Strength training on Ozempic, Wegovy, and other GLP-1s

Starting a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro often brings relief. Appetite feels easier to manage. The scale starts to move. For many people, progress finally feels within reach.

Soon after, a new concern appears. Do I need to start strength training now, and if so, how hard does it need to be?

This question is especially common among people who feel lower energy, are new to exercise, or worry that strength training might be too difficult during weight loss. The reassuring truth is that strength training during GLP-1 treatment is not about pushing harder or doing more. It is about giving your body a simple, regular reason to hold onto muscle while weight comes down.

The Sword Summary Warm-up

Don’t have time for the full workout? We’ve got you covered with a quick, high-intensity session. Here are the key takeaways:

• Strength training does not need to be intense to protect muscle during GLP-1 weight loss. Short, guided sessions are enough to support strength and metabolism.¹
• Without strength-focused movement, research shows that 20–50% of weight lost on GLP-1 medications may come from lean mass, including muscle.¹
• Structured movement support makes it easier to lose fat, retain muscle, and maintain results long after weight loss begins.
• Move, Sword Health’s whole-body movement solution, makes strengthening simple and personalized from home.

What strength training requires to retain muscle on GLP-1s

Strength training does not require heavy weights, gym memberships, or long workouts. To preserve muscle during GLP-1 weight loss, the body needs only a few key inputs:

• Regular activation of major muscle groups
• Gentle resistance that challenges muscles without exhausting them
• Consistency over time rather than intensity in any single session

Research shows that even modest resistance-based movement helps preserve lean mass during calorie restriction and medication-supported weight loss.¹ This means short sessions, completed a few times per week, can make a meaningful difference.

Understanding this early helps remove one of the biggest barriers to starting. Strength training is not something to postpone until weight loss is finished. It is one of the tools that helps weight loss stay healthy and sustainable.

Why is strength training so important for GLP-1 users?

GLP-1 medications reduce appetite and calorie intake, which supports fat loss. At the same time, this calorie deficit increases the risk of losing muscle if the body is not given a reason to maintain it.

Muscle plays a central role in metabolism, joint protection, balance, and everyday function. When muscle is lost alongside weight, people may feel weaker, less stable, or more fatigued, even as the scale improves. This pattern is consistent across GLP-1 and GIP/GLP-1 studies and is explained in more detail in our guide on GLP-1 muscle loss.¹ ²

Strength training provides the signal the body needs to preserve muscle. That signal becomes especially important during GLP-1 treatment, when weight loss happens quickly and energy intake is lower.

Safe strength training on Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro

Safe strength training during GLP-1 treatment focuses on controlled, supportive movement rather than intensity or load.

This typically includes:

• Bodyweight exercises
• Resistance bands
• Light weights
• Functional movements that support daily activities

These approaches are adaptable and low impact. They can be adjusted based on energy level, mobility, and experience, which makes them well suited for people who are new to exercise or returning after time away. Our article on how to maintain muscle during weight loss explains why these types of movement are effective even when calorie intake is reduced. A structured movement program is ideal to give you the expert guidance you need. Sword Move's AI Care solution delivers lasting movement habits through clinical guidance and wearable technology, the ideal option for GLP-1 users looking to retain and build strength.

Is strength training safe when your appetite and energy is lower?

For most people, yes. When strength training is appropriately designed, it supports the body rather than stressing it. The key is avoiding extremes. Sessions should feel challenging but manageable and should leave you feeling supported, not depleted. This is where guidance matters. Knowing how much to do, how often to do it, and how to progress safely makes strength training far easier to sustain. Clinical reviews show that pairing GLP-1 treatment with resistance-based movement helps preserve lean mass and supports healthier weight loss outcomes.¹ ²

How often should you do strength training during GLP-1 weight loss?

Many people assume strength training requires long or frequent workouts. In practice, consistency matters far more than volume. Most people benefit from short sessions lasting 5 to 15 minutes, completed two to four times per week. These sessions provide enough stimulus to maintain muscle without overwhelming the body. This approach works especially well during GLP-1 treatment, when appetite and energy can change from day to day. Small, repeatable routines are easier to maintain and more likely to become lasting habits.

Guidance and structure make strength training easier

For most people on GLP-1s, motivation is not the main barrier to strength training. The bigger challenge is uncertainty. When the body feels different and energy fluctuates, it can be hard to know what is safe or effective. Without guidance, many people pause movement altogether or rely only on low-impact cardio that does not protect muscle. Structured, guided strength training removes that uncertainty by providing clarity, progression, and reassurance.

A structured movement plan makes strength training easier

For most people on GLP-1s, motivation is not the main barrier to strength training. The bigger challenge is uncertainty. When the body feels different and energy fluctuates, it can be hard to know what is safe or effective. Without guidance, many people pause movement altogether or rely only on low-impact cardio that does not protect muscle. Structured, guided strength training removes that uncertainty by providing clarity, progression, and reassurance.

Move: the ideal program for staying strong on GLP-1s

Sword Move is designed to support consistent movement habits for people using GLP-1 medications and for those who want to retain results after weight loss. Move's AI Care plans are accessible from anywhere by using the Sword mobile app.

With Move, members are paired with a Physical Health Specialist who holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. That specialist builds a personalized movement plan based on individual goals, mobility, and daily life.

All you need is the Move wearable and you can complete your personalized movement plan from the comfort of home, at any time, without the need for any gym equipment.

Here is what makes Move different from a generic fitness app and why it works so well for GLP-1 users:

• Personalized support: You are paired with a dedicated Physical Health Specialist who creates and updates a Move exercise plan tailored to your needs, goals, lifestyle, and progress.
• Real-time tracking: All members can use a complimentary Move wearable to track activity, heart rate, and movement. You can also connect your own Apple Watch, Fitbit, or Android device to track your progress.
• Short, accessible sessions at home: No gym or equipment required. Sessions range from 90 seconds to 24 minutes, making it easy to stay consistent.
• Progress that adapts with you: As your strength, energy, or goals change, your Move Plan evolves too.
• Built-in accountability. Regular check-ins and feedback help you stay motivated and on track.

Move removes guesswork and replaces it with a supportive routine that helps you stay strong while losing weight.

Move gives you a personalized strength program from the comfort of home

GLP-1 medications can help reduce appetite and support weight loss. Strength training helps ensure that the weight you lose supports long-term health rather than undermining it.

When strength training is simple, guided, and matched to your energy level, it becomes part of everyday life rather than an added burden.

If you are using Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro and want a safe, realistic way to protect muscle and retain your results, Sword Move may already be available through your health plan at no cost to you. Many US employers and health plans offer Move to their members. Check your eligibility now and you could get started right away.