Blog Posts by Redbook

If you still haven't been convinced to jump on the "go green" bandwagon, a little persuasion in the form of another green - like dollar bills - just might do the trick. We've discovered a few painless ways to take on eco-friendly habits, but we're not asking you to shell out cash. Instead, you could actually find more of it in your bank account. Here are a few of our favorites, but you can check out all our painless ways to save the planet here.

• Invest in a programmable thermostat. Using one can save $150 a year on energy costs. Or simply set your thermostat 1 degree higher for air-conditioning and 1 degree lower for heating. You won't feel the difference - but you will notice a lower utility bill.
• Set your wash cycle to cold. Environmental advocates say a cold wash will clean your laundry just as well as a hot one - and you'll save up to $63 a year.
• "Switch to CFLs (Compact Florescent Bulbs), unplug computers, and turn out lights when leaving the room: That reduces

Although relaxation ought to be, um, relaxing, stress management has somehow become yet another pressing item on our to-do lists. We're made to feel like failures if we can't live in a state of balance. But stress is good. Great, even. The discomfort of stress is a sign that you are tackling life's problems head-on. Stress also improves productivity and performance - at work, at the gym - and your body will be stronger if you alternate periods of calm and heart-pounding excitement.

Are you as healthy as you think?

If you want a pretty healthy life, your goal is not to completely avoid stress and lounge in your pj's all day. Not only is the couch-potato life boring, it's a classic sign of clinical depression. Your goal is to bring on a reasonable amount of challenge and excitement - and amass a repertoire of strategies to keep you from being overwhelmed when life throws you a few too many curveballs.

How much sleep do you really need?

Once stress reaches a certain level, however,

Is there such a thing as too much sex with your significant other? Our guy columnist, Aaron Traister, certainly doesn't think so, but his wife has a different opinion. Here, he shares a few of his tactics to get her into bed and why he's still itching for more sex with his wife.

1. Request and deny
I find the absolute most inappropriate time to ask for sex and then I immediately deny that I just asked for it. For instance, my wife is getting frustrated, breaking in a new breast pump that looks more like something that belongs in a barn than in our house. However, my fancy has somehow been tickled, and I decide that now would be a good time to suggest a romp in the unfolded pile of laundry on the floor. She looks at me incredulously and says with venom, "Are you serious?! What the [bleep] is wrong with you?" At which point I respond, "What? I didn't mean... I meant, uh, you must've misheard me." And then I run away.

Request and deny works only when she finds my request bizarre enough

We all know those people, the Parenting Peanut Gallery, strangers and friends who are "experts" in parenting, and as such quick to give a meddlesome opinion, a disapproving eye, or an outright countermand.

While these digs don't leave visible scarring, they can undercut your natural mothering instincts and leave you plain old fighting mad. "There is no shortage of people ready to pick apart your parenting skills," says Michele Borba, author of 12 Simple Secrets Real Moms Know. "It can be hurtful, but when you let them shake your confidence in who you are as a mom, that's when the real damage is done."

Learn how to unspoil your child.

The secret to being a great mother is believing in yourself. And one of the best ways to do that is to silence that Parenting Peanut Gallery, once and for all. Here's how:

Stand up for yourself.
Address criticism as soon as it happens, so you don't hold in your anger and let it fester. "We women spend a lot of time questioning whether something should

It is a question every mom asks as she stares into her baby's big eyes: What the heck is he thinking about? Milk? Ducklings? Nothing? Turns out, your baby's brain is working harder than we ever imagined, says Alison Gopnik, Ph.D., author of The Philosophical Baby. "Until about 20 years ago, scientists thought babies were egocentric and illogical," Gopnik says, "but we are discovering that, in many respects, babies and toddlers know more, learn more, and experience even more than adults!"

Bet you don't know these three parenting rules

Here, some of her fascinating findings:

Baby's got your number early on.
The conventional wisdom was that kids couldn't understand how other people's minds worked until they were 7, but new studies show they're figuring it out by 7 months. "Even young babies know that people have desires and goals," Gopnik says. "When your baby sees you reach for an object, he gets that you want to grab it."

Learn how to raise a healthy eater

Your toddler knows there

Did you ever think dropping 5 pounds could be as easy as finding a bra that actually fits your body? Not only can a wrong bra be uncomfortable, but it makes you look heavier. When your breasts are lifted to where they actually belong, your entire body looks slimmer. Susan Nethero, owner and founder of Intimacy boutiques, has tips that will help you get the perfect fit.

Scenario: Lisa was wearing a 34B, but she's really a 32A. Susan says: "You're underfilling your bra if you see puckering in the cup. It helps to think of your bra like a seesaw: If the band is too loose and rides up in the back, the girls will sag. If it is level all the way around or lower, they'll be lifted."
Tip: Adding a little volume to your bust is as simple as using a bump-up pad.
Try... "Isabella" all-over lace bra, Le Mystere, $82; bloomingdales.com. "Every time the band gets bigger, the cup size gets an inch deeper. So a 36C is a bigger band and cup than a 34C."

Check Out Our Bra Recommendations Here


Scenario:

With a new movie, a solid marriage, and a pair of adorable 2-year-olds, goal-oriented Jennifer Lopez knows how to wear many hats, and look stylish in them all. This month, she worked it for REDBOOK's cover, and while she was at it she shared some wisdom we can all (superstars or not) subscribe to.

The pop diva tells REDBOOK that she's always believed in fairy tales, and her glam look proves fairy tales can come true. Plus, she gabs about motherhood, children, and turning 40: "In fact, 40 turned out to be an empowered place for me, because I also realized how much I didn't know when I was 20 or even 30."

Is J.Lo not as different from the rest of us as we might have thought? Do her words resonate with you?


More from REDBOOK:

• How to Get Everything You Want: An A to Z Guide
  
• What's Your Mom Personality?
  
• Dress for Sex-cess
  
• 10 Hottest Health Trends
  
• Get More on Love, Family & Fashion - Subscribe to Redbook & Save up to 82%!

We asked Rachel Venning and Claire Cavanah, the owners of adult toy store Babeland and the authors of Moregasm: Babeland's Guide to Mind-Blowing Sex, to share some of their insights on what helps women have great sex.

The biggest barriers between most women and a great sex life are...
Not taking initiative to get the pleasure they want, and worrying about how they look during sex.

Women can achieve better orgasms by...
Learning to masturbate and give themselves pleasure, which makes it easier to have better partner sex. Any healthy change you make for yourself requires making a commitment, so set aside the time to explore yourself and have some fun. Experiment with a vibrator that delivers clitoral stimulation, and then try a G-spot toy, which stimulates the little bundle of nerves inside the vagina.

The most orgasmic sex position for women is...
Woman-on-top is great because you're in control and have choices: You can grind yourself against his pubic bone for stimulation, you can