What could be more refreshing on a steamy summer day in North Carolina than a frosty glass of iced coffee? Can't you just feel the chill? Mmmmmm.

Well, uh oh! Not so fast. The Daily Meal, a site that describes itself as the home of all things food and drink, has revealed the "7 Fast-Food Iced Coffees to Avoid" and it'll scare you straight, believe me.

A large Iced Cappy Mocha Blast at Baskin Robbins has 610 calories, the site reports, and 10 grams of fat, more than a two-scoop ice cream sundae. An Iced Caramel Mocha at McDonald's with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and drizzle has more calories (390) than a medium-sized order of fries. And on it goes.

It's a chilling post that you should check out.

For a long time -- ever since my first diet in 1988 -- I've made a point not to drink calories. I stick to diet soda (and much less of it these days than I used to), black coffee, unsweet tea and good old H2O. If I do enjoy some iced coffee, I take it skinny, with skim milk. A 16-oz. glass is less than 100 calories.

Now, THAT's refreshing.

Weight control has a lot to do with confidence, according to my weight coach Charity Husk, who shared an email from a behavioral specialist in response to a question she asked about a client struggling with resolve.

The email offers some food for thought (calorie-free) for all of us waging the battle of the bulge. Retooled, here are some questions to help you pinpoint what's going on when you just can't stay committed and ways to cope:

• What made yesterday a good day and what made today a bad day? What was the difference between the days?
• What things were out of your control and what was within your control? Can you let go of the things you can't control and build on the things you are able to control, the things that have made you successful before?

The behavioral specialist, Nicholas D. Frye, of Medifast Inc., notes that when we focus on things that made us successful in the past, we build confidence. Also affecting confidence is whether we have workable ways to overcome our challenges.

• Ask a friend or a coach to help you create a menu of strategies to overcome challenges. This way, you have many options to choose from instead of turning to food for comfort or just feeling miserable and not being able to do anything about it.

I cooked with -- and feasted on -- whole milk and real butter Sunday on behalf of fans of our Wednesday food section. I'm judging a casserole contest.

Take a pleasure trip to Chicago, add a week at home with new cooking equipment and no more exercise than a quick trip from couch to kitchen and what do you get?

We Americans get about a quarter of our calories from between-meal snacks, according to a report by UNC-Chapel Hill researchers that was featured in the latest issue of AARP The Magazine.

If you're a guy who hopes to become a dad, listen up: If you're overweight or obese, you might not produce enough sperm.

Judging from the emails and comments I received privately after 'fessing up to a Red Vines binge, I'm far from the only one who has turned to candy in times of tribulation. Turns out I'd have been smarter to have some chocolate.

I had candy for breakfast. Long, chewy strips of sugar. Red vines. My favorite candy ever.

Mind you, I didn't eat one vine. Or two. Or even three. You know this is not leading to happy ending...

A Duke University-led study has identified three keys to losing weight and keeping it off for good -- Regular feedback from a medical professional, monitoring yourself and having a set of personalized goals.

I'm a fan of "Dr. A's Habits of Health," website of Dr. Wayne Andersen, bestselling author and a founder of Take Shape for Life, the program I followed to lose 65 pounds. His "Healthy Habits" blog includes a daily tip that always makes good sense. Yesterday's struck me as easy-to-follow advice for burning the blubber off:

"Ginger, cayenne, jalapeno peppers and Tabasco sauce can boost your fat-burning ability by up to 25%, according to a researcher at Kyoto University in Japan."