Different diet plans work for different people, so it might be hard to figure out which diet is going to be the best option for you. The internet is littered with different techniques about the easiest ways to lose weight and gain muscle mass, but some of the more popular suggestions can actually be hurting your weight loss plan. Some ideas might sound healthy and helpful when, in reality, they only make it more difficult for you to lose a few pounds.

Low fat diets are not always good for you.

While it is true fattier foods are often good to replace with foods that are rich in proteins or fibers, not all low fat foods are good for you. Additionally, some diets like the ketogenic diet actually recommend you try to add more fats to your diet. By replacing sugars with fat, your body ends up using fat for energy instead of sugar. Using fat is often more efficient than sugar, which is why the ketogenic diet can result in many scientifically proven benefits. However, if fad diets like the keto diet are not your thing, then low fat diets should not be your thing either unless your healthcare provider specifically told you that you need to start choosing low fat foods.

Fats are important for hormone production and they can often stop you from feeling hungry later. Of course, you still do not want to eat too many fats to maintain a well-balanced diet and some low fat foods are obviously extremely healthy, but foods that are labeled as “low fat” are probably less healthy. Usually, these low fat foods contain fat substitutes such as simple sugars and unhealthy additives. The only fats that you should really stay far away from are trans fats, which are fats that have been shown to cause cardiovascular problems that can lead to a stroke, heart attack, or diabetes.

Certain fortified foods probably will not help you.

Sports drinks and energy bars may seem healthy, but they can make it difficult for you lose weight. You only need them if you are engaging in serious exercise that lasts over 90 minutes. Men typically only work out for about an hour on average and you will want to stay away from these high calorie sports foods if your physical activity is only 60 minutes long. These foods usually contain a ton of sugars, which can be good if you need carbohydrates for serious exercise. However, there are plenty of foods that can keep you energized and hydrated during your workouts. Stick to water and other healthy snacks that are lower in calories.

Small portion sizes will just make you hungrier.

Limiting portion sizes is definitely important for weight loss, but dramatic decreases in how much you eat will just cause you to get hungrier later. Your body will start producing hormones that tell you that you are not full and that you need more food. These hormones can make it extremely difficult to stick to your plan to eat small portion sizes. Eventually, the hormones will cause your body to go into starvation mode, which usually leads to overeating. You should watch the quantity of the food you eat, but you do not have to be too strict on yourself.

Additionally, stick to foods that are more likely to fill you up. You should also start eating in situations where you can be mindful about how much you eat. For example, avoid eating as you engage in some other activity such as television. If you pay attention to the amount that you eat, then you will find that you actually need a lot less than you are used to, especially since mindless eating often occurs when you are not even hungry. While maintain small portion sizes is important, keep in mind that portion sizes can often be less important to maintaining a well-balanced diet. Therefore, make sure that your smaller portions still contain all the nutrients that you need to avoid going into starvation mode.

Sugar substitutes can still cause obesity.

A low sugar diet is definitely a good idea if you want to lose weight and avoiding processed sugars is good for your long term health no matter what your current BMI is. However, sugar substitutes might not have any effect when it comes to losing weight and some studies show that, even if they work in the short term, they do not work longer term. They can still cause problems because your body still sometimes releases certain hormones to digest artificial sweeteners. These hormones cause problems like obesity and diabetes. However, other studies show that artificial sugars do not cause any long term problem, so the truth is no one really knows if they can help or hurt you. Until science figures out whether artificial sweeteners can cause serious harm or not, you might want to stay away from them. While they are probably better than sugars, they still can be somewhat problematic. If you have a craving for something sweet, some doctors suggest a tiny bit of sugar might actually be better than using artificial sweeteners.

Be wary of fad diets.

Some fad diets have proven benefits, but others do not. For example, gluten free and paleogenic diets usually contain a lot of sugars and fats to replace the wheats and gluten, so people who go gluten free end up having trouble with managing calories. In general, things like gluten free diets are only going to help you if you have certain gluten intolerances like celiac disease. You should be careful about different fad diets and definitely do not hesitate to talk to a healthcare provider about what type of nutrition your body probably needs.

When it comes to eating healthy, it can be difficult to figure out what type of diet works best for you because everybody’s body is going to respond differently to shifts in the nutrients that are floating around your bloodstream. However, there are some dieting methods that you definitely want to avoid. You should always consult with a healthcare professional about what type of diet you should consider following.