Oh GEEZ, Can We Please Talk About This Annoying-Ass Subject?!

Cough, cough, coughity, cough.

They’re out there & they’re loose.

Like, it’s seriously outta control.

I did a chapter in my book called ‘Love Chub.’ Essentially the chapter is all about girls who gain weight when they fall madly in love because their BF/husband eat like crap.

So.

Today I’m talking about another real, serious epidemic I can’t stand: OLDER FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ‘THINK’ THEY KNOW HOW TO EAT.

Like, YAWN.com.

It’s such a buzzkill because they’re totally ignorant/stubborn/closed minded & living in La-La-Land ( can I get a one-way ticket? Must be nice, ehh? ).

I mean, thick, sickie creamer in your coffee was so 1992. EVOLVING is so important!!! So, so important. Buttttt some family members, man, they’re just unwilling to learn about what’s going on in the clean food world.

So sorry…but GMO’s, non-organic, hormone/antibiotic, chemical pumped bullshit is totally not 2014.

So here’s my advice on an older family member who still eats Wonder Bread & thinks Oreo cereal is “part of a complete breakfast”:

 

How Men and Women REALLY Feel About Lube

Find out how many people have it stashed in their bedside drawer right now

If you think lube is only for older women and trips to the gyno, you are seriously mistaken. The truth is, the majority of men and women have used commercial lubricants during sex, according to two recent studies published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Both studies used data from the 2012 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior to survey a nationally representative sample of men and women over 18. In one study, researchers looked at how and why men use the slick stuff. They found that 70 percent of all men had used lube before, with 25.4 percent using it in the last month. Men in relationships and over the age of 24 were more likely to use it than other guys, and most men said they used it “for fun” or “to make sex more comfortable.”

MORE: You’ll Never Believe What Some Women Are Doing for Better Orgasms

When the researchers conducted the same study on women, the results were similar. Overall, 65.5 percent of women reported ever having used lube, while 20 percent used it in the last month. Similarly, most women turned to lube to make sex more comfortable and exciting.

So why are lube users such huge fans of the stuff? Most men and women reported that it makes sex feel better and makes it easier to get aroused. Another study found that nearly 50 percent of people who’ve used lube said it made it easier to orgasm. Well, we’re sold.

MORE: Cameron Diaz Wants You to Play with Your Vagina

Ready to go stock your bedside drawer? Get this: There are even new lubricants for every diet. With all the hype, it seems like lube is transforming from something you need to something you want during sex. Get on board, and find out how to have hotter sex with lube.

MORE: 13 Signs You Need to Spice Up Your Sex Life

 

Lea Michele Has a New Song About Cory Monteith, and Hearing Her Talk About it Will Break Your Heart

Check out some of the lyrics, and listen to a preview of her upcoming album

We're still shaken by the untimely passing of Cory Monteith—so we can't even begin to imagine what his longtime girlfriend and Glee co-star, Lea Michele, is going through. Lea's new single, "If You Say So," gives a glimpse into her thoughts. Here are some of the lyrics:

Was just a week ago
You said, "I love you girl"
I said, "I love you more"
And a breath, a pause, you said, "If you say so"
If you say so
If you say so

It's been seven whole days, seven whole days
Since I heard the phone ring
Seven whole days, seven whole days
Since I heard your voice
And I can't get the last words that you said
Can't get those words out of my head
It's been seven whole days, seven whole days of pure hurt
And I can't get away from the burning pain a light you wake
And the fallen hero haunts my thoughts
How could you leave me this way

"I have not talked about 'If You Say So' yet," Lea says in an interview with Seventeen. "It's about my last conversation that I had with him. I spoke to a woman who lost her son, and she mentioned how grateful she was that the last words she said to her son before he died were, 'I love you.' Mine were that as well.

"[The song] is just about that," she continues. "There are lots of different emotions—if you could see this person again, what are the things you would want to say to them? It's a personal story."

