Green beer comes around once a year on St. Patrick’s Day…but there are some other green beer options out there too. If you have gone green at all, why not check out some organic green beers?

Various brewing companies from around the world are starting to join the green movement. Drinking bio-beer is beneficial for a number of reasons, and some of these reasons are directly linked to your health.

Why Organic Beer?

As the world moves towards a greener earth, it simply makes sense to apply green logic to all aspects of our lives. The fewer toxins that we introduce into the environment, the better off we will be as a society.

Organic beers are made from organic ingredients, which are better for the environment all around. How do organic ingredients help our world? These ingredients come from farm systems that are concerned with soil fertility. This soil fertility tends to promote various species, and the end result is a brewing process that doesn’t produce a lot of greenhouse gases.

In essence, when you support organic beer you are supporting organic farmers. Given the fact that the world is full of large industrial farms, giving a helping hand to smaller organic famers is a step in the right direction.

Spring is about to be sprung, and fashion designers certainly aren’t holding back this season. Spring fashions are just hitting store shelves across the world.

You’ll discover lots of new fashion trends this spring–just be careful about which ones you decide to purchase. Sure, some new fashions will help you break out of your bleak winter wardrobe, but others may look best on that store mannequin.

Before we get into specific color combinations, let’s talk about the upcoming spring fashion trends. Every season, runways are filled with whimsical designs that many admire but that most wouldn’t dare try. This season (sadly) may prove to be no different than all the rest.

Iffy Looks

Numerous designers (including the popular Tory Burch) are showcasing “harem” pants that billow and bulge from the waist to the ankle. The problem is that a lot of these pants will cause women to look like some kind of fashion-forward genie–not exactly the kind of look that most women want to project.

Another (slightly disturbing) trend that was displayed across runways at New York’s Fashion Week was the jumpsuit. A cross between overalls and coveralls, this look might best be worn by Catwoman.

Lastly, you may come across a skirt or two that slightly resembles a hot-air balloon. These “dirndl” skirts tend to add lots of extra weight around the bottom half of the body. While some women may find this look comfortable, it’s not something that every gal can easily pull off.

Colors Everywhere!

It’s no surprise that spring fashion is all about color–after all, that long winter full of dark hues was certainly a tough one. However, some designers seem to be dipping into a color palette that may be best left to kindergarten fingerpainting sessions.

For example, chartreuse is more than a tad difficult to wear. Chartreuse is an odd combination of green and yellow, and it doesn’t do much for most complexions. If you want to give this new shade a try, be careful what you pair it with.

Speaking of yellow, the catwalks this season were practically painted yellow thanks to all those shiny new designs. Some designers may have been trying to evoke the Sun with their fashions, but you can count on a number of retail chains picking up on this trend.

Beware!

In summation, some things to watch out for this season include MC Hammer pants, crazy chartreuse, skirts that add extra weight, and too much yellow. This isn’t to say that true fashionistas shouldn’t give new trends a try . . . just pick and choose with that critical eye.

[J--I'm not sure where she got her calorie-burning info. I added in that all calories burned were per hour, but I'm not sure if that's correct. You may want to check with her.]

If you’re a calorie counter, then you’re on the right track to losing or maintaining weight. When all is said and done, those calories really do count. Of course, shedding those extra pounds is a lot easier with a bit of exercise thrown into the mix. What types of exercise burn the most calories? Is your favorite activity actually worth your weight in sweat?

Find What Works

Everyone is different, which means that everyone will burn a different number of calories during a workout. Men tend to burn more calories than women do, no matter what the sport or exercise may be. This is not always the case, but it’s true more often than not.

Amazingly, one single pound of fat can contain up to 3,700 calories. If you do the math, you’ll realize that burning off even one pound of fat is a difficult task. The good news is that most people can actually burn one or two calories per minute while just sitting (if you’re stuck at a desk all day, then this is refreshing news). The bad news is that you’ll have to work hard to burn more than a couple of calories per day.

Top Activities

Essentially, anything that gets your heart pounding is worth your time and effort. If you want a good activity list to live by, then take a look at this. All activities listed are calories burned by the hour.

Bikram yoga: 300-600 calories per class

Running: 500-800

Cross-country skiing: 550

Downhill skiing: 400-500

Biking: 500-700

Squash: 500–800

If you wind up exhausted and covered in sweat at the end of a workout, you’re probably burning quite a few calories. Still, that doesn’t mean that other types of sports and activities aren’t good for your waistline, too.

Slower Sports

If you love to play a casual game of tennis or lazily roller blade around town, rest assured that you’re still burning calories. The truth is that getting up and moving around is good for you–no matter how you slice it.

When faced with the choice to veg out in from of the TV or get your pulse racing, choose the activity that will make your endorphins dance. As soon as you begin living a healthy lifestyle, you’ll find that those extra inches just begin to slip away. Then again, these tips all become more worthwhile if you can be sure that those calories actually do count.

How Many Calories Per Day?

If you want to find out how many calories you need per day in order to lose weight, take the time to find a decent BMI calculator. A great food log will also help you keep track of the things you consume.

Some great (and very helpful) calculators include:

About Calorie Counter
My Calorie Counter
Calorie Lab
The Daily Plate

As soon as you begin to log your food intake and your activities, you’ll see just how many calories you need to lose, gain, or maintain weight. You may also be surprised at the amount of food that you consume when you’re not thinking, eating out of boredom, or eating as a way to relieve stress.

Why Count Calories?

Even if you don’t want to change your body, having a calorie-conscious diet is a great way to monitor your eating habits. In addition, you’ll find that most of the calculators above offer accurate activity breakdowns.

