Why Strength Train When Using Semaglutides For Weight Loss

In a recent podcast, Rick Mayo, Alloy Founder and CEO, interviews Suzanne Robb, Alloy COO, discuss why integrating semaglutide medications with a balanced fitness regimen, particularly strength training, can optimize weight loss outcomes.

In addition, it important to safeguard muscle, bone, and metabolic health when losing weight. This approach aligns with the principle that weight management should be comprehensive, addressing both dietary habits and physical activity.

Understanding Semaglutide Drugs

Semaglutides, like Ozempic and Wegovy, are part of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists class. They work by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone, which is released in the gastrointestinal tract after eating. This hormone helps in reducing blood glucose levels and signals fullness, thus reducing appetite. While Ozempic and Rybelsus are primarily for type 2 diabetes, Wegovy is FDA-approved for weight loss in obese or overweight adults and children over 12.

Weight Loss Can Reduce Muscle Mass, Bone Density, and Metabolism

Rapid weight loss, while beneficial in some aspects, can lead to decreased muscle mass, reduced bone density, and a lower metabolic rate, potentially causing sarcopenia. This condition, often associated with aging, can also occur at any age due to drastic weight loss without adequate diet and exercise, impacting daily life activities and overall health.

How To Prevent Muscle and Bone Loss When Using Semaglutides

1. Strength Train in Conjunction with Semaglutides

Strength training research shows it’s not just about preserving muscle mass and preventing bone loss; it’s about enhancing overall health and metabolism. Strength training is crucial when using semaglutides for weight loss. While these drugs effectively reduce appetite and aid in weight management, strength training counters this effect by maintaining and building muscle mass and bone density, ensuring that weight loss is healthy and sustainable.

Strength training also increases your metabolism, helping your body burn more calories throughout the day, even when at rest.

For fitness brands focusing on holistic health, incorporating strength training with semaglutide use can be synergistic, ensuring clients lose fat while maintaining muscle integrity.

2. Increase Protein Intake

Science has found that dietary trials with higher protein result in less lean mass loss and more fat mass loss compared to lower protein intake. To maximize muscle preservation during active weight loss, Kumar said to focus on consuming 25-30 grams of protein per meal.

Additionally, eating protein reduces hunger and helps you feel satiated. So eat protein first along with non-starchy vegetables, in order to ensure you are filling up and consuming enough protein at each meal.

Semaglutides: Friend or Foe to the Fitness Industry?

Rick Mayo and Suzanne Robb’s discussion in the Alloy Personal Training Franchise podcast highlights semaglutides as beneficial tools when paired with strength training. They suggest that these medications, rather than being a threat, can enhance the fitness industry by encouraging individuals to adopt healthier lifestyles, including regular exercise.

The key for fitness businesses lies in understanding your brand promise. If a brand focuses on holistic fitness, including strength training, semaglutide can be a valuable addition rather than a threat. The importance of lean muscle mass for overall health, metabolism, and longevity cannot be overstated.

This means that brands such as Alloy Personal Training, which are dedicated to a strength-first training approach, should actually embrace semaglutide as a valuable tool for their clients.

Personal Semaglutide Experience

Suzanne Robb shares her personal experience with semaglutides, noting significant behavioral changes in appetite and food habits, while redefining a person’s relationship with food. While she did encounter some side effects like stomach discomfort, the benefits were notable.. Suzanne highlights muscle preservation when losing weight and the importance of dietary balance and a fitness routine when using semaglutides.

Alloy: A Synergistic Approach to Weight Loss, Health, and Fitness

Whether induced by semaglutide or other methods, rapid weight loss often leads to muscle loss. Mitigating this negative effect through strength training is a solution that complements semaglutide use.

Using semaglutides in combination with strength training offers a comprehensive approach to weight loss. They may provide the initial push for weight reduction, while strength training ensures muscle, bone, and metobolic health, ultimately leading to a healthier lifestyle. The fitness industry can embrace semaglutides as tools that complement, rather than compete with, traditional fitness methods.

People on these medications should be under the supervision of a medical expert and supported by nutritional experts to ensure to ensure they are meeting protein needs and avoiding health risks.

Alloy has numerous resources and tools to help you with your client’s weight loss journey. Alloy’s collaboration with Marek Health, a leading telehealth service, marks a significant step for Alloy in providing comprehensive health solutions. Marek Health specializes in detailed blood work analysis and offers personalized treatment options, making it a perfect fit for Alloy’s client-centric approach and assisting with weight loss management. Check out your Alloy Franchise tools to help with your client’s weight loss journey.