If you're on a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound, you face a tricky problem: your appetite has dropped dramatically, but you still need to hit your protein target — or you'll lose muscle along with fat. This 7-day meal plan is designed for that exact scenario. High protein, small portions, easy on a sensitive stomach, built around real recipes you can prep ahead.
Medical disclaimer: This plan provides general nutrition information, not medical advice. GLP-1 drugs are prescription medications. Always consult your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your diet, especially if you experience nausea, severe appetite loss, or other side effects.
How to use this plan
This plan delivers approximately 1,180-1,280 calories and 100-140 grams of protein per day across 6-7 mini meals. That structure is intentional — small frequent meals are dramatically better tolerated on GLP-1 drugs than 3 large ones.
If you're hungrier than the plan calls for, add an extra mini meal (eggs, Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese are good additions). If you can't finish a meal, save the leftovers and eat them as your next mini meal. The plan is a guide, not a prescription.
Before you start, find your personalized calorie target with our TDEE Calculator. Most GLP-1 users land in the 1,200-1,500 calorie range during active weight loss, but it varies. Most importantly: don't go below 1,200 cal/day even if you're not hungry. Your body still needs the basics.
The two GLP-1 nutrition rules
Rule 1: Protein is non-negotiable. When you're losing weight on a GLP-1, your body will burn muscle along with fat unless you give it enough protein. Aim for 1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. For a 165-pound (75 kg) person, that's 90-120 grams. Every meal in this plan has protein.
Rule 2: Hydration is critical. GLP-1 drugs slow down digestion, which can also blunt thirst signals. You can become dehydrated without feeling thirsty. Aim for 80 ounces (2.4 liters) of water per day, sipped between meals (not with them). Add electrolytes if you're losing weight quickly.
What if I have nausea?
Some recipes in this plan are leaner than others. If you're having a bad nausea day, swap any high-fat meal for plain chicken breast, scrambled eggs, or Greek yogurt. Our Ozempic Nausea Guide has the full list of foods that help and what to avoid.
Day 1 — Monday
Wake-up — 128 cal
- 1 large boiled egg (78 cal)
- 4 saltine crackers (50 cal)
Breakfast — 480 cal
- 1 serving Overnight Protein Oats (480 cal)
Eat slowly over 30 minutes. Split into two sittings if your appetite is small.
Lunch — 271 cal
- ½ serving Soy-Garlic Chicken Thighs (140 cal)
- ½ cup cooked white rice (103 cal)
- ½ cup steamed broccoli (28 cal)
Afternoon snack — 101 cal
- 1 Air Fryer Chocolate Protein Brownie (101 cal)
Dinner — 161 cal
- ½ serving Smoky Paprika Chicken Breast (139 cal)
- ½ cup steamed green beans (22 cal)
Evening snack — 100 cal
- ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese (100 cal)
Day 1 Total: 1,241 calories | 137 g protein
Day 2 — Tuesday
Wake-up — 78 cal
- 1 large boiled egg (78 cal)
Breakfast — 209 cal
- ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (65 cal)
- ½ medium banana (53 cal)
- ¼ cup blueberries (21 cal)
- 1 slice whole grain toast (70 cal)
Mid-morning — 80 cal
- 1 light string cheese (80 cal)
Lunch — 252 cal
- ½ serving Salt & Pepper Turkey Breast Bites (146 cal)
- ½ cup mashed potato, no butter (92 cal)
- ½ cup steamed zucchini (14 cal)
Afternoon snack — 192 cal
- 1 oz Soy-Garlic Chicken Jerky (91 cal)
- 1 Protein Brownie (101 cal)
Dinner — 255 cal
- ½ serving Air Fryer Chicken & Onion Skewers (152 cal)
- ½ cup cooked white rice (103 cal)
Evening snack — 118 cal
- ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese (100 cal)
- 5 strawberries (18 cal)
Day 2 Total: 1,184 calories | 138 g protein
Day 3 — Wednesday
Wake-up — 128 cal
- 1 large boiled egg (78 cal)
- 4 saltine crackers (50 cal)
Breakfast — 455 cal
- 1 serving Air Fryer Chocolate Protein Granola (410 cal)
- ½ cup nonfat milk (45 cal)
Lunch — 222 cal
- 1 oz Soy-Garlic Chicken Jerky (91 cal)
- ½ cup cooked white rice (103 cal)
- ½ cup steamed carrots (28 cal)
Afternoon snack — 179 cal
- 1 large boiled egg (78 cal)
- 1 Protein Brownie (101 cal)
Dinner — 169 cal
- ½ serving Cheesy Chicken Mince Nests (147 cal)
- ½ cup steamed green beans (22 cal)
If you're nausea-prone, swap the cheesy nests for plain chicken breast.
