Exercise and Diet: A Powerful Duo for Metabolic Health

A study published in the journal Nature Metabolism found that people who combine exercise with dieting can double the metabolic health benefits of their weight loss. The study found that men and women with obesity and prediabetes, who worked out while dieting, improved their insulin sensitivity twice as much as people who only dieted.

“These results demonstrate that regular exercise during a diet-induced weight loss program has profound additional metabolic benefits” compared with dieting by itself, the study’s authors wrote. The exercisers also added about 13 percent to their muscular strength and 10 percent to their endurance. The dieters, on the other hand, were now about 2 percent weaker and 6 percent less fit than at the study’s start.

The researchers behind the study said they hope the findings will motivate dieters to exercise, including people who have been prescribed popular new drugs, such as Ozempic, for weight loss. Older adults and postmenopausal women are at risk for becoming frail or developing osteoporosis if they lose too much muscle. The unfortunate fact is that weight loss drugs cause the development of frailty in older patients in months instead of years. It is important to remember that just because you are losing weight, it does not always mean you are getting healthier!

Synergistic Effects

Ozempic and exercise, when properly administered, can be highly effective for weight loss. The combination unlocks synergistic benefits by simultaneously optimizing multiple physiological pathways. Essentially, physical activity improves the body’s ability to regulate blood sugars, a benefit that stacks with the effects of Ozempic.

Exercise immediately burns calories and makes cells more insulin sensitive. Meanwhile, Ozempic’s insulin-boosting and appetite-suppressing effects take time to build up. As Ozempic’s effects accumulate, insulin sensitivity and satiety improve, priming the body to fully utilize the benefits of exercise. Exercise accelerates weight loss, which then enhances the glucose and appetite-regulating effects of Ozempic.

A combination of different exercise types is ideal to get the full spectrum of benefits, such as improved cardiovascular fitness, more muscle mass, flexibility, and balance. Start slow and gradually increase duration and intensity. By enhancing insulin sensitivity through regular exercise, the insulin-boosting effects of Ozempic are magnified.

Exercise and Ozempic work together to optimize glucose control. Clinical studies confirm improvements in metabolic health when the lifestyle intervention of exercise is paired with the pharmacological effects of semaglutide. Ozempic and exercise are a powerful combination for optimal diabetes and weight management.

Find out how exercise complements Ozempic’s effects and unlocks greater glucose control and weight loss. If you are taking a GLP-1 agonist, contact The Fitness Doctor today to learn how to properly exercise while on this medication.