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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.

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There’s one big inconvenient truth about building muscle after 35:

It doesn’t happen by accident anymore.

In this episode, I break down why so many adults over 35 struggle to build muscle despite training hard — and why more effort, more sweat and more “fitness” often isn’t the answer.

We cover:

• Why HIIT classes and random workouts often fail for muscle growth
• The biggest training mistakes people make after 35
• How recovery, stress and lifestyle impact muscle building
• The 3 key drivers of muscle growth
• Why progressive overload matters more as you age
• How to structure your training for lean muscle and fat loss
• Why consistency beats intensity for long-term results
• The importance of tracking workouts and repeating successful training blocks
• How to build muscle without living in the gym

If you’ve been:

• training consistently but not looking different
• feeling constantly fatigued from workouts
• stuck in the cycle of random classes and programme hopping
• or frustrated that your body no longer responds like it did in your 20s…

This episode will help you simplify your approach and focus on what actually works.

• Why building muscle after 35 requires more intent
• The recovery problem with excessive HIIT training
• Mechanical tension, muscle damage and metabolic stress explained
• How often to train each muscle group for growth
• A simple progressive overload strategy that actually works
• Why tracking your workouts is non-negotiable
• The truth about “random workouts”
• How to train smarter as you get older

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If you enjoyed the episode, share it on Instagram and tag me so I can repost it.

And if you want help building muscle, losing body fat and creating a sustainable approach to fitness, click the link below to learn more about coaching.

https://www.coachianwood.com/

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In this episode, I talk about the 3 fitness compromises I’ve happily made as someone rapidly approaching 40 — and why they’ve actually improved my consistency, recovery and relationship with training.

We cover:

• Why lower training volume can still build muscle effectively
• The reality of maintaining a lean physique in your 30s and 40s
• Why slightly higher body fat levels can improve quality of life
• The problem with chasing “optimal” fitness all the time
• Why slower progress is often more sustainable long term
• How to balance fitness goals with work, family and real life
• The mindset shift from extreme fitness to sustainable fitness

If you feel stuck in the cycle of starting over, chasing perfect plans, or feeling like fitness is becoming harder to maintain with age, this episode is for you.

Worried about losing progress while travelling? In this episode, I share my realistic approach to staying fit on holiday without strict diets, obsessive tracking or ruining the whole point of taking a break.

After 20+ years in the fitness industry, this is exactly how I approach holidays so I can switch off, enjoy great food and come home feeling refreshed — not like I need to “start again”.

You’ll learn:

• Why most “holiday workout plans” fail
• The mindset shift that stops post-holiday weight gain
• How to maintain fitness while travelling without rigid routines
• The 4 simple rules I use to stay in shape on vacation
• How to return home feeling motivated and back in control

This is the exact philosophy behind my coaching programme Start With 6, designed to help you lose your first 5kg through realistic habits and routines that actually survive real life.

👉 Join the Start With 6 presale here:
www.coachianwood.com/startwith6

If you feel like fat loss stopped working after your mid-30s, this episode explains what’s really going on, and how to adapt your training and nutrition for real results.

We cover:

• The metabolism myth after 35• Why strength training becomes essential• Why training less can work better• Protein targets for sustainable fat loss• Managing social life, sleep and stress• Why daily scale weight doesn’t matter

Coaching enquiries:
www.coachianwood.com

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If fat loss always feels like a battle with hunger, this episode is for you.

Most people think they fail diets because of motivation or discipline. In reality, hunger is the real challenge — and most people completely misunderstand it.

In this episode, we break down the difference between hunger, appetite and cravings, why dieting doesn’t need to feel miserable, and what successful clients do differently to lose fat without constantly thinking about food.

You’ll learn how to manage hunger intelligently so fat loss becomes calmer, more predictable and actually sustainable.

In this episode we cover:

• Why hunger isn’t the real problem during fat loss
• The key difference between hunger, appetite and cravings

• The “acceptable hunger scale” I use with clients

• Why liquid calories make dieting much harder
• The satiety per calorie concept (this changes everything)
• What successful clients do differently when dieting
• How to lose fat without relying on willpower

If you want help building a fat loss plan that works in real life, join the Start With 6 Challenge here" https://www.coachianwood.com/startwith6