Conflicts between pro-athlete teammates are nothing new.

The Lakers' Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal played for nine tension-ridden years until their animosity forced O'Neal's trade to the Heat in 2004.

Yankee's outfielder Reggie Jackson and catcher Thurman Munson achieved two World Series titles in 1977 and 1978, but Jackson claimed he was "the straw that stirs the drink. Maybe I should say me and Munson, but he can only stir it bad."

And one of the all-time mismatches was the Wizards' Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton. In 2009 Crittenton pointed a loaded gun at Arenas in the locker room because of a dispute over a card game.

But as bad a combination as those teammates were, they're nothing compared with the damage you can do to your body from consuming sugary drinks with protein-rich meals.

A new study from the Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center found that drinking sugary beverages with a meal in which 15 percent of calories come from protein slashes by 8 percent fat oxidation, which kick-starts the breakdown of fat molecules.

And the more protein you eat, the more you reduce your body's fat-burning skills.

Once again, it matters, not just how much you eat, but what you eat and what combinations of foods you take in.

The smart move: No sugar-added drinks (unless you're doing more than two hours of continuous exercise) and only lean proteins.

Artificial sweeteners are not the answer. They may cause weight gain after your body realizes it's been tricked out of the real thing.