Blog Posts by The Editors of WOMEN'S HEALTH

When it comes to the body's capabilities, there are some obviously impressive feats: completing a marathon, birthing a child, rocking six-inch heels for 10 hours straight. But you may not know about some of the smaller miracles your body can perform each and every day. "Such as?" you ask. You can summon innate biological powers to…

STOP NEEDLE PAIN!

Make your flu shot feel less piercing by putting pressure around the area that's about to be stuck. Push down on either side of the target site with the tips of your thumb and forefinger for a few seconds as you're receiving the shot. This helps your skin's touch receptors override its pain receptors-essentially tricking your nerves. Voilà, the sharp jab feels more like a gentle poke!

Your Health: 7 warning signs you should never ignore

SILENCE HICCUPS!

Take the deepest breath you can, hold it for 10 seconds, then, without exhaling, suck in more air and hold it for five more seconds. Finally-still without

Here's a fitness vow you've likely never made: This year I will make less time for working out. The truth is, in order to sustain a workout routine, you have to pace yourself. In the first few months of a new year with resolutions fresh in our minds, we lace up our running shoes, hit the gym, and swear to stick with it. The problem? The first-quarter sprint almost always leads to slacking off in the second quarter. What you need is a burnout-proof plan that will help you stay on track in your pursuit of a strong and sexy body. The first step is recognizing the stages of burnout, so you can sidestep a workout slump.

Get a fitness routine you can stick with: Try one of the 5 workout plans in Your Best Body Ever.

STAGE 1: THE HONEYMOON

Classic sign: You're determined to slip into a size 6 by Valentine's Day, so you never miss a workout.

Burnout buster: Take a less-is-more approach. Burnout happens when you expect too much too soon. Start with the lowest reps, sets, and

If only this joyous season were filled with just that-joy. But the truth is, the holidays bring a ton of stress, not the least of which is financial. I mean, all those presents, hostess gifts, cookie ingredients, and plane tickets add up! Which is why it's no surprise that couples often spar about money at this time of year.

To help spare you and your honey from cash squabbles, we got advice from a few experts:financial advisor Bambi Holzer, author of Financial Bliss: A Couple's Guide to Merging Money Styles and Building a Rich Life Together; etiquette expert Peter Post, author of Essential Manners for Couples: From Snoring and Sex to Finances and Fighting Fair; and Helen Fisher, Ph.D., a professor of anthropology at Rutgers University. Here, some dough dilemmas and peace-keeping tips:

1. He wants to go in on family gifts together, but she thinks it's too soon for joint purchases.

Fisher: You should be close to getting engaged [if you want to give joint gifts]. From an

The holiday season is one of my favorite times of year, what with the cocktail parties, fantastic sales, and excuse to eat more than my fair share of chocolate. But what I don't enjoy so much is the mounting stress to get everything done by a rapidly approaching deadline. That's why I was thrilled when I came across these six easy ways to ease stress-fast. The best part: They won't siphon off your gift-buying budget.

1. Tea Off

In a study at University College in London, 75 volunteers drank the equivalent of a cup of black tea before completing two stressful tasks. Afterward, their cortisol levels dropped an average of 47 percent, compared with 27 percent for the people who didn't imbibe.

Try these stress-busting tea options.

2. Just Say "%&*# It!"

Swearing reduces stress, according to research published in the Leadership & Organization Development Journal. I don't suggest dropping an F-bomb in the middle of an intimate dinner party, but a strategically placed

When we're insanely busy and in need of every ounce of energy we can muster, the very thing that fuels us is the first to get dropped from the to-do list: Exercise.

Luckily, there's a way to fit workouts into your already full schedule. It boils down to one simple principle: Get in and get out! By making every second at the gym count, you'll see results faster and have no excuse for skipping those important sweat sessions. Here's a plan to get you started:

COME UP WITH A STRATEGY

Without one, workout time becomes wasted time. Figure out what equipment you need before you start, says Ed Scow, a certified personal trainer in Lincoln, Nebraska. Grab what you need-dumbbells, stability ball, bands-and put them near a mat or adjustable bench so you can do your entire workout in one place. "You won't expend time wandering from machine to machine or waiting in line," Scow says. "And by creating your own personal space at the gym, you maximize your intensity and efficiency,

Cheating rarely gets you ahead in life. But when it comes to dieting, it turns out that going off course occasionally can help you get into shape. In fact, research shows that a flexible approach to eating leads to more weight loss than an all-or-nothing strategy. We got leading nutrition pros to fess up to the diet violations they commit, without gaining weight. Let their rule-breaking strategies inspire you.

1. The Rule: Eat five small meals a day.

Who breaks it: Renee Melton, R.D., director of nutrition services for the mobile weight-loss program Sensei. "My schedule doesn't give me time to prepare healthy snacks, much less eat them, so I make sure I get what I need in three squares a day."

Why you can too: The graze-don't-gorge philosophy is based on the premise that having frequent small meals keeps your blood sugar steady, your metabolism ramped up, and your appetite in check. But some studies show a link between obesity and eating more than three times a day,

We all know what it feels like to be frazzled, and it's not fun. But I recently learned something interesting, albeit counterintuitive, about stress: Some events that make us want to tear our hair out can actually be beneficial to our bodies. You see, when stress comes in short blasts (such as giving a work presentation), our bodies instantly go on the defense, causing our cells to emit healing properties and our immune system to rev up for a fight. This physiological chain reaction can actually help you live longer.

But here's the catch: In order to reap the benefits of stress, you need to chase your meltdowns with some downtime. Your body can't start repairing itself until you begin to relax. And at the same time, you have to strike the right balance between having too much stress and too little (yes, there is such a thing). Here are five ways to help you find your stress sweet spot:

1. Keep a stress calendar

You know when you're tense, but it's hard to remember how

Every woman on the planet has experienced the maddening feeling that they're being tuned out by the guy in their life. Well, I stumbled on a fascinating little piece of biology that may unlock the doghouse door for men everywhere: Studies show that men have an easier time processing the sound of other men's voices than they do women's voices. But that doesn't mean you'll never be heard! Here are four easy ways to penetrate the male brain.

TALK SIDE BY SIDE

If you're broaching a potentially sticky subject (stuff like your wanting to get married, or his partying too much), avoid a face-to-face conversation. "Although it seems counterintuitive, insisting on eye contact while hashing out an issue can actually make the problem worse," says Scott Haltzman, M.D., coauthor of The Secrets of Happily Married Women. Looking him directly in the eye can make him feel threatened-and when confronted, men instinctively kick into survival mode, triggering a fight-or-flight response. To put