thursday, august 28, 2003
jayplay. 9
Lose the weight, not the beer
By Julie Jones
jjones@kansan.com
Jayplay writer
Imagine innocently waking up one morning to begin your daily routine. You grab your pants from the closet or from the floor, put one leg in and then the other. You go to pull them around your waist when all of a sudden — gasp — they won't button anymore. You knew they were a teenys bit snug, but why had your oxygen started depleting before you finished zipping? Had they shrunk in the wash?
Maybe booze was the culprit behind your bloated stomach. Once your initial denial diminishes, know that several options exist; stop drinking altogether, continue habitual beer guzzling and multiply your belly rolls or start drinking smarter with low calorie, low carbohydrate beverages.
Though the first option, forgoing drinking entirely, is clearly the most effective choice, most students still want those nightcaps, just not ones that add up to a daily dose of calories and carbs.
"I drink, I just try to drink lower calorie beers," says Christina Zarifa, Wichita senior. "They're better for me and they taste the
same. And, it keeps my pretty figure."
Surprisingly, ladies aren't the only ones worrying over those extra pounds. Guys also ask their bartenders for low calorie and low carbohydrate drinks.
"Guys care more about calories than girls do when they're ordering drinks," says Michael Horne, Quinton's bartender and Tulsa, Okla., senior.
So, should you jump on the bandwagon? Most definitely. There is a substantial difference between regular and light beers. Most beers average around 145 calories and 10 grams of carbohydrates. That's about one third more calories and anywhere from double to quadruple more carbohydrates than light beers. So, if you have three to five drinks, you can cut out 150 to 250 calories and 24 to 35 grams of carbohydrates by switching to light beers.
Michelob Ultra Light contains the least of those unwanted gut contributors with 95 calories and 2.6 grams of carbohydrates per 12-ounce bottle. Miller Lite is runner-up with 96 calories and 3.2 grams of carbohydrates for every 12 ounces consumed. Coors Light is your next best bet, 12 ounces contain 102 calories and 5 grams of carbs.
New diet is offbeat
Kristy Wieland
jayplay@kansan.com
Jayplay columnist
Move over Dr. Atkins. South Beach is bringin' the Heat.
A few years ago, it was the diet of six to 11 servings per day from the wholesome grain group.
Then Dr. Atkins axed the bottom of the pyramid. Everyone had a sister, parent or friend who lost 40 pounds eliminating carbohydrates and gorging on steak, eggs and cheese. The Atkins diet worked, and worked fast. But now, we all know a sister, parent or friend who gave in and gained the weight back.
Written and designed by yet another physician, Dr. Arthur Agaston developed the current South Beach diet several years ago.As a well-known south Florida cardiologist,Agaston became concerned with obesity in his patients.The American Heart Association's recommended low fat, high carbohydrate diet was failing.Working with a dietician,Agaston
researched and created The Delicious, Doctor- Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss: The South Beach Diet.
South Beach encourages lean meat and low-fat cheese choices, allowing good carbs and banishing the bad ones. The difference: Good carbs equate with lower glycemic levels, leading to a lower increase in blood insulin and a generally fuller, more satisfied feeling after consumption. Examples of such foods include broccoli, peas, whole grains, pastas and beans. Of course, bad carbs include the entire fountain drink experience at Quick Trip, Sheridan's menu and every Krispy Kreme product.
Cutting calories remains the key. This is a nation surrounded and consumed by poor dietary choices, primarily obsessed with simple carbohydrate-laden foods. We can't seem to control the portions or cravings for these foods. Even when we attempt to substitute Original Lays for Baked, we manage to double our servings, double our calories.
Consume fewer calories and you will lose weight, no matter the method.