GLP-1s and Exercise: How to Build Muscle While Losing Weight
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If you’re thinking about using a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound to help with weight management, one question almost everyone eventually asks is: “Can I still build muscle while losing weight?”
The short answer is yes—but it’s not automatic. GLP-1s help many people lose weight by reducing appetite and calorie intake, but how that weight loss affects muscle depends on your food intake and exercise habits. Fortunately, intentional strength training and good nutrition make a huge difference in preserving and even increasing muscle as you lose fat (Mass General).
Let’s break that down so you actually understand what’s going on in your body and how to make it work for you.
GLP-1s Don’t “Target” Muscle Directly — But Weight Loss Can Affect It
GLP-1 medications help your body lose weight primarily by:
- reducing appetite
- slowing digestion
- improving blood sugar control
Those effects create a calorie deficit, meaning your body is taking in fewer calories than it uses. That deficit is what helps reduce fat mass. Unfortunately, calorie deficits can also reduce lean mass, which includes muscle (NCBI).
Clinical data show that with GLP-1-induced weight loss, a significant portion of the lost weight can be lean mass, including muscle. Some trials have seen up to 25–40% of total weight lost come from lean mass (GLP-1 and Muscle Loss Patterns).
That doesn’t mean GLP-1s are causing muscle loss because of anything they do directly to muscle tissue. Rather, it reflects what happens whenever people lose weight rapidly, especially when calorie intake drops sharply and movement isn’t prioritized (NCBI).
The Good News: Losing Muscle Isn’t Inevitable
If you take a GLP-1 medication and do nothing else, your body will lose both fat and some lean mass. That’s a predictable physiological pattern.
But if you pair your medication with resistance exercise and good protein intake, your body can:
- hold on to more muscle
- maintain strength
- burn more fat while preserving function
Research consistently highlights that combining exercise, especially strength training, with GLP-1 treatment helps preserve lean body mass better than either intervention alone (Mass General).
That’s not just for appearance. Muscle is your body’s biggest engine for:
- burning calories at rest
- stabilizing joints
- maintaining function as you age
So preserving it is a health priority, not a cosmetic one.
Why Resistance Training Matters With GLP-1 Weight Loss
When calorie intake drops, whether it’s due to dieting or appetite-reducing medications, the body looks for fuel. If it doesn’t get enough protein or resistance training, it may pull that fuel from muscle as well as fat.
By giving your muscles a signal through lifting weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises, you tell your body: “Keep this muscle, it’s useful.” (Omada Health)
That signal encourages your body to preserve existing muscle tissue and potentially build new muscle, even in a calorie deficit. This is exactly why most clinical guidelines for obesity and weight loss therapy emphasize exercise alongside medication (Mass General).
What Types of Exercise Help Most
Not all workouts are created equal when it comes to preserving or building muscle during weight loss.
Strength Training
Exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, push-ups, rows, and resistance machine work give muscles the load they need to stay strong (Omada Health).
Aerobic Cardio
Cardio supports heart health and fat loss but doesn’t protect muscle as effectively on its own.
Daily Movement
Walking, light cycling, and general activity help maintain metabolic health and consistency.
What to Eat to Support Muscle Growth on GLP-1s
Nutrition is half the equation, especially protein.
Most guidelines recommend:
- moderate to high protein intake
- protein spread evenly across meals
- foods like lean meats, fish, dairy, beans, lentils, tofu, and nuts
Getting protein before and after resistance workouts supports muscle repair and growth (NCBI).
Protein matters because it provides the building blocks muscles use to repair and grow, and it helps reduce the amount of muscle broken down for energy when calories are lower.
How GLP-1s Change Your Body Composition
Weight loss from GLP-1 medications is not identical to diet alone. Improvements in insulin sensitivity and reductions in fat infiltration into muscle can improve muscle quality and function, even if absolute muscle mass declines (NCBI).
What matters most in daily life is how well muscles work, not just how large they appear.
Common Myths and Realities
Myth: GLP-1s automatically cause muscle loss.
Reality: Muscle loss is associated with calorie deficits without resistance training (NCBI).
Myth: You can’t build muscle while losing weight.
Reality: Resistance training and adequate nutrition allow muscle preservation or growth during fat loss (Mass General).
Practical Tips for a Muscle-Supporting Routine
- Aim for 20–30 g of protein per meal (Nutrition Support on GLP-1 Therapy).
- Strength train 2–4 times per week.
- Balance cardio with resistance work.
- Track more than just the scale.
- Stay consistent over time.
The Bottom Line
GLP-1 medications can support fat loss, but muscle preservation depends on exercise and nutrition. Resistance training combined with adequate protein intake is the most effective way to maintain strength, metabolism, and long-term health while losing weight (Mass General).
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