We're incredibly impressed with Lea's strength and the courage it must take for her to put her feelings out there for everyone to hear. Although you can't preview this song on iTunes just yet, you can listen to the other singles from Lea's debut solo album, Louder (out March 3).

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How to Save 15 Lives Today
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How to Cope with the Death of a Parent

10 Weird Facts About Cheating

You won't believe what researchers dug up this time

By Alexandra Churchill for YourTango

Size does matter…just not the size of what you think.

A new study claims that women are more likely to cheat on their man if he has big balls. (Yep, you read that right.) Researchers from the University of Oslo studied monkeys, grasshoppers, and sea urchins specifically—and they found that a female is more likely to have other sexual relationships if her mate has large testicles.

The testicles of humans are one-and-a-half times larger than those of gorillas—and researchers say this shows that we are an unfaithful race by nature.

Personally, we'd like to know why they decided to study monkeys, bugs, and sea urchins to determine human behavior, but we digress. The point is that you'd probably have to have big balls to interject yourself into someone else's relationship. (Bro code, guys?)

Hungry for other bizarre facts found from cheating studies? Here are 10 research-backed findings that had us doing a double take:

1. Facebook Could Foster Infidelity
A new study published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking suggests that Facebook leads users to reconnect with old flings, which in turn, leads to more affairs, breakups, and divorces.

2. The French Are Big-Time Cheaters
The French are known as the world's best lovers, but they might not be the most loyal. In fact, a French poll found that a majority of men and a third of women admitted to cheating on their partners. Infidelity has been on the rise in that country since the 1970s, when only about 19 percent admitted to cheating.

3. Fakers Are More Likely to Cheat
If your partner is faking the big O in bed...watch out. It could be a sign that he or she is getting action from someone else. One study found that both men and women who faked orgasms were far more likely to be unfaithful.

4. Cheaters Love Chain Restaurants
Suspect that your partner is cheating? The first place you might want to scope out is a chain. (Yo quiero...an affair?) The infamous extra-marital affair dating website Ashley Madison asked more than 40,000 cheaters where they loved to wine and dine in secret and revealed the top 10 dining destinations to have an affair. Among them? Red Lobster, Outback Steakhouse, Chili's, and P.F. Chang's.

5. Cheaters Also Love Chain Stores
After delving into the dating habits of the unfaithful, AshleyMadison.com asked about their shopping habits. In their poll of 50,000-plus women, more than a third said they spend more money to keep up their looks for their secret lover. In addition, 27 percent said they have a secret credit card to keep their financial infidelity under wraps. So what are some of the most popular stores for cheaters? Banana Republic, J. Crew, Macy's, Ann Taylor, and H&M all ranked high on the list.

…Click here for 5 more weird facts about cheating from YourTango!

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Adultery: To Forgive Or Not To Forgive Your Partner
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Orgasms: Tips & Expert Advice

 

The Shocking Truth About Some Before- and After- Weight-Loss Success Story Photos

Prepare to be very upset

What woman doesn’t love a good before and after picture? Unfortunately, weight-loss companies know that—and many are using faked photos to try to rob you of your money and even your health, reveals a new exposé by the TODAY Show.

Sure, we’ve all had those “it must be too good to be true” thoughts when confronted with weight-loss pop-up ads and late-night infomercials. But according to TODAY, these fraudulent weight-loss advertisements are way more prevalent than you may have realized—and they make up one of the most-reported frauds in the country, according the Federal Trade Commission.

So how do these companies fudge their facts? In TODAY’s review of several popular weight-loss products, companies had gone so far as to steal women’s photos off of their personal blogs and make up their weight-loss success captions—of course, crediting their products with the results.

Even Women’s Health has had its likeliness and copyrighted materials used illegally to promote diet pills. Last year, an Internet scam claimed WH endorsed a whole bevy of weight-loss pills and supplements. And in this case, some of the pills weren’t just ineffective; they were downright dangerous. (Learn more about the health risks of garcinia cambogia extract pills.)

