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GLP-1 Foundation
A 12-week resistance program built specifically for adults on GLP-1 medications. RPE-capped, joint-friendly, conservative on volume — designed to keep lean mass through rapid weight loss without grinding sets your recovery can't pay for.
- Length
- 12 weeks
- Sessions / wk
- 3
- Per session
- 35–45 min
- Designed by
- NASM-CES + NASM-CPT
Ongoing access. Free updates included. Stripe checkout, refundable within 14 days if you haven't started.
Who it's for
The right person walks into this program already.
Fits if you
- You're on a GLP-1 medication (semaglutide, tirzepatide, similar).
- You want to keep muscle while you lose weight — not chase a number.
- You've felt energy drop and recovery slow since starting the medication.
- You can train 3 days a week, 35–45 minutes a session, mostly at home or a basic gym.
- You want a plan that respects what's actually happening in your body, not a generic strength template.
Doesn't fit if you
- You're chasing a true 1RM PR — that requires recovery this program won't give you.
- You want a fat-loss program. This is a muscle-preservation program; the GLP-1 is doing the appetite work.
- You're already strong and on a high-volume program that's working.
What you get
A complete program — not a workout list.
Every session is reasoned. Every progression earns the next one. The plan tells you when to push, when to repeat, and when to back off — not the algorithm, the coach.
- Full 12-week plan — every session, every set, every rep, RPE-capped.
- Three built-in deloads (W4, W8, W11). The program assumes recovery is variable.
- Joint-priming warm-up + parasympathetic cooldown on every session — not an add-on.
- Regression + progression authored on every primary lift, so the plan flexes with your week.
- Free updates with ongoing access — when the content gets refined, you get it.
Adaptive — optional add-on
The same program, with a layer that adjusts to you.
Adaptive reads each session — sleep, soreness, the day you actually had — and tunes the next one. Volume, load, joint- friendly swaps. The base program stays the same; Adaptive sits on top.
The cycle starts on your first session, not at purchase. When it completes, your program and all your progression stay yours.
How the cycle works- Reads how today is going — RPE, completion, recovery.
- Tunes volume and load on the next session.
- Swaps in joint-friendly options when something's cranky.
- Remembers every adjustment — the system gets to know you.
Structured progression
Every phase has a purpose. Every progression earns the next one.
- 01
Weeks 1–3
Foundation
Find safe load. RPE-6 cap. Establish movement quality before chasing anything.
- 02
Weeks 4–6
Build
W4 transition deload, then layer real load. Reps 5–8, RPE 6–7. Tempo is the variable that matters most.
- 03
Weeks 7–9
Sustain
W8 mid-program deload. RPE 7 cap. Primaries can progress to harder variants if you've earned it.
- 04
Weeks 10–12
Express
W11 pre-peak deload. W12 is the peak — one clean top set at RPE 7. Proof that consistency produced strength.
Equipment
What you need — and what you don't.
The program ships with substitutions for everything. A missing piece of kit is never the reason a session doesn't happen.
- A pair of adjustable dumbbells or a basic dumbbell set (range matters more than maximum weight).
- A bench or sturdy chair (split squats, presses, glute bridges).
- A pull-up bar or low bar for inverted rows (doorway frame works).
- Optional: resistance band for Pallof press variants.
A real session
Phase 1 · Week 5 · Day A
35 min including warm-up.
| # | Exercise | Sets & reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| W1 | Shoulder CARs | 1 × 5 each direction | Slow, big circles, no reaching. |
| W2 | 90/90 breathing | 2 × 6 breaths | Exhale longer than the inhale. |
| W3 | Ankle rocks (half-kneeling) | 1 × 8 per side | |
| A | DB Romanian Deadlift | 3 × 8 | Tempo 3-1-1-0, rest 2:00, RPE 6–7. Slow descent is the work. |
| B1 | Half-Kneel 1-Arm DB Press | 3 × 8 per side | Tempo 2-0-2-0, rest 75s. |
| B2 | Dead Bug | 3 × 30s hold | Brace, exhale, slow legs. |
| C | Farmer Carry (Light) | 3 × 25m | Stand tall, no shrug, breathe through it. |
| Z | Diaphragmatic breathing, supine | 2 × 8 breaths | End the session calm. |
One representative session — shown verbatim so you know what you're buying. The full plan walks you, week by week, through every one of them.
