Everybody makes mistakes, no matter what their goals are. From beginners to seasoned professionals, anyone will tell you that mistakes are a normal part of the learning curve. Learning from them is extremely important for future growth—or in this case, future cuts.

If you’ve found that shredding down isn’t your strong point, it may be time to stop and take a good look at your strategy. Whether you increase cardio, banish carbs, or lean on certain foods during your cutting phases, there’s a right and wrong way to do everything.

As with most fitness goals, the road to a shredded physique is not an easy one, so you’ll want to do everything you can to optimize your diet and training and get the results you want. Here are some common diet-related mistakes that almost everyone has made at least once in their lifting career, and how you can amend them.