When trying to lose weight or maintain a fit body, a lot of people's rule of thumb is low-carb, high-protein, and fiber. Carbohydrates are often seen as the culprit for weight gain and fat and for good reason. After all, carbohydrates or carbs, as many call it, are the food group which converts to glucose to give our bodies energy to do almost anything. But carbs come in two forms—simple and complex. According to Harvard Health, simple carbohydrates are the glucose that's in sugar, honey, fruits, dairy, and natural fruit juices. Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are mostly starches found in rice, bread, pasta, crackers, and some vegetables like potatoes, squash, and corn.

From these two categories, one can figure out which carbs are good and not so good for you. But to make things more specific, I have a list of carbs that you might want to avoid if you're trying to lose weight or are trying to maintain overall health.

1. Rice

When dieting, one of the first things people remove from their meals is rice. It does make sense, though, as it has been refined and stripped of its fiber. A healthy alternative for those who don't want to give up rice is brown rice, which contains more fiber that is good for the digestive system.

2. White bread

Like rice, this is also processed, so go for the brown alternative that has whole grains, which—you guessed it right—also has the much-needed fiber.

3. Granola bars

While granola bars and energy bars look so innocent with all their grains, raisins, and nuts, do not be fooled. According to Women's Health, these bars contain as much as 45 grams of carbs and have added extra sugars and syrups, making for a very sweet snack. If you're really into it though, make sure to read the label to find out just what you're eating.

4. Bagels

According to Men's Health, bagels fall into the refined grains category of carbs, where pasta and rice also fall under. Women's Health reports that bagels can have as much as 66 grams of carbs that "lack dietary fiber" because it is processed.

5. White pasta

Just like rice, white pasta is refined and therefore has been stripped off its nutrients.

If pasta is a must, go for those that are made of grains or whole wheat, or the green variety that's made of a mix of vegetables.

6. Cereal

Cereals are great for those on the go. After all, all you have to do is toss it in a bowl and add some non-fat milk. But like granola bars, a lot of cereals have added sugars. Make sure to read the label to know exactly what you're putting in your body.

7. Muffins

It's true what they say, muffins are an excuse to eat dessert during breakfast. These tricky, sweet treats are disguised as healthy because of its fruit content (often bananas and berries), but they're also heavy on the carbs so opt out of this and keep this for a cheat day instead.
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