The Surprising Thing That Makes You Eat More

Posted on July 5, 2013 by admin

Most restaurant portions are getting laughably huge, so it’s always exciting when multiple sizes are offered. But watch out: You may eat more than you want to just because of how your portion is labeled. When an order of food is called “regular,” people consume more calories than when the same portion is called “double-sized,” according to a new study from Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab.

Researchers gave two groups of participants two different portion sizes of spaghetti: 1-cup and 2-cup servings. In one group, they labeled the sizes “half-size” (1 cup) and “regular” (2 cups), while the other group saw “regular” (1 cup) and “double-sized” (2 cups) labels. When participants thought they were eating a “double-sized” portion, they consumed an average of 140 fewer calories than the people who thought their 2-cup portion was the norm.

While it’s comforting to know that labels like “double” usually deter people from clearing their plates, the fact is that many restaurants’ “regular” sizes are actually pretty excessive. And if you assume that’s the norm, you may be taking in way more calories than you need. “Without some sort of cue about how big the portions you’re eating are, you just assume this is a normal size and you eat it,” says study coauthor David Just, PhD, associate professor at Cornell University. “And alternatively, if it’s labeled the mega-portion, you have some cue that you shouldn’t be eating all this.”

Unfortunately, not all restaurants list various sizes of the same item on a menu. So Just suggests thinking about portion control before the enormous plate of pasta hits the table. “You can request a half portion,” he says. “Often they don’t have it on the menu but are willing to do it if you ask.” And if they don’t offer that option, you can always ask them to put half of the entrée directly into a to-go box for you to take home. “The real trick is to have some forethought,” says Just. Because you know once that laptop-sized “personal” pizza is in front of you, you may not be able to resist eating the whole thing.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from Women’s Health:
Lose More Weight
The Low-Calorie Way to Satisfy Cravings
The Easy Way to Eat Less

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Lyme Disease Is on the Rise

Posted on July 5, 2013 by admin

Along with flossing, washing your face, and brushing your teeth, you may want to add “check for ticks” to your nightly routine: Lyme disease, a bacterial disease spread through bites from infected black-legged-ticks, is becoming a greater threat in many new areas of the country, according to the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s most recent National Climate Assessment (NCA). In fact, Lyme disease cases in the U.S. increased by about 80 percent between 1993 and 2007, according to an article published this spring in CMAJ Open, the Canadian Medical Association’s journal.

Blame Climate Change

Warmer climates allow ticks to inhabit new areas that are farther north and higher in elevation, says CMAJ study author David Fisman, MD, MPH, a professor of epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health in Toronto. So in some states where ticks haven’t historically been an issue, the critters can now live longer and reproduce more easily—which means more bites that could lead to Lyme disease. (Check out the red states on this map to see where your state stands).

Meanwhile, Lyme disease rates are dropping in the South, according to Fisman’s study, probably because when it’s sweltering, people spend more time indoors, where ticks are less likely to linger.

What Is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection contracted from an infected tick. The typical warning sign is a bullseye-shaped skin rash that doesn’t itch or hurt, according to data from Harvard Health Publications (scarily, the tell-tale bullseye doesn’t always show up).

Left untreated, the bacterial infection can cause fever, inflammation of the joints and heart, and even neurological problems that stem from brain and spinal cord infection. Early treatment is key: While antibiotics can cure symptoms in as little as two weeks, the infection can survive in your system for years if you don’t start taking meds quickly enough. That’s why news of ticks in new areas is so scary: If you don’t know you’re at risk, you’re much less likely to protect yourself against tick bites and will probably go longer without seeking treatment if you do get Lyme disease.

