GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound have become increasingly popular over the past few years, helping millions of people lose weight and improve their health. For many individuals who have struggled with weight management, these medications have been life-changing. By reducing appetite, increasing feelings of fullness, and making it easier to consume fewer calories, GLP-1 medications can help people achieve weight loss that may have previously seemed impossible.
However, there's an important distinction that often gets overlooked when discussing weight loss: Losing weight and improving your health aren't necessarily the same thing.
At Invictus, we want our members to look beyond the number on the scale. We want them to become stronger, healthier, more resilient, and more physically capable. While GLP-1 medications can be an incredibly effective tool for reducing body weight, how you exercise and nourish your body while taking these medications can have a tremendous impact on the quality of the weight you lose, the health benefits you experience, and your physical performance.
GLP-1s and Calorie Restriction
Not all weight loss is created equal. When someone loses weight, that weight doesn't come exclusively from body fat. Depending on how quickly weight is lost, nutritional intake, activity levels, and other factors, some of that weight loss can come from lean tissue, including skeletal muscle.
This is particularly important for individuals taking GLP-1 medications because the appetite-suppressing effects can make it challenging to consume enough calories and protein to support muscle maintenance. Although losing excess body fat can improve numerous health markers, losing significant amounts of muscle tissue along the way isn't ideal.
Effects of GLP-1s on Muscle Mass
Skeletal muscle plays an important role in our overall health. Beyond allowing us to lift weights, climb stairs, and carry groceries, muscle helps regulate blood glucose, supports metabolic health, and contributes to our ability to remain physically independent as we age. Maintaining adequate muscle mass and strength becomes increasingly important as we get older.
Consider two individuals who each lose 30 pounds while taking a GLP-1 medication. One loses predominantly body fat while maintaining most of their muscle mass and strength. The other loses a substantial amount of muscle along with the fat. Although the scale might show identical results, these two individuals could emerge from their weight loss journeys with very different levels of strength, physical capacity, and body composition. The person who preserves their muscle mass will most likely feel great, and the person who loses much of their muscle mass will most likely feel frail.
How to Preserve Muscle Mass When Taking a GLP-1
The goal shouldn't simply be to lose as much weight as possible. The goal should be to lose excess body fat while preserving the muscle and physical capabilities that contribute to long-term health.
Fortunately, there are several things we can do to improve our chances of achieving this outcome.
Why You Should Prioritize Strength Training When Using a GLP-1
We love this topic because it’s one of our cornerstones at Invictus - strength training. If you're taking a GLP-1 medication and aren't currently participating in a strength training program, this is one of the most valuable changes you can make.
Resistance training provides the stimulus your body needs to maintain skeletal muscle tissue, even while you're consuming fewer calories. Without that stimulus, your body has less reason to preserve muscle during periods of weight loss.
At Invictus, our coaches prioritize progressive strength training because we understand the tremendous benefits it provides beyond simply looking better. Increasing or maintaining strength allows our members to remain physically capable, improves bone health, and supports the activities they enjoy outside the gym.
How much strength training should you do if you’re using a GLP-1?
For someone taking a GLP-1 medication, two to three well-designed strength training sessions per week can be an excellent starting point. These sessions should emphasize fundamental movement patterns such as squatting, hinging, pushing, pulling, and carrying. Over time, the goal is to gradually improve or maintain performance while allowing sufficient recovery between sessions.
It's also important to recognize that someone consuming significantly fewer calories may not recover from training the same way they did before starting medication. This is where individualized coaching becomes particularly valuable. Our coaches can adjust training volume, intensity, and exercise selection to ensure members receive an appropriate training stimulus without accumulating unnecessary fatigue.
Will doing cardio help you lose more weight when you’re taking a GLP-1?
While strength training helps preserve muscle, cardiovascular exercise provides another set of benefits that shouldn't be overlooked.
One of the most important predictors of long-term health is cardiorespiratory fitness, or the ability of our heart, lungs, and circulatory system to deliver oxygen to working muscles. Improving cardiovascular fitness is associated with better metabolic health, increased endurance, and a reduced risk of numerous chronic diseases.
At Invictus, we encourage our members to develop both strength and aerobic capacity because these qualities complement one another. Being strong is valuable, but so is being able to walk several miles, climb a flight of stairs without becoming winded, or participate in recreational activities without excessive fatigue.
For individuals taking GLP-1 medications, low-intensity cardiovascular exercise can be especially useful. I have written numerous articles about zone two training. This is another example where this stimulus can provide tremendous benefit. Walking, cycling, swimming, and other aerobic activities can improve cardiovascular fitness without creating excessive recovery demands. And of course, your Invictus coaches are more than willing to customize your low intensity aerobic training to keep it interesting, both in the gym and through our remote coaching.
As fitness improves, we can gradually introduce more challenging cardiovascular training to further develop aerobic capacity. However, more isn't always better. When someone is already consuming fewer calories and potentially experiencing medication-related fatigue, the goal should be to find an appropriate amount of exercise that promotes adaptation rather than simply burning as many calories as possible.
Remember, exercise shouldn't be viewed exclusively as a tool for creating a larger calorie deficit. It's an opportunity to improve the capabilities of your body.
The Importance of Consuming Protein With GLP-1s
Nutrition still matters, especially protein. One of the primary benefits of GLP-1 medications is that they make it easier to eat less. However, eating less also means we need to be more intentional about what we're eating.
