One
of the best unkept secrets today in the fitness industry is the hard
won knowledge that eating 5 or 6 small meals over the course of a day is
a much better strategy for getting lean and slim than the traditional
"3 squares" a day (which for many people, turns into just 2 large meals
because they don't eat any breakfast.)
Yes, skipping meals might seem like a logical way to cut calories and lose pounds, but in fact it works the opposite way to what you might expect since it generally leads to deprivation and overindulgence. It may sound counter-intuitive, but the far better strategy is to eat regularly and more frequently (within reason) to achieve your optimal weight.
One of the problems associated with missing a meal is that it can cause your blood sugar levels to decrease. This can predispose us to a pattern of increased eating as the body attempts to correct the dip in blood sugar. For instance, skipping breakfast is proven to cause fatigue, hamper metabolic rate, and increase food cravings elsewhere during the day. The combined effect can contribute to more food intake and, of course, a resultant weight gain.