Blog Posts by Redbook

From student loans to credit crunches, financial woes can shake even the strongest of relationships. We asked a professional money manager to sort through some of readers' major money concerns. By Lauren Le Vine, REDBOOK.

"Food and gas are such a money drain!"
For recurring expenses, you and your spouse should work together to make the money you spend work harder. "To save on gas, look for online tools that can help you find the best prices in your area. The GasBuddy app, for example, shows you prices from all the stations in your area, as well as the distance to each," says Linda Descano, the president and CEO of Women & Co., a service of Citi that provides multi-faceted information about all things money-related. You should also look for credit cards that offer rewards points (which you can use for gas cards) and cash back on items like gas and groceries.

 To save money on food, make a weekly menu, not just a shopping list. Shopping for only what's on your menu will save both time

These four moms got a fitness and food makeover thanks to Equinox trainer Lashaun Dale and dietitian Keri Glassman. Whether you're looking to drop 10 pounds, tighten your tummy, or lay off the diet soda, these experts have a plan to suit you. By Jane Bianchi, REDBOOK.

The Health Nut

Name: Lorre Youngblood

Age: 39 

Location: Newalla, OK

Family: Married with two kids (Lacy, 12; Lane, 11)

Work: Full-time land associate at an energy company

"My dad had a heart attack at 45, and I don't want to be in the same boat," says Lorre.

Goal: To do more endurance exercises to boost her cardiovascular health.

Current weekly routine: Walks/jogs on a treadmill or uses fitness apps on her iPad to do full-body strengthening moves at home for 20 to 45 minutes at a time, four times a week. "I'd like to be more consistent - sometimes I have to help my kids with homework and I end up skipping my workout," says Lorre.

Fitness fix: Amping up aerobic exercise in spurts is key to strengthening Lorre's

Whether you love or hate the frigid weather, the darkest season brings its own set of health challenges. Here's what you need to know to stay healthy and happy when the mercury drops. By Jennifer Conrad, REDBOOK.

Heart attacks are more common
Fifty-three percent more so in winter, according to one large-scale study. "We're more likely to be out of shape. Then, when we take on strenuous activities, we are more likely to bear down and hold our breath," says American Heart Association spokesperson Tracy Stevens, MD. This makes us more prone to "popping plaque," a situation in which loose plaque in the arteries can lead to a heart attack. If you're planning to exercise outdoors or take on a task like shoveling snow, warm up first, dress appropriately, take frequent breaks, and don't drink alcohol right before or after breaking a sweat. Those with diabetes, a history of heart attacks, or other risk factors should be especially careful.

Related: 50 Knockout Date-Night Hairstyles

Winter

Can you love your kids - and loathe their tea parties and Candy Land games? One honest mother confesses why she doesn't like playing with her kids. By Jennifer Steinhauer, REDBOOK.

I don't indulge in a lot of mommy guilt. But here is one thing I sadly must confess: I don't like to play.

I detest throwing balls, climbing trees, or pushing little trains across the kitchen floor, calling out "Woo woo!" Rarely have I been that mom standing at the top of the slide in the playground, wind in the face, gleefully ready to take a ride. When I am forced to race tiny dolls from room to room of their little bitty house, I find myself plotting my grocery list in my head.

Don't get me started on Candy Land. I'd rather get a bikini wax. One time, while playing a game of Battleship, I snuck my computer under the table and furiously tapped away at emails until I was busted.

Let me be perfectly clear: I love spending time with my two daughters. On my commute home from work each night, I begin to

The newest batch of eco-friendly anti-aging skincare are as tough on fine lines as they are gentle on the planet. Meet the natural, worry-free guide to younger skin. By Ning Chao, REDBOOK.

Natural skin care has come a long way from its hemp-soap origins. These days, dermatologists say, eco-minded products are giving regular old wrinkle cream a run for its money. "Some natural anti-agers can actually do more for your skin because they contain extracts that tackle more than one sign of aging," says Jeannette Graf, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. The challenge is telling which products truly are earth-friendly, since a label may say it's "natural" when it actually contains harsh chemicals (there's no regulation by the FDA on the use of the word). "Check the ingredient list," says dermatologist Ellen Marmur, M.D., president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery. "The more words you

There's nothing like a mug of liquid goodness to stave off the winter chill. Our favorite brands combine sweet nostalgia with dark indulgence for a perfectly grown-up drink. By Laura Li, REDBOOK.

More from REDBOOK:

• 50 Knockout Date-Night Hairstyles

• Date-Night Dresses Under $100

• The 13 Most Exciting Chocolates in America

It gives you a perfectly legal energy burst, mental lift, and metabolism boost. Doctors allow and even encourage it. Caffeine officially rocks. Just make sure its effects always take you to your happy place, and not over to the jittery, irritable dark side. By Jessica Girdwain

First, why caffeine is good for you
Forget the guilty rap; science is proving that caffeine has very real health benefits. In its natural form (meaning coffee and tea, not soda), caffeine is a stimulant that activates the areas of the brain responsible for alertness, cognitive-thinking skills, and even pleasure. Researchers believe it's the caffeine itself, along with the ample antioxidants in naturally caffeinated drinks, that makes them so good for us. A few of the perks:

1. A longer life: Women who drank anywhere from two to six cups of coffee a day had a 15 percent lower risk of dying during a 14-year study by the National Institutes of Health. What's more, caffeinated java can help slash your

The gradual creeping up of the scale and increasing trouble buttoning your jeans may seem as if it's come out of nowhere, but chances are, one of these cold weather problems is to blame. By Ava Feuer, REDBOOK.

You're programmed from thousands of years of history
When humans were hunter-gatherers, it was necessary to pack on weight for long, hard winters when food was less readily available. "When we were foraging, skinny people were less likely to make it through the winter," says Dr. Lawrence Cheskin, Director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center and Professor at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. "There was a survival tactic of gaining weight in and before it." We still try to conserve energy when it's cold because it's our natural way to avoid burning more calories than necessary. However, given modern living conditions, stocking up on food is more likely to add a clothing size than it is to keep us alive until spring.

Related: Date-Night Dresses Under $100

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