Day: August 16, 2025

• This post originally appeared in the BI Today newsletter.
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Welcome back! One woman who’s been to 90 countries said that there’s one she keeps coming back to again and again. Find out which one. Hint: You can hike glaciers.

On the agenda:

• Improving your posture is the new hot longevity trend.
• Successful men share the workout gear they swear by.
• A sports dietitian weighs in on the benefits — and risks — of a buzzy hydration hack.
• Taylor Swift is making boyfriend Travis Kelce part of her business like never before.

But first: Miss USA is still a mess.

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This week’s dispatch

Heavy is the head that wears the crown

When Noelia Voigt and UmaSofia Srivastava resigned from their Miss USA and Miss Teen USA titles in May 2024, it was the first time that had ever happened in the pageant’s 72-year history.

Restricted by NDAs, the two pageant queens couldn’t share exactly why they had lost trust in the Miss USA organization, which oversees both pageants. Still, Business Insider’s Anneta Konstantinides spoke to their mothers last year, who said they had endured “eight months of torture and abuse” at the hands of Miss USA CEO Laylah Rose — accusations that Rose denied.

Now, for their first joint interview since they both resigned, the two queens sat down together with Konstantinides. Voigt and Srivastava said that they hoped stepping down would do more to change the organization.

“We thought it would have more of an impact,” Srivastava said. “It stopped a lot of girls from competing, but it didn’t fully put an end to what the issue was. We wish it had done more.”

Voigt added that she doesn’t see how Miss USA will continue to move forward if nothing changes at the organization, referring to the toxic workplace environment accusations.

“The truth comes out eventually,” she continued. “Sometimes, it just takes longer than we want. People’s eyes are opening, and the rose-colored glasses — no pun intended — are starting to come off.”

They also weighed in on Miss Universe CEO’s “blond hair and blue eyes” comment, calling it “destructive.”

Rose and representatives for Miss USA and Miss Universe, who oversee the pageants, did not respond to requests for comment.

Sit up straighter

Doing exercises to fix your posture used to be deeply uncool. Now, it’s getting a quiet glow-up.

Influencers and celebrities are hopping on what may be the next big wellness trend, from sharing corrective tips on TikTok to selling branded products. They say good posture, in addition to helping you stay mobile as you age, can help give you the coveted “snatched jaw” look.

Plus, it’s cheaper than a facelift.

Successful men’s gym essentials

No matter what industry they work in, many successful men say they start their day with exercise. Five of them shared with BI the gear they swear by.

That includes favorite brands like Lululemon and Nike, as well as fitness trackers to help enhance their workouts. One even uses ChatGPT.

No gains left behind.

Just a pinch

From longevity bros to TikTok influencers, adding a pinch of salt to your glass of water is the hottest hydration trend right now. The idea is that it replenishes electrolytes lost through sweat.

Not everyone needs the salty drink, though, a sports dietician told BI’s Gabby Landsverk. If you eat a lot of processed foods or takeout, you’re probably getting enough sodium, the dietitian said.

Too much can backfire.

Taylor Swift’s boyfriend era

The pop star is known for writing songs about boyfriends, but she’s rarely involved them in her business ventures. Until now.

Swift went on boyfriend Travis Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast to announce her 12th album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” It signals a change in her marketing strategy that pulls her partner into the spotlight, writes BI’s Callie Ahlgrim.

“Lover,” front and center.

Also read:

• Taylor Swift’s new album “The Life of a Showgirl” is coming this fall — here’s everything we know
• Taylor Swift says you should think of your energy like it’s an expensive “luxury item”

What we’re watching this weekend

• “Alien: Earth”: Noah Hawley, the creator of the TV adaptation of “Fargo,” takes on the gargantuan task of making the first-ever TV series from the “Alien” franchise, available now on Hulu.
• “Night Always Comes”: In this Netflix original movie, Vanessa Kirby (“The Fantastic Four“) plays a desperate mother who has one night to raise $25,000 or her family will be evicted from their home.
• “Superman”: The hit blockbuster starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel is now available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.

