Freshwater Aquarium Fish

When talking about pets in home, the list is incomplete without fish. Freshwater aquarium fish has also become an essential member of the family like dogs, cats, rabbits and other pets. There are many species that are available to add to the beauty of your aquarium. An aquarium can also be a way to decorate the home. Also, you can search on the Internet for many fish for sale at affordable prices as well as for their compatibility with other fish.

These types are divided into two groups - live bearers and egg layers. Live bearers are associated with the group known as cyprinodonts and give birth to the young ones instead of laying eggs. Some of the live bearing fish are guppies, four-eyed fish, mollies, platies-moonfish and swordtail fish. The fish belonging to the egg-laying category are neon tetra and goldfish. They lay eggs after fertilization by the male fish.

Types of Fish for Aquarium

As far as freshwater fish are concerned, it can be of different shape, size, and color. They can be elongated, round, big or small. Even the colors of aquatic fish are very attractive. Here are some of the freshwater fish belonging to different categories.

CATEGORY	FISH
Anabantids	Dwarf Gourami Flame Gourami Honey Gourami Kissing Gourami Black Paradisefish Opaline Gourami Pearl Gourami Siamese Fighting Fish Betta Fish Spiketailed Paradise fish
Aquarium Catfish	Banjo Catfish Bristlenose Chinese Algae Eater Corydoras Green Catfish Leopard Catfish Plecostomus Spotted Catfish Bumble Bee Catfish Upside Down Catfish
Characins	Black Neon Tetra Black Phantom Tetra Cardinal Tetra Congo Tetra Emperor Tetra Bleeding Heart Tetra Black Widow Buenos Aires Tetra Silver Dollar Red Belly Piranha Flame Tetra Glowlight Tetra Head and Tail Light Tetra Neon Tetra Fish Rummy Nosed Tetra Serpae Tetra Hatchetfish Pencilfish Bloodfin Penguin Fish X-Ray Fish
Cichlids	Freshwater Angelfish Blue Acara Firemouth Severum Convict Green Terror Jack Dempsey Red Oscar Discus Festivum Ram
Cyprinids	Cherry Barb Bala Shark Black Shark Blue Danio Giant Danio White Cloud Zebra Danio Flying Fox Green Tiger Barb Red Tailed Shark Rosy Barb Tiger Barb Tinfoil Barb
Killifish	Lyretail
Livebearers	Guppy fish Molly Platy Swordtail Knife Livebearer
Loaches	Clown Loach Dwarf Loach Horseface Loach

Fish Compatibility

Fish are one of the most tender and sensitive aquatic creature. So, it is essential to know the compatibility of a fish to another before you select one for your aquarium because the stress and fight among the fish can bring an end to their lives. Fish are again categorized into three, based on their behavior like, aggressive, semi-aggressive and community fish. The compatibility of aquarium fish can be found out by studying their behavior.

Fish Diseases

Aquarium care is a very important aspect when you are keeping one in your house. So, you have to take special care of the hygiene and health of each fish. A fish suffering from any disease can infect others as well, so it becomes a must to remove the infected fish from the tank as soon as possible. These diseases can be caused due to bacteria, fungi or virus.

You must do a little research to choose the type of fish that you want in your aquarium, check its compatibility and study other things required for its maintenance. These are some of the best aquarium fish that can be kept in your tank. But make sure that you take proper care and maintenance of the fish to ensure their long life.

How to Make Fishing Lures

If you've never gone fishing before, you may have some understanding of what a fishing lure or fishing bait is. Attached to the hook, a fishing lure helps in attracting and then, catching the prey. When the fishing lure moves, it vibrates a little and grabs your prey's attention. Ensuring that you use the right kind of fishing lure is very important. Now there are different types of fishing lures found in stores today, but many people prefer to make their own lures for fishing. You too can learn how to make fishing lures. It's a great way to save some money and learn the task on your own. The technique is definitely easy; all you need is a little bit of concentration, the right steps, and the help of this article.

Plastic Fishing Lures

• For this project, you'll require - toothpicks, fresh lures/baits, plaster of Paris, foil baking pan, a measuring cup, metal turkey injector, cooking spray, metal spoon, old plastic (for melting), and a microwave. Once you gather these materials, go to the next step.
• In this section, we will replicate fresh baits. To begin, we need to wash the baits and keep them aside to replicate.
• Take the foil pan and add a little bit of plaster of Paris in it. Follow the directions, read the instructions that come with the box.
• Keep the washed baits in the pan and pour more plaster of Paris in it.
• Make sure that you fill '' more to cover the baits. Leave the baits in to mix properly.
• Once the plaster turns solid, remove the bait from the pan to set furthermore.
• Meanwhile, take the measuring cup to melt old plastic in the microwave. Keep this cup inside the microwave and turn it on.
• The plastic should melt and mix together. You can stop in the middle to stir with a metal spoon and check the consistency.
• Once the surface hardens, remove the bait from inside the molds. Take each baits' cover and coat them with cooking spray. You need to fill the baits with the mixture you made using the metal turkey injector.
• Again leave the baits aside to turn solid and cool down. The mixture you added inside the baits will make them a bit hot.
• From the plaster of Paris, remove the new plastic lures out and wash them with water. Keep the new baits/lures in sealed bags and use when you're out fishing.

Wooden Fishing Lures

• For this project, you'll require - 2 eye screws, a split ring, a 5'' broom handle piece, paint, and sandpaper. Once you gather these materials, go to the next step.
• When you cut the 5'' piece of the broom handle, make sure that the wood is not rotted or the lure won't be made properly.
• With the sandpaper, you need to make one edge round and the keep the other edge rounded but with a slight tip.
• Use the sandpaper to shape the edges so that it turns smooth. We don't want any sharp edges for this lure.
• Use paint that works well on wood and paint the bait. You can copy the colors that match the bait fish like to prey on.
• Leave the lure to dry completely. Next step is to attach the eye screws.
• To do so, fix them on either sides of the rounded edge. Make sure that the screws are directly in the middle.
• Tighten the screws and place the split ring to one of the screws.
• This ring will help you place the lure onto the fishing hook once you're ready.

Fly-fishing Lures

• For this project, you'll require - thread, bobbin, fur or animal hair, fly tying vise, scissors, and hooks.
• For the first step, we need to replicate a fly that will be tied to the hook. The vise will be secured to your working area so that you can perform your task properly.
• First the hook needs to be attached to the top of the vise. The curved section of the hook is where the mouth of the vise will be held.
• Tighten the hook inside the vise so it doesn't move while you're working on it. Now we insert the thread to the bobbin in between the knobbed holders.
• The thread needs to come out from the other side of bobbin so that there won't be any tangles later on. You can use a needle to insert the thread smoothly.
• Wrap the thread now from around the center of the hook's shank. This way, you can tie the fly properly. Close to the eye of the hook, make 2-3 turns with the thread.
• Again wrap the thread around but in the opposite direction now. Near the curve of the hook, these turns or loops with the thread will be taken. Now as you can see, the bobbin and the thread will be hanging down.
• Let the bobbin hang and adjust the vise. Make sure that the bobbin isn't touching the table where you're working. If so, then lift the vise a bit to keep the bobbin hanging.
• Next we will make the fly (lure) with fur or animal hair. You can also use feathers or yarn to make the body of the fly
• Wrap thread around the layer of fur or animal hair. Make sure that each layer is being wrapped tightly so that it doesn't fall apart while in water.
• Place fur near the top of the fly to make the head and wrap with thread again. Secure the thread with a knot and cut the extra thread. And your fishing lure or bait is ready.

While placing the lures onto the hooks, make sure that you handle the hooks very carefully. Now that you've learned the different techniques on how to make fishing lures, use the appropriate lure to catch the fish, based on your personal choice and the type of water body you are fishing in.

Oscar Fish Diseases

Oscar fish is a very popular tropical fish and is a member of the cichlid fish family, that originated in South America, in the waters of the Amazon. The Oscar fish is also known as the albino, red and tiger Oscar and it is found in variety of colors and patterns like albino, olive green, dark gray and brown. Generally, Oscar fish grow large, reaching to a size of 12 to 14 inches (30 to 40 cm roughly). Generally, a 55 gallon capacity aquarium or a large size fish tank is essential for their proper growth and health. The Oscar fish weigh 1.5 kg (3 pounds) and feed on pellets, lakes, freeze dried and other smaller fish that can fit in their mouths.

Oscar fish is one of the most loved aquarium fish. The popularity of Oscar fish is due to the fact that these fish respond to their owners, just like a puppy. They play and swim in the aquarium while their masters are around and it is believed they have the ability to recognize their masters! The Oscar fish are also brilliant actors and they pretend to lie at the bottom of the tank/aquarium and in doing so they grab the smaller fish that swim near them!

Diseases that Affect the Oscar Fish
These diseases must be treated in a timely manner, so that you don't have to regret it later. Following are the diseases that can affect an Oscar fish.

Fin Rot
This disease causes the edges of the fins to turn white or the base of the fins to get ragged. In acute cases of fin rot, the fin may slowly become shorter over time. As the fin rot disease reaches an advanced stage the area near the fins may get bloody patches as the fins wither away with time. Fin rot is caused by the bacterial infection and can be treated with by antibiotics treatments.

Septicemia
Septicemia is a disease caused by the bacterial infection. It usually happens when an injury or wound is left open without properly treating it. In case of the Oscar fish, it can injure itself if it has a fight with the other fishes in the aquarium. The water in the fish tank may get infected so it is necessary that if a fish has injured itself, then the water should be changed immediately and treated with some antibiotics.

