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A new drug called apitegromab has been developed to prevent muscle loss in people taking GLP-1 weight loss medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro — and a study published in Nature Medicine suggests it works. People taking it alongside tirzepatide lost around 15% of their weight from muscle, compared to 30% in those who didn't take it.

But in this episode, I want to have a different conversation.

Because the muscle loss being caused by these medications isn't a mystery. Large, aggressive calorie deficits — created by any means, including GLP-1 drugs — break down muscle tissue alongside fat. And we already know how to prevent most of that: a moderate calorie deficit, adequate protein intake, and consistent resistance training.

These aren't complicated interventions. They're the same fundamentals that would get most slightly overweight, otherwise healthy people the result they want — without the medication, without the side effects, and without the need for a second drug to manage the first one.

In this episode I break down what the EMBRAZE trial actually found, why the muscle loss is happening mechanically, what the evidence says about preventing it, and my honest professional perspective after 20 years of coaching women through sustainable fat loss.

This isn't an anti-medication episode. It's a basics-first episode.

What You'll Learn:

• What the Nature Medicine apitegromab study actually found — and what it means
• Why GLP-1 medications cause muscle loss, and why it's not unique to the drugs
• The three evidence-based strategies that prevent muscle loss during any calorie deficit
• Why a drug to fix a drug's side effects isn't always the right answer
• The honest question to ask yourself before reaching for a pharmaceutical solution
• How to lose fat and preserve muscle with the fundamentals — protein, resistance training, and a moderate deficit

Keywords / Tags: Ozempic muscle loss, Ozempic butt, GLP-1 side effects, apitegromab, Mounjaro muscle loss, how to avoid muscle loss on Ozempic, weight loss jabs, resistance training for fat loss, protein for weight loss, minimum effective dose, women's fat loss, sustainable weight loss, basics before pharmaceuticals, Start With 6

Resources Mentioned:

Start With 6 — [insert link]

Sources Referenced:

Pratley RE, et al. Apitegromab for lean mass preservation during tirzepatide-induced weight loss: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial. Nature Medicine, 2026.

BBC Health. New drug to stop 'Ozempic butt' muscle loss side effect of obesity jabs. June 2026.

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In this episode, I break down two major peer-reviewed studies that together make one of the most compelling cases for consistent strength training ever backed by science.

Study one: a 30-year study of 147,374 people published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that 90 to 120 minutes of resistance training per week reduces the risk of dying early by 13%, the risk of cardiovascular death by 19%, and the risk of neurological disease death — including dementia — by 27%. Combined with regular cardio, the risk of early death from any cause drops by up to 58%.

Critically: doing more than two hours a week added zero extra benefit. This is the minimum effective dose — and it's lower than most people think.

Study two: a University of Michigan study of 3,873 older adults tracked for 12 years used two of the most validated biological ageing clocks — GrimAge and PhenoAge — to measure cellular age through DNA methylation. People who exercised regularly were biologically 1.26 to 1.70 years younger than inactive counterparts. Both long-term and recent activity were independently protective. Starting later still counts.

Together, these studies tell us the same thing: consistency over time is what drives outcomes. Not intensity. Not perfection. Just showing up, regularly, for the long term.

If you've ever felt like you're not doing enough, or that you've left it too late — this episode is for you.

What You'll Learn:

• What the 30-year British Journal of Sports Medicine study found about resistance training and mortality risk
• Why doing more than two hours of strength training a week offers no extra benefit
• How scientists are now measuring biological age through DNA — and what exercise does to it
• Why starting later still meaningfully changes your biology
• The practical minimum effective dose for longevity and healthy ageing

Keywords / Tags: strength training, resistance training, longevity, biological age, epigenetic ageing, how much should I train, exercise and dementia, exercise and heart disease, healthy ageing, women's fitness, fat loss, consistency, minimum effective dose, GrimAge, PhenoAge, DNA methylation, strength training for women

Sources Referenced:

Zhang Y, Lee DH, Rezende LFM, et al. Long-term resistance training with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: assessing dose-response and joint associations with aerobic physical activity. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2026.

Ammous F, Peterson MD, Mitchell C, Faul JD. Physical Activity Is Associated With Decreased Epigenetic Aging: Findings From the Health and Retirement Study. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 2026.

How to Find a Good Personal Trainer (And Avoid Getting It Wrong)

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The fitness industry has a problem — and it's costing people time, money, and sometimes their health. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on something most coaches won't talk about: how easy it is to fake credibility in an industry that is almost entirely unregulated.

After 20 years as a PT, 12 years in strength and conditioning, and a Master's degree with a research thesis specifically on the effectiveness of online coaching, I've seen the full spectrum of good and bad. Here's what I've learned.

What's covered in this episode:

• Why the fitness industry is largely unregulated — and what that means for you as a consumer
• The two types of coach you'll encounter, and why they can look identical on Instagram
• Why qualifications alone don't make a great coach (and what actually does)
• The five things that separate exceptional coaches from average ones: education, experience, coaching reps, mistakes, and empathy
• Five practical questions to ask any coach before you hire them
• The red flags that should make you walk away immediately

Key takeaways:

• Anyone can legally call themselves a personal trainer or nutrition coach — there is no meaningful governing body with legal authority
• A coach who lost weight themselves is not automatically qualified to help you reach your goals
• Great coaches ask a lot of questions before prescribing anything — be wary of anyone who immediately tells you exactly what you need
• How a coach handles a question they can't answer tells you everything
• The right coach isn't the flashiest on social media — it's the one who understands where you are and has the knowledge and humanity to help you get there

This episode is for you if:You're looking to hire a personal trainer or online coach, you've had a bad experience with a coach in the past, or you're trying to build muscle, lose weight sustainably, or improve your performance and don't know who to trust.