The slow creeping on of extra pounds, that's a common concern for patients of family-medicine physician Melanie Leu (CWR '90, MED '96).

"There's no magic to weight loss," Leu counsels. "You need to burn more calories than you intake, and fad diets don't lead to sustainable weight loss."

So if you're looking for simple changes to balance your calories in with calories out, Leu suggests taking a hard look at what you drink. "Many patients say, 'I don't eat much, so why am I gaining weight?' But when we look at what they drink, they can be consuming up to 2,000 calories a day from sugary beverages like soda pop and specialty coffee drinks."

Replacing those sugar-laden indulgences with water is a great way to help keep extra pounds at bay.