Getty ImagesThe Internet exploded on Thursday at the news that self-proclaimed "Voice of a generation" actress Lena Dunham reportedly didn't vote in the 2012 Presidential election. 

According to a reporter at the political blog Room 8: I can now report that according to New York City’s voter file, a Lena Dunham registered in Brooklyn did not vote in the 2012 general election or in any local elections since she moved from her prior address in Tribeca.

The backlash is directed toward the fact that in October 2012, Dunham starred in a pro-Barack Obama advertisement urging people to get out there and vote. In it, she used sex as a euphemism for voting, speaking to the camera about her "her first time." 

Your first time shouldn’t be with just anybody. You want to do it with a great guy. It should be with a guy with beautiful … somebody who really cares about and understands women….Think about how you want to spend those four years. In college age time, that’s 150 years. Also, it’s super uncool to be

Peter Ardito/Fitness MagazineBy Liz Plosser

We all know her: that trim, toned woman who seems to live on grilled chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and nonfat yogurt. Convinced that her high-protein plan is your ticket to a better body, you've been trying to work more of the macronutrient into your diet. But is it really the secret to slimming down? And how much protein do you actually need, anyway? Read on for the surprising facts, then use your newfound knowledge to get all the muscle-building, fat-fighting benefits.

Related: To Be or Not To Be Gluten-Free?

Protein Facts You Need to Know
1. You're already getting enough protein.
"There's way too much hype about protein -- or rather, a perceived lack of it in people's diets," says Marion Nestle, PhD, a professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University. "The reality is, if you consume enough calories, you're probably eating plenty of protein." Most nutritionists agree that active women need about half a gram per pound a day, or

By Jen Mueller, for SparkPeople

Think you're too old to start a strength training program? Well think again! Strength training is just what your body needs to fight the loss of muscle, bone mass and strength that comes with age.

Everyone, no matter how young or old, should be doing some kind of regular strength training. This could be at the gym, or at home using very little equipment. Resistance bands and balls, small hand weights, water and even your own body weight can be used as resistance when designing a strength training program.

So what's the point? If you've never participated in a strength training program, why start now? Here are some very important reasons strength training makes a difference in your quality of life:

• Improves your ability to do everyday activities: The stronger your muscles, the easier it is to get groceries out of the car, get a package off of the top cabinet shelf, push the lawnmower…..the list goes on and on!
• Improves your balance and

Our ability to quickly digest food decreases as we get older, lose muscle, gain fat, and become more stressed. Here are some simple tips to help get things back on track and kick-start weight loss.

For more from Real Beauty:

• The Best Hair Products of 2012

• 30+ Sneaky Ways To Look Thinner

• Top 10 Beauty Looks Men Find Sexy

• The Most Requested Celebrity Hairstyles of 2012

by Lindsey Unterberger, Glamour

Poor chocolate-few foods have their very own rumor mill like this one. Chocolate is bad for your waistline! Dark chocolate is good for your heart! Chocolate makes your skin break out! Chocolate is an aphrodisiac! We went to the experts to get the truth about chocolate-and it's not all bad. Learn about chocolate's surprising health benefits and how you can eat it to your advantage.

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10 Beauty Tricks That Make Guys Melt

Okay, this is maddening: It takes an average of 21 days to get a doctor's appointment, according to a national survey. But if you follow our insider advice, your doc will see you now. By Jessica Girdwain, REDBOOK.

INSTEAD OF: Complaining that you don't feel well
SAY: "My fever is 103"
Doctors keep a few emergency slots open daily--the trick is getting the receptionist to slide you into one of them. "Write down your most severe symptoms before you call, and read them verbatim," says Leana Wen, M.D., an emergency-room physician. It's best to use specifics, so replace "I have a fever and my head hurts" with "My fever is 103 degrees and my headache is so severe I haven't gone to work in the last two days."

Related: 50 Simple Little Ways to Feel Sexy

INSTEAD OF: Saying you are a new patient
SAY: "My best friend comes to Dr. Smiley!"
Trying to get in to see your friend's gynecologist or internist? Call the office and tell them her beloved patient sent you. "Like in other areas of life,

I remember the moment because I felt so darn bad. I was just returning home from Colorado, where I had been shooting my TV show and I felt just awful. Stepping on the scale confirmed the one glaring fact -- I weighed too much. I had been able to conceal it from myself with slightly bigger clothes and artful cropping of photos. You know who wasn't buying it? My heart. Breathing was getting difficult. The extra padding around my hips and waist was not doing me any favors. I didn't like the way I looked. I remembered how heart disease killed my father in the very decade I am now entering. Something had to change. I knew if I continued on the way I was going, this story would not have a happy ending. My situation is not unique; there are a lot of women, wives, mothers who, like me, are so busy caring for others they forget to care for themselves. So how about this? For American Heart Month, here's a quick look at 7 things you should be doing for your heart. - By Rene Syler

MORE ON BABBLE

iStockPhoto/Fitness MagazineBy K. Aleisha Fetters

Break a sweat for a better date. It turns out that exercise can lead to sweaty pleasures on and off your chosen field of play. The love connection: Exercise-induced endorphins help clear your mind of clutter, up your happiness factor, and rev up your sex drive, says Paul Hokemeyer, PhD, licensed marriage and family therapist.

As if that weren't enough reason to veer off the beaten path, consider this -- research shows that simply doing new things together as a couple ignites the same circuit as does falling in love. By flooding the brain's reward system with dopamine and norepinephrine, mixing up date night can help those butterflies hang around a bit longer.

Read on for 10 fitness dates that will boost your mood and your bond.

Related: Pair Up to Slim Down: The Couple's Workout

Rock Climbing
Your hearts are going to race, and not just in the I'm-about-to-pee-in-my-spandex way. When your body is physiologically aroused (think skyrocketing blood pressure,