Nobody wants to be the bearer of an unsightly beer gut, and beer makers are working hard to prove to consumers that they're belly-friendly. If the 100-calories in your average bottle of light beer is just too much for you, some of the big breweries are introducing ultra-low calorie beers. MillerCoors' Miller Genuine Draft 64 and Anheuser-Busch InBev's Select 55 have -- you guessed it -- a mere 64 and 55 calories in a bottle, respectively, meaning they have almost 100 fewer calories than a regular bottle of beer. There's a trade-off though: the alcohol is about as low as the calorie count -- less than 3 percent in both, making it little more than water with a beer flavor.

So is it a good idea? Beer manufacturers seem to think so, so when you consider that Miller Genuine Draft 64 sold twice as much in a year as its predecessor, Miller Genuine Draft Light, it seems they're onto something. And for those looking to have one or two brews and still stick to their diet, this ultra-low beer seems like the perfect solution-- if they can handle the watered-down taste. However, those who are drinking to get drunk will likely end up drinking more bottles -- the only thing that will shrink in size is their wallet.

Think you know your nutritional values? Find out for sure -- Test your calorie knowledge.

They say ignorance is bliss, so it's often easier to indulge in an unhealthy snack or meal when you don't know exactly how much exercise you would need to do to burn it off. Sure, some of you might say, "I don't care. I deserve to indulge." But we know that some of you would be horrified to know that you'd need to walk for more than five hours to burn off a Ruby Tuesday's Turkey burger, which weighs in at 1,173 calories. Or how about the ultimate indulgence for some people -- McDonald's fries? If you knew you'd have to walk for almost two hours to burn off 350 calories from a medium serving, would you still belly up to the drive-thru?

We challenge you to take this quiz from AOL Health. Test your knowledge of calorie counts in some of our favorite foods and see if they're worth the workout.

Fallen off the workout wagon because of a time crunch? Get back on track and save time with circuit training.

Love handles refer to fat deposited on the sides of the waist. These unsightly bulges are also known as a spare tire or a muffin top, which occurs when excess fat hangs over a person's waistband.

Most people agree that having excess fat around the midsection is undesirable. Research shows that abdominal fat leads to higher risks of heart disease, diabetes and even certain types of cancers. But how do you go about getting rid of love handles?

One way to effectively eliminate love handles is to lose weight by following a reduced-calorie diet and by consistently doing cardiovascular exercise.

As you begin your diet and exercise program, you can disguise your love handles by wearing clothes that fit properly. Avoid too-tight clothing, low-rise jeans and midriff-baring shirts. Opt for pants that go around your natural waist and for women, skirts and dresses that sit at your natural waist.

Check out AOL Health's belly-bloating foods to avoid or eat belly-flattening foods. AOL Health also has sections on how to burn ab fat and ab workouts.

How many carbs do you need per day? That can be a fairly complex question, but the US Department of Health & Human Services recommends that half of your daily calories come from carbohydrates. Therefore, if your daily calorie consumption is around 2,000 calories, then about 1,200 of those should come from carbs.

When considering how many carbs per day to eat, it's important to remember not all carbs are created equal. Nutritionists recommend getting healthy carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes. Unhealthy carbs that you should avoid include sugary soda and processed foods like cookies and potato chips.

Thanks to popular diet plans like the Atkins Diet, many believe that decreasing your carb intake will lead to weight loss. However, experts say this is a short-term solution. Ultimately, a healthy diet should be within your recommended daily intake of calories and include both carbs and protein.

More Diet and Fitness Questions Answered:

How Many Calories Do I Need?
How Do I Calculate My BMI?
How Many Calories Did I Burn?
How Much Protein Do I Need?

Walking is one of the simplest exercises out there because most of us do it every day. Starting a walking program is just like beginning any other exercise program.

The amount of calories burned while walking can vary greatly, depending several factors. The amount of time you walk, how fast you go, what shape you're in and even where you walk can make a big difference in the calories you burn. For instance, a 150-pound person who walks slowly on a firm surface for half and hour will burn about 85 calories, whereas a 200-pound person on a cross-country hike will burn 273 calories in the same amount of time. Calorie calculators can help you determine how many calories you're burning.

When it comes to upping your calorie burn, remember to keep your pace up: Walking can burn as many calories as running if you work hard enough. And, don't shy away from hills. They might leave you breathless but you'll burn mega calories in the process. Finally? Head off the beaten path. Hitting the trails on a nature walk burn more calories than city-walking does.

Why should you care about how many calories you burn? Burning more calories shaves inches off your waistline and is crucial for your overall health and well-being.

Overwhelmed by all of the "Follow Friday" recommendations on Twitter? Each week AOL Health's Twitter alias Healthpop and That's_Fit search the Twittersphere for the greatest diet and fitness Twitterers, and each week, we'll highlight the best-of their best tweets (no Twits here).

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Female age 14-18 – 1,800 (sedentary), 2,000 (moderately active), 2,400 (active)
Female age 19-30 – 2,000 (sedentary), 2,000-2200 (moderately active), 2,400 (active)
Female age 31-50 – 1,800 (sedentary), 2,000 (moderately active), 2,200 (active)
Female 51+ –1,600 (sedentary), 1,800 (moderately active), 2,000-2,200 (active)

Male age 14-18 – 2,200 (sedentary), 2,400-2,800 (moderately active), 2,800-3,200 (active)
Male age 19-30 – 2,400 (sedentary), 2,600-2,800 (moderately active), 3,000 (active)
Male age 31-50 – 2,200 (sedentary), 2,400-2600 (moderately active), 2,800-3,000 (active)
Male 51+ – 2,000 (sedentary), 2,200-2,400 (moderately active), 2,400-2,800 (active) How Many Calories Did I Burn?

