How to get enough protein when taking a GLP-1 medication (and why that matters for health)

To state the obvious, GLP-1 receptor agonists have changed the way we approach weight loss and metabolic care. They generally work very well for weight loss, but if you aren’t paying careful attention and prioritizing healthy lifestyle habits, it’s easy to become deficient in certain nutrients. And equally concerning, much of the weight lost might come from muscle and lean tissue rather than just fat, which leads to other health risks down the road.

My goal when treating patients with weight loss medications is to help them get the best of both worlds: the beneficial weight loss effects of a GLP-1 medication, while also preserving their muscle mass, staying well-nourished, and maintaining their energy levels and overall health.

One common problem I encounter is that people taking weight-loss medications might actually forget to eat and then end up skipping meals. Without scheduling meals and making it a priority to eat, it’s very easy to miss meals on a GLP-1, because your stomach isn’t growling to remind you that it’s time to eat.

But if you only eat one meal a day, chances are you are eating too little protein for ideal body composition. That’s dangerous because without adequate protein intake, your body is much more likely to break down its own muscle tissue. Keeping muscle on is already hard enough in midlife and perimenopause; we don’t need any extra ‘help’ in that department.

The good news is that with some planning and strategic adjustments, you can offset the appetite-blunting effects of a GLP-1 and get enough protein. Read on for some tips as well as how I approach dosing for GLP-1s.

Why dietary protein matters even more when taking a GLP-1

GLP-1 medications reduce hunger signals, slow gastric (stomach) emptying, and lead to a natural reduction in calorie intake. That’s part of why they’re so effective. But the body doesn’t automatically prioritize fat loss when calories drop. It also breaks down lean tissue, especially if protein intake is low and you are not also resistance training (more on that in other articles).

High protein intake helps to:

• Preserve lean muscle mass during weight loss

• Support metabolic rate

• Improve fullness (which might mean you won’t need as high of a GLP-1 dose in order to suppress your appetite enough to lose weight)

• Stabilize energy and reduce the afternoon “crash” so many women experience in midllife

How should I think about protein intake on a GLP-1 medication?

“I know I should eat more protein, but I just don’t feel like eating.”

Absolutely, that is the core challenge. Large, protein-heavy meals can feel unappealing or even uncomfortable when you are taking a weight loss med.

So the strategy I recommend is NOT to force yourself to eat big meals. It’s to make protein:

• More convenient

• More tolerable in small amounts

• More evenly distributed throughout the day

Here are some ways you can do that.

1. Think “protein first,” before you eat anything else.

When appetite is low, what you eat first often determines what you eat at all.

If you start with something easy (say, crackers, fruit, or a big salad) you may never get around to eating protein. But if you start with protein, you’ll be more likely to hit your protein goals. After that, by all means, I do recommend that you fill in with nutritious foods: fruits, veggies, beans, healthy fats, minimally processed carbs.

Some examples of easy protein foods to start your meals or snacks with:

• Greek yogurt

• Hard-boiled egg

• Cottage cheese

• A meat stick (like Chomps or similar)

• Shelled edamame beans (surprisingly tasty, and you can get them roasted as well for on the go).

2. Use “low-effort” protein options

On a GLP-1, convenient protein sources matter. If something requires planning, cooking, or even assembling, it will be the first thing to go when life gets busy. Make protein a no-brainer, even if it might be a little more packaged or processed than you might like in an ideal world.

Examples that might work for you:

• Pre-made protein shakes, like Orgain or Owyn

• Packaged protein bars (I like Barebells, Aloha bars, Rise bars, and Kind Protein Max). Shoot for minimum 15-20 grams of protein per bar if possible.

• Individual serving cups of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese (so you don’t have to find a bowl when you’re on the go)

• Low-fat string cheese or cheese sticks

• Pre-packaged chicken breast chunks that come in a single-serving container (they often have these at Costco)

These might get a little boring, so feel free to mix them up when you get sick of one thing. The key is just to find easy grab-and-go options that you can have with you at all times.