What to Do If You Get a Tick Bite

A tick bite doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get sick—only 5 to 50 percent of ticks are infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, depending on the geographical area, says Fisman. Plus, the longer the tick is latched on—and they can feed for days—the more likely it is to infect you, he says. So if you catch and remove the tick soon enough, you’ll minimize your odds of getting Lyme disease. To do this, shower within two hours of when you come inside from any wooded areas (when you strip down, it’s easier to spot ticks). You should also check yourself in the mirror from head to toe—including your hair and the back of your body. If you do see any ticks on you, remove them ASAP: Just use pointed tweezers to grab the tick as close to your skin as possible, and remove it. Then call your doctor, who may want to prescribe preventative antibiotics.

How to Protect Yourself

The best way to reduce your risk is to avoid being bitten in the first place, says Fisman. You don’t have to quarantine yourself indoors to stay safe, though. When you go outside—particularly in wooded areas—just follow these tips from Fisman and the CDC:

Walk in the center of the sidewalk or path to avoid high grass and brush, where ticks are more likely to be located.

Stick to mowed lawns. Ticks tend to hide in unkept areas, so avoid high grass in the spring and summer and leaf piles in the fall.

Wear long sleeves and pants in light colors to make ticks easier to spot.

Tuck your pants into your socks or boots to keep ticks away from your legs, ankles, and feet when you hike.

Use an insect repellant with at least 20 percent DEET. (Find the best brand for you with this tool from the Environmental Protection Agency.)

Treat your clothing and gear with an insect repelling spray that’s made for fabric and other materials. Check the label for permethrin—the odorless ingredient that fends off insects—and follow instructions on the package. Typically, the treatment stays effective even after a few washes.

Inspect clothing and gear when you get inside. Throw anything with a tick onto it into the dryer for an hour; high heat will kill any other hitch-hiking critters.

More from Women’s Health:
Bed Bugs Bite!
Lyme Disease
The Best Ways to Soothe Summer Bug Bites

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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Get This: Drink Water, Slim Down

Posted on July 3, 2013 by admin

Check out the list of links that should be on your radar today:

Drink up! Consuming more water may help you lose weight, according to a new review of prior studies. [Reuters]

Two men with HIV appear to have been cured by bone marrow transplants. Amazing! [UPI.com]

Happily married couples see lifelong health benefits. Here’s how to make your bond stronger. [ScienceDaily]

Only 14 percent of people say they’re in their dream jobs, according to a recent survey. Well that’s a bummer. Here’s how to make a career switch to something you’ll love. [Reuters]

Drinking skim milk might not actually help prevent obesity any better than drinking whole milk. Oy. [TIME.com]

CT scans are too good at detecting embolisms—they can raise alarm about small, harmless blockages and lead to unnecessary treatment. [NYT]

Electric knives are the top gift given to brides-to-be, according to new information released by the NDP Group. Because nothing says marital bliss like a sharp moving blade. [Businessweek]

A new site called Vegan Sellout List was created to publicly shame former vegans. So hurting animals isn’t cool, but hurting people is? Something’s wrong with this picture. [Jezebel]

Apparently women are closing the “cheating gap.” Doesn’t exactly seem like something we should be proud of… [al.com]

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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Is the Beach Making You Sick?

Posted on July 3, 2013 by admin

Before you hit the beach this Fourth of July, you should know that there’s something in the water—literally. Beaches across the U.S. had more than 20,000 closing and advisory days in 2012 due to water pollution or contamination threats, according to the 23rd annual beach water quality report just released by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). As if that weren’t disturbing enough, more than 80 percent of the closings and advisories occurred because testing revealed unsafe bacteria levels in the water.

The NRDC also found that 7 percent of the water quality samples taken by beaches last year failed to meet the federal public health standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is consistent with the percentage of samples that contained too much pollution to meet these standards in the last few years, says NRDC senior water attorney Jon Devine, who helped supervise the production of the report.

