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.

hy 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 sitting in front of you? Not if you're a beer drinker on a low-carbohydrate diet!