20 Ways to Feel Better in 2020
“Feel better” used to be something you said to someone with a cold. Now it feels like a mandate coming at us from grocery store shelves and vacation destinations and cafe menus and that person on the internet you can’t remember why you followed. As editor of Healthyish, and as a human in the world, I think a lot about why we’re so obsessed with feeling better. And I think it’s because betterment has never felt more possible. In 2020—a year that sounds like science fiction to me even though it’s now—we can track our sleep with an app; we can take a pill for shinier hair; we can dose our breakfasts with superfood dust. We can optimize just about every aspect of our lives. But...should we?
Honestly it can all feel pretty stressful, overwhelming, and ultimately besides the point. I don’t care if my hair shines like Yankee Stadium at night: If I’m not enjoying the process of self-improvement, I’m not feeling better. More likely, I’m feeling worse.
So here’s my pitch for 2020, and the thing I hope you’ll take away from what's below: Don’t try to fix everything. This year, we’re all about small goals that can have big impacts on our wellbeing—and the planet’s—without sacrificing time (three deep breaths are enough to lower your blood pressure!), taste (check out our healthy fudge recipe), or fun. Pick one goal from our lineup or pick five. There are zero rules here, just a whole lot of our best ideas, all meant to get you to whatever version of “feeling better” feels best to you. –Amanda Shapiro, Healthyish editor
All products featured on Healthyish are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li1/241. Give Your Breakfast Sandwich an Update
We're not saying the classic bacon, egg, and cheese isn't perfect. We're just saying you've got options. Like garlicky, soy-saucy rings of roasted red onion layered on soft scrambled eggs with herb sauce and melty cheddar. Bacon who?
Illustrations by Justyna Stasik2/242. Get in a Work Groove
Working remotely can be The Dream, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Trinity Mouzon Wofford and Issey Kobori, founders of the wellness brand Golde, spend their days running the company from their 700-square-foot Brooklyn apartment. Here’s how the couple (who’ve been together since high school) make the most of WFH life— and how you can too.
1. No PJ's allowed
Even if no one’s going to see you, Wofford believes getting dressed is crucial. “Otherwise it feels like you’re home sick.” She favors thick, loose-fitting fabrics— structured but comfy. Kobori’s work uniform is T-shirts from a website literally called heavytshirt.com. “They’re for, uh, older men,” he says, “but I like to embellish them with a bit of sewing.”2. Slow food for all
A perk of working 10 feet from your kitchen? Kissing sad plastic clamshell lunches goodbye. Kobori and Wofford make home cooking a ritual, from their morning smoothies to the Japanese veggie dishes Kobori cooks for lunch and dinner. “We’re not vegetarian, but we do prefer mushrooms over meat,” Wofford says. “They’re better for the climate and better for your colon.”3. BYO schedule
Not having a boss means the couple can set their hours according to their personal clocks. But to avoid working too little or too much, they must be diligent about sticking to it. “We’re morning people,” says Wofford. “Putting stuff off gives me anxiety, so I’ll usually start emailing by 7 a.m.” By 5 p.m. the laptops close and the dinner prep begins.4. Shift your scenery
An extra bedroom acts as an office for Kobori, but Wofford prefers moving her work around the apartment. (Her only rule: “Don’t lie down.”) When she really needs to focus, she heads out to a local café. “I’m looking for a quiet space with good tea and nice light, where other people are working too, so I don’t have to feel guilty about posting up for hours.”5. Loooong walks
“When you’re with your partner all day in an enclosed space,” Wofford says, “you’ve got to get out once in a while.” The pair punctuate each workday with an hour-plus stroll around Brooklyn. “In some ways it’s a break, but it’s also a meeting,” Kobori says. “Studies show that you’re a better problem-solver when you’re moving.” –Hilary Cadigan, associate editor
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich3/243. Let Off Some Steam
We once thought vegetables had to be browned in order to be appetizing. Carrots were invisible if they weren’t charred, potatoes unpalatable if they weren’t crispy. While steaming may have never been our default cooking method in the past, lately we’ve been bringing it back. Whether we're using a fancy ceramic vessel or an inexpensive metal basket, we get custardy sweet potatoes, juicy chicken breasts, and beautifully cooked eggs every time. Vegetables and proteins emerge refreshed and hydrated, as if they’ve spent a day at the spa. They taste like their best selves, ready to be zhuzhed up with a punchy dressing. It all happens in the time it would take to heat up the oven—and there’s no oily baking sheet to clean when you’re done. –Christina Chaey, associate editor
4/24
Illustrations by Justyna Stasik5/244. Take a Smoke(less) Break
I’ve never been a smoker. But I’ve always been jealous of the smoke break, that midday opportunity to put a hard stop on whatever work it is you claim to be doing. Then I realized I could still do that even without a Marlboro in hand.
