Strength Training While on GLP-1s: How to Get Started (Even If You’ve Never Lifted a Weight)

GLP-1 medications have changed weight loss forever, and for the better. But one thing remains as important as ever: keeping your muscles.

If you’re taking a GLP-1 med like Ozempic or Wegovy, you’ve probably heard that you should be strength training.

That can feel like a big step if you’ve never lifted a dumbbell. What if the gym feels intimidating? Or you’re worried you’re doing something wrong?

You need two things. One: a simple and effective plan. Two: a reason to get started.

Let’s do both.

Why Is Strength Training So Important on GLP-1 Meds?

GLP-1 meds are super effective for weight loss.

But when you lose weight, you don’t lose only fat. You can lose muscle, too.

That’s not something unique to GLP-1 meds. It happens whenever you lose weight, especially if you’re eating a lot less.

And muscle is something you really want to hang on to.

It helps you:

• Be able to do everything physical you want to do.
• Have a healthy metabolism.
• Build strong bones and keep your joints happy.
• Make most things in everyday life, from climbing stairs to getting up from the floor, easier.
• Improve your blood sugar.
• Look better.
• Stay strong as you get older.

Strength training tells your body to hang on to your muscles as your weight comes down.

Without it, more than 25% of the weight you lose can be lean mass, which includes muscle.^{1 2}

We have plenty of research showing that strength training will help you keep muscle when you lose weight with the assistance of GLP-1s.^{3 4}

GLP-1s help you manage your appetite and lose weight. Strength training helps you stay strong as you do it.

The three of you make a pretty good team.

You Don’t Need a Gym to Get Started

One of the misconceptions about strength training is that you need a ton of equipment to get good results.

You don’t.

Your own body weight can be enough, especially if you’re a beginner. Add a pair of dumbbells, and you’re good to go.

Of course, if you train in a gym, you have a lot more options. For some, that’s great. For others, not so much.

The good thing is that your muscles don’t care whether you’re lifting in a gym or your living room. They respond to a challenge.

And if you’re starting from zero, challenging your muscles with basic exercises makes a big difference.

Your Simple Beginner Strength Training Plans

Below, you’ll find four excellent beginner programs. One with barbells, one with dumbbells, one with gym machines, and one with bodyweight exercises, so you can choose to train the way you prefer.

When you follow them in-app, you can easily keep track of the weights you use and how many reps you do, and see your results as they happen.

For all programs:

• Rest ~2 minutes between sets (more is fine if you don’t mind your workouts taking longer).
• Take at least one day off between workouts (feel free to do other forms of exercise, like walking or swimming).
• The last rep should be challenging but not impossible to complete.
• Focus on good form over lifting as heavy as possible.
• When the program calls for 10 reps, that’s a guideline, not set in stone. 8–12 is a good range to aim for.

Click on an exercise’s name for a link to its instructions or check it out in the StrengthLog app, where you have complete video and text instructions on the go.

Program #1: Beginner Barbell Program

This program gets you started with barbell training.

You do three short and simple full-body workouts per week with staple exercises for building muscle and strength.

Alternate between Workout A and Workout B, like this:

Week 1:

1. Monday: Workout A
2. Tuesday: Rest
3. Wednesday: Workout B
4. Thursday: Rest
5. Friday: Workout A
6. Saturday: Rest
7. Sunday: Rest

Week 2:

1. Monday: Workout B
2. Tuesday: Rest
3. Wednesday: Workout A
4. Thursday: Rest
5. Friday: Workout B
6. Saturday: Rest
7. Sunday: Rest

Here’s what the workouts look like:

Workout A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat	1–3	10
Bench Press	1–3	10
Barbell Row	1–3	10

Workout B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Deadlift	1–3	10
Lat Pulldown	1–3	10
Overhead Press	1–3	10

Program #2: Beginner Dumbbell Program

One of the best starter packs for new lifters includes a set of dumbbells for sure.

In this program, you train three times per week and alternate between two short workouts with exercises for all your major muscle groups.

Week 1:

1. Monday: Workout A
2. Tuesday: Rest
3. Wednesday: Workout B
4. Thursday: Rest
5. Friday: Workout A
6. Saturday: Rest
7. Sunday: Rest

Week 2:

1. Monday: Workout B
2. Tuesday: Rest
3. Wednesday: Workout A
4. Thursday: Rest
5. Friday: Workout B
6. Saturday: Rest
7. Sunday: Rest

There are no exercises that require complicated equipment, so it works both in a gym and at home.

