GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are doing something remarkable for millions of people. And like any powerful tool, they work best with a couple of intentional habits alongside them — because any significant weight loss, with or without medication, can lead to some muscle loss along with fat. The good news: it's largely preventable, no gym required.
A 2025 peer-reviewed review in Current Nutrition Reports (Memel, Gold, Pearlman et al. — researchers from UCSF, Mount Sinai, and UNC) and a six-month clinical study presented at the European Congress on Obesity both reached the same conclusion: people on GLP-1 therapy who ate adequate protein and did regular resistance movement preserved their lean muscle effectively while still losing significant fat. Two habits. Real results.
"A targeted nutrition and physical activity regimen — optimizing protein intake and performing frequent resistance training — minimizes muscle loss while promoting fat loss."
Memel et al., Current Nutrition Reports, 2025
Habit 1 — eat enough protein
When your appetite is suppressed, protein is usually the first thing to slip. The standard 0.8 g/kg recommendation was built for sedentary adults at stable weight — not for people actively losing. For GLP-1 users, researchers recommend 1.2–1.6 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, spread across meals. Find your number below.
Good sources: eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken, fish, edamame, lentils, protein shakes. Spread intake across meals — muscles absorb protein best in regular, moderate doses.