When I’m at my desk, staring at my computer, I’m in this sort of suspended state—breathing but not breathing. So on days when the weather isn’t exceptionally crappy, I’ll just get up and head outside. I’ll exit our ginormous skyscraper, where the only air you breathe is recycled, find a bench to sit at, and take some deep satisfying drags of oxygen.
Just 10 or 15 minutes away from my desk is enough for me to reset. Maybe I’ll catch some sun and listen to half a podcast. And when I head back to my desk, I won’t smell like a pack of smokes. –Adam Rapoport, editor in chief
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio6/245. Cook the Way You Want to Feel
For three years, we've kicked off the month of January with our Feel Good Food Plan, a collection of recipes you’ll be excited to eat beyond just these early months. No calorie counting. No bland salads. Just meals that are satisfying, simple to make, and big on whole unprocessed ingredients (and flavor!). Our approach for 2020 was to put creative spins on dishes we already love—noodles, fish and chips, meatballs—and to also provide back-pocket healthyish tricks you can use beyond these dishes. How do you make pesto super creamy without a ton of olive oil? Add pistachios. What’s a spicy upgrade for a quick but hearty stew? Kimchi. How can you sass up chicken soup? Top it with charred onions and garlic. This is your new everyday food.
7/246. Find Your Sparkling Soul Mate
Take home the best of craft seltzer’s second boom with sparkling beverages that blend adaptogens, fresh fruits, and botanicals. They’re light, bright, and all we want to drink right now.
Dona Spice Sodas
This juniper lime version is lemon-lime soda all grown up— equal parts vibrant and herbaceous. Chamomile and elderflower keep things earthy without added flavorings. Buy it: Dona Spice Sodas, $12 for 3.Kin Euphorics
When we need a pick-me-up, we opt for the citrusy, ginger-y Kin spritz, packed with calming adaptogens like rhodiola rosea and mood-boosting nootropics like GABA and citicoline. Buy it: Kin Spritz, $27 for 4.Sanzo
There are beverages that kind of taste like mango, and then there’s this Alphonso mango sparkling water, which perfectly captures the sweet and tangy character of the prized fruit. Buy it: Sanzo, $24 for 12.Minna
This very sippable sparkling rooibos tea is brewed with hibiscus and rosehips and finished with a lime twist. These are fresh, tart flavors you can actually taste—no artificial stuff here. Buy it: Minna Organic Sparkling Tea, $3.
Illustrations by Justyna Stasik8/247. Work Out Like Molly Baz
Being on staff at BA means you get to eat...a lot. Which is awesome, but also necessitates some physical activity. Here's how senior food editor Molly Baz kills her high intensity interval training workouts.
1. Nike Training Club: I love this app because it feeds you workouts that satisfy your specific criteria—you can browse by muscle group, workout type, or by equipment. So if you’re in a hotel and you want to do a quick abs thing you just hit ‘abs’ and ‘no equipment.’ You can also join a 12-workout challenge that keeps you accountable and cheers you on!
2. Hoka One One Clifton 6 Sneakers: Ever since an injury in the kitchen (long story short: I stabbed myself with my kitchen knife), I favor my legs in a weird way that gives me foot problems. And then I found Hokas. I can stand on those all day long. They are very cushioned and light. They have a thick sole that feels bouncy and trampoline-y. They don’t drag you down. Whether I’m shooting video in the test kitchen or running on the treadmill, these are the shoes I wear. Buy it: Hoka One One Clifton 6 Sneakers, $130.
3. Kinto Water Bottle: I have a thing about cold water. I can’t get hydrated unless the water is ice cold. This is the best insulated water bottle, and it also looks fancy. Buy it: Kinto Water Bottle, $38.
4. If I need fuel right after a workout, I eat two jammy eggs, often topped with vinegar, flaky salt, and Aleppo pepper. It’s that hit of protein and energy.
