How much protein do I need on a GLP-1?
Pop in your height and weight and get a daily protein range, plus what that looks like per meal. The working is shown underneath, so you can check it.
85 to 113 g a day
About 28 to 38 g at each of three meals.
Worked out on an adjusted body weight of 154 lb, not your full weight.
How it works
- The 2025 joint advisory on nutrition for GLP-1 therapy notes that targets of 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight a day have been proposed during active weight reduction.
- It also says that for people with obesity, using actual body weight can significantly overestimate protein needs, and gives adjusted body weight as an example basis. So when your weight is above your ideal weight, we use adjusted body weight: ideal weight plus 40% of the difference. Ideal weight comes from the Devine formula (45.5 kg for women or 50 kg for men at 5 ft, plus 2.3 kg per inch above that).
- The per-meal figure is the daily range split over three meals. The advisory also suggests eating the protein part of a meal first, which helps when you fill up quickly.
- For comparison, the advisory mentions a simpler absolute target of 80 to 120 g a day, and the standard adult RDA is 0.8 g per kg.
Before you use the number
- If you have kidney disease, talk to your doctor before raising your protein. This calculator is not for you.
- It is also not for anyone pregnant, breastfeeding or under 18, whose needs are different.
- The advisory says prolonged intake above 2 g per kg a day should be avoided. The range here stays below that.
This is general information, not medical advice, and it does not replace your prescriber or a dietitian who knows you.
Questions people ask
How much protein should I eat on Ozempic or Wegovy?
The 2025 joint advisory on GLP-1 nutrition notes that 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight a day has been proposed during active weight loss, and that for people with obesity a corrected weight such as adjusted body weight avoids overestimating it. It also mentions an absolute target of 80 to 120 g a day as a simpler option.
Why does the calculator not use my actual weight?
Because the advisory notes that using actual body weight can significantly overestimate protein needs for people with obesity. Adjusted body weight sits between your ideal weight and your actual weight, which keeps the target realistic.
What if I cannot eat that much?
That is common on a GLP-1, when a normal portion can feel huge. Eating the protein part of each meal first helps, and so do small protein-rich snacks. If you are regularly well short, it is worth raising with your prescriber or a dietitian.
Sources
- Mozaffarian et al., Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint advisory from ACLM, ASN, OMA and TOS (2025)
- Devine and adjusted body weight formulas, Table 1 in Clinical Pharmacokinetics (2025)
- National Academies: protein RDA of 0.8 g per kg for adults
Figures checked against the sources above on 21 September 2026.
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