Semaglutide-based drugs have opened a realm of possibilities for weight loss and health goals — but it’s only one part of a winning strategy.
It’s hard to avoid the headlines about Ozempic and other semaglutide-based drugs and their effects on weight. During trials, Ozempic and Wegovy’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, found that, on average, people lose about 15 percent of their body weight after 68 weeks of treatment. By mimicking the hormone Glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1), this class of drugs slows stomach emptying, reduces appetite, and boosts insulin release (thus regulating blood sugar levels) both in the short-term and over time.
Given the impressive weight loss average, starting a regimen to support your GLP-1 treatment might seem like a strategy and tactic all wrapped in one — take medication, eat less, lose weight. But the long-term effects of these drugs are proving to be more complicated than this. A 2022 study found that many people regain weight after stopping the drug — on average, two-thirds of the weight they lost within a year. In another clinical trial of 140 participants, researchers found that semaglutide medications led to a loss of lean muscle mass in addition to fat loss. Over 68 weeks, participants lost an average of 15 pounds of muscle and 23 pounds of fat. That loss of muscle mass means potentially losing gains in performance and metabolic rate.
Good news: A thoughtful, holistic strategy can help counteract these unexpected downsides.
Over the last few months, Equinox has received questions from members who are using GLP-1s as part of their weight loss journey. To help, Equinox has launched a one-of-a-kind, research-backed GLP-1 protocol.
Like all of Equinox’s coaching programs, this new protocol is vetted, effective, and adapted to each client’s needs. Developed by a team of top Equinox Coaches, this comprehensive guide covers weight loss on GLP-1 in detail, including topics like drug background, risk efficacy, relapse management, fat loss programming for exercise, and habit development.
“We have a great team at Equinox trained in weight loss and body composition, but we had to understand how taking this drug would differ from any other weight loss,” says Michael Crandall, CSCS, a Tier X Coach at E by Equinox - Hudson Yards, who is helping to pilot the new program. “Most of the research for this program went into understanding how the drug works and possible side effects. The average results from these drugs are pretty incredible, but we want our members to achieve the above-average results that are available to them.”
Once the program development team finished its dive into the research and data, it began developing Equinox’s signature program.
“We collaborated as a team to determine what lifestyle and fitness protocols were most relevant to people in this program,” says Crandall. “Then, we worked with an early set of clients to [determine] how we could help our members achieve the best possible outcomes.”
How the Protocol Works
Not all weight loss is created equal. Without a proper training program and lifestyle design from a coach who understands the complexity of these drugs, there’s an inherent risk of losing weight without improving body composition.
Muscle mass plays a role in almost every fitness goal from performance to metabolism to longevity. While Ozempic and other GLP-1s promise indiscriminate weight loss, a targeted fitness program can help you retain and build muscle during the process, thus offsetting any unwanted side effects, such as a dip in physical performance. To achieve this delicate balance, Equinox’s new protocol gets both technical and personal.
Through rigorous assessment, certified coaches will tailor a unique program to each client regardless of where they land on the fitness continuum — beginning, intermediate or advanced. Coaches will then help clients leverage Equinox’s three pillars — movement, nutrition, and regeneration — to optimize their outcomes while on these drugs.
Armed with this framework, coaches will dive into their clients’ unique goals and habits in detail. “Each member will undergo an objective assessment to test their fitness level and movement ability,” says Crandall. “They will also have a detailed conversation around history, lifestyle, and goals with their coach. The coach will use that information to form a fitness plan that clients will execute weekly in the gym and as independent workouts. They will also tailor a habit-building component to the client’s current lifestyle. Our goal is that each participant will feel competent and well-rounded, not only from a fitness standpoint but from a lifestyle design standpoint.”
The result: a training and living protocol that Equinox members can trust.
Expect your coach to work with you to preserve as much lean muscle mass as possible. They will also help you design a program geared toward maintaining weight loss long after you stop using your GLP-1. As you work together, you’ll learn how to make permanent behavioral and metabolic changes, leading to lasting weight loss and body composition improvement.
You don’t have to settle for temporary results. If Ozempic is one tactic you’re employing on your journey, the Equinox GLP-1 protocol is the ideal complementary tactic — one that will help you maximize your treatment's potential benefits.
Equinox’s time-tested and science-backed personal training program will help you lose weight and improve your body composition and health profile to create a positive and lasting lifestyle change. As always, long-term success is the goal.