Nothing changes your life - or your figure - quite like motherhood. Instead of bumming out about how your bod isn't quite like it was pre-baby, discover how to love your new mommy shape - stretch marks and all. By Cari Wira Dineen, REDBOOK.
Beyonce's first post-baby appearance. Don't believe the celeb hype.
"The focus on celebrity moms and post-baby weight-loss has ballooned in the past decade," says Claire Mysko, a body image expert and author of Does This Pregnancy Make Me Look Fat? Even Janice Min, editorial director of The Hollywood Reporter expressed her jealously of so-called "momshells." Don't compare yourself to people whose job includes prancing around in a bikini. "They are paid to look good; that is their livelihood," says Mysko. They have access to things that most of us don't, like trainers and nutritionists, not to mention plastic surgeons. "And many of the images of celebs are photoshopped," adds psychotherapist Dr. Robi Ludwig, Ph.D.
Accept that things are different.
Like really, really different. When
By Tracey Black, REDBOOK.
Now that my kids are back in school, I feel a bit wistful of our carefree summer days. We went to the beach, chased butterflies in the backyard, and visited to every park in a 5-mile radius to our house.
My kids, on the other hand, love the fall. They like the shorter days and earlier sunsets (I, of course, beg to differ) because they love the idea of being up at night. It doesn't matter how much I explain that 7 p.m. is the same time whether it's full daylight or pitch black outside. They just think they're up past their bedtime.
So while the days get darker earlier and colder (I know I shouldn't complain, but I am from Hawaii), we like to find new ways to have fun indoors.
Related: Top 5 Worst Lunch Foods for Kids
Here are a few of our family-fun night activities:
1. Kid/Parent Date Night
My kids love one-on-one time with mom and dad, and changing it up to a "date night" out just makes it even more special. We've done everything from miniature golf to
These four women have made it their jobs to help women look their best. Here, they reveal how you can make the most of everything you've got. By Rosa Heyman, REDBOOK.
Less is not more
Whoever instigated the rule that you need to cover your arms or knees after a certain age was plain wrong. Kristen Park of The Mom Stylist explains, "As you get older, you can wear the same shapes you did when you were 20, but you'll look more polished and feel more confident if you show a little less skin. Accentuate what you love about yourself - a miniskirt if you've got great legs or a body-conscious dress, but pair them with tights and a thin V-neck cardigan or a blazer for more coverage." Personal stylist Noelle Cellini adds, "Shoulders are a sexy body part that don't get a lot of exposure. I also think the back of a woman's neck is sexy, so wearing your hair up is nice. Hair worn away from the face signals confidence!"
Put some weight on, really
It's not quite as good as permission to eat
Trends and tides come and go, but these timeless beauty tips last forever. By Rosa Heyman, REDBOOK.
1. Protect yourself from the sun.
"Sun screen is the number one anti-aging method," says makeup artist Lindsey Jones. The easiest way to incorporate sunblock into your daily beauty routine is to use a face lotion with SPF. You should even apply sunblock to your hair! Jones recommends Kerastase Crème UV Defense Active to keep your locks luscious.
2. Tap into your inner Boy Scout.
Always be prepared by carrying a mini beauty tool kit with you at all times. Jones believes that "every woman should always have ibuprofen, tampons, concealer, to-go wipes, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and lipstick on hand."
3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
Drink lots of water throughout the day and make sure to keep your skin hydrated, using body and face lotion. Jones loves Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion for your body, "It's inexpensive and completely unscented, so it won't conflict with your perfume." She also
No time for the gym? These quick butt workouts make it easy to trim and sculpt your glutes without ever leaving your living room. By Alyssa Shaffer, REDBOOK.
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The newest fall makeup and beauty products will keep you looking fresh as the temperature cools. REDBOOK.
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Got a long-weekend and a few thousand airline points to use up? These charming cities around the country are well-known, but fly under-the-radar in the romance department. By Holly Corbett, REDBOOK.
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Life lessons from Lollipop the caterpillar. By Amy Shearn, REDBOOK.
Harper and Lollipop in happier times.Joining a CSA [Community Supported Agriculture] has always been up there on my list of "Things That Ideal Me Does," along with writing actual letters and taking long bike rides with baguettes and bunches of peonies stuck in the basket. This summer, I finally decided to take action and sign up, and now every other week I head to the community garden to pick up loads of mysterious veggies from a local farm. Like most city-dwellers who join CSAs, I have been mystified by my findings: mutant-limbed carrots, leafy greens layered with dirt, and, most recently, a caterpillar in the wildflowers.
My daughter Harper was the one who found the caterpillar as she was arranging some flowers - by which I mean crushing them into a dolly cup. "What's this?" she said. "Part of the flower?" I didn't look up from the bale of cilantro I was trying to deal with. "Mm-hmm."
Related: Top 5 Worst Lunch Foods for Kids
"Part of the flower that
