I'm on Ozempic or Zepbound. How do I keep my muscle and not end up with "Ozempic face"?
Give your body a reason to keep its muscle, and enough food to keep it with. That means protein first at every meal, even when nothing sounds good, strength training that gets a little harder over time, and eating enough on days your appetite disappears. Anything about your face, dose or side effects is a conversation with your prescriber.
No debate here.
You made your decision with your doctor.
Now let's make it count.
First, can we skip the debate?
Yes. Completely.
You don't owe anyone an explanation. Not your friends, not the women at the gym, and definitely not us.
Some of the women we coach tell us that, early on, it felt a little like cheating.
Here's the thing.
Your body, your decision. Our job is helping you get the most out of it.
Our whole position fits in six words.
Do it right. Make it count.
Why is muscle the thing to protect?
The medication changes your appetite. It doesn't build muscle or tell your body where to pull from.
That part is up to you, and it's very coachable.
Chris says it all the time: "Muscle is metabolism." It's what keeps you strong, keeps your body using energy and keeps you doing the things you enjoy, now and at 70.
Most women come to us wanting to lose weight. What they actually want to lose is fat.
So the goal on a GLP-1 is the same as for every woman we coach. Lose the fat. Keep the muscle.
Want the bigger picture, including what happens when you eventually come off? Read Ozempic, muscle and what happens when you stop.
What about "Ozempic face"?
I get why it's on your mind.
Here's my honest answer.
Anything about your face, your skin or how the medication is affecting you is a conversation with your prescriber. We're coaches. We don't diagnose, and we won't guess.
What we can help with is everything below it: keeping your muscle, eating enough and finishing stronger than you started.
So bring the face question to your doctor.
And bring the muscle question to us.
How do you get enough protein with no appetite?
Did you know? When nothing sounds good, protein is usually the first thing to go, in our experience. It's the most filling food on the plate, so it's the easiest to skip.
Here's what we coach:
- Protein first. Start every meal with the protein, before the vegetables, the toast or anything else. If you only finish part of the plate, make it that part.
- Use your hand. A palm-sized portion at each meal is a simple starting point. Your coach adjusts it for your body and your goals. No grams to count. More in how much protein you need in perimenopause.
- Keep it easy. Eggs, leftover chicken, salmon, sliced turkey. Things you can eat in a few bites without cooking.
- Powder as a backup. On the days it's a shake or nothing, a shake is fine. Real food comes first.
What if food just doesn't appeal at all?
This is the hard part.
A lot of the women we talk to who are on a GLP-1 describe the same pattern. The appetite goes. Then the energy goes. Then the workouts start slipping.
Eating enough is the opposite of every diet you've ever done, and on a GLP-1 it takes a plan.
- Eat on a schedule. Your hunger cues are quieter right now, so don't wait for them.
- Try smaller meals, more often. If a full plate feels impossible, some women find a few smaller meals through the day easier. Your coach can help you test it. If your prescriber has given you eating guidance, follow it first.
- Stop comparing plates. Your friend who isn't on medication eats differently from you. Your plan is built for your body.
- Tell your coach. If you're barely eating, we want to know that week.
Not sure if you're under-eating? Start with am I eating too little to lose fat?
How should you train on a GLP-1?
Strength training is how you give your body a reason to keep its muscle.
Resistance training is what Chris calls "the foundation and heartbeat" of everything we do, on medication or not.
Here's how it looks in our program:
- At home, follow-along. About 50 minutes, with a set of dumbbells, a Swiss ball and fabric bands. In the 8-week Metabolic Reset, that's 5 workouts a week: 3 strength and 2 conditioning, one of them optional.
- A little harder over time. Progressive overload. A bit more weight or a few more reps as you get stronger, so your body has a reason to keep adapting.
- Adjusted on low days. Low energy? Tell your coach. A shorter version still counts, and that beats skipping the week.
Never lifted before? Start with beginner strength training at home over 40.
What about water and recovery?
The boring stuff does a lot of the heavy lifting.
- Water. Easy to forget when you're barely eating. Keep a bottle where you can see it and sip through the day.
- Sleep. Sleep and rest days are when your body rebuilds what training breaks down.
- Rest days. Recovery is part of the plan, so you can train hard on the days that matter.
What does a coach add when you're on a GLP-1?
Someone watching the parts the medication doesn't touch.
Your coach is a Precision Nutrition certified coach and a woman over 40 who has done the Reset herself. Weekly check-ins, plus direct access between them.
She keeps an eye on how you're fuelling, training and recovering. Anything medical, like a side effect or something that just feels off, goes to your doctor.
We will never tell you to start, stop or change a dose. That's your doctor's call.
And if you'd like more support, Curtis Gillespie Sayers, the functional medicine practitioner on our team, works alongside your own doctor.
This is the same foundation every woman we coach builds. We've helped 1,000+ women lose 10 to 20 lbs of fat in 8 weeks.
The medication changes the input. The method determines the outcome.
Curtis on GLP-1s
Want to go deeper? I sat down with Curtis Gillespie Sayers, the functional medicine practitioner on our team, for an honest, no-hype conversation about peptides, GLP-1s and hormones in perimenopause.
Ready to make it count?
Hey ladies, listen up.
You don't have to figure this part out alone.
Start with the short video on our homepage at fortyfwd.com. It walks through why your body stopped responding after 40 and the method we use to change that.
If it sounds like you, apply for a call with Chris.
He reads every application himself. On the call, he'll ask about the medication you're on and how you're eating and training right now, and tell you straight whether the program is the right fit. If it is, he walks you through the investment then, once you both know it's a fit.
Protein first.
Strength every week.
And someone in your corner while you do it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I keep muscle while losing weight on Ozempic or Zepbound?
Strength training that gets a little harder over time, protein first at every meal and eating enough even when your appetite is low. Your doctor manages the medication; those three are the coachable part.
How do I get enough protein on a GLP-1 when I'm not hungry?
Eat the protein first, keep easy options ready and eat on a schedule instead of waiting for hunger. Some women find smaller meals more often easier, unless their prescriber has given them other guidance.
What can I do about "Ozempic face"?
Anything about your face, skin or how the medication is affecting you is a question for your prescriber. What we coach is keeping your muscle and eating enough while you lose fat.
Can I join Forty Forward if I'm already on a GLP-1?
Yes. We coach women who are on them, and the focus is strength training, protein and eating enough, while your doctor manages the medication.
Will a coach tell me to stop or change my medication?
No. We never tell anyone to start, stop or change a dose. That decision is always between you and your doctor.