Blog Posts by Redbook

By Betsy Stephens, REDBOOK

REDBOOK's Wedding Dress Challenge can get you back to your sexy bride body. First, learn how to avoid these traps that make coupled people up to 9 pounds heavier than singles in the first place.

1. The couch. Maybe you're reading this on your sofa, curled up next to your guy, with one hand in some munchies. No one blames you - vegging together is one of love's great pleasures - but "most of the time that couples spend together is sedentary, and it often involves eating," says Jeffrey Sobal, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Don't worry, losing weight doesn't have to interfere with your bonding. Just find ways you can be active together, things that don't revolve around food, suggests Sobal. Sex does count, but you need to do a bit more - bike, hike, dance, take a walk after dinner. Whatever activity you choose, aim for at least 30 minutes, three to five times a week. Here's a crazy idea: If you don't have a family dog

By REDBOOK

In the same way that knowing a few key questions makes it easier to navigate a foreign country ("Où est la toilette, s'il vous plait?"), a few rudimentary phrases can help see you out of a relationship rough patch.

Be honest: Says veteran marriage counselor Randi Gunther, Ph.D.: "In my 40 years of listening to couples, I've noticed that the best communicators use the same words, and I'm always surprised by how few people know them." Practice these if you want your relationship to last longer than the average trip to Paris.

Related: 26 Fun, Cheap Date Ideas

1. "We're in this together." Says Gunther, "Marriage is full of trials. If your spouse tells you he lost his job, for example, you have less than five seconds to react in a way that bonds you and proves that your relationship is stronger than any difficulties. Let that window pass, and doubts arise."

2. "You're better at this than I am." "It's a huge asset to a relationship if both partners can own up to their weaknesses.

By Charlotte Hilton Anderson, REDBOOK
kid collecting
Pokemon cards are the bane of my existence. It's not that they're always underfoot or that they get lost on the school bus or traded for Tootsie rolls. It's not even that they're a poorly illustrated game based on completely arbitrary rules. (Although now that I type that I can think of at least 10 adult games that fit that same description.) No, it's the fact that they feel like a waste of money to me. Every time my son gets a gift card or money, he wants to go to the store and load up on little pieces of paper that will probably be exactly like the 200 other little pieces of paper in his collection.

Related: 50 Weird Things He Loves About You

I just don't get it. Obviously I was never into baseball cards as a kid. "Wouldn't you rather get a new book? Or a magic kit? You can use those lots of times," I'll bargain. If that doesn't help I'll pull out the big guns: "What about some new Legos?" Nothing works. The only thing that can talk him out of

By Krista Bennett DeMaio, REDBOOK

We spend a lot of time reminding you to stay out of the sun, but that doesn't mean we want your skin to look pasty and blah. We're all for radiance, even a little tan, as long as you get it the safe way - that is, from a compact, a cream, or a bottle. Check out these bright ideas for the best spray tan or faux glow that money can buy.

1. Skin sloughers: Get a quick brightening boost by peeling away the dull stuff at skin's surface using an AHA such as glycolic acid. New at-home peels get pretty close to the results you'd expect from in-office versions. Try Brazilian Peel, $78 for four weekly treatments, which has a whopping 30-percent glycolic-acid peel and a self-neutralizer that gradually deactivates the acid over a 10-minute period.

Related: Top 50 Movies to Put You in the Mood

2. Smarter self-tanners: The latest self-tanners are made to suit your every need: For more moisture, try Hawaiian Tropic Island Radiance Sunless Tanning, $9, shown, with

By Charlotte Hilton Anderson, REDBOOK

French Mom

Another day, another book criticizing American parents. When I saw the early reviews of Bringing Up Bebe by Paula Druckerman, a book about what one American mom learned about parenting from living in France, I was all set to hate this book. I rode the Tiger Mom roller coaster with everyone else last year, experiencing the highs of moral superiority when Amy Chua berated her young daughters and then the lows of realizing my kids were never going to play in Carnegie Hall. So swap out Chinese for French and it's the same old story of how American moms don't push hard enough, coddle too much and let their kids run their lives, right?

Related: 43 Sneaky Ways to Look Younger

Yes, actually. And Druckerman may have a point. In her essay for the Wall Street Journal provocatively titled "Why French Parents are Superior" Druckerman shares many anecdotes about French parenting but they all boil down to this: French parents believe that

By Kim Haasarud, REDBOOK's Mommy Mixologist

Skip the overpriced Valentine's Day prix-fixe meal at your local restaurant and add some spark to your homemade meal with these sexy drinks.

Sparkling Chocolate Truffle

4 tsps chocolate shavings
¾ oz white crème de cacao (or Amsterdam Chocolate liqueur, if available), plus extra for martini rim
¾ oz vanilla liqueur
splash of Nocello (walnut liqueur)
1 oz Ballatore Red Rosso Spumante

Wet the rim of a martini glass or shot glasses in white crème de cacao and dip into a plate of chocolate shavings. Set aside. In a cocktail shaker, combine the ¾ oz qhite crème de cacao, vanilla liqueur, and Nocello with ice. Shake vigorously. Add the sparkling wine and stir. Strain into a 5-oz martini glass or in 2 shot glasses.

Related: Romantic Movies to Put You in the Mood

Very Sexy Martini

3 to 4 raspberries, plus 1 for garnish
5 to 7 mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz simple syrup
1 1/2 oz

By Kate Bongiovanni, REDBOOK

Given that an estimated 15,000 health apps were introduced this year alone, it's nearly impossible to figure out which ones are worth downloading (after all, you've got Angry Birds to play). So we turned to the experts: These are the real must-haves.

KidsDoc ($1.99)
Doesn't it always seem like your kid gets sick when the doctor's office is closed? This app by the American Academy of Pediatrics lets you compare your child's symptoms to photos of ailments and helps you determine whether you should go to the ER, wait a day to call your pediatrician, or simply treat the problem yourself (the app provides reassuringly detailed instructions on exactly how to do so).

Related: The 75 Most Iconic Hairstyles of All Time

Lose It! (free)
Enter your weight-loss goals and Lose It! determines the daily calorie budget you need to slim down. Plug in the foods you eat and the exercise you get each day and the app will calculate the calories you've eaten and burned. (It's

By Aaron Traister, REDBOOK

Let's start with the misses, the low lights, and the general suckiness because, really, that was most of the show. Seriously, when It came to the performances it was like watching the Flyers play the Rangers: You're sitting there thinking, "How do you not show up for this one?" Whitney Houston, the biggest voice in music, just died unexpectedly. This is the woman who formed the Holy Trinity of Pop Music in the 80s along with MJ and Madonna, and you give Paul McCartney 20 minutes to sing his new stuff!?

Okay, let's get into it:

Related: 10 Ugly Truths About the Male Mind

Chris Brown: I know there has been a lot of controversy surrounding Chris Brown performing at the Grammys, but we can't constantly keep punishing people for their crimes after they've served their time. If we want to cut recidivism rates and make sure people can rise above their worst moments, then we need to try to fight the urge to stigmatize convicts upon their release from