What is the best exercise to do on Mounjaro?

My recommendation is strength training. If you have one to three opportunities to train each week, that is where I would put your time.

I would give you the same advice whether you are taking Mounjaro, Wegovy, Ozempic or losing weight without medication. The way you create a calorie deficit may differ, but protecting your muscle while you lose weight still matters.

If you have more time, add cardio and activities such as gentle yoga or Pilates. Those have benefits too. But if your time is limited, properly structured strength training would be my priority.

Do I need to exercise if I’m already losing weight on Mounjaro?

Yes, in my opinion, you absolutely should.

The reason is not to burn more calories or make the weight come off faster. In my experience, many people taking these drugs are already losing weight quickly.

The priority is retaining as much muscle as possible while your weight comes down.

Losing weight does not mean losing only fat. You can lose muscle too, which is why I want your training to give your body a reason to keep it.

Some people, particularly beginners, may build muscle while losing weight. But I would not build your expectations around gaining substantial muscle during rapid weight loss. Start by doing everything you can to protect what you have.

That should influence your nutrition as well as your training. The number on the scales is only part of the result.

For more on body shape after substantial weight loss, read Why am I still unhappy with my body after losing weight on Mounjaro?.

Is walking enough exercise on Mounjaro?

I am a big fan of walking. I encourage everyone to do it.

Getting outside, having some fresh air and keeping yourself moving are worthwhile. Walking can support your physical and mental health, and it fits into everyday life.

But I would not rely on it to retain muscle during weight loss. It does not give you the same strength stimulus as a progressive weights programme.

My practical suggestion is to work towards around 7,000 steps a day as a baseline, adjusted to your starting point. You do not need to turn every spare hour into a longer walk.

Once you have regular daily movement in place, I would invest your dedicated training time in strength work.

Should I do cardio or lift weights on Mounjaro?

Prioritise lifting weights, then fit cardio around it.

I am not telling you to stop running, cycling or doing other cardio you enjoy. Cardio is a positive part of looking after your health. But it does not replace the strength work I want you doing to help retain muscle.

One thing I regularly tell clients is that you cannot work on everything at once. Even professional athletes prioritise different goals at different times.

If you are losing weight and have limited time and energy, decide what matters most during this phase.

My preference would be to establish your strength sessions first. If you have time and recover well, add some low-intensity cardio that helps you feel good, or short, focused harder sessions to maintain fitness.

I would be particularly keen on avoiding long, tiring runs that leave you struggling to recover. The question is whether the extra work supports your priorities or makes them harder to achieve.

Do I need to lift weights if I already play sport or go to classes?

I would still strongly recommend it.

Playing sport can involve strength without providing the same stimulus as a structured strength programme. That applies even to demanding activities such as rugby or jiu-jitsu.

They may be excellent activities, but I would not assume they cover your muscle-retention needs.

The same applies to circuit classes. Having dumbbells in a workout does not automatically make it a programme designed to build or retain muscle.

In many fast-paced classes, your breathing and general fatigue limit what you can do before the target muscles have been challenged in the way we want.

For this particular goal, I would choose a programme where you repeat suitable exercises, track your performance and gradually improve it. Keep the sport or classes if you enjoy them, but make room for that focused strength work.

Can I exercise at home or do I need to join a gym?

You can absolutely train at home. But make that decision with a realistic understanding of the equipment and skill involved.

A couple of light dumbbells will not provide enough scope for a progressive, whole-body programme.

My minimum home setup would be:

• A pair of adjustable dumbbells with enough weight to keep challenging you.

• A proper bench with an adjustable backrest.

As a rough buying guide, I often suggest looking at dumbbells that go up to around 24kg each for women or 40kg each for men. Your current strength and the exercises you need matter more than that general guide. Those are equipment capacities, not starting weights.

The other consideration is technique. Training effectively with just dumbbells and a bench can require more skill than training in a well-equipped gym.

Machines and supported exercises give you more options. They can make it easier to work your muscles without balance and coordination becoming the main challenge.

If you are a complete beginner considering home training because the gym feels intimidating, I would think carefully about that trade-off. My preference would usually be to join a gym and get some initial help learning what to do.

How do I start lifting weights if I’ve never done it before?

My first recommendation is to spend some time with a good personal trainer who can teach you the exercises and write you a programme.

You do not necessarily need someone beside you forever. Some initial coaching can give you a starting point and the confidence to train independently.

If that is beyond your budget, start with a simple machine-based routine. Repeat the same movements so you can get good at them, record what you do and gradually increase the challenge.

I also think AI can be useful for putting together a basic, generic programme. What it cannot do in the same way as an in-person coach is watch you move and help you execute it.

You do not need an elaborate routine. You need something you understand, can perform consistently and can progress.

How often should I exercise on Mounjaro?

My target would be three full-body strength sessions a week, lasting around 45 minutes each. My preferred minimum is twice a week.

If you can only manage one, one is better than none.

In its simplest form, each session would include:

• A leg exercise.

• A pulling exercise.

• A pushing exercise.

• Accessory work for areas you want to give extra attention, such as your arms, glutes or abs.

Three sessions give you regular opportunities to train while leaving time to recover. I think that offers a good return on the time invested.

If you do fewer sessions, I would still structure them as full-body workouts.

The important thing is to make strength training a regular part of the process. If you have committed time and money to losing weight, protecting your strength and long-term quality of life deserves a place in that commitment.

“I’m too busy” needs to become a question of where you can make room, even if the starting point is only one session.

How do I know if I’m doing enough exercise?

Start by establishing those two regular strength sessions a week. Then look at what is happening to your performance.

At the very least, I want the weights you lift to hold steady. Ideally, they should increase.

If you are new to strength training, you should have opportunities to get stronger even while losing weight. That might mean another rep, better control or a little more weight.

Record your training so you can see whether that is happening.

Maintaining strength does not prove you have retained every bit of muscle. You can lose some muscle and still maintain performance. But your training numbers give you a useful reference, and I would want to investigate a consistent decline.

The goal is productive training that you can recover from and repeat.

What if I don’t have enough energy to exercise on Mounjaro?

First, distinguish between feeling too depleted to train and simply not feeling like going.

If you are eating so little that you cannot function well or exercise, I would question whether the approach is too aggressive. I would say the same to someone dieting without medication.

If you are taking Mounjaro, speak to your prescriber about how you are feeling and whether your treatment or dose needs reviewing. Do not change the dose yourself.

Then look honestly at the rest of your life. Are you sleeping enough? Eating regular, balanced meals? Drinking a lot of alcohol? Under considerable stress?

Slower weight loss does not automatically rule out a problem with food intake or another cause of fatigue. Persistent or significant exhaustion deserves attention.

But there is also a simpler situation: sometimes you are tired and do not particularly want to train.

You will not always feel like doing it. That does not mean it stops being important.

Make the session manageable, adjust it where necessary and keep building the habit. You are trying to look after your body throughout weight loss and beyond it.

If you want help building a strength programme while losing weight, get in touch to discuss personal training in Kentish Town. I can help you choose suitable exercises, learn the technique and make your training time count.