Hole in The Head Disease (HITH)
Various members of the cichlid family including the Oscar fish, suffer from the hole in the head disease, that leads to small holes in the region near the head and around the face area of the fish. There can be pitted areas along the lateral side of the fish and the holes can increase in size like small craters. Though the exact cause of hole in the head disease is not known, it is believed that flagellated protozoans and bacteria cause the HITH in Oscars.

Velvet Disease
Velvet disease is caused by the parasite Oodinium. These parasites first find a fish and then attach to it using a flagellum. After that, it forms rod pseudopodia that penetrate the skin and soft tissues of the gills. The parasites feed on the nutrients inside the cells and after destroying the cells completely, these parasites mature and rupture into dozens of cells. Each cell is released into the water tank to find a new host (each cell can thrive for 24 hours and if it does not find a host, it dies). This disease is very dangerous and can affect all the fishes in the aquarium within a few days.

Oscar Fish Care
Taking care of the Oscar fish is of utmost importance in order to keep it disease free. To ensure it, follow these steps:

• Once the aquarium is set up, wait for some days for the Oscar fish to settle, as they will be a bit uncomfortable for the first few days.
• Add only one or at most two fish at a time, as their biological filters take time to respond to the new changes and members of the tank.
• An Oscar fish must be quarantined before it is moved to the main aquarium. This will reduce the risk of infection to any other fishes.
• Oscar fish need special treatment. Decorate your aquarium with lots of plants and small rocks and pebbles. Get it designed in such a way that the Oscar fish can hide. They love playing and hiding!
• Generally, Oscars are loners, but you can choose other fishes that have a similar temperament as that of the Oscars. Neither a belligerent nor a passive Oscar is good for the other fishes.
• Changing the water in the fish tank periodically is essential.
• Use low intensity light as Oscars don't like bright lightning. You may use fluorescent light bulbs with ratings at 10,000K.
• Choose gravel that can't be swallowed by the Oscar fish.
• The air pumps and air stones must be placed so that they can oxygenate the water and release harmful chemicals by stirring the surface of water.

Oscar fish diseases can be controlled and treated by adopting proper methods of fish care. A vigilant fish owner will surely keep a check on its aquarium pets and treat them nicely. Make sure you are one such fish lover!

How to Draw Anime Characters

Anime is a section of animation, which originated in Japan, in the 20th century. Until recent years, the typical manner of drawing anime characters was by hand. However, with the advent of technology, the technique that is now used for this purpose is computers and animation software. To draw by hand, the basic essentials that you would need are a lead pencil, color pencils, and an eraser.

There is a wide versatility in anime characters, with many different standard characters not having same conventional features and accents. Therefore, you generally would need to make these characters in many different settings and themes, and with distinguishing features. However, there may be some characters which may have a similar face and body pattern.

Tips on Drawing Anime Characters
You need to first be proficient in drawing the characters by hand. You essentially should start to draw with a pencil on a paper, which is the basic of making anime characters. The first step you need to take is to decide what type of character you would be making.

It is recommended to draw the face first. Typically, they have an oval-shaped face. For making the details on the face proportionately, you need to divide the oval face into four parts drawing horizontal and vertical lines across. Remember that the eyes should be bigger, so make an outline of big eyes. Make the chin a little sharper, and mark the nose and mouth. Ensure that the gap between the end of the eyes, nose, mouth, and chin is symmetrical. While drawing the face, keep in mind, the emotions and facial expressions of the character. Make sure to keep the size of the mouth and nose small.

Now, you need to draw the character's hair. You can choose any hairstyle, but just make sure that the hair looks appropriate to the character. Typical anime characters have hair with strands and clumps, with a rough fill in. When drawing the body of an anime character, it is suggested that you make the body look thinner. Generally, when drawing a woman's anime body, you should make the torso short and the legs longer. Also, make sure that the body size and shape is in proportion with the head. Whichever body posture you draw, a suitable proportion of the body size and the face should be considered. Also, ensure that the arms and neck are in accordance with the body and face.

After drawing the face and the body, you now need to put some clothes on to the character. When drawing the clothes, make sure that the character would look good in that apparel. This is just the rough figure which you then need to finalize with a marker. Finally, fill in the colors you want the character to have.

After you have done a considerable amount of practice in drawing anime characters with a pencil and paper, you can try your hands on different animation software.

Bottom Feeder Fish

While choosing fish for an aquarium, various factors have to be taken into consideration. A fish tank must be balanced with fish that are top swimmers, middle swimmers and bottom feeders. Some fish like to stay near the surface of the water, whereas, some others opt for the middle parts, whereas bottom feeders are mostly found on the bottom of the water body.

What are Bottom Feeder Fish

As mentioned above, there are some fish that like to stay near the bottom of the water body, whether it be lakes, rivers, oceans or a simple aquarium. Such fish and other aquatic organisms are jointly termed bottom feeders. They can be seen in almost all natural water bodies and the most common among them are crabs, crayfish, bristle worms, snails, starfish, shellfish, flatfish, eels, carp and shark. Even though, all those fish and other aquatic creatures that dwells on the bottom of the water bodies are jointly called bottom feeders, the term is usually used for those fish, that are mainly found in aquariums.

Freshwater Bottom Feeders	Saltwater Bottom Feeders
Plecos	Wrasses
Loaches	Blennies
Catfish	Mandarins
Red-tailed Black Shark	Sea Robins
Chinese High Fin Banded Shark	Bastard Grunt
Redfin Prochilodus	Porkfish
Bamboo Shrimp	Saltwater Hermit Crabs
Blue Crayfish	Saltwater Emerald Crabs
Apple Snails	Mithrax Crabs
Black Mystery Snails	Serpent Sea Star
Long-armed Prawns	Sea Cucumber
Freshwater Flatfish	Nerite Snails
Freshwater Crabs	Coral Banded Shrimp

Bottom Feeder Traits

While most of these fish feed on the decayed organic matter that lies on the bottom of the water body, there are some species that consume only plant material. Some species are found to be carnivorous, as they feed on other fish and even other bottom feeders. Another interesting trait of these fish is that most of them can bury themselves in sand. This characteristic feature is more pronounced in snails, sea cucumbers, flatfish and stingray. Most of them have flat ventral area, so that they can comfortably rest on the sand. However, flatfish do not have a flat ventral area and are found to rest on their flat sides. Most of the bottom feeders have their mouth pointed downwards, as they feed from the substrate only. They use some special technique to discard the sand that enters their body. In some organisms, the sand is expelled through the gills, in some others, it is passed through the body, before expulsion.

Aquarium Bottom Feeder Fish

In case of fish tanks, these fish can be beneficial in various ways. First of all, they can give a balanced look to the tank, as other fish are likely to stay more on the top and middle layers of the water. Another advantage is that some of the bottom feeders feed on the leftover food that sinks to the bottom and decayed organic matter, while some others like to feed on algae. However, you must be careful, while selecting one for your aquarium. Pleco catfish is perfect for aquariums with aggressive fish, as the former have good armor. Apart from that, they consume the leftover food too. If you wish to add some color to the bottom portions of your fish tank, then, clown loach will be the ideal. These peace-loving fish with attractive stripes are also good at cleaning the tank. Crayfish is another bottom feeder fish that feed on leftovers. However, they are aggressive and can hurt other small fish. Even though, they consume algae, leftovers and decayed materials, they too need food, like algae wafers and shrimp pellets. Even the tank size must be taken into consideration, while choosing these fish.

Catfish and loaches are the most popular among the bottom feeder freshwater fish. Plecostomus is one of the common types used in fish tanks.These fish usually have a good lifespan and have very few health problems. So, go through the fish list, available with the supplier and select the one, which is best suited for your aquarium. It is always advisable to seek the opinion of experts, while choosing fish for your fish tank or aquarium.

How Many Calories in an Orange?

Most dietitians never agree upon a diet plan. Most of them fight and feud in an attempt to prove that their diet plan is better and more effective. As such there are very few foods which dietitians claim to be perfect in all respects. Among the few foods which people at large, do generally accept as a good food for weight loss is the orange. It also has its share of nutrients as well. All these facts bring up the inevitable questions over how many calories does an orange contain and its nutritional facts.

Counting Calories in an Orange
The orange has a very high water content, which dramatically reduces the average calories. On an average, the edible part has a water content of about 85%. The amount of calories also vary depending on the different types of oranges.

The average orange has about 47 calories per 100 g consumed. So depending on how much you ate, you can do a bit of math and calculate the amount of calories you have consumed. Below given is the calorie content of few varieties of orange.

Clementine orange: The Clementine orange adds up to 47 calories to your daily intake, per 100 g.

Satsuma orange: The Satsuma variety are generally smaller than normal oranges and have fewer seeds also. It adds around 53 calories, per 100 g.

Mandarin orange: Mandarin orange again has comparatively lower calorific value and contains only 53 calories per 100 g.

Calories in Orange Juice
If you're having fruit juice, then unless it is concentrated, the calories in orange juice will be higher than what you would get from an equivalent amount of oranges. Calories in orange juice will depend upon the method of preparation, additional items and quantity. On an average, sweetened orange juices have about 55 calories per 100 ml of juice and the unsweetened variety adds about 40 calories per 100 ml of juice.

You will obviously get a more accurate number for the average calories in the juice by simply looking at the back of the carton of juice. The nutritional facts about the juice are generally given there.