Questions
Honest answers, before you buy.
- Is this medical advice?
- No. This is exercise programming written by a NASM-CPT and corrective exercise specialist. It is not medical advice, dosing guidance, or a substitute for working with your prescribing provider.
- What should I disclose before I start?
- Read the GLP-1 section of our /readiness page (Section 2A). It covers which medication you take, time on the medication and at the current dose, recent GI symptoms or dizziness on standing, daily fluid intake, and any comorbid conditions (T2 diabetes, hypertension, kidney/liver/heart). We do not prescribe or interpret medication, but we do need the picture so the program is built around how your body is actually responding.
- Why is the load so conservative?
- Because grinding sets do not recover well in a caloric deficit, and the GLP-1 makes that deficit larger than it feels. RPE-capped training preserves muscle better than RPE-9 training when you're underfed — the science is clear, even when the gym instincts disagree.
- Should I be eating differently while I lift?
- Protein is the variable that matters most for keeping muscle through GLP-1 weight loss. The evidence-based target is 1.6–2.0 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day, distributed across 3–4 meals at roughly 25–40g per meal — that distribution preserves lean mass better than the same total in one or two big meals. When appetite is suppressed, liquid protein (a shake, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese) is a practical way to hit the number without forcing solid food. If you have a medical condition that affects diet, work with a Registered Dietitian for guidance specific to your context.
- What about hydration?
- Reduced food intake means reduced incidental water — the fruit, the soup, the bowl of pasta — and the GLP-1 slows gastric emptying on top of that. A simple target is about half your bodyweight (lb) in ounces of water per day, more on training days. Fiber should come up gradually as appetite stabilizes; jumping straight to a high-fiber day can compound the bloating most GLP-1 users already feel.
- Do I need to take supplements?
- Supplement recommendations are out of scope for a personal trainer or nutrition coach — that's Registered Dietitian or physician territory, and it should be. What this program does flag: B12, iron, and calcium intake can drift low over months of reduced food intake. If you suspect a deficiency, ask your prescribing provider about labs and a referral. We will not name a brand or a dose.
- Should I be cutting carbs?
- No. Even in a caloric deficit, carbohydrates fuel the training stimulus and replenish glycogen between sessions — restricting them on top of a GLP-1 deficit compounds the energy crash and accelerates muscle loss. The program is built around the assumption that you are eating enough carbs to recover from three lifting sessions a week, including starchy carbs around training.
- Can I add cardio?
- Yes — easy walking is encouraged on off days. Use the talk-test as your intensity gauge: if you can speak in full sentences during the walk, you're at the right recovery pace. High-intensity cardio competes with the lifting for the same recovery budget; if you do it, keep it short and infrequent. The program assumes 3 lifting sessions a week as the main stimulus.
- What if I have a bad week — nausea, fatigue, low appetite?
- The deloads are baked in. If a week hits hard, take the deload prescription for that week even if it's not a scheduled deload week. You will not lose progress for honoring how your body is responding.
- What's after 12 weeks?
- If you're stable on the medication and ready for more, Functional Strength Foundations is the natural next step. If you're still titrating doses or recovery is still variable, run this program again with the Adaptive layer on — the engine reads your week and adjusts.
Success metric
What “done” looks like.
Three sessions a week, every week, for twelve weeks — and lean mass preserved through the weight loss. Strength numbers up on every primary lift. Recovery you can repeat.
Strength · Control · Longevity.
Return to training · 12 weeks
GLP-1 Foundation
Ongoing access. Free updates included. Adaptive layer optional.
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