Blog Posts by Tips on Healthy Living

Even though it was a fake pregnancy, part of a provocative high school project, Gaby Rodriguez wasn't expecting the awful reactions she and boyfriend Jorge received after she debuted her "bump" to her fellow students. From The Pregnancy Project: A Memoir, with Jenna Glatzer.

I felt like a zoo animal.

All eyes went straight to my belly before people looked at my face. The whispers and judgmental looks amplified. It was like this protrusion around my midsection was a scarlet letter, a badge of shame that showed I was marked for a life of failure and misery because I had sinned. I'd had sex. As if none of them had. It occurred to me that I'd never really know how many of my classmates had been pregnant, because 15 to 20 percent of all pregnancies end in miscarriages, and 45 percent of teens who get pregnant have abortions. Then there are the ones who just drop out of school without telling anyone why, or move to a different school. So it's not as if the ones walking the halls

By Kristin Sidorov
Looking to renew your commitment to healthy eating, but less than enthusiastic about munching on the same humdrum diet foods? Shake things up with some of these exciting, not-so-average foods packed with health benefits and flavor. Here are 5 delicious items to add to your diet for a healthier, more adventurous you.

Jícama
Jícama is a crisp, slightly sweet and starchy root vegetable native to Mexico and South America. It has tons of fiber, vitamins A and C, and inulin, a probiotic that helps stimulate good bacteria growth in the stomach. While it's similar to a potato, jícama doesn't raise blood sugar quite as much, making it a delicious and healthy alternative for diabetics. It's low in calories and fat, and satisfies that "crunch" craving when you find yourself reaching for less healthy options, like chips or crackers.

Raw jícama can be sliced and eaten plain as a snack, and is a great addition to vegetable and fruit salads, slaws, and salsas.

So it was Valentine's Day and we all indulged in a little too much chocolate. Some days sticking to your diet is harder than you want it to be. You might decide it's OK to indulge because you have a special occasion. It happens.

But when you play hooky from your healthy diet, make sure you admit to yourself it was just that-a special occasion-and then get right back on your plan. Even if you are on Cycle 1, Day 1 of the 17 Day Diet and you didn't stick to your plan 100 percent, you don't need to repeat Day 1. Move on to Day 2 and acknowledge all the great work you've done so far.

As you stay on the plan, ramp up exercise, and lose weight you'll notice your cravings for bad food will start to fade. A great way to nip any lingering ones is to make sure you have on hand foods that are good for you and fill you up. If you're crazy for chocolate, try this Mexican Chocolate Pudding recipe from the new 17 Day Diet Cookbook. You can make a batch and bring a cup with you to work. If

By Maura Kelly
Co-author of Much Ado About Loving
Jane Austen seems to be everybody's favorite writer-men I've dated have spent entire evenings singing her praises, and the ladies love her, too, of course. But for most of my life, I was vehemently anti-Austen. She had a decent sense of humor and her heroines could be feisty and strong-willed-I'm down with that. Austen sure knows her way around a plot, too; she sure knows how to keep the interpersonal dramas dramatic, the twists twisting. But her characters never seemed that complex or interesting to me-there were just so many society girls, so obsessed with marriage! What could I ever learn from reading about such people?

Nothing, I thought. But then, while researching my new book Much Ado About Loving: What Our Favorite Novels Can Teach You About Date Expectations, Not-so-great Gatsbys, and Love in the Time of Internet Personals, I "forced" myself to read her first published novel Sense and Sensibility. And once I got

College admissions are booming in 2012, with schools seeing record numbers of applicants. But before you and your child stress about their odds, remember: They're going to live full and happy and successful lives, and if their destiny is otherwise, no top-tier school will change it. At least that's what Andrew Ferguson, author of Crazy U: One Dad's Crash Course in Getting His Kid Into College, told himself while he waited to hear where his son got into school.

Rob and his wife came over for drinks. My daughter sat at the TV, my son at the computer in the other room. March was ten days old but it still carried the late-winter death pallor. The decision letters would soon be in the mail. We tried to move on to other subjects but the conversation inevitably returned to kids and college, like a man trying to walk with one foot nailed to the floor. We kept circling back. I didn't mind. Discussing the subject with our friends could even be relaxing. I'd discovered that

Watching carbs to stay healthy or lose weight doesn't have to cost you a fortune. Sure, if filet mignon and lobster are your low-carb staples each week, it's going to cost more. But regularly including such high-priced foods in your weekly meal plan isn't necessary-there are countless inexpensive and delicious options that are low in carbs and dollars. Just look at our New Atkins for a New You Cookbook for affordable recipe ideas.

Here's how you can start saving:
Packaged food is pricey. You could end up saving money (and your waistline) when you swap out heavily processed and pre-packaged junk foods and fast food meals for home-cooked dishes made from fresh vegetables and tender meats.

Plan, plan, plan. You've heard this before, but if you take the time to plan your meals and recipes for the week, you will always be prepared. Having your low-carb meals and snacks readily at hand prevents you from taking that extra trip to the vending machine, hitting the drive-thru or

By Mayim Bialik, Ph.D.
Author of Beyond the Sling
More than almost any other aspect of attachment parenting, I'm asked about my relationship with my husband. Nurturing a relationship with your spouse once you have had kids is challenging any way you cut it, but imagine your kids sleeping in your bed (with no other bed to go to) and breastfeeding on demand every 2 hours for the better part of many months and-if your nursling is anything like mine-the better part of YEARS. All night.

Let's just get this over with: We don't have sex when our kids are in the bed. Houses come with many rooms (as do most apartments), so we have to be a little bit creative, which is important anyway in a marriage, wouldn't you agree?

Once I had kids, I simply had to accept that my husband and I could not do the things together that we used to do the same way. We might be able to do versions of those things, but I realized early on that I had to stop trying to make us feel like a childless

By Jillian Stone
Author of An Affair with Mr. Kennedy
As a writer of historical romance I am constantly doing research, with a special interest in the courting rituals of the late 19th century, which often take place in the ballroom. There, beneath blazing chandeliers and within the confines of the rules of Victorian society, introductions were made, dance cards were filled out, and a good deal of flirtation was had.

What could anyone today possibly learn from an era famous for its tedious gentility and rigid rules of etiquette? Well, as it turns out, quite a lot. In fact, it is my belief your dating experience can be greatly enhanced by a brief study the Victorian ballroom. Here are just a few tips:

1. "Will you do me the honor to dance with me?" Tango, waltz, or salsa, everything you will ever need to know about successful dating and romance can be found in the partnered dance. Two people moving together in joyful cooperation: Stepping apart, coming