How many meals a day should I eat?
Whatever number you can hold to: meal frequency on its own does not change fat loss, so pick three to five and spread your protein over them.
Eating six times a day does not raise your metabolism in any way that shows up on the scale. Nor does eating twice. The number of meals is a preference, and the only sensible rule is the one that keeps you inside your calories.
Protein is the exception worth planning: a few decent servings beat one large one, so aim for three or four meals that each contain real protein, and build the rest around your day.
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- Schoenfeld, B.J. et al. (2015). Effects of meal frequency on weight loss and body composition: a meta-analysis. Nutr Rev 73(2). 15 studies: the apparent benefit of eating more often came from a single study, and disappeared once that study was removed.
- Schoenfeld, B.J. & Aragon, A.A. (2018). How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 15. Where frequency does matter a little: spreading protein over at least four meals.