How to Hit Your Protein Target with Just Two Meals a Day

One of our members recently asked a great question during their check-in:

“I usually only eat two meals a day, but I find it difficult to get my protein above 110 g. I’m so busy with work and events that it’s hard to have three full meals. Should I try smaller portions or just add high-protein snacks? And when I increase protein, my fats seem to go up too. Also, based on my goals and weight I know I should aim for 130 g of protein, but how should I split my carbs and fats?”

They train regularly, works full-time, and often has evening events, so meal timing and consistency are real challenges. Their question captures what many people experience: wanting to make progress, but needing a plan that works around life, not against it.

Here’s how we approached it together, and how you can use the same principles yourself.

Step 1: Work With Your Routine, Not Against It

If your schedule only allows for two main meals, you don’t need to overhaul it. The best plan is one that fits. Making small, realistic tweaks will always beat a complete lifestyle rebuild.

Start by keeping those two meals protein-centred.

When protein becomes the anchor of each meal:

• You hit your daily target more easily.

• You stay fuller for longer, helping prevent overeating later.

• You naturally build balanced meals around carbs and fats instead of the other way round.

Try eating protein first from the plate, it’s the most filling macronutrient and sets the tone for the rest of the meal.

So instead of forcing extra meals, focus on making the meals you already eat work harder for you.

The Challenge with Only Two Meals

However, there’s one practical challenge with this setup, it’s hard to hit enough protein.

If your goal is 110-130 g per day, that means roughly 55-65 g of protein per meal. That’s a lot, and for most people, it’s difficult to manage consistently without very large servings of food.

For example, 60 g of protein could look like:

• 250 g chicken breast, or

• 300 g Greek yogurt + a scoop of whey, or

• 3-4 whole eggs + 150 g egg whites

That’s doable, but not easy.

This is why many people prefer to spread protein across three or four eating occasions, it’s not that higher frequency is “better,” but it makes the target far more achievable and helps digestion and recovery too.

If adding a full meal isn’t practical, even a shake, bar, or simple snack between meals can make a big difference. It’s not about eating more often for the sake of it, it’s about making your intake work for you.

Step 2: Quick and Easy High-Protein Options

Busy schedules need convenience. Here’s a quick guide you can screenshot or save:

Adding one or two of these options around your main meals is often enough to bridge the gap between “not enough” and consistently hitting your target.

Step 3: Managing Protein Without Increasing Fat

When you bump up protein, fat can sneak up too, especially if your go-to foods are eggs, nut butters, or fattier meats.

Here’s the quick maths:

• 1 g protein = 4 kcal

• 1 g carbohydrate = 4 kcal

• 1 g fat = 9 kcal

So higher-fat protein sources double the calories fast. The fix? Choose leaner proteins more often so most of your calories come from protein itself.

Important: we’re not demonising fats. They’re vital for hormones, brain function, and joint health. This is simply about understanding calorie density and recognising that leaner protein sources help you control intake when your goal is fat loss or body composition change. Once you’re maintaining, higher-fat foods can absolutely feature more often.

This kind of individual adjustment is exactly what we cover in our Small Group Personal Training sessions and check-ins, identifying barriers and finding solutions that work in real life.

Step 4: How to Split Your Carbs and Fats

Once your calories and protein are set, carbs and fats are flexible. Both matter, but in different ways:

• Carbs supply accessible energy and help with training and recovery.

• Fats regulate hormones and provide slow-burn energy.

Start with this framework:

• Protein: ~2 g per kg bodyweight (~130 g for this member)

• Fats: 25-30 % of total calories (mainly olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, oily fish)

• Carbs: Fill the remainder based on training load and preference

If your daily intake is ~2,000 kcal:

• 130 g protein = 520 kcal

• 60-70 g fat = 540-630 kcal

• 200–230 g carbs = 800-920 kcal

These aren’t hard rules, they’re starting points you can adapt.

The Energy Balance Hierarchy

Energy balance (total calories) sits at the base, it decides whether you gain, lose, or maintain weight.

Above that, macronutrients (protein, carbs, fats) shape performance and recovery.

Then come micronutrients, followed by timing and finally supplements.

So if you focus first on calories and protein, you’ve already nailed the two foundations most people miss.

What the Research Says

Science backs this hierarchy clearly:

Protein and fullness
High-protein diets consistently improve satiety and help manage appetite (Westerterp-Plantenga et al., 2010). In practice, this means eating protein first can help you stay fuller for longer and avoid late-day cravings.

Protein timing and meal frequency
Research shows spreading protein intake across meals (20-40 g each) supports muscle repair and retention (Areta et al., 2013). That’s why eating two huge servings isn’t ideal for everyone, distributing protein makes it easier to hit targets and sustain energy.

Energy balance first
Hall et al. (2016) found that long-term weight changes are driven mainly by calorie balance, not the specific diet type. Whether you eat higher-carb or higher-fat, consistent calorie control is what matters most.

Flexible macros
Hu et al. (2019) showed both low-carb and low-fat diets can work equally well when calories and protein are matched. That means your macro split should match your preferences and energy demands, not rigid rules.

You don’t need to memorise the studies, the message is simple:

Get your calories and protein right, and the rest can flex around your lifestyle.

The Takeaway

You don’t need to eat every three hours to reach your goal. You need structure that fits your lifestyle.

By centring meals around protein, choosing leaner (but not fat-free) options, and understanding how carbs and fats fit into the bigger picture, you’ll eat smarter without overhauling your routine.

Ready to Simplify Your Nutrition?

If you’re juggling work, social life, and still want to feel in control of your nutrition, we can help.

At The Lab Liverpool, our coaches make nutrition practical, personal, and sustainable.

Start our 6-week Small Group PT trial. Together, we’ll build a plan that fits your lifestyle and lasts.

You Might Also Like

• From Skipping Breakfast to Finding Balance: A Member’s Nutrition Journey

• Should You Train While Sore?

References

• Westerterp-Plantenga M.S. et al. (2010). Dietary protein, metabolism, and body-weight regulation. Nutrition & Metabolism, 7(1), 79.

• Areta J.L. et al. (2013). Timing and distribution of protein ingestion during prolonged recovery from resistance exercise. Journal of Physiology, 591(9), 2319–2331.

• Hall K.D. et al. (2016). Energy expenditure and body composition changes after an isocaloric ketogenic diet in overweight and obese men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 104(2), 324–333.

• Hu T. et al. (2019). Effects of low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, 161(5), 309–318.