Eating according to a schedule is beneficial to everyone—but especially runners. Your body is a machine, and you can think of food as the fuel that keeps the engine running smoothly. You never want the tank to run low. Three meals and three snacks are the best way to go. You never should go more than three hours between eating. The benefits are a faster metabolism, which triggers the body to release body fat. And the bonus for runners is that a steady blood sugar level translates to steady energy. Many people are reluctant to adopt this eating pattern for fear of increasing their daily caloric intake. In reality, your net caloric intake drops because when you get to your meal times, you are not starving and you wind up eating less. The other benefit of not starving is that you will make better food choices. When we are hungry, we tend to go for whatever is quickest and not necessarily the healthiest, which is why it's so important to plan ahead!