What to shop

• Upgrade your pickleball game: Whether you’re picking up a paddle for the first time or refining your game, you’ve got a lot of pickleball paddles to choose from. We took it to the court to test, and these picks stood out for all the right reasons.
• Little vacuums for big messes: We tested a range of compact carpet cleaners to find the best for tackling messes — think mystery stains, pet accidents, and everyday spills. These picks will help you get the job done without hauling out heavy gear.
• Affordable luxury, mixed results: Over the years of testing Quince’s “affordable‑luxury” offerings, we found that about half of the items live up to the hype. While some standout pieces worth are holding onto, the rest can feel underwhelming.

More of this week’s top reads:

• Weaponized incompetence is back, and it’s driving modern women out of their marriages.
• Forget tequila, cellphone plans are the hot way for famous people to capitalize on their fame.
• I tried Gordon Ramsay’s 10-minute steak sandwich recipe. It was delicious but took me almost an hour to make.
• I was horribly lonely in my mid-20s. Then I realized: I was a boring, flaky friend.
• A protein researcher shares his easy go-to breakfast for strong muscles and good health.
• A cardiologist shared 4 seemingly healthy habits that can lead to heart failure, from too much protein to overdoing workouts.
• I was born and raised in The Bahamas. Here are 11 of the biggest mistakes I see tourists make.

The BI Today team: Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Akin Oyedele, deputy editor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York.

• I left Mexico after excitedly accepting a social media job offer in Chicago.
• I hoped moving back to the US, where I’m from, would bring more stability to my life.
• I’m no longer at that job or in Chicago and am figuring out my next steps.

After spending most of my adult years living outside of the US, including seven years in Asia, and two in Mexico, I started wondering if it was time to settle down.

I grew up in Northeast, Ohio, but besides a few months during the pandemic, I hadn’t lived there full-time since I was 18.

I loved life abroad, from immersing myself in different cultures to the lower cost of living, but I was starting to want more stability.

Plus, I was lonely and a bit envious of friends back home who were hitting different milestones like getting married, buying property, and having children.

So I thought I’d lucked out when, in early 2021, I accepted a social media job offer at a small nonprofit newsroom in Chicago.

I was living in Mexico at the time, but excitedly packed my bags for the coolest city in the Midwest. Unfortunately, it wasn’t what I’d hoped for.

Embarking on a new chapter

The job was remote, though I was required to live in the city, and the work often seemed beyond the scope of my role. It regularly felt like nothing I did was enough.

By April, I was crying almost daily. Sometimes it was before logging on, other times it was during lunch or after logging off.

To help with the stress, I practiced breathing exercises before meetings and started taking anxiety medication.

By that summer, though, I was no longer at the company. I figured I’d find something new in no time, but I was wrong.

I threw myself into the job hunt to little avail

I applied to hundreds of jobs. I wrote countless bespoke cover letters and cold emails, and spread the word of my job hunt to friends and colleagues.

While I secured some interviews and picked up freelance work here and there, I mostly stayed in my apartment, refreshing LinkedIn and trying not to crash out.

Then, in November, my brother died, and nothing else mattered anymore.

In the midst of grief, the world kept moving

The grief came in hot, rude, and disorienting.

In the weeks before my brother died, I’d just gotten back on some dating apps and had started going out to more shows and making more of an effort with my social life.

However, afterward, I couldn’t focus on anything. Dating was out of the question. And it was difficult to maintain, and sometimes even create, friendships and other connections because they just felt transactional.

I missed the connections that seemed to come so much easier abroad. I also found it hard to maintain or reconnect with people in Chicago that I had known before. The city is big, and people’s priorities and interests change.

It hasn’t all been bad

Last year, I got the opportunity to write a self-help book on sober-curiosity. I also got a part-time, 1-year assignment at a local university.

Despite these small wins, Chicago is an expensive city, and my earnings made life a struggle. When my contract with the university was over in May, I had nothing solid lined up.

All I knew was that I couldn’t stay in Chicago, so I’m back in Ohio, trying to figure out what my next steps are.

Looking back, I’m not sure if my move to Chicago was worth it. I’m debating different next steps, like returning to graduate school or moving back to Asia. I don’t have it figured out just yet, but I know this ain’t it.