The theory is simple. Certain diet foods make losing weight a lot easier. These foods are generally labeled as low fat, low carb and artificially sweetened. The reality is a little more complicated. However, low fat and low carb doesn't always mean low calories. And if you're trying to lose weight buying these treats could undermine your efforts.

Studies have shown that participants ate up to 50% more of foods that the researchers falsely labeled as low fat than they did have the same exact foods with the real labels. Why? Because most people assume that diet foods contain up to 20% fewer calories than their regular counterparts. And most people don't bother to actually check the nutrition label to see if that's correct. As a result, many people will believe it's justified to eat more. So what's my advice when you're tempted by a snack food that's labeled light or low fat?

Check the nutrition label first. Look at how many calories are in a serving, and then compare that number with the calories and a regular version of that product. Oftentimes, they're either the same or even less. Also, never tell yourself that it's okay to eat more chocolate because he chose Diet Coke over regular coke. I know cutting out certain foods from your diet can be difficult, but if you start small, big changes will happen over time. Trust me