Spice up Your Love Life With These Steamy Shower Sex Tips!

Let's all be adults here: sex is great. That's just a given. And it's even better when you can take your regular 'ol intimate routine outside of the bedroom. Sadly, however, most people aren't bold or adventurous enough to take things beyond their bedroom door. We think this is very unfortunate. It can be really rewarding to step outside the boudoir and try to spice things up somewhere new. If you've never done anything naughty anywhere other than the top of a mattress, then we have a suggestion for you: the shower!

Getting busy in the shower is an adventure full of sexy, steamy fun just waiting to happen. But shower sex isn't to be stumbled into blindly. Once you two are ready to explore some showering sensations, use our shower sex 101 guide to turn up the heat on your hygiene routine.

First, Try: Up Against the Wall

There are two different ways you can get steamy all over your shower walls: the first one is, for all intents and purposes, a vertical version of the missionary position. This works very well if your partner has a decent amount of upper body strength. Use the wall to your advantage so that your partner isn't straining against your full body weight. The higher they can put you up on that wall, the less force they will need to lift you - and the easier it will be to put yourself in a coital alignment technique (CAT) position. This position is especially useful for penetrative sex because it also stimulates a woman's clitoris and other sensitive areas outside of the vagina.

We understand the fact that gravity and wet surfaces don't always mix very well. But there are precautions you can take in order to get frisky up against the wall a little more safely. You can always keep one foot on the ground while facing your partner with your back against the wall. If you're flexible enough, lifting the other leg and wrapping it around your partner in just the right way can provide enough space for them to get in there and go to town. Then again, you could turn around and try having fun with another, relatively safer up-against-the-wall position: doggy style.

Next, Try It...From Behind

Sex from behind is another popular position which works just as well in the bedroom as it does in the shower. To start, you need to bend over far enough so that your partner has no problem touching, playing with, or gaining entry to all of your fun parts below the waist. If you have a thick memory foam bath mat, then you can try this position on your knees for a little more stability - otherwise, we strongly suggest you stay on your feet for the sake of your joints. Brace yourself against the wall and let your partner work their magic while you relax and enjoy. Keep in mind, ladies, that you don't have to limit this position to just the front door. If you really want to get naughty, you can experiment with other ports of entry.

There are two advantages that this position has over up-against-the-wall sex: for starters, your partner gets an amazing and tantalizing view of your body. Second, this is a much more efficient and effective position for women who enjoy vaginal/cervical orgasms. For a little extra safety, make sure there's something sturdy - very sturdy - for you to hold on to so that you don't slip or fall.

Make Like Ginuwine and Ride That Pony

If you don't have the type of tub or shower setting that gives your partner place to sit, you may have to do a little shopping to pull this one off. Regardless, once your partner is seated comfortably, get ready to climb on top and gallop them into oblivion. Face to face contact can provide an intimate experience and give you a better angle for clitoral/mons stimulation. Best of all, when a man is having sex in a relaxed, seated position, it's easier for him to go longer and control his climax. This gives you two more time to really draw out the experience and set off some seriously steamy fireworks.

Do Not - We Repeat, DO NOT - Forget the Foreplay!

Good sex - and we mean really, really, really good sex - is more about the journey than the destination. Beware of anyone who believes that "sex is like pizza - even when it's bad, it's still good", because they probably suck in bed. And if they don't know what they're doing in the bedroom, they're going to be completely inept when it comes to shower sex.

Foreplay in the shower has certain advantages which other locations simply cannot compete with. And don't forget that just because you're touching, caressing, kissing, nibbling, and sucking on each other in the shower doesn't mean you have to finish in there (although it sure does make clean-up a breeze!). The shower is a great place to start a marathon, all-night-long love making session. Once you two are so turned on that you can't do much else without risking a concussion, simply exit the bathroom and start rolling around in the sheets - or wherever else your shower sexventure takes you.

Shower Sex Accessories You Can't Get Busy Without

If you really want to take your shower sex game to the next level, you're going to need more than a soft loofah and some very sudsy body wash. There are certain accessories which not only help improve the safety factor, but also give you more position variety. Some of them help give you extra foreplay options, too.

Bath Mats

Anything that's sticky on the bottom and textured on the top works rather well. Place the mat on the floor of your shower where you and your partner's feet will be. It'll help you stay steady and avoid falling injuries in the face of slippery suds, wet tile, and athletic, enthusiastic thrusting.

