With clinic-studies showing incredible weight-loss benefits, Ozempic, Wegovy, and other so-called “skinny jabs” are taking the UK by storm.
The trouble is, these medications were originally developed to treat diabetes – and could be safely used because they came with the support of trained diabetes specialists who would support patients to understand the lifestyle changes required to offset possible undesirable side-effects.
When used as weight-loss injections, many users have been led to believe they offer a ‘magic pill’ solution – but this is not the case. This class of medications – known medically as “semaglutide” – can significantly reduce a user’s bone and muscle mass – leading to other possible long-term health conditions.
The Train Fitness team talked to leading personal trainers who are supporting clients as they lose weight using semaglutide injections. We asked them the most pressing questions from Ozempic and Wegovy users – drawing on their first-hand knowledge to help share information that anyone using – or planning on using – these drugs should be aware of.
What kind of exercises should I be doing to help me keep muscle while taking Ozempic?
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a medication primarily used to manage type 2 diabetes and support weight loss. While effective for these purposes, it’s crucial to maintain muscle mass during weight loss to support metabolism, strength, and overall health.
One key factor in this is maintaining your metabolic rate, which is the rate at which your body burns calories even when not exercising. A higher metabolic rate means your body naturally burns more of the calories you consume. If your metabolic rate decreases, even consuming fewer calories can result in weight gain.
Muscle tissue is metabolically active, meaning it burns more calories at rest compared to fat tissue. In fact, muscle burns 4-6 calories per kilogram per day, which is three times more than a kilogram of fat does. However, muscle mass tends to decline with weight loss, especially if the weight loss is rapid or significant.
Therefore, resistance training is the recommended activity when taking Ozempic. Resistance training counteracts muscle loss by stimulating muscle growth, helping you maintain lean muscle mass even as you lose fat. This, in turn, can further enhance weight loss, as muscle continues to burn more calories.
How should I change my exercise routine to prevent muscle loss when taking Ozempic?
When taking Ozempic you will need to adjust your exercise routine to focus on maintaining muscle mass. Given that you’ll be consuming fewer calories, you want to prioritise activities that help preserve muscle while potentially reducing those that primarily burn calories without building muscle.
Cardio exercises are excellent for cardiovascular health and burning calories, but they do not significantly contribute to muscle maintenance or growth. Given your reduced calorie intake, excessive cardio can further increase the calorie deficit, potentially leading to accelerated muscle loss. Resistance training on the other hand, is the most effective way to build and maintain muscle mass.
What’s a good strength training routine to help prevent muscle loss when taking Ozempic?
There are a number of factors which go into to determining the best resistance training programme for someone taking Ozempic. Time available to exercise, experience and skill level will all factor into a what a suitable programme may be.
For those newer to exercise, a full body programme with 5-6 compound exercises would be best. The programme ideally will take 30-45 minutes to complete.
Warm-Up (5-10 minutes): including dynamic stretches like leg swings, arm circles, torso twists. Then light cardio such as walking on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike.
Resistance Training (3 sets of each with 8-12 reps)
- Squats: targeting quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, core
- Deadlifts: hamstrings, glutes, lower back, upper back, core
- Bench Press: chest, shoulders, triceps
- Bent Over Rows: upper back, lats, biceps, core
- Overhead Press: shoulders, triceps, upper chest
- Pull-Ups (or Lat Pulldowns): lats, biceps, upper back
Cool Down (5-10 minutes): including static stretches like hamstring stretch, quad stretch, chest stretch, shoulder stretch.
How often should I do resistance training to prevent muscle loss when taking Ozempic?
The frequency of resistance training to prevent muscle loss when taking Ozempic will depend on your experience level and your current calorie consumption.
For those new to exercise, training three times a week is sufficient to stimulate muscle growth and prevent muscle loss without leading to overtraining. This frequency allows for adequate recovery and adaptation, which is particularly important when calorie intake is reduced. For example, do your programme on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, giving yourself at least one day off in between.
For those with more experience, a higher frequency can be achieved. Training 4-5 times per week allows for more volume and intensity, which can be beneficial for maintaining and even building muscle mass, despite a calorie deficit.
As you’ll be consuming fewer calories, you are more likely to have less energy; therefore, adequate recovery is essential to prevent overtraining. Ensure that you have at least one full rest day between intense workouts for the same muscle group. Should you feel fatigued, take a day off. Feeling fatigued when working out can increase the chance of injury.
What kind of diet and supplements should I use to help keep muscle mass when using Ozempic?
As you’ll be eating fewer calories, you want to make sure the calories you are eating a nutrient dense diet; therefore, good quality organic meat, including some offal as it is more nutrient dense than muscle meat, as well as organic fruits and vegetables.
Avoid heavily processed foods as this will still fill you up, but not provide your body with the nutrients it needs, especially when eating less.
Supplements could include:
- Protein powder (organic, undenatured, grass fed why protein is optimal) – can help you meet your daily protein needs, especially if you find it challenging to get enough protein from food alone.
- Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) – can help reduce muscle breakdown and promote muscle protein synthesis.
- Creatine monohydrate – can help increase strength and muscle mass by enhancing energy production in muscle cells. It has also been shown to be beneficial to the brain and mitochondria.
- Omega-3 fatty acids – they have anti-inflammatory properties that can aid in muscle recovery and overall health.
- Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) – crucial for bone health and muscle function. Many people are deficient in vitamin D, which can impact both muscle and general health.
- A good natural multivitamin – can help cover any potential nutrient gaps in your diet.
- Water! Staying well-hydrated is crucial for overall health, muscle function, and recovery.
Is protein important when taking Ozempic?