3. Shift from “meals” to “protein-rich snacks”

Traditional meal structures don’t always work well when you’re on a GLP-1. Because they decrease gastric (stomach) emptying time, you may not be able to tolerate a full traditional meal. Many people feel better eating smaller amounts more frequently rather than trying to force three full meals.

Instead of thinking breakfast, lunch, dinner; try 4–5 small “protein-rich snacks” across the day. Examples: Berries and cottage cheese; or eggs on whole-grain sprouted toast; or chicken salad on whole grain crackers; or a protein shake with a piece of fruit.

This approach can increase total protein intake over the course of the day without feeling like you are stuffing yourself.

4. Make protein easily digestible

Weight loss medications can cause digestive discomfort in general, so picking protein sources that you digest well is even more important. I always recommend people pay attention to their individual bodies, because what works for one person may not agree with another person. But in general:

• Liquids are often easier to digest than solids

• Soft textures are easier than dense foods

• Dairy can be a problem for a lot of women in midlife

• Beans are great in theory but often upset people’s stomachs, even more so if you don’t rinse them well.

If your body it saying, “I can’t eat chicken right now,” I don’t push yourself to eat chicken. Shift to something else that suits you better.

5. Don’t rely on hunger cues

While normally I am ALL ABOUT listening to your body and paying attention to your signals, GLP-1 medications make that unwise if you are trying to maintain your muscle mass by eating sufficient amounts of protein and stay well-nourished. GLP-1’s can absolutely blunt hunger signals. That’s a big part of why they work. But it also means you can’t always depend on your appetite to ensure you are getting adequate nutrition.

Protein intake often needs to become more of a structured behavior rather than an intuitive one.

That might mean eating at set times even if you’re not super hungry (set your phone alarm if need be, or put it on your calendar). You might need to track your macros with an app, as an accountability tool to make sure you are getting ENOUGH nutrients to support your health needs. I like the Cronometer app for this, as it also tells you about vitamins and minerals which can be useful information.

And if you really are having trouble, please don’t hesitate to lower your dose. There is no magical rule that says you have to be on the highest dose of a GLP-1 medication in order to have success with weight loss.

If you are able to lose weight on a lower dose, and that lower dose allows you to keep your protein intake high because your appetite isn’t quite so suppressed, that is a big win in my book.

I would question the motives and understanding of anyone who claims patients need to be on the maximum dose of a weight loss medication. I have zero interest in making pharmaceutical companies any more money than they already make. GLP-1 medications are a tool, and they should be used to suit YOUR health goals and align with your needs. And from my perspective, being healthy and feeling good in your body is way more important than being a certain number on the scale. Actually infinitely more important, because I don't think the number really matters at all, it's all about how you feel and whether your body composition is supportive of long-term health and vitality.

So to Summarize:

GLP-1 medications might lead to weight loss, but for a woman in midlife interested in improving her health, longevity, and body composition, weight loss alone should not be the goal.

GLP-1’s can be a helpful tool to improve body composition by losing excess body fat, but please don’t neglect the other part of the equation: preserving (and possibly even increasing, depending on your baseline!) lean muscle mass.

GLP-1’s can make that more challenging, because you might not feel like eating, but overcoming this is NOT impossible. Many people have successfully lost fat on a GLP-1 while maintaining their muscle mass (as measured by regular body composition testing)... but that never happens by accident.

If that is your goal (and as a physician who wants the whole population to have ideal metabolic health, I maintain that it SHOULD be) then you will absolutely have to focus on protein intake as well as regular resistance training.

And if you align with this and are looking for a physician or a health coach with a similar philosophy, feel free to set up a consultation for health coaching or medical care. I love helping women become the healthiest version of themselves.

Cheering for you always,

Dr. Nicole

Dr. Nicole Rowe is a board-certified physician specializing in women's metabolic health, body composition, insulin resistance, and healthy aging. She combines evidence-based, comprehensive medicine with a practical, sustainable approach focused on improving strength, energy, long-term health, and quality of life.

Her practice emphasizes thoughtful, individualized care for women navigating perimenopause, menopause, midlife weight gain, fatigue, and other metabolic changes that occur after 40. To schedule a consult, book here.