| In nearly every diet plan that you read, one of the | | | | Instead of drinking a regular beer, opt for a light beer. |
| first things that gets banned is alcohol of every kind. | | | | Most light beers average around four grams of |
| Just straight out across the board, flat banned- no | | | | carbohydrates per 12 ounce serving while a regular |
| exceptions. In reality, this is not perfect in any way | | | | beer may have as many as 13 grams for the same |
| and for some might be just the additional restriction | | | | amount. Drink a dry wine rather than a sweet, |
| that makes a diet too much. Some diet plans restrict | | | | dessert wine. If you drink cocktails, choose those |
| so many other aspects of your life and now they | | | | made with low carbohydrate index mixers rather |
| are coming after your occasional glass of wine or | | | | than others. Tomato juice is a good choice, fruit |
| bottle of beer, too? How unfair is that? Knowing the | | | | juices are not. |
| carbohydrate index of your most desired drinks may | | | | No Jack and Cola, Please |
| help with the strict limitation of excluding alcohol | | | | Soda is notoriously high on the glycemic and |
| forever from your diet. | | | | carbohydrate index and should be avoided as your |
| What About Magical Red Wine? | | | | mixer of choice. But before you start reaching for |
| Most people know that red wine is good for your | | | | the diet soda, think again; all sodas, even diet sodas, |
| heart in most cases. It may raise the level of HDL | | | | are a bad choice and should be considered a no-no. |
| (the good cholesterol) and help to keep your arteries | | | | But why, you might ask. After all, diet sodas have |
| clearer. However, alcohol, even beneficial red wine, | | | | zero calories so they are no different than water, |
| may also cause other problems including lowered | | | | right? Wrong! Diet sodas are loaded with chemicals |
| inhibition and lowered amount of leptin. Lowered | | | | and artificial sweeteners. The problem with artificial |
| inhibition may cause some people to think they are | | | | sweeteners is simple: while they do not have any |
| ten feet tall and bullet-proof while others may think | | | | calories, per se, they set the body up for the calories |
| that they are suddenly possessed of a magical | | | | it thinks it is about to get. When the body does not |
| metabolism that allows them to eat anything in the | | | | get the expected calories, it panics and sends out |
| world without ever gaining a single pound. They are, | | | | hormones that will not stop until they get what they |
| of course, wrong. Leptin is a hormone created in | | | | came for. Think of it this way: you show the dog a |
| your brain that leads you to feelings of satiety and | | | | ball. You ask the dog if he would like the ball. Of |
| fullness. When the body does not send out enough | | | | course he does. You pretend to throw the ball and |
| leptin, you never really feel full so you keep eating | | | | the dog trots off looking for it. Realizing that he has |
| and eating and eating. Once leptin production is | | | | been tricked, the dog comes back, more anxious for |
| reduced enough, it may not bounce back - leading to | | | | the ball than he was the first time. The food is the |
| continuous feelings of starvation and overeating, | | | | ball; your hunger is the dog. You trick your hunger |
| which in turn leads to more weight gain. | | | | and he will come back more slobbery and excited |
| How to See the Light (Light Beer, That is) | | | | than he was in the beginning. |
| While you should probably reduce the amount of | | | | Charting A Course |
| alcohol that you consume overall, a drink every now | | | | So, instead of thinking you have to put the booze |
| and then is not that damaging. Part of the reason | | | | cruise in dry dock completely, opt for a single drink |
| that some diet plans do not work is the extreme | | | | of the right kind and you will be fine. Labels on alcohol |
| amount of restriction that they impose, not only on | | | | do not have to be worded the same way that food |
| what you can eat but what you can drink as well. If | | | | labels do, so you may have some confusion in |
| you are following a low glycemix index diet, you can | | | | reading them. It is better to use a clear source of |
| have an occasional drink, but you need to make sure | | | | carbohydrate index information such as a glycemic |
| that in addition to drinking only in moderation, you are | | | | index chart. |
| making better choices for the drink you have as well. | | | | |
