Amanda MacMillan, SELF magazine

You know that expression "fake it until you make it"? That's kind of the idea behind a cool new book to hit shelves this week. The Face of Emotion, by Maryland-based dermatological surgeon Eric Finzi, MD, suggests that the happier we look, the happier we feel. Say cheese and get cheerful? Easy enough.

See more: The Flat-Abs-Fast Secret

In 2006, Finzi published a study that suggested that using Botox to erase frown lines actually helped improve symptoms of depression. "By inhibiting their ability to frown, patients found themselves in a state of relief rather than despair," Finzi writes. "These findings introduce a novel concept for mental health--using facial expressions to influence thoughts and feelings."

Crazy, right?! Finzi says that his new book--which takes a broader look at how we react to each other's (and our own) facial expressions--was born after Jay Leno made some jokes about his research; apparently, he realized that he'd

5 Reasons My Family Still Eats Dinner as a FamilyIt's 6pm in my house, and a little pigtailed girl is counting forks: One, two, three, four, five. Her older brothers fill glasses with water and milk, and bicker with each other about whose turn it is to feed the dogs. I'm wiping the sauce I spilled off the counters and placing opened cans of green beans in the recycling bin. It's dinner time at my house, and while it's definitely not a linen napkins and candlelight experience, it's my favorite part of the day.

Like a lot of families, evenings are hectic in my house. There's homework to supervise, shuttling kids to and from activities, and there are often errands to run for the next day. In addition to the kids' busy schedules, my husband makes going to the gym every night a priority, and I have a class one evening a week.

Related: 12 things your kids MUST see you do

With everything we have going on, it would be easy for us not to bother with family meals. After all, my life is not a 1950s era fantasy where Father knows

5 Lessons About Helping Others From My GrandmaGrowing up in the Dominican Republic, I experienced firsthand the trials and tribulations of everyday life in a developing country: constant power outages, lack of food and water, diseases that are almost unheard of in first-world countries, among many other things. But despite how little my family had, I have vivid memories of my grandmother encouraging us to help and take care of those around us, and always, always give.

Every two months or so, my grandma would visit her hometown, a small village in the countryside where there was a great need for clothing and shoes but an abundance of fruit, vegetables, and animals. We'd travel with two huge sacks full of hand-me-down items and return home with bags full of veggies, fruits, chickens, and roots.

Now that I have my own children -- and I'm fortunate enough to be able to take the basic things for granted -- I find myself thinking of ways to make "doing good" something as normal and familiar as it was for me growing up,

Peter Ardito/Fitness MagazineBy Karla Walsh and Samantha Shelton

Hit "Play" on any one of these killer routines -- selected after our 100-plus testers sweated through the latest releases. They bring an all-new meaning to the term homebody.

Related: Watch Tons of Free Workout Videos

Melt Your Muffin Top
Denise Austin: Shrink Belly Fat ($9, deniseaustin.com)
Intermediate
What you'll need: A 3- to 8-pound dumbbell, a yoga mat
Calories burned: 198 per 45-minute workout
The skinny: Whether you string together all three 15-minute core workouts -- classic ab exercises, a more advanced routine that includes moving planks and Turkish get-ups, and a cardio calorie blaster -- or do them separately, expect to "feel the burn" and to be "eager to repeat [them] over and over." The "very encouraging" Austin points out modifications being done by the exercisers behind her. Testers said they could easily figure out what level they were on as well as see what goals they could advance toward.

Cinch Your Waist and Shape Your Booty

Source: 4 Medication-Free Ways to Relieve Congestion

Congestion is one of the more annoying manifestations of catching a cold, and the stuffy nose and sinus pain that result from it can make other cold symptoms even more unbearable. Instead of loading up on an over-the-counter decongestant, which may make you drowsy and foggy-headed, here are four natural ways you can relieve congestion.

• Use the shower: Steam from a shower is beneficial for opening up nasal passageways, so focus on breathing while you're in there. Make a conscious effort to breathe deeply and slowly to maximize the steam's decongesting benefits.
• Exercise: You may not feel like you're at full energy, but even if you go slower than you're used to, cardio can help open up your nose and relieve sinus pressure. Aim for 20 minutes of brisk walking, jogging, or other cardio to help break up sinus pressure.
• Tea remedy: A spicy tea can help open nasal passages while also warming you up. Peruse your spice cabinet

Throwing a family-friendly football partyFootball parties can be a blast, but the kids always seem to get left out. Lifestyle expert and New York Times bestselling author Cheryl Najafi joins Away We Grow host Diane Mizota to share her tips for getting the whole family involved in the fun.

Related: Touchdown! 5 football party themes for kids

"The secret is to get them involved at the very beginning," says Najafi. "Give them tasks. Make them feel like it's their party as much as it's yours."

Najafi notes that decorations get kids really excited, so she suggests creating fun craft projects for them. For example, the kids can create pennants and decorate juice boxes to look like mini footballs.

"The theme of football should be incorporated into the party," adds Najafi. Use chalkboard paint on glasses so that you can write fun things on them, for example. You can also decorate your table with AstroTurf made to look like a football field.

Related: How to throw a football party for football lovers

Household items can also be

Source: Snack Stash: Nonperishable Food to Keep in Your Gym Bag

Refueling after a long, hard workout is important to help muscles repair and recover so you can hit it just as hard your next time out. If you're a gal on the go, then it's a good idea to always pack a few nonperishable items. Here are some tasty and nutritious ideas.

• Package of unsalted raw peanuts and mini boxes of raisins (18 nuts are 104 calories, one mini box of raisins is 45 calories): 146 calories.
• Small packages of Late July Organic Mini Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers: one bag is 120 calories.
• Shelf-stable Soy Dream Chocolate soy milk: one eight-ounce container is 150 calories.
• Kind Nut Delight Bars and a bag of dried apricots (half a bar is 105 calories, three apricots are 50 calories): 155 calories.
• Package of unsalted sunflower seeds and bag of medjool dates (one tablespoon seeds is 47 calories, four organic dates are 100 calories): 147 calories.
• Barbara's Bakery Raspberry Fig Bars and raw almonds

Candlewick PressBy Leonora Desar

A little fish made a big splash yesterday when Jon Klassen received the Randolph Caldecott Medal for This Is Not My Hat. The American Library Association awards the prestigious prize yearly to the artist of the most distinguished American's children's picture book. Past winners have included Maurice Sendak for Where the Wild Things Are, Brian Selznick for The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Jerry Pinkney for The Lion & the Mouse and Chris Raschka for A Ball for Daisy.

PLUS: Books to Pass Down to Your Kids

The American Library Association also announced today that Katherine Applegate won the Newbery Medal for The One and Only Ivan. The honor is awarded every year to the writer of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Past winners include Jack Gantos for Dead End in Norvelt, Clare Vanderpool for Moon Over Manifest, Susan Patron for The Higher Power of Lucky and Christopher Paul Curtis for Bud, Not Buddy.

This Is Not My