The Best Things to Say before, during, and after Sex

It doesn’t matter if you’re having a romantic dinner for two or getting busy between the sheets—regardless of the situation, women love to talk to you.

That’s because for women, verbal communication is key to emotional intimacy, says relationship psychologist Terri Orbuch, Ph.D., a research scientist at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research and author of Finding Love Again.

Finding the Right Workout for Your Mood

We men don't think of ourselves as moody. Except maybe if our favorite sports team makes a nonsensical trade, and it feels like a personal betrayal. But of course we have more moods than that. And those moods—such as being mad, frustrated, nervous, or even ecstatic—can alter more than your mind. They can affect your muscles.

What you're feeling can make you put less into your workout, or cause you to skip it altogether. But those same moods can be used to help your lifting session.

Why Do Doctors Really Hit Your Knee with a Tiny Rubber Hammer?

Sure, sure, to test your reflexes. Everybody knows that. Isn’t the delayed kick in the pants when the doctor turns his back a slapstick mainstay? Harpo invented it. Or was it Curly?

Anyway, testing reflexes is the objective, but why hit that little sweet-spot below the kneecap specifically? Why doesn’t Dr. Feelgood just lob a quick sucker-punch at you to check your flinch factor?

For starters, the knee gets top billing in the reflex test for one simple reason: it’s easy to access. You’re sitting on the table in that backless gown, fighting humiliation and cold. It’s merciful that nobody’s asking you to hop on one leg while you pat your head and rub your belly. There’s your knee in all its unadorned glory. Sit tight, this won’t hurt a bit.

20 Subtle Clues She’s About to Break Up with You

Women are many things, but straightforward isn’t one of them. So while you may sense that something is amiss when your girlfriend or wife displays obvious signs that she's not happy in a relationship, there are other subtle clues you can watch for before the not-so-subtle ones hit you like a ton of bricks.

We aren’t talking about her reluctance to jump into bed with you. Or her lack of feigned interest in the details of all 18 holes you just played. Or the fight picking. Or the time she unfollowed you on Twitter. We know you know those.

The Easy Way to Help Her Orgasm Every Time

Let her mind wander: Fantasizing during sex may help her orgasm, finds a recent Belgian study.

Women who reported regularly experiencing the big O were more likely to imagine sexy scenarios while getting it on than those who had trouble finishing.

It’s possible that her erotic thoughts help keep her focused on feeling good, the researchers say. Women who have a hard time getting off tend to be more distracted during sex, according to the paper, while those who orgasm easily may be more tuned into their sensations.

5 Reasons She Stopped Doing You (And How to Fix It)

Those first several  months of a new relationship are bliss: You can't keep your hands off each other. You're having sex once, twice, three times a day. You're having crazy sex, public sex, porno sex, hair-pulling sex. It's orgasm after orgasm and your brain is oozing those endorphins that make you feel in love and utterly alive.

And then it comes to a screeching halt.

While it's perfectly normal for sex to slow down a bit after this initial "romance stage," it's never a good sign when the music stops on your nightly Horizontal Mambo. Here are five possible reasons she stopped doing you, and how you can turn it around.

How to Keep from Gagging During Oral, Because It Happens

The spontaneity that can make sex so amazing (mmm, what was that?) can also make it absolutely cringey (OMG, what the eff was that!?). Here's the thing, though: Embarrassing bed seshes happen to the best of us. And while a rogue queef may kill the mood, there's an upside in the long run. "The less-than-romantic times give you both a chance to show your vulnerability, to bond, to feel closer," explains Emily Morse, a sexologist and host of the podcast Sex with Emily. And let's not forget: to laugh your ass off about it later! We rounded up some "help!" scenarios straight from real women to get some insta-fixes from experts.

"I was going down on my BF when I started gagging—and, OMG, actually spat out some of the romantic dinner we'd just had. I'm now officially terrified of oral!" —Lisa, 31, in a relationship for one year

Is It Possible for Every Woman to Get Her Abs Back Post-Pregnancy?

Popping out a baby does a number on your body: Your boobs get droopier, stretch marks crisscross your middle, and your vagina, well, let’s not even go there. (Hint: Expect pigment changes.) But of all the issues brought on by a bun in the oven, one of the most frustrating is post-pregnancy belly flab. Is the squishiness fixable, or are flat abs a thing of the past? Even super glam Reese Witherspoon said in a recent interview with the blog Cricket's Circle that her abs were "nonexistent" after she gave birth to her three kids. So we went to an expert to find out if it's actually possible for every woman to get her core muscles back in pre-baby shape.