Drink Beer AND Lose Weight

Want to shed that beer belly? Why not try the low-carbohydrate approach? Following the philosophy of today's most popular low-carbohydrate books, dieters gradually increase the early restrictions of their daily carbohydrate intake while excess weight continues to come off, once again enjoying starchy foods like potatoes, rice and pasta ... in moderation, of course.

But what about beer? Is it possible to include moderate amounts of regular brewed beer in a low-carbohydrate diet? One stumbling block that some beer drinkers find when trying to shed weight on a low-carbohydrate regime is the reliance on light beer with its minimal carbohydrate content (and some might say taste). Is it possible to move beyond the restrictions of light beer and on to one of your full-bodied favorites?

Don't bother looking for the answer to this beer drinker's quandary in the many low-carbohydrate diet books that can be found on store shelves today. Not one of these books addresses the possibility of moving on from light beers to regular brewed beers while the pounds continue to melt away.

Why not? If you're a beer drinker, the answer might be obvious. There are no carbohydrate listings on the cans or bottles of regular brewed beer because the government feels that "... nutrition information on labels [of regular beers] is unnecessary and unwarranted." Brewers of light beers, however, have to not only prove that their products are lower in carbohydrates and calories than their big brothers by listing the carbohydrate and calorie count on beer containers, they must also include the nutritional values of the lighter brew.

Is it right to know the carbohydrate and calorie content of what's in your Twinkie but not in that bottle of Czechvar imported beer sitting in front of you? Not if you're a beer drinker on a low-carbohydrate diet!

For the benefit of anyone who's considering using the low-carbohydrate approach to shedding unwanted pounds, here's a list of some popular beers with their carbohydrate contents. All carb values are for twelve-ounce servings:

Anchor Steam 16.00,
Bitburger Pils 9.05,
Boston Beer Summer Ale 15.85,
Budejovicky Budwar (Czechvar) 13.49,
Cooper's Genuine Draught 7.02,
Coors Blue Moon Belgian White 12.87,
Corona Extra 13.99,
Grant's Scottish Ale 12.70,
Harpoon IPA 12.00,
Leinenkugel Original 13.90,
New Belgium Fat Tire 13.66,
Pete's Strawberry Blonde 13.70,
Pilsner Urquell 14.70,
Warsteiner Premium Fresh 12.78,
Spoetzl's Shiner Summer Stock 10.50.

For more information on the carbohydrate count of more than 350 worldwide brands of beer, go to www.drinkbeergetthindiet.com.

Bob Skilnik is a Chicagoland freelance writer who has written for the Chicago Tribune, the Collector Magazine, the American Breweriana Association's Journal and the National Association Breweriana Advertising's Breweriana Collector on the subjects of beer, brewery history and breweriana. He is a 1991 graduate of the Chicago-based Siebel Institute of Technology, the oldest brewing school in the United States, with a degree in Brewing Technology.

His interests in beer and brewing were cultivated while serving as a German translator in West Germany for the United States Army. Skilnik is the Associate Editor for the ABA Journal and The Tap newspaper, and a member of the Society of Midland Authors and the Culinary Historians of Chicago. He has appeared in the Chicagoland area on Media One's television program, The Buzz, WTTW's Chicago Tonight with Bob Sirott and Phil Ponce, Chicago's Public Radio station, WBEZ , Springfield, IL's WUIS Radio and the WOR Morning Show with Ed Walsh in New York. Skilnik's national television appearances have been on the Cold Pizza morning show on ESPN2 and Fox News Live.

Skilnik's latest effort is The Low-Carb Bartender, published by Adams Media. This reference book of hundreds of beers, wines, liquors, and liqueurs with their carbohydrate counts and a collection of over two hundred low carb mixed-drink recipes will be available in bookstores in the fall of 2004. His first book, The History of Beer and Brewing in Chicago, 1833-1978 was published in 1999. The book was awarded the Quill & Tankard Award by the North American Beer Writers Guild (NABWG) as "Best Beer Book" of 1999. The follow up to this work, The History of Beer and Brewing in Chicago, Volume II, is now available at Infinity Publishing, www.BuyBooksontheWeb.com, the author's website at www.chicagolandbeerhistory.com, and www.amazon.com.