What’s making beach water so gross
While most beach managers say they aren’t sure what’s going on when water samples come back with high levels of pollution, storm water is the biggest known source of contamination, says Devine. Here’s why: When there’s a big storm, not all of the rainfall seeps into the ground or evaporates back into the air—so the excess runs off until it ends up in storm water drainage pipes that empty into streams and rivers, which eventually feed into oceans. Since storm water usually isn’t treated before it ends up in the ocean and it can become contaminated by anything in its path—think cigarette butts, oil and grease, pet or wildlife waste, and other icky stuff—harmful bacteria are more likely to end up in the ocean in the day or two following storms. What’s more, since storm water pipes and sewage pipes are often really close to each other underground, storm water can become contaminated by sewage via leaks and carry human waste out to the ocean. Yuck!

How ocean water makes you sick
When beach water becomes contaminated with bacteria, it can enter your system via your mouth (if you swallow it accidentally) or an open wound (if it’s not covered and protected, which is pretty difficult underwater). This bacteria can cause a range of water-borne illnesses—anything from stomach flu and pink eye to dysentery or hepatitis. “It can range from the annoying to the very serious,” says Devine. What’s more, many of the people who get sick won’t even realize it was from being exposed to contaminated beach water a few days earlier.

Is your beach safe?
In many cases, if there’s been a violation of the EPA’s safe to swim standard, local public health officials will post notices on their website and at the beach. “If you see a sign, you should heed it,” says Devine. But here’s the scary thing: Paying attention to these notices and alerts won’t necessarily protect you from jumping into tainted water. “Sometimes states or local beach officials will not automatically post a warning if they’ve had a violation,” says Devine. “They instead will resample to confirm that the water is contaminated above the standard, and so in that circumstance, it might be that there’s not a warning even though they’ve monitored high levels.” You can stay on top of your beach water’s status by checking here.

So should you avoid the beach?
When water is right at the pollution level allowed by the EPA’s safe to swim standards, the risk of getting a gastrointestinal illness from swimming is 1 in 28. That means that when water is below the limit, your chances of getting a water-borne sickness are pretty low—and it’s probably safe to go for a swim. However, because children, elderly people, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems are more likely to get water-borne illnesses—and will probably be hit harder by them if they do get sick—these people should be cautious about entering the water even when it meets the safe to swim standard. That said, everyone should avoid getting into the water at least 24 hours after it rains—and at least 72 hours after it rains heavily.

Swim safe
Whenever possible, go to beaches that are next to open waters or removed from urban areas since they’re usually less contaminated. You should also avoid swimming near pipes or in water that looks or smells weird in any way. And when you are in the ocean, keep your head above water to decrease your odds of swallowing anything gross by mistake.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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3 New Ways to Eat Kale

Posted on July 3, 2013 by admin

Quick: What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of kale? Maybe it’s healthy or nutritious—but you should also think of kale as sexy, say chef Jennifer Iserloh and Drew Ramsey, MD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University. The hardcover version of their cookbook, Fifty Shades of Kale: 50 Fresh & Satisfying Recipes That Are Bound to Please, hit shelves earlier this week (previously, it was only available as an e-book).

“Getting people excited about healthy eating is hard,” says Iserloh, who also wrote Healthy Cheats: Natural Weight Loss Guide Plus 100 Deliciously Healthy Recipes. “Obviously (the title) is a spoof on 50 Shades of Gray, but at the heart of the book is the whole idea that you can take something that seems bland and make it really exciting and tasty.”

If you haven’t jumped on the kale bandwagon yet, get this:

“Kale has incredible nutrient density, which means not a lot of calories and a whole lot of nutrients,” says Ramsey, who’s also co-author of The Happiness Diet: A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brain, Balanced Mood, and Lean, Energized Body. If you eat a small kale salad—which has about four or five cups of kale—you’ll consume about 140 calories and more than 500 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement, 3,000 percent of your daily vitamin K requirement (which is good for both brain and bone health), and 800 percent of your vitamin A requirement, says Ramsey. Kale also packs calcium, lots of fiber for gut health, and cancer-fighting phytonutrient sulforaphane.

