Sneaky Reasons You're Eating More Than You Want To

Staying physically active is always a good idea. But, just like anything else, too much can be a bad thing. "I have clients come in and tell me that they're exercising so much, but still can't lose weight," says Margaux Harari, MS, RDN, registered dietitian and sports nutritionist in New York City. Of course, when you exercise, your body needs more fuel in the tank. But over-exercising or doing too much endurance activity can skew hunger hormones, driving up your appetite beyond what's needed. (Plus, there's the mentality that you deserve to eat a big stack of pancakes after.) And, putting too much stress on your body via exercise can increase levels of cortisol, which tells your body to hold onto fat, says Harari. The best option, she says, is to focus on HIIT workouts (high intensity interval training), as these burn calories and increase muscle mass, but because they're done for a short duration will keep your hunger under control.