MORE: The Horrifying New Weight-Loss Tool

Meanwhile, another “shrinking” figure that has shown up in advertisements for various weight-loss products is actually a stock photo of a plus-sized woman. Weight-loss companies use her photo as-is for the “before” and then Photoshop it for her "after" picture.

While many diet ads don’t go to such extremes to sell their products, the industry is still full of tricks to make minimal weight loss look radical, according to the report.

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Someone's posture, hair, wardrobe, and even the lighting they are under can make the difference between a so-called “fat” and “skinny” picture.

Want to see some REAL before/after pics? Check out these readers' weight-loss success stories and get tips on losing weight the healthy way.

MORE: 6 Signs Your Diet Is Too Extreme

 

The Strange Thing Facebook Knows About Your Breakup

Hint: It’s more than just a status change

Your relationship status isn’t the only thing that changes online after a breakup. In the days after a split, your Facebook activity increases by 225 percent, according to new research from Facebook Data Science. Yikes—just one more reason to unplug post-heartbreak.

MORE: The 3 Best Ways to Get Over a Breakup

Researchers at Facebook looked at users who were recently dumped, or those who were listed as in a relationship for at least four weeks with someone who recently changed their status to “single.” (They made the assumption that these people were on the receiving end of the breakup since their ex changed their status first, but that may not have always been the case.) Then they tracked each person’s messages (sent and received), posts from others on their timeline, and comments from others on their own content. What they found was a pretty normal baseline leading up to the split, then a huge spike in activity the day of the breakup that gradually decreased over the next few days. But even when activity went back down, it was still slightly higher than the baseline before the breakup. Weird, right? 

MORE: What Guys Really Do to Get Over a Breakup

There are a few reasons why this might happen: friends and family showing their love, newly-single users logging on to seek support, and who knows, probably a few exes coming out of the woodwork “just to check in.” Whatever the reason, it’s kind of sweet (albeit a little weird) to see an outpouring of love measured by Facebook likes and comments. That said, many relationship experts argue that it’s best to unplug for a while post-breakup so you can avoid all the FOMO, not to mention the endless photos of your ex. If you’re currently going through a split, follow these six rules to get over a breakup the healthy way.

Let’s Get Real & Talk About Fitness

Kristin 02.11.14 at 6:10 pm

Winter has been tough in MN to go to the gym. What works best for me is going over my lunch at work for a 45 Tabata or shred class. I can’t get up earlier in the morning (don’t want to) and too many excuses after work. Plus I get to warm up my car over lunch lol! Love your fitness and food posts, keepem coming and can’t wait to read you’re book.

Reply ↓

9 Things You Didn't Know About Jamie Anderson, First EVER Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Gold-Medalist

Get to know the new golden girl

Jamie Anderson, 23, won the first-ever women's snowboard slopestyle gold medal Sunday with a near flawless run. Here's what she's like when she's not on her board:

I'm from Lake Tahoe, California… Right at the base of Sierra Tahoe, my home mountain. I have five sisters and two brothers and we all were homeschooled. We spent almost every day on the mountain, exploring, then doing our schoolwork at night—it was so much fun. 

Snowboarding was so challenging at first… I got on and could hardly snowboard. I just remember pretty quickly falling in love with it; within the first week I was like, "Alright, this is actually really fun. I think I love it." 

