Weight loss medications such as semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) can be very effective at reducing appetite and supporting weight loss. However, when you are eating considerably less than usual, it becomes increasingly important to make sure that the food you do eat provides the nutrients your body needs.
One nutrient that deserves particular attention is protein.
Protein is important for maintaining muscle, supporting bone health, helping us recover from exercise and keeping our bodies functioning well. During weight loss, we lose some lean tissue, including muscle, as well as body fat. Making sure you eat enough protein, alongside regular strength or resistance exercise, can help to minimise this loss.
Why does protein matter during weight loss?
When body weight decreases, some loss of muscle mass is expected. However, ideally, we want as much of the weight loss as possible to come from body fat while preserving muscle.
Maintaining muscle is important for much more than appearance. Muscle supports strength, mobility, balance, physical function and metabolic health.
This becomes increasingly important as we get older because muscle mass naturally declines with age. Women during and after menopause may also want to pay particular attention to maintaining muscle and bone health.
When taking weight loss medication, appetite can become very low. Some people find that they are eating much smaller meals, skipping meals or struggling to finish foods they previously ate comfortably. This can make it surprisingly difficult to meet protein requirements.
How much protein do you need?
The UK Reference Nutrient Intake for protein for adults is approximately 0.75g per kilogram of body weight per day. However, this represents a population reference intake and may not necessarily be the most appropriate target for someone actively losing weight and trying to preserve muscle.
For many adults losing weight, a protein intake of approximately 1.0-1.2g/kg/day may be a useful starting point.
Some people may benefit from higher intakes, potentially around 1.2-1.5g/kg/day, depending on factors such as age, activity levels, rate of weight loss and risk of muscle loss.
Importantly, protein requirements should be individualised.
For someone living in a larger body, simply multiplying their current weight by a high protein target can result in an unnecessarily large recommendation. A dietitian may instead use an adjusted or target body weight when estimating requirements.
Kidney function, medical conditions and other individual circumstances also need to be considered.
Spread protein throughout the day
It isn't only your total daily protein intake that matters.
Rather than eating very little protein during the day and relying on a large portion of meat or fish at dinner, try to include a meaningful source of protein each time you eat.
For many people, aiming for approximately 20-30g of protein at each main meal can be a practical way of spreading protein intake across the day. This will also help to optimise protein absorption.
For example, instead of having toast alone for breakfast, you could add eggs, cottage cheese or Greek yoghurt. At lunchtime, make sure your salad or sandwich contains a substantial protein source rather than mainly vegetables and carbohydrates.
What does a protein-rich meal look like?
You don't need enormous portions of food to increase your protein intake.
Useful protein-rich foods include:
- Chicken, turkey and lean meat
- Fish and seafood
- Eggs
- Greek or high-protein yoghurt
- Cottage cheese
- Milk
- Tofu and tempeh
- Beans, chickpeas and lentils
- Edamame
- Nuts and seeds
If your appetite is particularly low, think about making every mouthful count.
For example, choose Greek or high-protein yoghurt rather than a yoghurt containing very little protein, add milk rather than water to porridge, add cottage cheese or eggs to toast, or include tofu, chicken, fish or beans with soups and salads.
What if you can't manage a full meal?
One of the challenges of weight loss medication is that sometimes the idea of a normal-sized meal simply isn't appealing.
You don't have to force yourself to eat large portions.
Instead, consider smaller meals and nourishing snacks throughout the day. A yoghurt, glass of milk, boiled egg, small portion of cottage cheese, handful of nuts or small smoothie can contribute useful protein without requiring you to eat a large meal.
On days when your appetite is particularly poor, a protein-rich drink or supplement can sometimes be useful. However, protein supplements shouldn't routinely replace a varied diet and aren't necessary for everyone.
If you are regularly unable to meet your nutritional requirements because your appetite is extremely suppressed, speak to your prescribing healthcare professional or dietitian.
Where can EXALT drinks fit in?
