You would never think this habit could make you gain weight, but a dietitian says yes

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Think about some of the weight loss habits that work best for your daily life. You might be someone who counts macros, focuses on sleep, or follows a regular exercise routine. Whatever you do, it’s about finding what works best for you and your own personal goals.

While there are many useful habits, there are also a few sneaky ones that can actually lead you to Gain weight instead. These habits sometimes go completely unnoticed and can be extremely frustrating for those focusing on their health goals.

According to Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, author of The sports nutrition manual and member of our board of medical experts, you would never think that overeating healthy foods could cause you to gain weight, but it does!

“There is a common and understandable misconception that just because something is good for you, you can eat as much of it as you want, but that isn’t necessarily true for certain foods,” says Goodson.

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While some foods can be low in sugar or fat and high in helpful nutrients, they can still cause you to consume too many calories if you’re not careful about how much you eat.

CDC says it’s not about eating less food to lose weight, but about find healthy foods that are lower in calories and still high in nutrients.

“Vegetables are always great, and I would say you eat as many of them as you want, because you’ll probably be fed up before you can eat too many calories,” says Goodson. “Nevertheless, foods like healthy fats, whole grains, and other high calorie health foods can lead to weight gain and too many calories at the end of the day. ”

For example, Goodson says healthy fats like nuts, nut butter, avocados, and trail mixes are great additions to a balanced diet, but it’s easy to overeat and forget about portion sizes. .

Back to Nature Harvest Mix is ​​one of the healthiest trail mixes you can find in the grocery store, but it still has 11 grams of fat per 1/4 cup serving. When you consider that the recommended daily intake of fat calories is around 44-77 grams, you can see how easy it would be to rack up too many calories from fat if you don’t follow your portion sizes.

Goodson also mentions that while “nutrient-dense” snacks like granola, dried fruit, or energy bars can sometimes help you reach your health goals, they can also result in too many calories or added sugar if consumed. in large quantities.

Even something as healthy as Purely Elizabeth’s Ancient Grain Granola, which contains natural sweeteners and is considered one of the healthiest granolas to buy, still has 5 grams of sugar and 130 calories per 1/3 serving. Cup.

Now, before you throw away all of your favorite healthy granolas, energy bars, trail mixes, and snacks, remember that these foods can still go a long way for your health goals if you watch how much you eat.

“Many nutrient-dense foods that are considered high quality also contain a fair amount of calories, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat them,” says Goodson. “It just means that you may need to watch your serving size to make sure these foods are helping you meet your overall calorie needs.”

For even more healthy tips, read on:

The worst drinking habits to follow after 50, according to an expert

Sneaky Coffee Habits That Make You Gain Weight, Dietitians Warn

The worst habits for belly fat, according to science

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