I Train Clients on Fat Jabs. Here's What I've Learned. 5 Personal Trainer tips for you.

More and more of my clients here in North London are on a "fat jab" - Wegovy, Mounjaro, Ozempic, whatever your GP or private clinic has prescribed.

I am here to offer personal trainer tips, considering what I've seen happen in the studio when someone starts one of these medications and what needs to change about your training for the result to last.

The scale will drop but so does your muscle unless you work to change that.

This is the one that is not spoken about enough. GLP-1 medications suppress appetite so effectively that people end up in a much bigger calorie deficit than they realise, and a chunk of what comes off isn't fat but it's muscle.

Studies have shown a meaningful percentage of total weight lost can be lean mass, not fat mass, when there's no resistance training in place.

Tip 1: What I do with personal training clients: resistance training becomes non-negotiable. Two to three sessions a week, focused on full-body compound lifts. This is essential.

Protein becomes the most important nutritional approach.

When appetite drops significantly, people naturally gravitate toward whatever's easiest to get down which is often not protein. Low appetite plus low protein is a combination that accelerates muscle loss.

Tip 2: What I do with personal training clients: we front-load protein early in the day when appetite is usually a bit stronger, and I help vegan and plant-based clients especially - tofu, tempeh, lentils, seitan, protein shakes -to hit a realistic daily target even when a normal-sized meal are hard work to consume.

Energy in the gym is less than what it used to be and this needs to be considered

Nausea, fatigue, and low blood sugar are common, especially in the days right after a dose. I've had clients turn up feeling weak and low energy and just not themselves. It's of particular importance to avoid potential injuries on these days where the risk can be higher.

Tip 3: What I do with clients: I always ask before we start 'how's your energy today? with a lighter and adjusted session ready to go if needed.

Losing weight fast doesn't fix your relationship with your body

I've seen clients get towards their goal weight and still feel exactly as anxious, or even more anxious, about how they look.

Tip 4: What I do with personal training clients: We talk about strength, confidence, capability, about what your body can do. We keep in mind how we are doing today and what we can do today to stay on track, without getting too lost in the past and the future. This helps manage anxiety and keep us on track, avoiding overwhelm and avoiding stop / start habit loops.

If we keep in mind the mechanics of the every day, the barriers we face each day, and at the same time celebrate the present successes, we are more likely to stay on track, rather than falling on and off the exercise and healthy habit wagon.

What happens when you come off it matters more than what happens while you're on it

Appetite will come back. If the only thing that changed was the drug and no strength was built, and no habits formed, the weight regain can be significant, especially as this time their is less muscle to help protect metabolic rate.

Tip 5: What I do with personal training clients: from day one, we train as if the injection is temporary support. The muscle and the habits we build together are what will still be there long after the prescription ends.

Fat jabs can be a genuinely useful tool for some people.

A jab alone, with no strength training and no protein focus, will result in you ending up lighter and weaker but not healthier.

If you're on Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Ozempic and want your results to be sustainable, then I am the personal trainer to support you to protect your muscles, with one-to-one, private studio personal training in Arnos Grove, North London.

Get in touch for a consultation.