When your appetite is significantly reduced, getting enough protein from food alone can sometimes be challenging. This is particularly true on days when you are experiencing nausea, feeling full very quickly or simply don't feel able to manage a full meal.
This is where EXALT drinks can be a useful addition.
They provide a convenient source of protein in an easy-to-manage format, which can help you work towards your daily protein requirements without needing to eat a large volume of food. They can be particularly useful as a snack, after exercise, or at times when your appetite is lower and a protein-rich meal feels difficult to manage.
They can also help on busy days when preparing or sitting down to a balanced meal or snack isn't practical.
However, protein drinks don't need to replace everyday foods altogether. Foods such as fish, eggs, dairy products, tofu, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds provide protein alongside a wide range of other important nutrients.
Think of an EXALT drink as one of the tools available to help you meet your nutritional needs, rather than something you need to rely on for all of your protein.
Each EXALT protein smoothie contains between 20g and 60g of protein per drink depending on which you choose (as well as vitamins, minerals and fibre), so even the smallest sits within the 20-30g per meal range above.
For people taking weight loss medication, having an easy and convenient protein option available can be particularly valuable. When appetite is low, the priority is not simply to eat less, but to make sure that the food and drinks you are able to manage are still helping you meet your nutritional requirements.
Don't forget strength exercise
Protein is only part of the picture when it comes to maintaining muscle.
Your muscles also need a reason to stay strong.
Regular resistance or strength-based exercise provides this stimulus. This might include weights, resistance bands, bodyweight exercises or appropriately prescribed strength exercises.
Aiming to include strength-based activity around two or more times per week is a useful goal for many adults, although exercise should always be appropriate for your fitness, mobility and medical circumstances.
Walking and cardiovascular exercise are excellent for health, but they don't completely replace the role of resistance exercise in maintaining muscle.
More protein isn't always better
It can be tempting to focus heavily on protein when taking weight loss medication, particularly with the huge number of high-protein foods and supplements now available.
But protein is only one part of good nutrition.
Fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, pulses, nuts and seeds provide fibre, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial plant compounds. Healthy fats are also important.
If protein becomes such a priority that there is very little room left for these foods, your overall diet may actually become less balanced.
The aim isn't to eat as much protein as possible. It is to eat enough protein within an overall nutritious and varied diet.
When should you ask for individual advice?
It may be particularly helpful to discuss your protein requirements with a dietitian if you:
- Have lost a significant amount of weight
- Are losing weight very rapidly
- Are struggling to eat enough
- Are over 65 or concerned about loss of strength or muscle
- Follow a vegetarian or vegan diet
- Have kidney disease or another medical condition affecting your nutritional requirements
- Have previously had bariatric surgery
- Exercise intensively
- Are unsure whether you are meeting your nutritional needs
The bottom line
Weight loss medication can make eating less considerably easier, but eating less and eating well are not necessarily the same thing.
When your appetite is reduced, the nutritional quality of what you eat becomes particularly important.
Including a good source of protein at each meal, spreading protein across the day and incorporating regular resistance exercise can help you protect muscle and strength while losing weight.
The goal isn't to achieve the highest possible protein intake. It is to make sure your individual requirements are being met while still leaving room for all the other foods and nutrients that support long-term health.
Supporting your protein intake with EXALT
When your appetite is reduced, meeting your protein and overall nutritional requirements can sometimes be challenging. Prioritising protein-rich foods at meals and snacks can help, but there may also be times when solid food feels difficult to manage.
EXALT drinks can provide a convenient source of protein and nutrition when appetite is low, helping you work towards your daily protein requirements without needing to eat a large volume of food. They can be used alongside a balanced diet as a snack, after exercise, or at times when you are struggling to manage a protein-rich meal.
Your individual protein requirements will depend on factors including your body size, age, activity levels and health. The aim is not simply to consume as much protein as possible, but to make sure you are getting enough to support muscle mass, strength and overall health while losing weight.
If you would like some additional structure and support with meeting your nutritional needs while taking weight loss medication, EXALT's 7-Day GLP-1 Nutrition Support Plan provides a convenient option to help you get started.
