There is common notion that by eating less you will lose weight. Of course lowering your caloric intake will lead to weight loss but along with losing fat you will also lose muscle volume which is a bad thing. You see your muscle burns fat. The larger volume of muscle that you have will burn even more fat and of course your metabolism will be running at a high rate.

The key here is your metabolism or your metabolic rate, the rate at which your body burns fat. You want to keep it running at high levels. Reducing the amount of food will actually lower your metabolic rate and then of course slow the rate at which your body burns fat, meaning you will not lose weight this way.

What you need to do in order to keep your metabolic rate running at high levels is actually more. Now I don't mean huge meals filled with unhealthy items like cookies, cakes and pies, I mean eating more frequently of the right foods. Studies have shown that eating smaller, well balanced meals frequently throughout the day keeps your metabolic rate running at a high level and contributes to healthy weight loss.

In order for you to take advantage of this information simply change the way you eat. Instead of eating three very large meals, eat six smaller meals. Spread those meals out throughout your day (about one every two and a half to three hours). As long as your body has to digest food your metabolism is on the go.

Make sure those meals you do eat are well balanced with healthy portions of protein, carbohydrates and green vegetables. Instead of using a scale or weighing your food, which I find too cumbersome, think of a portion size as the same size as your clenched fist.

Your protein sources should consist of lean meats, egg whites, healthy nuts, poultry and fish. Bake or grill your foods and stay away from frying if at all possible. If you have to fry your foods then use a fat free non stick cooking spray like Pam, or you could use a small amount of olive oil which is loaded with healthy fats like omega-3's and omega-6's.

Whole wheat or multi-grain breads, potatoes, brown rice and fruits make up what you should be consuming as quality sources of carbohydrates. Sorry mom's home made mashed potatoes are not on the list.

Finally for your green vegetables go with salads, spinach, broccoli and asparagus to name a few. This is the food category that you can actually splurge on. So if you find yourself a little more hungry than normal, have an increased amount of green vegetables. They are loaded with the vitamins and minerals your body needs without the excess calories.

Just remember that you should always consult with your primary care physician prior to starting any type of fitness, nutrition or exercise program so you can obtain a clean bill of health, or at least a doctor's approval of what you will be doing.