Monday Focus (ep 2)
You Are Not Eating Enough Protein. That Is Not a Willpower Problem. That Is a GLP1 Problem.
Nobody warned you that the medication would make eating feel like a chore.
They told you about the nausea. Some of them told you about the fatigue. A few mentioned the constipation, usually in a whisper. But nobody sat you down and explained what was actually coming. That the appetite suppression would work so well that you would forget to eat, and that forgetting to eat on a GLP-1 is not the same as skipping a meal. It has consequences. Real ones. And the most significant one is protein.
I am not hitting my protein target. I want to be honest about that before I say anything else. I know what I am supposed to be eating. I know why it matters. I am still struggling to get there most days.
And if you are too, I want you to know that is not a discipline problem. That is a biology problem. And biology problems have solutions, even if we are still finding ours.
what the medication actually changed
Before GLP-1, hunger was loud. It showed up on a schedule, made itself known, was hard to ignore. You ate because your body told you to.
After GLP-1, hunger gets quiet. For some people it nearly disappears. And what fills that silence is a much smaller eating window, fewer meals, fewer opportunities to hit your targets.
The math stops working in your favor.
Your protein requirement did not go down because your appetite did. Your body still needs the same amount, maybe more, because it is actively changing its composition. When protein is low and the body is in a deficit, it does not exclusively burn fat. It pulls from muscle too. Losing muscle while trying to lose fat is not the goal. It was never the goal.
what I am trying right now
I started my morning with a protein drink before my appetite disappears. This is new for me and I am still building the habit. On the days I do it, the rest of the day feels more manageable. On the days I don’t, I am scrambling by dinner.
I found Javvy Protein Refreshers and they have helped on the days when a heavy shake feels impossible. I ordered Strawberry Acai first, loved it, already reordered the other two flavors. They are in transit. They also make a collagen option I have been experimenting with. Not a sponsored post. Just what I am actually using right now. (that is an amazon aff link tho).
My current food obsession is Rotisserie chicken. Mayo. Bread. Four minutes. I have had it multiple days in a row. Sometimes the thing that works is the thing that requires almost nothing from you.
I am not killing it at protein right now. But I am paying attention to it in a way I wasn’t before, and that feels like the first real step.
a few things worth trying this week
Start with protein before your appetite disappears. A drink, eggs, yogurt, anything. Getting ahead of it in the morning changes the whole day.
Greek yogurt for the days when eating feels impossible. Easy to get down, real protein per serving.
Eggs. Hard boiled in the fridge, scrambled in five minutes. Both count.
String cheese, cottage cheese, deli meat. Not exciting. Effective.
Rotisserie chicken if you want something that does the work for you. It goes with everything and takes no effort.
The principle is simple even when the execution is hard. Fewer eating opportunities means every single one has to count.
for more on protein I did a much longer paid post this week, if you missed it. here it is »
your one thing this week
Pick one addition. Just one. Whatever fits your real life, not your aspirational one. Do it every day this week and see what shifts.
one more thing before Wednesday
Paid membership pricing goes up Wednesday. Monthly and yearly both.
If you have been thinking about joining, this is the moment. Real deadline.
If you are already inside, your price is locked. You are good.
drop it in the comments: what is your go-to protein right now? even if the answer is “I have no idea and that is why I am reading this” that counts too. let’s build a list together. »
eating protein right along side you,
» Nyk.
My current go to protein is organic sliced turkey. For some reason it feels comforting and easy to digest. On whole wheat sourdough bread or just by itself. I'm sure I'm not eating enough though lol.
Ha, I read this and immediately got up to get my lunch! Perfect timing. This is something I just became aware of and need to work on. It'so very different to be in a spot that I am forcing myself to eat. A mind-F, if you will.