Weight loss secrets: How many meals a day actually work, according to trainer

How many times a day should you eat

"I have a certain amount of calories, which corresponds to a certain amount of food that I shouldn't exceed in a day. I can divide this food into two meals, three, four, or five. What's the difference? From the perspective of health and weight loss, there is no difference," Mandziak notes.

He emphasizes that the choice depends on personal comfort. If you prefer larger meals without overeating, two meals a day may be enough. If long gaps between meals are uncomfortable, it might be better to eat four times a day.

What is meal routine

"Maintaining a consistent meal routine—with a set number of meals at roughly the same times each day—is essential. Two, three, four, or five meals. It doesn't matter whether you include snacks or not. What matters is that there is a routine," the expert explains.

According to him, regularity helps the brain adapt, as we train it to know when food is consumed.

"The brain is a prisoner of habits. It simplifies everything, automates processes, and asks us to repeat them because it's easier to function this way, freeing itself for higher thinking," says Viktor.

Mandziak advises setting clear intervals between meals, training the brain to eat only at these times. He adds that transitioning from chaotic eating can be challenging.

"When a person is used to eating chaotically, it leads to excess calories. First, allow yourself to feel these unpleasant emotions of craving. That's hard. You have to endure it stoically. I guarantee that after a month or two of this practice, the brain will no longer notice the triggers," the fitness trainer emphasizes.

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