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Why you're eating healthy and still not losing weight: Dietitian reveals the one mistake people make with food that prevents a lean physique

Daily Mail 10/10/2018 Matilda Rudd For Daily Mail Australia

For many the art of being healthy is a simple science comprised of eating good quality, wholesome food and moving your body.

But when it comes to what you're putting into your mouth, things might be more complicated than just choosing spinach and carrot.

Your salads, spaghetti bolognese and homemade tacos could actually be stopping you from losing weight, all because you've added too much of a certain ingredient.

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a close up of food: In one example of tacos, where the left side has 1,103 calories (4,614 kilojoules) and the right has 435 calories (1,820 kilojoules) Paula said the only difference is in the added oil and portion sizes

© Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited In one example of tacos, where the left side has 1,103 calories (4,614 kilojoules) and the right has 435 calories (1,820 kilojoules) Paula said the only difference is in the added oil and portion sizes

Australian dietitian Paula Norris has demonstrated this fact on her Instagram page by sharing side-by-side images of the same meal, with a completely different amount of calories.

In one example of tacos, where the left side has 1,103 calories (4,614 kilojoules) and the right has 435 calories (1,820 kilojoules) Paula said the only difference is in the added oil and portion sizes.

There are two teaspoons of oil, 80 extra grams of mince, 25 extra grams of avocado, two extra taco shells and less zucchini and carrot in the photo on the left.

a close up of food: In the case of a traditional Mexican bowl or salad, again it's the additional rice, oil and 80 grams of chicken with more avocado that tips the scales over

© Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited In the case of a traditional Mexican bowl or salad, again it's the additional rice, oil and 80 grams of chicken with more avocado that tips the scales over a close up of food: In this instance the portion on the right has more zucchini, less chicken and less rice

a close up of food: In this instance the portion on the right has more zucchini, less chicken and less rice

Paula's advice is simple: Use a little bit of water instead of oil in a non stick pan for cooking the onion and mince and bulk up the meat with extra vegetables.

In the case of a traditional Mexican bowl or salad, again it's the additional rice, oil and 80 grams of chicken with more avocado that tips the scales over.

Her followers, which almost total 100,000, were surprised by some of the extra 'sneaky' calories in some of the meals.

'It's amazing how changing a few things can make such a difference,' one commenter wrote beneath the photos.

'It can add up so fast!' Another added helpfully.

While neither of the choices are 'unhealthy' in most cases, Paula explained that if it's weight loss you're trying to achieve you need to be more mindful of portions.

Related: 13 foods with low calories and lots of nutrients (Rumble)