Old age demands to be taken very seriously–and it usually gets its way. It’s hard to be cavalier about a time of life defined by loss of vigor, increasing frailty, rising disease risk and falling cognitive faculties. Then there’s the unavoidable matter of the end of consciousness and the self–death, in other words–that’s drawing closer and closer. It’s the rare person who can confront the final decline with flippancy or ease. That, as it turns out, might be our first mistake.

Humans are not alone in facing the ultimate reckoning, but we’re the only species–as far as we know–who spends its whole life knowing death is coming. A clam dredged from the ocean off Iceland in 2006–and inadvertently killed by the scientists who discovered it–carried growth lines on its shell indicating it had been around since 1499. That was enough time for 185,055 generations of mayfly–which live as little as a day–to come and go. Neither clam nor fly gave a thought to that mortal math.

Humans fall somewhere between those two extremes. Globally, the average life span is 71.4 years; for a few lucky people, it may exceed 100 years. It has never, to science’s knowledge, exceeded the 122 years, 164 days lived by Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who was born when Ulysses S. Grant was in the White House and died when Bill Clinton lived there.

Most of us would like a little bit of that Calment magic, and we’ve made at least some progress. Life expectancy in the U.S. exceeds the global average, clocking in at just under 79 years. In 1900, it was just over 47 years. The extra decades came courtesy of just the things you’d expect: vaccines, antibiotics, sanitation and improved detection and treatment of a range of diseases. Advances in genetics and in our understanding of dementia are helping to extend our factory warranties still further.

None of that, however, changes the way we contemplate the end of life–often with anxiety and asceticism, practicing a sort of existential bartering. We can narrow our experiences and give up indulgences in exchange for a more guardedly lived life that might run a little longer.

But what if we could take off some of that bubble wrap? What about living longer and actually having some fun? A Yale University study just this month found that in a group of 4,765 people with an average age of 72, those who carried a gene variant linked to dementia–but also had positive attitudes about aging–were 50% less likely to develop the disorder than people who carried the gene but faced aging with more pessimism or fear.

There may be something to be said then for aging less timidly–as a sort of happy contrarian, arguing when you feel like arguing, playing when you feel like playing. Maybe you want to pass up the quiet of the country for the churn of a city. Maybe you want to drink a little, eat a rich meal, have some sex…

What an Olympics it’s been for 17-year-old American athletes. 

Snowboarders Chloe Kim and Red Gerard took home gold in their events earlier this week. Now, teen figure skater Vincent Zhou has made Olympic history by landing a quadruple Lutz. 

Zhou is the first skater to ever land the jump at the Olympics. 

No skater has successfully landed a quad Axel in competition, making the Lutz the most difficult quad jump you’ll see at the Olympics

Fellow American Nathan Chen, who is just 18, also has a quad Lutz in his routine and landed two of them during his free skate at Skate America earlier this season.

Long hair is often portrayed as romantic, dreamy, and feminine. Short hair can be fun, edgy, and unique. But if you think there’s anything boring about middle length hair, think again—it’s actually the most versatile length of all. Short enough to play up texture but long enough to weave a braid or two, there are tons of options for those with medium-length hair to make a statement with their strands.

Still not convinced? Check out the shots below for some hairstyle inspo, and don’t be afraid to give one or two try. Pin the rest for later, or challenge yourself to a new look every day!

Fishtail braids

Photo: Hairbyjul.pl/Instagram

Haven’t worn pigtail braids since pre-K? Consider this a personal challenge to give them another go. Sexy, messy fishtail braids update the old classic, and using thin, clear elastics like these to finish them off keeps things from looking too immature.

Space buns

Photo: Nealmhair/Instagram

You don’t need to be at Coachella to rock this trendy look—space buns are an awesome and easy way to make your hair stand out. Gather up two buns at the top of your head and let the rest of your hair flow as shown above, or gather all hair into two low space buns at the nape of the neck for a more subtle take.

Flirty low pony

Photo: Airhairandmakeup and Annett_ka26/Instagram

Tease it, curl it, crimp it, you name it. When it comes to customizing a ponytail, the world is your oyster. Soft waves and a teased crown are the ultimate dreamy date-night combo, but a quick low pony is an easy go-to for errands, gym days, and more.

Beachy waves

Photo: Michlgon/Instagram

Short hair often makes waves appear short and curly, while long hair can sometimes weigh texture down. That’s why medium hair is the perfect length for easy, carefree beach waves that look gorgeous. Whether you use a curling wand or a texture spray, the result is effortless cool.

Upside-down braided bun

Photo: Camillestyles/Instagram

Business in the front, party in the back. Experienced braiders can whip up this style in minutes, and the result is a stunning surprise that will literally turn heads.

Pull-through braid

Photo: Isijaytot/Instagram

Once you’ve mastered fishtails and French braids, a pull-through braid should be next on your list of styles to tackle. Pull front strands into the braid and leave the rest down like above, or gather the finished product into a pony or bun for an updo version. Once you know the braiding technique, the possibilities are endless.

Ballerina bun

Photo: Beautyby_loulou/Instagram

Messy buns are undoubtedly cool, but a perfectly coiffed high bun? So stylish. Use the sock bun method to roll your hair to perfection, or trust your bobby pinning skills to create a topknot flawless enough that real ballerinas will envy you.

Sleek ponytail

Photo: Crystal Blanchard/Pinterest

Nothing says polished like a shiny, smooth pony—plus, throwing one up takes just seconds…

Maybe you got a fitness tracker for the holidays and are feeling inspired to log a few extra miles a week. Or maybe you enjoy walking as a form of regular exercise, but are curious as to how you can slim down doing it. Whatever your reason, it's easier than you think to torch serious calories by simply moving your right foot in front of your left.