5. I only work out in the morning. I can feel my energy dropping over the course of the day because I am on my feet so much. I am so much slower after spending a day in the kitchen eating a lot. I need to get the intense workout out of my day first thing in the morning or I’ll never do it.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich9/248. Put This Bright Somali Sauce on Everything
We are constantly searching for that elusive all-purpose condiment. You know, the jar of stuff you can pull out of your fridge on a random weeknight, put on the simplest of dishes (salad, rice, eggs, and so on), and build an instant meal that’s flavorful but still wholesome. These days we’re stockpiling Basbaas sauces, a duo of condiments created by BA contributor Hawa Hassan. They’re inspired by the flavors of her native Somalia (basbaas means “chili” in Somali), and they come in sweet, tangy tamarind date (also known as your new favorite salad dressing and meat glaze) as well as coconut cilantro chutney (pictured), a brighter, more herbaceous sauce you’ll want to slather on everything from toast to seafood to roasted veg. –Priya Krishna, contributing writer
Illustrations by Justyna Stasik10/249. Be Kinder to Yourself
“When we were filming [Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat] in Italy, I knew I wanted to do a montage in which I eat like 50 different scoops of gelato. I knew that was possibly an invitation for someone to comment on my weight, but I just had to put it out of my mind because if I sat around being worried about what somebody might say about the way I look, then I wouldn’t be able to be myself.” Read Samin Nosrat on learning to love who you are after a lifetime of feeling uncomfortable in your own skin.
Photo by Alex Lau11/2410. Reset Your Skincare Routine
Have you seen senior food editor Andy Baraghani’s glazed-doughnut glow? Our resident skin care savant can tell you which cleanser is best and whether Liv Tyler’s favorite serum is worth the hype. Andy’s daytime toner, Biologique Recherche P50, has lactic acid and salicylic acid. At night he uses prescription- strength retinol (talk to your dermatologist). Both remove dead skin cells and resurface the skin. Top off with Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50+. “Don’t forget your lips,” he adds. “No one wants to kiss your wrinkly lips.” –Alex Beggs, staff writer
Photo by Laura Murray12/2411. Don't Go Hangry
As someone who’s eaten peanut butter on the subway (the train was stalled and I was starving, okay?!), I am very down with this whole nut-butter-bar trend. And the bars from Big Spoon Roasters, the staff-favorite nut butter company out of Durham, North Carolina, are at the top of my pile. Made with roasted peanuts, wildflower honey, and house-made granola, they’re dense and chewy like peanut butter cookie dough and laced with a healthy sprinkle of sea salt. I’ve tried all four flavors—Cherry Pecan, Cranberry Cashew, Apricot Pepita, and Figgy Chai—and love all my children, but I’m partial to the tartness of the cherry variety. Not only are they “delicious with coffee,” as the package proclaims, but they can handle my hunger pangs whenever and wherever they strike. –Amanda Shapiro, Healthyish editor
13/24
Illustrations by Justyna Stasik14/2412. Find Your Chill Anywhere
Sometimes mindfulness feels like a vague superpower reserved for people with the time, patience, and money to commit to a digital detox or silent retreat. But neuroscientist/meditation guide Nkechi Njaka teaches regular (read: time-strapped and stressed) folks to practice being present without the sound baths and crystals. These are her tried-and-true tips.
1. You only need three minutes to meditate
“People get intimidated by the idea they need to sit for hours, but really you can carve out just a little time every day to get present,” Njaka says. Find literally a few minutes, maybe while waiting for your French press in the morning or before bed at night, to take a seat and focus on deep breathing to help clear your mind.2. Any errand is an opportunity
Walking to work or waiting in line? Practice mindfulness by bringing awareness to everything around you: your feet on the ground, the warmth of the sun, the rumble of a truck driving by.3. Keep a journal
Trade the five minutes you spend scrolling through Instagram each morning for writing down everything on your mind, from your desperate need for coffee to the annoying construction down the street, to train yourself to stay grounded. Those cute corgi pics will still be there when you’re done.–Aliza Abarbanel, Healthyish assistant editor
15/2413. Eat Fudge, Be Healthy
Got cocoa cravings? Make rich, dairy-free fudge that’s extra silky thanks to creamy avocado.
Illustrations by Justyna Stasik16/2414. Work Out Like Alex Lau
Being on staff at BA means you get to eat...a lot. Which is awesome, but also necessitates some physical activity. Here's how staff photographer and competitive power lifter (he’s nationally ranked!) Alex Lau gets his workouts done.
1. MyFitnessPal: I use this app to track what I eat. I don’t count calories, but I do keep track of my protein, carb, and fat intake, which is important because I compete nationally in a certain weight class. The interface on the app is really intuitive. You can look up foods, and you can even just scan a barcode on the back of a package, and it’ll input all the nutritional stats for you.
2. Dave’s Killer Bread Epic Everything Bagels: I like eating bagels before workouts because they are high carb, low fat, and contain protein. Lifting is fueled by carbohydrates. These bagels are the best —they toast nicely, they taste wholesome, and you can buy them pretty much everywhere. Buy it: Dave’s Killer Bread Epic Everything Bagels, $5
3. AU53 Racer ¾ Length Stay Cool Compression Pants: People claim compression tights help regulate blood flow in your body, but I don't subscribe to that. These are just really comfortable, especially when you’re squatting. They don’t restrict you in any way. You can really move around.Buy it: AU53 Racer ¾ Length Stay Cool Compression Pants, $53
4. Denovo Whey Protein Powder in Salted Caramel: Most protein powders are clumpy and chalky and gross and make you super fart-y. This is really mixable, it tastes great with water, and I don’t feel terrible or bloated afterward. If I haven’t eaten enough protein throughout the day, I just mix up some of this. Buy it: Denovo Whey Protein Powder in Salted Caramel, $35 for 25 servings.