Yoga has been so helpful… Snowboarding is such a mental game. To be able to slow down and take some time to feel the body and go ride is such a good thing. Yoga has made a huge difference in my life, slowing down and connecting the mind and the body and the spirit. (Related: 6 Ways to Improve Your Yoga Practice)

Practice is key... It took me a long time to get into yoga. It wasn't until about two summers ago when they were doing free yoga on the beach every day that I started going regularly. After a week or two I was like, "I don't want to start my day with anything else but yoga." (Related: 7 Common Beginner Yoga Fails--And How to Avoid Them)

I have had a really hard time with meditating at different phases of my life—just slowing down and clearing the mind and really taking a moment. I did a 21-day meditation challenge online with this beautiful couple. They walked you through healing sound meditations with Sanskrit. They're all under 20 minutes, so I would try to dedicate my morning or evening to do that. If you're just getting into it and trying to create those new habits, it's good to have a little guidance. (Related: 7 Must-Know Facts About Meditation)

I grew up in a pretty conscious house... But being a teenager, I didn't really care so much. As I started to get older and connect with different friends and get into yoga, I began to care a lot more about the products I was supporting and what I was buying. (Related: 3 Eco-Friendly Labels Decoded)

Less is better for me… I try to keep everything pretty organic. I don't really buy lotions anymore—I use all natural coconut oil-based lotions or make my own. You can really use any oil, whatever you want. In the winter, sometimes I'll use sesame oil because it's warming, while coconut oil is better for summertime. I put it in a little jar with different essential oils; it's a nice moisturizer—scented, clean, nothing added. 

I drink a ton of water… That helps when dealing with the elements. It's so easy to get dehydrated up in the mountains, and that's where dry skin and chapped lips come into play. (Related: 10 Ways to Drink More Water)

We are what we eat… I think some of the best advice my mom gave me was, "Don't ever worry about spending too much money on food or body work because it's priceless." Your body is your racecar, give it the best you can in everything—choosing local organic, growing your own food, just doing what you can. 

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6 Crazy-Impressive Facts About the U.S. Olympic Team

Beyond, of course, their superhuman athletic skills

You already know that the U.S. Olympic Team is filled with the very best of the best American athletes. Show your Team USA pride during Sochi 2014 by studying up on these fun facts, too:

 

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The 4 Heart Disease Conditions You MUST Know About

Take these terms to heart

Heart disease kills one in four women—that's three times as deadly as breast cancer, to put it into perspective. Now that we've got your attention, time to learn a bit more. The following four conditions cause major trouble for your heart. Learn about them, and learn how to prevent them.

Cardiovascular Disease
Heart and blood vessel conditions, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, and heart valve problems, among others

Cholesterol
A waxy fat created in the liver and circulated in the bloodstream. Friendly high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the "good" heart-protecting cholesterol; high levels of bad-boy low-density lipoprotein (LDL) can lead to the sticky plaque deposits that cause arterial blockages.

Metabolic Syndrome
A dangerous cluster of conditions (high blood pressure, excess abdominal fat, elevated blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol) that can send you spiraling toward heart disease; it's rising quickly among women ages 20 to 39 and is often preventable or reversible through diet and exercise

Triglycerides
Usually lumped together with cholesterol—levels are checked concurrently—these are any type of calories stored as fat that the body uses for energy. Left unburned, triglyceride levels will shoot up, increasing your risk for heart disease.

Questions About Alcohol and Your HCG Diet

I get a lot of HCG diet questions relating to alcohol consumption on the HCG diet and if HCG 2.0 is different in comparison. I wish I had better news, but alcohol is one of the worst things you can consume that will adversely effect your weight loss. Not only is alcohol extremely high in calories containing 7 calories per gram compared to protein or carbs, which contain only 4 calories per gram, but over-consumption can be taxing on the liver. If your liver is busy oxidizing alcohol, it’s not oxidizing fats which then accumulate both in the liver (fatty liver disease) and systemically in  your belly, arms and thighs. Beer and wine is going to be highest in calories followed by straight liquors. Definitely avoid sugary mixers that can double and even triple the caloric intake. Mix with water or diet soda… in moderation. As is life, moderation is the key.

With all said above, I still have plenty of dieters that lose weight successfully while on HCG 2.0. The key to successfully imbibing alcohol while on the low calorie phase of your HCG diet is choosing the right adult beverages and consuming them in a responsible, intentional way. There’s an appropriate time to enjoy a moderate amount of alcohol to unwind or to celebrate. Aside from the positive aspects of socializing, some types of alcohol are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and they may also reduce the risk of infection with the bacteria that causes ulcers.