So here's how you take your walking routine to the next level: “Set mini goals for yourself during your walk. For example, if you’re taking your workout outdoors, try pacing as quickly as you can to the next stop sign. If you’re on a treadmill, do the same by setting a time goal that you can look forward to achieving," advises Christine DiBugnara, National Director of Group Fitness and Programming, UFC GYM. "Not only will this feel great to achieve, but it will make your workout go by much quicker.”

If you're walking with a friend or loved one, test each other to fun mini challenges along the way like walking as quickly as you can to your favorite workout tune while the other does walking lunges and then switching roles. As you set and break your mini goals, you'll likely begin to burn more calories with every workout and build your endurance, too.

To steal a line from Hippocrates, "walking is man's best medicine." See, even the 5th century BC Greek physician knew it sure ain't running.

Long waves, a lavender lob, a red top knot, bangs, braids, you name it—a quick scroll through YouTube star Vanessa Martinez’s Instagram page, and it’s clear she’s not afraid to take style risks when it comes to her hair, and the results are always chic and cool.

Even with her constantly-changing appearance, Martinez’s 585,000 Instagram followers and 2.1 million YouTube subscribers were shocked when she unveiled a totally new look recently: a completely bald head. And Martinez didn’t just break the news with a selfie; she posted an eleven minute video of her shaving her head, complete with an explanation for her desire to "start over" with her hair.

At the start of the video, Martinez has long extensions, which she cites as the main culprit for inspiring her to make the change. She claims that as a result of adding on more and more extensions and making drastic hair changes, her natural hair had become damaged and sparse.

"I’m just making myself balder and balder, so why don’t I just cut all my hair off and start over?" she says in the video.

According to Jeanine Downie, MD, a dermatologist from Montclair, New Jersey, hair breakage, damage, and loss can all be common side effects when wearing heavy extensions. "My experience is that many people sew in their weaves too tight and they break hair and can cause bald patches," she tells Health. "Other people use glue and the glue is a chemical irritant to the scalp and that can also call small or large bald patches."

During the video, Martinez and a friend are all smiles as they snip and shave her hair away. It's not every day you see a young girl shave her head in an eleven-minute video montage, but it’s clear that Martinez is confident in her decision.

"You guys, hair grows back," she declares, at once reassuring both her viewers and herself. When the shave is complete, she's unable to stop touching and rubbing her newly bare head. In a pinned comment, she goes on to further dismiss any negative stereotypes about bald women: "Being bald is not ugly. [Its] not disgusting. [Its] not weird. If you are going bald due to illness, stress whatever the case, you are still beautiful."

The video currently boasts 782,000 views and counting, with an impressive 55,000 "thumbs up" from Martinez’s supportive following. The comments section below the video is a mix of fans praising her bravery and beauty and others offering advice for Martinez’s new healthy hair journey.

"I feel very liberated," Martinez writes. "New trend, new bald, 2018!"

We think the vlogger looks gorgeous both with and without her strands, and we admire her for taking her hair health into her own hands. For those interested in keeping up with Martinez and her new look, she mentions that she might start a hair-growing series on her YouTube channel to continue documenting her fresh start.

At first glance, the Stealth Core Trainer might remind you of a piece of workout gear from a late-night infomercial. (Anyone else remember the Ab Dolly?) But unlike the as-seen-on-TV equipment now gathering dust under countless beds around the country, the Stealth gadget involves an addictive video game that might just help you stick to a regular core workout. The device and its app actually make planks fun.

Skeptical? Here’s how it works: The Stealth is like a balance board. The platform sits on an unstable base, and you rest your forearms on top, in plank position. Between your arms, there is a slot for your phone.

Once you hit start on the video game, you play by changing your plank position ever so slightly to explode colorful targets. Each round consists of isometric plank holds, subtle forward and backward tilts, and twists and dips to work your obliques.

There are two models, the Personal ($199, amazon.com), which is a little smaller, a bit cheaper, and meant for at-home use; and the Professional ($299, amazon.com), which is designed for use in gyms.

Fresh off a recent plank challenge of my own, I was psyched when the folks at Stealth offered to send me a trainer to try. It took just a few attempts for me to get the hang of it. I learned quickly that the faster I shifted around in plank position, the more points I could rack up in the game before my core started trembling and I had to call it quits. Surprisingly, time flew by–and before I knew it, a minute was up. After two weeks, I could hold a plank for 90 seconds–and I had nearly tripled my score from 41 to 111.

RELATED: 27 Fat-Burning Ab Exercises (No Crunches!)

More than a little competitive, I felt a twinge of pride every time I hit a new record time, or a new high score. If I didn't beat my score the following day, what was even the point of trying?! (Okay maybe I'm too competitive.) But seriously, knowing you can probably eke out a few more points each day may be enough to keep you coming back for more, too. 

I made an account so I could log onto the app and see how my scores compared to other Stealth plankers. I tinkered with the filters on the leaderboard, and found that sorting by age, sex, and location revealed some impressive stats: Other women my age in the U.S. were racking up hundreds and hundreds of points; some were holding planks for longer than five minutes. With some diligence, I figured I could crack the top 20–a new competitive drive to keep me hooked!

But there was one downside I discovered: While becoming hyper-focused on my score was 100% helpful in terms of distracting me from the slow tick-tock of the clock, I began sacrificing good plank form to score additional points in the game. On certain days, my arms and shoulders felt like they got a better workout than my core–and I knew I needed to refocus on dominating the game from my abs…