Summer is a time for cold, refreshing drinks of all kinds. Great for hydration, right? But what are these liquid calories doing to our waistlines? That's the topic of my Today Show segment, a fun nutrition game with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford.

What's your summer drink IQ? Play along with us!

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QUESTION 1:
What has more calories?

• A glass of sangria
• A glass of beer

QUESTION 2:
How many wine spritzers does it take to equal the calories in a 16 ounce frozen margarita?

QUESTION 3:
How many calories do you save if you use diet tonic water for your gin and tonic, instead of regular tonic water?

QUESTION 4:
A large vanilla milkshake has the same amount of fat as an order of:

• Medium French fries
• Large French fries
• Extra large French fries

QUESTION 5: A large vanilla milkshake has:

• 600 calories
• 800 calories
• 1000 calories

QUESTION 6: How many packets of sugar are in a 32 ounce (Big Gulp) soda?

QUESTION 7: How many calories does a 16 ounce smoothie have?

• Less than 250
• More than 250

CONTINUE READING FOR THE ANSWERS

Do you wonder how much personal control you have over your body weight? Do you sometimes give up, saying "I'm destined to be heavy", so why fight it? I've got some good news for you. It IS possible to control your "weight fate" with a moderate, consistent, and comprehensive approach to your personal lifestyle. That's the topic of my Today Show segment where I'm joined by Lucy Danziger, editor-in-chief of SELF magazine, who developed a self-evaluation quiz.

Watch the segment from TODAY

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Here are some top tips to consider:

1. Evaluate Your Starting Weight. When it comes to losing weight, one size does not fit all. Size yourself up, and determine what combination of strategies you need to succeed. Plus, set a realistic target weight - not one only based on the BMI chart, but one that you can both achieve and sustain. Family history (genetics) contributes no more than 30% to the likelihood that you'll have weight problems. While a size 4 might be an unrealistic effort to sustain and maintain, a size 10 might be just what you need to both look and feel better.

2. Eat Breakfast. Studies show that a morning meal can help as a habit that keeps you on track. It sets some structure for the day and also makes you mindful of your choices from the get-go. Also, you won't be over-hungry for lunch - which causes overeating. You don't have to be in your jammies, bleary-eyed preparing an omelet for a healthy breakfast. Foods as simple as a 200-calorie protein bar, a bowl of cheerios and milk or a medium skim milk latte all "count" as a meal on the run. What's important is the "morning" part - within 2 hours of waking up is a good rule of thumb.

3. Get Enough Sleep. Lack of sleep causes overeating as a way to boost energy or even to soothe as a reward (poor me, I am awake). Fatigue can impair your self-control to resist food and make it easier to indulge. Chronic sleep loss interferes with body hormones, which can also lead to overeating.

4. Examine Your Stress. Stress is a double whammy when it comes to weight. It keeps you up at night (see #3 above), and also leads to emotional eating to comfort and soothe. Rather than "just say no to food", it's important to evaluate your stress level, and determine which are positive, which are negative, and how to modify your stress. Consider professional help if you're struggling on your own.

5. Be a Smart Snacker. Snacks are a double-edged sword. Too many can sabotage your effort, but NO snacks can lead to overeating (because you get over-hungry and then overeat later on). The key is to be a smart snacker. The most vulnerable times are late afternoon and night-time. Allow yourself 100-200 calories of mixed composition - a bit of protein, fat and carbohydrates. Think of a fruit and small fat free/sugar free yogurt, a 100-calorie pack of popcorn or wheat thins and a low-fat string cheese, or a mini-whole wheat pita with a slice or two of turkey breast.

6. Beware of Liquid Calories. Because our bodies don't perceive liquid calories very well - they don't "register" as if we've consumed any food, calories from liquids are "add ons" and can pile on hundreds of extra calories that we're not even aware of. Skip sodas, juices, and smoothies. Eat your fruit, don't drink it. Pay attention to your alcohol intake. Except for a glass or two of skim milk, don't waste calories on liquids.

Any tips for dropping pounds? Leave a comment below!

An estimated 80% of people say they consume caffeine on a daily basis, but many wonder if they are doing more harm than good. Let's set the record straight.



Caffeine is found throughout nature in the leaves, seeds and fruits of more than 60 different plants. The most common are coffee beans, cacao beans and tea leaves.

Caffeine is nature's stimulant, with a lot of positive effects, ranging from improved alertness, focus and concentration, to enhancement of exercise and physical performance.

But it's not all good news. Too much caffeine can raise blood pressure, and cause jitteriness, indigestion and heartburn. The average person should limit their daily intake to around 300 mg a day. If you're caffeine sensitive you might need to cut back even further.

So, how much caffeine is in your favorite drinks? There is wide range of caffeine contents among beverages.

• A 8-ounce cup of coffee has about 150mg
• A single shot of espresso has about 75mg
• A 10-ounce mug of tea has only 50mg
• And a typical 12-ounce can of soda has about 50mg

My bottom line? Consuming caffeine is fine for most people, but like everything in nature, moderation is key. Limit your total daily intake to 300 milligrams or less, to optimize the positive effects of caffine. If you are experiencing any negative side effects, cut back on your intake. And check with your doctor if symptoms persist.

We all spend so much time worrying about calories - and most of that is focused on solid foods. We often ignore calories we consume in liquids every day. That's a must-do for long term weight control. Multiple research studies point out the connection between liquids calories and weight gain, the most recent one just out from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. So, what's the story?

Humans do NOT perceive the calories in liquids very well, compared to solid food. There are two ways this sabotages weight management. If you drank a smoothie containing 400 calories, you'd feel less full than if you ate a turkey sandwich with the same calories. Another way to think about is if you drank a glass of orange juice, for 150 calories along with your turkey sandwich, you wouldn't feel as if you'd consumed extra calories, So, those extra 150 calories are "invisible" and added on. A glass of juice with your sandwich every day translates into 10 pounds in a year

There's a lot of hidden sugar in all kinds of liquids that don't taste especially sweet. Plus, we've grown accustomed to preferring a super sweet taste. Whether it's a calorie-laden liquid with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, honey, brown sugar - it's all the same at 15 calories per teaspoon. A 12 ounce can of soda, with 150 calories contains 10 teaspoons of sugar and no nutritional value. More "invisible" calories. Plus, low-calorie sweeteners can drop the calories to close to zero, but the sweetness level is reinforced.

We DO have a hard-wired preference for a sweet taste, which is related to eating survival in cave-woman times, when we foraged for food. Taste buds (receptors) on the tongue perceive a sweet taste as pleasant. Mother Nature is pretty smart - and puts sugar in fruits (fructose, or fruit sugar), that make our taste buds tingle. Fruit is mostly water, so that's the main source of "liquid calories" in nature.