How to build muscle on Ozempic
More often, people are turning to GLP-1 weight loss medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide to help manage their insulin sensitivity and lose weight. This has resulted in the biggest weight loss revolution since the Atkins Diet was all the rage (I’m that old).
The downside is that studies show that people who take these medications lose an average of about 39% of their muscle in the total weight loss. While some people may only care about the number on the scale, a growing number of people are also becoming educated about the benefits that preserving lean muscle tissue can have on their longevity. Not to mention the aesthetic benefits that a lean and toned body can provide.
Not to sound too vain, but if we’re going to trying to lose fat, shouldn’t we be trying to expose a little bit of lean muscle underneath?
But with such a high rate of muscle loss, many people end up losing the shape and tone of their bodies. You’ve seen the jokes online of “Ozempic stole my butt!” but it’s a real fact. Weight loss doesn’t care about what part of the body you lose it from…
Thankfully, we can preserve your lean muscle tissue by incorporating a few simple lifestyle changes:
Prioritize protein. Yes, your appetite is down and you’re not eating as much as you should. This study performed on elderly people showed that simple eating more protein would preserve muscle wasting due to natural aging. This gives us a good clue that protein can help preserve muscle mass in people who aren’t lifting weights
Lift weights. In a six month study with 200 adults who were overweight or obese, researchers looked at what happens when people on GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide or tirzepatide also do resistance training and eat enough protein. The results were pretty exciting. On average, folks lost about 13% of their body weight—but they only lost around 3% of their muscle mass. That means lifting weights and eating enough protein can go a long way in protecting your muscle while you're dropping fat on these medications.
Take Creatine (Maybe). This study examined the effects of creatine monohydrate on people in a caloric deficit and found that they were still able to build lean muscle. Let me tell you something - building muscle while in a caloric deficit is damn near impossible, but creatine does it. I say “maybe” because both GLP-1’s and creatine can make your kidneys work a little harder, so check in with your prescribing provider on whether your bloodwork panels would support your use of creatine.
As someone who regularly trains people on GLP-1 medications and having used them myself, I can speak to how effective they are for weight loss. Following this protocol will give you the absolute chance of shedding the fat and revealing the lean, toned body you’ve been after.