Protein on a GLP-1
How much protein to aim for while losing weight on a GLP-1 such as Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound, to help keep muscle. A range from the 2025 joint nutrition advisory.
Key facts
- The 2025 joint advisory on nutrition for GLP-1 therapy notes 1.2–1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight a day proposed during active weight loss, against the adult RDA of 0.8 g/kg.
Height sets the weight the range is worked out on.
ExampleProtein a day for 100 kg at 170 cm
95–125g a day
1.2–1.6 g per kg of 79.5 kg, the weight at a BMI of 27.5 for your height.A range, not a prescription. General guidance, not medical advice.
- 65 g everyday minimum (RDA, 0.8 g/kg)
- 95–125 g while losing weight (1.2–1.6 g/kg)
- 160 g+ avoid long term (2 g/kg)
Grams a day above the bar; g per kg of 79.5 kg below it.
- Spread over 4 meals
- 25–30 g each
- Everyday minimum
- about 65 g
- Avoid long term
- 160 g or more
General information from published research, not a diagnosis or medical advice. Talk to a doctor before changing medication or treatment. A range for adults, not a prescription. SourcesTerms
What 100 g of protein looks likeOne day of everyday foods
- Eggs · 2 large13 g
- Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat · 1 container (170 g)17 g
- Chicken breast, roasted · 3 oz (85 g)26 g
- Lentils, cooked · 1 cup18 g
- Cottage cheese, 2% · ½ cup12 g
- Milk, 2% · 1 cup8 g
- Peanut butter · 2 tbsp7 g
- Total101 g
Protein per portion from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy). Generic foods; packaged products vary, so check the label.
Why protein matters on a GLP-138% of the weight lost in STEP 1 was lean mass
Fast weight loss takes muscle as well as fat. In the STEP 1 trial of semaglutide, of the average 13.6 kg lost, 8.3 kg (62%) was fat and 5.3 kg (38%) was lean mass. Muscle is about half of lean mass, so about 20% of the weight lost was muscle.
GLP-1s also cut appetite, so protein often drops too. Enough protein helps, but the advisory is clear that protein alone is likely not enough to keep muscle: structured strength training matters as much. A ready 12-week GLP-1 strength plan is a place to start.
Which weight the range uses79.5 kg, the weight at BMI 27.5
The advisory says it is unclear whether protein targets in obesity should use actual weight, a corrected (adjusted or ideal) weight or fat-free mass, and that actual weight “can significantly overestimate protein requirements”.
This page uses your weight, or the weight at a BMI of 27.5 for your height if that is lower: an example of a corrected weight from the review the advisory cites (Grosicki et al. 2024). For you that is 79.5 kg. On your full weight, 1.2–1.6 g/kg would be 120–160 g.
If you know your fat-free mass from a body-composition scan, 1.5 g per kg of it is another approach the advisory mentions, as is a simple fixed target of 80–120 g a day.
Water and fluidsWhy dehydration matters on a GLP-1
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea are common when starting a GLP-1 or going up a dose. The advisory warns that dehydration from them can cause acute kidney injury, and advises drinking adequate fluids and preventing dehydration.
It gives no single number for fluids, so neither do we. If you can’t keep fluids down, contact your care team.
Where the numbers come fromThe 2025 joint advisory and USDA FoodData Central
- The g/kg figures, the weight basis, the 2 g/kg caution, meals and fluids: Mozaffarian D et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint Advisory of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association and The Obesity Society. Am J Clin Nutr 2025 (PMID 40450457; full text), sections “Preservation of muscle and bone mass” and “Management of GI side effects”.
- Lean mass in STEP 1: the same advisory, section “Muscle and bone loss”, citing Wilding JPH et al., N Engl J Med 2021;384:989–1002.
- Weight at BMI 27.5 and spreading protein over the day: Grosicki GJ et al. Sculpting success, Curr Dev Nutr 2024 (PMID 39624804), sections “Strategies for determining daily protein intake recommendations” and “Practical considerations”.
- Protein in foods: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018).
How this works: Method, 4 sources, Checked against 10 worked examples,
How this works
Method
It multiplies a reference weight by the 2025 joint nutrition advisory’s figures: 1.2–1.6 g of protein per kg a day during weight loss, 0.8 g/kg as the everyday minimum and 2 g/kg as the level to avoid long term, each rounded to the nearest 5 g. The reference weight is your weight, or the weight at a BMI of 27.5 for your height if that is lower, because using the full weight in obesity can overestimate protein needs. Food amounts are from USDA FoodData Central.
Sources
- Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint Advisory (ACLM, ASN, OMA, TOS) (Am J Clin Nutr, 2025)
- Sculpting success: diet and physical activity to support skeletal muscle health during weight loss with new generation anti-obesity medications (Curr Dev Nutr, 2024)
- Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1) (N Engl J Med, 2021)
- FoodData Central, SR Legacy (U.S. Department of Agriculture, April 2018)
How it’s tested
10 worked examples for this page are checked by automated tests before every release: given the inputs, the tool must show the expected answer.
Limits
General information from published research, not a diagnosis or medical advice. Talk to a doctor before changing medication or treatment. A range for adults, not a prescription.
Privacy
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Changes
- First published: a daily protein range for weight loss on a GLP-1 from the 2025 joint advisory, split over your meals, with what 100 g of protein looks like in everyday foods.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein should I eat on Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound?
The 2025 joint nutrition advisory for GLP-1 therapy notes that 1.2–1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight a day has been proposed during active weight loss, compared with 0.8 g/kg for adults generally. For someone weighing 80 kg that is about 95–130 g a day. With obesity, the full body weight can overestimate needs, so this page works it out on the weight at a BMI of 27.5 for your height when that is lower. It is a range for adults, not a prescription: your clinician or a registered dietitian can set your own target.
Why does protein matter on a GLP-1?
Rapid weight loss takes muscle as well as fat. In the STEP 1 trial of semaglutide, 38% of the average 13.6 kg lost was lean mass, about 20% of the total being muscle. GLP-1s also cut appetite, so many people eat less protein than before. Enough protein, together with strength training, helps keep muscle. The advisory stresses that protein alone is likely not enough without strength training.
Should I use my current weight or my goal weight?
The advisory says it is unclear whether targets should use actual weight, a corrected (adjusted or ideal) weight or fat-free mass, and that actual weight can significantly overestimate needs in obesity. This page uses your weight, or the weight at a BMI of 27.5 for your height if that is lower, an example of a corrected weight from the review the advisory cites. If you know your fat-free mass from a body-composition scan, 1.5 g per kg of it is another approach the advisory mentions.
How much protein should I eat per meal?
Spreading it out makes the total easier to reach when appetite is low. The page splits your range evenly over 3, 4 or 5 meals. The advisory suggests eating protein-rich foods first in a meal, and, with nausea, a small breakfast and then small meals every 3–4 hours.
Is more protein better?
No. The advisory says prolonged intake at or above 2 g/kg a day should be avoided because of potential adverse effects, and that protein above what muscles need can be turned into fat by the liver. The scale on this page marks that level.
Do I need protein shakes?
Not necessarily. The advisory favours foods first, with plant proteins, dairy, seafood, eggs and lean poultry, and lower-volume options such as fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts and seeds when appetite is low. It notes that some people meet their targets with high-protein shakes, bars or fortified foods. This page recommends no brands and has no affiliate links.
Who should ask a clinician before using this?
Anyone with kidney disease, anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone under 18 and anyone with an eating disorder, now or in the past. Protein needs differ in each case, so the page shows no numbers when you tick one of these.
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