This guide is about food only
It does not cover medicine doses or side effects. Your doctor or care team is the right place for those questions.
Why protein matters on a GLP-1 medicine
GLP-1 medicines like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro help many people eat less and lose weight. But when you lose weight, you don’t only lose fat. You can also lose muscle.
In one large study of a GLP-1 medicine, about 38% of the weight people lost was lean mass, which includes muscle. A 2025 advisory from four US nutrition and obesity groups lists keeping muscle and bone as a key goal during treatment.
Muscle helps you stay strong, move well, and keep your energy up. Two things help protect it: enough protein and strength exercise.
How much protein do you need?
The 2025 advisory lists 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day during active weight loss. That is higher than the basic adult minimum of 0.8 g/kg.
The advisory also says that for people with obesity, using your full body weight can overestimate how much protein you need. Our protein calculator handles this for you. Pick “On a GLP-1 medication” as your goal.
Eat protein first
When you feel full fast, the first few bites matter most. The advisory suggests eating protein-rich foods first in a meal, so you get them in before you feel full.
Try this at each meal:
- Start with the protein: the chicken, eggs, fish, tofu, or yogurt.
- Then eat the vegetables.
- Finish with rice, bread, or other starches if you still have room.
Protein-rich foods that don’t take much room
These foods give you a lot of protein in a small portion:
| Food | Portion | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, roasted | 4 oz (113 g) | 35 g |
| Cottage cheese | 1 cup (226 g) | 24 g |
| Plain Greek yogurt, nonfat | 1 cup (226 g) | 23 g |
| Canned tuna in water, drained | 4 oz (113 g) | 22 g |
| Firm tofu | 4 oz (113 g) | 20 g |
| Eggs | 3 large | 19 g |
| Lentils, cooked | 1 cup (198 g) | 18 g |
Values come from USDA FoodData Central.
The advisory encourages protein from beans, peas, lentils, whole grains, dairy, seafood, eggs, and lean poultry.
Smaller meals, more often
If big meals feel like too much, try four or five smaller ones. Give each one a protein food. A cup of Greek yogurt at 3 p.m. counts just as much as the protein at dinner.
Eating out on a GLP-1 medicine
Look for orders with lots of protein in a smaller portion. Some good picks from our restaurant guides:
- Chipotle: the High Protein - Low Calorie Bowl (35 g protein, 460 calories) and the High Protein-High Fiber Bowl (46 g protein, 14 g fiber). Chipotle labels both “GLP-1 Friendly.”
- Chick-fil-A: 8 ct Grilled Nuggets have 25 g of protein for 130 calories.
- Starbucks: Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites have 12 g of protein for 170 calories. A Grande Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte adds 29 g.
- Subway: the Baja Chicken Protein Pocket has 24 g of protein for 330 calories.
See our list of chains with GLP-1 and high-protein menus for more.
Add strength exercise
Protein works best with strength exercise, like lifting weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight moves. The advisory lists resistance training as a key way to keep muscle. Ask your care team what is safe for you before you start.
The bottom line
On a GLP-1 medicine, aim for enough protein, eat it first, and add strength exercise when you can. Small, protein-rich meals and snacks make it easier.