STANDING on the scales the numbers scream at you ... surely they must be wrong.

You've done the right things, exercised, eaten well, yet there it is.
Right in front of you, you haven't lost any weight at all - and the numbers don't lie.
This is a scenario that plays out every morning across the nation, and the problem is the foods and drinks with hidden kilojoules.

It could be just one thing that is limiting your weight loss, one thing, and as soon as you cut it from your diet, the weight falls off.
So if that spare tyre has shrunk, but just won't go away, here are 10 foods or drinks that may be holding you back.
1. WINE
WHITE wine in particular is chockfull of sugar. If you're having one or two glasses each night, you're in deep trouble. If you're having more than that, forget about being able to lose any weight. To burn the energy from just one bottle of wine, you would need to take 19,000 steps.
Nutritionist Lola Berry (below) says: "It's true, alcohol does contain a fair amount of kilojoules (just 150ml of wine gives us about 500kJ).
"The thing with wine is that sulphates are often used in the preserving process, which some people find hard to break down.
"This in turn places more stress on the body, making it harder to lose weight.
"But don't feel you have to deprive yourself of alcohol altogether. Try an organic sulphate-free wine."

2. LOW-FAT FOODS
THOUGH low-fat foods make us think they are good for us, things like sugar and salt are often added to improve the taste.
Berry says: "Sugar provides about half the kilojoules that fat does, but if there is excess sugar added to boost fl avour, you could be getting a similar amount of energy in your food.
"Watch out for artificial sweeteners, too. They are often added to diet products and they are directly linked to neurological disorders, one of them being depression.
"When you're depressed your serotonin levels are low and you crave carbohydrates, which will increase your kilojoule intake, thus potentially leading to weight gain."

3. TOO MUCH SUGAR
SUGAR is made up of two molecules: glucose and fructose. Too much of it is an issue because it causes a spike in our blood glucose levels, which means the body has to release insulin to counteract the sugar.
This in turn can lead to weight gain and in some cases type 2 diabetes.
"Go for natural sweeteners like stevia, agave, honey or rapadura (evaporated cane juice)," Berry says.

4. ENERGY DRINKS
AGAIN, these are full of sugar. Just one can affect your waistline.
"On top of this they sometimes have added colours, flavours and preservatives, which are devoid of any nutritional
value," Berry says.
"Go for drinks that are naturally sweetened and that use colours derived from fruit and vegetables."

5. TOO MANY FULLCREAM COFFEES
SIMILAR to wine, if you're having one or two full-cream cappuccinos a day, you're adding a lot of energy to your diet.
And if you don't burn it off, it goes straight to your thighs, or worse, your bottom.
"Fat provides us with nearly double the kilojoules than what carbohydrates do," Berry says.
"Easing up on the fat intake is one way to decrease the amount of kilojoules you'll be consuming.
"In saying that, fat is needed for so many functions. When you're eating good fats your skin will glow, it supports brain health and good fat can even promote healthy weight loss.
"Good fats are found in flaxseeds, deep-sea fish, avocados, walnuts and extra-virgin olive oil. Ensure that you replace trans-fats (anything deep-fried or chocolates) with good fats and you'll be laughing."

6. LOW-CARB BEER
SOME may also confuse low-carb beers with low alcohol; others may believe there could be a significant health benefit, such as weight loss, associated with drinking them.
"Low-carb beer is all the rage at the moment, but there's loads of research stating that the kilojoule content is much of a muchness between low-carb and regular beer," Berry says. "At the end of the day, you shouldn't deprive yourself of something that you like.
"One of my beliefs is 80/20 - 80 per cent of the time eat and drink well and 20 per cent of the time treat yourself. If you want to go for a more nutritious option, try preservative-free or organic beer."

7. JUICE
AGAIN, full of sugar.
The sheer volume of fruit you may be consuming in just two glasses of orange juice is staggering.
Full of fructose, a natural sugar, most people can only manage to eat one orange at a time, thus limiting the fructose and allowing the body to receive the benefits an orange offers.
Conversely if you are having two big glasses of orange juice a day, that is the equivalent of about eight oranges.
"Juice has a higher sugar content than the real fruit or vegetable," Berry says.
"This is because the fibrous material is removed in the juicing process. However, often a juice is a good way to consume a truckload of nutrients in one go.
"Remember to include whole foods (fresh fruits and vegetables) in your diet and have the occasional juice here and there."

8. USING LIGHT OILS
WHEN it comes to oils, don't be fooled. Light refers to the colour, not the fat content.
"Light-coloured oils aren't always the best option. It can mean the oil is more processed than its darker mates," Berry says.
"For example, when I buy extra-virgin olive oil, I look for a dark green colour because I know it will not only be a great source of antioxidants but also less refined because it's held its natural colour."

9. HEALTHY FAST FOOD
ARE the fast-food outlets' healthy meals actually healthy, or are they marketing spin?
Berry says: "Healthy fast food can have hidden things in it to make the flavour seemingly taste better.
"Much like low-fat foods, healthy fast foods can be misleading. The key is to read the labels.
"My rule of thumb is if I can't read the ingredients list because the words look like a chemistry class, or they're listed as numbers, I stay away because chances are it's not all that natural and therefore not a great

10. BREAKFAST CEREAL
MOST are full of sugar, and the more sugar you consume the more likely you are to gain weight, not lose it.
"Breakfast cereal can be awesome for you, but the trick is going for cereal that is made with wholegrains, which aren't highly refined," Berry says.
"When they are refined they are higher in carbohydrates, meaning higher in sugar, which will lead to a higher kilojoules load.
"The best breakfast cereal you can go for is muesli, and the trick is to find a natural muesli, which hasn't been toasted. When muesli is toasted, the grains can be baked or lightly fried in honey and/or oil. This would add kilojoules to your meal without you realising."