Blog Posts by Woman s Day

By Mandy Major

From Facebook-stalking old friends to getting the latest Hollywood gossip, the Web isn't usually known as a place for…well…productivity. But when you're armed with the right sites, it can easily double as a treasure trove of usefulness. Read on for our favorite sites, covering everything from food to finance, that offer accessible ways for you to stay healthy, happy and in the know.

Problem: You can't keep your house organized. Try Simplify101, a back-to-basics site with a clean look that caters to creative types. It offers a host of free articles and tips on everything from clearing paper clutter to creating more space in your home, in addition to a semiregular blog and newsletter. If you're a fan, you can sign up for online workshops (which usually cost around $79) or one-on-one personal coaching (costs vary).

Problem: You need to shake up your recipe repertoire. Try CookEatShare, which offers a massive collection of recipes posted by users as well as

By Kimberly Fusaro

Most people start the new year with the best intentions for getting organized, but by mid-January are back to their messy ways. It's easy to give up, after all, when there are so many obstacles-sloppy kids, a packed calendar-standing between you and a clutter-free home. But rather than calling it quits until 2012, why not face your organizing demons head-on? We consulted experts and learned the 10 most common organizing excuses that people make-and found easy-to-achieve solutions that will make a messy home a thing of the past.

Excuse: "I can't get rid of items I spent good money on."

Even if your laptop cost $1,000 in 1995, it's probably not worth a cent now-most tech items depreciate in a matter of years, so depending on its age, chances are no one's going to buy your clunker. (Click here to find out where you can donate old goods, including electronics.) But if you're looking to get rid of a relatively new tech item, search eBay to see if it's worth

By Brynn Mannino

Oftentimes, diet-obsessed people make the mistake of cutting out highly nutritious foods because they aren't lowfat. But this isn't necessarily the best strategy for overall health and weight loss. Not only do these higher-calorie foods have important nutritional benefits, but usually they're more filling, leaving you satisfied for a longer period of time than lower-fat fare. From pork and red meat to pasta and cheese, find out which traditionally "unhealthy" foods will improve your health more than anything in a 100-calorie snack pack ever could.

Pork

Think that just because pork comes from a pig, it's all fatty? Think again. Different cuts of meat can have vastly different nutritional makeups, explains Milton Stokes, RD, owner of One Source Nutrition, LLC. While bacon is loaded with fat, pork tenderloin is an "extra-lean" meat, boasting only 120 calories per 3-oz serving, he explains. And it's loaded with protein, which your body uses for bones,

By Joy Bauer, RD

Is there anything quite so delicious as the taste of success? These 11 amazing women, who have been following the Slimdown since we launched it in September, are well on their way to finding out! They committed to the plan and their hard work has paid off. In less than four months they've lost a collective total of 230 pounds, and one has already reached her goal weight (congrats, Kathy!).

Sure, they've been thrown some curve balls (holidays, vacations, office parties, erratic schedules), but they've stayed the course and are already reveling in their success as they continue on their weight-loss journeys. (And if you've lost any weight following along, you, too, are a diet success!)

Kathy Moody, 56, Allston, Massachusetts

Height: 5'8"
Start Weight: 165 lbs
Lost So Far: 33 lbs (she's already reached her goal!)
Biggest Hurdle: Eating too many heavy, fattening foods, like fettuccine Alfredo and fried chicken.
I Overcame It By: Making lighter

By Sarah Jio

Yawning? Again? When sleep deprivation isn't the reason, you might be surprised by what is: Everything from your diet to an untreated infection could be to blame. We talked to medical experts to come up with a list of surprising causes of fatigue as well as how to treat them.

Reason #1: An Undiagnosed Thyroid Problem

The source of your sleepiness could be a tiny organ near your throat that you may have never even thought about: your thyroid. According to recent estimates, 10 million Americans-and as many as 10 percent of women-have hypothyroidism, a condition that can lead to hair loss, weight gain and fatigue. "Fatigue arises from a lack of thyroid hormone in the body, resulting in a decline in overall metabolic rate," says Pam Peeke, MD, author of Body for Life for Women. "Metabolism is like the body's battery. If you lack the thyroid hormone, your battery is slowly drained, and lack of energy is one of the first symptoms noted."

What to do? If you're

By Hallie Levine Sklar

You've known it for a while: When it comes to developing heart disease, certain behaviors can put you directly in harm's way. While you can't do anything about getting older-or an unlucky family history-you can take care of your physical and mental health to help decrease your risk of getting sick. Below, learn to avoid six common risk factors to keep your heart beating strongly.

1. Smoking. Smokers have two to four times the risk of developing heart disease that nonsmokers do, according to the AHA. But quitting is a powerful thing: One year after stopping, your risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker's; after 15 years, it's the same as a nonsmoker's, says the American Lung Association. You're also at risk if you're regularly exposed to secondhand smoke: Up to 70,000 people die of heart disease due to secondhand smoke each year.

2. Blood pressure and cholesterol. Everyone should know

By Woman's Day Staff

Blazing Success

Blazing Success

A blazer is the perfect way to top off a look, always lending a fashionable and balanced finish to every outfit it meets. Looking for new ways to dress up-or down-your favorite one? Get inspiration from these put-together ensembles. From an out-on-the-town look to a chic office style, the following outfits are proof that the blazer is the ultimate "make it work" accessory.

Go Long Go Long

Balance an oversize cotton boyfriend blazer with relaxed high-waisted trousers; the belt draws eyes to your slim middle. Add novel accessories or a beguilin, not bookish, look.

Simple 120 jacket, $149; JJill.com. ISSACMIZRAHILIVE! cardigan, $55; QVC.com. Eileen Fisher top, $58; Bloomingdale's Stores. Belted Paper Bag trousers, $79.90; TheLimited.com. Leelee's Gold Metal Hoop necklace, $43.95; FantasyJewelryBox.com. Simply Vera Vera Wang Marcello tote, $109; Kohls.com. Isabel Toledo for Payless Cabana heel, $44.99; Payless.com.

Layer It On Layer It On

By Richard Laliberte

Your child's classroom has become a nut-free zone. Airlines seem to treat peanut packets as if they were weapons. Your husband's uncle can't come for the holidays unless you're serving a wheat-free meal. Everywhere we turn, new food restrictions seem to stare us in the face. Are they for real?

Kelly Rudnicki of Chicago wondered, too-"until I personally had to live with food allergies," she says. Her 8-year-old son, John, got hives and vomited right after eating a puffed veggie-cheese snack at 7 months old. Tests showed he was allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, legumes and milk products like cheese, which triggered his reaction. "The worst part of having a child with a food allergy is this constant underlying fear that he could die from something that people see as completely innocent," says Rudnicki, author of The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book. "Food allergy is a disease, not a dietary choice or a lifestyle."

Indeed, the dangers are important