Before you dive into this magnificent read, let me clarify: I'm not telling you to stop all of these habits at once, but rather to become aware of them and work on reducing them gradually. Focus on tackling one bad habit at a time. Once it becomes second nature, move on to the next one.

YOU THINK NUTELLA IS A FOOD CATEGORY

Listen, I’m not against Nutella—if anyone can eat a piece of toast with nothing on it, they must come from pure evil. That said, there's no need to go overboard with the spread. A serving of Nutella (or whatever spread you're using) is definitely not meant to cover every square inch of your toast. And that’s the point—be mindful of spreads. They’re an easy way to over consume calories without even realizing it. Sure, they add flavor, but they don’t do anything to keep you feeling full.

The same goes for sauces. A couple of servings of pasta can go from a few hundred calories to well over a thousand, just depending on how much sauce you pile on. Instead, opt for low-calorie alternatives like sugar-free ketchup, mustard, reduced-calorie sauces, or even low-fat mayo and Miracle Whip. Hot sauces are another great choice too.

THE GYM IS NOT ENOUGH

I hate to break it to you, but hitting the gym three times a week for an hour is a great start—it’s just not enough. Even if you're training hard (which, let’s be honest, you probably aren’t), your toughest workout won’t even burn off the calories in a Big Mac. Yet, many reward themselves with a cheat meal afterward. Crazy, right?

The reality is, you need to be active not just in the gym, but outside of it too. Some people are lucky enough to have jobs that keep them moving—like construction workers or bartenders. But if you’re stuck at a desk all day, you’re at a disadvantage.

The more you move throughout the day—both in and out of the gym—the more calories you burn over the course of the week. This not only helps prevent fat gain but can even allow you to diet on higher calories.

YOU HAVE A VIRGIN MINDSET

Ever met that person who believes extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a miracle for your health, so they pour it on everything? If not, that person might just be you. While EVOO is indeed healthy, remember: the poison is in the dose (don’t worry, it’s not actually poisonous). Olive oil, like any other cooking oil, is made up of fat molecules, which makes it calorie-dense.

So, if you're someone who uses EVOO every time you cook, I’ve got news for you: you could be adding hundreds (or even thousands, depending on how much you use) of extra calories to your diet. The same goes for butter if you're cooking with it. A better alternative? Try using cooking sprays instead.

UBER EATS MOST LOYAL CUSTOMER

When dining out (or ordering in) it’s important to remember that restaurants or food establishments have one goal: to get you to come back and leave a good review. They don’t care about your weight loss goals. Now, let’s say you find a restaurant that claims to be "health-conscious." Their idea of healthy might be swapping regular peanut butter for natural peanut butter. But at the end of the day, it still comes down to calories in versus calories out.

A meal you could easily make at home will likely have hundreds of fewer calories than the same dish at a restaurant. Why? Because of how it’s prepared—think added oils, butter, and, of course, those extra sauces that sneak in more calories than you realize.

LICKS, BITES AND SIPS

One of the biggest culprits sabotaging your weight loss? Snacking. Think about these scenarios:

• You just made a Nutella sandwich for your kids and licked the leftover spread off the knife.
• You walked into the kitchen to grab something and, on your way in (and out), snagged a few nuts from the counter.
• Your kids got ice cream, so you had a quick lick—just to "taste it."
• A friend offered you a sip of their drink or a bite of their meal, and you didn’t think twice.

The point of these scenarios is to tell you that kids, friends and partners are the problem...just kidding. But if these situations sound familiar, they could be adding hundreds—if not thousands—of extra calories to your diet without you even realizing it.

I SAID 8 CUPS OF WATER A DAY...NOT SODA!

One of the easiest ways to overconsume calories is by drinking them. Let’s be honest—no one just drinks a “cup” of something. Go ahead, grab a glass, pour yourself a cup of liquid, and tell me if that’s enough! You’re probably drinking at least two cups. It’s the same mindset people have when they think snacking isn’t enough food to make them gain weight—they think the same way about drinking liquids.

"Natural juice is healthy." But it still has as many calories as regular processed juice.

"The aspartame in diet drinks is worse than regular soda." You’re more likely to develop diabetes from the sugar in soda than to get cancer from the small amount of aspartame in diet drinks.

"It's just coffee." That medium double-double at Tim Hortons or the sugary concoction you ordered at Starbucks? It has almost as many calories as a McDonald's Big Mac... Honestly, I'd rather have the Big Mac.

Do any of these sound familiar to you? Be more mindful of what you drink. Personally, I’d rather eat my calories than drink them—it’s more satisfying. Instead, opt for coffee or tea with sweetener and low-calorie additives. Choose calorie-reduced or calorie-free soda and juice. If you can’t stand drinking water, try adding some flavored water enhancers.