Nutritional Facts about Orange
The orange derives most of its calories from the carbohydrate content, and the sugar content to be specific. 100 gm serving of an orange gives you about 11.5 g of carbohydrates, 9 g of which are from sugar and around 2.5 are from fiber. The fat and protein components are negligible as there is no cholesterol or saturated fat.

The orange, being a citrus fruit, is rich in vitamin C and researchers claim that 100 g supplies 45 mg of Vitamin C, which is effectively 75% of the recommended daily intake. It also contains natural antioxidants which develops immunity and help in fighting with diseases and infections. Other than this, it contains vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin E in moderate amount. Oranges also contain iron, thiamin, riboflavin, miacin, phosphorous, copper, magnesium and zinc.

Oranges must be one of the most delicious, yet low calorie foods which you will ever find. You will not only gain control over your weight, but will also enjoy other health benefits of this fruit. So include oranges in your daily diet and have a healthy body.

Saltwater Fish

Handling saltwater fish is rather tricky as they need proper acclimatization. The fish can become stressed when pulled out of their natural homes and placed in an aquarium which does not meet the required conditions. Before you decide on an aquarium with saltwater fish, learn the acclimatization process well.

Types of Saltwater Fish

Here are the descriptions of some common saltwater fish that you can purchase for your aquarium:

• Boxfish: Boxfish are approximately three inches in length and adapt well to captivity if provided with adequate space to move around and some rockwork. Their diet includes sponges, worms and small crustaceans.
• Butterfly Fish: In captivity, the average size of Butterfly fish is six inches. The care of these fish can be rather difficult because of the feeding habits of some species as they exclusively feed on live coral polyp. Further, a large tank with plenty of hiding space is required for the survival of most varieties.
• Cardinal Fish: The cardinal fish adapt well to captivity and grow up to two inches in length. They do need extensive rockwork and other decorations so that they can retreat from the other members of the tank when the please. These fish can also be bred in captivity but special care has to be provided to the young ones.
• Dwarf Angelfish: The dwarf angelfish are a very popular and colorful marine angelfish species. They grow up to four inches in length, are mild tempered and will easily adapting to other fish in the aquarium.
• Gobies: The Goby fish species adapt well to life in captivity and aquarium. They reach an average length of three inches. A sealed aquarium will be required if you want to keep these fish as they have a tendency of jumping out. Some species of this variety also burrow and sift sand and hence a proper environment with plenty of proper substrate of coral sand has to be provided.
• Puffers: Most species of the Puffer fish reach an approximate length of eight inches with the exception of a few that are three inches in length. These fish are relatively easy to maintain if provided with ample swimming room, a varied meaty diet and some hiding places.
• Rays: The Rays that are suitable for aquariums are usually found around the rocky reefs, coral reefs and lagoons. These are high maintenance fish which when kept in captivity need to be fed frozen squids which have been vitamin enriched, live ghost shrimp and similar meaty foods. After the Rays have settled down in the aquarium, it is advisable to regularize and control the amount of the food that is offered to the fish. Further to maintain Rays, a large aquarium of approximately 100 gallons with sandy substrate and optimum water conditions are required to maintain Rays.
• Seahorses: When kept in captivity, the average size of the seahorses is approximately 5 inches. They adjust well to life in captivity when maintained in water conditions with low current that contains plenty of algae and coral decorations. Seahorses usually face difficulty in competing for live food with other fish and hence it is advisable to keep the seahorses in separate tanks. They can be fed frozen squids which have been vitamin enriched, live ghost shrimp and amphipods.
• Sharks: The Sharks that are suitable for aquariums are usually found around the rocky reefs, coral reefs and lagoons. They need to be fed frozen squids which have been vitamin enriched, live ghost shrimp and similar meaty foods. After the Sharks have settled down in the aquarium, it is advisable to regularize and control the amount of the food that is offered to the fish. But the matter of fact is that sharks tend to outgrow very large aquariums too.
• Squirrel Fish: The Squirrel fish reach around five inches when kept in captivity and they do very well when maintained in a small group. The ideal aquarium for this variety of fish would be a larger sized aquarium of about 70 gallons in size that is well sealed along with plenty of rockwork and overhangs. Their diet includes smaller fish, planktons and small invertebrates.
• Trigger Fish: The Trigger fish grow between six and ten inches in length and adapt well to life in an aquarium if provided with ample swimming space and hiding places. They grow quickly but do tend to become aggressive towards the same species and other tank mates.

How to Cartoon Yourself

Today, the trend of creating a cartoon of your image is catching up, and many people seem to put up these cartoon pictures as their profile pictures. If you are wondering how you will look after creating a cartoon of yourself, then there are many ways to do this. Given below, are four different ways on how to cartoon yourself, which will help you to create a cartoon picture.

How to Turn Yourself into a Cartoon?

The first thing you need to do before you start looking at different sources to create a cartoon character of yourself, is to take a neat picture of you. This means you take a good portrait of yourself, before uploading it to create a cartoon. Make sure your picture is properly lit, and not too dark or burned out. Take care for the composition too, and if you want your cartoon to be smiling, then shoot your smiling picture. If you wish to create different expressions cartoon pictures of yourself, then shoot multiple pictures. Once you are satisfied with the picture you have, use the above ways on how to cartoon yourself.

How to Make a Cartoon of Yourself Online?
This is one of the best method of cartooning yourself. Also, this doesn't require any software downloading. There are many sites on which you just need to upload your picture, and the site processes it to create a cartoon picture which resemble you. There are some paid sites, and some free sites. Sites like zwinky allow you to cartoon yourself for free, and help you to create a cartoon of yourself, change your clothing, shoes, and other accessories.

How to Make a Cartoon of Yourself in Photoshop?
A similar way to create a cartoon character of yourself, is by using photoshop software. Just open your picture in Photoshop, and then go to filters in photoshop. There are filters which help you digitize your picture, which makes it look like a cartoon. You can also add some more filters to make your image look more cool, like neon effect, motion blur, portrait, etc. Make sure you compress the picture created in photoshop, by saving it as for web in jpeg low format for faster uploading.

How to Quickly Cartoon Yourself for Facebook?
If you have no time to do the above methods, but want to still put a cartoon picture for Facebook or other social networking site, then consider going through pictures of various famous cartoon characters. You can go through classic Disney characters like Donald, Goofy, Pluto, etc., or Looney Toons characters like Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Tweetie Pie, etc., or go with any of your favorite cartoon character like Homer Simpson, Spongebob, Batman, etc. You can also pick up an already existing cartoon character which resembles you.

How to Cartoon Yourself by Drawing?
Thinking, how to make a cartoon character of yourself by sketching? Then you will have to take your picture, observe it and then draw a simple cartoon by watching your picture. However, if you have average drawing skills, then upload this picture in photoshop, and lock the picture layer, on top of that create another layer, and on this picture using a medium-sized brush, draw your face outline, hair outline and your facial features outline like lips, nose, eyes and eyebrows. This way you will have a more genuine looking digital cartoon image of yourself.

These were the tips and tricks on how to cartoon yourself, with different ways. So, use any of the above methods to create a cool looking cartoon of yourself. Apart from using the cartoon as your profile pic, you can also use it to get it printed on a mug, T-shirt or create cards for various reasons.

Sketching Tips and Tricks

I have studied animation film-making and during the course, I had to sketch for long hours everyday. For gesture drawing, my classmates and me used to observe and draw people, at bus stops, gardens, train stations, etc. It was fun but a lot of hard work too! However, if you like sketching just as a hobby, you don't have to do much hard work.

Sketching Tips for Beginners

So, what does one need for sketching basically? Is it paper? Is it pencil? No, it's not. It is the skill of observation, that is an important attribute for a good sketching artist . Here, are a few tips and tricks that will help you in improving your drawing and sketching skills.

Stationery: It is not necessary to spend all your money on expensive stationery. One of the sketching tips for beginners, is to start sketching on textured paper. Later on, you can start using A4 sized papers used for photocopying. For sketching, a darker pencil is required as you can add more depth to your sketches by adding dark shadows and tones. You can always lessen the pressure on the pencil and lighten your strokes, so start with a 6B pencil of decent quality. You will require an eraser and a sharpener or a cutter handy, to sharpen the pencil, and carry a pad to support the papers.

Observation: Now that you have all the equipment, the important thing before your start sketching is observation. Whatever the subject you want to sketch, the important thing before you start is to observe the subject carefully. It can be still life, nature, portrait or gesture drawing. First just sit and watch. What does the subject look like? How is the subject balanced? How does the light fall on the subject? Lighting is an important factor that one should pay attention to, when adding texture in a sketch. Look for the highlights (brightest spots) and shadows formed on the subject.

Hand Movements: Many people don't know that one of the most important part when it comes to sketching is related to hand movements. Before sketching, for 5 -10 minutes just draw circles of a diameter of around 10 centimeters. Draw vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines from end to end of the paper. While drawing these shapes, it is important that you don't rest your wrist on the paper. As you get better at drawing these lines and circles perfectly, your hand movements will improve and you will be able to draw shapes more confidently. This is an important practice assignment, one should do before sketching any subject, for free hand movement.

