Overweight people eat fewer meals than normal weight people.

It might seem counter-intuitive, however, it seems that all this snacking leads to consuming less calories overall throughout the day.

Generally, though, “weight loss maintainers” consumed the fewest calories, at about 1,800 a day, compared with the normal weight and overweight subjects, who took in 1,900 and more than 2,000 calories a day, respectively.

Weight loss maintainers also were the most physically active of the three groups, Bachman said, burning off about 3,000 calories a week through exercise and other activities, compared to 2,000 calories a week among the normal weight subjects and 800 calories a week in the overweight group.

The take away? You can be satisfied eating less if you spread the food out over the course of your day.

A lighter belly also leaves you more inclined to be active in between meals.