You’re not imagining it: GLP-1 receptor agonist medications–like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound—really are that ubiquitous. Nearly one in five American adults has taken this type of drug at some point, and one in eight are currently on it, according to a November 2025 poll by KFF Health.
Many people use GLP-1s to lose weight, treat type 2 diabetes, and/or manage other long-term health conditions. And while these drugs are pretty dang effective for weight loss and chronic disease management, they are not a cure-all.
“Essentially, they are a tool,” Yuval Pinto, MD, an obesity medicine specialist with the Johns Hopkins Healthful Eating, Activity, and Weight Program, tells SELF. About 98% of Dr. Pinto’s patients are on GLP-1s, and he emphasizes to all of them the importance of pairing the drug with certain lifestyle habits to maximize the benefits. One core component of those lifestyle habits? Regular movement.
Read on to learn why physical activity is so crucial when you’re taking GLP-1s, what specific types are best, and expert tips for weaving this guidance into your routine.
Why regular movement is key for anyone on GLP-1s
First off, exercise and general movement are “essential to our existence and longevity,” Dr. Pinto says. And this is true whether or not you’re taking a GLP-1. Regular exercise is linked with a host of health-promoting benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, sleep, digestion, and mood, Dr. Pinto says.
But the reason it’s so beneficial for folks on GLP-1s is that weight loss is a really common side effect of these drugs. And when you’re losing weight in any capacity–whether from a medication, bariatric surgery, or diet and exercise program–some of the weight comes from fat mass…and some comes from muscles and bones, Dr. Pinto says.
If you lose too much muscle and bone mass, you face increased risk of later on developing conditions such as sarcopenia (low muscle mass and frailty), osteopenia (low bone density), and osteoporosis (weak, brittle bones), he explains. This is especially concerning for women, who already face increased risk of low muscle and bone mass in middle age and later life due to hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause, Dr. Pinto explains.
Now for the good news: Strength training is a great way to combat some of this. That’s because when combined with proper nutrition and sleep, it can help preserve (and in some cases, even increase) your bone and muscle mass, Dr. Pinto says. Another way to think about it: Taking GLP-1s can facilitate weight loss, but pairing the drug with exercise tells your body where the weight loss comes from, Kelyssa Hall, an exercise physiologist and certified strength and conditioning specialist at Hospital for Special Surgery, tells SELF.