The short of it: Kale definitely earns its superfood title—and it tastes really great to boot. Especially when you use it to make these recipes from Fifty Shades of Kale:

Beef Burger with Grilled Kale

You’ve been doing it in the car when nobody’s looking…but you don’t have to hide anymore. It’s time to come clean—and this finger-licking-good burger is so much more satisfying than those greasy drive-thru hockey pucks. Plus, grass-fed beef is leaner and lower in calories than conventional beef. It even contains a unique fat that may help prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Talk about afternoon delight. Serves 4

1 pound grass-fed ground sirloin
4 teaspoons barbecue or steak sauce
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
4 large leaves kale
4 whole grain or whole-wheat burger buns

-Place the sirloin, sea salt, and barbecue sauce or steak sauce in a large bowl. Using your fingers, mix well and form the mixture into four patties.
-Fire up the grill or heat a large grill pan over high heat. Grill the burgers 10 to 15 minutes, flipping as needed, until they are brown on the outside but still slightly pink (but not translucent) on the inside. Top each burger with 2 tablespoons of the blue cheese. Transfer the burgers to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. Add the kale to the grill for two to three minutes, turning often, until the kale is soft. Grill the buns halves for 30 seconds, cut side down. Remove from grill. Assemble burgers, placing grilled kale on bottom bun with the burger and top bun on top. Serve immediately.

Per Serving (1 burger topped with kale plus bun): 347 calories, 34 g protein, 28 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat (6 g saturated), 82 mg cholesterol, 4g fiber, 642 mg sodium

Cherry Kale Campari

This simple, refreshing, low-alcohol drink is the perfect aperitif. Juicy black cherries not only balance the bitterness of the Campari, but their low glycemic index may also help regulate your blood sugar level, keeping hunger at bay. Cherries also contain potassium, which can help control blood pressure. And you’ll need all the help you can get after indulging in a few of these with your paramour… Serves 2

1 ½ cups frozen pitted black cherries
½ cup packed torn kale leaves
4 ounces Campari
4 ice cubes
4 small fresh kale leaves, such as Red Russian

Place the cherries, kale, Campari, and ice cubes in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into two chilled glasses and serve immediately with the kale garnish.

Nutritional Stats Per Serving (1 cup): 213 calories, 1 g protein, 29 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 9 mg sodium

Chocolate Kale Fudge Pop

These rich, indulgent fudge pops get a boost of fiber, thanks to a hearty dose of kale. You might not think of fiber as sexy, but getting adequate fiber can lead to flatter abs and clearer skin. Fiber also helps to maintain the balance of healthy bacteria in your intestinal tract, which promotes immunity and can even enhance your libido. Seconds, anyone? Serves 8

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
2 cups warm water
1 cup torn kale leaves

-In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients except kale and add the warm water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Place kale in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Stir the kale into the chocolate mixture, and divide it among eight ice pop molds and insert ice pop sticks.
-Freeze for at least four hours before serving. The pops will keep for up to three weeks in an airtight container in the freezer.

Per Serving (1 pop): 127 calories, 2 g protein, 32 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 8 mg sodium

Photos courtesy of Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

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Why You Shouldn’t Sip a Margarita Poolside

Posted on July 3, 2013 by admin

A hangover isn’t the only thing you’ll risk by drinking a cocktail by the pool this summer. If you get fruit juice on your skin and then go out in the sun, you’re putting yourself at risk for a seriously nasty chemical burn. It’s a skin condition called phytophotodermatitis, a reaction caused by the chemicals in some fruits and plants (most notably, limes, lemons, and celery) that make your skin hypersensitive to the sun.

Dermatologist Michele Green, MD, says cases of this tend to spike in the summer, when people are handling cocktails garnished with limes or celery, using lemon juice to lighten their hair, or squeezing limes for fresh margaritas. Sounds harmless enough, right? The problem: If the chemicals from these items get onto your skin and aren’t washed off with soap and water, they’ll cause a reaction when that area of skin is exposed to the sun. “It’s basically like a chemical burn because it makes them sun sensitive,” says Green.