Water-Friendly Lube

You can't rely on regular water as a lubricant because it can be extremely drying. Water-based lubricants, on the other hand, are specifically designed to do the exact opposite. You could also used a silicone-based lube to counteract the potentially drying effects of the water. Just remember that silicone isn't exactly sex toy friendly, even for waterproof toys. We strongly suggest against oil based lubes because bacteria love them (and bacteria also like to hang out in showers, too).

Lastly - and we can't stress this enough - don't use any of your regular shower products as an improvised lubricant. They may help keep things slippery and fun while you're stimulating each other on the outside, but you do not want harsh chemicals getting thrust into your most intimate areas. If you add friction, harsh chemicals from soaps and shampoos, and the most delicate tissues of your body all together, you're going to have a bedtime.

A Handheld, Multi-Setting Shower Head

We're sure all the ladies here know where we're going with this; a handheld shower head is your best friend when it comes to getting intimate in the shower. Obviously, you're going to want one with multiple settings like "pulse" or "massage" (just to name a few). The warm water and light pressure are great for stimulating both you and your partner's erogenous zones. You can either please yourself and enjoy the entranced look on your partner's face, or you could use the shower head to stimulate your lover. You can take turns, too! Using a handheld shower head can easily bring you, your partner, or the both of you to climax.

Shower Furniture (for Sex!)

Shower benches and/or stools aren't just for people who can't physically stand in the shower - they're also great for people who choose to sit. We talked about the girl-on-top position earlier. While we were talking about it, we had this exact piece of furniture in mind. Of course, you can't just take any old piece of furniture with a flat surface and bring it into the shower. It should be sturdy, level, well-balanced, and have rubber-grip feet on the bottom. Otherwise, all that thrusting and gyrating could leave you vulnerable to slips and falls.

You could also try installing a shower bar - assuming you don't already have one, or that the one you have isn't sturdy enough to hold your weight. You should make sure that the unit is mounted (heh) into the wall with hard, sturdy screws (ya see what we did there?) And that the bar itself is constructed of thick, solid (ok, we'll stop now) materials which won't bend or break. That bar, plus a sturdy grip, can equal a very fun time.

Well there you have it - from accessories to positions and everything else in between, you now know everything you need to know about having sex in the shower! Have fun, stay safe, and enjoy yourselves. Really, really enjoy yourself.

Can Food Palatability Help You Lose Weight?

Having Weight Loss Trouble? The Problem Could Be Your Food's "Palatability"

Everyone loves to eat tasty food. But did you know that, when it comes to diet and weight loss, there can be such a thing as food that is "too tasty"? It's called hyper-palatability, and this phenomenon is responsible for why most people have trouble losing weight. Below, we'll discuss the ins and outs of food palatability, how it's affecting your diet and weight loss goals, and what you can do to make sure the food you eat is the most effective at helping you lose that stubborn belly fat.

So, What's the Deal With Food Palatability?

When it comes to food palatability, there are two different types: hyperpalatable foods, and low palatable foods. The two terms are pretty intuitive, but the basic gist is this: hyperpalatable foods are super tasty. Like, "almost as addictive as heroin" tasty.  Low palatable foods, on the other hand, are less tasty than hyperpalatable foods. But don't get us wrong - low palatable food doesn't mean that they taste bad, or that they have no taste at all. It just means that they don't activate the reward system in the brain as powerfully as hyperpalatable foods do. Both types of palatability have very different effects on your body, on your brain, and on the way your metabolism processes the foods you eat.

Hyperpalatable Foods

For an example of hyper palatable foods, think of your favorite unhealthy snack. Or think of your favorite unhealthy fast food restaurant. All of these foods can be considered hyperpalatable foods - these are the foods you eat when you don't feel good, or when you want to reward yourself. Or maybe you just want to eat them because they taste good (we aren't judging).

So what's the problem with rewarding yourself from time to time, you may ask? Well, it has to do with the physiological effects that hyperpalatable foods have on your body.  Hyperpalatable foods contain just the right ratios of refined sugar, fat, and salt to hit the "sweet spot" of tastiness. And this magical deliciousness triggers the reward system in your brain to produce feelings of intense pleasure. As a matter of fact, there have been many scientific studies that prove hyperpalatable foods have a very similar effect on your brain to highly addictive drugs such as heroin or alcohol. Yes, that's right - science has proven that the human brain is just as vulnerable to hyperpalatable food addiction as it is to any other substance or behavior.

