Mistake 2: Ignoring what you drink

It isn’t just food we need to worry about. While we’re working, socializing or relaxing we may be sipping away more calories than we realize — especially during the hot summer months when we take in more fluids. If you’re paying close attention to the numbers, everything that passes through your lips has to figure into the calculations.

For instance, if you drink three cups of coffee with cream and sugar each day (that’s 225 calories), you’ve already undone all the calorie-burning benefits gained from a moderate exercise session. Frozen coffee and tea drinks can range from a “modest” 150 calories to a whopping 650 calories and 30 grams of fat.

Read more: 5 fitness mistakes

If you want to lose weight, you have to regularly burn more than you eat. The problem is that most people don’t have an accurate idea of how many calories they are consuming versus how much they are expending. A good place to start is to figure out what your daily calorie intake needs are based on your weight, gender and age, and then subtract 200. Think of it as your “calorie allowance” and adjust your meal plans accordingly.

Read more about 5 fitness mistakes.