Why Small Meals Work
Over time, conventional wisdom changed from "eat three square meals a day" to "graze on small frequent meals." Some nutritionists say meal frequency doesn't matter and others even believe a single daily meal is okay as long as your total daily calorie intake isn't too high. But that's just not how the human body works.

Let's say you eat the right number of calories, but you cram them all into one sitting late at night. That's like trying to drive your car on empty all day then filling the gas tank after it's parked in the garage. The difference is your car will stall without fuel, whereas your body must keep going. To compensate for not being fed, your body can conserve energy (i.e. burn fewer calories) and dip into its back-up reserves, namely muscle, which can be converted into blood sugar to keep your brain and working cells fueled.

This "survival mode" is how humans have adapted throughout time, but it's not ideal. Going all day without eating means the "jobs" nutrients do don't get done, because the "workers" (namely carbs, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants) don't show up. Ideally, your body prefers a steady stream of these precious nutrients through your waking hours, in the right balance (not too much, not too little). That balance feels best physically and mentally, and intuitively it just makes sense.