Admit it: No matter how many times you read about how overindulging in fat, protein or carbs can make you gain weight, you still can’t perfectly balance your diet. Well, join the club, because as much as we try to stay on the straight and narrow, slip-ups happen – including the ones you don’t realize you’re making. With that in mind we polled an expert dietitian for her take on some of the most problematic (and mostly overlooked) ways people unknowingly gain weight. Here are five common offenders. 

This can make you gain weight: Eating mindlessly, even when you’re not hungry.
Why it makes you gain weight: There’s something about sitting in front of a TV, office computer or restaurant table that brings on the urge to chew, even if you’ve just finished eating. The fix? Distraction, says Toronto-based registered dietitian Madeleine Edwards. When you finish a meal, brush your teeth. Taking this small step means you’ll be less likely to want to dirty them. You can also try chewing sugar-free gum to keep your jaw busy, or keep food out of your view completely. As for restaurant dining, ask your server to remove food from the table once you’ve had your fill. You’re more likely to overeat if there’s a basket of bread or half-eaten plate of pasta sitting out.

This can make you gain weight: Eating more diet foods because they’re supposed to contain less fat, sugar or calories.
Why it makes you gain weight: According to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, sweeteners in many low-calorie and diet foods interfere with how the body processes the amount of calories it ingests, and, as a result, can lead the body to believe that other sweets it digests are calorie-free, too, which can promote weight gain. The key to keeping the pounds off? Make sure you pay attention to how much you eat, factor each calorie into your daily allowance, and don’t turn to these types of foods as meal replacements.

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