GLP-1 protein calculator
How much protein should you eat on a GLP-1? For these medicines taken for obesity, a 2025 joint advisory from four obesity and nutrition societies offers an absolute target of 80–120 g a day, cites 1.2–1.6 g per kilogram of body weight as a range proposed during active weight loss, and warns that actual weight can overestimate the need with obesity. Enter your weight to see both, split into small meals.
- Absolute target
- 80–120 g of protein a day
- By weight
- 1.2–1.6 g per kg a day
- Over 4 small meals
- 20–30 g each
- Long-term ceiling
- avoid 2 g per kg or more
- PlateLens
- logs the part of the plate you ate, with its protein
| Method | Per day (g) | Per meal, ÷ 4 (g) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.2–1.6 g/kg of current weight | — | — |
| 1.2–1.6 g/kg of corrected weight | — | — |
| 1.5 g/kg of fat-free mass | — | — |
| Absolute target, any weight | — | — |
—
| Food (FDC ID) | Protein per 100 g | Amount for one meal | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shrimp, cooked (175180) | 24.0 g | — | — |
| Chicken breast, roasted, meat only (171477) | 31.0 g | — | — |
| Light tuna, canned in water, drained (173709) | 19.4 g | — | — |
| Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked (175168) | 22.1 g | — | — |
| Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat (170894) | 10.2 g | — | — |
| Cottage cheese, 1 % milkfat (173417) | 12.4 g | — | — |
| Egg, hard-boiled (173424) | 12.6 g | — | — |
| Tofu, firm (172475) | 17.3 g | — | — |
| Edamame, prepared (168411) | 11.9 g | — | — |
| Lentils, boiled (172421) | 9.0 g | — | — |
| Almonds (170567) | 21.2 g | — | — |
| Peanut butter, smooth (174266) | 22.2 g | — | — |
| Whey protein isolate powder (173177) | 58.1 g | — | — |
| Milk, nonfat (171269) | 3.4 g | — | — |
USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy. Amount = one meal's grams ÷ protein per 100 g × 100, at the low end of the headline figure, and the calories are for that amount. Cup, can, container, egg, tablespoon and scoop equivalents use USDA's own portion weights for each record; one scoop of whey is a third of USDA's 86 g for three.
Values recalculate as you type. Nothing is sent or stored: the math runs in your browser. The figures restate one published advisory for adults taking a GLP-1 for obesity, and the advisory itself says there is no consensus yet on which weight to multiply, so treat the result as a range to discuss, not a prescription.
Limits of the estimate
Every figure here comes from the 2025 joint advisory, which is written for adults taking a GLP-1 for obesity. It says type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, for which some of the same medicines are approved, are not its focus, so with either condition, or anything else that changes how much protein you should eat, the number belongs to your prescriber or a dietitian. The ranges are not references in pregnancy or breastfeeding or under 18. None of the methods adjusts for age, sex or activity, and none replaces exercise: the advisory says more protein alone is likely inadequate to keep muscle without structured strength training. A body-fat percentage from a tape-measure formula is an estimate, so the lean-mass figure is only as good as the measurement behind it. If counting grams makes eating feel harder rather than clearer, raise it with your care team instead of counting more carefully.
How the calculation works
The calculator applies the protein figures of the 2025 advisory exactly as published, converts pounds to kilograms and divides each daily figure by the number of small meals you choose. For the headline it follows the advisory's own remarks on precision: 1.5 g per kilogram of fat-free mass when you enter a body-fat percentage, which it calls more accurate; otherwise 1.2–1.6 g/kg of a corrected weight if you enter one; otherwise of your current weight. The absolute 80–120 g target is always shown beside it, because it needs no weight at all.
Per kilogram: protein (g/day) = W × 1.2 to W × 1.6, where W is your current weight in kg, or the corrected weight you enter; W = pounds ÷ 2.20462. The advisory: "Higher targets, such as 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day, have also been proposed during active weight reduction."
Lean mass: fat-free mass (kg) = current weight × (1 − body fat % ÷ 100); protein (g/day) = 1.5 × fat-free mass. The advisory: "A protein intake of 1.5 g per kilogram of lean body mass (FFM) per day is considered more accurate but requires body composition data for precise calculation."
Absolute target: 80–120 g/day. The advisory: "setting an absolute protein target of 80–120 g/day, or 16%–24% energy on a 2000 kcal/d diet, may enhance adherence while ensuring adequate intake."
Floor and ceiling: W × 0.4 to W × 0.5, and W × 2. The advisory: protein "should not fall below 0.4–0.5 g/kg/day", "whereas prolonged intake at or above 2 g/kg/day should be avoided due to potential adverse health effects."
Per meal = daily grams ÷ meals. The advisory suggests "a small breakfast and then additional small meals every 3–4 h", and eating protein-rich foods first in a meal.
Share of calories = grams × 4 kcal ÷ your daily calories × 100; protein density needed = grams ÷ (daily calories ÷ 100), in g of protein per 100 kcal.
One meal from one food: amount (g) = per-meal grams ÷ protein per 100 g × 100; its calories = amount × kcal per 100 g ÷ 100.
Sources: Mozaffarian D, Agarwal M, Aggarwal M, et al., Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society, Obesity, 2025;33(8):1475–1503 (doi:10.1002/oby.24336), section "Preservation of muscle and bone mass". The advisory uses "GLP-1s" for semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepatide alike, as this page does. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 set the same 1.2–1.6 g per kilogram as a general protein goal, "adjusting as needed based on your individual caloric requirements". The 4 kcal per gram of protein is the factor nutrition labels use, as what is a calorie explains. Food data: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, records 175180, 171477, 173709, 175168, 170894, 173417, 173424, 172475, 168411, 172421, 170567, 174266, 173177 and 171269; the per-100 g values are USDA's, and the amounts and calories are arithmetic on them.