This is what the workouts look like:

Workout A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Goblet Squat	1–3	10
Dumbbell Chest Press (or Floor Press)	1–3	10
Dumbbell Row	1–3	10

Workout B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift	1–3	10
Reverse Dumbbell Lunge	1–3	10
Dumbbell Shoulder Press	1–3	10

Program #3: Beginner Machine Program

Gym machines are just as effective as free weights for building muscle and strength.⁵ For a beginner, they’re stable and easy to use, so you build confidence along with strength as you learn the exercises.

In this program, you train twice a week (like on Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday – it’s up to you), with two different full-body workouts.

The sessions are a little longer (five exercises instead of three) than in the barbell and dumbbell programs.

The workouts:

Workout A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Leg Press or Seated Leg Press	1–3	10
Leg Extension	1–2	10
Chest Press	1–3	10
Seated Machine Row	1–3	10
Machine Crunch	1–3	10

Workout B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Leg Press or Seated Leg Press	1–3	10
Seated Leg Curl or Lying Leg Curl	1–2	10
Shoulder Press	1–3	10
Lat Pulldown	1–3	10
Back Extension	1–3	10

Program #4: Beginner At-Home Strength Training Program

No gym, no equipment, and no pressure. But a great place to start. That’s what you get with this program.

In this routine, you train three times per week and do three different workouts.

It requires one piece of equipment: your body. You can do it anywhere, and it features only very easy-to-learn exercises: perfect if you have no training experience and want a gentle start.

Let’s take a look at the workouts:

Workout A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Half Air Squat	1–2	10
Kneeling Incline Push-Up	1–2	10
Inverted Row	1–2	As many as you can
Crunch	1–2	15

Workout B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Step Up	1–2	10
Shallow Lunges	1–2	10
Kneeling Incline Push-Up	1–2	10
Glute Bridge	1–2	10

Workout C

Exercise	Sets	Reps/Time
Half Air Squat	1–2	10
Inverted Row	1–2	As many as you can
Bench Dip	1–2	10
Kneeling Plank	1–2	As long as you can

A Sample Week

Here’s what it could look like in real life when you follow one of these programs.

Monday: Workout A

One strength session coming up.

Tuesday: Stay Active

Do something physical. Walking or swimming is great, and you don’t need to make it a workout.

Wednesday: Workout B

Another strength session.

Thursday: Stay Active

Let your muscles rest, but do something physical. Going for a stroll is fine.

Friday: Workout A

Repeat what you did on Monday.

Saturday: Optional Cardio

Go for a longer walk or hike, play golf, or do something else you enjoy.

Sunday: Rest

Rest doesn’t mean it’s couch time all day, but you don’t have to deliberately plan something physical.

Then repeat.

Notice what isn’t on the schedule? Extreme training. You don’t need to train super hard to “make up” for food or force yourself through exhausting workouts.

Strength training is not the hardest training in the world. It has a different job.

To help you become and remain stronger.

How to Make Progress Without Overdoing It

Here’s an easy way to start and build up over your first month of training.

When	What to Do
Week 1	1 set of each exercise if needed; focus on learning good technique.
Week 2	2 sets per exercise.
Week 3	Go for 3 sets of 10–12 reps.
Week 4	Increase the weight a little if you can do all reps without struggling.

Don’t increase everything at once.

For example, when you can do 10 reps in an exercise, try a pair of heavier dumbbells next time you train, or lower the pin on the gym machine.

That’s called progressive overload. It means making your muscles work a little harder as they get stronger.

Because if you only do what you can already easily do, your body has no reason to get stronger or build muscle.

4 Things to Keep in Mind When Strength Training on GLP-1s

Here are three things that are extra important to keep an eye on when strength training on GLP-1s. And one thing that’s always important.

1. Eat Your Protein, Even If You’re Not That Hungry

GLP-1 meds reduce your appetite, which makes it easier to eat fewer calories.

The downside is that it can also make you eat less protein than you and your muscles need.

Protein in your food gives your muscles the building blocks they need to repair themselves after training and to get stronger.