Getting the Right Form: Whenever sketching a subject, forget about the completion of the sketch. The first thing you should get right is the form. This is one of the important sketching tips for kids, or any beginner. For example, in still life get the shape, size and symmetry of the object right. The shading and texturing of the drawing is secondary and comes later on. When sketching for perspective drawings, get the form perfect and then proceed to shading. If you get the form right, instead of shading you can also do painting these drawings. So whatever subject you want to sketch, try to get the correct form first. You can buy books on different subjects. These books have rules for drawing forms, which will help you understand and draw the form with proper rules. For example, in portrait drawing, a rule is that the space between two eyes, is one eye. So if you want to learn perspective drawing, buy simple illustrated books on perspective drawing and for portrait sketching, buy simple illustrated books on portraits. Do not buy expensive fat drawing books, they are not for beginners. Instead buy small books, which will get you started. Later on you can buy expensive bigger books for advanced sketching lessons.

Texturing or Shading: After you get the form of the subject right, start practicing shading. At this stage, you can buy more pencils of different tones. You can also buy kneaded erasers to give different light shades to your drawings. In the drawing, find the highlights and leave these spots, then take a middle tone pencil, and start shading with the pencil, in even angle strokes. Then proceed to the darkest spots on the subject, and shade these areas with dark toned pencils. Always observe and then start shading the sketch. There are different types of textures, one can use in sketching, like hatching (parallel lines), cross-hatching, varied hatching, stippling, etc. You can create your own texture too, many people smudge their sketch with their fingertips to give a soft hazy look. Buy a basic texturing book, to learn about the different texturing styles. After you get better with black and white sketching, you can start using color pencils. There are some color pencils which are water soluble, so you can use a wet brush on the sketch and give the sketch a watercolor paintings sort of feel!

However, practice is the most important thing required to get better at sketching. So if you really want to sketch well, practice the art at least for an hour everyday and when outdoors, observe and absorb details about anything or anybody. But, don't stare at a person for too long or it will be considered rude! Use the above tips and sketch amazing portraits, still life, nature, perspectives, etc.

Honduras Facts

Honduras was once a sprawling empire that was merged with one of the oldest civilizations - the Mayans. The Honduras have this little spectacle of ruins, called 'Copan', which is situated in Western Honduras, and goes as far back to 1000 BC. It has now spread to the Peninsula area, and was then a part of Mexico, where the empire was divided in AD 900, among the locals, who are known still today known as 'Hondurans'.

The area accounts as the second largest country in South America, and has mountain ranges with coastal plains and river valleys, not to mention a breathtaking coast line that combines the pacific and Caribbean. You'll find more about these Honduras factoids here, that will also do well for kids to understand and know about. It is good to have knowledge about a place we've never heard of, or always wanted to know about.

Facts on Honduras and Its History

These Honduras facts at a glance, should get you to visualize and take your imagination with you, as you delve deeper into what makes Honduras the way it is, and how it has seen years of historic events that have been recorded over time.

1. Christopher Columbus set foot in Northern Honduras, in a place called Trujillo, where he named the country 'Honduras', translating into 'depths', because of the deep waters of the Caribbean coast.
2. The government structure of Honduras, is a democratic constitutional republic.
3. It has 3000 years of rich cultural backing, that show evidence of Mayan archeology in sites of Spanish colonies.
4. Hondurans are welcoming people, and tourists find them very congenial in nature.
5. The currency in Honduras is 'lempira'
6. The language spoken primarily is Spanish, with English as well.
7. Honduras's mining ventures were lucrative to foreign investors that came down from the United States, where a much-loved fruit that was rich in the Honduras, which was the banana, was taken as export as well.
8. Scuba diving presently is a large attraction for tourists with not to mention, an endless list of places for sight-seeing..
9. The Mayan ruins and archaeological set ups, are the must see hotspots of the country.
10. It has a barrier reef, that is the second longest length wise in the world, when compared to that of Australia's.
11. Bass fishing is another much-loved hobby to indulge in, in Honduras.
12. The motto of Honduras is, 'Libre, soberana e independiente', meaning 'Free, sovereign and independent'.
13. Miskito is another language that the Hondurans still speak, besides the previously mentioned dialects of Spanish and English.
14. The official name for Honduras is - the Republic of Honduras.

Interesting Facts About Honduras for Kids

These facts about Honduras, should interest little ones to know briefly about the country, that has a historical past of sorts. It's had its share of political crisis, and has emerged an independent country, free from the reign of outsiders and rulers.

Capital of Honduras - Tegucigalpa

Constitution - Jan 11, 1982

Independence Day - Sept 15, 1821

Official Dialect - Divish

Race - Mestizo with a mix of European Amerindian

Population Count - 7,737,000

Religion Minority - Roman Catholic

National Anthem - Himno Nacional de Honduras

Flag - Consists of three parts of (in order) blue, white and again blue. The five stars that are grouped in the center, represent the union formed by five Central American republics. The coat of arms is a symbol of Honduras's free, sovereign and independent message. The date of their independence is given on the flag as well.

Weather - Humid and hot near the coast

These facts make you want to go out there and walk the streets of Tegucigalpa, meeting the friendly locals, and indulging in a cuisine you've never sunk your teeth into. I hope that many of you have a future set on vacationing in Honduras, and if you've been there already, let us know about it!

List of Hobby Ideas

A hobby is something that each and every one of us has and enjoys. For some, collecting postage stamps could be an enjoyable hobby, while for a few, it could be the idea of braving extreme weather conditions and snowboarding down icy mountain slopes. Whatever it may be, a hobby is something that one pursues for pleasure, for enjoyment, for leisure, and for an altogether different degree of happiness and satisfaction. There is a popular saying which goes, "Lucky are those who have time after work for pursuing their hobby, but luckiest are those for whom work itself is a hobby". On that note, let us have a look at a comprehensive hobbies list, and one which includes a diverse list of hobbies and interests for people of all ages - children, adults, elders, retired citizens, etc.

Generic Hobby Ideas
Generally speaking, there are many different types of hobbies that we get to see around us. We come across women who enjoy knitting as a hobby, and at the same time we run into the occasional daredevils who engage themselves in some stunt biking as a hobby. Arts and crafts, sports, performing arts, culinary arts, social service, gardening, traveling, collecting souvenirs, etc., are a few things that come to mind when we think of the word 'hobbies'. But is that it? Surely there must be a larger, longer and wider list of hobbies, ideas, and interests right? Yes, there certainly is. Let us have a look at it in the following sections of this article.

Hobbies for Men
Presented below are different hobbies, ideas for men. It's not that only men love these. Generally, the darker sex tends to prefer high intensity, energy-packed activities as hobbies and interests but there are sure some women who love these as much. Some typically masculine (that's how I prefer calling them) hobbies are as follows:

• Various types of fishing such as:
  • Bass fishing
  • Cod fishing
  • Trout fishing
  • Sport fishing
  • Ice fishing
  • Fly fishing
• Hiking
• Rappelling
• Rock climbing
• Billiards
• Poker
• Sports betting
• Casino games
• Mountain expeditions
• Bungee jumping
• Mountain biking
• Street racing
• Hunting
• Skateboarding
• Motorcycle racing
• Other extreme sports
• Internet betting and gambling activities such as:
  • Online gambling
  • Online sports betting
• Paragliding
• Snowboarding
• Skydiving
• Soccer
• Hot air balloon rides
• Hang gliding
• Parachute jumps
• Snowmobile racing
• Body piercing
• Basketball
• Racing sports cars
• American football
• Golf
• Baseball
• Running and jogging
• Tennis
• Badminton
• Snow skiing
• Ham radios
• Speed skating
• Playing video games
• Weightlifting
• Bodybuilding

Last but definitely not the least, checking out pretty women! There also exists a select section of men who simply cannot do without the sun, sand and the surf. Here is a list of hobbies for all those water babies:

• River rafting
• Diving
• Jet skiing
• Kayaking
• Powerboat racing
• Canoeing
• Kitesurfing
• Sailing
• Rowing
• Surfing
• Scuba diving

However, not all men have a liking for an adrenalin rush. There are quite a few who have a liking for fine arts, history, technology and other similar hobbies as well.

Hobbies For Women
Women have a wider range of likes and interests when it comes to types of hobbies. There are some women who immensely enjoy outdoor activities, sports, etc. Presented below is an outdoor hobbies list for women. And I don't intend to say that only women engage in these hobbies. There are men who love cooking and there are women who hate it! This is only a broad classification. This is a list of activities women generally prefer.

