How much protein do you need on a GLP-1?

Short answer: about 0.7 g of protein per pound of your current body weight a day (about 1.5 g per kg) is a sensible target while you are losing weight and strength training. About 0.55 g per pound (1.2 g per kg) is a reasonable floor on hard days. Ask your doctor first if you have kidney disease.

Where the number comes from

Sports-nutrition research supports 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg a day for people who train, with the benefit for muscle levelling off around 1.6 g per kg. Recommendations for adults over 65 start at 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg and go higher for active people. A target of about 1.5 g per kg sits inside those ranges without asking someone with little appetite to eat a bodybuilder's diet. Ballast uses that number and recalculates it as your weight comes down.

Daily target by body weight

Hitting it when you are not hungry

• Protein first. Eat the protein part of each meal before the rest, while you still have appetite.
• Spread it out. Three or four servings of 25 to 35 g are easier than two big meals, and easier on a stomach that fills quickly.
• Lean on dense foods. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, chicken, fish, and a protein shake on the days food is unappealing.
• Count it. Most people overestimate how much protein they eat. A quick log for a couple of weeks shows where the gap is.

Protein only protects muscle that is being used. Pair it with strength training.