Food
Protein after a GLP-1: how much you need and easy ways to get it
The short version
- Protein helps you feel full and helps protect muscle, both of which matter after a GLP-1.
- A simple target: a palm-sized portion, about 25 to 30 g, at each meal.
- Many guides suggest around 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg of body weight a day for adults; if you have kidney disease or are pregnant, follow your healthcare team's advice.
Why protein matters now
Protein is the most filling of the nutrients, so meals built around it help with the hunger that returns after a GLP-1. It also helps your body hold on to muscle, and some of the weight lost on these medicines is lean mass, which includes muscle. Protein plus strength exercise is the main way to protect it.
How much protein?
Rather than counting grams all day, aim for a palm-sized portion of protein at each meal. That's about 25 to 30 g, the amount research suggests is useful for muscle at a meal, especially as we get older. Three meals and a protein snack comes to roughly 90 to 120 g a day for most adults.
Expert groups suggest about 1.0 to 1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight a day for older adults, and a recent joint advisory for people using GLP-1 medicines suggests a similar range. For people with a high body weight, these are usually worked out from a healthier reference weight rather than current weight.
If you have kidney disease, are pregnant, or have been given protein advice by your healthcare team, follow their advice rather than these general amounts.
Easy protein, UK supermarket edition
- Eggs (about 6 to 7 g each).
- Greek-style yoghurt, skyr or high-protein yoghurt pots.
- Cottage cheese.
- Cooked chicken pieces or a rotisserie chicken.
- Tinned tuna, salmon, mackerel or sardines.
- Frozen prawns and fish fillets.
- Tinned or pouch beans, lentils and chickpeas.
- Tofu, tempeh, Quorn and edamame.
- Milk, or a protein milk drink when you're on the go.
Start with breakfast
Breakfast is the meal most often light on protein. Moving some protein there spreads it across the day and helps with mid-morning hunger. See high-protein breakfasts.
Common questions
How much protein should I eat after stopping Wegovy?
A simple target is a palm-sized portion, about 25 to 30 g, at each meal. If you have a health condition, follow your healthcare team's advice.
Do I need protein shakes?
No. Everyday foods like eggs, yoghurt, fish, chicken, beans and tofu are enough. A protein drink can be handy on the go.
Is high protein safe with kidney disease?
If you have kidney disease, follow your kidney team's advice about protein. General targets aren't right for everyone.
Sources
- Paddon-Jones and Rasmussen. Dietary protein recommendations and the prevention of sarcopenia. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 2009
- Bauer et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people (PROT-AGE), 2013
- The Obesity Society and partners: nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy (joint advisory, 2025)
- British Dietetic Association: Medications for obesity, a guide to eating and living well (NICE-hosted resource)
- British Nutrition Foundation: weight-loss medications two-page summary
- Food Standards Agency: the Eatwell Guide
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Steadie never gives advice about medication, doses or stopping treatment: talk to your prescriber, GP or pharmacist about those. In an emergency, call 999. Read how we write guides in our editorial policy.