Counting your calories may be a pain, but it’s a great way to keep tabs on your current diet and exercise routine. Are all of your exercise pains amounting to anything? Find out for sure by tracking your habits.

There’s nothing quite like a refreshing smoothie on a hot day or after a hard workout. But is that smoothie you’re sucking down actually good for you? If you want to find out how many calories are hiding behind that fruity goodness, this is the article for you.

Smoothie Base

No matter how you cut it, if your smoothie uses ice cream as a base, then it’s really a milkshake–not a smoothie. Likewise, if you add a bunch of candy toppings to your smoothie, then you can bet it’s not going to help your waistline. Instead, look for smoothies that start with fruit juice or low-fat yogurt. Now that the smoothie vs. milkshake debate is out of the way, let’s talk about other additives.

Many popular smoothie bars offer shakes with protein, whey, vitamins, and other additives. Depending on the drink at hand, those additions can be laden with calories. If you don’t need that extra shot of protein or whey, skip it.

Most people think that any kind of smoothie is good for you, but that may not be the case. Do you know how many calories you’re adding to your smoothie with those extras?

You’ve probably heard that you should eat brown bread as opposed to white. But why? Is it healthier? Better for your digestive system? Lower in calories? It’s time to get to the bottom of this brown- vs. white-bread debate.

Why We Love White

Most of us grew up on white bread. From peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches to grilled cheese, a sandwich just wasn’t a sandwich worth eating if it didn’t come wrapped in white bread. Plus, white bread is softer, easier to chew, and mixes really well with most sandwich ingredients.

You might also say that we just have a love affair with white bread. Why would bread companies try so hard to make brown bread that looks like white if we were okay with the standard brown color? There are a million reasons why we love white, but the fact of the matter is that most white bread isn’t full of anything useful.

What White Bread Lacks

White bread is made from processed bread flour. This processed flour has been literally stripped of all its nutrients during processing. In fact, some flour companies need to add some of those nutrients back into the bread in order to make it semi-healthy.

The enriched flour that goes into white bread doesn’t have any helpful nutrients, vitamins, or antioxidants. In fact, it doesn’t have much of anything…other than that mushy goodness, of course. So, what about those white breads that claim to have all the goodness of brown breads?

Spray tans seem to be the fastest way to get a glow without baking under the sun (or the tanning lamp). But are spray tans safe? Do toxic chemicals leak into your skin when you opt for a spray tan? How do spray tans work? Find out all about that spray tan here before booking your next spa appointment.

Soaked Skin

While the tanned-skin phenomenon is still a huge hit in North America, in some countries (such as Japan) pale skin is in. But until that trend comes knocking at our North American doors, we must find ways to tan without damaging our skin.

The problem is that skin is extremely porous, which means it will absorb almost anything with which it comes in contact. From toxic pollutants to makeup, your skin is a literal sponge. This is precisely why many people worry about the safety of the spray tan. But unlike other types of lotions and creams, spray-tan solutions don’t actually penetrate lower than the first layer of skin.

How Do Sunless Tanners Work?

Almost all sunless tanners share the same ingredient: dihydroxyacetone (DHA). This chemical instantly reacts with skin once it comes in contact with it. The result of the reaction is a slight darkening of the skin.

The amazing thing is that this form of sunless tanner only adheres to the outermost layer of your skin. Since the top layer of your skin contains dead cells, spray tans tend to fade with each exfoliating wash. Thus, spray tans are not bad for your skin, since they don’t sink all the way in to begin with.

Many thought that green fashion would come and go, but (in the spirit of Sarah Palin) – it just ain’t so. The fact of the matter is that green fashion is here to stay, and some designers are really taking their organic designs all the way.

Want to find out where you can buy a great pair of green jeans? How about some environmentally friendly tee’s? Check out the list below for some designers that are keeping green in the fashion scene.

Tierra Del Forte

You may not have heard about Del Forte Denim, but fashion designer Tierra Del Forte is really making a splash with her line of organic denim. While these jeans are considered “luxury” items (yes, they will cost you a few pennies), there is a positive (eco-friendly) side to this green equation – when your Del Forte jeans become tattered and worn, you can send them back to the manufacturer for “Project Rejeaneration” where they will be reused and renewed.

Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney has been on the green radar even before being green was popular. A very strict vegetarian, Stella McCartney is a strong animal rights activist…and she also happens to make some stellar clothes. Her designs are on the expensive side, but they are worth every cruelty-free penny. In addition, you can now find her great link of skincare products that are filled to the brim with purely organic ingredients.

Bikram yoga has really been heating things up across the health nation. Why are so many people dying to sweat, twist, and stretch? What are the benefits of Bikram yoga? Who created the concept? And what about “hot yoga”–is it the same thing?

Bikram Benefits

The benefits of Bikram are twofold. First, there are numerous benefits that go along with each pose within the Bikram series. Second, the benefits that come from the intense heat are also quite impressive.

The 26 poses that are part of the Bikram series have a direct impact on:

• Flexibility
• Tone
• Strength
• Blood circulation
• Balance
• Coordination
• Weight reduction
• Energy level
• Strengthening the mind

Now, let’s talk about that heat. How hot is it inside of a Bikram class, anyway? The average Bikram class is around 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Why so hot? The heat in the room allows for extra flexibility and ease of muscle movement. The benefits gained from the heat include:

• Flushed toxins
• Burned calories
• Extra endurance
• Loss of inches
• Superb cardiovascular workout

But let’s be serious–105 degrees! That’s crazy! Why would you subject yourself to such intense heat when exercising? Who is the man that created this torturous workout? Was he insane?