The Bad Calories

It is known that human beings need a certain number of calories per day in order to maintain their weight and health, but what are empty calories, and how do they harm us?

Calories are units of measure for energy. They are primarily used to measure the amount of energy found in foods, and the representation of a calorie (actually, kilocalorie, or C) is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1C. While this is one way to explain a calorie, it isn't really that important in terms of everyday usage of the word. It is more important to understand a calorie in relation to how many calories per day we need to consume.

The average, healthy adult female should consume about 2000 C per day. This assumes that she is active, does not need to lose or gain weight, and is not suffering from any illnesses that might affect her metabolism. The average, healthy adult male should consume slightly more calories, around 2200 C. This is due to the fact that men are usually more active than women, their metabolisms tend to be higher and they also tend to be larger in weight and height. The amount of calories that we need to consume each day is actually quite small, especially if you think of it in terms of food for instance, one yogurt is about 180 calories.

So, what are empty calories? Empty calories are one of the biggest ways that people can go over their recommended daily amount of calories because empty calories often come into our bodies in covert ways. Empty calories are calories (foods) that we eat or drink that do not have a lot of nutrition within them. One of the biggest offenders is soda and other soft drinks. One eight ounce glass of soda has about 110 calories in it and no nutritional value. Considering most people will drink at least 16 ounces of soda at a time, that is 220 empty calories per glass.

There are other foods that are not so great for us so what are empty calories in these foods? Fats are often considered empty calories, especially oils that are used to fry fast foods and other snacks. They add relatively little to your nutritional value, but add many calories to the end product. Other snacks that are empty calories include candies, cookies and all of those snacks that are mostly sugar, with no whole grains, fruits, vegetables or nuts.

It is important not to consume too many empty calories, because they can add up making it so that foods you need to eat will bump your calories for the day up too high. Stick to foods that are low in calories and high in nutrition.

Walter Taguchi writes about weight loss for WeightLossLodge.com

International Babaji Yoga Sangam

Shibari - Body, Mind, Spirit

Shibari (.a.k.a. "Japanese bondage" is an ancient, Japanese, integrated concept of body, mind and spirit.

The objective is to unlock erotic energy through trance or trance-like experiences.

Trance (a different level of awareness) is being achieved through a refined mix of atmosphere, ritual, meditation, love, techniques and intensity of the situation.

Most forms of oriental lovemaking are hardly ever straightforward sexuality, but an intriquing game of exploration and challenges and a delicate combination of subtlety and expliciteness.

Shibari is no different.

What is trance?

Trance is a situation where one is so dedicated to and concentrated on one specific goal or situation, that - through blocking out everything else - the spiritual capacities of the mind are eniterly dedicated to that specific activity. This opens the mind to be able to experience - and use - things it never could under "normal" circumstances, since the brain will be too distracted and too busy.

Certain hormones - endorphins especially - play an important role in trance. Endorphins (morfine-like amino acids produced by the body) are the key factor here. Endorphins are known as the "mood chemicals" in your body. They create your moods, all of them. They come in complex cocktails and also serve other purposes. For example, they are a natural painkiller. Experiencing high doses of endorphins release is called an endorphins rush. This is known as the "runners' high" in athletics and as "subspace" in power exchange activities.

A combination of endorphins, dopamine (known as "the lover's feel good hormone"), enkapheline and adrenaline releases creates "super awareness" and this is the key factor in creating trance. Since experiences such as fear, anxiety, stress and physical impulses such as pain all cause the release of high doses of adrenaline and subsequently endorphins - these impulses are being used to allow you to climb the first steps of the trance ladder. Endorphins have a "sister-hormone" called enkephaline, which works on the spinal cord in the same way enderphines work on the brain.

Since mood is important atmosphere is important, which is why - in Shibari body mind spirit terms - a lot of emphasys is being placed on preparation and the physical area. For this, such things as candle light, aroma therapy (incense or evaporating essential oils), bathing and other rituals and techniques are used to create "makama" - the "circle" (area), the physical area where both partners will experience their intens lovemaking. meditation helps to focus the mind and eventually Ki energy exchange is being used to further enhance the bonding between partners and the forces of gravity and sensory deprivation techniques are being used to create full trance.