Unfortunately, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Hyperpalatable foods aren't just hindering your weight loss goals because you are tempted to eat more of them more often, and therefore ingest more calories. Another complication arises from the fact that the calories you are ingesting do not contain very many nutrients, if any at all. You see, in order to lose weight, the human body needs vitamins, minerals, and healthy macronutrients (such as complex carbohydrates and healthy fats) in order to metabolize energy efficiently. And if you aren't giving your body any of those nutrients, or your body only gets them in small amounts, then achieving your weight loss goals is going to be an uphill battle.

So hyperpalatable foods create intense, addictive like food cravings which make you ingest more calories. They also damage your body by not supplying it with enough vital nutrients. Both of these things will hinder your ability to lose weight. Unfortunately, there's still one more problem with consuming excess amounts of hyperpalatable foods that's sabotaging your weight loss. When you eat hyperpalatable foods, you feel less full and get hungrier throughout the day more often than you would eating low palpable foods. This is because hyperpalatable foods released more of the hunger hormone, ghrelin.

Just like any other addictive habit, breaking your attraction to hyperpalatable foods can be extremely difficult. The longer you've been eating them, the  more intensely your mind will crave them. But don't worry; there is hope. Breaking the habit of indulging your hyper palatable food cravings is possible. And in the next section on low palatable foods, will explain how to do exactly just that.

Low Palatable Foods

Low palatable foods contain higher amounts of both fiber and overall water content. Because of this, they're better and making you feel satiated then hyperpalatable foods. As a matter of fact, this feeling of fullness that comes from eating low palatable foods does not release the hunger hormone ghrelin that we talked about earlier. It actually releases an opposite hormone - leptin - that makes you feel satiated and full. When you feel satiated, you are less likely to indulge in hunger cravings or snack throughout the day. This, in turn, helps you consume fewer calories. And as anyone who watches weight loss reality TV shows knows, fewer calories in than calories out (or "burned") usually equals weight loss.

Another good thing about low palatable foods is that they are the opposite of hyperpalatable foods in that they contain fewer calories while also containing more nutrients per calorie than most other foods. As you put more nutrients into your body, you give it what it needs to repair tissue damage to your major organs, which helps them operate more efficiently. This is especially important for your pancreas and your liver.

People who eat too many of their calories from hyperpalatable foods sometimes develop fatty liver syndrome. This metabolic disorder increases fat stores within the liver itself, which causes liver damage. And this damage makes it harder for the liver to do its job and metabolize stored fat cells for energy.  

But the liver isn't the only suffering organ in your body. Nearly everyone with a little extra belly fat around their midsection has some sort of problem with insulin sensitivity, which may indicate some damage to your pancreas. The pancreas is responsible for releasing insulin based on your overall insulin sensitivity. If your pancreas is damaged and your insulin sensitivity is low, then many of the calories you eat will be stored as fat - especially around your midsection. But a healthy pancreas and high insulin sensitivity means that your body is efficient at burning its calories and your stored body fat for energy.

Making the Switch from Hyperpalatable to Low Palatable Foods

Obviously, there are a number of health benefits associated with switching to low palatable foods. But before we go any further, let's clear up one very important misconception about low palatable foods: "low palatable" does not mean "tastes bad". As a matter of fact, there are many delicious low palatable foods out there that are just as healthy for you as they are tasty. The only difference is that they do not contain that "sweet spot" balance of sugar, salt, and fat that triggers an addictive-like response by the reward system in your brain.

If you're interested in making this switch, the first step is to find recipes for low palpable meals that seem appetizing to you. Step two involves practice and repetition. You've been practicing and repeating the process of eating hyperpalatable foods for a while, so your brain naturally gives them preferential treatment. In order to get your brain used to low palatable foods, you have to get into the practice of eating them instead.  

While it may seem like an impossible struggle at first, just understand that your brain will eventually recalibrate itself. This is especially true given the higher nutrient content of the low palatable foods. Once your body senses that you are feeding it the nutrients it needs to get and be healthy, you will start to crave those foods as much - or sometimes even more strongly - than the hyper palatable foods you were eating before!

