"Hectic days lead to less than three meals per day and insufficient protein...how can i get a score in the WIN column even if my food intake isn't a win?"
Yep, hectic days make it really tough to get those meals in. Keeping some convenient foods on hand, even if they're less than ideal, is always a good idea! Gulp a protein shake or eat a stick of beef jerky, or even a handful of nuts. (Read through the response to the next question for another approach to this problem!)
As far as getting a "win", you are getting your win every day that you do your check in form! Whether you check the "yes" box or the "no" box, you are working on improving your eating habits, and that's a win. Having you consistently doing the check ins is what I'm after, because it means that you will get into the habit of at least thinking about the goals every day. While you may not hit the goal every time, you are aware of it, and slowly improving on it.
"I feel like I am getting my protein in ok, but it may not always be at all three meals. Some meals may have more intake than others. In other words, I may not always have the full serving at one meal, but may have more than one at another. I guess getting in the full daily requirement is the bottom line or goal? And is it just me, or is it difficult to take in that much protein a day? Seems like a lot. ?? Lol"
Yes, that's right! If you're getting in 3-4 servings of protein per day, exactly when you eat it isn't so important. Trying to work one serving in per meal is an easy way to approach it, but it isn't the only way to do it! This also applies to the question above... if you can't get your protein serving in at lunch because of a hectic day, you can always make up for it by having a larger serving of protein with breakfast and dinner. Find what works with your schedule and go with it! Setting the goal of 3-4 servings of protein a day, rather than one per meal, is perfectly acceptable!
A lot of people do find it hard at first to get in all that protein, but it's because it's something you aren't used to! Protein is the most satiating macronutrient (it makes you feel more full, and for longer, than either carbs or fat do), which means you don't usually feel like eating a lot of it! But once you get used to it, your metabolism will ramp up and you'll have more of an appetite for it. This is a good thing!
If you wind up not getting in every serving of protein every day, it's not a failure! Remember that eating right takes practice, just like any other skill, and consistent practice will make you better at it. If you're getting more protein in now that you were before you started this program, then you're making progress and that's what counts!
Another nice little perk from getting in your protein...
Protein is the most thermogenic food, meaning that your body expends a good deal of energy just to digest it. In fact, you only absorb about 70-80% of the calories in protein dense foods, because you burn the other 20-30% off just by digesting it! Digestion from carbs only burns off about 5-10% of the total calories, and only 0-3% of the calories from fats are burned off. So basically, just eating more protein increases your metabolism, and should help you eat less of the carbs and fat, because you aren't as hungry after getting in that protein!
