Are you serious about losing weight? NOT IF: You are still drinking sweetened soft drinks. If you are still drinking "sugar water" you are unlikely to be successful in either reaching or maintaining a healthy weight. Fully sweetened colas and similar drinks contain around 160 calories each, enough to add around 16 pounds to your body weight if you have one a day for a year and don't cut back somewhere else. All liquids and particularly soda pop tend to be "empty" calories that don't sate your appetite; they also provide very little nutrition. You must avoid them if you want to lose weight. If you have a craving for something besides a diet drink or water (and water is by far the best thing to drink for many reasons) try the following: add about 2 ounces of fresh orange juice to 10 ounces of ice cold sparkling water. You'll get a refreshing, healthful drink for about 25 calories. It is also now generally acknowledged that diet and exercise can directly ward of Alzheimer's disease by reducing inflammation; and,"Alzheimer's involves the buildup of a sticky protein called beta-amyloid, which forms cell-killing plaques throughout the brain." Hence controlling inflammation helps protect the brain. This is a complicated subject but the takeaways are clear: exercise and maintain a healthful diet and you will protect both your heart and your brain. "Exercise, fitness and balanced weight confer immediate health benefits on persons who enjoy that status. One of these health benefits is that you have greatly improved energy to pursue a more active life. This improved energy will be a huge positive in your life. Energy equals improved attitude with friends, family and co-workers. Energy equals a since of well being throughout the day that translates directly into an improved quality of life. Having energy means being able to be more efficient at work, spending less time to get a fixed amount of work done and then arrive home from work fresh enough to spend quality time with your spouse and children, Or if you are single, it gives you the fuel and drive you need to be both professionally and socially active."

(The above is just one in a series of NOT IF's that we will post in the coming days and weeks which are exerpted from our forthcoming getfitsource.com health and fitness book.)