The Best Exercises to Prevent Muscle Loss on Mounjaro
You've started your weight loss journey with a GLP-1 medication like Mounjaro or Ozempic, and the weight loss is happening faster than ever before. While this is encouraging, there's a hidden danger that most people overlook: muscle loss.
Rapid weight loss achieved through a significant calorie deficit alone can cause you to lose muscle mass right along with the fat mass. Clinical trials on weight loss drugs have shown that a substantial portion of significant weight losscan be lean mass loss. This is a major issue because losing muscle slows your metabolism, leads to a "skinny fat" body composition (a lower body weight but a higher body fat percentage), and makes it incredibly easy for weight regainto occur once you stop the medication.
The solution is not to stop trying to lose weight; it's to send your body a powerful signal to preserve muscle masswhile you lose fat. The single most effective way to do this is with regular resistance training.
(Disclaimer: Always consult with your doctor before beginning a new exercise routine, especially when using weight loss medications.)
Why Resistance Training is Non-Negotiable
Resistance training, or weight training, is the only form of physical activity that directly tells your body it needs to build and maintain muscle mass. This is crucial when you eat fewer calories to support weight loss.
It Stimulates Muscle Protein Synthesis: Lifting free weights or doing body weight exercises creates a stimulus that signals your muscle tissue to repair and grow stronger, helping to preserve muscle even in a calorie deficit.
It Boosts Your Metabolism: Your lean body mass is metabolically active. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue (adipose tissue). By maintaining lean muscle mass, you keep your metabolism high.
It Sculpts Your Physique: While the medication helps you lose weight, strength training is what will shape your body composition, leading to a toned, strong, and defined physique and improving your cardiovascular health.
The Best Exercises for Muscle Preservation
You don't need to spend hours in the gym. The key is to focus on an efficient exercise routine that targets all the majormuscle groups. A full-body routine performed 2-3 training sessions per week is a perfect starting point to prevent muscle loss.
Sample Full-Body Workout Routine:
This exercise routine focuses on compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once, making it highly effective.
1. Goblet Squats (3 sets of 8-12 reps): This is a fantastic exercise for your legs and glutes and is a great way to learn proper squat form using either a dumbbell or just your body weight.
2. Push-ups or Dumbbell Bench Press (3 sets of 8-12 reps): Push-ups are a great body weight exercise, while the bench press targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps with free weights.
3. Seated Cable Rows (3 sets of 10-15 reps): This is crucial for building a strong back and improving posture.
4. Dumbbell Shoulder Press (3 sets of 10-15 reps): For building strong, toned shoulders.
5. Plank (3 sets, hold for 30-60 seconds): A core exercise essential for stability and strength.
Focus on progressive overload—aiming to get a little bit stronger over time by lifting slightly heavier weights or doing one more rep.
What About Cardio?
While strength training should be your priority, you can absolutely include moderate-intensity aerobic exercise like brisk walking on your off days. This is excellent for cardiovascular health and can further support weight losswithout burning muscle.
The Fortius Approach: A Strategy for Quality Results
Weight loss injections can be a powerful tool, but they only address one part of the equation. To achieve a truly high-quality, sustainable weight loss result, you need a holistic strategy that combines medical support with expert coaching on diet and exercise. A protein-rich diet with adequate protein intake is just as crucial as your regular exercise.
At Fortius, we design personalized resistance training programs that work in synergy with your weight loss journey, ensuring you maximise fat loss and build a body that is not just lighter, but stronger, healthier, and more resilient.
If you are hesitant to lift weights? We'll show you how, safely and effectively. Contact Fortius Dubai to book your complimentary consultation today.
If you want to learn more about weight loss medications read our blog: The Ultimate Guide to Weight Loss Medications in Dubai (Ozempic, Mounjaro & More)