Erogenous zones

There is a widespread misunderstanding: "erogenous zones are directly connected to the genital area and other primary sex-identifying features (such as the breasts)". Fact of the matter is that some 25 percent of the body surface (slightly more on the male body) can be identified as an erogenous zone. And the brain no doubt is the largest sex-organ. Erogenous zones are usually best stimulated through gentle massage, but they are also very receptive to other forms of stimuation, for example pain (if you are into that), or bondage.

The seven patterns of passionate lovemaking

By gently - or more strongly, in order to introduce the element of mild pain - pressing your finger nails into the fleshy parts of your partners' body you can not only leave temporary marks but doing this can also be an erotic game by itself. To do so, even and symmetric patterns are your best choice. This will not only indulge her lust, but it will also leave something to remember for a few hours a maybe a day or two, an effect that - more intensly - usually is also the result of whipping and caning.

Ropemarks are often an essential part of bondage. In a Shibari body mind spirit context they play a role, similar to other ways of leaving lovemarks.

In its original form these patterns should follow specific designs and all serve specific purposes. The idea is to leave physical marks that will function as a "tell tale", which - for example in ancient India - forced the "marked woman" to hide these marks since they indicated lustful, wild love. The more intens the temporary mark, the more intens the lovemaking had been. Complicated, repeated combinations of the seven patterns would indicate that the woman had really suffered during the lovemaking and the complicated patterns make it clear that she had to remain still during a long foreplay, while pain-impulses and excitement increased her lust.

The bite of love

Teeth tenderly or not, sinking into the tender female flesh, is not just a scene taken from a Dracula movie. Many novels and poems tell stories about lovebites. And in fact, like whip marks, bruises and others, bite marks serve as something to remember, to be proud of, to relive the passionate night before - the pain, the extacy, the lust, the love and the intimacy.

The Kama Sutra again is one of the very few sources that describes the combination of marking and pain impulses during lovemaking. Unfortunately, although various other patterns are mentioned, they are not described in sufficient detail to reconstruct them. Various different flower patterns are mentioned for example. These must be combinations of teeth and nail imprints.

The magic of knots

The magical power of the knot is as old as mankind. You will find references to the magical power of the knot in almost any ancient culture, be it Babylonic, Celtic, Oriental, Hermetic, Wicca, Voodoo or other.

love magic - and there are many forms of that - almost always involves the use of knots and, of course, rope. Actually, we still have some of that left in modern times. Tie a knot in your handkerchief so you will remember something really important

How does it work?

Magic is all about manipulating the energy of life. This energy is called Ki in Japanese, Chi in Chinese or Prana in sanskrit (the ancient language of India, still used in yoga for example). Conciously tieing one or more knots in a rope is a way to bundle this energy and store it there. Of course this energy will not make your car run. Neither will it make the lights go on. But it will be more than enough to have its influence on the subtle network of Ki energy exchange, that is everywhere.

In Shibari these "energy loaded" knots and ropes will replace the heart and hands of the giver and as such will contribute to the entire physical and spiritual experience. They enable the giver to "still be close to the recipient", even when physically not around. The interaction between the giver's energy - temporarily stored in the knots - and the pressure points on the Ki meridians in the recipients' body is what will release very powerful sexual and spiritual experiences.

Sexual energy is one of the most powerful manifestations of Ki energy. This is the reason why we still refer to whatever happens between love partners as "the magic", "the spark" or "the energy".

Universal love magic

The use of rope and knots, when working with sexual energy, is universal. In ancient Babylon (in the Middle East) seven knots were tied in a rope to invoke love. Wicca has a similar tradition of making three knots in a rope for the same purpose (sometimes with an almond - the "love nut" - inside each knot). African Voodoo works with either seven knots in a rope or with dolls, tied to each other, to invoke love, the Kama Sutra speaks of female love partners, suspended in rope to enhance their sexual energy. These are just a few of many examples.

Is all this strange? Actually not. There are over 50 erotic pressure points (Tsubo) on the human body, each as powerful as the clitoris or the nipples. And there are another 60 hormone-releasing pressure points along the spine, many of which have an erotic/sexual function. Ropes and knots will stimulate all these directly and energy, bundled in a knot, will only enhance their effect.

Dutch former journalist and government spokesman Hans Meijer is the author of the groundbreaking "Shibari Fumo Ryu" series of e-books, the first ever books outside Japan and written in English about Shibari techniques.

