Trying to shed pounds? You're probably making a few sacrifices -- you know, cutting out ice cream and chips and trying to make up for them with fresh fruit and grilled veggies. Stuff like that. But one thing you shouldn't have to sacrifice is your social life. You still want to go out with your friends and have a few drinks, but you don't want to do too much damage to your diet.

So pints of beer are out. So are sugary cocktails. Wine is a good choice, but it might not be your thing. What's left? A gin and tonic is generally a standby drink for the low-cal lush. But how low-cal is it?

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz, We're half way through December and I've already gained four pounds. How do I stop this? Colin

A. Happy Holidays, Colin! Thanks for writing. I've got some pretty clear advice for you, which is the same advice I'd give if you showed up for a personal training session with me. Get a grip! Put a moratorium on the indulgences and focus on fighting that new fat.

It's almost Cinco de Mayo, which is, unfortunately, one of my favorite holidays to celebrate because, even though it packs a lot of calories, I really love Mexican food. And, what good is an enchilada without a margarita?

In case your mouth is watering just thinking about a cold, delicious margarita (because, honestly, mine is watering just writing about it), I've pulled together some links that look like good options. They'll keep your calories lower than a regular margarita, but it's no free pass -- most of these still pack over 100 calories per serving. But, if you have a recipe you dig, share the love! And feliz Cinco de Mayo!

• Fitnessmagazine.com -- Frozen Lime Margarita
• Hungry-Girl.com -- Rockin' Razzy Rita, HG's Fruitylicious Margarita, and HG's Magical Low-Cal Margarita
• Ehow.com -- Delicious Low-Cal Margarita
• MargaritaTexas.com -- Low-Cal Margarita
• Suite101.com -- Low Calorie Agave Margarita

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People drink more hard liquor during the month of December than any other month of the year -- that's amazing! I don't know if it's the festivities, the family and friends, or the stress, but all those extra drinks are not only relaxing and fun but they're fattening too.

Also during this time of year people tend to pass on beer and wine and go instead for fancy mixed drinks, which in addition to having more calories the alcohol can lower our inhibitions and lead to more eating and snacking. Your best bet is to pass on those fancy mixes and stick with wine or beer instead, but if you must indulge then you might as well know which ones are the worst.

Which holiday cocktails are the most fattening? Click on the images below to find out:

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Researchers yesterday reported that a "cocktail" of HIV-treatment drugs used in AIDS patients also appeared to halt brain damage caused by human immunodeficiency virus as a side effect.

Drug combinations known as HAART(highly active antiretroviral therapy) are often used in AIDS patients in order to slow down the effects of the disease. Although HAART-based mixed treatments can highly suppress the effects from AIDS, it cannot rid the body of the virus completely. AIDS, as we all probably know, still has no known cure.

In addition to harming the body's immune defenses, HIV can also affect the brain and nerves. But, with HAART treatments, the scientists that made this study public stated that some of the drugs that comprise HAART treatment methods can indeed get into the brain and help protect it, although not all of the drugs used in the cocktail could be helpful there.

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