GLP-1 Protein Calculator
On Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro, you're eating less. The question is whether the weight you lose is fat or muscle. Protein decides. Get your daily target and a per-meal plan that fits a smaller appetite.
Enter your weight to get a daily target and a per-meal breakdown.
How the math works
The calculator uses the 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight guideline, the range most commonly recommended for adults losing weight in a calorie deficit. It's meaningfully higher than the standard RDA (0.8 g/kg), because the RDA was set to prevent deficiency, not to protect muscle while your body is shedding mass.
If you enter a goal weight, the target anchors to it. That's deliberate: muscle mass tracks closer to lean body size than to total weight, and a target your appetite can't physically reach isn't a target, it's a guilt generator.
Hitting the number on a suppressed appetite
Here's the part most calculators skip: knowing your number is easy, eating it on 1,300 calories is not. The answer is protein density, grams of protein per 100 calories. Chicken breast delivers ~13g per 100 kcal. A turkey sandwich delivers ~5g. Same protein label appeal, wildly different use of your limited caloric budget.
We wrote a full breakdown of the metric, with food tiers and real meal comparisons: Protein Density: The Metric That Matters on GLP-1.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein should I eat on Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro?
The widely used guideline for people losing weight on GLP-1 medication is 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. If you are losing weight, anchor that to your goal weight rather than your current weight. For most people that lands between 80 and 130 grams a day.
Should I use my current weight or my goal weight?
Goal weight, if you have one. Per-kilogram formulas scale with body size, and at higher body weights they produce targets that neither your muscles need nor your suppressed appetite can deliver. Goal weight keeps the target realistic and still protective.
What if I physically can't eat that much protein?
This is the central problem of eating on GLP-1 medication, and the answer is protein density: grams of protein per 100 calories. When you can only eat 1,200 to 1,400 calories, foods like chicken breast, Greek yogurt, egg whites, and cottage cheese deliver two to three times more protein per calorie than mixed meals. Spreading intake across smaller meals and one protein-dense snack also helps.
Does protein actually prevent muscle loss on GLP-1 medication?
Studies suggest up to 40% of weight lost on GLP-1 medications can be lean body mass. Adequate protein intake combined with resistance training is the best-supported way to shift that ratio toward fat loss. Protein alone helps; protein plus strength work helps more.
This calculator is educational, not medical advice. Protein needs change with kidney conditions and other medical factors, so run your target past the clinician who prescribed your medication.
Knowing your number is step one
MyProtocol tracks it for you: snap a photo of your meal and get protein, density, and a grade that's scored for GLP-1 users. Or test it right now with the free meal analyzer.
