ccording to research, eating 5-6 times per day is ideal for your metabolism and will help to optimize your energy level throughout the day. Aim for 3 reasonably-sized meals with 2-3 small snacks in between.
Eating every 2-3 hours will prevent excessive hunger that can lead to over-eating for some people.
Listen to your body. Stop eating when you are comfortably full, before you feel stuffed and uncomfortable. Eating frequent, small portions will help you to moderate your intake if you tend to overeat. See below for developing balanced meals and snacks.