How to prevent muscle loss on Zepbound

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:

• Up to 39% of weight lost while using GLP-1 and GIP weight loss medications like Zepbound is from lean muscle mass¹.
• Muscle affects metabolism, strength, energy, and long-term weight maintenance.
• Resistance based movement is the strongest way to protect muscle while using Zepbound.
• Move, Sword Health’s whole-body movement solution, makes strengthening simple and personalized from home.

Zepbound users face a higher risk of muscle loss

Zepbound (tirzepatide) is one of the most effective medications available for lowering appetite and supporting weight loss. Many people lose weight quickly, which can feel motivating and empowering.

But there is a side effect that deserves attention. Along with fat, Zepbound can also reduce lean muscle mass. Research shows that 20 to 50% of the weight people lose on medications like Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic comes from muscle¹.

Muscle is not just strength. It supports stability, mobility, balance, and metabolic health. Losing too much muscle can make weight loss harder to maintain, increase fatigue, and raise the risk of joint discomfort.

Why do people often lose lean muscle mass on Zepbound?

Zepbound lowers appetite and helps you eat fewer calories. This is part of how the medication supports weight loss. But eating less also means your body receives fewer nutrients, especially protein, which your muscles depend on.

A recent academic study found that people taking medications like Zepbound and Wegovy often consume less protein than the body needs to maintain muscle². When protein is too low and calories decrease, the body begins breaking down muscle tissue for fuel.

Movement also plays a role.

• Many people unintentionally reduce activity while taking Zepbound because of lower appetite or reduced energy.
• Fewer steps and fewer activities that challenge the muscles increase the risk of muscle loss.
• Clinical experts reviewing trials have concluded that lean mass loss is common across GLP 1 and GIP GLP 1 medications³.

The encouraging news is that even small amounts of strength focused movement can help protect your muscle.Fewer steps and fewer strength based activities increase the risk of muscle loss while using GLP-1s.

How does muscle loss from Zepbound affect your body?

Muscle plays a central role in how your body feels and functions. Losing it can create challenges that show up in daily life. Here’s how muscle loss can show up during your Wegovy weight loss:

• Your metabolism slows down: Muscle burns calories even during rest. Less muscle means fewer calories burned, which makes it easier to regain fat.
• Everyday movement becomes harder: Climbing stairs, lifting, and bending may require more effort.
• Your joints take on more strain: Strong muscles protect your hips, kness, and back. Less muscle means more pressure on your joints.
• Balance and stability declines: Muscle supports steady, coordinated movement.

Research shows that people who stop taking Wegovy often regain much of the weight they lost.In one major study, people regained about two thirds of their lost weight within a year after stopping the medication, and most of that regained weight was fat⁴. This is why retaining muscle mass is so important for anyone trying to sustain fat loss during and after using Zepbound.

How to prevent muscle loss while using Zepbound

Zepbound helps reduce calorie intake, but it does not protect your muscle. The most effective way to maintain strength is through resistance based movement. This can include:

• Bodyweight movements
• Resistance bands
• Light weights
• Functional strength exercises

You do not need a gym or long workouts. What matters most is consistent activation of your muscles.

Research shows that resistance based movement combined with adequate protein, you can help to ensure the weight you losemostly fat, not muscle³.

Research shows that combining resistance based movement with adequate protein helps make sure the weight you lose is mostly fat, not muscle³. For more specific advice, see our dedicated article on how to prevent muscle loss during weight loss.

Zepbound vs Mounjaro: is the muscle loss risk different?

Since both medications contain tirzepatide, their effects on muscle are nearly identical. The difference is in how they are regulated:

• Zepbound was approved specifically for weight management.
• Mounjaro was first approved for type 2 diabetes.

From a muscle preservation standpoint, the same strategy applies to both medications: pair your prescription with consistent strength based movement.

Many people wonder whether Wegovy or Ozempic present different condition. In reality, the results are similar. Studies consistently show that 20-50% of weight lost on these medications are from lean muscle mass¹. Movement is the constant requirement to help you keep muscle and lose fat on weight loss medication. You can learn more in our focused guide to semaglutide muscle loss.

Why movement does more than protect muscle

Building and preserving muscle during weight loss helps you:

• Maintain a steady metabolism
• Reduce joint and bone strain
• Improve balance and reduce fall risk
• Increase stamina and reduce fatigue
• Move with greater confidence and comfort

Muscle is your engine and your armor. Protecting it ensures your weight loss improves how you feel, not just what the scale shows.

Sword Move: the easy way to stay strong and lose fat on Zepbound

Move is Sword Health’s whole body movement solution that helps you protect muscle, increase activity, and build strength from home. It was designed to make movement simple for people using weight loss medications.

Move is not a fitness program. It is a personalized support system led by a Clinical Specialist who helps you stay consistent, confident, and safe.

You are paired with a dedicated Physical Health Specialist who creates a personalized weekly Move Plan that matches your goals, lifestyle, and ability. The program includes short guided sessions you can do anywhere: Most sessions last 5 to 15 minutes and you can complete them anywhere you like and at any time you like. All you need is the Sword mobile app and your Move Wearable (or you can pair your own Apple watch of Fitbit device to the Sword mobile app) that tracks your steps, activity, and movement patterns. Your specialist uses this information to update your plan.

Move helps you retain your muscle, build regular physical activity habits, and support you to sustain fat loss for good.

Move is designed to help you build physical activity habits

Move is not a gym program or a wellness app. Move provides you with an expert-guided, supportive program built specifically for people who need a safe, effective way to:

• Preserve muscle
• Increase physical activity
• Reduce strain on joints
• Build lasting movement habits
• Improve strength and confidence

This is especially important for people taking weight loss medications like Zepbound. Using move means stronger muscles, greater energy, and health improvements that last beyond the scale.

Stay strong with Move while losing weight on Zepbound

If you are using Zepbound, now is the time to protect your muscle and ensure the weigh you lose is fat. Muscle loss begins early in treatment. Starting movement today will help you keep the strength you need for confidence, stamina, and long term weight maintenance. By pairing Zepbound with Move, you support healthy weight loss and build a stronger foundation for the future.

Sword’s Move program may already be covered in 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.