Source: madamenoire.com

From yourtango.com

By Ph.D. Sherrie Campbell

If you are considering moving in with your partner before marriage, there are many things to consider. On the positive side, if you move in with that person, you will really get to see who you are with and all of their habits before you marry him/her. This way, when or if you get to marriage, there will be no disappointments or surprises.

In living together, you will have learned how your partner operates around money, chores and daily responsibilities. Still, sometimes living together delays the option of marriage even longer because really, what is the rush? You are living together, so you are having the experience of being married, and so it can take longer to get to that marital destination. This usually creates conflict for at least one partner.

So, before you decide to live together, check out these 6 words of caution at yourtango.com

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Source: eoprahwinfrey.com

From yourtango.com

By Kait Smith

Reality television has turned dating into a truly trashy affair. Singles who are “looking for love” on these programs are often just looking to ignite their 15 minutes of fame, feigning vulnerability and faking romancejust for some camera time; it’s enough to make you want to turn off the TV for good.

But wait — don’t grab the remote just yet.

On August 19, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) will debut LoveTown, USA, a program documenting a 30-day social experiment on love in one small Georgia community.

Read more at yourtango.com

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From YourTango.com

Are you in a relationship with a great guy, but you’re just not feeling that spark? Are you thinking of ending things because you’re just not that physically attracted to him? And is physical attraction necessary to make a relationship work?

Counselor, therapist and YourTango Expert, Dr. Sheryl Paul says that your relationship is not doomed just because your partner is “not your type.” “The problem,” Paul says, “is that we live in a culture that values physical appearance above every other quality.”

Check out Dr. Paul’s advice for getting over this relationship hump on YourTango.com.

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Source: madamenoire.com

From yourtango.com

By Ms. N. Meridian

In light of all the controversy still surrounding the Kristen Stewart/Rupert Sanders affair, let’s take a look at some of the ways affairs actually begin.

For most, affairs aren’t necessarily wrapped up in mere curiosity. Nor are they always about the sensual, sweaty romp most imagine. Sometimes, it’s not even about sex at all.

In actuality, an affair can start from something more basic, like the level of intimacy you lack with your own partner. So before you start planning your rendezvous, ask yourself how you got to this moment in the first place. Here’s a look at eleven subtle signs you’re on the verge of an affair:

“It’s complicated” in so many words may imply that things aren’t great; that you’re considering a way out. It might even show that if you felt that the right opportunity presented itself, you may cheat.

Read more at yourtango.com

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Source: khamitkinks.com

From yourtango.com

By Debi Silber

Maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle is not only important for your body, but for your soul, as well. Below are ten simple steps that will get you the lean, sleek and energetic body you crave and will keep you nourished and happy.

1. Create an exercise plan. If you’re not seeing results from your exercise routine, it’s time to kick it up a notch. How about throwing in a few intervals, completing high intensity bursts of movement, trying a new type of cardio routine or changing your running route? The key to exercise results is consistency along with a dose of “muscle confusion.” When muscles don’t know what to expect, they react. This leads to a sleek, toned look and a faster metabolism.

2. Visit your local farmer. Now is the time to search out where your local farmers are so you can enjoy the freshest fruits and vegetables without any of the chemicals, herbicides and pesticides that are found on many supermarket varieties of produce. Don’t know where they are?

Get more tips for obtaining that perfect beach body at yourtango.com

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 From YourTango

By Ms. Kristina Marchant

Society has sent women the message that having needs makes us “too much” for men. We have been told that wanting more time with a man or needing his affection makes us clingy and neurotic. This isn’t true. Just because we crave a human connection doesn’t mean that we are going to drown a man in all of our needs.

Men actually love providing. They love to hear our needs and supply them. It’s just a question of how you ask and how he feels about you. If you are asking the wrong way, then he will feel annoyed. If he doesn’t love you and you let him treat you badly, then he will be annoyed with your needs. Doormats don’t have needs; women do.

