{"id":856695,"date":"2026-09-22T14:54:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T14:54:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/856695\/"},"modified":"2026-09-22T14:54:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T14:54:08","slug":"the-no-1-strength-training-exercise-for-people-on-glp-1s-according-to-an-expert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/856695\/","title":{"rendered":"The No. 1 Strength Training Exercise for People on GLP-1s, According to an Expert"},"content":{"rendered":"

About 11% of Americans are taking a GLP-1 medication, up considerably from 3% in 2024, according to a recent Gallup poll<\/a>. These medications can be powerful tools to help patients reach a range of health goals<\/a>, but it\u2019s important that they\u2019re combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise, experts say.<\/p>\n

Strength training is especially important since loss of muscle is a documented side effect of weight loss due to these medications. If you\u2019re not sure how to get started, Heidi Skolnik, exercise physiologist, sports nutritionist and author of \u201cYour GLP-1 Game Plan\u201d shares her best advice.<\/p>\n

Fitness Tip of the Day: Try Compound Exercises When Strength Training on a GLP-1<\/p>\n

\u201cUnlike isolated exercise movements, like bicep curls or leg raises, that only target one specific area at a time, compound movements, like squats or lunges, work multiple joints and muscles at once,\u201d Skolnik tells TODAY.com. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis makes them highly efficient and highly functional, which means you work more muscle in less time and you\u2019re training your body to handle real-life activities.\u201d<\/p>\n

The areas of the body that Skolnik says to prioritize are the large muscle groups: glutes, thighs, chest and back. Arms and shoulders are good, too, but the other groups make up the majority of your muscle mass.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re new to strength training, you may need to work up to compound exercises, as they can be tougher on your ligaments and joints, she adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best starting point will vary from person to person. If you have health challenges, make sure you are working with someone can offer appropriate guidance,\u201d Skolnik says.<\/p>\n

Why It Matters<\/p>\n

When you lose weight, no matter how, you\u2019re likely to lose muscle mass. But with GLP-1s, since people often lose weight more quickly, there is a risk of also losing muscle at a faster pace.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to know that \u201cweight loss is not a race,\u201d Sklonik emphasizes, and to try to counter it with strength, aka resistance, training.<\/p>\n

Adequate muscle mass can help with many functions throughout the body, Skolnik explains \u2014 such as clearing glucose from the blood stream, promoting mobility and bone density, reducing risk of age-related disease, and improving cognitive health.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s also worth noting that as you get older, you naturally lose a little muscle each year, but these medications can accelerate that loss. So countering that with adequate resistance training and dietary strategies can go far,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

How to Get Started<\/p>\n

Skolnik recommends starting strength training before you begin taking a GLP-1, or at the same time, as it\u2019s easier to prevent muscle loss than to try to gain it back. <\/p>\n

(But don\u2019t wait to start a medication because you\u2019re unable to strength train right away, if it a medical professional prescribed it to treat a health condition, like diabetes or obesity \u2014\u00a0in that case, do what you can, Skolnik says.)<\/p>\n

Compound exercises that work the major muscle groups include:<\/p>\n

LungesSquatsRomanian deadliftPlankBurpeeKettlebell swingFire hydrantShoulder pressMountain climbers<\/p>\n

\u201cTake time with your weight loss and progressively increase your strength training,\u201d Skolnik says. \u201cDon\u2019t rush. Start with what you can. Explore YouTube Videos or other reputable online sources, visit your local community center, seek the advice of an exercise specialist and check out the resources in my book. Slowly progress as your body feels able, and remember that weight loss is not a race and strength is worth the effort!\u201d<\/p>\n

TODAY\u2019s Expert Tip of the Day<\/a> series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"About 11% of Americans are taking a GLP-1 medication, up considerably from 3% in 2024, according to a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":856696,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[337,97],"class_list":["post-856695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-fitness","tag-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/856695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=856695"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/856695\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/856696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=856695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=856695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=856695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}