Pregnancy Yoga Video

Golf Lesson - How To Golf Even In The Harshest Of Weather

When the sun is shining and the clouds are at bay, many sports enthusiast will smile with glee. After all, sunny weather promises a good day outdoors for sports. At times, the scorching heat from the radiating sun will only add to the intensity of the game and will boost the stamina of sports lovers. On the other hand, have you ever heard of a game that can be played even when it's raining cats and dogs? Of course not many can name sports that can be played even in a rainstorm.

The majority of sports, especially those carried out outdoors, are largely affected by changes in the weather. The first thing that will feel its impact is the players, who need to be able to adjust accordingly whether it be physically, mentally or emotionally. These are the very factors that would determine the outcome of any game.

Playing golf requires proper training for a golfer to be able to hit a perfect tee while under brooding skies. Weather conditions have a great impact on the levelled surface of the green, as harsh weather can cause havoc to the growth and texture of the grass. This in turn will affect the golfer's performance. This situation is known as "throwing darts", as it usually means that the golf ball and the shots are low, which then results in lower points for the golfer.

It is important to realise that the conditions of the green can affect the game of golfers as well as golf course operation. Thus it is vital to have an alternative strategy when you have to play your golf game in bad weather conditions, especially so since golf is dependant on the weather conditions.

The golf greens are more easily maintained when the weather affords low humidity and dryer soil, the main reason why golfers usually play in autumn or in spring. The favourable blue skies and consistent sunny weather as well as the good growth of turf allow a significant time for all golfers to hold their tees.

The roughs when wet can become a lot heavier which in turn make it more difficult for shots to recover. Water ends up between the ball and the club face because of the fewer spins than a normal spin. It is then more probable to cause unwanted consequences after an off-line shot.

This is the reason why an alternate strategy to playing golf is needed when playing in bad weather. A golfer needs to have the ball elevated off the grass as fast as possible at all times. In these kinds of situations also, footprints and marks of the ball are deeper and the sad part is that scores tend to be lower. When this takes place, a golfer needs extra effort to ensure better scores.

Here are some points to remember whenever a golfer plays in wet weather conditions:

- Make sure you keep the grips and your hands dry during a game. Your caddy can bring a towel for you to dry your hands, and another for drying the grips.

- Try to bring a golf bag cover, as this can help keep the grips dry.

- If you and your equipment are dry, you are bound to play better than when you are in an uncomfortable wet condition.

- Be patient when playing in bad conditions and expect that your scores could be higher. There's no point getting impatient about it, it's going to make your golf game a lot worse.

- Strategize, strategize and strategize. Before entering the game, visualize winning it. This will help mentally prepare you to face any tough situations that you will face on wet and uneven fairways.

When playing in wet condition, golfers need to have the golf balls to land as close to the hole as possible. This will help lessen the amount of rolls of the golf balls on the wet grass. Also remember that golf balls need to be hit harder to prevent breakage and to stop sooner.

Whenever good sunny skies are non-existent and the weather is not at its best, the most expert of golfers can get through the challenge of playing on a drenched grass field. The rule to remember is that when faced with the most hopeless of situations, a golfer has to keep in mind that his competitors are also faced with such challenges. When you are playing golf while you are soaked the time it takes for you to play your game will be longer as the ball is not able to roll smoothly and go very far. However this can be an advantage for the golfers who drive the tee off longer.

When playing golf, or any other sport for that matter, the weather conditions will affect the nature of the game. On the other hand, a prepared and skilful golfer will not have any problem thinking of ways to ward off the bad effects that the weather might have on his game. With sheer determination to play the best that he can, as well as knowledge on how to outsmart the weather, a golfer will make playing golf a breeze even in the most adverse weather conditions.

Juzaily Ramli and his friend Tommy Lehmann are golf enthusiasts and proud owners of golf shoes website.

Discover how the right golf clubs can improve your golf game in the worst of situation.

Yoga Los Angeles Yoga Pilates Myyogasecrets

Yoga Instruction - How to Find the Right Yoga Teacher for You

In order to find a quality yoga instructor, you need to know what to look for. Since there is no universal certification program for yoga teachers, not all of them are created equal as you can see by the following example.

