When looking to lose weight, you need to take on board fewer calories than your body needs.
This is represented by a very simple equation.
Energy consumption = Energy expenditure - body fat reserves stay as they are Energy consumption > Energy expenditure - excess energy is stored as fat and weight increases Energy intake < Energy expenditure - our body takes the extra energy it needs from the fat reserves and body weight decreases Quite simply, there's no doubt that eating less than your body needs will see a loss in body weight.
But can our eating pattern also have an effect? I've heard numerous statements over time about eating patterns and decided to look in more detail at 5 of them to see whether they are true or not.
See if you recognise any of them.

• You need three square meals a day - You don't.
  The idea of 3 square meals emerged to fit around our working lives not our body's energy needs.
  Our body can only digest and convert so much food into energy at a time.
  But then it will need more.
  Try and space out the calories you need throughout the day.
  Ideally 4 - 6 times
• I don't understand why I'm fat as I hardly eat anything - I have nothing all day apart from one big meal in the evening - Your body needs constant fuel and when you first wake up your blood sugar levels are at their lowest.
  By depriving yourself of nutrients and energy throughout the day you will overeat when it comes to the evening.
  Firstly, your body won't be able to digest all that food so you won't sleep well and secondly, you don't need all that energy when you're about to go to sleep
• Snacking is bad for you - Only if you eat the wrong types of food but with the right food choices the 'grazing' approach is a pretty good pattern of eating.
  Our bodies can only deal with a certain amount of energy at a time.
  We use it up and then we need more.
  Too much at once and the body can't digest it all so it's stored as fat.
  Keep yourself topped up - ideally 4 - 6 times a day but with smaller portions
• I'll lose weight by not eating anything - You will certainly lose weight but it won't be fat.
  Your body goes into starvation mode if you create a deficit of more than 700 calories a day and it will take energy from lean tissue first.
  So you'll lose weight but it will come from your muscles first and you'll still have the fat.
  But you will also be missing out on vital nutrients that allows your body to function, fight disease, recover from injury and prevent illness.
  And you'll be tired.
  And you'll be miserable.
  
• I don't get hungry first thing in the morning so I don't bother with breakfast - Big mistake! When asleep, your body is going to have approximately 8 hours without energy so when you wake up, your body's blood sugar levels are at their lowest.
  So you need to take on energy as soon as possible, ideally within 1 hour of waking.
  Leaving it until later in the day means your body will be crying out for sugar which is why you will more than likely crave a sweet, sugary snack like a donut.
  These foods are likely to be a 'high GI' food.
  This means you will get a 'spike' of energy but it is quickly absorbed and then the body will need more.
  Low GI foods like porridge, provide a slower release of energy and you are less likely to experience a 'sugar crash'.
  

So in summary as long as you always have breakfast, eat little and often throughout the day and not too late without starving or stuffing yourself you should have the basics for a good eating pattern.