While low-carb diets are very popular, it’s also easy to make mistakes on them. There are many stumbling blocks that can lead to adverse effects and suboptimal results. To reap all the metabolic benefits of low-carb diets, merely cutting back on the carbs isn’t enough. Here are the 3 most common low-carb mistakes — and how to avoid them.

1. Eating Too Many Carbs: While there is no strict definition of a low-carb diet, anything under 100–150 grams per day is generally considered low-carb. This amount is definitely a lot less than the standard Western diet. You may achieve great results within this carb range, as long as you eat unprocessed, real foods.

But if you want to get into ketosis — which is essential for a ketogenic diet — then this level of intake may be excessive. Most people will need to go under 50 grams per day to reach ketosis. Keep in mind that this doesn’t leave you with many carb options — except vegetables and small amounts of berries.

2. Eating Too Much Protein: Protein is a very important macronutrient which most people don’t get enough of. It can improve feelings of fullness and increase fat burning better than other macronutrients. Generally speaking, more protein should lead to weight loss and improved body composition. However, low-carb dieters who eat a lot of lean animal foods can end up eating too much of it. When you eat more protein than your body needs, some of its amino acids will be turned into glucose via a process called gluconeogenesis.

3. Being Afraid of Eating Fat: Most people get the majority of their calories from dietary carbs — especially sugars and grains. When you remove this energy source from your diet, you must replace it with something else. However, some people believe that cutting out fats on a low-carb diet will make your diet even healthier. This is a big mistake. If you don’t eat carbs, you must add fat to compensate. Failing to do so could lead to hunger and inadequate nutrition.