Recently I gave up drinking regular soda such as Sunkist and Coca Cola due to stomach problems and concern about continued weight gain. I thought drinking juice would be a natural and healthy alternative to sugared drinks, boy was I wrong.

Imagine my surprise when I learned that while juice does have more vitamins and nutrients, the store bought brands are not much healthier than soda. Most juice products are not 100-percent fresh-squeezed juice. So the new juicing craze is designed mainly for those who can make or buy fresh juices out of oranges, apples, peaches, strawberries and other fruits.

Just one 150-calorie drink a day that is not whole fruit or vegetable juice can lead to a weight gain of 15.2 pounds a year! And how many of us stop at one? Not me. Two glasses equals 30.4 pounds, and three means 45.6 pounds per year.

So, I'm determined to stop reaching for juice. It would take 15 minutes of extra aerobics every day for me to offset the deficit, and it is just not worth it. Plus, the sugars and corn syrup in many juice drink blends cause a craving for more sugar, affect tooth health, and it is harder to make up for weight gain caused by sugar.

So, what is the best way to get vitamins and nutrients? Eat whole fruit or get a juicing system. This will definitely cut down on sugar intake for adults. I also plan to start taking more tablet vitamins. I love drinking something sweet, but that's a big part of the problem. I'd rather have juice than a piece of chocolate cake, which is a start, but when it comes to losing my excess weight for good, it is just not enough.

I suggest drinking one or two glasses of juice per week and focusing on water with lemon juice and whole fruits for health and sweet tooth purposes. Exercise is always a good idea anyway, and if that gets combined with the proper equipment and clothes, reduced sugar intake, fresh fruit, vitamins and juice, then we're all likely to come out winners at the end of each year. And that is why we're all fighting to stay thin or get thin.

The world of the gym (or health club, recreation center and YMCA) may seem daunting at first, but it can be well worth it. Some churches now have health clubs for members, like the mega-church Southeast Christian in Louisville, Kentucky, where worshipers can bike, treadmill walk or aerobicise their way to physical fitness.

For those who don't have a lot of money or a mega-church in their life, gym memberships have become much cheaper than before. Even chains like 24 Hour Fitness usually only charge $30 to $55 a month, depending on your city and health club plan. The best bet is still to put on your sneakers and go to a recreation center or YMCA. Recreation centers usually charge a fee of $25 or less and charge extra for aerobics classes or yoga. YMCAs often charge $50 a month but have low-income plans of $25 or even less per month, especially for those with children.

Once you join a gym, you might be wondering where to take those tennis shoes from here. Most facilities offer a free tour and some personal training. Some of the machines might look strange, and if you're a novice exerciser, learning proper form is important. If you are at a local recreation center, your choices are probably going to be limited to the basics, such as exercise bikes and treadmills. Recreation centers in major cities tend to be a bit more creatively stocked.

Many facilities have swimming pools and even aqua aerobics classes. You don't have to be a master swimmer to enjoy the benefits of the water. If the pool has waist or chest high water, you can walk the length of it safely and get a killer aerobic workout without putting your joints at risk. Even if part of your facility's pool has a deep end, you can walk in circles at the shallow end.

Aerobic and yoga classes, along with stationary cycling and treadmill walking or running, are also great for beginners. It doesn't matter how much money you have or don't have, how good of shape your body is in or is not, because getting started at a gym is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself.

Indoor walking is becoming a major part of my fitness life.

Walking bores me and I'm not an outdoors person. Where I live right now the weather is freezing cold, and windy with an astonishing lack of sidewalks.

But walking is good for the heart and body. Plus, I want to do a lot of traveling, and it is hard to go abroad when you hate walking up the block.

I found a solution - indoor walking videos by people like Leslie Sansone. No matter how cold it is or how annoyed I am, I can put on my sneakers, put in a DVD and walk, walk, walk!

What I like about indoor walking DVDs is that I can walk a mile in 14 minutes, feel like I worked out, but i'm not bored to death, and I don't have the "is it over yet" feeling, I have when trying to walk around outside. Plus, it's a lot safer. People drive crazier and crazier every day, especially in the country towns like the one I live in, and it would be a lot better for my fitness and health to not dodge a vehicle every time I am walking.

My uncle, however, still swears by outdoor walking and tries to do five miles in the country every single day. I don't know how he does it.

However, both Indoor and outdoor walking are great ways to relieve stress and frustration, without taking it out on other people, pets, on the road or furniture. The other day I was particularly frustrated and literally stomped it out by doing a fast, advanced Leslie Sansone mile. I used to think she was nuts for saying, "Walking puts you in a better mood," but it's true.

So whether you are walking for fitness or stress relief, indoor walking might be a safe and fun way to go.

Long days at the office where you're stuck behind the desk all day can make it impossible to stay in shape. When you're dealing with looming deadlines and high stress levels, hauling the gym bag to the fitness center over the lunch hour, or even after work, may not make it to the top your priority list.

If you know your chances of getting out to enjoy the fresh air over lunch hour are slim to none, you need to take a more creative approach to getting fit. Just close that door or find a quiet room where you can escape for 10 to 15 minutes, and give your metabolism a boost with these quick and easy exercises:

1. The Power Lunge. Grab a couple of water bottles and do 10-12 lunges with each leg. This will give your lower body a mini-workout, and is especially effective if you've been sitting through meetings or at a computer for most of the morning.

2. The Hoop Shot Squat. Stand up straight with feet hip-width apart and your elbows slightly bent. Bend at the knees to do a half squat, then jump straight up as if you were throwing a basketball into the hoop. Repeat 10-15 times until you feel a slight burn in the thighs and glutes.

3. Boxing Jab. Give your upper body a workout and put your reflexes to the test with a mini shadowboxing session. Stand with your feet hip width apart and slightly twist at the waist as you perform a strong punch. Do this 5 to 8 times on each side, and keep your eyes fixed on a certain point ahead of you.

4. Side Squat. Grab those water bottles or hand weights again and stand with our feet shoulder-width apart. Bend at the knees, then slowly raise your right leg up towards your hips (as far as you can go), then squat, and perform the same maneuver with your left leg. Keep alternating this movement 8 -10 times until you feel the burn in your quads and glutes.

5. Torso stretch. Sitting at the desk can take its toll on your posture, so give your upper body a boost with a long torso stretch. Hold your arms up above your head as far as you can reach and bend forward to touch the ground. Inhale deeply for two counts as you bend, and exhale deeply for four counts as you rise up. Repeat 3-5 times.