Blog Posts by Babble.com

That cheese burger looks mighty tasty, doesn't it?Have you ever started a diet and then suddenly all you can think about is chocolate ice cream, crispy French fries, and cheesy, loaded nachos? Don't tell me you haven't. Well, guess what? You're not alone.

Research at the Oregon Research Institute has revealed that it's not just a matter of will-power; restricting your calorie intake actually makes your brain want them more. By depriving yourself of food, you're tricking your brain into thinking the reward for eating that food is greater, thus making it harder to stick to your diet. The amount of reward value you place on food goes up even more when it's high calorie, appetizing food. Pretty cruel, huh?

Related: The 5 WORST foods for weight loss

What this means for dieters is that skipping meals and restricting intake won't translate to long term success. Instead, focusing on small, nutrient dense foods spread throughout the day will yield greater results. I don't think this information will surprise anyone. Starving yourself

Walking your pup on a bright sunny day is a breeze. Your dog gets exercise while you talk to neighbors or enjoy a leisurely stroll around town. It's not even a chore. However, dogs and rainy weather is an entirely different story. There are days when getting your dog to relieve himself can be an all-day (miserable) affair. Lately, I am paying extra attention the weather forecasts focusing on what time the rain is supposed to start. If (and this is a big if) the forecasters are correct, I try to put my dogs out in the yard an hour before the rain comes because every pet owner knows that dogs and rainy weather can be an unfortunate blend of bad scent and filthy floors. It's not always possible, but when it works, it's a lifesaver. The times I can time it perfectly, my dogs are relieved and can happily snooze through the thundershowers, avoiding the whole wet mess. Of course, there are those days when it rains all day long or rain comes quite unexpectedly. Consequently, I have gathered

Baby showers are all about having fun and celebrating new life coming into the world. Which is why it's probably best to steer clear from games that will: 1) Make the new mom feel huge or stressed out, 2) Force your guests to be placed in awkward situations, like using a toilet paper roll and a stick to mimic conception, or 3) Require wives to feed their husbands milk from baby bottles. Trust me - before you plan your next baby shower, make sure you avoid these 7 completely cringe-worthy games... -By Jaime Morrison Curtis

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We all know that sprinkles on cupcakes and sprinkles on cookies are just the best- but you can do even more with sprinkles that you ever imagined. My youngest loves sprinkles! And who doesn't? They are so colorful and fun and can brighten up any day in just a few dashes. Here are 7 super sprinkle party ideas for bringing the fun of sprinkles to your next party! - By Jennifer Hadifield

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The Bluths are back on May 26th! Fifteen new episodes of Arrested Development will be available to stream on Netflix all at once, so a sick day is in order, or, if you're home with the kids, you might have to hide with your laptop and a frozen banana daiquiri in the attic. (Just give the kids an air horn to blow if they're in need of help.) In preparation, I've been re-watching old episodes to see how they've held up. Arrested Development ran for three seasons on Fox from 2003 to 2006. I've always raved about it, but I wondered, now that time has passed, did I make a huge mistake? Come on! Of course not. Spending time with the Bluths is like hanging out with old friends. But can TV's most dysfunctional family impart any real wisdom about parenting? You'd be surprised...

-By Brian Gresko

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As Memorial Day approaches, the unofficial start of road trip season is here. So we are getting down to planning this summer's weekend escapes. We've pulled out the atlas (internet), flipped through the pamphlets (websites), and have added many items to our bucket list. Planning your summer getaway?See if any of these amazing national parks and monuments for families can be squeezed in to your road-tripping itinerary.

-By Buzz Bishop

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After the big day you may find yourself tucking away that wedding dress you cherish into the back of your closet. While saving it for your daughter to wear at her wedding is one option, why not try out one of these 8 ways to recycle your wedding dress? Some involve wearing parts of it, but the creativity doesn't stop there. The possibilites are endless…

-By Jaime Morrison Curtis

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This past weekend, I stood under the Florida sun with my daughter and watched Disney induct its newest princess into its royal court. As Merida strode - arms swinging, curls bouncing - up the walkway to receive her crown, Emilia grabbed my arm and pulled me down to whisper in my ear. "Mommy," she breathed, "That's the real Merida. From the movie!"

And so she was. She was fierce and beautiful and every inch the girl who transformed from spirited young tomboy to independent young woman in the movie. And as her mother, Queen Elinor, told her how very proud she was of her, her beautiful, wonderful daughter, my heart clenched and I pulled Emilia close and leaned down to whisper my own words: "that is exactly the kind of princess that I want you to be."

And I meant it. And I mean it no less this week, as controversy has swirled around the alleged revamp of Merida by the Walt Disney Company (the company that, for the record, I work for). I mean it no less for two very important