5. Make a plan: I’m always traveling for photo shoots, and creating these plans is how I ensure I am making time for a workout. If you have planned ahead in terms of where you will work out and what you are going to do — versus just saying, ‘I am going to go to Equinox’ — it’s much easier to stay on track.
Photo by Dina Avila17/2415. Shop for Weed Without Freaking Out
The field of cannabis is ever-expanding: Breath mints! Baked goods! Bath bombs! But don’t get overwhelmed by options, says Cambria Noecker, cofounder of Serra Dispensary in Portland, Oregon, and Los Angeles. Instead, look inward to determine what feeling you’re after and choose your product accordingly. Check out her top picks for new and longtime users alike.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio18/2416. Make These Tropical-Inspired Recipes
Winter? We hardly know her. These feisty, fearless recipes from the crew behind Lil' Deb's Oasis in Hudson, New York, will make your kitchen feel like a tropical paradise—whatever the weather.
Illustrations by Justyna Stasik19/2417. Try the Low-ABV Dating Life...If You Want To
Wellness culture tells us to drink less. The apps tell us to date more. But can you do both at once? Healthyish editor Amanda Shapiro finds out.
20/24
Photo by Emma Fishman21/2418. Buy Better Coffee
It’s not just about finding quality beans. Good coffee means the farmers behind it are paid fairly and the beans are farmed sustainably without disrupting the surrounding ecosystem. Here are a few things to look for.
Compensation
Ethical coffee means farmers are paid fair wages. Doing things the right way costs more money, which is why ethical coffee is more expensive, usually between $1.60 and $2.70 an ounce.Local roasters
Look for the location of the roaster. The shorter the distance between the roaster and your cup, the smaller the carbon footprint.Roast date
Coffee beans lose flavor over time. A roast date on the bag lets you know that the roaster cares about the integrity of the coffee, which is often a sign that they also care about the people who grew the beans. Under two weeks is ideal, but a little over a month is fine.Transparency
The more information listed on the bag, the better—country, region, farm, and even the name of the farmer. Responsible coffee roasters will be transparent about their supply chain.Packaging
We don’t need beans in a bag in a box, wrapped in plastic. There should be two elements to a bag of coffee: The bag and the beans. Anything else is superfluous. Minimize trash! –Alex Delany, associate editor
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich22/2419. Make Power Butter
If you thought it was impossible to make nut butter more delicious, try this added-value version, which combines store-bought almond butter with a bulk- aisle’s worth of seeds sizzled in coconut oil to make a crunchy spread we’d eat from breakfast till bedtime.
Illustrations by Justyna Stasik23/2420. Work Out Like Priya Krishna
Being on staff at BA means you get to eat...a lot. Which is awesome, but also necessitates some physical activity. Here's how Priya Krishna, contributing writer and NYC marathon runner, fuels her runs.
1. Tribe Sports Cell Phone Armband: I will probably own this armband forever. It fits comfortably, it doesn’t slide all over the place, and it has lasted me through so many years of wear and tear. Most importantly, it’s water resistant, which is crucial given the number of times I have been caught in the pouring rain. Buy it: Tribe Sports Cell Phone Armband, $10.
2.Gatorade Prime Energy Chews: I have tried so many brands of energy chew, including the expensive organic ones. They were all either too sweet, or they got melt-y when it was hot. These fruit punch energy chews are salty, sweet, and tangy, and they deliver that electrolyte jolt you crave in a bottle of Gatorade. And they come in portable sleeves, so you can stick them in your shorts pocket to pop during long runs. Buy it: Gatorade Prime Energy Chews in Fruit Punch,$20 for pack of 16.
3. I eat pickles right before and after long runs: Usually dill pickles. I always want that boost of salt, but not anything too heavy. I ate almost an entire jar the night before I ran the New York City Marathon.
4. WeTap: “I don’t like carrying that much stuff on me when I run, but I know I need to drink lots of water. This app that allows you to locate water fountains, so you can map out your run accordingly. It even evaluates the quality of the water fountain.
5. I almost always run with my best friend Kate, and in order to pass the time, we will both either read the same book or binge watch the same show beforehand so we have something to discuss. That, or we’ll gossip.
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