Jonny Bowden, author, nutritionist and weight loss coach cuts through all the misconceptions about diet and fitness to help you transform your body, your health and your life.

I can't help but watch with a combination of amusement and sadness when I read about the billions of dollars spent each year on useless weight-loss products, programs that don't work and high-priced gimmicks that promise to effortlessly relieve the pain of being overweight -- especially when some of the best weight-loss tools in the world are both virtually free and right under our noses.

Which brings me to the subject of today's post: The apple.

Yup, the lowly, all-to-common apple, of which there are literally hundreds of varieties. They're available 12 months a year (but in season right now!), are cheap as dirt, can be had anywhere -- and they happen to be one of the best kept weight-management tools on the planet.

The addition of calorie counts to menu boards at fast food restaurants in NYC has been generally regarded as a controversial-yet-monumental step in conquering obesity -- so it's a little bit disappointing that a study recently found that they don't actually work in low income neighborhoods.

The study, published in the journal Health Affairs, found that only half of the 1,156 consumers questioned actually noticed the nutritional information, and of those, only a quarter said that it made a difference in their food choices. That's not all -- the researchers charted data from both before and after the labeling scheme was introduced and found that the average amount of calories consumed by each patron actually went slightly up.

"We did not find evidence in our sample that menu labeling influenced the total number of calories purchased at the population level," concluded lead author Brian Elbel, adding "menu labels may need to be coupled with additional policy approaches."

But NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is standing by the decision to include calorie counts on menus. "At least the public has information and that's the government's job -- to make sure that the public has information," Reuters reported him saying. Still, at the end of the day, it's up to each of us to make the right choice for our health.

So, should calorie counts be on menus in other places, too, or should we just cut our loses?

Photo: DeusXFlorida, Flickr

The front of your refreshing beverage will soon include a chilling fact: The number of calories in a single serving and in the whole container.

Coca-Cola Co. recently announced that it will begin including calorie information on the front of almost all of its product packages, including soft drinks, flavored waters, energy drinks, fruit drinks and juices. The new product labels are expected to hit U.S. store shelves later this year; the new labels are already being used in Europe and Australia.

Coke says they're the first beverage company to provide this front-of-the-container information to consumers. "Now more than ever, people expect facts about the product they consume to be both readily available and visible," said Muhtar Kent, Coke's chairman and CEO, in a press release.

Source

Honesty is the best policy -- especially when it comes to calories.

According to recent studies, working out in a group makes you happier than working out on your own does, and it's not just a state of mind -- your endorphin levels actually rise in a group exercise setting. If you're anything like me, this is big news because let's face it -- I'll do pretty much anything to make the workout less painful.

But not everyone enjoys social sweat sessions -- some prefer to hit the running trail with only an iPod for companionship. Yet others can't live without it -- they need other people around to motivate them to keep going. So I'm wondering, which are you?

Last week, I asked you if liquid calories were a big part of your diet. Want to know the results?

• 49 percent of you said nu-uh, no way. You stick to no or low-cal drinks only. It's just not worth it.
• 41 percent said not really. You indulge sometimes, but it's rare.
• 5 percent often do -- you like to treat yourself.
• 5 percent said you do all the time -- drinks are what keep you going!

Speaking of drinks, can you guess how many calories comes in a can of Red Bull?

Jonny Bowden, author, nutritionist and weight loss coach cuts through all the misconceptions about diet and fitness to help you transform your body, your health and your life.

Photo: Getty Images

What if I were to tell you that exercise is fairly useless for losing weight?

Now before you accuse me of heresy, let me explain. There's no doubt that exercise is one of the best things in the world you can do for your health. It improves mood -- in some studies, as well as antidepressants -- and it's great for your heart. Recent research shows that it even helps you grow new brain cells. And people who exercise on a regular basis have a lower risk for cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

But weight loss? Not so much. Does that seem contrary to everything you've heard? Of course it does -- but don't shoot the messenger. Here's the truth: The exercise/weight-loss equation is way more complicated than we've been led to believe.

You can cut out all the fast food, junk and sugar from your diet you want, but if you don't face the facts about the liquid calories you're consuming, losing weight can be a hard battle. That's because so many people underestimate the damage drinks can do. That large juice you had with lunch, the fancy Frappuccino you had this afternoon, the fruity cocktails or beers you're looking forward to after work -- they can all add up, and in some cases, these beverages can cost more calories than a Big Mac!

But if you're careful about your waistline, you're probably already drink-savvy enough to stick to low-cal beverages. Do liquid calories make up a big part of your diet?

Last week, I asked you if you turn to comfort food in times of need. Your answer?

• 60 percent of you are human -- you try not to, but sometimes you just can't help it.
• 21 percent of you definitely do -- it's the only thing that helps.
• 10 percent of you don't give in to your cravings -- you know it won't do you any good in the long run.
• 9 percent of you don't even think about food when you're stressed. Lucky jerks.

Going back to school? Comfort food will lead to the Freshman 15, but we know how to avoid it.

Keep track of the latest in diet and fitness Twitter trends and opinions with this weekly post. Not only will AOL Health's Twitter alias Healthpop and That's_Fit ask fitness-related questions and share the best reponses with you, we'll scour the Twittersphere for the latest buzz on everything from good eats to exercise routines gone bad.

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This week we wanted to know your creative ways to burn calories. You offered up these gems via Twitter: