Protein, Explained

If there is a single nutrient that decides whether weight loss leaves you strong or depleted, it is protein. On Wegovy in particular, where your total food intake naturally falls, hitting your protein target is the difference between losing mostly fat and losing a worrying amount of muscle along with it.

This article walks you through why protein matters, how much you actually need, where to find it, and how to hit your target on days when eating anything at all feels like a chore.

What protein does for the body Protein is the raw material for muscle, skin, hair, nails, hormones, enzymes and immune cells. Unlike fat, your body cannot store excess protein for later - it is used, converted or excreted. That means what you eat today is largely what you have to work with today.

During weight loss, your body is in a calorie deficit. If you do not eat enough protein, it breaks down muscle to meet its needs. Muscle is metabolically expensive; losing it slows your resting metabolism, changes your body shape unfavourably, and makes long-term weight maintenance harder. Adequate protein plus some form of resistance training is what tells your body to hold onto muscle and burn fat instead.

How much you actually need The UK reference intake of 0.75 g per kg of body weight per day is a minimum for a sedentary adult who is not losing weight. For a woman losing weight on Wegovy, the evidence supports a higher target of around 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight per day. Some clinicians use 1.6 g per kg of your goal weight as a practical shortcut.

A worked example: a woman weighing 90 kg aiming for a healthier weight might target around 110 to 130 g of protein per day. Spread that across three meals and one snack and you are looking at roughly 30 to 40 g per meal.

If you have kidney disease or another condition that affects protein metabolism, do not adopt this target without speaking to your clinician or a registered dietitian first.

What 30 g of protein looks like on a plate - 120 g chicken breast, cooked - 150 g Greek yogurt with a scoop of protein powder - 4 large eggs - 130 g tinned tuna - 150 g cottage cheese with 20 g seeds - 150 g tofu with 30 g edamame - A protein shake made with milk and a scoop of whey

You do not need to weigh food forever. Learn what 30 g looks like for the five or six proteins you eat most often, and you will estimate the rest by eye.

Spreading protein across the day Your body can use only so much protein at once for muscle repair - roughly 30 to 40 g per meal for most adults. Loading it all into dinner is less effective than spreading it across the day.

A workable rhythm is protein at breakfast, protein at lunch, a protein-containing snack, and protein at dinner. Breakfast is where most women fall short. Coffee and toast rarely gets you past 10 g. Yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese, smoked salmon or a shake are quick ways to start the day already a third of the way to your target.

Animal, plant, or both Animal proteins - meat, fish, eggs, dairy - are complete, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids in useful amounts. Plant proteins are often lower in one or two amino acids, so a mixed plant-based diet needs a little more variety.

• Strong plant proteins: soya, tofu, tempeh, edamame, seitan, lentils, chickpeas, black beans, quinoa
• Useful additions: nuts, seeds, nut butters, wholegrains
• Convenient supplements: whey, casein, soy or pea protein powders

If you eat plants only, aiming slightly higher on total protein - around 1.4 to 1.8 g per kg - is a sensible allowance for the lower digestibility of some plant sources.

Protein powders: helpful, not essential A quality protein powder is a convenient way to top up on days you cannot face another chicken breast. Look for a short ingredient list, at least 20 g of protein per scoop, and a brand that batch tests for contaminants. Whey concentrate, whey isolate, casein and soy are all well studied. Collagen is not a complete protein and should not be counted toward your daily target.

Practical tips for a smaller appetite - Eat your protein first at each meal so you get it in before you feel full - Keep two or three grab-and-go options in the fridge: boiled eggs, cooked chicken, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese - Batch cook a tray of chicken thighs or salmon fillets at the weekend - Add a scoop of unflavoured protein powder to porridge, soups or yogurt - If nausea is bad, cool, wet proteins - yogurt, cottage cheese, smoothies - are easier than hot fatty ones

Protein is not glamorous, but it is the quiet foundation that decides how well you emerge from this chapter. Get it right, and the woman on the other side of your weight loss is stronger, not just smaller.