are the release of endorphins and oxytocin, which are associated with improved mood and a better sense of wellbeing. These are also responsible for reduced stress levels, which brings a multitude of additional benefits that are of particular interest to those of us participating in regular training and exercise. Cortisol, the hormone responsible for stress, is catabolic in high levels, meaning it can cause the breakdown of lean tissue. So, whilst it is unclear whether sex itself affects workout performance, the reduction in stress levels it may bring is definitely beneficial for preserving our results! ย  The Effects of Exercise and Training on the Body Exercise and training also cause the body to undergo a number of changes. These occur both during and after the physical activity. There are in fact a number of similarities in changes that happen during exercise and sex: ย  Physical Changes That Occur During Exercise The physical changes that happen in the body vary based on the type of exercise being undertaken, however, there are some that are common to exercise in general: Increased heart rate Increased blood flow, especially to the muscles Faster, deeper breathing due to additional oxygen needs Heightened activity within the circulatory, respiratory, musculoskeletal and endocrine systems A full summary of the changes that occur within these systems can be found here. More aerobically demanding exercise will, of course, place greater emphasis on the circulatory and respiratory systems as well as causing fat to be metabolised as an energy source. Resistance training, which often relies more heavily on the lactate and creatine phosphate energy systems, instead promotes greater muscular and endocrine (hormone) activity. Note the common physical changes between sex and exercise here, as they do crossover! ย  Psychological Changes That Occur During Exercise The psychological changes that occur during exercise are similar to those experienced during sexual activity and are mostly related to the release of endorphins and other โ€˜feelgoodโ€™ hormones. These help to regulate mood, and it is common knowledge that frequent exercise and leading an active, healthy lifestyle promotes a feeling of wellbeing. ย  Does Sex Affect Our Workouts? This is where things become complicated. Though extensive studies have been done on the subject, the results of these have varied massively. We must also take into account the experience of individuals, and this anecdotal evidence again has huge variance. Letโ€™s look at both: ย  Sex and Training: What the Science Says Scientific studies on the relationship between sex and training are contradictory at best. Thereโ€™s no denying the positive benefits of both activities, particularly from a psychological perspective, but as for the effect of sex on actual performance in the gym the results are inconclusive. A study, published in April 2021, by Kirecci, Albayrak and co. examined the effects of sexual activity of 50 men in the 24 hours prior to training on lower body strength. The study measured effects by having the men perform 3 separate squat sessions, each at the same time of day. Each of these sessions occurred after participating in or abstaining from sexual activity the night before. The men performed 5 sets of 5 repetitions of their maximum squat weight during these sessions and the difference in weight lifted was observed. The study concluded that โ€˜sexual intercourse within 24 hours before exercise [has a] detrimental effect on lower extremity muscle force, which suggests that restricting sexual activity before a short-term activity may be necessary.โ€™ Aside from this study, most others found either no notable relationship between sex and athletic performance. A meta-analysis of 9 crossover studies, conducted by Zavorsky and Brooks and published on 16 September 2022, confirms this. The analysis concluded that โ€˜The results demonstrate that sexual activity within 30 min to 24 h before exercise does not appear to affect aerobic fitness, musculoskeletal endurance, or strength/power.โ€™ This is perhaps more notable, because these studies incorporated different types of exercise and were not restricted purely to a strength/power based activity like squats. ย  Anecdotal Evidence: What About the Experiences of Real Gym Goers? The anecdotal evidence is, as expected, highly individualised. However, there tends to be a bias against the results of most studies, particularly in those participating in sports involving strength and aggression. For example, many fighters claim that they perform better when they abstain from sex in the days leading up to a contest. Similarly, bodybuilding forums are full of debate on this topic and many claim they note a significant decrease in motivation to train at maximum intensity after sexual activity. It has been hypothesised that this may be due to a downregulation in testosterone production after sex; during orgasm the mineral zinc is released in the body and this is also a precursor for natural testosterone production in the body and may, therefore, provide some reasoning as to the experience of many trainees. ย  Key Takeaways The relationship between sex and workout performance will always be a complicated one. The effects of one on the other in terms of physical fitness and, in particular, mental wellbeing, are clear, but when it comes to actual performance this appears to be highly individual. Weโ€™d advise doing what feels best for you but not worrying too much about it. Instead, prioritise your nutrition and make sure youโ€™re fuelling your workouts properly. While youโ€™re here, why not take a look at the Innermost range? Weโ€™re proud to be completely transparent about the ingredients in our products and we always ensure theyโ€™re of the highest quality. Check us out, and be sure to get in touch if you have any questions!
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