Beyond the scale: why Strength training matters on Glp-1’s
Let me start by saying this: I take a non-diet approach to training, but I am not anti-weight loss. I firmly believe in body autonomy—if you choose to pursue weight loss, that’s your decision, and I support you.
This post isn’t about debating that choice. It’s about the rise of GLP-1 medications for weight loss and what I, as a trainer, am seeing and feeling.
Every day, I open social media, and it seems like someone new is taking one of these medications. And if that’s the path you choose, I am begging you—please do not stop exercising, and specifically, do not stop strength training. Here’s why.
We Are Told to Take Up Less Space—Even When We Already “Fit” the Mold
Society has imposed impossible body standards, particularly on women (but also on men). Even those of us who live in straight-sized bodies—bodies that already fit into standard clothing sizes, bodies that are not medically classified as “overweight”—are still made to feel like we should be smaller. We are conditioned to believe that shrinking is the goal, that thinner is always better, that existing as we are is never quite enough.
And now, with the increasing accessibility of weight loss medications, that pressure to shrink is only getting louder.
Weight Loss Isn’t a Magic Bullet—Movement Still Matters
It can feel at times within fitness industry that we’re somehow competing with weight loss medications for body transformation. But let’s be clear: this is not a competition. It never was. It never should be. Because GLP-1s or not, your body still needs movement. And not just any movement—resistance training is essential.
When you sign up to work with me, I cannot promise you any physical, aesthetic-based changes. That flashy before-and-after? I can’t sell you that. I don’t promise them. I can’t. Your body might not change at all from the outside. But here’s what will change: your strength, your energy, your confidence, your ability to move through life with more ease. It’s not the visible changes that matter most—it’s everything you gain from the inside out. That isn’t a sexy sales pitch, but it’s what’s true.
What Exercise Really Does (That Has Nothing to Do with the Scale)
Sure, you might see muscle definition over time, but the real benefits of movement? They’re invisible. You can’t look in the mirror and see:
✔️ Your cardiovascular health improving
✔️ Your mental health stabilizing
✔️ Your metabolism becoming more efficient
✔️ Your bones getting stronger
✔️ Your brain function sharpening
These things are happening even if the scale never moves. Even if you work out every day and never lose a pound.
And this is why we HAVE to uncouple exercise from weight loss.
Yes, they can co-exist. But they are not the same thing.
The Truth About GLP-1s and Muscle Loss
Here’s something you need to know when taking a weight loss medication: your body does not know the difference between losing fat and losing muscle. Read that again. Your body does not know the difference between losing fat and losing muscle.
If you’re losing weight without strength training and prioritizing protein, some of that loss will be muscle. And that matters—a lot. Because losing muscle mass puts you at higher risk for cardiometabolic diseases, frailty, and loss of bone density as you age.
So yes, the scale might go down. You might look in the mirror and see changes. But if you’re not actively strength training, you could be weakening your body in the process.
The Bottom Line
The pressure to shrink is relentless; it’s everywhere you look. But our strength—our health—isn’t found in the number on a scale. It’s in our ability to move well, to lift heavy, to carry ourselves through life with power and resilience.
So if you choose to take a GLP-1, please, please, please pair it with strength training. Not to fit a beauty standard, but to keep your body strong enough to carry you for the long haul. 💛
We have to switch our mindset and redefine why we move. Because exercise isn’t just about changing our bodies—it’s about keeping them strong enough to carry us through life.
