A mixed bag of food today

I have eaten something of a mixed bag today. The day started off at about 7am with tea and orange juice (50 calories). By 9am (while at work) I managed half a packet of Oatso Simple with milk (110). I probably could have eaten more then but had a relatively early lunch instead. I ate my lunch at 12.15 - this consisted of vegetarian cottage pie and some frozen mixed veg (cooked up last night) (220). I followed lunch up at about 2.30 with a Weight Watcher's yoghurt (50). By 3.30pm I was hungry again and thought I'd have a low fat creamed rice - but discovered I didn't have any left at work. So I held on until I got home about 5pm and then ate some cold potatoes (80) that were left over from last night's dinner (I still keep over-estimating portion sizes when I'm cooking!)!! Within an hour I was eating again - this time a Weight Watcher's ocean pie (175). I have to eat relatively early on Tuesday's because I go swimming at 9pm, but I was hungry enough to eat anyway. I didn't eat all of the ocean pie - because I had another microwave moment and caused a mini-explosion! The result was that there was only about 80% of it left for me to eat - oh, and I was hungry enough soon after to eat that low fat creamed rice (125) I'd hankered for earlier in the day!! So at 6.45pm I am finally sat here completely fed and watered until I go swimming. Since swimming ALWAYS makes me very hungry I expect to eat something when I get home - perhaps another yoghurt (50) or a couple of rice cakes (70) or something.

So a bit of a weird day all in all. I have eaten quite a lot of carbohydrates and dairy but relatively little fruit, veg and protein. Although, from the description above, it may appear that I have done nothing all day except eat, I have still only consumed about 800 calories in total. Can I learn any lessons from today's experience? A couple of things perhaps:

1. Eat more in the morning so I start the day off well and don't spend all day just going from one hunger moment to another. Breakfast was well under 200 calories and it's supposed to be the main meal of the day. Ideally I should eat more like 300 calories for breakfast. I know that I have a psychological barrier to this - it's like an in-built fear to using up my calorie allowance early in the day and not being able/allowed to eat later on. Silly really, I know, but it's that fat gene in me again.

2. Eat more protein. Protein, as well as being essential for healthy bones and teeth etc, is also more filling than othr food types and so keeps hunger at bay.

I am certain that I have 'learned' these lessons before but I think I just keep forgetting them!!!