Blog Posts by Redbook

If you wonder what he's thinking about your bikini body while lounging at the pool in his old trunks, Whys Guy Aaron Traister has your answer. REDBOOK.

This month we're going to a place where men's darkest desires intertwine with our deepest insecurities. A place fraught with conflicting emotions, where we don't know whether to expose ourselves to the world or cover up our crushingly obvious personal failures. Of course, I'm talking about the public pool. Come, as we take a trip there in the mind of a man.He's thinking: Why did I eat so much bacon this winter?

Related: Your One-Month Plan to a Closer, More Loving Relationship

He's thinking: Why did I eat so much bacon this winter?
In regular life, dudes have the uncanny ability to delude themselves about how they look. I convinced myself for years that my weight was "hovering" between 210 and 220 pounds. In reality, it was not "hovering" at all-it had "sunk" under the strain of holding up my 250 pounds. Stripping down in front of

British tabloids recently published photos of celebrity chef Nigella Lawson allegedly being choked by her husband, Charles Saatchi, while the two dined at a London restaurant. Since the photos emerged, the story has become an international incident, with media outlets on both sides of the Atlantic rushing to assess the situation. As with many domestic violence incidents, people want to place blame; however, another disturbing pattern is emerging. Lawson has chosen to remain silent so far, and people are using her lack of public response to label her "subservient" and "weak."

Related: 26 Ways to Feel Younger Now

Saatchi has already taken very public action in response to the pictures. As for Nigella, her spokesman confirmed that she's staying somewhere else with the couple's two children, but beyond that, she hasn't issued a statement or spoken publicly. In a segment on CNN's New Day, entertainment reporter Neil Sean said that her look of distress in the pictures and subsequent

There's more to life than deli-style slaw and potato salad. This dish is special but still easy, and pairs nicely with burgers, beer, and sunshine. REDBOOK.

Summer zucchini succotash

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lb large zucchini, diced (3 cups)
2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 3 medium ears)
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp chopped garlic
¾ lb plum tomatoes, seeded, diced (1 cup)
4 scallions, thinly sliced (½ cup)
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
⅓ cup reduced-fat sour cream

Related: The Hottest Summer Drink Trends of 2013

1. Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté zucchini, corn, thyme, and garlic 4 to 6 minutes, tossing several times.

2. Stir in tomatoes, scallions, salt, and pepper; continue to cook, tossing mixture, until zucchini is just tender, about 2 minutes longer.

Related: 31 Days of Artisan Ice Cream

3. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes

The weather's too nice to waste time indoors arguing with your hair. Instead, use these quick summer hairstyles that work with, not against, your natural, beautiful texture. By Gina Way, REDBOOK.

More from REDBOOK:

• The 30 Best Hairstyles for Round Faces

• The Cutest Summer Hairstyles of 2013

• 100 Swim Essentials Under $100

Jorge Cruise, author of the number-one New York Times bestseller, The 100, claims that by limiting yourself to 100 sugar calories a day and eating whatever else you want - from bacon to hunks of cheese - you can shed pounds in a hurry. Skeptical, we asked the diet's mastermind for the 411.
By Ava Feuer, REDBOOK.

How does the plan work?
The old way to look at a nutrition label is to see 0 grams of sugar. The new dietary science has shown that not all calories are the same. That means nutritional labels are written in a way that doesn't really matter. It's not about grams of sugar because carbohydrates are sugar - you need to consider the total amount of carbs. If you look at the average piece of whole-wheat bread, it will have at least 20 grams of carbs. You take number and quadruple it to find out the sugar calories. One slice of bread has 80 sugar calories, putting you almost at your daily limit. If you want to lose weight, whole-wheat bread, couscous, and quinoa are evil.

Want to break your bad money habits and start saving? Sandy M. Fernández learned how three women set themselves a goal and the surprising ways they changed their financial outlook from iffy to awesome. By Sandy M. Fernández, REDBOOK.

Americans have always loved a life challenge, whether it's surviving in a cabin in the woods for two years (hey, we're still reading Henry David Thoreau's Walden) or dropping a hundred pounds in a few months (The Biggest Loser). Nowadays, hard-core experiments in self-improvement are more popular than ever. I admit that I find some to be a bit much-like the guy who swore his family off the power grid for two years while living on the ninth floor of a Manhattan apartment building-but money- saving challenges have an obvious payoff, and they're fascinating. It's no wonder that people around the country are finding extreme, spend-freeze methods to eliminate their debt and grow their financial willpower. These three savvy women overhauled their money habits

The sunshiney season brings with it weird rashes, bumps, and bites-and a lot fewer clothes to cover them up. Wishing you had a dermatologist on call? Luckily, we have a phone full of top docs, so we got their clever remedies and tips for all your summer skin care woes (and saved you the copay). By Nicole Catanese, REDBOOK.

1. Soothe a sunburn, stat
To reduce pain and swelling, pop two aspirin or ibuprofen as soon as possible, says Francesca Fusco, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. Next, do a milk compress: Soak a washcloth in a bowl of ice-cold whole milk (skim won't cut it), and drape it over the burn until the cloth is room temperature. Ahh, that's better.

2. Ward off skeeters
If you're planning a trip to a mosquito-y place-or you always seem to attract the little buggers-start taking a daily vitamin B12 supplement, suggests Vivian W. Bucay, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in San Antonio.

Even the experts can't come to a consensus on the best diet tips to follow. (Eat like a caveman! Fast two days a week! No fruit! Only fruit!) But these are the picks every dietitian stashes in her kitchen for energy, health, and a great-looking bod. By Meghan Rabbitt, REDBOOK.

Avocados
"Every dietitian I know agrees that avocados are a must-eat food. They are a great source of healthy fats, which help fill you up so you'll be less likely to want a snack later on. Plus, they taste really decadent. I love putting avocado slices on my salad; research shows that it helps your body absorb nutrients. And they are the perfect food if you're on the go. When I fly, I stash an avocado in my carry-on. I cut it in half, sprinkle on a little salt and pepper, grab a few crackers, and I've got a perfect plane snack." -Carolyn Brown, a registered dietitian at Foodtrainers in New York City

Almond milk
"No matter what we think about dairy, most of us agree that it's too easy to overdo. Yogurt,