Evening snack — 100 cal
- ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese (100 cal)
Day 3 Total: 1,253 calories | 107 g protein
Day 4 — Thursday
Wake-up — 78 cal
- 1 large boiled egg (78 cal)
Breakfast — 153 cal
- ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (65 cal)
- ½ medium banana (53 cal)
- 1 plain rice cake (35 cal)
Mid-morning — 80 cal
- 1 light string cheese (80 cal)
Lunch — 340 cal
- ½ serving Smoky Paprika Chicken Breast (139 cal)
- ½ cup cooked white rice (103 cal)
- ½ cup steamed broccoli (28 cal)
- 1 slice whole grain toast (70 cal)
Afternoon snack 1 — 101 cal
- 1 Protein Brownie (101 cal)
Afternoon snack 2 — 91 cal
- 1 oz Soy-Garlic Chicken Jerky (91 cal)
Dinner — 232 cal
- ½ serving Soy-Garlic Chicken Thighs (140 cal)
- ½ cup mashed potato, no butter (92 cal)
Evening snack — 118 cal
- ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese (100 cal)
- 5 strawberries (18 cal)
Day 4 Total: 1,193 calories | 132 g protein
Day 5 — Friday
Wake-up — 128 cal
- 1 large boiled egg (78 cal)
- 4 saltine crackers (50 cal)
Breakfast — 480 cal
- 1 serving Overnight Protein Oats (480 cal)
Lunch — 263 cal
- ½ serving Salt & Pepper Turkey Breast Bites (146 cal)
- ½ cup cooked white rice (103 cal)
- ½ cup steamed zucchini (14 cal)
Afternoon snack — 101 cal
- 1 Protein Brownie (101 cal)
Dinner — 204 cal
- ½ serving Garlic Pepper Grilled Chicken Thighs (182 cal)
- ½ cup steamed green beans (22 cal)
Evening snack — 100 cal
- ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese (100 cal)
Day 5 Total: 1,276 calories | 138 g protein
Day 6 — Saturday
Wake-up — 78 cal
- 1 large boiled egg (78 cal)
Breakfast — 139 cal
- ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (65 cal)
- ½ medium banana (53 cal)
- ¼ cup blueberries (21 cal)
Mid-morning — 80 cal
- 1 light string cheese (80 cal)
Lunch — 278 cal
- ½ serving Cheesy Chicken Mince Nests (147 cal)
- ½ cup cooked white rice (103 cal)
- ½ cup steamed carrots (28 cal)
Afternoon snack 1 — 78 cal
- 1 large boiled egg (78 cal)
Afternoon snack 2 — 192 cal
- 1 oz Soy-Garlic Chicken Jerky (91 cal)
- 1 Protein Brownie (101 cal)
Dinner — 244 cal
- ½ serving Chicken & Onion Skewers (152 cal)
- ½ cup mashed potato, no butter (92 cal)
Evening snack — 100 cal
- ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese (100 cal)
Day 6 Total: 1,189 calories | 124 g protein
Day 7 — Sunday
Wake-up — 128 cal
- 1 large boiled egg (78 cal)
- 4 saltine crackers (50 cal)
Breakfast — 240 cal
- ½ serving Overnight Protein Oats (240 cal)
Mid-morning — 80 cal
- 1 light string cheese (80 cal)
Lunch — 270 cal
- ½ serving Smoky Paprika Chicken Breast (139 cal)
- ½ cup cooked white rice (103 cal)
- ½ cup steamed broccoli (28 cal)
Afternoon snack — 179 cal
- 1 large boiled egg (78 cal)
- 1 Protein Brownie (101 cal)
Dinner — 162 cal
- ½ serving Soy-Garlic Chicken Thighs (140 cal)
- ½ cup steamed green beans (22 cal)
Evening snack — 121 cal
- ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese (100 cal)
- ¼ cup blueberries (21 cal)
Day 7 Total: 1,180 calories | 126 g protein
Weekly shopping list
Proteins
- 14 large eggs
- 1 large container plain nonfat Greek yogurt (32 oz)
- 1 large container low-fat cottage cheese (24 oz)
- 1 box light mozzarella string cheese (6 sticks)
- ~3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (for jerky, paprika chicken, mince nests)
- ~2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (for soy-garlic thighs, grilled thighs)
- 1 lb boneless skinless turkey breast
