Exercise on GLP-1 treatment: what to do, how much, and when

The real purpose of exercise now

On GLP-1 treatment, appetite does the calorie work, exercise does the composition work. The goal shifts from "burn more" to "keep muscle, protect bone, hold energy". That reframing matters, because people who train to burn often under-eat and lose muscle. People who train to keep muscle keep their metabolism.

The effective minimum

• Walking, 7,000 to 10,000 steps most days. The quiet engine of both loss and maintenance.
• Resistance training, twice a week minimum, covering squat, hinge, push and pull patterns. Thirty minutes counts.

That is enough. More is welcome if you enjoy it. It is not required for the medicine to work.

A starter strength session

Twice a week, 30 minutes, gym or home:

• Goblet squat or sit-to-stand, 2 sets of 8 to 12
• Wall or knee press-up, 2 sets of 8 to 12
• One-arm row with a bag or dumbbell, 2 sets of 10 each side
• Glute bridge, 2 sets of 12
• Dead hang or plank, 20 to 40 seconds

Add a little load or a few reps when it feels easy. Progression, not exhaustion, is the signal.

Fuelling on a small appetite

• Protein within a couple of hours of training, a shake counts when food feels too much.
• Train before your largest meal, not after a fast.
• Hydrate more on training days. A slowed stomach makes gulping hard, so sip through the session.
• Dizzy or cold mid-session means under-fuelled: eat, and mention it at your check-in.

Working with changing energy

Energy dips are common in the first weeks of each dose. On low days, walk instead of training. Never force intensity through dizziness. Energy typically normalises by the end of each dose step, patience beats pushing.