Reuben sandwiches are so good.

If you’ve never had or made one, you butter the outside of two slices of bread; spread the non-buttered sides with Thousand Island dressing; layer on one slice of Swiss cheese, two slices of corned beef, 1/4 cup of sauerkraut and a second slice of Swiss cheese; top that with the two remaining bread slices, buttered sides out; and grill the sandwich until both sides are golden brown.

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It’s no wonder one mother of four from the Wisconsin Dells loves a good Reuben sandwich.

“I’m German, Russian, and Polish,” she told LifeZette as to why it’s her favorite. She added with a grin, “I also don’t have to share and ‘people’ leave me alone that night.”

While the sandwich is wonderful, it also contains about 500 calories and 30 grams of fat — not a big deal to a busy mom who stays in great shape and isn’t counting calories. For Americans who may be watching their weight and surfing the sandwich section of any restaurant menu, however, that’s a significant portion of the amount of fat to should consume on a daily basis.

Related: Why We’re Overweight, Inactive, Intoxicated

We make some easy mistakes when it comes to turning an otherwise healthy sandwich into something we might be better off avoiding. Florida-based registered dietician nutritionist Dr. Jo Lichten offered what she feels are the seven most common ways we’re wrecking our sandwiches:

1.) Excessive cheese
While cheese has a healthy reputation, most cheeses have as much fat and calories, ounce for ounce, as fried chicken, Lichten told LifeZette.

2.) Too much dressing
There’s nothing wrong with a thin smear, but most dressings have about 80 calories per tablespoon.

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3.) French fries and onion rings
Enjoy just a few of them on the side, if you must; be conscientious of what you’re eating.

4.) Bacon
We love our bacon, but dietitians believe that it does us more harm than good. If it’s the crunch you’re after, opt for some crunchy veggies instead, advises Lichten.

5.) Extra bread
There’s nothing wrong with a couple of slices of bread. Most sandwiches, however, have the equivalent of four to five slices of bread — such as a bagel or large roll.

6.) Fatty meats or fried meats
These often have twice as many calories as a leaner cut of meat; they’re also high in preservatives and contain only a small amount of (poor-quality) protein.

7.) Too much grilling
Much like with the Reuben, “too many of us slather on the butter when we don’t even need to add fat to panini it. Fats don’t fill us up. Proteins do and then carbs,” said Lichten.

Related: Don’t Bail on Your Scale

It’s all good advice, and something a Texas dad tells LifeZette he’ll take to heart, especially as he tries to watch his weight now that he’s in his 40s. But it also makes him want to order a Reuben — or better yet, a Monte Cristo (a ham and cheese sandwich, deep-fat fried, with powdered sugar on top). Life is too short, he said, to not enjoy a really good sandwich now and then.