High-Protein Foods for Ozempic and GLP-1 Users

The best high-protein foods on Ozempic are soft, lean and filling in small amounts: nonfat Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, canned tuna or salmon, white fish, shrimp, chicken breast and firm tofu, with protein shakes for days when food is hard.

Aim for about 80-120 g of protein a day, the practical target in the 2025 joint advisory on GLP-1 nutrition. Eat the protein first at each meal, before your appetite runs out.

Key takeaways

• Target: 1.2-1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight a day, or a flat 80-120 g.
• Why it matters: in the STEP 1 trial of semaglutide 2.4 mg, about 38% of the weight people lost was lean mass.
• Best value per calorie: shrimp, tuna, cod, cottage cheese and nonfat Greek yogurt all give 17-24 g of protein per 100 calories.
• Pair it with strength training at least 3 times a week. Protein alone doesn't keep muscle.

Why protein matters on GLP-1 medications

Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) cut appetite so much that total food intake drops by 16-39%, according to the joint advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association and The Obesity Society. Protein usually drops with it.

In the STEP 1 trial of semaglutide 2.4 mg (the Wegovy dose), people lost an average of 13.6 kg (30 lb). Of that, 8.3 kg was fat and 5.3 kg (38%) was lean mass. Lean mass isn't only muscle, and the advisory's authors estimate muscle made up about 20% of the total. Some loss of lean tissue is normal with any large weight loss, but it's the part you want to keep small. For more on what the trials show, see Ozempic and muscle loss.

How much protein do you need on Ozempic?

The advisory proposes 1.2-1.6 g per kg of body weight a day during active weight loss and notes it's unclear whether to use actual, adjusted or lean body weight. For people with a lot of weight to lose, actual weight can overestimate the need, so it also offers a simpler fixed target of 80-120 g a day. It advises against going below 0.4-0.5 g/kg or staying at 2 g/kg or more for long.

The protein calculator gives you a personal number, and our guide to protein requirements on Ozempic explains the targets in more depth. If you have kidney disease, check with your doctor before raising protein.

Best high-protein foods for Ozempic users

Values are from USDA FoodData Central for the portion shown, cooked where relevant. The last column ranks how much protein you get per 100 calories, which matters when you can only eat small amounts.

Easiest when your appetite is low

Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are cold, smooth and need no cooking. A 6 oz cup of nonfat Greek yogurt has 17.5 g of protein, and 1/2 cup of 1% cottage cheese has 14 g. Our cottage cheese vs Greek yogurt comparison covers sodium and texture.

Eggs are easy to eat in small amounts: two hard-boiled eggs give 12.6 g. Milk or a milk-based smoothie adds 8 g per cup and counts toward fluids too.

Lean fish, seafood and poultry

Canned tuna and salmon need no cooking and keep in the pantry. Shrimp and cod are the leanest options on the list, around 20 g of protein for under 100 calories. Chicken breast gives the most protein per portion, 26.4 g in 3 oz, but it can feel dry; shredding it into soup or adding a sauce helps.

Fattier choices such as farmed salmon or 90% lean beef are still good protein, just with more calories per gram. Many people find heavy, greasy meats harder to tolerate in the first weeks on the medication.

Plant proteins

Firm tofu made with calcium sulfate has 21.8 g of protein per 1/2 cup and a soft texture. Edamame and lentils add fiber with their protein, which helps with constipation but can cause bloating if you add a lot at once. Increase them gradually.

Protein when Ozempic makes you nauseous

Nausea is most likely when you start the medication or move up a dose, which is why the dose goes up in steps. On those days:

• Go cold and mild. Yogurt, cottage cheese and chilled shakes usually smell and taste less than hot meat.
• Eat small amounts often. The advisory suggests a small breakfast and then small meals every 3-4 hours rather than large meals or long gaps.
• Drink some of your protein. Milk, kefir or a shake can carry 8-25 g when chewing feels like too much.
• Skip fried and greasy proteins until you feel better.

More ideas are in our guide to foods for Ozempic nausea.

Protein shakes and supplements

The advisory lists high-protein shakes, bars and fortified foods as a reasonable way to meet targets when appetite is low. Protein per scoop varies by brand, so read the label rather than assuming 25 g. Whey and soy are complete proteins, so they count fully toward your target.

Collagen isn't a complete protein, so count it toward your total but don't rely on it as your main source. Creatine isn't protein either, but 3-5 g a day is the standard dose in the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand and supports strength training. For vitamins and minerals, see supplements for Ozempic users.

A sample high-protein day on a small appetite

Six small eating occasions, with USDA values for the protein foods only:

That's about 102 g of protein, in the middle of the 80-120 g range, with room left for fruit, vegetables, whole grains and a little fat.

Pair protein with strength training

Protein gives your body the raw material, and resistance exercise tells it to keep the muscle. The advisory recommends strength training at least 3 times a week plus at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity. Bodyweight squats, rows with bands and light dumbbell presses all count. See Ozempic and exercise for a starter plan.

Tracking makes the protein target realistic. Nutrify logs meals from a photo and shows your protein total as the day goes on, so you know when a shake is needed. Talk to your prescriber before big changes to your diet on GLP-1 medication.

Sources

• US FDA, Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information, FDALabel.
• Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint advisory from the ACLM, ASN, OMA and TOS. Obesity, 2025.
• Kreider RB, et al. ISSN position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2017.
• USDA FoodData Central: shrimp, FDC 175180; light tuna in water, FDC 171986; cod, FDC 171956; chicken breast, roasted, FDC 171477; pink salmon, canned, FDC 173724; 1% cottage cheese, FDC 173417; nonfat Greek yogurt, FDC 330137; ground turkey 93%, FDC 172851; ground beef 90%, FDC 171793; firm tofu, FDC 172475; farmed Atlantic salmon, FDC 175168; edamame, FDC 168411; hard-boiled egg, FDC 173424; 1% milk, FDC 170872; lentils, FDC 172421.