It is probably no surprise to you that as a personal trainer, I am asked for diet and nutrition advice with just about every appointment. It runs the gamut: when to eat, what to eat, how much, how little and have seen so many diet fads come and go (only to come back again) that it frankly makes my head spin!

First off, let me mention that in our fast-paced society, we tend to over complicate things that are, by nature, quite simple. Almost everyone already knows that we probably should go for a side salad instead of fries and having a milkshake for lunch won't be a great contributor for our recommended daily allowances of vitamins and minerals. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and unsaturated fats are all no-brainers to most. However, one area of our diets that has been a little more tricky to pin down is how often and when to eat for optimal energy and fat loss.

Here is what I have personally seen successful with myself and several of my clients. Eat more often, with smaller portions, and even if you eat the same number of calories, you will find that you might lose weight. This might leave you scratching your head, since the old and unappealing idea of eat as little as possible while exercising as much as possible in order to lose fat might still be your belief. Let me explain. . .

• About 10% of our daily calorie intake is used to actually digest our food. This is called thermic energy of food (TEF). The more often we eat, the more often our metabolic system revs up to process food to turn into energy. Free calorie burn!
• Eating every few hours (as opposed to a long stretch of six hours) keeps a steady stream of nutrients to your brain and muscles, which will keep you more alert, and improve mood and energy levels (which will help you push harder during workouts!).
• Eating five smaller meals a day will help prevent the body from releasing excess insulin which will cause your body to store extra calories as fat. Instead you will get the nutrients your body can use right away.
• Knowing that you will dine again in a few hours as opposed to several will likely prevent you from the temptation of huge portions. Also, try to use your small meals as a break time. It is not only healthy for your mind, but also for your body. The more stress in your life, the more likely you are to be overweight. Several studies have shown that stress causes overeating, as a hormone named cortisol is released during high stress that can stimulate appetite and promote fat storage around the vital organs (a huge red flag for cardiovascular disease!).

Now, this isn't a free pass to eat doughnuts every three hours. You must choose the right combinations as well. Here are some great examples:

• Protein requires a higher thermic effect than carbs and fat. Make sure you eat protein at each meal. Good options include low fat dairy, cottage cheese, turkey, chicken and beans.
• Fiber slows the release of glucose and keeps you feeling full while moving food through the body.
• Low to moderate glycemic index carbs will keep your blood sugar from spiking which can cause fatigue and unnecessary hunger. There are GI lists all over the internet.
• Healthy fats in foods such as olive oil, avocado and nuts are great to keep you full and absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K.
• Remember, the only way this will truly work is to cut back on portion size. Try to cut the meal size down to about 60% of what you would eat for three meals.

I know that many of you have busy and complicated lives so this type of eating might seem difficult. I suspect most of you have a refrigerator available at work and with a little planning ahead, it is very do-able. Here is my personal challenge to you: Try this for two weeks, and I assure you that the bit of extra effort will be well worth it as you experience the benefits.