The Scary Signs
Within a day or two of exposure, you’ll notice some redness and irritation, which may include blistering in more severe cases, says Green. But the most noticeable result is hyperpigmentation, or brown spots, which appear up to a week later and can last for several months. This reaction can show up on any spot on your body that was exposed to both the chemicals and the sun. “Usually the cue is linear streaks from where they poured or spilled lime juice,” says Green. “Or if they were squeezing lemon on their hair, they may see brown streaks on their faces.”

How to Deal
So what happens if you spot this reaction post-vacation? If you have a severe burn with blistering, you may want to see a doctor for a prescription-strength hydrocortisone cream, says Green. In some cases, your MD may also provide a bleaching agent for the hyperpigmentation, though it’ll eventually fade on its own. If you’re just sporting some sunspots, you can skip the doctor and use an OTC hydrocortisone cream for relief. But don’t panic—the reaction isn’t dangerous, and it goes away in time, says Green.

Prevention Tips
To avoid it from happening in the first place, take precautions when handling fruits outside (and note that these chemicals are also found in parsley, parsnips, dill, and other various other fruits and plants). “Don’t mix drinks while in the sun, and wash hands immediately so there are no traces of chemicals on them,” says Green. You can even use gloves to be extra careful, and you should also make sure to clean up any spills to keep chemicals from finding their way to your arms or legs. And if you’re enjoying a cocktail at a cookout or pool party, consider skipping the lime wedge in your Corona and swapping that fresh margarita for a piña colada—your skin will thank you.

photo: Hemera/Thinkstock

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Get This: Doing THIS Slashes Your Heart Disease Risk By Half

Posted on July 2, 2013 by admin

Check out the list of links that should be on your radar today:

Keeping your cholesterol and blood pressure in check could cut your risk of heart disease by more than 50 percent, according to a new study. [EurekAlert]

Word on the street is that Jeff Bridges plans to make the epic children’s novel The Giver into a movie—and he’s even cast a Jonas! [Vulture]

You need to see this lazy panda pic. You’re welcome. [People]

Women are way more likely to overdose on pain killers than men are, finds new research. [Jezebel]

Get migraines? If you don’t treat them the right way, you might start getting more. [MedPage Today]

Women who work the graveyard shift are more likely to get breast cancer, according to a new study. [Science World Report]

Yesterday, interest rates on student loans doubled from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. Womp womp. [ABC News]

The top dogs in the media industry? They’re mostly men. (But not at Women’s Health!) [Pew Research Center]

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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The Surprising Nutrient You Need While Pregnant

Posted on July 2, 2013 by admin

From fighting caffeine cravings to stomaching prenatal vitamins, moms-to-be take great care to make sure everything they put in their mouths helps to keep their growing babies healthy. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, most expectant mothers aren’t getting enough iodine, a mineral that impacts neurological development, according to new research.

The study, conducted by researchers from The University of Adelaide, followed nearly 200 Australian women throughout their pregnancy and six months after giving birth. Although eating bread fortified with iodized salt (a common practice in both the U.S. and Australia) increased levels of the nutrient, most women still had a mild deficiency, says lead study author Vicki Clifton, PhD, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at The University of Adelaide’s Robinson Institute. Only women who also took a supplement throughout their pregnancy met the World Health Organization’s recommended intake of 220 micrograms of iodine.

Why is the nutrient so important? Iodine deficiency during pregnancy can lead to high blood pressure for mom and can also negatively impact baby’s physical and mental development. While eating iodine-rich foods (like seafood, yogurt, and fortified bread) can boost your intake, the easiest way to get the right amount is by taking an iodine supplement for expectant mothers, says Clifton.

