Like most people, you’re probably conscientious of the amount of calories that you eat. Perhaps you even count how many you consume each day. If so, what would you do if you discovered that the calorie data you’ve been using is unreliable?

Researchers from Tufts University analyzed the calorie content of a variety of supermarket and restaurant foods and found themselves asking the same question. In many cases, the actual calorie content of the food varied considerably from number of calories listed by the manufacturer or restaurant. This has significant implications for people who count calories to lose or maintain weight.

The entire basis of calorie counting is dependent on accurately assessing and adjusting one’s daily caloric intake based on their caloric needs. People looking to maintain their weight will generally consume about the same amount of calories that they need for the day, and those who want to lose weight will typically try to eat slightly less. Inaccurate calorie data could easily cause someone to consume more calories than intended and result in them gaining weight instead of losing or maintaining it.

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Modern society has become so obsessed with appearance that people are sacrificing their health and wellbeing just to look better. Are you one of them?

Unfortunately, most people don’t realize that their efforts to improve their appearance may ultimately be compromising their quality of life. In addition, the physical improvements they seek rarely lead to the satisfaction that they expect. Although an attractive appearance can be a great source of satisfaction, it’s certainly not worth compromising your health, and in turn, your ability to live a fulfilling life.

The following are some of the more common ways that people are undermining their health in order to improve their appearance.

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