Protein is particularly important when taking Ozempic as you need to preserve muscle mass while managing your weight and blood sugar levels.
Protein provides the essential building blocks (amino acids) required for muscle repair and growth. When you are losing weight, there is a risk of losing muscle mass along with fat. Consuming enough protein helps counteract the muscle loss.
Protein is also more satiating than carbohydrates, meaning it helps you feel fuller for longer.
When it comes to controlling blood sugar, protein has a minimal impact on blood glucose levels compared to carbohydrates. Including protein in your meals can help stabilise blood sugar levels, which can help with fluctuations in energy levels.
There is also the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) to consider. TEF refers to the increase in metabolic rate after eating, due to the energy required for digestion, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients. Protein has a higher thermic effect compared to fats and carbohydrates. Consuming more protein can slightly boost your metabolism, contributing to greater calorie burn and supporting your weight loss efforts.
How will I know if I’m losing muscle when taking Ozempic and what can I do about it?
If you don’t have any measuring equipment, observe those parts of the body where there is naturally less fat, like the upper arms/biceps/triceps, deltoids/shoulders and calves. While there are differences between body fat location between men and women, these areas will give the best indication for both sexes. If these areas diminish in size, then you’re losing muscle mass.
As set of Smart Scales is the equipment- based alternative and these will give you a full breakdown of your body composition, including body fat, lean muscle mass, bone mass and other metrics.
Is exercising consistently important to prevent muscle loss when taking Ozempic?
Short answer: Yes.
Regular resistance training stimulates muscle growth and maintenance. Without consistent resistance exercise, the body’s metabolism may slow, resulting in a lower basal metabolic rate, and the body may also get the calories it needs by breaking down muscle tissue for energy, particularly when in a calorie deficit.
Consistent exercise enhances the body’s ability to use insulin effectively, improving glucose uptake by muscles. This complements the action of Ozempic in managing blood sugar levels.
Exercise triggers the release of endorphins, known as the “feel good” hormones, which promote a sense of wellbeing. When consuming fewer calories, you may experience lower energy levels and mood fluctuations. Regular exercise can help counter these effects by boosting endorphin levels, enhancing both mood and energy.
What are the risks involved with exercising when taking Ozempic and how can I avoid these risks?
Ozempic can enhance the body’s insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels. Combining this with exercise, which also lowers blood sugar, can increase the risk of hypoglycaemia, especially during intense or prolonged workouts.
If you have a blood sugar monitor, you can monitor your blood sugar levels easily. If not, then consuming a small carbohydrate snack before and possibly during exercise sessions will help maintain stable blood sugar levels. Always be aware of the symptoms of hypoglycaemia, such as dizziness, sweating, confusion, and shakiness. If you experience these, consume fast-acting carbs such as fruit juice.
Ozempic can slow gastric emptying, potentially affecting your level of hydration. Exercise increases fluid loss through sweat, which may further increase the risk of dehydration. So, make sure you drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise.
Signs of dehydration include dark urine, dry mouth, and dizziness. If you experience these symptoms, stop your exercise and re-hydrate. Consider an electrolyte drink to help maintain your body’s proper electrolyte balance.
There are also documented gastrointestinal side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea which can be exacerbated by exercise, especially high-intensity activities or when doing a new activity for the first time. If you experience these side effects, take note of when after taking Ozempic they occur, then schedule your workouts for times when you’re least likely to experience the discomfort.
If you’re new to exercise, start with low to moderate-intensity exercises and gradually increase intensity as your body adapts to the medication. You may want to start with just one set, and then gradually increase to three.
In general, weight loss and reduced calorie intake can sometimes lead to muscle cramps and general fatigue, which might be more pronounced when taking Ozempic. Make sure you are consuming enough key nutrients, particularly electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which help prevent muscle cramps.
As mentioned, maintaining a balanced diet rich in nutrient dense foods, protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates, all which support muscle function and overall energy levels, can help prevent muscle cramps.
Given you’ll be consuming fewer calories while on Ozempic, your body will have less energy available for recovery, increasing the risk of overtraining and injury. Giving yourself enough recovery time between workouts (beginners at least one day) or workouts of the same muscle group for intermediate exercisers, will allow your body to recover. Getting 7-9 hours of good quality sleep each night also aids recovery.
Final Note: Always Talk to Your Doctor
Keeping your GP informed of any activity or dietary changes you make while taking Ozempic is essential for your overall health and safety.
You will no doubt have regular scheduled appointments during your treatment. Use these to provide your doctor with any information about your experience so they are better able to offer you the care needed.
These regular updates also allow your doctor to monitor how these changes may affect your blood sugar levels, medication efficacy, and overall wellbeing. This communication helps in adjusting your treatment plan as needed, ensuring that your exercise routines and dietary adjustments complement your medication without increasing the risks. It also allows your GP to provide personalised advice, prevent potential adverse effects, and support your weight loss goals effectively.
Key Takeaways
- Resistance Training is Essential: Resistance training is essential to maintain muscle mass and support metabolism while taking Ozempic and other semaglutide medications.
- Moving Away from Cardio is Strongly Recommended: Modify exercise routines to focus on resistance training instead of excessive cardio to prevent muscle loss.
- Users Need to be Aware of Risks: Be aware of hypoglycaemia and dehydration risks and take practical steps like monitoring blood sugar and staying hydrated.
- Diet Changes and Supplements Will Help: Follow a nutrient-dense diet and consider supplements to support muscle maintenance and overall health.
- Monitoring Muscle Loss is Very Important: Monitor muscle loss by observing specific body areas or using smart scales for detailed body composition analysis.