Optimising Your Weight Loss Journey with Wegovy and Mounjaro Exercise Plans
Weight loss injections, such as Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) are medications that work by making you feel fuller and less hungry. They do this by affecting the body's hormones (including insulin) and by slowing down how quickly the stomach empties.
When used in combination with lifestyle changes, such as a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, they can be an effective weight loss tool. These weight loss treatments are not a stand-alone solution for weight loss.
In this article, we will explore how to create an effective exercise programme that supports weight loss whilst taking Wegovy or Mounjaro.
Understanding Weight Loss and Exercise
Calories
Let's start with the basics. A calorie is a unit of energy that is used to measure the energy that your body gets from food and drink. While there are some general rules about how many calories each person needs ( 2000 for women and 2500 for men) it varies for each individual. This is because everyone's metabolism and activity levels are different.
Metabolism
Your metabolism is the energy your body needs to function. A large part of this is your basal metabolic rate: the number of calories needed to power the basics like breathing, circulating your blood, keeping your body at a stable temperature, and nerve function. It's easy to work this out for yourself using a handy calculator like this.
Your basal metabolic rate is affected by many things, including gender, age, genetics, and muscle mass. Muscle tissue burns calories at rest, so more muscle means a higher basal metabolic rate.
Exercise
Basal metabolic rate only includes the calories that you burn at rest. Your body metabolises extra calories throughout the day during exercise. This doesn't just mean working out at the gym, but also includes things like housework, gardening and playing with your children.
Exercise burns more calories and helps build muscle, boosting metabolism and helping people to lose weight. Along with weight loss, exercise has many other benefits for the body and brain, including improved cardiovascular health, increased energy levels, and reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart problems.
The Role of Physical Activity in Weight Management
While medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro can help with losing weight by reducing appetite, exercise enhances the effectiveness of the medications.
Regular exercise can boost metabolism, help maintain muscle mass, and increase the number of calories burned each day. This helps with losing weight in the short term, but also with more sustainable weight loss once the medication is stopped.
Read more about the role of diet and exercise as part of a weight loss program here.
Creating a Tailored Exercise Plan
A tailored exercise plan should consider your age, current fitness level, and any health conditions or injuries. It's really important to include types of exercise that you enjoy, as this will make it easier to stick to the plan.
Getting help from professionals can be really helpful, as their specialist knowledge can help create an evidence-based, personalised plan that's effective and sustainable. There are also lots of great online tools to help create a weight loss exercise plan.
It's important to set realistic goals around physical activity and losing weight. Regular, small goals can help you to stay motivated, whilst being too ambitious can lead to disappointment if you fail to meet your targets.
Recommended Exercise Types for Wegovy and Mounjaro Users
As we mentioned above, it's most important to find a type of exercise that you enjoy, as you are more likely to stick to it. However, we've recommended some of the most effective exercise types for individuals taking weight loss injections.
1. Aerobic exercises
Walking, cycling, and running are excellent choices for individuals using these weight-loss medications. These exercises are effective for burning calories and improving cardiovascular fitness.
2. Strength training
Incorporating resistance bands, free weights, and bodyweight exercises can be beneficial for individuals using weight loss injections. Strength training helps maintain and increase lean muscle mass, which is important for long-term weight management.
3. Flexibility and balance exercises
Activities such as yoga and pilates can help to improve flexibility and balance and can be valuable additions to an exercise plan.
Low-Impact Exercises for Beginners
An excellent starting point for people just beginning their fitness journey is low-impact exercises. These exercises are gentle on the joints and can help build strength and endurance without putting too much stress on the body. Some examples of low-impact exercises are brisk walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, and pilates.
Start slow, and gradually increase the intensity and frequency of the workouts. This can be done by increasing the length of the workout, adding more repetitions, or increasing the resistance. Make sure to listen to your body and rest when needed to avoid injury.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for Advanced Individuals
HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by short rest periods. This type of exercise can be an effective way to accelerate weight loss, as it burns calories and promotes lean muscle growth.
However, it's important to take precautions and exercise with HIIT safely. Start gradually and build up the exercise intensity with time. Always remember to warm up and cool down, and listen to your body to prevent injury.