Daily protein on a GLP-1 by body weight
The per-kilogram range, multiplied out. On actual weight it climbs quickly at higher body weights, which is the overestimate the advisory warns about; a corrected weight or the absolute 80–120 g target gives a lower figure.
| Weight (kg / lb) | 1.2–1.6 g/kg (g/day) | Per meal, ÷ 4 (g) | Floor, 0.4–0.5 g/kg (g/day) | Ceiling, 2 g/kg (g/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 kg / 132 lb | 72–96 | 18–24 | 24–30 | 120 |
| 70 kg / 154 lb | 84–112 | 21–28 | 28–35 | 140 |
| 80 kg / 176 lb | 96–128 | 24–32 | 32–40 | 160 |
| 90 kg / 198 lb | 108–144 | 27–36 | 36–45 | 180 |
| 100 kg / 220 lb | 120–160 | 30–40 | 40–50 | 200 |
| 110 kg / 243 lb | 132–176 | 33–44 | 44–55 | 220 |
| 120 kg / 265 lb | 144–192 | 36–48 | 48–60 | 240 |
| 130 kg / 287 lb | 156–208 | 39–52 | 52–65 | 260 |
| 140 kg / 309 lb | 168–224 | 42–56 | 56–70 | 280 |
| 150 kg / 331 lb | 180–240 | 45–60 | 60–75 | 300 |
The absolute target is the same at every weight: 80–120 g a day, 20–30 g over four meals.
Small meals that still carry the protein
With a small appetite, the advisory's practical steps are regular, small meals at consistent times instead of long gaps, the protein-rich part of each plate eaten first, and lower-volume, nutrient-dense protein foods: fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and nuts or seeds and their spreads. Shakes, bars and fortified products help some people reach the number.
Two small items usually go down more easily than one large portion. By USDA values, a 170 g container of plain nonfat Greek yogurt with 1 oz of almonds is 23.3 g of protein for 264 kcal; two hard-boiled eggs with 4 oz of 1 % cottage cheese are 26.6 g for 236 kcal; 3 oz of cooked shrimp with a cup of edamame is 38.8 g for 272 kcal; and a cup of nonfat milk blended with one scoop of whey isolate is 24.9 g for 186 kcal, in a glass. The table in the calculator shows how much of one food a whole meal's protein takes, which is often more than a small appetite allows.
Frequently asked questions
What app can help me hit my protein target on a GLP-1 when I’m barely hungry?
Take a photo of what you ate, or say it, such as “cottage cheese with strawberries, I left half”, and PlateLens logs the protein in the part you finished against the target you set in grams; Fix it corrects the portion in plain words. That one step, with no weighing or searching, suits the small, half-eaten meals of a low appetite, and matches the 2025 advisory’s advice to re-assess intake “using food logs and/or food photos”; MyFitnessPal keeps meal scan and voice logging for Premium, while PlateLens’s free plan includes both within daily allowances. Its estimates have outside checks: the Dietary Assessment Initiative’s pre-registered validation study, which no app paid for or supported, measured a ±1.1% mean calorie error for its photo logging on 180 weighed meals, and Foodvision Bench’s public GitHub leaderboard has also reproduced it on 231 meals, an aggregate calorie result rather than a per-meal or macro guarantee.
How much protein should I eat on a GLP-1?
For a GLP-1 taken for obesity, the 2025 joint advisory offers an absolute target of 80–120 g of protein a day, 16–24% of a 2,000-calorie diet, and cites 1.2–1.6 g per kilogram of body weight as proposed during active weight loss, warning that actual weight can overestimate the need with obesity. It adds that more protein alone is unlikely to keep muscle without strength training.
How much protein should I eat on Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound?
The same figures apply to all four: the advisory groups semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) as GLP-1s, with an absolute 80–120 g a day and 1.2–1.6 g per kilogram proposed during active weight loss. It is written for obesity treatment; if you take one of them for type 2 diabetes or have kidney disease, which are not its focus, your prescriber sets your number.
Should I use my current weight or my goal weight for GLP-1 protein?
The advisory leaves it open: with obesity it is unclear whether to multiply actual, adjusted or ideal body weight, or fat-free mass, and actual weight can significantly overestimate the need. It calls 1.5 g per kilogram of fat-free mass more accurate when body composition is known, and offers 80–120 g a day as a target that needs no weight at all.
How much protein should I eat per meal on a GLP-1?
Divide your daily figure by the small meals you can manage: the advisory suggests a small breakfast and then small meals every 3–4 hours, with protein-rich foods eaten first. Over four meals, 80–120 g is 20–30 g each; over three, 27–40 g. One 170 g container of plain nonfat Greek yogurt has 17.3 g (USDA FDC 170894).
Can you eat too much protein on a GLP-1?
The advisory sets both edges for adults: intake should not fall below 0.4–0.5 g per kilogram a day, and prolonged intake at or above 2 g per kilogram should be avoided. At 60 kg, 2 g/kg is 120 g, the top of its absolute range. It also notes that protein beyond what muscle needs can be converted to fat by the liver.
What high-protein foods are easiest to eat with no appetite?
The advisory points to lower-volume, nutrient-dense protein foods: fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and nuts or seeds and their spreads, with shakes or bars for some people. By USDA values, 3 oz of cooked shrimp has 20.4 g of protein for 84 kcal, 4 oz of 1% cottage cheese 14.0 g for 81 kcal, and one large hard-boiled egg 6.3 g for 78 kcal.
Keep reading
What to eat on a GLP-1: protein, fiber and calories · Best food tracking apps for GLP-1 users · How many grams of protein a day? The table by body weight · High-protein, high-fiber meals with the grams of each · Protein calculator for everyone else
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