Many people are turning to healthy foods and exercising in hopes of losing weight before bathing suit season officially begins, but can’t seem to get rid of those last few pounds.

The problem may lay in what dieters drink.

According to health professional Joy Bauer, calories can be the greatest obstacle in losing weight since the number of calories that people consume determines weight loss or gain.

Bauer also reasons that while it is necessary to consume a sufficient amount to keep you functioning, excess will lead to weight gain — one of the biggest threats to the American population today.

Removing unnecessary calories in one’s diet is the key to initiatingweight loss, or maintaining a healthy weight, she said.

She also said people still need energy to do everyday activities, making it hard to reduce the size of meals.

Various studies done by dieticians and doctors show how sodas and alcoholic drinks are high in calories due to their large content of sugar and carbohydrates, respectively.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, manufacturers increased the number of soft drinks produced in the U.S. — totaling approximately 400 12 oz. cans per person in 2004.

These studies also explain that there is no nutritional benefit for the simple sugars or carbs, making sodas and beer a source of empty calories.

Besides having no nutritional value, nutritionist Mary Gross said “sodas tend to replace healthier beverage options like fruit juices with vitamins or teas with antioxidants.”

Gross and other nutritionists feel that the high consumption of drinks high in alcohol and sugar are a main contributor to the excess weight of today’spopulation, who drink these beverages at alarming rates.

One regular 20-ounce bottle of soda contains approximately 240 calories. Alarge scoop of ice cream, five Oreos and a candy bar may contain the sameamount of calories.

Catherine Lochman, a junior in political science, said she prefers to indulge in other forms besides soda.

“I would much rather eat a couple of cookies or something more substantive,” she said, “than drink a bunch of sugar.”

Studies on the harm of soda also show that skipping that one bottle consumed daily could result in a loss of 30 pounds in one year.

Some doctors warn dieters to pass on sodas, saying the high caloric content is not publicized enough, leaving the population unaware of the harm people are doing to themselves with single servings.

“Most people don’t really think about what they drink when they think of health. They focus mainly on what they eat and how they exercise, but it’s all a waste if after an active day and during a healthy meal they put a few beers back,” Ashley Ellis, a junior in biological sciences, said.

But many people in the health field are taking steps to putting themessage out there about the potential risk of obesity caused by high calorie beverages.

Many talk shows, magazine and Internet articles are constantly informing the public about the dangers of too many sodas, and low calorie beverages have labels supporting their potential health value.

Dietitians highly recommend quenching thirst with water, unsweetened coffee or tea, low fat or non-fat milks or diet beverages.

Many soda brands offer diet varieties that use artificial sweetener, which greatly reduces the sugar and calorie content.

Caroline Black, a sophomore in communication, said she is a diet soda enthusiast.

“Diet soda gives you so much flavor without all the empty calories,” she said. “They taste so much like regular these days, and come in such a variety of flavors, that I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything but the sugar.”

Some doctors hope for a thinning of the population with the help of warnings highlighting the risks and preventions of obesity.