• Shopping
• Event planning and organizing
• Camping
• Swimming
• Figure skating
• Ice skating
• Party planning
• Dog training
• Fitness and aerobic exercise sessions
• Horse riding
• Traveling

At the same time, quite a lot of females have a preference for indoor hobbies and interests such as:

• Cooking
• Knitting
• Jewelry making
• Making gift baskets
• Crochet
• Reiki
• Different types of painting such as:
  • Oil painting
  • Glass painting
  • Acrylic painting
  • Faux painting
  • Watercolor painting
• Quilting
• Writing
• Interior decorating and designing
• Home decorating
• Creating wall art and wall hangings
• Candle making
• Learning foreign languages
• Visiting beauty salons, clinics, and indulging in the following:
  • Spas
  • Manicures
  • Massages
  • Steam saunas
  • Tanning
  • Acupressure
  • Acupuncture
• New hair accessories, and haircut styles and ideas
• Designer clothing
• Fashion clothing
• Designer handbags and jewelry
• Latest fashion trends in women's clothing
• Embroidery
• Crystal healing
• Learning tarot card reading
• Buying antiques and unique collectibles
• Becoming a collector of Italian art, Chinese art, Celtic art and culture
• Handcrafted jewelry
• Setting up a fish tank with aquarium fish
• Beading
• Spiritual healing
• Aromatherapy
• Cake decorating
• Handicrafts
• Cosmetics
• Flower arrangements
• Origami
• Sewing
• Indoor gardening and other similar activities such as:
  • Growing roses
  • Managing flower gardens
  • Growing bonsai trees
  • Caring for houseplants
  • Growing vegetable gardens
  • Building a rock garden
  • Organic gardening and composting
• Yoga
• Coaching
• Feng shui
• Pottery
• Pursuing mosaic, stained glass and pastel art
• Home based business opportunities
• Scrapbooking
• Wood carvings and crafts

Hobbies For Kids
When it comes to hobbies for children, there is a variety of options available to choose from. Whether online or offline, indoor or outdoor, hobby ideas are a dime a dozen. Here is a list of things that the kids can take into consideration:

• Treasure hunting
• Stamp collecting
• Coin collection
• Sudoku puzzles
• Playing board games
• Riddles
• Reading
• Paper crafts
• Martial arts
• Kite flying
• Woodworking
• Drawing
• Playing PC games
• Card games
• Comic books
• Visiting zoos, wildlife parks and animal safaris
• Collecting miniatures of cars, planes, historical monuments, etc.
• Watching famous cartoons and animated films
• Sleep-overs and slumber parties
• Coloring pages
• Participating in kids' summer camps
• Engaging in kids' crafts, kids' art activities and craft books
• Face painting
• Kids' cooking
• Magic and optical illusions
• Disney vacations
• Amusement parks and theme parks

Hobbies For Adults and Couples
Here is a generic list of hobbies for adults, couples as well as elderly citizens. At the same time, most of the following hobbies are such that they can be pursued by teens and youngsters as well. Here is a list of hobbies, ideas for all the above-mentioned people:

• Contemporary art
• Metal art
• Sand sculpting and sand crafts
• Spending vacations in new places
• Handwriting analysis
• Meditation
• Astrology
• Astronomy
• Studying about the solar system and other related things such as:
  • Comets
  • Meteors
  • Asteroids
  • UFOs
  • Aliens
  • Spaceships
• Bird watching (in the true sense of the term!)
• Leather crafts
• Charity work
• RV camping
• Different types of photography such as:
  • Aerial photography
  • Digital photography
  • Portrait photography
  • Fashion photography
  • Nature photography
  • Fine art photography
  • Wildlife photography
  • Underwater photography
  • Landscape photography
  • Wedding photography
  • Astrophotography
  • Black and white photography
  • Glamor photography
  • Sports photography
  • Architectural photography
  • Still life photography
  • Nude photography
  • Infrared photography
  • Wet plate photography
• Home improvement and landscaping activities such as:
  • Lawn care
  • Patio decorating
  • Designing ponds or water fountains
  • Having a birdhouse
• Internet based hobbies such as:
  • Blogging
  • Online chatting
  • Social networking
  • Online games
  • Online dating
  • Exploring online forums
  • Listening to online music
  • Instant messaging
  • Online auctions
  • Online trading
  • Internet radio
  • Internet TV
  • Internet shopping
  • Internet home businesses
• Palmistry and numerology
• Making clay sculptures
• Pet adoption
• Boating
• Animal breeding
• Participating in animal rescue and animal welfare drives
• Starting dog shelters and pet shelters
• Space exploration
• Space travel
• Time travel
• Different forms of dancing such as:
  • Ballet dancing
  • Ballroom dancing
  • Irish dancing
  • Belly dancing
  • Salsa dancing
  • Hip hop dance
  • Cha-cha
  • Samba
  • Rumba
  • Traditional Jewish dance
  • Break dance
  • Tap dance
  • Mexican hat dance
  • Latin dance
  • Indian dance styles such as Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, etc.
• Studying about world history, world culture and heritage, etc.
• Archeology
• Human evolution
• Exploring caves
• Studying about earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes and tsunamis
• Geography and geology
• Dinosaurs and fossils
• Ancient history
• Roman history
• American history
• Greek mythology
• Studying World War I
• Studying World War II
• Other famous wars and war crimes
• Chess
• Trekking
• Studying dream interpretations
• Scale modeling
• Studying horoscopes and different zodiac sign characteristics
• Engaging in music related activities such as:
  • Learning a musical instrument such as a guitar, violin, synthesizer, saxophone, etc.
  • Taking singing lessons
  • Studying about famous musicians and the history of music
  • Listening to different types of music such as:
    • Blues music
    • Indian music
    • Classical music
    • Christian music
    • Country music
    • Rock and Roll
    • Gospel music
    • Rock music
    • Indie music
    • Wedding music
• Researching on the latest gadgets and gizmos
• Watching DVD movies
• Staying fit through exercises and balanced diets

Phew! That was a long, long list of different types of hobbies, wasn't it? As I sign off, I leave you with a little bit of parting advice. Whatever may be your hobby, try not to look at it as a way of filling your pocket. Let it be a way of achieving inner satisfaction, peace of mind, and of experiencing happiness. That way, you will enjoy it much more and to the fullest.

How to Draw People

You might require to draw people in your drawing class in school or while you are just drawing pictures casually. Those students who wish to appear for drawing exams conducted by different states, for them learning to draw people is absolutely essential. There is a general perception that drawing human figures is very complicated and time-consuming. So, let us know how to draw people's faces step by step in the succeeding paragraphs.

Easy Techniques of Drawing People

To sketch people, you will need drawing paper, pencils of different sizes, erasers, pencil sharpeners and finally crayons to color the drawn figures.

Now, let us first understand how to draw people's faces for kids and adults. To draw the face, you should start by drawing a circle or oval which would be the head. In case of small children, the size of the oval would naturally be small. Now, you can draw two semicircle shaped ears on both the sides of the circle already drawn. A simple way of drawing eyebrows would be to draw equal sized horizontal lines. Now, draw both the eyes by making use of two curved lines which meet each other at the ends. You will learn how to draw eyes only after a good deal of practice. Discussing how to draw noses is also important, as they are an important part of the face without which the drawing cannot be complete. The nose can be drawn by a horizontal line which is curved down and making a C shape around each other. Draw the top and bottom lips and have some shading at the place where the bottom lip stops. Do not forget to draw hair on the head otherwise all your people will appear to be bald! Learn to draw different hairstyles for men and women by carefully observing some pictures and then trying them out yourself.

Drawing the portion below the face in a good way is equally important. While drawing the neck, you should note that the neck for men should be thicker than that for women. The body of the person can be drawn by having a rectangle kind of shape. Draw hands at both sides by starting off with two lines which bend forming the elbow and then going forward to meet the hands. Drawing the hands is quite simple-just study the human hand carefully and draw five fingers for both hands with appropriate lengths. Drawing the legs of your sketch is extremely easy. To draw a leg, you have to do is just bring down two vertical lines from the end of the body part and then end them with the leg fingers. Repeat the same procedure for the other leg also. Once you know how to draw the basic human structure, you can practice drawing clothes of different types.

Drawing people is not at all difficult if you have a good observation power and the ability to work hard. You should keep trying the sketches until you get them hundred percent right. As you keep practicing, you will definitely develop interest and this will alone improve your drawing skills.

Saltwater Fishing Reels and Knots

Those who often go fishing, are well acquainted with the tricks of the trade. It needs a lot of patience and perseverance, as you cannot guarantee that you will catch a fish, even after spending the whole day concentrating on the activity. It may take minutes, sometimes hours, and sometimes yield no results at all. Saltwater fishing is primarily, fishing in a saltwater body, just like fishing in the well-known, Mississippi saltwaters. Saltwater and freshwater fishing mainly differs on the type of fish caught. Saltwater fishing is easier and also more easily accessible. Let's take a low down on saltwater fishing reels first.

Types of Saltwater Reels

Fly Reel
Fly reels have always been simple and have now been made better with time, with improved reels and drags, for dealing with larger fish. These reels have manual, single-action designs. Saltwater fly reels are usually bigger in diameter, which provides them with a large line and support ability, especially needed for fishing in the ocean. As saltwater reels are more prone to corrosion, so aerospace aluminum frames and spools, stainless steel components, and sealed and waterproof bearings and drives, etc. are used in saltwater fly reels.

Spinning Reel
The reels which involve a fixed spool are called spinning reels. In fact these types of reels are also called fixed spool reels, and are mounted below the fishing rod. When these spinning reels were introduced, they were introduced to facilitate the use of artificial flies and other baits for trout and salmon, as these are too light to be cast by bait casting reels. Spinning reels are perfect for fly fishing.

Bait Casting Reel
A reel where a bearing supports the revolving spool, which holds the reel, is called the bait casting reel. Such a fishing reel is mounted above the rod. This type of reel works by moving the rod backwards, followed by a forward snapping. Big game reel is a type of bait casting reel used for fishing heavy saltwater fish, like sailfish, tuna, marlin and sharks.

Spincast reel
A cousin of the spin reel, the spin cast reel is a type of a reel with a fixed spool. These reels are traditionally mounted above the rod, but they can have an external 'nose', that protects the fixed spool. Just like the spin reel, it has the ability to cast a lighter bait.

Saltwater Fishing Knots

Snell Knots
Snell knots are the strongest fishing knots and require hardly a few seconds to tie. They drastically help in improving the catch rates. They pass through the eye of the hook, but are basically connected to the shaft. It is a type of hitch knot.

