Despite pulling out all the stops—trading junk food for wholesome snacks, making your own meals, and becoming a kickboxing-class regular— you’re still struggling to shed those last 5 to 10 pounds. Don’t assume that means you can’t reach your goal no matter what you do. Experts say that in many cases, the smartest-sounding diet strategies can actually work against you. Fortunately, by adjusting your approach to some of these “healthy” behaviors, you can get the scale moving in the right direction.

1. You're Loading Up on Whole Grains
You’ve rid your pantry of snacks made with white flour, replacing them with heart-healthy whole-grain versions. “But many of these snacks can be high in fat, sugar, and sodium—not to mention calories,” says Lisa Sasson, R.D., clinical associate professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University.

Switch up your strategy
People who eat the greatest number of servings of minimally processed whole-grain foods—not snack foods, like crackers, cookies, and chips—enjoy the biggest weight-control benefits, research shows. Aim to increase your intake of brown and wild rice, bulgur, oatmeal, spelt, and quinoa, plus whole-grain breads and cereals. “Not only do most of these foods contain fiber, which helps curb your appetite, but they’re also low on the glycemic index [GI],” says Sasson. “The carbs in low-GI foods are absorbed into your bloodstream slowly, allowing you to go longer without feeling hungry.”