80g? 120g? 150g? 261g?!
Boy, do I have a story for you.
Sooner or later, almost every GLP-1 user asks the same question.
How much protein do I need?
The answer isn’t simple.
It depends on a lot of factors. Like your age, sex, current weight, and activity level. And even then, the three organizations that determine how much protein you need can’t agree on an answer.
The American Dietetic Association (ADA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) each offer their own interpretation on how much protein a person needs, and the differences between their recommendations are shockingly large.
Just how far apart are their answers?
Check out this protein calculator.
75 Grams to 261 Grams?!
In my case, I was told I need anywhere from 75 to 261 grams of protein a day. Which is ridiculous.
If you look around the internet, most experts agree that GLP-1 users should aim for anywhere between 80-120g of protein a day. Which is, again, quite a spread and leaves a lot of room for uncertainty.
My best advice?
I’m sorry to say you’re not going to like it.
Go see a nutritionist or a weight-loss doctor. The catch is if you see both—like I did—be prepared for two different answers. (Facepalm.)
Chasing 150g of Protein
Both professionals had their reasons for their advice. The nutritionist told me I needed 150g of protein, which was based on my current weight—which is quite high—and my activity level, which is also unusually high given my weight.
The doctor suggested I aim for 120g of protein, but did so only after I had some medical complications.
What happened?
Gallbladder pain. Not horrible, but not fun either.
What caused it?
That’s hard to say. I don’t know that the protein alone was responsible. Rapid weight loss is known to increase the risk of gallstones and gallbladder problems. For six months, I lost an average of two pounds a week. During that same time, I consumed a very high-protein diet and often substituted low-calorie, protein-dense shakes for actual food. In addition, I constantly experienced dehydration, which is a known side effect of GLP-1 medication.
Whether it was the rapid weight loss, the high-protein diet, dehydration, or some combination of all three, my gallbladder eventually decided it had an opinion on the matter.
What I know is that I felt significantly better after increasing my water intake, reducing the number of protein shakes I was drinking each day, and increasing the volume of whole food I was eating.
Of course, I didn’t know any of this when I started.
So, initially I aimed for 150g and quickly discovered it wasn’t realistic. I hit that number a few times by sacrificing almost every other food but protein, and by relying on multiple protein shakes. Which then made me feel nauseous and uncomfortable by the end of the day.
I also learned that reaching 150g with mostly whole foods wasn’t practical if I wanted to stay anywhere close to a calorie count that would allow me to lose weight. And, between the medication slowing digestion and the sheer amount of food required, I felt overly full and miserable when I ate that much.
So I continued aiming for 150g but usually managed somewhere between 130g and 140g. Which sounds pretty good, right?
That’s what I thought too—until six months later when my gallbladder started protesting.
So far, I’ve been lucky. While I have gallstones, I’m not in agony and in desperate need of surgery to have my gallbladder removed. Now I’m sore on my right side, very aware of what I eat, and constantly gauging which foods cause me discomfort. I also focus on drinking enough water.
Where I Landed
These days I aim for around 120g of protein, though some days I end up closer to 110g and other days closer to 130g. My gallbladder is a little tender, but I’m not in horrible pain. I do have a surgical consult in August, and I fully expect I’ll have to have my gallbladder out at some point. But for now, it’s manageable.
Am I saying 110g or 130g is the right number for you? Absolutely not. They are simply the numbers that work for me after talking with my medical team and experimenting with what I can realistically eat.
The Catch
One major drawback to limiting my protein shake intake? I have to eat more protein-dense food—which means my calorie count has gone up to accommodate the food.
So I can either keep the same calorie count and just not eat as much protein, or I can cut other foods out of my diet for the calories that the additional protein-dense foods add. If I don’t do that, I won’t lose weight. But if I do, then I don’t get all the nutrients I’m supposed to be fitting in. See the dilemma?
I ran this conundrum by my nutritionist, and she basically said, “Do what you need to do”—and take some supplements. So I try to maintain a low-calorie count, hit 120g of protein, and take some supplements for good measure. And where I can, I try to squeeze in an extra fruit or vegetable, or if I’m feeling wild, some sort of bread.
What’s the Takeaway?
I wish I could give you a simple answer, but I can’t. The experts don’t agree, the protein calculators don’t agree, and even the professionals I consulted didn’t agree.
What I learned is that finding the right protein target is often a balancing act between your goals, your calorie budget, your activity level, and what your body can realistically tolerate.
For me, that number ended up being around 120 grams a day. Your number may be very different.
If you’d like a more scientific starting point, the guidelines below should help.
Daily Protein Guidelines
- Sedentary Lifestyle: 0.36 grams per pound.
- Active Lifestyle/Light Exercise: 0.5-0.7 grams per pound.
- Strength Training/Muscle Building: 0.7-1.0 grams per pound.
- Older Adults (Over 50): 0.5-0.6 grams per pound to prevent muscle loss.
- Dieters: 0.54 – 0.91 grams per pound to prevent muscle loss.
Example by Body Weight
- 120 lbs: 43g (Sedentary) 84g (Active).
- 150 lbs: 54g (Sedentary) 105g (Active).
- 200 lbs: 72g (Sedentary) 140g (Active).
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