GLP-1 Protein Target Calculator
Find a daily protein range built for your weight, activity level, and whether appetite suppression from a GLP-1 medication is working against your muscle mass.
Your Numbers
Your Daily Protein Target
| Meals/day | Grams per meal |
|---|---|
| 3 meals | 48–66 g |
| 4 meals | 36–50 g |
At every meal, eat your protein source before anything else on the plate. On a GLP-1 medication, early satiety often means you stop eating well before the plate is empty — protein-first makes sure it's not the thing left behind.
Get the free Protein Cheat Sheet
A one-page printable reference: gram targets by body weight, high-protein foods that go down easy on appetite suppression, and a 3-meal template.
How this range is calculated
This calculator uses two published protein-intake bands rather than a single fixed number, because individual needs vary with activity and medication status:
- 1.2–2.0 g/kg body weight is the commonly cited range for adults in a caloric deficit who want to preserve lean mass, per position statements from sports-nutrition and dietetics bodies. This calculator uses the lower part of that evidence, 1.2–1.6 g/kg, as the base band for people not on a GLP-1 medication.
- 1.6–2.2 g/kg is used for people on a GLP-1 medication, reflecting guidance that higher protein intake helps offset the accelerated muscle-loss risk that comes with strong appetite suppression and faster weight loss on these drugs.
- Your activity level shifts where in that band your target sits — more resistance training moves the number toward the top of the band; a sedentary lifestyle keeps it toward the bottom. A "recomposition" goal nudges the target slightly higher than a straightforward "preserve muscle" goal.
- This calculator uses your current body weight. If you have a large amount of weight to lose, some clinicians instead calculate protein against a goal or adjusted body weight — ask your provider or dietitian which makes sense for you.
These are ranges, not prescriptions. Two people at the same weight can have different real-world needs based on muscle mass, training history, kidney function, and overall diet quality.