Rachel Jacoby, SELF magazine
New Years' Eve may be in our rear view mirrors, but there's no reason you can't indulge in a cocktail or two in 2013. If your resolutions included a healthier diet, you're in luck-we've got low-cal drink ideas for you!
More from SELF:
5 Simple Steps to Cellulite-Free Skin
6 Secrets to Firing Up Your Metabolism
SELF magazine
Winter knock you off your game? Your favorite M.D., Dr. Lodge, is on the case.
Q. What's the best thing to do for a stuffy nose? -Ruby M., New York City
A. There's no secret formula, so you'll need to try treatments one at a time to see what works for you. Use this backgrounder on some common decloggers; as always, read labels for directions and side effect info.
See more: The No-Cook Diet
Antihistamines: They fight histamines, chemicals that cause congestion and stuffyiness during an infection or allergy attack. Older ones such as Benadryl may make you sleepy, so look for newer formulas marked nondrowsy.
Decongestants: Oral decongestants with pseudoephedrine work to clear you up by shrinking swollen nasal tissues, but they could make you jittery. Nasal sprays are great for occasional relief, but they lose effectiveness with prolonged use.
See more: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss
Nasal irrigation: Neti pots and the like can help literally wash out congestion. Saline
This trendy root is packed with benefits-anti-inflammatory compounds, antioxidants-and adds a zesty zing to these 10 recipes.
More from SELF:
5 Simple Steps to Cellulite-Free Skin
3 CrossFit Total-Body Workouts
6 Secrets to Firing Up Your Metabolism
Zoe Singer, SELF magazine
Throwing a boozy brunch is a fun, easy and cheap way to celebrate the season. Prep almost all of these delish dishes the day before so, come party time, you can actually hang out. Cocktail?
More from SELF:
5 Simple Steps to Cellulite-Free Skin
3 CrossFit Total-Body Workouts
6 Secrets to Firing Up Your Metabolism
Jaclyn Emerick, SELF magazine
Lose the equipment-and the excuses. All you need is a wall to firm every square inch. Watch the step-by-step instruction video.
Your expert New York City trainer Rustin Steward. "The less stuff you need, the harder it is to blow off a workout," Steward says. So unless you live in a tent, this is your new go-to routine. "The wall supports you, helping you stay aligned and sculpt more efficiently than with freestanding exercises," he explains. Disclaimer: The moves are hard. But your body will be, too.
You'll need Yup, just a plain old wall. Don't want scuff marks? Lose the sneaks. There-one less thing to worry about.
See more: Foods That Fight Belly Bloat
Your plan Do these seven moves three times a week on alternate days and you'll realize that sometimes it can be a good thing when your workout hits the wall. Ha, ha.
Do just the numbered moves and you'll firm up. Add this squat jump for 1 minute between each and you'll also torch Read More »from No-Equipment Workout
Julianne Pepitone, SELF magazine
From grapefruit to cabbage soup, diet trends have certainly changed through the ages. Here, a primer on the craziest.
3100 B.C.: Ancient Egyptians supposedly swig apple cider vinegar to drop pounds. Modern-day fans claim it curbs appetite and burns fat. Science says: didn't work then, still doesn't work now.
1600s: Seaweed, long thought to be trimming, is used in "weight loss soap" in East Asian countries. It's believed to shrink a fat layer. The slimming payoff is iffy at best, but people are squeaky-clean.
See more: Foods That Fight Belly Bloat
Early 1900s: Some desperate dieters swallow pills containing tapeworm eggs, hoping the parasites will hatch and eat their meals. Risky! The worms can block the appendix and make you super sick. Also, gross.
1920s: The grapefruit diet has come and gone over the years, but it debuts in the flapper era. The gist: Eat half of one with each small meal. The fruit is healthy; the 800ish calorie diet, not so much.
Little strategic moves you can do with your clothes on to make things hotter than ever when you finally go skin-to-skin tonight.
See more: Foods That Fight Belly Bloat
Go on a breakfast date. Romantic dinners are overrated. For one, they're pricey; plus, you're usually too full to even think about hooking up when you get home. Clocking some quality one-on-one time, anytime, is what really matters. Couples who go out together at least once a week are three times more likely to have wowza sex, according to research from the National Marriage Project. Grab a table at Starbucks, buy a couple of muffins, and catch up while you caffeinate.
Chillax. How crazed are you at work, on a scale from zero to "I'm ready to jump out a 10th-story window"? We ask because you're 76 percent less likely to have sex during weeks when you're super stressed, the Journal of Family Psychology notes. Ease your nerves by spending 10 minutes outside. (Lie in the grass, and think of
Read More »from Turn Up Your Sex Life
Holiday splurges don't have to turn into holiday binges. These cookies are tasty, easy to make and set you back less than 100 calories each.
More from SELF:
5 Simple Steps to Cellulite-Free Skin
3 CrossFit Total-Body Workouts
6 Secrets to Firing Up Your Metabolism
Rachel Jacoby, SELF magazine
We caught up with sisters and stars of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Lisa, Kristin, and Alison Jantzie to find out how they keep those gams so glam, their most embarrassing stage moments and more!
More from SELF:
5 Simple Steps to Cellulite-Free Skin
3 CrossFit Total-Body Workouts
6 Secrets to Firing Up Your Metabolism
Alex Samuel, SELF magazine
Impress friends with the most exclusive presents on the planet: gifts by you.
Recipes developed by Erika Katz, author of Bonding Over Beauty
More from SELF:
6 Moves for a Great Butt
5 Simple Steps to Cellulite-Free Skin
3 CrossFit Total-Body Workouts
6 Secrets to Firing Up Your Metabolism
