Blog Posts by SHAPE magazine

Am I normal? Your most personal sex-related questions, answered!Chatting about orgasms, lagging libidos, or STDs can be intimidating. So we stepped in and did the asking. Our experts insights may reassure you, surprise you, and even inspire you to turn up the heat on your sessions in the sack.

1. I'm 30, and I've never had sex.
You're definitely in a small minority: According to the National Survey of Family Growth, only one in 53 women ages 30 to 34 is still a virgin. "But there's nothing wrong with waiting, especially if you're abstaining for religious reasons or until you find the right person," says Tammy Nelson, author of Getting the Sex You Want. If you would like to be sexually active and aren't, however, that's a different story. "As women get older, many begin to panic and feel out of step with their peers if they haven't done the deed yet," says Nelson. "If you feel anxious about your situation, consider seeing a therapist to find out what might be holding you back. It could be fear of intimacy, low self-esteem, or an issue from your

Whip yourself into shape with this boot camp-inspired workout.Boot camp-style workouts are all the rage lately, and why not? They work! We went to Alex Fell and Ruben Belliard, two former Marines, and instructors at Warrior Fitness Boot Camp, an indoor boot camp in N.Y. to get their favorite moves.

Although boot camp-style workouts tend to focus on the basics, "all of these moves are part of the 'Marine Daily 16'," Belliard says. "I was a Marine for eight years, and I can tell you, we did these moves on a regular basis, and I'm sure they still do."

So, in honor of Veterans Day, grab a group of friends and try working out like real Marines (yelling optional)!

What you'll need: You need a space either indoor or outdoors to perform these moves, and a bar on which to perform pull-ups or chin-ups.

How it works: Star with four sets of 10 to 12 reps for each move. If you're a beginner, Belliard and Fell recommend performing these moves every other day, as well as alternating these with a "cardio day" to prevent boredom. As you feel

Your smartphone is a perfect tool for getting and staying in shape. Think about it: It's always with you, it lets you listen to music during your workout, and it provides you with many powerful (free!) apps at your fingertips. A fitness app can lead you through workouts without paying the high price of a personal trainer, and using a calorie-counter app is as simple as sending a text. Together, they're a quick and easy way to start getting in shape. Check out five of the highest-rated apps to help get fit and lose weight , according to research from Appitalism.com.

1. Endomondo Sports Tracker:

Available for: Android, iPhone, BlackBerry

Designed for runners, bikers, and anyone with a workout that gets them out and about, this sophisticated app uses GPS to track your routes and make the daily jog fun again. The app records your run, giving you a Google Maps view, lap times, and browsable workout history. Get motivated by pep talks from your friends and notifications every time you

Celebrate Veterans Day 2011 with these healthy and patriotic recipesNapoleon Bonaparte reportedly once said, "An army travels on its stomach." We're not sure if that's true, but we can definitely appreciate the sentiment behind it, and today it seems particularly important. In honor of Veterans Day 2011, we've listed five healthy, delicious and patriotic recipes you can make to help celebrate the military members in your life.

1. Slow-cooked pork with beans and greens. During the American civil war, hardtack and salt pork were popular culinary options, because they were non-perishable and kept for a long time. At this point, the military hasn't served hardtack or salt pork in a long time, but this healthy slow-cooked recipe is a delicious way to pay tribute to the men and women serving in uniform.

2. Pumpkin spice bread. Bread has been another long-time staple of the military. This recipe for pumpkin-spice bread uses canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, so you save calories while still getting a filling, delicious bread that's perfect

Can't sleep? Try noshing on one of these tasty snacks and sleep better tonight!

1. Non-fat popcorn: The carbohydrates in nonfat popcorn help bring the amino acid tryptophan into your brain , where it's used to make a sleep-inducing neurotransmitter called serotonin. Since eating a heavy meal within two hours of bedtime can keep you awake, low-calorie popcorn (just 93 calories in three cups popped) is a great late-night snack . Choose plain, fat-free popcorn and jazz it up with some curry powder.

2. Halibut: Halibut is packed with two building blocks for better sleep: tryptophan and vitamin B6, which has a mild flavor and meaty texture that appeals to finicky seafood eaters. Other foods high in tryptophan include poultry, beef, soybeans, milk , cheese, yogurt, nuts and eggs. ("Milk" can mean a lot of different things these days. Check out this guide to find the best milk for you.)

RELATED: The Best Free Ipad Apps to Help You Sleep!

3. Garbanzo beans (chickpeas): High-fiber garbanzo

Suffering from PMS ? Don't let that stop you from moving! The right exercises can actually help alleviate period pain. Try these three moves the next time you get hit with cramps.


1. The Cat/Cow:

How it helps: "The undulation of the spine gently stretches out and loosens the lower back (which tends to get tight and ache during PMS), and the abs gently contract and stretch so that the abdomen feels less tense," says Lara Hudson, star of the 10 Minute Solution: Pilates for Beginners DVD.

How to do it: On all fours, exhale and gently curl your spine so that your tailbone and the crown of your head point down to the floor and your stomach pulls up into your back. Then, inhale and arch your spine in the other direction, arching your back and bringing the crown of your head and your tailbone up to the ceiling. Repeat this movement eight times.
2. Tic/Toc:

How it helps: This move is great for PMS because it stretches the low back and hips with a gentle twisting motion - both areas that

Dr. Alicia Stanton, an integrative medicine physician and author of Hormone Harmony and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hormone Weight Loss, says the oil in flaxseeds is the richest plant source of healthy omega-3 fats, which are necessary for the function of every cell. These healthy fats help reduce inflammation, balance hormones, protect against mood swings and depression, and prevent heart disease, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases like arthritis. The superfood is also high in fiber and can help relieve constipation.

Stanton suggests eating 1 to 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds or flaxseed oil daily to reap maximum health benefits. Try adding toasted flaxseeds to salads, soups, and sandwiches for a pleasant crunch. Stanton adds that while flaxseed oil has the highest concentration of the plant's omega-3 fats, it has a low smoke point so it's not recommended for cooking but is good for smoothies, salad dressings, and other foods. Here are a few ways to eat flaxseeds that we're especially

Every once in a while we all get the blues, but certain foods can fight a case of melancholy. Here are three of the most potent, why they work, and how to gobble them up.

Beets
One cup supplies over 30 percent of your daily folate needs. A shortfall of this key nutrient has been known to trigger depression, mental fatigue and insomnia. In addition, several common medications can deplete your body's supply of folate, including cholesterol-lowering drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, diabetes medications and birth control pills.

Fortunately fresh beets are in-season year round - just be sure to eat them fresh because the folate can plummet by up to 40 percent when cooked. Grate them for a delicious and colorful addition to garden salads; marinate freshly sliced beets in fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs; or add fresh beats to a smoothie or juice concoction along with fruit - it will add a gorgeous hue and a bit of sweetness without