---

Understand the Science of Obesity And Youre On Your Way To Conquer It

Many people think obesity means that a person is overweight,... Read More

The Truth About Counting Calories And Weight Loss

Do calories matter or do you simply need to eat... Read More

Dieting? Upgrading Your Non-Conscious Mind ? Part 2

To upgrade the current software in your brain you can... Read More

When Losing Weight Seems Hopeless

Sometimes it's good to just let the feelings flow. Take... Read More

Heading Off Winter Weight Gain Before it Gets Started

Must We Gain Weight Every WinterIt's that time of year... Read More

Bat-Wings: The Dreaded Hanging Arm Skin After WLS

Gastric-bypass surgery is only the first step many morbidly obese... Read More

Smarter Eating

Dieting doesn't have to be a chore. Actually, you can... Read More

Weight Loss Can Be Achieved In As Little As 5 Days By Increasing Your Metabolism

One-size-fits-all diets don't work....but then you probably know that already.... Read More

Myth: Gastric Bypass Patients Can Never Be Nutritionally Healthy

A common claim from gastric bypass detractors is that after... Read More

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #14

You know what is so amazing? We get to keep... Read More

Simply Weight Loss -- Losing Weight is Easy if You Stop Dieting

In theory, if you're starving, exercising less helps conserve energy.... Read More

Can Writing Actually Improve Your Health?

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, writing... Read More

Are Weight Loss Supplements Right For You?

The debate about whether supplements for weight loss are healthy... Read More

From Fat to Fit: Read One Womans Amazing Weight Loss Story

An Interview with Success Story, Caitlin JohnsonIf you don't know... Read More

Preventing Overweight and Obesity ? Are You Responsible Enough?

Obesity is now assuming epidemic proportions. Worldwide there are over... Read More

Diet Pills, Products, and Dieting Supplements - Can They Help You Lose Weight Quickly?

Fighting obesity has become one of the most important issues... Read More

Dieting Obstacle When Life Gets in the Way

Dieting Dilemma No 1: When Life Gets in the WayThat... Read More

Low Fat versus Low Carb Diets

Diets, diets, diets... every where you go, anything you read... Read More

Weight Loss Problems ? Or is it a Self Image Problem?

Some of you will not like what I have to... Read More

Dieting to Death

It has been 15 years since I was diagnosed with... Read More

Lipo Boom Reality

Are you feeling down and out? Do you feel even... Read More

How to Buy Chocolate Then Forget to Eat It

Some Say I'm Strange. I Prefer to Think of Myself... Read More

3 Easy Dieting Success Tips

1. Drink 8-10 glasses of water each dayOkay, for many... Read More

The 7 Phases of Change

Lose The Weight For Good With The Seven Phases of... Read More

A Full Scale War

It happens every morning when you mosey out of bed,... Read More

Easy Steps To Weight Loss

It can be intimidating to follow a weight loss plan,... Read More

Finding the RIGHT Diet Pill

Hundreds of products on the market today claim to be... Read More

Rating The Diets: A Mindless Exercise?

There has been a recent surge in the experts weighing... Read More

Pizza, French Fries, Beer and Other Diet Foods

Now this is the real American Dream! I'm here to... Read More

Weight Loss Myths

Every regime has its supply of useless folk lore and... Read More

Bye-Bye Bread

I don't know about you, but I absolutely love bread... Read More

Gastric Bypass Patients Should Include Tomatoes in Their Diet

After weight loss surgery it is important to include as... Read More

Motivation the Key or the Curse?

"Life would be perfect if only I was thin." That... Read More