Health · Fitness & Nutrition · 5 hrs ago
Expert recommends six minutes of daily exercise for people using GLP-1 drugs
More Americans are using GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound for weight loss or diabetes.
Gallup data cited in the story says 11% of US adults report taking these drugs for weight loss, up from 3% in 2024.
Weight lost on these treatments can include about 20% to 40% lean body mass, which includes muscle as well as water, organs and other tissues.
Miami-based biologist Gary Brecka says preserving lean tissue should be a priority during treatment.
He recommends starting with six minutes of daily resistance exercise, such as planks or body-weight squats, and pairing it with adequate protein.
The advice is intended to help maintain strength and independence, but the next step is for users to fit exercise into their routine; no further plans are given.
Biologist and longevity expert Gary Brecka recommends six minutes of daily resistance exercise for people using GLP-1 drugs.
He says strength training may help preserve lean body mass during weight loss.
Lean body mass includes muscle as well as water, organs, blood and connective tissues.
Brecka also recommends getting adequate protein to help maintain muscle and other tissues.
He suggests short exercises such as planks, squats and abdominal crunches.
- Who
- Gary Brecka, a biologist and longevity expert in Miami, Florida.
- What
- He recommends starting with six minutes of daily resistance exercise for people using GLP-1 drugs.
- When
- Not stated
- Where
- Brecka shared the recommendation with Fox News Digital.
- Why
- To help mitigate the loss of lean body mass during weight loss.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
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- Daily exercise recommendation
- Six minutes of resistance exercise
- Expert
- Gary Brecka, biologist and longevity expert
- Lean body mass lost
- About 20% to 40% of weight lost, according to Brecka
- Exercise examples
- Planks, body-weight squats and abdominal crunches
- GLP-1 use in the U.S.
- 11% of adults report taking the drugs for weight loss, up from 3% in 2024, according to Gallup
What people are saying
GLP-1s can be life-saving for people, especially for people who are morbidly obese or have type 2 diabetes, but they can also be fascinating shifts in someone's trajectory of their wellness journey
What's critically important for people who embark on a GLP-1 journey is to make sure that they are mitigating the lean body-mass loss.
You don't have to lift like a bodybuilder to mitigate lean body mass loss.
People think of weight-training or resistance training as something they've got to dedicate 60 to 90 minutes to every day, and therefore they think they don't have enough time in their day