I had been practicing yoga in my home for a while when I decided to take some classes at a local center. I had been using a variety of yoga videos and DVDs that were taught by senior instructors with impeccable form, so I expected the same quality of yoga instruction when I arrived at this class. Unfortunately, it wasnt the case.

The teacher who taught the class was sloppy in her style as she moved through the poses and it seemed more as if she were doing her own practice, rather than leading the class. She never came around and adjusted the alignment of any of the students, which really annoyed me because that was the main reason I decided to attend the class. Additionally, she was facing one way and the students were facing the opposite way, so it was very difficult to see what she was doing. Needless to say, I wasnt impressed.

I am optimistic by nature so the next morning, I took another class at the same center, but this time there was a different teacher leading the practice. Her style was more of what I was looking for. Her execution of the positions was excellent. She showed the students how to do the pose and then she got up and checked the alignment of the students and made necessary adjustments. She brought attention to those students who did a pose particularly well, and she encouraged others to go a little deeper. I was very happy with the teacher, and even though the class did not fit my schedule particularly well, I attended it on a regular basis.

Although my initial endeavor into the world of taking yoga classes was somewhat hit or miss, by asking certain questions and checking some details, you have a better chance of finding the right yoga instructor for you.

Here are some things to consider.

Decide what your goals are for your yoga practice.
Do you want to practice yoga to relieve stress, heal from an injury, or gain strength and flexibility? If a center offers yoga that is very fast paced and very physically challenging, it probably wont be the right match for you if you want to learn how to relax.

What style of yoga interests you? Make sure that the center offers that particular style.
Are you interested in a certain level of yoga instruction? If you are a beginner, you probably dont want to take a class that lumps all levels together. You also dont want a class that is too advanced where you have a greater chance of feeling discouraged because you cant keep up with the other students, or worse, you could get injured. You want a class where the instructor takes ample time to explain the postures and also helps students achieve the correct alignment.

Ask about the teachers level experience
Find out how many years the teacher has been practicing yoga and how long he has been teaching. With my experience with the two yoga teachers, I found out that the one that didnt impress me had just become a teacher, while the one I liked had been teaching for quite some time.

Ask about how many hours of training he has received. Although there is no universal yoga teacher certification, many quality studios require that their instructors complete a minimum number of training hours before they are allowed to teach. If the instructor has 200 or more hours of training, there is a good chance that he has solid skills to work with.

Does the instructor know the benefits and contraindications of each pose? Can he offer modifications for students who have physical limitations? You want a teacher who can provide information about how each pose relates to your unique physical condition.

Also, find out if the teacher has specific training in basic anatomy. I cannot emphasize this point strongly enough. When I was in my early twenties, I took a gymnastics class which was taught by an instructor who had no training in anatomy. Each week he stretched my body in a position that caused me a great deal of pain. If he knew about body mechanics and physiology he never would never used that stretch, because it is almost guaranteed to cause injury. The end result for me was years of pain and permanent injury. If the teacher is not trained in anatomy run, dont walk, out of the class.

What is the teachers personal style?
In order for you to get the most out of yoga, you have to feel comfortable with the teacher. Is the teacher friendly, encouraging, and supportive? Does she treat students and others with respect?

Yoga is intensely personal so it is critical that you like and trust the teacher. She will be touching your body to adjust your alignment, so you need to feel totally safe with her. A good instructor will make the class a secure and peaceful experience for students.

How clean is the studio?
As you look around, do you notice dust or dirt? Is there a musty or sweaty odor? A yoga class encourages you to practice barefoot and breathe deeply. It is very difficult to get the most from your yoga instruction if you are worried about contracting a disease from an unclean studio.

How does the teacher handle your personal beliefs?
A good yoga teacher does not impose her personal beliefs on students. Yoga is not a religion. You should be able to practice any religion, or none at all, and still feel comfortable in the class. You also should not be required to eat or act a certain way to be considered acceptable to the teacher.

Yoga promotes freedom, so you should not be held bondage to someone elses beliefs. You should be free to live whichever way is right for you.

Quality yoga instruction can be very important for you in your yoga journey. By keeping these ideas in mind when you search for a yoga teacher, you are very likely to find the one that is just right for you.

Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Here website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life.

Cl Philadelphia Yoga