Here are a few key factors to help you decide whether you should pop a cork:

• Alcohol is a toxin to the liver.
• Alcohol is a drug, which means it’s addictive.
• If losing weight is your goal, remember that your liver can’t help you with fat burning if it’s busy detoxifying alcohol.

Before you pour yourself a glass of something intoxicating, consider your health goals and overall eating habits, and then make smart choices about which type of alcohol you drink.

Steer clear of grain-based drinks that can also include gluten, such as the following:

• Beer hcg diet questions 
• Bourbon can I drink on the HCG diet?
• Gin (some brands are processed with grain-based alcohol)
• Grain-based vodka
• Whiskey

To celebrate on special occasions, feel free to choose one of these:

• Potato vodka
• Red wine
• Rum
• Sparkling wine
• Tequila
• White wine

To manage your body’s insulin response to the sugars found in alcohol, mix spirits, like tequila or vodka, with soda water, ice, and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Avoid fruit juices, which are liquid sugar; and avoid tonic water, which is also high in sugar.

Wine and beers should absolutely be avoided during the low calorie phase of your HCG diet. When you re-introduce these during the maintenance phase of HCG, keep the following in mind… When uncorking wine, choose the driest (least sweet) wines possible. The driest reds include Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot; the driest whites are Sauvignon Blanc and Albarino.

I’m a bit of a beer snob myself, so either drink less of your heavier beer favorites or try something lite, like Bud Select or Ultra.

I certainly  like to partake every now and again, but lets be honest… Can you really maintain a high level of health if you drink alcohol frequently and/or in large quantities. The pleasant buzz that alcohol provides also places stress on your liver, creates a strong insulin response, and dehydrates your cells. Enjoy cocktails in moderation.

What President Obama's SOTU Address Got Wrong about the Affordable Care Act—and What it Got Right

The President overstated the Act's impact—here's how

Last night, in President Obama's State of the Union address, one of his main talking points was the Affordable Care Act and how much of an impact it's had on Americans' lives: "More than 9 million Americans have signed up for private health insurance or Medicaid coverage," he said. Technically, that's true. But it implies that more than 9 million people who previously didn't have coverage now do. And in reality, we can't know if that's the case. Here's why:

As of Dec. 28, 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that nearly 2.2 million people had signed up for private health insurance through the Marketplace. (HHS said last week in a press release that this estimate has since increased to about 3 million people.) The Act has also resulted in about 3.1 million people younger than 26 gaining coverage through their parents' plans. Combining those two figures brings us to 6.1 million, but Obama included another stat in his number: The number of Americans who've signed up for Medicare coverage this year. HHS currently estimates that 3.9 million people have enrolled (which would bring the total to the 9 million-plus Obama quoted)—but HHS officials confirmed in a Jan. 13 press conference that the 3.9 million number includes both people who were already on Medicaid who renewed, as well as people who qualified for the program for the first time and signed up as a result. 

In other words, because HHS is unable to give us the breakdown of how many of those people were on Medicaid prior to the Affordable Care Act, we can't say with certainty that Obamacare has provided coverage for more than 9 million people (similarly, we don't know at this time how many of the 3 million people who've signed up for private plans were previously uninsured).

That said, Obama did make some statements last night about the Affordable Care Act that we can get behind: 

And here's another number: zero. Because of this law, no American can ever again be dropped or denied coverage for a preexisting condition like asthma, back pain, or cancer. No woman can ever be charged more just because she's a woman.  And we did all this while adding years to Medicare's finances, keeping Medicare premiums flat, and lowering prescription costs for millions of seniors.

Clearly, there are still plenty of kinks to work out—but at least we're taking steps toward helping more people get the health coverage they need. 

MORE: Not Having Health Insurance Kills Thousands Each Year