Blood Knot
These knots are used to join two lines. It is one of the easiest and most popular knots in the fishing fraternity.

Conventional Uni
It is supposed to be the best knots for tying a leader, to a swivel. It is a multipurpose knot, and along with a swivel, it is also used for joining lines and attaching lures and snaps.

Apart from these, crimped joins, braid loop, clinch, new uni knot with catspaw, are a few other saltwater fishing knots. Then there are saltwater fishing rigs, to add to the saltwater fishing gear. Fishing rigs are various attachments meant for the lure, attached to the line. Texas rig, two hook pilchard rigs and sliding rigs, are a few of the popular rigs used in saltwater fishing.

Just as the equipment varies for saltwater and freshwater, so do the types of boats. There are special saltwater fishing boats. They are excellent for family fishing and sport fishing. A few of the saltwater fishing boats are center console, deck boats, flat boats, inboard cruisers, sport fishing boats and multi-hall cruisers.

So go on, what are you waiting for? Go enjoy some trout fishing!

Calories in Nachos with Cheese

Nachos and cheese are a combination made in heaven - I don't know anyone who wouldn't do anything for a crispy side dish of nachos with a sizzling cheesy dip to go with it. As tempting as this dish is, it does come sadly with a high calorie label smacked to its bottom. The only solace worth offering is if you tell yourself that by managing your portions efficiently and not crossing over a certain calorie barrier, you can enjoy this dish minus the worries. The health conscious can turn those frowns the right side up, because anything if eaten in moderation can be consumed without fretting about what the numbers will reveal the next time you weigh yourself.

Enjoy the moment of eating your favorite foods, but keeping in mind that portion control is everything. When it comes to the calories in nachos with cheese, I can understand how hard it may be to stop yourself after the 10th nacho has been crunched away. Nonetheless, balance out your portion intake - it's not like you don't have another day to enjoy the same dish.

Nachos with Cheese and Salsa

I've put together a recipe that will help you gage how many calories are contained within a serving of nachos with cheese coupled with salsa. Also keep in mind that minus the salsa and only including the cheese dip will pack in less calories.

Ingredients Needed

1 regular sized packet of nacho chips (30g approx.)
4 tablespoons of sour cream
1 large tomato
2 green chilies
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of cilantro (chopped)
a teaspoon of pepper
A pinch of paprika
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of olive oil

Preparation

Empty out the nachos onto a wide plate, and set aside this two bowls for the cheese and salsa dip. Combine together the sour cream, crushed garlic, pepper, chopped mint and paprika. Stir these together nicely until all ingredients have been blended well with the cheese. For the salsa, finely chop the tomato, mixing together the cilantro, lemon juice and finely chopped chillies. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to this, to bring all the elements together. You can pour out both your dips over the nachos in a layer of cheesy salsa, or dip them individually as you savor each crunchy mouthful. Minus the salsa, calories = 345.

Calories: 380

Sodium: 779mg

Fat: 20g

Carbohydrates: 39g

Protein: 6.5g

Cholesterol: 14.5mg

Nachos with Beans

Beans are an integral part of the nachos and cheese mix, but there's no hard and fast rule to include these in. It can be quite filling, and in my opinion unnecessary if you already decide to have cheese and salsa on the side.

Ingredients Needed

1 regular sized packet of nacho chips (30g approx.)
Red kidney beans (117g)
a teaspoon of pepper
A pinch of paprika
A pinch/two of salt
1 teaspoon of chili flakes
1 tablespoon of cilantro
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
A pinch of cardamom powder

Preparation

Using a nice wide plate, place the nachos off to one side and a bowl to the other with your bean mix. Combine and semi mash together the beans, pepper, salt, paprika, cardamom powder, chili flakes, cilantro and lemon juice before heaping it into the bowl. You can now relish your nachos with beans.

Calories: 235

Sodium: 317mg

Fat: 13g

Carbohydrates: 20g

Protein: 8.58g

Cholesterol: 20.38mg

Knowing how much of something is okay to eat is what will help you enjoy your favorite snacks and meals, without compromising on your health. Switch to baked nachos to decrease the number of calories you consume, to make it an all healthy eat. Hearty eating!

How to Catch Bass

Fishing, which has been a popular hobby for centuries, can be defined more specifically as the technique of catching fish. Without a basic awareness of fish, fishing and fishing gear, it will be somewhat difficult for a layman to become successful in this task. However, expertise is a matter of time and experience and fishing is a domain, wherein such knowledge can help you a lot.

Bass Fish Facts

Bass is a wider term, which encompasses several different species that belong to the order Perciformes. Some species of bass fish are very popular as game fish in North America, where they are found in plenty. Some of the important species of bass fish include, largemouth bass, small mouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass and Guadalupe bass. Most species of bass prefer still water, particularly, the areas, which are covered by weeds and logs. It can exist in a variety of temperatures, but during cold weather, it tends to be inactive. These fish move to deeper regions on sunny days. In case of cloudy weather, bass fish are mostly seen in shallow waters. While spring and fall are considered to be best for bass fishing, if you know the right technique, you can successfully catch bass in other seasons too.

Tips to Catch Bass

In case of a river, the most common bass species are the largemouth bass and the smallmouth bass. While largemouth bass avoid heavy water currents, smallmouth bass are found in fast-moving water currents. In order to avoid water currents, largemouth bass often move to small creeks that develop from the river. You can find them in such places, especially, the weedy regions. The smallmouth bass can be found near large rocks in the river, as they mostly feed on the small crustaceans that live on the rocks. Fishing is better done during early mornings or evenings. It is also said that the three days that precede and succeed a full moon day or a new moon day are very good for fishing. Use the right fishing gear and the right bait for different types of bass (plastic worms or live bait can be used). In case of clear water, use light-colored ones, but, dark-colored ones are good for muddy or cloudy water. Experts suggest that plastic worms are more effective in bass fishing. Once the plastic worm sinks to the bottom, wait for the bite. Once in a while, move the worm up and down gently, so as to catch the attention of the fish. As the fish takes the bait, wait till you feel the weight to set the hook. In short, you have to use the right fishing gear and right bait. Apart from that, you must know the right place for fishing and the correct technique.

Catching Bass in Winter

Winter is not considered a good time for bass fishing. During winter, the waters will be cold, making the fish very slow in movements. They don't even feed much during these days. During such cold weather, you have to try shallow waters (not more than twelve feet in depth) for bass fishing. Instead of moving the bait, you have to wait patiently, for the fish to bite. A bait that moves may not attract them, so do not move the rod and let the fish feel it is an easy catch. If you move the bait, the fish may not react, as it may not spend energy in chasing food. All these factors, along with the cold weather may make it difficult for the angler to catch bass. If you are a real enthusiast, you can try bass fishing during winters too. You may be rewarded with the biggest bass, that you have ever caught.

You may find it a little bit difficult during the initial stages, but, with time and patience, you will definitely become a pro at bass fishing.

Cast Net Throwing Instructions

Most people indulge in fishing as a hobby. The rod and the reel, are the most common fishing gear, used to catch fish. Cast net fishing is a very effective way of fishing and if done in the right way, is a surety for great results. Cast fishing nets are circular and have a radius of 4 to 12 feet. In recreational fishing, cast nets with a radius of 4 - 6 feet are used. The instructions in this article are sure to help you in increasing your catch, the next time you go fishing.

Instructions for Throwing Cast Net

Given below are the cast net throwing steps, for a 4 - 6 feet radius net, for a right-handed person. If you are left-handed, follow this cast net technique of throwing, by using the opposite hands.

• Around your left wrist, cinch the rope. Form a loop of the hand line and grab it in your left hand.
• Now holding the cast net, extend your left arm away from your head. With your right hand, grab the cast net at pocket level.
• Then move your left hand to your hip. With your left hand grab the portion of the cast net, which the right hand was holding. At this stage, your left hand will be holding the entire cast net and your right hand will be free.
• Make sure the lead line is touching the ground.
• Now you have to divide the cast net into two halves. Starting from the point of your left thumb and forefinger, in a straight line down and grab the lead line.
• Hold this half of the net in your right hand. The left hand should now be holding the other half of the cast net and the hand line.
• Grab the net in the middle, of the half side in the right hand. Roll this half on the left hand thumb and release it.
• Now you will have two bunches of the lead line, hanging at the bottom. The higher part will be wrapped around your thumb. The lower part will be grasped by your left hand.
• Grab the lead line at the meeting point of the high and low bunches of the lead lines.
• Hold the rope, of this part of the lead line, in your mouth lightly.
• Now grab the lead line, hanging from your mouth, between your right thumb and finger.
• After this, let your right palm face upwards and then bring it close to your left hand. Roll some of the cast net from your right hand, to the left thumb.
• Now, you will be in a position, where you will be holding the cast net in both hands, with palms facing up.
• Take a throwing stance. Do this by turning your body at a ninety degree angle to the left and hold your arms closer to your waist.
• Turn and throw the cast net, with a smooth upward angle motion. The cast net will open in a circular form.
• For closing the cast fishing net, just pull the drawstring.

Useful Tips for Cast Net Fishing

Use these fishing tips whenever you are going for cast net fishing.

