When trying to lose weight, many people concentrate so much on their scales that they weigh themselves all the time. They also tend to think that eating less without exercising is perfectly okay when it’s totally wrong. That’s because you also lose muscle along with fat, and if you lose too much muscle, your metabolic rate will change. These are only 2 of the mistakes people often make, and there are many more regarding food consumption.

If you’re trying to eat better or shed a few pounds, Now I’ve Seen Everything has gathered a few critical food tips that might prove to be real game-changers.

The most popular drinks contain anywhere between 40 g and 60 g of sugar. That is 2-3 times as much as the maximum amount you should eat in a day — and that’s just from one drink. Sodas and fruit juices are also full of carbs and calories that still leave you hungry because the appetite centers in your brain don’t react to liquid calories the same way they do to calories from food.

Do this instead: Drink water. If you can’t stand the blandness of plain water, try adding lemon wedges, your favorite berries, or mint leaves to give it some flavor. Unsweetened green tea is also a good beverage option.

Pasta is very high in carbs. Carbs can be good, but when consumed in high amounts, it can cause several issues. For example, a study on 117,366 people has shown that high carb intake can increase the risk for heart disease. It can also raise blood sugar levels, which is why we are told we need to have a balanced amount of carbs, especially if we want to lose weight.

If you want to lose weight, you might want to stay away from juices. Though a lot of juices containing fruit might seem healthy, a lot of them are just processed and contain a lot of sugar. We could call them “bad fruits” for weight loss because they have the same amount, if not more sugar, than some sodas. Since juice contains no fiber, it’s way better to just cut up an orange, instead of buying orange juice that might not even contain the actual fruit it says it does.

Rice seems to be one of the mildest foods out there, but don’t let yourself be fooled by it. It can cause many issues like: low levels of “good” HDL cholesterol, high triglyceride levels, and high blood pressure. Eating balanced amounts of rice can be harmless, however, when taken in big amounts it can turn out to be one of those foods you want to avoid.

Speaking of foods to avoid, it turns out that cereal is a hidden issue. Though it seems cereal is a great way to start your morning, it contains a lot of refined grains and sugar, which can be a problem if we think about this type of cereal being advertised to children. Too much sugar in one’s system can cause issues like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and liver problems. They’re also low in fiber and, as humans, we need fiber to feel full after a meal.

Among other things, instant noodles are high in sodium. A single serving of noodles contains up to 861 mg of sodium, and if you eat the entire package, that doubles up to almost 1,722 mg. Moreover, high sodium intake can cause various issues for people who are salt-sensitive.

For these people, the risk of high blood pressure is quite high. It has also been proven that reducing sodium intake decreases the chances of cardiovascular issues by 30%, so you might want to add them to the list of foods to avoid when trying to lose weight.

Some frozen meals can definitely provide the nutrition we need as individuals. However, there are plenty that don’t, and they are quite bad for weight loss. Frozen and microwaveable meals usually contain large amounts of sodium and sugar, along with chemicals and preservatives that keep them “fresh.”

Another factor that might make you stay away from these foods are the plastic seals they come in. These contain plastic additives or phthalates, which can get into your food. These are the kinds of foods to cut out to lose weight.

Though diet sodas are thought to help cut back on sugar intake, it turns out that the sugar has just been replaced with artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, cyclamate, and saccharin. That said, diet sodas have been associated with different diseases: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. So, needless to say, it is on the list of foods to cut from our diet.

Low-fat and fat-free foods are usually promoted as healthy eating options — and many people believe this. However, what they don’t know is that these foods are often loaded with sugar and other additives to improve their taste. For example, a fat-free flavored yogurt can contain as much sugar as a chocolate bar.

Do this instead: Choose minimally processed and unprocessed whole foods that are both naturally low in fat and contain healthy fats. If you must buy something low-fat or fat-free, read the nutrition label to make sure the product isn’t loaded with sugar or additives and that it’s actually lower in calories than its full-fat counterpart.

Of course, animal protein is part of everyone’s diet. Eggs, milk, meat, and so on, are crucial for every human. However, too much of something is always a bad sign. Too much animal protein can cause issues.

Animal protein contains high amounts of phosphorus, which can lead to kidney and bone complications. They can put quite a big burden on our kidneys, given that meats are much heavier than, say, vegetables or fruit. It takes a while for our kidneys to filter and thus, we overload them, so it’s better to avoid eating too much of this food.

Turns out smoked meat is not the only smoked food to avoid. Smoked cheeses are also foods that could cause issues if consumed in large amounts. This type of cheese contains PAHs, or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. PAHs are a type of chemical usually found in gasoline, coal, or crude oil.

That is enough to say that smoked cheese, containing these chemicals, is definitely something you don’t want to eat. “Testing has found PAH in the interior of the cheese, but it’s concentrated in the rind,” a study says.

They are quite peculiar for a list of unhealthy foods, however most granola bars are just plain sugar and hydrogenated oils, with no real protein.

“They are often lower in calories than a traditional meal and do not serve as a meal replacement. The flavor is just enough to whet your appetite, but leaves you far from satiated,” states a dietitian. If you’d like to get some protein into your diet, it’s best to incorporate a good protein bar into your day.

If you want to lose weight, there are some foods you might want to stay away from. Since the world of weight gain and weight loss is so vast, we thought it’d be best to include a bonus point, with 3 foods to never eat.

Processed meat has been shown to be quite toxic when it comes to weight loss, since it contains a lot of nitrates. These can cause multiple issues, including cancer. They were formed from sodium nitrite, which is added to different meats in order to preserve their color.

Processed meats are also rich in sodium chlorine, and though they are definitely not the only food that contains sodium, they can increase people’s intake significantly.

Are you usually careful about what you eat without necessarily going on diets? Did you notice a difference when you stopped eating certain foods?