How to enjoy a drink without declaring war on your diet

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD WebMD

Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column edited by Fitness Together Lake Forest

Reviewed By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD

If women say, "This dessert is going straight to my hips," men should say, "This beer is going straight to my belly."

That's because it's difficult for your body to use alcohol calories for energy. Which means -- watch out! -- those calories usually get turned into fat. A gram of alcohol is worth 7 calories, compared with a gram of protein or carbohydrate, worth 4 calories each.

So what's a beer-drinking or wine-sipping weight-conscious person to do? How can you walk through the alcohol minefield without blowing up your healthful intentions?

•Consider alcohol beverages weekly -- and moderate -- "treats" instead of a daily ritual.
•Eat before imbibing. You'll be less likely to over-consume and as the meal's protein and carbs are used as energy the negative metabolic effects of the empty alcohol calories are moderated.
•Make better beverage choices. Choose certain beers, wines, and other drinks, and you can minimize the carb and alcohol calories coming from your cocktail.
100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

Take your pick: want fewer calories or fewer carbohydrate grams? Non-alcoholic beers have fewer calories than light beers but "light" beers have fewer carb grams and "low-carb beers" fewer still (averaging 95 calories and 2.6 grams of carbohydrates). Choose either kind of brew and you're ahead of regular beer drinkers, who imbibe 140 calories and 13 grams of carbohydrates with every bottle or can. Check out the carb and calorie stats below.

Non-Alcoholic Beers

There are two domestic and two import non-alcoholic beers available. My husband says the imports seem to have more flavor, but the domestic beers are good, too.

Beer (12 oz) Calories Carbohydrate (g)
O'Doul's 79 13.3
Sharps >58 12.1
Clausthaler non-alcoholic 89 18.8
St. Pauli N.A. n/a n/a


Light Beers

American beer makers seem to be into the "light" beer act these days. Which one tastes best? My guess is if you like Coors you'll probably like Coors Light, and if you're a Bud imbiber, you'll probably like Bud Light best. Check out the difference in calories and carbs below.

Beer (12 oz) Calories Carbohydrate (g)
Coors Light 102 5
Miller Lite 96 3.2
MGD Miller Genuine Draft Light n/a n/a
Bud Light n/a n/a


Wine contributes few carbs but around 160 calories per cup, with only sweet dessert wines tipping the scales in both calories and carbs. One way to make your one delicious cup of wine last longer is to make a spritzer by blending wine with an equal amount of seltzer, club soda, or diet 7 UP. Purists, of course, can simply sip theirs as is, or enjoy it with a meal.

Wine (1-cup) Calories Carbohydrate (g)
Dry White Wine 158 1.5
Medium White Wine 160 1.9
Red Wine 170 4
Sweet Dessert Wine 362 28

Run that first 5K

We have trained a lot of people of all different ages, genders and sizes. One of the things that helps anyone be successful is having an attainable goal that they can work hard for. It gives you that extra motivation to succeed. We love when people come in and say that they want to run a 5K race or want to be able to do a push up. Their workouts seem to have more of a purpose and they never lose the edge that they have when they first come in.

With the summer months now approaching there are races every weekend and they are usually for a cause. Find a cause that you are passionate about and sign up for that race. Once you sign up that goal of running a 5K is set in stone and you just have to work hard to reach that goal. You can talk to your trainer about putting you on a running or interval program. It will be worth all of that hard work when you are running down the street and you see your son,daughter, family member, or friend cheering you on. While you are training just think about how it will be once you cross the finish line and accomplish a goal that you never thought you would.

Stretching is a Part of Overall Fitness

As college coaches, athletes and personal trainers we come across many people that have extremely poor flexibility. It is something that almost everyone neglects. I have worked with

college age athletes that can’t bend and touch their toes. Flexibility is important for many reasons, including coordination, balance, power, longer range of motion, form in an exercise and helping with that muscle soreness after a workout.

So why don’t we do it? We come up with every excuse, such as “I didn’t remember” or “I was too busy.” When it comes down to it, all you need is 15 minutes of good stretching and you will see results. Hold a stretch for 15 to 60 seconds and try to go through each stretch 3 times. Perform your stretching routine while you are watching TV at home. All you need is a mat or a bath towel. Talk to your trainer if you have any questions on what stretches you should be doing. Get more flexible and see the results in your fitness goals.

Motivation

As a fitness professional we come across many issues that cause people to want to stop working out. Many people may have soreness in one part of their body, or they are tired or just don't feel like it for the day. The most important thing is to show up to your workout. Once you are in the gym you have won half of the battle. Most people after coming in with complaints about how their day is going leave with a smile and feeling like they have a positive day in front of them. If you get a great workout in it gives you a sense of accomplishment and it gives you a chance to get rid of the stress of the every day grind. Below I have listed a few tips to keeping you motivated.

1) Have a trainer or workout partner hold you accountable to your workouts.

2) Have fun during the time of the workout by challenging yourself or telling jokes.

3) Change your workout routine. Doing the same lifts everyday can burn you out.

Try to implement these things into your workouts and get a little extra motivation.

Find the Right Show for You

Choosing the right running shoes is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a runner, especially if you're just getting started. A little investment in time and effort for finding the best running shoes will help keep you comfortable and injury-free.

1.Go straight to the experts at a running specialty store. Plan on spending some time there because the salesperson should ask you lots of questions and have several running shoe options for you to try out.

2.Make sure the salesperson looks at the shape and arch to figure out what type of foot you have. Determining your foot type is key to making sure you get the right running shoes. The salesperson should also measure your foot. Your running shoes should be 1/2 to a full size bigger than your regular shoe size because your feet will swell when you run and you need plenty of room in the toebox. If your toes are crammed in the front of the running shoe, you could develop bruised or black toenails.

3.Have the salesperson do a running analysis for you. He'll watch you run in the running shoes, either outside or on treadmill, and determine your running style. He'll observe whether you're overpronating (your foot rolls inward) or supinating (your foot rolls outward) when your foot strikes the ground.

4.Give the salesperson information that will help him with his running shoe recommendations. He should be asking you questions about what type of running you do, how often you run, where you typically run, and what type of surfaces you run on.

5.Run in the running shoes that the salesperson recommends for you. (Make sure you're dressed to run when you're shopping!) Simply trying on the shoes and walking a few steps inside the store is not enough. Run in each pair of shoes to test for fit, function, and comfort before making your final decision.

6.Test your running shoes by running in them for a week. If you quickly develop blisters or foot pain, they may not be the right shoes for you. Many specialty running stores have liberal exchange policies and allow you to return running shoes even if you've been running in them for a week or more. Take them back and exchange them for another recommended pair of running shoes.

7.After you've found your perfect running shoes, you don't have to keep going back to the specialty running shop. You'll need to replace your shoes every 300-400 miles. If you want to save some money, you may be able to find your running shoes online for less money. Search sites such as runbargains.com or Overstock.com for your make and model. And pray that the shoe manufacturer doesn't discontinue your running shoe!



Tips:
1.If you're already a runner, bring your current running shoes with you to the store. The salesperson can look at the wear on the bottom of your running shoes to get some more insight into your running style.


2.Make sure the salesperson measures your foot while you're standing up.

3.If you use orthotics or custom-fit insoles, bring them with you to try on your running shoes. You need running shoes that are roomy enough to accommodate your insoles.

4.Don't pick running shoes based on the colors or style. Just because they look cute doesn't mean they'll be the best running shoe for you!


By Christine Bluff, About.com Guide. March 2010.
Edited for Content by FT Lake Forest Staff