If you lose it, you still have to move it
Everyone knows the meaning of "Move it or lose it." If you're sedentary, you lose, well, almost everything -- your strength, your optimism, and your healthy future. But in this era of GLP-1s, there's a new twist on that old adage: "If you lose it, you still have to move it."
Unfortunately, a study presented at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting reveals that when folks lose weight on GLP-1s like Wegovy, Mounjaro and Ozempic, they reduce the amount of exercise they get! In fact, folks take around 500 fewer steps a day than they did before starting the medication. And that accelerates their risk of muscle loss and compounds the health challenges (Type 2 diabetes, falls, etc.) associated with the loss of muscle tone and mass.
To help counter this trend, the American Heart Association has issued a new statement on the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle (150-300 minutes weekly of moderate to vigorous exercise) while you lose weight, in order to protect yourself from high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and elevated levels of lousy LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
If you're working to achieve a healthy weight using GLP-1s and you schedule yourself into your life, I'll give you a big "Bravo!" I also encourage you to introduce yourself to the AI coach at 4YOUngveity.com and form a posse to have fun with -- taking walks, swimming in the pool or strength training in the gym. That will help you achieve all the rewards that come along with losing weight. So, if you lose it, choose it -- exercise, that is!
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@4YOUngevity.com.
(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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