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A teenager who used Wegovy (a prescription drug for weight loss) says it helped them lose weight and cut down their constant thoughts about food. They’ve started powerlifting and were told by their coach to eat about 180 grams of protein per day. Off the drug they can manage around 120 grams per day and plan to go back on Wegovy because it helped before. The person is asking how to meet that higher protein goal while on the medication. Wegovy’s active ingredient is semaglutide. In plain terms, semaglutide mimics a natural hormone made in your gut that signals fullness to your brain and slows how fast your stomach empties. That helps reduce appetite and makes it easier to eat less. It doesn’t itself build muscle or directly change how much protein your body needs, but because it cuts appetite, it can make eating larger quantities of food — like high-protein meals or snacks — more difficult. The coach’s 180 grams per day target likely comes from common sports guidance for strength athletes. For many adults doing regular heavy resistance training, protein needs can be higher than the general population — often suggested in a range from about 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight (that’s roughly 0.7–1.0 grams per pound). For a 223 lb person, 180 g sits toward the upper part of that range. But this is a general rule, not a medical order. The one detail missing here is age: at 15, your body is still growing, and protein needs and safe targets can differ; teenage athletes should involve a parent and a healthcare provider when making big diet changes. Practical ways to hit higher protein while on a drug that reduces appetite include spreading protein across many small meals or snacks, using protein-dense foods and drinks, and choosing easy-to-eat options. Examples: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, protein shakes or ready-to-drink protein beverages, canned tuna or chicken, milk, eggs, and nut-butters. A 20–30 gram protein shake can be easier to swallow when you have low appetite than a large steak. Adding protein powders to smoothies with fruit and yogurt can increase calories and protein without a huge volume. Also consider timing protein around workouts to support muscle repair, and talk to a coach or dietitian about whether the 180 g target is appropriate and safe for a 15-year-old. Important caveats: Wegovy is a prescription medicine, and it has side effects (nausea, stomach upset, possible mood changes, and others) and is not approved for everyone — especially minors in some jurisdictions. A teenager changing doses or restarting the drug should do so under a doctor’s supervision. Very high protein intakes can be hard on the kidneys in people with existing kidney disease, and very strict or extreme diets can interfere with growth in adolescents. Because the snippet is brief and lacks medical details, the safest next steps are to involve a pediatrician or family doctor and, ideally, a sports dietitian who works with teens to set a protein target and plan that balances performance, growth, and medication effects. Bottom line: 180 g of protein might be reasonable for a heavy powerlifter, but for a 15-year-old restarting Wegovy, you should confirm the target with medical and nutrition professionals and use protein-dense, low-volume foods and shakes to reach it without forcing large meals.
Source: r/Semaglutide