That said, getting too much iodine is also dangerous; it can lead to hypothyroidism in both mom and the little one she’s expecting. So before popping any pills, ask your gyno for a urine test to see if you’re deficient. If your levels are good, there’s no need for a supplement—just keep your diet consistent throughout your pregnancy to ensure you continue getting enough of the nutrient.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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Should You Take Supplements Before Working Out?

Posted on July 2, 2013 by admin

Timing is everything—even when it comes to keeping your bones healthy. That’s the takeaway from a new study that finds taking calcium supplements before working out helps minimize exercise-induced calcium loss.

Athletes who train intensely can lose substantial amounts of calcium when they sweat, leading to decreased bone density. So authors of the study, which was presented recently at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, set out to see if taking calcium supplements pre- or post-workout would help fix the problem. They divided 52 male cyclists into two groups. One group took 1,000 mg of calcium along with 1,000 iu of vitamin D (which helps the body absorb calcium) 30 minutes before training. The other group took the same calcium-vitamin D combo an hour after training.

The result: Though both groups showed decreased blood-calcium levels, the cyclists who popped the supplements before breaking a sweat had much less calcium loss, said Vanessa Sherk, PhD, lead author of the study and postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The findings suggest that when a person consumes calcium makes a difference in terms of how much bone density loss they rack up.

“It’s interesting research because we already know that getting enough calcium is crucial to maintaining bone health, but this may be the first study demonstrating that timing plays a role,” says Steven Hawkins, PhD, a professor of exercise science at California Lutheran University and a fellow of the American College Sports Medicine, which partially funded the study.

So should you pop calcium pills or load up on yogurt before killing it in your cycling class? Because the results are preliminary and the study focused on a small group of hardcore athletes (not to mention all men), Sherk says that further research needs to be done before any recommendation can be made. On the other hand, future studies may prove that calcium before a workout really does shore up bones—and women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s already need up to 1,000 mg of calcium daily as well as 600 iu of vitamin D to maintain good health. So it certainly can’t hurt to chose a pre-workout meal or snack from the dairy aisle, says Hawkins. Think: yogurt and nuts, an egg-white omelet with cheese, or a low-fat milk smoothie. But skip the supplements if you can. Nutrients are better absorbed when you consume them via food sources.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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5 Things Men Say to Avoid Using Condoms

Posted on July 2, 2013 by admin

In this edition of disturbing male confessions, more than 80 percent of guys admit to having used at least one tactic to avoid using condoms during sex, according to a new survey published in the Journal of Sex Research. And even worse, men said they try three and a half different kinds of tactics over the course of their hookup history, on average. Definitely not OK.

For the study, researchers from the University of Washington polled more than 313 men between the ages of 21 and 30 on their sexual behaviors, including their histories with condom use and/or resistance to using condoms. “We wanted to uncover how common condom-resistance behaviors are among men and what kinds of coercive tactics are most frequently employed to persuade their partners,” says study author Kelly Cue Davis, PhD, research associate professor at the University of Washington. “Not only had most men attempted at least one tactic since the age of 14, most had also tried a number of tactics throughout their lifetimes.”

While condom coercion is scarily common, your options aren’t limited to throwing him out of bed or just having unprotected sex when you’re not OK with it. Stalling the foreplay to make sure he suits up may seem like a buzzkill, but if you or your partner aren’t monogamous or you’re relying on condoms as your primary form of birth control, using one tends to fall into the not-optional category. Otherwise, you’re putting yourself at higher risk for pregnancy and STDs. So what do you do if your guy’s lobbying to go without?

Ideally, you’d nip this all in the bud by laying out your protection policy ahead of time. That way when things get steamy later, he’ll already know how you feel and what to expect. “If you stand firm and lay out your rules for him, most guys will ultimately respect your decision,” says Belisa Vranich, PsyD, clinical psychologist and author of Boys Lie. “You just need to have an open conversation about it when the time is right.” But in case situations still, ahem, arise in the heat of the moment, Vranich offers these tips for how to handle the top lines men reported trying in the survey—without killing the mood.