• Before using your net, soak it for 4 - 5 hours in a solution of water and 2 tablespoons of mild fabric softener.
• Wear light clothing, while using a cast net. Also, remove your wrist watch and rings when throwing a cast net for fishing.
• Practice throwing cast net in your backyard first. You can also practice the instructions near a river bank. Avoid practicing in the river, as you might lose your balance and fall off the boat.
• Check your net for any tears before every use.
• Wash your net with freshwater after every use.
• Store the net in a dry and clean place.
• Avoid using the cast net in rocky areas. This might lead to more wear and tear of the cast net.
• For better results, use cast net in water which has a depth that is approximately equal to the cast net radius.

By practicing the above instructions and using the above tips; you will soon be throwing cast nets like an expert.

Clam Dip Recipes

Clam dips are one of the most tastiest dips, not only because of the ingredients used to make the recipe, but also because of the unique flavor of clam itself. Clam dip is generally used with crackers, but you can also try it with various other recipes. The ingredients used in clam dip recipes vary, but the most commonly used ingredients are sour cream and cheese. Given below are recipes for a clam dip with tasty variations. So if you do not have one ingredient of a particular recipe, you can simply move to the next!

Hot Clam Dip
Ingredients

• 1 tsp hot pepper sauce
• 2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbs grated onion
• 2 tbs beer
• 3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams, drained
• tsp salt
• 1 (20 ounce) loaf round French bread
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Process

Preheat the oven to 120 degrees C. Now take the bread and cut the top off the bread, make it hollow, leaving about a 2 inch shell. The remaining half of the bread that you pull off, reserve it. Take a bowl and add onion, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, beer, salt, hot pepper sauce and lemon sauce; beat well. When well mixed, add in clams. Mix well and then pour the mixture inside the hollowed bread bowl, cover it with the bread top and wrap the loaf in aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for about 3 hours. You can use the leftover bread which was torn from inside the loaf, to make bread cubes. Toast those bread cubes with the dip when 5 minutes of the baking are left. This is a delicious recipe of clam dip in bread bowl.

Baked Clam Dip
Ingredients

• cup Italian style breadcrumbs
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbs chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbs dried oregano
• 6 tbs butter
• 1 tsp paprika for color
• 2 (6 oz) cans minced clams, (do not drain the juice)
• 1 medium onion, minced

Process

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take a medium-sized pan, saut garlic, onion and butter for about a 1-2 minutes, over medium heat. Do not let the garlic turn brown. Now add clams along with the juice, lemon juice, oregano and parsley, mix well. Fry for a few minutes before adding cheese and breadcrumbs, mix until the texture becomes like paste, if the texture is not attained, add more breadcrumbs. Once done, put the mixture in an ovenproof pie dish and season with paprika. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, until golden. Serve warm. This is not only a baked dip recipe, it is also a clam dip recipe with breadcrumbs.

Clam Dip with Sour Cream
Ingredients

• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbs chopped green onions
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• Crackers, cocktail bread or potato fries
• 2 tbs cocktail sauce
• Green onion strips
• 1 (8 ounce) light sour cream
• 1 (6 ounce) can minced clams, drained

Process

Take a medium-sized bowl and add sour cream, 2 tbs green onions, clams, Worcestershire sauce and pepper in it. Mix well and cover. Refrigerate until all the ingredients get blended well. When blended well, remove from the refrigerator and spoon into a shallow plate. Season with swirl cocktail sauce. You can also garnish with green onion strips to get the best clam dip with sour cream.

These were some tasty clam dip recipes, now you need not keep wondering how to make clam dip. If you wish to, you can make variations in the above recipes, however make sure that the base is the same.

Smallmouth Bass Fishing Tips

Smallmouth bass are usually found near certain objects like rock, weed and other things present in the water. However, they are not as much weed oriented as the largemouth. The smallmouth bass is found deeper in the water as compared to the largemouth. The nature or personality of the smallmouth bass fish depends upon the competition in the water. In water with high competition, the smallmouth bass fish are very aggressive. However, in waters where there is not much competition, the smallmouth fish are picky eaters and are very exacting about what they eat. The smallmouth fish which are much smaller in size are more aggressive as compared to the larger ones. Smaller smallmouth fish are found in shallower waters and the large ones are found deep inside the water. The smallmouth fish are usually caught at the bottom, however, these fish can be caught at the surface also. Let us take a look at some smallmouth bass fishing tips.

Tips and Tricks for Smallmouth Bass Fishing

Here are some tips and techniques for fishing smallmouth bass:

• Smallmouth love live bait and they always hit a live bait more than an artificial one. The very favorite live baits of smallmouth are the live worms. You can catch a smallmouth bass fish in an impressive manner with the help of a live bait.
• Top water baits are more attractive for the smallmouth bass. However, for a top water bait, the water of the lake must be very still. When you go for the top water live bait, this bait fish feels dangerous and gets deeper into the water. The smallmouth bass follows this live bait deep in the water, therefore, you must be careful and cover a large area. Place the fishing lure on the shore about 15 yards out.
• Another useful tip is that the smallmouth bass fish is affected by the phases of moon. Hence, you must be careful about the moon phases and when you plan to go for smallmouth bass fishing, research about the exact phase of moon. This will surely increase your chance of catching the smallmouth bass fish.
• Small crank baits must be used for smallmouth bass fishing, as smaller baits work well. But, the live baits work more well than that of the small baits.
• On windy and sunny days, the smallmouth bass are at the top of the shoal. When it is windy, the smallmouth bass fish move to the backside of the shoals where the waves hit the rocks on the shore. At this time, you can cast your fishing lures because the smallmouth bass will be in the shallow waters. In order to catch a large size smallmouth bass, you have to try with a big hook and a light live worm. For taking away big smallmouth bass, you have to use a live bait like a minnow.
• In sunny and hot days, the smallmouth bass fish hide in thick weeds, so search for smallmouth near the weeds in hot and sunny days.
• Smallmouth bass go deep inside the water in rainy days and when there is a low pressure belt. They stop feeding when it rains, however, they do not stop the feeding always. They feed in rainy days but there are less chances. So, you have to plan fishing in deeper waters for smallmouth bass.

These were some smallmouth bass fishing tips that will definitely help you get an impressive catch. So, happy fishing!

Bullhead Catfish

Belonging to the family of Ictaluridae and catfish genus Ameiurus, bullhead catfish are one of the most types of fish found in the United States of America. There are three types of these fish, namely the Ameiurus natalis commonly called yellow bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus known as brown bullhead and Ameiurus melas called black bullhead.

Bullhead Catfish Identification
Compared to other fish, bullhead catfish can tolerate fish toxins and pollutants better. All three types of bullhead catfish breed during the later half of the spring season and early summer. They rest in mud bottoms and sand where they lay their eggs, are omnivorous, and they feed on vegetation and invertebrates besides some small fries.

One of the most popular species of bullhead catfish due to its taste and size, the yellow bullhead is characterized by its round tail, long anal fin and white lower barbels. Bullhead catfish species is different from other varieties of catfish species like blue catfish and channel catfish. The tail fins are squared in bullhead catfish, and on the other hand, they are forked in channel catfish or blue catfish. There are around 24 to 27 anal fin rays which includes the rudimentary and at times weight of yellow bullhead catfish is more than two pounds. Yellow bullhead catfish are mostly found in deep and weedy ponds and lakes harboring bass, panfish. Moreover they may also be found in streams.

The brown bullhead catfish is somewhat similar to its yellow counterpart, the only difference being a square tail and dark lower barbels in the brown species. The anal fin ray numbers around 21 to 24. The mottled pattern of green and brown in a brown bullhead is more when compared to the black bullhead, in which the colors are more even.

In a black bullhead, there are dark barbels similar to the brown bullhead, but they are more uniformly colored rather than mottled. The anal fin rays numbers around 15 to 21. Moreover, at the base of the tail there is a light bar that passes across in a black bullhead. The black bullhead can tolerate an environment which is poor in oxygen and are mostly found in warm and eutrophic water bodies. Most black bullheads are about 6-10 inches long, however, in some rare cases they reach 15 inches long. They are found in the Rock River in southwestern Minnesota and are commonly found in muddy streams and shallow lakes.

Bullhead Catfish Aquarium
If you are thinking of introducing bullhead catfish in an aquarium in your home, there are a few things you should know about its care regimen. Try using levels of filtering and aeration as it would help you in handling the huge quantity of bio load that these fish produce. Introduce a good number of Elodea plants so that it helps in filtration. Make sure that you use some locally gathered snails and some insects like nymphs. Try creating a natural habitat for your pets so that they feel at home. You can use shale rocks or limestone for this purpose. To feed your pet, you can buy live minnows and if they are unavailable you can use feeder goldfish.

Bullhead Catfish Fishing
The most favored time for catching bullhead catfish is during the evening and night. During summer, these fish remain inactive in deep waters as during the daytime the temperature of water increases and active when the water cools. In the evening, the catfish comes out in search of food, thereby making this an excellent time for catching bullheads.

Bullhead catfish has a very week eyesight but, its sense of smell is excellent. So, when you go out fishing, try to take advantage of this. Choose baits which would lure the bullheads. Stink bait is an excellent option which you can use as catfish are attracted to it. Another excellent option is to offer crayfish or worms. The most important thing to remember while using a bait is to use one which has a strong odor as it would interest this fish. Visual presentation would not work as, it is the sense of smell which the bullhead relies on. Thus, bullhead catfish is easy to identify and keep as pets.