And we aren't just saying that because of anecdotal experiences from our staff (although for some of us, that is the case). There is concrete scientific proof that this will happen to you. A recent clinical study asked some of its participants to cut 40% of refined sugar out of there diet for just one month. The other participants in the control group were not asked to change their diets at all. After that month, the participants were fed a special putting sweetened with extra sugar. All the participants in the control group reported that the pudding tasted normal; however, the participants who cut sugar out of their diet reported that the pudding tasted much sweeter than most other puddings. This is because their brains, over the course of just one month on a low palatable food diet, recalibrated themselves towards craving nutrient dense foods with lower amounts of refined sugar in them.

So how can you help yourself get accustomed to low palatable foods and boost your weight loss? There are actually 3 easy steps you can take to help your body crave healthy, fat burning foods instead of hyperpalatable junk food. Those steps are:

• Meal planning. Start by planning your meals for the week. Take a day on the weekend to prepare all the food you will eat for the next several days. This will greatly help you resist the urge to say to yourself "i'm so busy today, I don't have time to cook or eat healthy food - I'll just get something from the fast food place around the corner."
• Allow yourself a "cheat meal". For some people, the urge to eat hyperpalatable foods may be so great that it's better to start with a cheat day and eventually work down to just one single cheat meal during any given week. This can help keep you on track and motivated while also allowing yourself to have a reward from time to time.
• Eat low palatable foods that rank highly on the satiety index. The more satiated, or satisfied you are after eating a meal, the less hungry you will be throughout the day - and the fewer calories you will consume.

Like we said earlier, the best foods for reducing hunger cravings contain high amounts of fiber and also a high water content. Just to get you started, add these items to your grocery list the next time you stop at the store:

• White potatoes
• Eggs
• Oatmeal
• Beans/lentils
• Fish
• Soup
• Apples
• Beef
• Salad
• Cruciferous vegetables (kale, broccoli, cauliflower)

All of the foods above contain either a high water content, lots of fiber, or both. And the best part is that they are also very nutrient-dense, so they will help boost the healing and detoxification process of major organs such as the liver and pancreas (which are actively involved in weight loss).

Switching from a hyper palatable food diet to a healthy, low palatable food diet is not the easiest thing in the world. It will take time, patience, and a lot of trial and error. But with a little effort, you too can make the lifestyle changes necessary to burn away those extra stubborn pounds - and keep them off for good!

Are Sunflower Selfies Destroying Farmers And Rural America?

Read This Before You Decide to Take Your Own Sunflower Selfie

Whether you hate them, love them, or you've taken a million of your own, selfies aren't just a fad - they're a part of life that's here to stay. However, not all selfies are made up of innocent, smiling faces trying to capture a worthwhile moment in their lives. There are many unsettling photographic trends currently worming their way through the selfie-saturated corners of social media. Today, we're going to talk about the newest one making its way through the digital world. People who take them call them "sunflower selfies". They may sound innocent and beautiful, but there's a dark underbelly to this trend which is causing real harm. And we're here to expose the controversy.

The Rise of Sunflower Selfies

Despite all odds, we as a society have managed to survive the horrors of #duckface and the dangerous #tigerselfie trend. We've successfully battled back the roving hordes of #girlsquad gangs assembling en masse. But we've been too complacent and too busy patting ourselves on the back to see the onslaught of this newest contender. All of the previous selfie trends pale in comparison to this hot new insidious one: the #sunflowerselfie.  

People are no longer content to re-blog and re-post pics of other people in sunflower fields to spread feelings of warmth, beauty, and joy on tumblr and facebook. They're sick of having to superimpose an inspirational message on top of sunflower photos that don't belong to them - or worse - don't have them in it. These days, thanks to things like "internet search engines" and "Google Maps", people can drive to the nearest sunflower farm and take their own photos and selfies. In reality, though, this shouldn't come as a surprise to most of us. Posting a sunflower selfie to your social media network is one of the best ways to help people realize that #lifeisgood and that one is truly #blessed.

Although the sunflower selfie is a new trend, it is nothing to sneeze at. Instagram has nearly 130,000 posts with hashtags like #sunflowerselfie and/or #sunflowerfields. Stock photo websites have more than 2,000 pages of results (containing dozens of photos per page) of people frolicking through the flowers and smiling at the camera. Despite how popular such photo-ops are, however, this admiration for sunflowers is far from harmless - and some of their victims have had enough.

