8 Hidden Secrets of a "Healthy Diet" Most People Never Think About

If you're on a low-carb diet, you might notice stomach pains. "Discomfort can present in relation to low-carbohydrate diets or to specific individuals whose GI tracts are overly sensitive to fiber. Low-carbohydrate diets may result in excess protein and fat intake, which in turn may cause release of excess gastric acid, impacting the stomach and esophagus," Jones said. "Low-carb diets are also low in fiber, though, which is important to regulate bowel movements. Without enough fiber, which we can only get from carbohydrate foods, people may feel more gassy, bloated, and constipated." It's a good idea to still get fiber from grains and fruit skin, for example, in order to stay regular.

On the flip side, if you're into a higher-carb diet, one of whole grains, fruits, and legumes, you could be eating too much fiber, which can lead to gas and bloating and also loose bowels. "Too much fiber, i.e. fruits, veggies, legumes, and 100 percent whole grains, can cause gas and stomach pains in some people, especially if they aren't used to it. Fiber passes through our digestive tract whole and therefore can cause symptoms in some. To reduce symptoms, it is recommended to gradually increase fiber in one's diet and to drink plenty of water," said Keri Gans, MS, RDN, CLT. It's a good idea to increase fiber intake gradually, so perhaps five-gram increments over a few weeks, Gans said.

Remember, you don't need to eat all the healthy foods in one sitting. "Too many healthy foods, i.e. avocado, nuts, and olive oil, can also equate to too many calories. Learning proper portion sizes is key for preventing weight gain," Gans said. This can backfire if you're looking for weight loss, especially, as you could encounter weight gain from the additional calories and fats.

For instance, smoothies and juices are right on trend, but they can actually be pretty high in calories and sugars, making them less of a healthy snack or post-workout shake and more of a calorie bomb. This is especially true if you're used to tossing tons of superfoods in the blender, Gans said.

Likewise, salads can also become too heavy. It's a great idea to eat a healthy salad for a light lunch or dinner. However, if you throw in nuts, seeds, avocado, protein, fruit, and more, you could be overdoing it on the good stuff. "Too many ingredients could definitely lead to too many calories in a chopped salad. So for a salad, let's say: stick to one fat serving (i.e. nuts or avocado), one protein (i.e. chicken or egg), and lots of veggies," Gans said.

Often people may go overboard with vegetables because they feel they are "safe" foods. "Misinformation about nutrition leads people to think that grains and legumes are harmful via one blog and that animal products are horrible due to another, for example. Some people who are hyperfocused on weight may then only view certain vegetables as healthy and eat a large amount of them to try to feel full," Jones said. "In turn, this may only result in GI distress (see: too much fiber) and excess hunger later since vegetables are so low in calories. This does not support a healthful diet since it isn't adequate in energy, macronutrients, or micronutrients."

Dieting too hard might make eating seem boring, and it can also make you think about whatever you won't let yourself eat even more so. "We must enjoy food in order to be satisfied from meals mentally, and it needs to have a good balance of nutrients to feel full physiologically. Rather than go on a diet that eliminates foods or food groups, focus on what you need to get more of to make your diet more nutrient-rich," Jones said. "For example, set a goal to eat legumes at least four times a week rather than not allowing yourself to eat any sugar at all for a month. You'll shift your mental energy to enjoying a new variety of food that makes you feel more full, satisfied, and nourished instead of being stressed about not having sugar," she suggested.

Or try making rules to still indulge in moderation. "For some of my patients, we do come up with drinking rules, for example — ONLY on the weekends and no more than two per night. And another rule for some: dessert allowed once per week when dining out, preferably shared among friends. But this all varies depending on the individual and their weaknesses/strengths," Gans said.

Restricting too much can backfire, where you've polished off a bag of chips in under five minutes."Our bodies very quickly revert back to our ancestors' feast-or-famine days. When we aren't providing our body with enough energy to sustain normal functions, it goes into what many health professionals refer to as 'survival mode' and it can happen quickly," Jones said. "Your body doesn't trust that you'll continue to feed it adequate energy, so when you are giving it food, it wants as much as it can take in order to store energy for later when you aren't feeding it. Not only are hormones released that slow down your metabolism, but now sugar, fat, and sodium send off even more signals of satisfaction in your brain, making it easier to binge."

If you're not eating enough to regulate your mood and keep cravings at bay, and if you're losing a lot of weight quickly, it could mess with your emotional state and metabolism, making you cranky, anxious, and maybe even more prone to store fat. "Oftentimes, people are not at a healthful weight because they are below their physiological and genetic set point. When your body hits survival mode from low energy intake in relation to energy expenditure, it feels stressed and in survival mode releases excess cortisol and epinephrine, which, in addition to making you feel more stressed and anxious, slows down your body's energy use (aka slows your metabolism)," Jones said.

What's more, it can also make you more fatigued, especially during workouts, from not eating enough calories or carbs in particular. "Carbs are our bodies' number one source of fuel. If you lack energy, your workouts will most likely suffer. So don't eliminate carbs, but choose carbs that contain 100 percent whole and fiber," Gans said.

If someone is starting to say no to social situations or experiences with others in order to avoid certain foods, the dieting has gone too far. "Oftentimes when people become obsessed with their healthy lifestyle, it also takes significant mental energy away from their work, relationships, and family life. As mentioned, energy restriction can result in a foul mood, too, which can impact relationships to a great extent," Jones said. "An obsession with an overly healthy lifestyle can also result in marked shame or guilt if eating outside of one's food rules and also can cause people to judge other's lifestyle habits," she explained. "This could be 'orthorexia,' or severe disordered eating that often leads to more serious clinically diagnosed eating disorders," in extreme cases.