TRANSCRIPT: GROUP FITNESS TRIPLE THREAT SERIES

 Welcome to part two of the Group Fitness Triple Threat. We've covered how formats are evolving. Now it's time to talk about who we're teaching to. Because your members, their needs are evolving too.  

The next three episodes are all about understanding and adapting to these massive shifts in member needs.

And we're starting with maybe the biggest change.  Weight loss drugs are everywhere. Major gyms are now integrating GLP 1 weight loss protocols into their services. And you've probably already had some of your clients ask you about them. Does this mean that us as fitness professionals are out of a job? Far from it. The reality is that these drugs don't replace exercise. If anything, they make what we do more important. Today, we're breaking down what GLP1s are, what's happening in the industry and most importantly how you can adapt. Let's go. 

So before we dive into the industry data, let's get a little bit personal. My family has a history of being overweight. Type 2 diabetes caused by lifestyle factors are pretty prevalent in our family and as a teenager according to the classic BMI index, I was obese or very very overweight.

I was actually about 15 kgs heavier or 35 pounds heavier at 12 years of age than I am now in my early 40s after 25 years of consistent strength training. The desire to not carry this extra weight is what led me into the gym in my late teens. I'd always played a lot of sport but that was definitely the motivating factor.

And the thing is, once I got into the gym I found that I loved it. I loved  doing it. I love the way it made me feel. I love the way it made me feel after. I loved the results that I got and I just enjoyed everything about group fitness classes and the gym. This is why I've made group fitness my career because I love it. It's intrinsic to me. It's genuine. I'm here because I love it. And therefore I've never really had to motivate myself to exercise because I just enjoy it so much. But here's the thing. I've learned after two decades in the industry that this is very rare. If you're listening to this, most likely you're a bit like me and you don't have to motivate yourself to exercise.

But we have to remember that most people aren't like us. So what I'd ask you to do while listening to this episode is to put aside any ickiness or moral judgment that you have about taking weight loss drugs as a shortcut and think about it from the perspective of somebody who has really, really wanted and needed to lose weight and has just never been able to stick at it.

So let's get back to the details. These drugs, which are marketed under brand names like Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Ozempic, reduce hunger by affecting the brain's appetite regulation functions. They slow gastric emptying, making you feel full for longer. So people on GLP 1 meds typically eat 30- 50 percent fewer calories per day.

They come as injections, but there are now also oral versions, which show similar effects with slightly lower efficacy. So the studies show that GLP 1 meds like Ozempic and Wegovy can lead to a 10- 20 percent weight loss in just a few months. So clinical trials and real world data back this up. So someone weighing in at 200 pounds could realistically drop 20- 40 pounds with these meds.

Now anecdotally, I do know a few people who've taken this already. Some who needed to and some who frankly did not, but they wanted to take a shortcut to weight loss. The key thing is that while everyone's reaction was a little bit different, the one thing I heard consistently was that people didn't think about eating anymore.

They didn't have food noise or a drive to binge, and this led to them eating less, and the other thing is, is that while they may have had some side effects, like a little bit of nausea, for everybody that took these, they worked. It was a shortcut to losing weight and it didn't require that much effort. Now, as I've said, we can have mixed feelings about encouraging people to take a shortcut to weight loss that avoids exercise.

But at the end of the day, I think we need to accept that as humans, if there is a shortcut, we will take it. This relates to a journey in the car or a journey to weight loss. So I recommend that we look at trying to meet people where they are. regardless of how we might feel morally or ethically about these drugs.

Let's look at the data. Big name gyms are wholeheartedly embracing these drugs. Equinox launched a GLP 1 protocol to help members on these drugs retain muscle because that's important. Lifetime Fitness now offers access to doctors who prescribe GLP 1 medications alongside personalized training plans.