There is nothing wrong with needing love, touches, tender words, more together time and a commitment if the time has come for one. You just have to be clear about what your needs are, and not reward him if he doesn’t provide. What do I mean by not rewarding him? You shouldn’t, for example, tell him you miss him and then not hear from him, only to start sending him loving texts when you panic two days later because he hasn’t called.

Those texts are a reward for bad behavior. They send him the message, “Treat me poorly, I respond more lovingly when you do.”  A man doesn’t want to be with a woman who comes closer with poor treatment. If he doesn’t provide, you can’t go to him for reassurance. It’s so hard to ask for something and then not get it. It makes us feel the gap in the relationship even more, and our female instinct is to shorten that gap and cling to him.

Doing this will only give him the power, and make him think it’s okay to treat you like a doormat. You have to let him come to you and make good on his mistake, even if it’s really tough to “sit on your hands” and wait for him. Being clear and firm is important to him. A woman who feels needy to a man is a woman who is too afraid to directly speak her needs and politely and demurely demand accountablility.

Read more about how to effectively communicate your needs to the right man on YourTango.com.

*Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Source: wechealthunit.org

From yourtango.com

By Sinclair Institute

Are you looking to plan a romantic getaway for you and your man? Instead of spending tons of money on an exotic, faraway location, check out these easy tips to have a focused vacation at home.

1. Plan ahead. The best way to pull off a staycation when you have kids is to make sure everything is planned beforehand. You do not want your spouse to have other plans for the weekend, so talk about it.

2. Hire a sitter. If you have young children, you will want to hire a babysitter so you can fully enjoy yourself. If you do not have family that can help, consider exchanging the favor with friends. Invite their kids have a sleepover with yours one weekend and then ship yours off to their house. Either way, if you can get the kids out of your house for the weekend, you will have a much better time with your man.

Read more at yourtango.com

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From yourtango.com

By Julie Ferman

Everyone loves watching the Olympics. Even those of us whose eyes roll at the thought of Monday Night Football find ourselves drawn to the screen when we have a chance to see Michael Phelps swim for the gold.

As a personal matchmaker and dating coach, I help our clients create a romance marketing plan, which always includes strategic flirting activities. You’ve simply got to get out there and meet some new people. After all, the pizza delivery man is probably not your guy.

Grab a gal pal or brave it solo, but get yourself to the sports bar this next week. Check schedule to see when your favorite events are airing, and that’s the time to go. Grab a seat at the bar or at a high table where there are gatherings of people who look like fun company. Order up a beer or a glass of cranberry juice and cheer on your favorite athletes.

Read more at yourtango.com

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Source: defglam.com

From yourtango.com

By Lisa L.  Payne, Ashley Seeger, Dr. Kevin Dobrzynski

Even the most rock-solid couples feel insecure about their relationships sometimes. As part of our Irresistible You survey, we asked readers to fill in the blank: “I have the most confidence in my relationship when my partner/spouse ___________.”

The top two most popular answers were “compliments me/tells me how he or she feels about me” and “really listens to me/gives me his or her full attention.”

So, how do you build confidence in your relationship? We asked our experts to weigh in with their best suggestions, and

Hear what they had to say at yourtango.com

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From yourtango.com

By Crystal Andrus

As the founder of The S.W.A.T. Institute, the world’s number one online Personal Empowerment Coaching Certification School for women, I spend my days helping women to learn how to lovethemselves. When most of my clients first come to me, they desperately want to love themselves. But, they feel guilty or unsure of what that even looks like.

Many worry that they will be portrayed as selfish, self-serving or self-absorbed. They wonder, “what does self-love really look like?” Well, let me begin by telling you what self-love doesn’t look like.

Twenty years ago, I was embarking on my 20s. I was a good-looking young woman who got more attention than I knew what to do with. Yet, could never understand what people were looking at.

I despised a million things about my body and face, which mattered because I had been taught from my mother that “appearances” were everything. As a young child, I had been teased incessantly by my older brother, and I saw nothing but the ugly version of myself he professed I was.

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