Try this “rule”: eat a protein source at each meal. For example:

• Eggs or Greek yogurt at breakfast.
• Chicken, tuna, tofu, or beans at lunch.
• Fish, lean meat, lentils, or another protein source at dinner.

Note that there isn’t any such thing as morning, noon, and evening protein. If you want a steak for breakfast, you do you.

And if eating hefty meals feels difficult, try eating smaller but more frequent, protein-rich ones. A protein shake between meals can help, too.

Exactly how much protein you need depends on your body size. According to experts, a protein intake of 1.2–1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight per day (that’s ~0.54 to 0.68 grams per pound) is a good target.⁶

Or, if you don’t want to mess about weighing everything you eat, a palm-sized portion of a protein food provides about 20 grams (or more, in some cases).

That’s like one chicken breast or three eggs, and it’s a good target for most adults, giving your muscles the construction material they need.

2. Don’t Train on Empty

Because GLP-1 medications often make you feel full for longer, you might go hours without eating.

Lifting weights fasted is fine and not dangerous if you’re otherwise healthy (some even prefer to do it that way because they don’t like to lift on a full stomach).

But if you’re feeling weak or lightheaded, don’t force yourself through a workout.

Think “When did I last eat?” If it was some hours ago, have a snack like yogurt and a banana, or an egg sandwich (mmmm, egg sandwiches) before training, if you need it.

Drink water throughout the day, too. Some (not all) get nausea and/or vomiting from GLP-1s, especially at the start, and dehydration and strength training aren’t a good match.

3. Work Around Any Side Effects

Some days you might feel awesome, but other days, especially if you’re new to GLP-1s (or you’ve increased your dose), nausea or stomach discomfort may show up like an unwelcome visitor.⁷

Or you might feel tired – you’re literally not giving your body the energy it wants, after all.

If that happens, adjust your workout. That could mean using lighter weights or replacing your strength workout with a short walk. Or taking a rest day if it’s bad.

Consistency over time matters much more than never missing a workout.

Of course, if you have severe side effects, speak with your healthcare pro instead of pushing through.

Also, if you use insulin or a sulfonylurea for diabetes, make sure you ask your care team how to avoid low blood sugar around training. It’s not the same for everyone, so I’ll avoid giving general advice here.

4. Track Your Training and Results

The scale can’t tell you how strong you’re getting. Measure more than your weight.

Instead, take notice of things like:

• Can you stand up from a chair more easily?
• Can you get up from the floor without a struggle?
• Can you do more push-ups than a few weeks ago?
• Do you feel steadier on your feet?
• Can you use slightly heavier weights?

Individually, these things might not feel like much, but together, they’re fantastic signs of progress. And they’re worth tracking, even at times when the number on the scale doesn’t change.

You also want to write down what you did in the gym. That’s because of progressive overload, which we talked about earlier.

It’s very hard to try to beat what you did in your last workout if you don’t remember what you did (no one can). And that’s what you need to do to see results once you’ve gotten started and learned the exercises.

The StrengthLog workout app is the best place to track your training. You’ll always see exactly what you did last time, and it’s super easy to enter your reps and how much weight you used.

Best of all, whichever of the four programs you decide on is right there in the app, and you can follow it for free.

What If You’re Completely Out of Shape?

If you haven’t done any physically challenging activity in a long time, even a beginner program can feel like it’s out of your league (whether it actually is or not).

No worries – start smaller. Doing everything on your first day isn’t necessary.

Try three exercises, one set each. Or do 10 minutes. Feel free to do what you can and want to do. It all counts.

Your starting point doesn’t determine how far you can go. Just get started. That’s the big deal.

Follow Your Program in StrengthLog

You can follow your program in the StrengthLog workout tracker.

The app keeps your training history in one place, and you can see the weights you used, the reps you did, and how your numbers change as you get stronger.

And getting stronger is much easier when you know what you’re trying to beat.

Or go directly to the program of your choice in the app:

• Beginner Barbell Program
• Beginner Dumbbell Program
• Beginner Machine Program
• Beginner At-Home Strength Training Program

Final Rep

If you’re taking a GLP-1 med, strength training is the perfect habit to combine it with, to both feel and be stronger, and to protect your health for the long run.

And you can start with something as simple as picking up your first dumbbell.

Thanks for reading, and good luck with your training.

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Last reviewed: 2026-10-22

References

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