Diet and Exercise: The Perfect Pair
We've talked about how important exercise is for weight loss, but diet is just as important. Exercise helps burn calories (and improves your health), but you're not going to see results if you're still eating too much.
Weight loss medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro help reduce hunger, but it's still important to consider what you're eating.
Eating more whole foods and fewer processed foods is a good start. Consider increasing your protein and fibre intake whilst minimising your carbohydrate intake. Whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, provide essential nutrients and are generally lower in calories than processed foods.
Try to choose whole, unprocessed alternatives rather than ultra-processed, high-sugar foods. As many on-the-go foods are ultra-processed, one way to do this is through meal prepping. By making your food at home in advance, you know what is in it, and it's ready to eat you're hungry (making you less likely to opt for a high-calorie snack).
The Health Benefits Beyond Weight Loss
An active lifestyle offers many benefits for long-term health apart from just helping people maintain a healthy weight.
Some of these benefits include strengthened bones and muscles, improved cardiovascular health, and reduced risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain types of cancers.
Exercise has a massive impact on mental well-being, and can even reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Safety Considerations and When to Consult a Specialist
If you have lots of underlying health conditions, it's a good idea to seek help from a healthcare professional, or even a specialist weight management service, before starting a weight loss program.
If you're struggling to lose weight whilst taking weight loss medication or experiencing severe side effects, it's also important to seek help from healthcare professionals.
Supporting Your Journey: Tools and Resources
If you need a little help getting organised, there are various tools and resources available to support you. Some people also find it also helps to connect with online weight loss communities as a support system.
Weight Loss Apps and Trackers
Popular options include MyFitnessPal, Fitbit, and the NHS Weight Loss Plan app, which provide features for tracking food intake, physical activity, and setting weight loss goals.
Online Communities and Support Groups for Weight Loss
Online communities and support groups can be valuable for motivation, advice, and a sense of community during your weight loss journey. Platforms such as Weight Watchers (WW), MyFitnessPal's community forums, and local fitness groups are great for providing support and encouragement.
Conclusion and Summary
Weight loss injections can be a really effective weight loss treatment, especially when combined with a reduced-calorie diet and regular exercise. Make sure to tailor your exercise programme to your individual needs, and take it slow to start with to avoid injury.
If you're looking for advice on the different weight loss treatments available, give us a call on 0121 628 5318. Our staff can talk you through the available options, and prescribe the most suitable one for you.
Remember, for safe and sustainable results, weight loss medications should always be used alongside diet and exercise changes.
Start a Free ConsultationFAQs
What's the best time of day to exercise?
There's no best time of day to exercise when using weight loss treatments. What's important is finding a type of exercise that you enjoy, doing it regularly, and getting into an achievable exercise routine.
How long should I wait to see results from combining exercise with weight loss injections?
Clinical trials showed that those taking Wegovy lost 15% of their body weight on average after a year. Another study found that 85% of those who were taking Mounjaro for 72 weeks lost 5% or more of their body weight.
Some people start seeing results after a few weeks of treatment, but it may take longer for you to notice any significant weight loss.
How can I prevent weight gain after stopping Wegovy/Mounjaro?
Many people find it easier to build healthy diet and exercise habits whilst taking weight loss medicines because their appetite is reduced.
Once you're used to eating fewer calories as part of a balanced diet, it'll be much easier to keep it up after stopping the medication, which will help you avoid gaining weight.
Can I do strength training exercises if I'm just starting my weight loss journey?
Yes, you can do strength training if you're just starting out on your weight loss journey. In fact, it can be an effective way to lose weight and build muscle.
Strength training that recruits large muscles and works different muscle groups, known as compound exercises, are best for weight loss. Some examples of strength training exercises for weight loss include deadlifts, squats, lunges, push-ups, and kettlebell swings.
It's important to start with lighter weights and focus on the correct form to avoid injury.
What should I do if I experience muscle soreness after exercising?
Delayed onset muscle soreness tends to happen a day or more after exercising. Light exercise, including stretching of the affected muscle groups, massage, and drinking plenty of water are an important part of your recovery. You can take painkillers like paracetamol if needed.
If the pain continues for more than 5 days, make an appointment to see your GP.