What to eat on Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro (a practical guide)

When appetite drops to almost nothing, the question shifts from "how do I eat less?" to "what do I eat when I barely feel like eating at all?"

GLP-1 medications — Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro — solve the quantity problem. They create a new one: if you only eat 1,000–1,200 calories a day, every calorie has to work harder. Getting this wrong means losing muscle alongside fat, which leaves you lighter but weaker and more likely to regain.

Here is how to eat on GLP-1.

The core problem: muscle loss

Rapid weight loss always comes with some muscle loss. On GLP-1, the pace of loss is fast enough that the muscle risk is real and significant. Studies consistently show that 25–40% of weight lost on GLP-1 without resistance training and high protein comes from lean mass.

Lean mass is not just appearance. It is metabolic rate, bone density, strength, and longevity. Losing it makes keeping the weight off harder, not easier.

Protein is the most important variable

On a severe calorie restriction, protein serves two purposes: it preserves muscle tissue, and it keeps you full longer than carbohydrates or fat at equivalent calories.

The target most evidence supports: 1.6–2.2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day. For a 75kg person, that is 120–165g of protein — which sounds like a lot, especially when you are not hungry.

The easiest way to hit it without volume:

• Eggs: 6g per egg, easy to eat when appetite is low
• Greek yogurt (full-fat): 10g per 100g, goes down easily
• Cottage cheese: 14g per 100g, works in sweet and savoury
• Deli meats: 18–22g per 100g, no cooking required
• Protein shakes: 20–30g per serving, fills the gap when solids feel like too much

What to eat when nausea is an issue

GLP-1 nausea is real, especially in the first weeks or at dose increases. The foods that work when nothing else does:

• Plain crackers, toast, or rice cakes
• Broth or soup
• Cold foods (cold tends to be easier than hot)
• Small amounts of fruit, especially melon or grapes
• Ginger tea or ginger chews

This is a phase, not a permanent state. Getting through it without abandoning protein entirely is the goal. Protein shakes are your best tool here — 250ml of cold milk, a scoop of chocolate whey, done.

Prioritize foods with high protein-to-calorie density

You have fewer calories to work with. Every meal should be evaluated by how much protein it delivers relative to calories.

High-density choices:

• Chicken breast (31g protein per 100g, around 165kcal)
• Tuna in water (29g protein per 100g, around 120kcal)
• Egg whites (11g protein per 100g, around 52kcal)
• Non-fat Greek yogurt (10g protein per 100g, around 60kcal)
• Shrimp (24g protein per 100g, around 100kcal)

Lower-density choices to eat in moderation (not eliminated, just not the first choice when appetite is limited):

• Cheese: high protein but also high calorie
• Nuts: great fat source but calorie-dense
• Oils: fine for cooking, not for supplementing nutrition

Don't forget vegetables and fibre

GLP-1 slows digestion. Combined with low food intake, constipation is a common side effect that makes the experience worse and sometimes causes people to reduce their dose unnecessarily.

Non-starchy vegetables — leafy greens, cucumber, zucchini, broccoli, peppers — add fibre and volume with almost no calories. Aim for at least two servings per day. If appetite makes this difficult, blending them into soups or smoothies works.

What most people miss: the reintroduction phase

When appetite starts to return — whether you reach a maintenance dose or eventually come off the medication — eating habits matter enormously. People who maintained high-protein habits during GLP-1 tend to keep the weight off. Those who ate whatever was smallest and easiest often regain.

The habits you build while on GLP-1 are the habits you have when you're off it. Building them intentionally is the point.

A simple daily structure

Not a meal plan — just a framework that covers the bases:

Breakfast: protein-first. Eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a protein shake. 25–35g protein.

Lunch: protein + non-starchy vegetable. Chicken with salad, tuna with cucumber, cottage cheese with tomatoes. 25–35g protein.

Dinner: complete meal with protein, some starch (rice, potato, bread), and vegetables. 30–40g protein.

Snacks (if hungry): Greek yogurt, a hard-boiled egg, deli meat roll-up. Not mandatory — eat only if genuinely hungry.

Total: 110–140g protein on most days, without forcing yourself to eat more than your body wants.

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For a full companion guide with specific protein targets, meal templates, and a structured approach to nutrition on GLP-1 — including how to handle nausea weeks and what to do when appetite returns — the GLP-1 Companion covers it in detail. Practical, no medical jargon, built for people actually using these medications.