Weight loss: 3 meals a day vs 6 small meals per day?

I have heard more small meals are better because it keeps your body fueled. You don't get highs and lows in your energy level. It is hard though for me to plan for 6 meals.

I find that the more often I eat, the more often I WANT to eat. In other words, eating makes me think about ... eating. So I don't typically snack at all. It works much better for me to just have main meals.

I have 3 meals plus 2 snacks mid morning and afternoon. My nutritionist said if you eat regularly it does help keep the metabolism up, especially if you have protein with every meal/snack. But really, it does come down to total calories overall compared to what you expend.

As others have said, bottom line for losing weight is "calories in, calories out". So whether you eat only three times per day or six times or more per day it doesn't matter from a calorie point of view, if you're tracking them.

But, it does matter if it changes the way you feel. I know for me personally I need to eat more often to prevent low blood sugar, and I need to eat the right thing... So for example, if I have eggs for breakfast, and a few almonds or some cheese for a snack, then I'm fine at lunch. But if I eat cold cereal for breakfast I am RAVENOUS mid-morning, and it's that shaky must-eat-everything-in-sight hunger, so I'll eat peanut butter and bread and boom I'm over my calories for the day. 

So for me, eating more often throughout the day keeps me from being out-of-control hungry, so I'm less likely to overeat at meal time.

I eat three meals and two snacks a day.
If I don't, my blood-sugar drops too low, too fast and I get shaky, light-headed and "hangry".
I find if I'm fueling my body regularly, I feel better and I have better control of what and how much I'm eating. I'm able to better guage my hunger cues and decide if/when I'm satisfied.

I've tried white-knuckling it with just 3 meals, but I can never make it through. I've always had a binge-session at some point in the week; often multiple times. It's worth it to me to have it spread out.

I have also found that I need to keep hydrated in order to keep hunger at bay or to be sure whether I'm really hungry or just thirsty.

I eat 3 meals a day. It's true, the most important part is keeping track of what you are eating. It's easier for me to do that 3 times a day. If I eat amy more, I would tend to leave something out.

Also for me, every time I put something in my mouth I have to fight with myself to make good choices. Every time. I'm like an alcoholic, and eating is always fraught with hard decisions. I do best when I limit the number of times a day I have to make those decisions. 6 meals a day means 3 more chances that I could slip up and make a bad choice.

As long as I have protein got breakfast, and I'm pretty neurotic about making that happen, I don't get crazy sick hungry between meals. I do get that way if meal time is delayed for too long, so I know the feeling. I've read conflicting data about eating frequently to keep your metabolism up. I've read that our stomachs weren't designed to have food in them all the time, and it's healthy to let them empty out.

Also, I struggle with emotional eating, so it was really important for me to let myself feel hunger and learn to truly use it as a signal that it was time to eat. I always saw hunger as something to be avoided at all costs, instead of letting it serve it's true purpose.

Weight loss is 99% mental for me. I do whatever makes it less of a struggle for me, as long as the net result is less calories.