Protein becomes particularly important during weight loss because it provides the building blocks necessary to maintain and repair muscle tissue. Combining adequate protein intake with consistent resistance training gives your body a better opportunity to preserve muscle while losing fat.
How much protein should you eat when taking GLP-1s?
For many healthy adults pursuing weight loss, a protein intake of approximately 0.8 grams per pound of body weight each day can be a useful starting range, although individual needs may vary based on body composition, age, activity level, and medical considerations. A registered dietitian or healthcare provider can help establish an appropriate target, particularly for individuals with kidney disease or other conditions affecting nutritional needs.
Because GLP-1 medications can significantly reduce appetite, consuming sufficient protein may require some additional planning. Prioritizing protein-rich foods at meals, distributing protein intake throughout the day, and choosing nutrient-dense foods can help ensure that reduced food intake doesn't translate into inadequate nutrition.
Overall Dietary Quality and GLP-1s
Hydration, fiber, and overall dietary quality also deserve attention. While the medications may make it easier to consume fewer calories, they don't automatically provide the nutrients your body needs to recover from exercise, maintain muscle, and function optimally.
Thinking Beyond the Scale: How To Measure Progress Beyond Weight Loss
One of the biggest mistakes people can make during a weight loss journey is evaluating progress exclusively through changes in body weight.
Certainly, the scale can provide useful information, but it doesn't tell the entire story. Someone who loses 15 pounds of fat while maintaining their muscle mass may experience tremendous improvements in health and physical performance, even if their weight loss is slower than someone losing both fat and muscle.
At Invictus, we encourage members to evaluate progress through multiple measures. Improvements in strength, cardiovascular endurance, body composition, energy levels, and the ability to perform everyday activities are all meaningful indicators of progress.
For members taking GLP-1 medications, these additional measurements become even more valuable. Tracking strength performance in the gym, monitoring improvements in aerobic fitness, and periodically evaluating body composition can help us better understand whether a training program is producing the desired adaptations.
We also want our members to develop habits they can maintain for years, not simply weeks or months. GLP-1 medications may be used long-term, and decisions about continuing or discontinuing them should be made with a prescribing clinician. Regardless of how long someone uses medication, the benefits of becoming stronger, fitter, and more physically capable extend well beyond the period of active weight loss.
The Invictus Approach: Building Health That Lasts
At Invictus, we've always believed that improving health and fitness requires more than simply working hard in the gym. It requires intelligent programming, consistent effort, appropriate recovery, and an understanding of each member's individual circumstances.
Someone taking a GLP-1 medication may have different nutritional needs, recovery capabilities, and training considerations than someone who isn't. Our coaches recognize these differences and work to customize training accordingly.
For some members, this might mean emphasizing strength training to preserve muscle while gradually introducing more cardiovascular exercise. For others, it might mean temporarily reducing training volume to accommodate lower energy intake or adjusting workouts around medication-related side effects. Our goal is to help each member find the right combination of training and recovery to make consistent progress.
Perhaps most importantly, we want our members to recognize the tremendous value of maintaining consistent exercise habits over long periods of time. Fitness adaptations compound. Someone who can train consistently for years, gradually developing strength, aerobic capacity, and movement proficiency, can achieve improvements that simply aren't possible through short bursts of intense exercise followed by extended periods of inactivity.
GLP-1 medications have created exciting new opportunities for individuals who have struggled with weight management, and we believe they can be a valuable component of a comprehensive approach to improving health. But medication alone cannot replace the benefits of regular exercise, proper nutrition, and a commitment to developing physical fitness.
If you're taking a GLP-1 medication, don't make weight loss your only goal. Make it your goal to emerge from the process stronger, healthier, and more physically capable than when you started.
At Invictus, that's exactly what we're here to help you accomplish.
References
1. Mozaffarian, D., et al. (2025). Nutritional Priorities to Support GLP-1 Therapy for Obesity: A Joint Advisory. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Comprehensive recommendations for protein intake, resistance training, nutritional adequacy, and preserving muscle during GLP-1 treatment.
2. Wilding, J. P. H., et al. (2021). Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine. Landmark clinical trial demonstrating the effectiveness of semaglutide for weight loss.
3. Wilding, J. P. H., et al. (2021). Impact of Semaglutide on Body Composition in Adults With Overweight or Obesity. Journal of the Endocrine Society. Exploratory analysis documenting changes in fat mass and lean body mass during semaglutide treatment.
4. Lundgren, J. R., et al. (2021). Healthy Weight Loss Maintenance with Exercise, Liraglutide, or Both Combined. The New England Journal of Medicine. Randomized trial demonstrating the benefits of combining structured exercise with GLP-1 medication for weight management.
5. Morton, R. W., et al. (2018). A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression of the Effect of Protein Supplementation on Resistance Training-Induced Gains in Muscle Mass and Strength. British Journal of Sports Medicine. Evidence supporting adequate protein intake alongside resistance training for improving muscle mass and strength.
6. Ross, R., et al. (2016). Importance of Assessing Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Clinical Practice: A Case for Fitness as a Clinical Vital Sign. Circulation, American Heart Association. Scientific statement establishing cardiorespiratory fitness as an important predictor of long-term health and mortality.