Resistance Training and Nutrition on GLP-1: A Simple Starting Point

With expert insights from Kate Di Prima, Dietitian

Most of the conversation around GLP-1 medication focuses on food, and for good reason. But nutrition is only half the picture when it comes to protecting your muscle while you lose weight. The other half is resistance training, and it doesn't need to be complicated to make a real difference.

Why Resistance Training Matters Alongside GLP-1 Medication

Reduced appetite on GLP-1 medication can mean reduced protein intake, and if that isn't managed carefully, some of the weight you lose can come from muscle rather than fat alone. Protein gives your body the raw materials it needs to maintain muscle, but resistance training is what tells your body that muscle is still needed in the first place.

Lifting weights, using resistance bands, or performing bodyweight exercises sends a clear signal to hold onto lean tissue, rather than let it go along with the fat. Even a modest amount, two to three sessions a week, can make a meaningful difference.

What Resistance Training Actually Looks Like

This doesn't require a gym membership or hours of your week. Useful options include:

• Bodyweight exercises, such as squats, push-ups or lunges

• Resistance bands, which are inexpensive and easy to use at home

• Free weights or gym machines, if you have access and prefer them

Short, consistent sessions beat occasional, exhausting workouts. Two to three sessions a week, even 20 to 30 minutes each, is a reasonable and sustainable starting point.

Pairing Exercise With the Right Nutrition

Resistance training works best alongside adequate protein. A general guide is 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal, and having a source of protein around your training, whether just before or after, supports the muscle-building signal your workout has just sent.

Steadying Blood Sugar Supports Consistency

Stable blood sugar makes it easier to stay consistent with both nutrition and exercise. Combining protein, fibre and healthy fats at meals, rather than eating carbohydrates on their own, helps prevent the energy crashes and cravings that can derail a workout plan. Eating regularly, rather than skipping meals to compensate for reduced appetite, matters here too. This is a principle Kate Di Prima highlights as particularly important during hormonal changes like menopause, though it holds true more broadly as well.

Where Glow Shakes Can Fit In

A shake can be a convenient way to get protein in around a workout, particularly if a full meal isn't practical beforehand or your appetite hasn't caught up yet afterward. The Collagen Co Glow Shakes provide 29g of protein per serve, making them a straightforward option to pair with a resistance training session without needing to plan a full meal around it.

Key Takeaways

• Resistance training signals to your body that muscle is still needed, complementing the role protein plays in preserving it.

• Two to three short sessions a week, using bodyweight, bands or weights, is a realistic starting point.

• Pair training with adequate protein, aiming for 20 to 30g per meal.

• Stable blood sugar, through protein, fibre and healthy fats, supports consistency with both eating and exercise.