Xponential Fitness bought a whole chain of weight loss clinics so it could bring GLP 1 access to its members. And F45 the functional fitness circuit training brand that we've talked about already in this series launched a GLP 1 membership package that includes telehealth consultations, medication delivery, and access to their digital fitness platform, so we have to look at the health benefits, which do go way beyond short term weight loss, even though that's what might make the headlines. A five to 10 percent weight reduction can lower the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even some cancers. GLP 1s reduce visceral fat. and improve blood sugar control and lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

I was out for a walk with a really good friend of mine who's a GP and she was talking about her experience in prescribing these meds and we were sharing the fact that we did have our reservations around prescribing a shortcut that avoided people doing exercise but the thing is the evidence is clear.

The people that she's prescribing these meds to are at genuine risk of disease related to being overweight and dropping the weight fast helps them to avoid this.

That's better for the individual, and it's also better for our society as we have the potential to avoid the high cost of healthcare. So the key takeaways that we need to be thinking about as a group fitness instructor. 

The first is that while GLP 1 meds do cause fast weight loss, they do also cause significant muscle loss. So if you lose 20 kg or 40 pounds of weight, you could have expected that with diet and strength training, 5 to 10 percent of that weight lost would be muscle, and 90 to 95 percent of it would be body fat, and that is good because lean muscle mass is critical for us aging well, having healthy joints and bones, and keeping disease at bay.

But with GLP 1 meds, the primary mechanism for the weight loss is appetite suppression versus healthier diet leading to a calorie deficit. and obviously burning calories with training. So what this means is that protein intake is often too low because people are eating less overall. And that 30 40 percent of weight lost can be muscle.

So that's huge amounts more muscle loss using GLP 1 meds than using diet and strength training. So that speed comes at a cost, and that cost is muscle loss. So to minimize muscle loss in GLP 1s, Patients really must strength train and eat high protein diets . So GLP 1s should be paired with resistance training if long term weight maintenance is the goal.

And I know that people make the headlines because they're using this to drop a dress size, but that's what we should be focused about as fitness professionals, making people's lives better in the long term. The big risk associated with using these drugs is that if someone loses too much weight on GLP 1s and their metabolism drops, it will make weight regain more likely after stopping the medication, as well as them just generally not getting the health benefits that come from having a more healthy lifestyle. 

But what's the opportunity here? We have the potential to bring fitness to people who have been disheartened in the past by their lack of ability to lose the weight. By using GLP 1 meds, people can take themselves out of high risk zones of weight and into healthier zones where they also feel less intimidated by coming into the gym or joining an exercise class.

The best approach, whether using GLP 1s or not, is to prioritize strength training and protein intake to preserve muscle and keep metabolism strong. 

So here's the takeaway. These drugs are not a fad. They're here to stay, and this is where things get interesting. A lot of instructors might be worried about what this means for their jobs, but here's the reality. GLP 1s might help people lose weight fast, but they don't build strength, they don't improve fitness, and they certainly don't create community.

That's where you come in. Here's three key reasons why these drugs actually increase the need for fitness instructors like us. 

First is that muscle loss is real. Studies show that without strength training, users can lose significant amounts of muscle alongside fat. That means that you have a massive opportunity to provide strength focused coaching. 

The second is that weight loss alone is not the same as health. These drugs do not improve cardiovascular fitness. They don't help with flexibility. They don't improve mobility. Once clients hit their target weight, what's next?  they still need structured exercise for long term health. 

And last up, motivation and accountability still matter. A weekly injection won't push someone through a tough workout, create a sense of belonging, or keep them engaged long term. That's your job. 

So here's how to stay ahead of this trend and make sure you're valuable to clients using GLP ones. First up is to educate yourself. So like we've talked about, even if you kind of don't personally believe in weight loss drugs, your clients might  Understand how they work and what the risks are so you can guide them effectively.

Reposition your coaching, so instead of focusing on weight loss, shift to muscle preservation, strength, and always longevity. 

And offer GLP 1 friendly training. Create programs that support people using these medications. So think about resistance training, functional fitness, and metabolic conditioning. 

Bottom line, GLP 1s are changing the game, but they don't replace fitness professionals. They make us more valuable. The question is, are you ready? 

So that's the GLP 1 reality check for you. Next episode, we're going to talk wearables, how they're changing class dynamics, and what you need to know.

Until next time, that's the group fitness triple threat.