On Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound, protein is what protects your muscle while the weight comes off. Enter your weight for a daily target, split into a per-meal number you can actually hit on a small appetite.
Enter your weight to see a suggested daily protein range.
Knowing your number is the easy part. Eating it on a smaller appetite is the work. Get high-protein meals and a free starter guide to make it simple.
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On a GLP-1 the target isn't the hard part. Eating it is. Appetite drops, meals get smaller, and protein is usually the first thing to slip. These are the tactics that work in practice:
Rough values per realistic serving, to help you build meals that reach your per-meal number.
| Food | Protein |
|---|---|
| Chicken breast, cooked (100 g) | 31 g |
| Turkey breast, cooked (100 g) | 29 g |
| Lean beef mince 5%, cooked (100 g) | 26 g |
| Salmon, cooked (100 g) | 25 g |
| Tuna, tinned in water (100 g) | 25 g |
| Whey protein (1 scoop, 30 g) | 24 g |
| Prawns, cooked (100 g) | 24 g |
| Greek yogurt, 0% (170 g pot) | 17 g |
| Firm tofu (100 g) | 15 g |
| Eggs (2 large) | 12 g |
| Cottage cheese (100 g) | 11 g |
| Lentils, cooked (100 g) | 9 g |
| Milk (250 ml) | 8 g |
| Cheddar (30 g) | 7 g |
A worked example: someone at 75 kg needs roughly 90 to 120 g a day, or about 35 g per meal across three meals. A Greek yogurt with a scoop of whey (41 g), a chicken salad (31 g), and salmon with vegetables (25 g) gets you there without a single large plate of food. The full high-protein food list has more options.
The general adult reference intake is about 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight. During weight loss, higher intakes of roughly 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day are associated with better preservation of lean muscle, so this calculator uses that range. It's a general estimate; your dietitian can set a target that fits your health and goals. If you have kidney disease, do not increase protein without medical advice.
Want to go deeper? Read how much protein you need on a GLP-1, the best high-protein foods to hit your target, and why muscle loss matters during weight loss.
If you're taking a GLP-1 medication such as Ozempic or Wegovy (semaglutide), Mounjaro or Zepbound(tirzepatide), protein matters even more. These medications lower your appetite, so it's easy to eat too little and lose muscle along with fat. Hitting the protein target above helps preserve lean muscle while you lose weight. The number is the same as for anyone losing weight; the challenge is simply getting it in on a smaller appetite, so eat your protein first at each meal. See how much protein you need on a GLP-1 and the best high-protein foods to hit your target.
During weight loss, roughly 1.2–1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight per day is linked to better preservation of lean muscle than the standard 0.8 g/kg. For a 75 kg (165 lb) person that's about 90–120 g a day. Aim to spread it across meals at around 25–30 g each.
Multiply your body weight in kilograms by 1.2 to 1.6, or just enter your weight above and the calculator does it for you. If you weigh yourself in pounds, divide by 2.2 to get kilograms first (or use the lb toggle).
Up to a point. Higher protein helps preserve muscle and keeps you fuller, but beyond about 1.6 g/kg there's little added benefit for most people. If you have kidney disease, do not increase your protein without medical advice.
Yes: the protein target is the same on any GLP-1 medication, including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. It's especially important on these treatments because the appetite drop makes it easy to under-eat and lose muscle; adequate protein helps preserve it. Eat your protein first at each meal and lean on easy options like Greek yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese, and protein shakes.
Eat the protein portion of every meal first, before carbs or vegetables, so the part that matters is in even if you fill up early. Put your largest serving at whichever meal you reliably finish, usually breakfast. When solid food is difficult, use liquid protein: a shake, milk, or Greek yogurt is far easier to get down and counts the same. Two moderate protein meals also beat one large one, both for muscle retention and for actually finishing them.
Around 25 to 30 g per meal is the practical target for most people, which is roughly the amount that maximally stimulates muscle protein synthesis in a single sitting. The calculator divides your daily range by the number of meals you can realistically manage, so you get a per-meal number rather than one intimidating daily total.
Yes. Your body doesn't distinguish between protein from a shake and protein from chicken, and on a suppressed appetite a shake is often the most realistic way to reach your number. Whole foods bring other nutrients with them, so use them where you can, but a shake that gets you to your target beats a plate you can't finish.