Watch out, hidden calories about. It's a minefield out there where everything is not what it seems. If you're embarking on a diet, it pays to be armed with the knowledge of where the dangers lie.

The following advice will help you avoid making common mistakes when choosing food for your diet plan.



~~~Cereals and Cereal Bars~~~

Many cereals are promoted as healthy. However, the sweetest cereals often contain too much sugar. Calories given per portion may not seem a lot, but compare it to how much you serve for yourself and it's likely you're eating twice as much.

Cereal bars are often promoted as a healthy choice for snacking on the go. But these are often loaded with fat and sugar so always check the calorie content. Watch out for yogurt bars too, as they're usually high in sugar. Look for products containing less than 5g of sugar per 100g.

~~~Meat and Fish~~~

Fish is healthy isn't it? So is lean chicken and meat. Not if it's covered with batter or crumbs it's not. And even less if it's been fried. Only eat chicken without the skin as this is where most of the calories and fat lie.
Whether you're cooking at home or eating out, steer clear of anything fried. Always opt for steamed, grilled or poached food. And avoid creamy sauces as these are usually laden with calories. Stick to tomato-based sauces which generally have far fewer calories.

~~~Salads, Fruit and Vegetables~~~

Of course, we should all eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. However, you could end up ruining all your well intentioned efforts by adding an oily dressing to your lettuce leaves. Any oil-based dressing is likely to be calorific as is mayonnaise and salad cream that's not labeled fat-free.

Vegetables should be a safe bet when you're dieting but it's not always so. Take the humble avocado. They're delicious on their own or in salads. But one large avocado can contain more than 300 calories, enough to put a dent in any dieters plan. And your healthy vegetable order in a restaurant can be ruined when they arrive drowned in butter. Remember to ask for vegetables without butter.

Most fruit is fine to eat but some contain a high sugar content, therefore are higher in calories. Bananas and mangoes have over 100 calories each so eat these less often. Another pitfall is dried fruit. Although healthy, their sugar content is concentrated into a small amount. It's easy enough to eat five dried apricots, but you probably wouldn't eat five fresh apricots in one sitting!

~~~Nuts and Seeds~~~

Again, nuts and seeds are a healthy addition to our diets. But, go easy with these. They're deceptively moreish and before you know it, you've put away hundreds of calories. A small handful of sunflower seeds contains over 170 calories as do nuts. By all means include them in your diet, but take care to eat them in moderation.

~~~Reduced Fat, Lite, Healthy~~~

Manufacturers are keen for us to believe their products are healthy, when in fact they're far from it. By using labels such as 'reduced fat' or 'lite' we're led to think they'll be low calorie. Be aware when purchasing products labeled low fat, such as yogurts, ice cream, instant drink mixes, biscuits, crisps and ready meals. These generally contain more sugar to compensate. Always check the calorie content first.

Remember, always check labels for fat and calorie content per 100g. This way you'll be equipped for making wise choices when grocery shopping and soon be well on the way to winning the weight loss battle.