5 Love Ruts--Repaired.

Stuck in a same-old, same-old repertoire? Hit the reset button on your relationship to turn it into a rockin' romance that's anything but routine.

* When Valerie [*] 25, a teacher in Newark, New Jersey, first started dating Joe, they were constantly scouting out new restaurants, meeting up with buds for all-night bar crawls, and best of all, they couldn't get enough of each other in bed. "The first few months, we'd laugh nonstop and always top off our nights with amazing sex," she recalls. But two years later, they're in a passion holding pattern. "We watch TV every night and rarely make out anymore," says Valerie. "I never thought I'd feel like half of an old married couple at my age!"

There comes a time in almost every relationship when the sizzle starts to fizzle. But with a little work, you can overcome obstacles together and set the stage for a relationship that's capable of lasting long-term, says Paul Joannides, co-author of Guide to Great Dates (Goofy Foot Press, 2001). Here, how to climb out of common relationship ruts and get on the road to a rejuvenated romance.

The Mystery Is History

Couple quandary: You know him soooo well, you feel there's nothing you can't do in front of each other--pop zits, pee with the door open, and burp without a hint of embarrassment. "Behavior like this is your subtle way of saying 'We're a couple now. I wouldn't do this on a date, but I can do this with you because we're so close,"' says Joan Elizabeth Lloyd, author of 52 Saturday Nights (Warner Books, 2000). But there's a fine line 1 between letting go of mega-modesty and letting it all hang out, "Mystery is what keeps us interested in a person," says Daphne Rose Kingma, author of The 9 Types of Lovers (Conan Press, 1999). "If every aspect of yourself is exposed, there's nothing For your partner to be curious or excited about anymore."

Rut Rx: Keeping your hygiene routine under wraps is a start: Bleach your mustache with the door closed, soak in the tub and forbid his entrance into the bathroom (even if he just has to brush his teeth), and don't complain in his presence that you're out of tampons. Outside the bathroom, don't let him see your dirty panties on the floor, and minimize the time you spend strolling around naked (except before and after sex). With a little selective rationing, you can revert to that mysterious girl he fell in love with without forgoing any of the intimacy you've built.

Now on to him. It's time to ban any behavior that sets off your repulsive radar, says Laura Corn, author of The Grrreat American Sex Diet... Where the Only Thing You Nibble On Is Your Partner (Park Avenue Publishers, 2001). If he balks at your suggestion to can his alphabet belching or toenail picking, play up the lack-of-sexual-attraction angle. "My boyfriend and I used to joke that it was so great that we could fart in front of each other," says Sherry, 22, a student in Los Angeles. But soon, she started to realize that being so casual made her feel like her guy was her brother, not her boyfriend. "I pointed this out, and we both agreed to adopt a more formal rapport. It's much easier to find him sexy now."