GLP-1 Members: How Studios Build Muscle Preservation Programs

A GLP-1 strength training program protects the muscle members lose alongside fat. It needs three parts: strength work at least three times weekly, programming that adjusts for dose-change weeks, and protein targets set by a clinician. In the STEP 1 semaglutide trial, 38% of weight lost was lean body mass, per a 2025 joint clinical advisory.

Why do GLP-1 members need a different strength program?

Rapid weight loss on these drugs takes muscle along with fat, and a generic class schedule does nothing specific to stop that.

The joint advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association and The Obesity Society is blunt. In STEP 1, 5.3 kg of an average 13.6 kg loss was lean mass. The same paper cites modeling that puts muscle loss at 10 to 15% of total weight reduction in women and 20 to 25% in men without structured strength training.

Front desks miss this because the scale looks like success. The member who is down 30 pounds but can't get up off the mat without using their hands is the one about to cancel. Many also arrive underfueled. Appetite suppression means a 6 a.m. HIIT class on an empty stomach is where you see lightheaded members sitting on the bench.

How many of your members are likely on a GLP-1 right now?

About one in eight US adults says they currently take one. The share is highest among 50- to 64-year-olds, an age group many studios want to attract.

A KFF Health Tracking Poll published in November 2025 found 12% of adults currently take a GLP-1 and 18% have ever taken one. Current use was 15% among women and 9% among men.

Here's the rough math. If a 300-member studio matched the national figure, about 36 members would be on a GLP-1 right now. Most of them won't tell you unless your intake form asks. The audience is large: the Health & Fitness Association counted 81 million US facility members in 2025.

What is the 3-2-1 Preserve Framework?

Three strength sessions a week, two scheduled check-ins a month and one nutrition conversation that goes through a clinician. It fits inside a normal small-group schedule.

• 3 strength sessions. The advisory recommends strength training at least three times weekly plus 150 minutes of moderate aerobic work. At a studio, that usually means two coached small-group sessions and one open-gym session from a printed card.
• 2 check-ins. Every two weeks, 10 minutes each, booked when the member enrolls. At each one, run a 30-second sit-to-stand and log one strength number.
• 1 nutrition conversation. Ask "Has your prescriber given you a protein target?" and write down the answer. If they don't have one, refer them to a dietitian. Your coaches don't set the number.

How should intake work when a member discloses GLP-1 use?

Ask one optional, neutral question on the intake form. Store the answer in a private note that only the member's assigned coaches can see.

Word the question like this: "Are you taking any medication that affects appetite or weight, such as a GLP-1? Optional." Don't write "weight-loss drugs," because many members take these medications for diabetes or other conditions. If they answer yes, record three things they tell you: their approximate start date, whether they're still in dose-increase weeks and their injection day.

Injection day matters more than most coaches expect. Some members find side effects are worst in the day or two after a dose. If a member injects on Sunday, their heavy session goes on Wednesday, not Monday. Never mention the medication at the front desk or on a shared class roster.

What should the first 8 weeks of training look like?

Start with machine and bodyweight basics at moderate effort. Add load every second week, and judge progress by strength numbers rather than the scale.

• Weeks 1 to 2: Two sets of 10 to 12 at RPE 6. Leg press, chest press, seated row, goblet squat to a box, farmer carry.
• Weeks 3 to 4: Three sets at RPE 7. Same movements.
• Weeks 5 to 6: Add 5 to 10% load on any lift where the member completes every rep at RPE 7 or below.
• Weeks 7 to 8: Deload in week 7, then retest the day 1 markers in week 8.

This is where most programs go wrong: members ask for more cardio to "speed things up." Push them toward lifting instead. The drug is already creating the calorie deficit. What it can't do is protect muscle.

How do you coach through nausea, fatigue and dose-change weeks?

Plan for them in advance. A dose-increase week gets a lighter template and shorter sessions, and coaches never push a member through dizziness.

The "B template" is 30 minutes, two sets, and machines only. It skips fast floor-to-standing transitions such as burpees. Before any class before 8 a.m., the coach asks one question at check-in: "Have you eaten in the last three hours?" If a member feels lightheaded or clammy, the protocol is sit, sip water, stop the session and log a note. Nobody finishes the circuit to save face.

Where does protein advice stop and scope of practice start?

Coaches can share published guidance and ask about targets. Individual numbers belong to the member's prescriber or a registered dietitian, not your trainers.

The advisory lists 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight per day during active weight reduction, or an absolute target of 80 to 120 g a day. Coaches can mention those ranges as published guidance. They shouldn't turn them into a number for a specific member, especially one with kidney disease.

A setup that works well is a referral relationship with a local registered dietitian who runs a 45-minute workshop for each cohort. The member gets qualified advice, and your coaches stay out of territory that creates liability for the studio.

How should you price and package a GLP-1 strength program?

Sell it as a fixed 8-week cohort with a clear end date and a retest. Then move finishers onto a standard strength membership.

Don't put the drug in the name. Call it "Strength Preserve," not "GLP-1 Class," because nobody wants a medication printed on their booking confirmation. Run cohorts of six to eight on fixed slots, for example Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. plus Saturday at 9 a.m.

To price it, take your small-group per-session rate, multiply by the 16 coached sessions and take 10 to 15% off for paying upfront. Keep affordability in mind. KFF found about half of GLP-1 users say the drugs are difficult to afford, so a monthly payment option matters. The tradeoffs are the same ones in annual versus monthly membership pricing.

What should you track to prove the program works?

Track three performance markers every four weeks, plus attendance. Members who only watch the scale quit when weight loss plateaus.

The three markers are 30-second sit-to-stand reps, the working weight for 5 reps on the leg press and a farmer carry distance at a set load. Put them on a card the member keeps. When the scale stalls in week 6, a member whose leg press went up 40 pounds has a reason to stay.

For attendance, set one rule: if a member misses two scheduled sessions within 14 days, their coach texts them within 24 hours. Don't wait for the monthly review. You can find more on building those triggers in at-risk member detection.

What happens when a member stops taking the medication?

Expect it, because many members stop within a year. Treat the stop date as a chance to keep them with a new plan, not an exit.

The advisory cites discontinuation of 50 to 67% at one year in the studies it reviewed. Appetite often comes back, and the muscle they built is their best defense against regaining weight. When a member updates their status, book a 10-minute check-in within a week, switch them to two strength sessions and one conditioning session a week, and retest at two and six weeks after stopping. An automated email sequence triggered by that status change keeps anyone from slipping through.