- 1 lb chicken breast for skewers
- 1 container vanilla whey or plant protein powder
Carbs & grains
- 1 sleeve saltine crackers
- 1 small loaf whole grain bread
- 1 package plain rice cakes
- 1 lb white rice (long grain)
- 1 container plain rolled oats
Vegetables
- 1 head broccoli
- 1 lb green beans (fresh or frozen)
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 lb carrots
- 2 lbs potatoes (for mashed)
- 2 yellow onions
- 1 small package mushrooms
Fruit
- 4 bananas
- 1 small container blueberries
- 1 small container strawberries
Pantry
- Soy sauce (low-sodium if possible)
- Garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, dried herbs
- Cocoa powder (for brownies and granola)
- Cooking spray
- Small jar peanut or almond butter (for granola)
- 1 quart nonfat or low-fat milk
Meal prep tips for GLP-1 users
Cook in single-serving portions. Standard meal prep containers are too big. Use smaller 1-cup containers so each one holds exactly half a recipe serving — your actual GLP-1-sized portion. This prevents the "eyes bigger than stomach" problem.
Freeze backups. Make double batches of chicken jerky, protein brownies, and protein granola. Freeze half. Future-you will thank you on a low-energy day.
Always have a "bland day" backup. Keep plain crackers, instant oatmeal packets, and applesauce on hand. When nausea hits, you don't want to be cooking.
Pre-portion your protein. Cook a big batch of plain chicken breast on Sunday. Slice it. Store in 3-4 ounce portions. You can add it to anything when you don't feel like cooking.
Hydration plan
Aim for 80 oz (2.4 liters) of fluids per day. Spread it out — one or two big chugs won't work because GLP-1 slows your stomach. Some easy targets:
- 16 oz water on waking
- 16 oz between breakfast and lunch
- 16 oz between lunch and afternoon snack
- 16 oz between afternoon snack and dinner
- 16 oz in the evening (stop 2 hours before bed)
If you're losing weight quickly, add a low-sugar electrolyte drink once a day. Coconut water, Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier (sugar-free), or LMNT all work.
How to adjust this plan
If you need more calories (1,400-1,600): Add 1 boiled egg + 1 slice whole grain toast at breakfast, and add an extra ½ serving of any protein at dinner.
If you can't eat that much: Drop the wake-up snack and the mid-morning string cheese. Focus on hitting the protein in the remaining meals. Don't skip the cottage cheese — it's your protein safety net.
If you want more variety: Swap any chicken meal for the equivalent half-serving of another chicken recipe from our recipe library. The plan is built around lean protein + small starch + small vegetable, so any of our high-protein recipes will fit.
If you're vegetarian: Replace chicken/turkey portions with cottage cheese, plain Greek yogurt, eggs, edamame, or tofu. Aim for 20-30 grams of protein per main meal.
What's next
This meal plan is the food side of GLP-1 weight loss. The other half is knowing your numbers — your daily calorie target, your protein goal, and your weekly weight loss rate. Use these tools to dial them in:
- TDEE Calculator — find your daily calorie maintenance level
- BMR Calculator — see your baseline calorie burn (don't eat below this)
- Macro Calculator — set your protein, carbs, and fat targets
- Weight Loss Calculator — see your timeline to your goal weight
And if you're dealing with nausea, our Ozempic Nausea Guide covers exactly what to eat (and what to skip) to feel better fast.
