Eating right and in the right amounts have been drilled in us since grade school, but why do we still seem to eat too much sometimes? CNN.com has gathered the top three reasons why we overeat and ways to overcome them.

We’re not getting enough shut eye:

Sleep deprivation results in a lower levels of the hormone leptin, which signals satiety, and higher levels of the hormone grhelin, which signals hunger. The combined result of the hormone imbalance? A 24% boost in appetite, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. To curb your appetite after a restless night, eat complex carbohydrates and lean protein for long lasting energy to get you through the day and try to prioritize a good night’s sleep. 

We’re too stressed:

When our bodies are stressed, we produce the hormone cortisol to help restore homeostasis. Cortisol, however, can boost your appetite and cause your body to store more visceral fat. Stress reduction techniques, such as yoga, meditation, and deep-breathing exercises should help reduce chronic cortisol exposure.

We’re hardwired to crave fatty foods:

It almost seems unfair, but our brains are working against our diets because of evolution. Our ancestors needed to find palatable, high energy food to survive and our brains have been in that mode ever since. This means that the mere sight of a food can cause a craving. To fight your cravings, just don’t tempt them. Keep junk food out of your pantry and out of sight.  

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but what if you find yourself too busy to grab something 

before work? Luckily, restaurants like Amanda’s offer quick, healthy breakfast options that you can easily pick up on your way to work or school. But in case you’re not convinced to take that extra time out of your day, here are our top 5 reasons to eat breakfast:

-Curb Cravings: Eating breakfast saves you from caving into your cravings later in the day, when you’ll be tempted to nosh on high-calorie, non-nutritious snacks. 

-Build Better Eating Habits: Starting the day with a healthy meal sets the trend — you’re more likely to keep eating well throughout the day.

-Boost Your Energy: Breakfast breaks your fast from the previous night and provides your body with the energy and nutrients it needs before lunch.

-Maintain Weight Loss: Researchers from the National Weight Control Registry found that 78% of people who’ve lost weight and maintained it for at least six years eat breakfast. 

-Enhance Cognitive Function:  Studies show that children who eat a balanced breakfast perform significantly better on standardized tests than those who did not eat breakfast at all.