Drink calories

Today the Consumer Federation of America put out a study that compared the carbs and calories in some common beers, spirits, and wines.

"CFA’s analysis focused on 26 top selling alcohol brands, comprising 13 beers and flavored malt beverages, 8 spirits products (vodka, rum, whiskey, gin and tequila), and 5 brands of wine. "

Here are some of its findings or you can download and print out the handy Alcohol Facts poster the group produced.

"Among spirits, calories per serving ranged from 86 calories for spiced rum to 120 calories for gin. The average (not including mixers) was 98 calories per serving;
• For wines, calories per serving ranged from 105 calories for a merlot to 125 calories for a cabernet sauvignon. The average was 118 calories per serving;
• The greatest variation in calories occurred among beers and flavored malt beverages. Light beers (5 brands) averaged 100 calories per serving, regular beers averaged 140 calories (5 brands) per serving, and the flavored malt beverages (3 brands) ranged from 190 calories per serving to 241 calories per serving;
• Variations were greatest when analyzing carbohydrate levels. Compared to no carbohydrates in spirits, wines ranged from 0.8 grams per serving for chardonnay to 5.0 grams per serving for cabernet sauvignon. Among different beers and malt beverages, carbohydrates ranged from 3.2 grams per serving for light beer to 38 grams per serving for a flavored malt beverage. "

Also:

• For a look at the calories in some typical beers, check out the listing from this site.

• Wine calories.

Even better is this article that makes drink recommendations for those on a diet.

Breakfast of champions

Running + smoothie = results, yes?? Got up at 5:30 this morning, and ran the loop around the park (3.25 miles), then I filled my beer mug with some fruit and Kashi Go Lean protein mix. Replacing beer with fruit ought to be worth at least 1 pound this month, right?

fat in Japan? good luck

Have you all heard about the waistline measuring in Japan? Apparently a new government law is forcing employers to measure the girth of its workers, retirees and families. The limits are: 33.5 inches for men and 35.4 inches for women. Well, I'd pass, but god, can you imagine the embarrassment for someone overweight or just struggling with a little pudge having to line up like cattle to get measured? I'm already having flashbacks to the those grade school phys ed classes where you had to hold a chin up for a certain amount of time.

Aren't most people in Japan a fraction the size of us fatty Americans, anyway? They're calling it metabo - as in your metabolism is effed up and now so is your waist...or something like that.

The Huffington Post's Charlotte Anderson blogs about it, asking, "And does anyone else hear this word and just think of diet pills hawked by white-coated people far too young and good looking to have actually spent eight years in medical school?"

Beer has got to go

Right? I mean I can't drink beer and diet, I don't think. I've determined that I probably exercise a decent amount, so the focus needs to be on food - and drink. I started drinking light beer recently, but I don't think that's going to be enough. And let me tell you this is no easy task for a gal who likes her microbrews, hoppy IPAs, and a well-poured Guinness.

So last night, went out with friends, and there were margaritas drank, chips and salsa swallowed but no beer! progress, perhaps.

These are some Aussie friends, clearly not concerned with the caloric intake of a good night out. Different for men, eh?

this ENDS now

So I moved from LA to NYC about a year ago and some months. I had gone through a major breakup (aka, we were together 5 years, on marriage track, he became a union organizer, blah, blah, blah), and since then I've gained 15 pounds. 15 pounds!!!! That's two sizes in clothes, a new hairstyle to try to better frame my round face, and a whole lotta extra belly and boobs.

How is this even possible? Everyone says, oh, you'll lose so much weight in New York. Everyone walks; there's no way to be fat. And it's true. I walk everywhere, up the subway, down, up the apartment, through the park, to the train...everywhere, right? Not only that, but I'm a pretty regular exerciser. I ran the Brooklyn half-marathon in May, I'm a decent yogi and I go to the gym a few times a week.

How then did this gut develop on my 5'4" frame? OK, I'm not going to say I'm fat or huge or anything. I'm a 28yo, 135-pound, generally healthy chick. The problem is I don't recognize myself anymore. I don't look like me, I don't feel like me, and this has got to end - now.

So, my plan (and I've had many plans over this last year), is to finally get rid of these 15 pounds I'm carrying around. I don't know how yet, but for now I'm heading to the gym, and I'm giving up grains for a while. It's summer anyway; I can live on fruit.