Blog Posts by iVillage

Karin Smeds/Follo Images/Getty Images By Jessica Smith

We all have reasons why we aren't working out. So we asked the experts for advice on how to find the time and motivation to get started

Yes, You Can Get Moving!

Only 48 percent of American adults exercise enough to improve their health, according to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). So why aren't the remaining 52 percent of us moving on a regular basis? Whether you have no time or just feel completely overwhelmed, we've got a realistic solution for every obstacle you face. So get ready to get moving (and make sure you check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program).

"I just don't have the time!"

Yup, this is probably the most common excuse that keeps us from working out. Yet most of us find time to spend an average of four and a half hours in front of the TV every day. Trade just 30 minutes of TV watching for a workout (or workout while you watch) and you'll quickly realize how much better you

Read More »from Ready to Start Working Out? How to Get Past Excuses and Stick with It!

Sleeping IssuesBy Mary Bolster

Want to turn down the volume on noisy nighttime breathing? Try these strategies

Listen and Learn

If you snore, you're probably the last person to know. The first is your partner, and if he or she says you're snoring, don't dismiss it. If you sleep alone, it's harder to know if you snore, though one clue is consistently feeling sleepy during the day. If you're allowing yourself eight hours of sleep each night, but not feeling refreshed, snoring may be the culprit.

When something blocks your breathing -- throat muscles being too relaxed or another issue that narrows the airway -- the tissues at the top of your airway vibrate causing those loud sounds. Whether the clues are overt (spousal complaints) or subtle (daytime fatigue), check in with your doctor -- or even a sleep specialist -- to determine the cause of your snoring and get it under control. In the meantime, there are several things you can do on your own to reduce how much snoring (and avoid the wrath of your

Read More »from 13 Ways to Stop Snoring

Red LipstickBy Michele Laufik

We asked a bunch of regular Joes and a couple relationship experts for their honest take on sexual stereotypes and come-hither cliches. Find out what's overrated and what'll work like a charm

Hot: Red Lipstick
Men who kiss and tell claim a red pout is the hottest. The reason? "Her lips look flushed and engorged with blood, like the vaginal lips during sexual arousal," explains Yvonne Fulbright, PhD., Astroglide Ambassador. According to research, men are simply following in the footsteps of their primate ancestors. The faces, genitals and backsides of female baboons and chimpanzees turn red during ovulation, an obvious mating signal to males. A bright, crimson pucker doesn't just trigger a primal instinct, though. As one fella explains, "It says that she's got confidence."

Not: Stilettos
Your skyscraper stilettos may make your legs look a mile long and give your tush a little extra oomph, but if they're like a vice clamp for your tootsies, keep them in the Read More »from Red Lipstick or Stilettos? Men Tell Us What’s Hot and What’s Not

Be the ManBy Ronnie Koenig

So you're in a rut with your mate. It happens! But before you go searching for a new guy, consider the fact that you probably just need a new outlook! Try these 20 simple tricks and you'll see your love in a whole new light.

Start a New Hobby Together

"Partners often drift away from each other to do their own thing, spending less and less time together. If you start a new hobby together, you'll share laughs at each other's foibles and a sense of accomplishment at each other's successes," says Carole Lieberman, M.D., author of Bad Girls: Why Men Love Them & How Good Girls Can Learn Their Secrets.

Whether it's kayaking or Texas Hold 'Em, as long as it's something you can do together, it'll help the two of you reconnect.

Don't Deny Sex

"If you say no to sex -- or wear flannel PJs to bed instead of the sexy stuff you used to wear -- it tells him you don't think he's a stud anymore," says Lieberman. "He'll get depressed and his eye may start to rove.
Even if you're aRead More »from Bored with Your Man? 20 Ways to Fall in Love Again

Make OutBy Kimberly Dawn Neumann

Always been curious about Tantra? It's really not as hard or wacky as you think. Tantric sex is about intimacy rather than orgasm, mental rather than physical event. Once you can make this switch in focus, it'll change your sex life forever…no headstands required. Here, let us explain!

Set the Mood

Set up your bedroom to make sex seem sacred. "A lover's environment, however, must be clean and turned into a place of warmth and ritual, filled with flowers and scented oils to anoint the lover with," says Caroline Muir, author of Tantra Goddess and founder of Divine Feminine Institute. Muir also recommends incense or scented candles and plenty of candlelight and soft music. "The music you select will speak volumes to your lover so be sure that the words affirm the joys of love and romance."

Calm Down

"The 'hand on heart' ritual begins almost every Tantra workshop or ritual -- it is centering and an easy way to bring one's emotional focus to oneself and to share

Read More »from How to Try Tantric Sex in the Sack Tonight

SupplementBy Brenda Kearns

Recent studies show that high doses of supplemental calcium - 1,200 milligrams or more daily -- can clog arteries and raise your heart disease risk 30 percent. Instead, try these smart and safe ways to keep your bones break-resistant.

Dare to Dairy

Women with the strongest bones are the ones who get at least half of their calcium (roughly 600 milligrams daily) in the form of food, say University of Auckland researchers. Meeting that mark is surprisingly easy -- you get 300 milligrams for every cup of yogurt or milk, 1-1/2 cups of cottage cheese or 1-1/2 ounces of hard cheese you eat. If your belly gets riled when you dig into dairy, start small (by adding 2 ounces per meal) and gradually build up your daily dose. In a study at Purdue University in Indiana, lactose-intolerant women who tried this trick were enjoying a dairy-rich, without belly backlash, within two months. You can train your digestive tract to break down dairy properly. You just can't Read More »from Build Strong, Healthy Bones -- It’s Never Too Early to Start!

Back Forty Truck Stop Honey Brown Ale
Beer: it's as American as baseball and burgers, but there's way more choices out there than Bud and Bud Light. Every state in the nation is bursting with small breweries coming up with new ways to quench your thirst (watermelon or blackberry beer, anyone?). This summer, crack open a cold one from a craft brewery near you - or try one of these suggestions.

By Casey Barber

1. Alabama
Back Forty's Truck Stop Honey Brown Ale uses wildflower honey from Mobile, Alabama's most productive bees, adding local sweetness to the malty brown brew. Find it and Back Forty's other signature brews throughout the state.

2. Alaska
Since 1995, Midnight Sun in Anchorage has been bottling beers like the crowd-pleasing Kodiak Brown Ale, a hearty beer that matches the meatiness of grilled burgers and ribs. It's available throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

3. Arizona
In sun-drenched Arizona, you better know how to make a beer that goes down easy, and Four Peaks does just that with Sunbru, a light

Read More »from 50 States of Beer: Find a Cold One Near You!

Grilled Drumsticks with Oranges and Green Olives
Whether you're cooking over charcoal or gas, these delicious grilled dishes are sure to become family favorites.

By Erica Policow

1. Grilled Drumsticks with Oranges and Green Olives
Drumsticks have much more flavor than chicken breasts, you can eat them with your fingers and they are usually inexpensive. For a bit of exotic allure, serve them with a Moroccan-inspired mixture of oranges and olives enlivened with lemon juice, garlic and hot peppers.
Get the recipe for Grilled Drumsticks with Oranges and Green Olives

2. Grilled Cowboy Steak with Barbecued Leeks
This dish is a variation on a classic. Leeks are a nice change from the usual grilled onions that accompany steaks. Instead of serving it with a typical horseradish sauce, mix chopped dried apricots with whole-grain mustard to make a delicious condiment for the meat.
Get the recipe for Grilled Cowboy Steak with Barbecued Leeks

3. Maple-Glazed Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes have a wonderful earthy sweetness that is

Read More »from Best of IVillage: Grilling Recipes