His line: “Don’t worry, I’m clean.”
This is the most common tactic men try, according to the survey; 73.7 percent of guys think a self-reported clean bill of health is enough to convince you to ditch the rubber. “Men have a tendency to assume that if it looks normal, then everything’s OK,” says Vranich. “But STDs are often asymptomatic in men, so without being tested by a doctor, they may never know if there’s a problem.” Nothing kills the mood faster than dropping the S-bomb, so counter with quick, “Yeah, but there’s the whole pregnancy thing to worry about, too.” Then proceed to start opening the condom before he can argue with you.

His line: “You’re so sexy—I can’t wait. Let’s just do it.”
Most men (73.2 percent, to be exact) think that if they can sweet-talk you, then you’ll agree to some condom-free action. “This is one of the more dangerous tactics since it’s easy to be charmed in the heat of the moment when hormones are rushing,” says Vranich. “Eliminate temptation by making it as easy as possible to stick to your plan.” Stash a few rubbers in your purse or bedside table ahead of time, for example, for easy access. Having some at arm’s reach will help you stay strong if he suggests getting frisky without suiting up—plus, being able to whip one out in a matter of seconds trumps his “we don’t have time to waste” card.

His line: “It’ll feel so much better without.”
It’s the oldest line in the book—and 50.3 percent of guys report having tried it. But, spoiler alert: It may not always be true. According to a recent study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, both women and men enjoy sex as much with condoms as they do without. “Women may actually find that they can climax more regularly with condoms, too, since it alleviates some anxiety about pregnancy and STDs,” says Vranich. There’s plenty of pleasure-enhancing condom varieties out there (think ribbed, ultra-thin and body heat-activated) that can feel like a second-skin, so snag some from your nearby pharmacy and tell your guy you want to try them out to see how they work—that way using a condom is actually part of the fun.

His line: “Can I not wear a condom?”
Interestingly enough, 40 percent of men admit to taking a more blunt approach, flat-out asking for permission to go commando. “He’s probably thinking that if he puts you on the spot, you’ll be more likely to just go with it,” says Vranich. Fire back a response that’s equally direct—simply say, “Nope. No condom, no dice. That’s the deal.” It’s not exactly pillow talk, but you have to be firm. Otherwise, he may interpret hesitation as uncertainty and think he has some wiggle room, says Vranich.

His line: “What, you don’t trust me?”
The emotional play is a jerk move—but according to the survey, more than 34 percent of men have tried it. “Some men may genuinely feel offended by your insisting upon using a condom, while others may use this as a means of manipulation,” says Vranich. “Just explain that is has nothing to do with him personally and it’s just your non-negotiable policy.”

Those are the biggies, but others tactics men tried included deception (for example, claiming they’d been tested for STDs when they really hadn’t) and condom sabotage (like agreeing to use a condom and intentionally breaking it when putting one on—yikes). The bottom line: Whatever your policy on protection, you should be open with your partner about it and stick to your guns—no exceptions. “If your guy is still pushing for no condom after you’ve been upfront about your rules, it may be time to walk away,” says Vranich. “Safe sex is something you need to be on the same page about—no exceptions.”

photo: Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock

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Athens Java Hut

Serving Jittery Joe's Coffee, Cecilia Villaveces, Cakes and Italian Gelato

The Surprising Thing That Makes You Eat More

Lyme Disease Is on the Rise

Get This: Drink Water, Slim Down

Is the Beach Making You Sick?

3 New Ways to Eat Kale

Why You Shouldn’t Sip a Margarita Poolside

Get This: Doing THIS Slashes Your Heart Disease Risk By Half

The Surprising Nutrient You Need While Pregnant

Should You Take Supplements Before Working Out?

5 Things Men Say to Avoid Using Condoms