The Problem With Sunflower Selfies

Most outdoorsy people know that the first rule of Nature Enthusiasm Club is that you always talk about Nature Enthusiasm Club, especially to people who hate bugs or make other excuses not to leave the house. But the second rule of Nature Enthusiasm Club is: "take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints". Unfortunately, this is the exact problem with sunflower selfies.

People are flocking to farms far and wide for an opportunity to photograph themselves - digitally or otherwise - with these beautiful yellow flowers. In some areas, especially areas where a farmer may be running the only sunflower field around for miles, too many people are taking nothing but pictures, and even those who leave nothing but footprints are causing a lot of damage. Sunflower crops are getting trampled. Litter is an unfortunately common problem.  Many areas do not have the infrastructure to handle the thousands of vehicles traipsing up and down the roads surrounding their land. And we're pretty sure that the exhaust from all those thousands of cars isn't very good for the plants, either.

But that hasn't stopped most people from trying to snap that perfect sunflower selfie. One large farm in Toronto, Canada was forced to shut down after thousands of people descended upon his farm like a giant horde of zombies looking for fresh meat. And that comparison isn't an artful metaphor from the talented minds or our genius writers, either. Those were the exact words of the farm owner, Barry Bogle: "I can only describe it as like a zombie apocalypse".

This sunflower selfie storm is much more than just an internet fad. Sunflower farms are being destroyed and the farmers' livelihoods are taking a serious hit. Will these amateur photogs ever realize the error of their ways, and leave these poor plants alone? Or will the trend continue until every last sunflower gets stomped out of existence and DAVID Seeds goes bankrupt? Well, as it turns out, there may be a profitable compromise for both sides.

Is There a Good Solution to the Sunflower Selfie Situation?

Everyone knows that entitled, selfie-snapping millennials are ruining everything in the world. Like, everything. And now that sunflower farms are in their Snapchat filter crosshairs, those at the top of the sunflower food chain must either sink or swim.

Believe it or not, though, this story actually does have a happy ending. Yes, it's true that millennials are killing virtually every industry they touch without a single empathetic thought towards the old, white, overpaid CEOs who are wallowing in eight- and seven-figure poverty because they're incapable of innovating their industry's outdated business models. But sunflower farmers, luckily, have resources at their disposal which are protecting them from sinking into this economic trap. As a matter of fact, things are going swimmingly for them in the face of this new trend.

Many of these green-thumbed business geniuses have easily figured out a way to cash in on this new cash crop of sunflower selfie junkies. Instead of balking the trend or trying to keep people away, they're embracing it. They're advertising their farms as open for business to any and all dendrophiles with a knack for amateur photography. Word is getting out that anyone who wants to take a sunflower selfie on their land is welcome to come by and do exactly that. And they're making a financial killing off of it.

Of course, they have rules and restrictions in place to conserve the beauty and the viability of their crop while giving the people what they want. Many farmers charge a small fee or sell a package deal to anyone who's interested in taking their own sunflower selfies. Those people pay the farmer a little bit of money for access to the farm and time in the field to snap their shots while the farmers reap the financial benefits. It's a win-win for everyone.

Some farmers have even gone the extra mile and opened up gift shops or other attractions to draw people in - the most popular of which are petting zoos. It's not uncommon for sunflower farmers to also own livestock. Fresh, free fertilizer from pigs and other small farm animals help grow some of the largest and most magnificent sunflowers in existence. Smart ranchers have taken advantage of this and opened up access to their animals for sunflower selfie takers and families alike to enjoy.

Unfortunately, there's one marginalized group of people who won't benefit from this happy compromise: the vocal minority of people who cannot stop themselves from complaining about annoying selfie trends. After all, how can one complain about farmers making profits from their labor in a society which has so flippantly dismissed its agricultural heritage for so long? How can one complain about a selfie-snapping sunflower enthusiast bringing their child to a petting zoo and introducing them to the wonders of nature? The sad fact is that they can't - at least, not without suffering the ire and social stigma which comes from being a wet blanket.

But don't worry, dear reader; they won't be suffering for long. We're pretty sure that the next annoying, obnoxious selfie trend is right around the corner. With any luck, this one won't have any societal benefits whatsoever, leaving social media contrarians free to complain to their heart's content.