By Conrad Sanchez, edited by Janel Leader

Why was protein mean to the cell? 

Because it’s an a-mean-o acid!

More clients than ever are walking through our doors while taking these drugs, and that's a great thing. But there's a conversation we need to have that isn't making enough headlines: what's happening to your muscle while you lose weight on a GLP-1, and what you can do about it.

Protein: The Building Blocks

Protein is the essential building block for every cell, tissue, and muscle in your body. Over my decade-plus working with diabetes patients, seniors, and injury recovery clients, the single most common nutritional gap I encounter is inadequate protein intake.

The standard recommendation is around 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, which in my opinion, is a floor, not a target. For a 160-pound (72 kg) person, that works out to roughly 60 grams of protein daily. But if your goal is fat loss, muscle retention, and metabolic health, research consistently points toward something closer to 30 to 35% of total daily calories coming from protein. For that same 160-pound person, we're talking closer to 175 grams per day.

The GLP-1 Problem No One Is Talking About Enough

GLP-1 receptor agonists work by suppressing appetite and slowing gastric emptying, helping people eat significantly less. The weight loss results can be remarkable. But here's the catch: approximately 40% of the weight lost from taking semaglutide comes from lean mass, including muscle. 

Women and older adults taking these medications may be at particularly high risk for this muscle loss. Losing muscle isn't just a cosmetic concern. Muscle controls blood sugar regulation, supports bone density, and drives your metabolism. Losing it quietly while the scale goes down is a hidden cost many GLP-1 users don't realize they're paying. 

GLP-1 therapy for obesity should include resistance training, optimal protein intake, and if needed, specific nutrients and possibly pharmacological interventions to preserve muscle mass, according to a review published in PubMed. The medication alone is not a complete strategy. 

How Much Protein Do GLP-1 Users Actually Need?

This is an evolving area of research, but the signals are clear. Higher protein intake of 1.2 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight per day is recommended for healthy adults over 65 and for patients after bariatric surgery to protect muscle, and many researchers believe the same logic applies to those on GLP-1 medications.

The challenge is that GLP-1s suppress appetite so effectively that many users aren't eating enough of anything, let alone enough protein. If you're only eating 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day, hitting 120 or more grams of protein requires intentional, deliberate food choices. Think Greek yogurt, eggs, chicken, fish, lean beef, tofu, and cottage cheese. 

Where EMS Comes In

EMS has been shown to preserve muscle mass in critically-ill patients experiencing significant muscle loss, and research on neuromuscular electrical stimulation demonstrates its ability to engage muscle contractions and support muscle protein metabolism, particularly when paired with adequate protein intake. Research is actively investigating whether whole-body NMES combined with timed protein intake offers the greatest improvement in muscle protein metabolism and muscle preservation during periods of reduced activity or caloric intake. 

For our GLP-1 clients, EMS training offers something traditional gym workouts may not: the ability to engage strength muscle fibers efficiently, even in a reduced calorie, lower energy state. When your appetite is suppressed and your energy is lower, a 20-minute full-body EMS session delivers a training stimulus that would otherwise require much longer in a conventional gym, helping to signal muscle retention even as the body is in a caloric deficit.

The Meat and Potatoes

GLP-1 medications can be a powerful tool. But they work best as part of a complete system, one that includes strategic protein intake and resistance-based training. If you're on a GLP-1 and not prioritizing protein, and not working out, you may be losing the very muscle that makes your body strong, functional, and metabolically healthy for the long term.

If you're interested in EMS training with me and live near Santa Monica, Brentwood, Palms, or Bel-Air, please send me an email at conradfitness@gmail.com or book a 15 min call with me.

I also offer in-studio sessions in Beverly Hills, located at 300 S. Beverly Dr., alongside my colleague Sarah, who provides private and semi-private Pilates sessions. Find out more here: lamaisonpilatesems.com

If you are looking for an EMS trainer in other cities, please check my trusted network.

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