Taking a GLP-1 medication?
The medication takes the appetite away. Without strength training, a large share of what you lose can be muscle, not fat. 2 to 3 sessions of 30 minutes a week help protect it.
Why it matters
GLP-1 medications work by taking the appetite away, so you eat far less. Your body then burns what it has, and it is not fussy about where that comes from. In the key trial of a GLP-1 medication, people lost 15% of their body weight over 68 weeks, and almost 10% of their lean mass went with it: about four kilos in every ten lost. Sources 1 and 2
Lean tissue is not all muscle (it includes water and organ tissue), but it is the part of weight loss nobody wants to lose: it keeps you strong, steady on your feet and burning energy at rest. Strength training is what helps protect it while the fat comes off. Source 3
15%
of body weight lost over 68 weeks
9.7%
of lean mass lost in the same time
4 in 10
kilos lost were lean tissue, not fat, on average
The STEP 1 trial, body-composition analysis: 140 people over 68 weeks (source 1).
Six reasons
The weight you lose should be fat. Resistance training has been shown to limit lean-mass loss during a calorie deficit, and the researchers who reviewed the GLP-1 trials recommend it alongside the medication for exactly that reason.
Sources 1 to 3Losing weight can thin bone. In a year-long trial, people on a GLP-1 medication who did not exercise lost bone density at the hip and spine; those who exercised as well kept theirs. Lifting loads the bones directly, which is what tells them to stay strong.
Sources 4 and 5Muscle burns energy even at rest. Lose it and your resting metabolism falls with it. Resistance training nudges resting energy use the other way, by roughly 100 calories a day on average across studies.
Source 6Strength training improves how your body handles blood sugar, and lowers blood pressure a little as well.
Sources 7 and 8Stronger muscles mean easier stairs and steadier balance as you get older; exercise programmes that include strength work reduce falls in older people. And a lift in mood: resistance training reduces symptoms of low mood in clinical trials.
Sources 9 and 10In the follow-up to the key GLP-1 trial, people regained two thirds of the weight within a year of stopping. In another trial, exercise helped people keep weight off after a diet, whether or not they were on the medication. The habit comes with you when the prescription ends.
Sources 11 and 12What we offer
You don’t need to have lifted a weight in your life. We start with a private consultation, then design a strength and resistance routine around you: your body, your fitness level, your goals, your week and your medical history. The exercises, weights, reps, sets and rest are all set for you, not copied from a one-size-fits-all plan off the internet.
The sessions are your own, done in your own time whenever the gym is open: not a class, and not personal training. They are short on purpose: 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week, is all we ask, and each one is planned to make the most of the time. That is also what the World Health Organization asks of every adult: muscle-strengthening work on two or more days a week. Source 13
All it takes
2 to 3
sessions a week
30
minutes a session
Included with membership: the plan costs nothing extra.
GPs, pharmacists and clinics
“Stay active” is hard advice to act on when you have never set foot in a gym. We give your patients something specific: a structured strength plan built around them, 2 to 3 short sessions a week in their own time, in a small local gym, included with their membership.
The simplest referral is to point your patient to this page: they arrange their own consultation, so no patient details need to come to us. For anything else, email or ring us.
What people ask before they message us.
No. You don’t need to have lifted a weight before. Everything starts at your level and builds from there.
The plan is included with membership, so there is nothing extra to pay for it. Ask us which membership suits you; prices are on our Memberships page.
Neither. We design your plan at your consultation; the sessions are yours to do, in your own time, whenever the gym is open. If you have questions along the way, just ask.
30 minutes of strength and resistance work, planned to make the most of the time: often full-body, or pairing opposite muscle groups so one rests while the other works. The exercises, weights, reps, sets and rest are set for you and step up as you get stronger, and you can ease off on a low-energy day.
Check with your doctor before you start, and tell us at your consultation. Your routine is planned around past injuries, mobility limits and your medical history, and avoids movements that aggravate joint pain. If your doctor has set any limits, bring them with you. Please don’t send medical details by WhatsApp or the contact form; we’ll go through them with you at your consultation.
Yes. Your consultation is private, and what you tell us is kept private and used only to plan your training. Nobody else needs to know why you’re training.
Yes. Keep taking your medication exactly as prescribed, and let your prescriber know you’re starting a strength programme. We don’t prescribe, supply or advise on medication; we train you while you’re on it.
Eating enough protein matters too, especially when your appetite is low. Ask about it at your consultation.
Sources
Every claim on this page is numbered to a published study or guideline. This page is general information about exercise, not medical advice. Myfitt does not prescribe, supply or advise on medication: keep taking yours as prescribed, and talk to your prescriber before starting a new exercise programme.
Keep what matters
Your medication helps you lose weight. Weight training helps you keep what matters. Call or WhatsApp us to find out more, or to arrange a confidential consultation.
