Pairing GLP-1s with Strength Training

GLP-1s and Muscle Loss

For millions of Americans, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) medications have been life-changing. These drugs help treat diabetes and obesity and help prevent heart disease, according to Dr. Haitham Khraishah, assistant professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and a preventive cardiologist at University Hospitals, Cleveland Medical Center, who treats patients on GLP-1s and has done studies on their effects. 

One side effect, though, is that rapid weight loss is often paired with a decline in muscle mass. “Of all the weight you lose [on GLP-1s], up to 40 percent can be muscle mass loss,” says Dr. Khraishah. For adults already dealing with age-related muscle loss, this can have significant health consequences. “The more muscle mass you have, the more stable you are when you’re older and the less frail you are as an older adult,” says Dr. Khraishah, adding that frail older adults are more likely to suffer falls, which greatly increase mortality risk. 

Lean muscle mass also increases your metabolic rate and improves your overall health. 

“Muscle is the organ of longevity and health span,” says Troy Taylor, VP of Performance Innovation at Tonal, explaining that lean muscle mass is associated with reduced all-cause mortality and risk of chronic diseases. “The more muscle mass we have, the more strength we have and the more power we can produce. And that’s what allows us to do the things we love.”

From hiking and golfing to playing pickleball and chasing after grandkids, muscle is essential to enjoying life at a healthy weight.

How Strength Training Can Help

When it comes to maintaining and even gaining muscle mass, whether or not you’re on a GLP-1, strength training is the “biggest factor,” according to Taylor. He points out that consistency and progressive overload (gradually increasing the difficulty of your workouts over time) are key to success in strength training.

Dr. Khraishah says to first consider how much exercise you can do from baseline, and then go up from there. To get started, he suggests focusing on big muscle groups like the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and lats that have the potential for more muscle fiber gain over time. That’s where Tonal can help support your strength journey.

Explore Strength Training on Tonal

How Tonal Makes Strength Training Approachable

With personalized weight recommendations and expert-designed programs for all levels, Tonal takes the guesswork out of knowing if you’re doing the right exercises and working hard enough to make progress. When you get started on Tonal, you’ll follow along with a 15-minute weight assessment to personalize weight recommendations so you’re always lifting enough to challenge you—but never more than you can handle. 

For Joshua Sammons, 40, a Tonal member and GLP-1 user from Michigan, these features have been a game changer. “I don’t have to think about adjusting the weights or if I’m lifting the right amount,” he says. I don’t have to think about what workouts I’m going to do.” Since starting his Tonal and GLP-1 journey, he’s lost 153 pounds and gained eight pounds of lean muscle.

Results may vary based on factors other than training.

Among the more than 300 moves on Tonal are compound exercises, such as squats, deadlifts, and pulldowns that target the big muscle groups Dr. Khraishah emphasizes. Even if you’ve never lifted before, Tonal’s expert coaches will guide you every step of the way, and features such as Smart View, real-time form feedback, and Spotter mode ensure you’re lifting safely. 

Tonal encourages consistency by allowing you to work out at home on your schedule, and fosters progressive overload by automatically adding weight as you get stronger. The ability to adjust Tonal’s resistance in one-pound increments also allows for safe progression. 

With guided workouts you can do from home, including many under 30 minutes, Tonal eliminates barriers to going to the gym, including long commutes and feeling intimidated or confused by new equipment. 

“I cannot say enough about the barriers that Tonal took away,” says Ann Ostendorf, 46, a Tonal member and GLP-1 user from Minnesota who lost 160 pounds. “It made it accessible to someone who knew nothing [about lifting], who was terrified, and didn't want to be in the gym. I was in my safe space in my home where I didn’t have mirrors surrounding me or people staring at me.” 

Results may vary based on factors other than training.

Strength Training Programs on Tonal

It’s easy to stay on track with your strength training when you join a coach-led, multiweek program on Tonal, featuring workouts that build on each other following a structured progression. Lasting from one to 12 weeks, Tonal programs are designed by highly credentialed experts around the most up to date science-backed fitness principles, with exercises, sets, and rep schemes geared toward specific aims—whether that’s building muscle, improving athletic performance, or even dealing with the unique demands of life stages such as the postpartum period or menopause. Tonal also has programs that tackle specific body regions, including Leg and Glute Builder with Ankle Straps, Ultimate Core, and Sculpted Abs and Glutes. Simply choose one that matches your goal, level, and schedule and show up ready to work. 

Explore Tonal Programs

Here are some programs members love for getting started on Tonal:

School of Gains
Coach Joe | Improve Fitness | Beginner | 3x/2 weeks | 33-40 min
Establish a strong foundation as you get familiar with classic lifting techniques, locking in your form so you learn to strength train safely. Coach Joe’s brotherly vibe and expert tips will keep you engaged and excited about your progress.

Starting Line Strength
Coach Ackeem | Build Muscle | Beginner | 4x/2 weeks | 23-29 min
Jumpstart your fitness journey as you get a taste of different strength training styles in beginner-friendly workouts that introduce you to compound lifts for strength building, accessory work for growing muscle, and aerobic conditioning to improve endurance. You’ll have Coach Ackeem’s infectious energy motivating and supporting you from beginning to end. 

Lift for Longevity
Coach Ash | Build Muscle | Beginner | 3x/2 weeks | 45-49 min
Designed specifically to help seniors stay strong as they age, this program boosts functional strength for everyday activities while helping you build confidence in your skills. 

Gradual Strength
Coach Kristina | Build Muscle | Beginner | 3x/2 weeks | 24-30 min
Learn the basics of strength training from scratch—absolutely no experience required—in workouts that break down the basics of essential movement patterns. 

Strong for Life
Coach Kristin | Build Muscle | Beginner | 3x/2 weeks | 26-31 min
It’s never too late to start strength training. Learn to lift with confidence in this program designed for women in their late 40s and beyond to build resilience and keep doing the activities you love. Coach Kristin provides modifications to meet you where you are.

Tonal members like Joshua and Ann are already seeing the benefits of pairing their GLP-1 treatment with strength training workouts. Read more stories from members who are doing the same. 

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Note: Results may vary based on factors other than training.