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Muscle-preservation planner: a printable week of training + protein
Rapid weight loss takes lean mass with it unless you push back. This planner converts the published minimums — 2+ resistance days (HHS/WHO), 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps (ACSM novice guidance), 1.2-1.6 g/kg protein — into one printable weekly checklist.
Last verified 2026-08-05
your weekly muscle-preservation plan
2 resistance sessions · 80–105 g protein/day
Published minimum: resistance work for all major muscle groups on ≥2 days/week (HHS Physical Activity Guidelines 2018; WHO 2020). Sets/reps per ACSM novice guidance: 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps.
session template (dumbbells at home)
- Goblet squat — legs
- One-arm dumbbell row — back
- Floor or bench press — chest
- Romanian deadlift — hamstrings/hips
- Overhead press — shoulders
- Biceps curl — arms
- Plank — trunk
Same template every session; leave a rest day between sessions. Add weight or reps when the top of the rep range feels manageable.
weekly checklist
- Resistance session (2× this week)1-3 sets of 8-12 reps, all major muscle groups
- Hit the daily protein target80-105 g/day (26 g × 4 smaller meals)
- Moderate aerobic activity150 min/week total — e.g., 5 × 30-min walks
- Fluids + electrolytes on low-appetite daysAppetite suppression also suppresses thirst cues for many people
- Weigh-in (same time of day)Track the weekly trend, not the daily noise
Disclosure: some links below are affiliate links — if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes the math or the food advice. How we make money.
A body-composition scale is optional — the weekly trend of weight + strength in the logbook is the signal that matters. Educational information, not medical advice. Get the protein number from the protein calculator, and the reasoning in the muscle-loss prevention guide.
Why this matters, with trial data: how to prevent muscle loss on a GLP-1. Formulas and sources: methodology.