The short answer
Strength training and enough protein. The joint nutrition advisory recommends strength training at least 3 times a week, 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week, and 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg a day during weight loss. Protein alone is likely not enough.1
Your prescriber decides about your medicine. Reviewed November 14, 2026.What people ask
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What the research says
The numbers, on average
- ~25%of weight lost on tirzepatide was lean mass, on average (160 people, DXA scans)2
- 43%of people on a GLP-1 reached 1.2 g of protein per kg (60 people); 10% reached 1.6 g4
- 3+strength sessions a week, plus 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, in the joint advisory1
- Liraglutide alone
- 9.6 kg
- Liraglutide and exercise
- 7.1 kg
- Exercise alone
- 3.6 kg
Lean mass falls with fat
In STEP 1, people on semaglutide lost 19.3% of their fat mass and 9.7% of their lean mass, on average.3
Exercise carried over after stopping
In a liraglutide trial, people who had exercised regained less in the year after treatment ended. 109 of 166 came back for that year.5
Bone too
Liraglutide alone lowered hip and spine bone density. With exercise added, bone density held up about as well as on placebo.6
What it means for meals
Protein that fits a smaller appetite
Dense protein
Cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and eggs pack protein into small portions.
A protein at every meal
A portion at each meal adds up across the day.
Plant protein counts
Edamame, tofu and lentils add protein and fiber.
Alma logs a meal from a photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds and shows protein and fiber for each meal.
Questions people ask
How much protein do I need?
The joint advisory suggests 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg of body weight a day during weight loss. The GLP-1 protein calculator turns that into grams for you.
Is protein enough on its own?
Likely not. The advisory pairs protein with strength training at least 3 times a week to keep muscle and bone.
Does the muscle come back after stopping?
Unknown for semaglutide and tirzepatide. In a liraglutide trial, most of the weight regained was fat.
Sources
- Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: joint advisory of ACLM, ASN, OMA and The Obesity Society, 2025.
- Body composition with tirzepatide: SURMOUNT-1 DXA substudy of 160 adults. PubMed Central, 2025.
- Body composition with semaglutide: STEP 1 DXA analysis of 140 adults. Journal of the Endocrine Society, 2021.
- Protein intake in adults taking GLP-1 medicines: 60 participants. PubMed Central, 2025.
- Jensen et al. 2024. Weight maintenance with exercise, liraglutide or both, then one year without treatment. eClinicalMedicine.
- Bone density with liraglutide, exercise or both during weight maintenance. PubMed Central, 2024.
US Google searches a month, 12-month average to November 2026 (Google Ads Keyword Planner). Editorial standards
Alma does not give medical advice. Starting, stopping or changing a GLP-1 dose is a decision for your prescriber.