Killifish Care

Killifish, being small-sized and colorful in nature, are very popular among the different types of aquarium fish. They are also easy to keep and breed in an aquarium. Most of these fish are found to have a body length that ranges between 2 to 6 centimeters, but, some species may grow up to six inches in length. There are around 1270 species of killifish that belong to different families. Among them, the family Rivulidae contains around 320 species. It is said that the name killifish is derived from the Dutch word 'kilde', which indicates the habitat of these fish - small water bodies that may disappear during summers. The eggs are laid in the substrate and hatch only when the dried water bodies are filled again during rains. The fry grow fast, due to the unpredictable nature of their habitat. These fish mate, breed and die, as the water dries up.

Killifish Care Instructions

Different types of killifish are raised as pets and the most popular among them are species from genera like Aphyosemion, Aplocheilus, Epiplatys, Pseudepiplaty, Panchax, etc. You must have a basic understanding about the specific species you choose for your fish tank. If you go for Aphyosemion species, most of them are found to have a lifespan of one year. This is not the case with Panchax species, that may live up to five years. In short, the requirements may vary from one species to another. The following are some of the general guidelines that can help you in raising killifish as pets.

Killifish Tank and Compatibility
These fish can be kept in well planted tanks with slightly acidic water. It is always better to maintain a pH level of 5.5 to 7. They require lower temperature settings and so, should not be kept with those tropical fish that require warmer waters. You must also provide some driftwood, rocks, etc., that can be used by the fish, as hiding places. Some floating plants can also be added to the tank, which must be provided with a substrate of peat moss. While, bigger killifish species can be kept with other fish in a large fish tank, smaller ones often need separate aquariums. It has to be noted that certain species of killifish are very aggressive, especially the males. So, too many males and a small tank is not at all a good combination, as they may fight each other and die. They are found to be compatible with small catfish, tetras, barbs, dwarf cichlids and non territorial ones. It is better to keep them in tanks with secure lids, as they are good jumpers.

Feeding and Breeding
Providing the right food in right quantity is one of the basics of killifish care. They can be fed with fruit flies, white worms, mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, grindal worms, etc. You may also use packaged killifish foods that are available in pet stores. In case of killifish fry, feed them with artemia (brine shrimp), for the first week. Later, you may go for baby brine, white worms, etc. Regular killifish food can be given, as they grow to adults. As far as killifish breeding is concerned, small-sized ones are found to be difficult to breed. But, you may get successful, if you transfer them to a separate tank and provide the ideal environment. While some species are found to lay eggs on the substrate, others may use spawning mops or plants, for this purpose. Once the fries are born, it will be better to separate the adults from the tank. In case of lyretail killifish, breeding is said to be easy, when compared to other types.

Now, you have a basic idea about the various aspects of killifish care and breeding. However, the above said is only a brief and general overview about the subject. So, you have to gain thorough knowledge about the specific type of killifish, you are intending to get for your aquarium.

African Butterfly Fish

What might have come to your mind when you first heard about the African butterfly fish? A fish that looks like a butterfly. And right you were! This fish is a surface dweller, and the only member of its species or family. It is equipped with pectoral fins, that are large enough to allow the fish to glide very short distances across the surface of the water. The fins have a silvery brown shade, which are marked with dark lines, earning them the name 'Butterflyfish'. Growing no more than 13centimeters (5.1 in) in length, this fish is known as a surface hunter.

Facts on the African Butterfly Fish

• To continue what I said earlier, this fish is known as a surface hunter because of the fact that it is trained to hunt for prey by being at the surface. Also, because of the upturned mouth, it is easier for the fish to capture small prey along the water's surface.
• Creeks, lakes and swamps, are known to provide for the ideal habitat for the African butterfly fish, as the water in these regions tend to be slow-moving and still. Also, these places are abundant in surface foliage, providing the fish good cover from predators. When kept as a pet, it must be housed in aquarium of at least 20USgallons.
• The African butterfly fish is known to be a super jumper. This is why it is imperative to have a good cover on the aquarium.
• A year round temperature of 73F - 86F is what is considered to be the ideal one required by the fish to survive.
• This fish is a carnivore and its diet consists of crickets, flies, mosquitoes, small spiders, worms, and even gut-loaded small fish. Sometimes, even canned foods will also do. However, it does not prefer prepared food.
• If you plan to keep other fish along with the African butterfly fish, then best it is to go for those types that swim in the bottom or middle. As you know, this fish which we are talking about, is a surface dweller, and it is aggressive towards other top-dwelling fish. According to experts the best species of fish which can mingle well with this one include Congo tetras, elephant nose fish, West African cichliads, and African knife fish.
• Slightly soft, acidic water, is preferred by this fish species, with a pH value of 6.9 - 7.1 and KH of 1-10.
• When it comes to sexing, you can distinguish a male from a female, only when the latter is carrying eggs. Because then, the female appears fatter than the male. However, one feature that may help in this, is the rear edge of the anal fin. In case of a male, it is shaped convexly, while it is a straight one for a female.
• When you are housing the African butterfly fish, ensure that the filtration of the aquarium is not too strong. This is due to the preference of this swimmer to dwell in still waters.

As a beginner, the prospect of breeding this fish species is not a bright one. And even if you are able to do so, raising the fry is another challenge. This is because, the juveniles will only feed on food that come floating into their mouths. So best it is to seek help from a professional.

List of Low Fat Foods

The problem of obesity has attained a global status. Sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle has aggravated the problem even more. Nonetheless, more and more people are becoming conscious of their weights and are trying to look out for ways to control their weights. Proper diet and regular exercises are the best ways to keep your weight within limits. Low fat foods go a long way in reducing your weight. However, to incorporate these foods in your daily diet, you must know which are the foods with low fat content. In this article, we have provided an extensive list of low fat foods across different categories for your reference.

Fruits
Fresh fruits often constitute a healthy and nutritious diet. However, if you are planning to eat fruits as a part of your weight control diet, then you must eat only those fruits that are low in fats. Not all fruits are low in fat content. Here is a low fat food list of fruits and berries.

• Apple
• Apricot
• Avocado
• Banana
• Cantaloupe
• Casaba melon
• Fig
• Grape

• Grapefruit
• Honeydew melon
• Lemon
• Lime
• Kiwi
• Mango
• Orange
• Papaya

• Peach
• Pear
• Persimmon
• Pineapple
• Plums
• Pomegranate
• Tangerine
• Watermelon

• Blueberries
• Cherries
• Cranberries
• Currants
• Gooseberries
• Loganberries
• Raspberries
• Strawberries

Vegetables
Most of the vegetables cannot be eaten raw or consumed as juices. Hence, their cooking method is important in determining their fat content. Vegetables should always be cooked in minimal cooking oil to extract maximum benefit from them. Low fat vegetables include:

• Acorn squash
• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Bean sprouts
• Beets
• Brussels sprouts
• Butternut squash
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Carrots

• Celery
• Corn
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Green beans
• Hubbard squash
• Iceberg lettuce
• Leeks
• Mushrooms
• Onions

• Parsnips
• Potatoes( Baked)
• Rutabaga
• Sweet potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Turnips
• Wax beans
• Zucchini
• Bok choi
• Broccoli

• Collard Greens
• Kale
• Mesclun
• Mustard Greens
• Romaine Lettuce
• Spinach
• Water Crest
• Beet Greens
• Chard etc.

Meat and Fish
Similar to vegetables, meat and fish should also be cooked in less oil. Besides, they should be consumed only in correct forms, such as, skinless or in lean forms only. Following are low fat meats and fish varieties.

• Egg whites
• Chicken breast (skinless)
• Turkey breast (skinless)
• Lean beef
• Lean pork
• Lean lamb
• Lean veal
• Liver
• Rabbit

• Venison
• Game hens
• Game birds
• Catfish
• Cod
• Flounder
• Haddock
• Halibut
• Herring

• Mackerel
• Pollock
• Salmon
• Sea bass
• Snapper
• Swordfish
• Trout
• Tuna
• Clams

• Crab
• Crayfish
• Lobster
• Mussels
• Octopus
• Oysters
• Scallops
• Squid
• Shrimp

Legumes
Most of the legumes are very high in proteins and low in fats. Legumes give you the required energy without being too high in fat content.

• Black beans
• Black-eyed peas
• Chickpeas
• Great northern beans

• Green peas
• Kidney beans
• Lentils
• Lima beans

• Mung beans
• Navy beans
• Pinto beans
• Soy beans

• Split peas
• White beans
• Adzuki beans

Bread and Grains
Bread and grains constitute the most important part of your diet. Hence, knowing which grains are low in fat, can help you to incorporate them in your daily diet and thus help reduce weight. Low fat foods in this category include:

• Whole wheat bread
• Bulgur
• Cracked wheat
• Oatmeal
• Whole Grain Cornmeal
• Brown Rice

• Wild Rice
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Sorghum
• Triticale
• Whole wheat flakes

• Whole wheat buns
• Whole wheat rolls
• Muesli
• Whole grain barley
• Pearl barley
• Whole rye

• Whole wheat crackers
• Whole wheat pretzels
• Whole wheat pasta
• Whole wheat tortillas
• Brown rice pasta
• Quinoa pasta

Dairy Products
Although, dairy products are often said to be rich in fats, their low fat versions can be consumed even if you are on a weight loss diet. These include:

• Milk - 1% reduced fat
• Skimmed milk
• Low fat goat's milk

• Soy milk
• Low fat yogurt
• Low fat cheese

• Goat cheese
• Skimmed mozzarella
• Low fat string cheese

• Neufchatel cheese
• Low fat cream cheese

The foods mentioned in the above list should be consumed in fresh and recommended form only. This is the best way to gain maximum benefit from them.