Muscle Loss: A Serious GLP-1 Side Effect?

FoxIRL641

FoxIRL641

Active member
I'm a 77-year-old lady, started sema in March of '25, began at 233 lbs, and now I'm at 185. I’ve gotten rid of the extra pounds, but I'm super worried about how much muscle seems to have vanished. I try to eat at least 100 grams of protein every day, and I've been doing pretty intense hill walks, like 20 miles a week. I didn't do any weight lifting, thinking the walking would keep my legs in shape, and I'd focus on my arms after I hit my goal of 180. HUGE mistake. I feel so weak it’s scary. My butt is totally gone, and I have to hold onto stuff to sit down on the toilet. I'm getting surgery next month for a torn rotator cuff, probably from sleeping wrong, and I'm pretty sure that's from the muscle loss too. Now my tailbone is so sensitive I need a cushion everywhere. I like how I look, but I'm freaked out about losing so much muscle. If I could go back, I'm not sure I’d have taken the shot. Being skinny isn't worth being weak.
 
Thanks for sharing that, FoxIRL641. I go back and forth about just trying to lose weight fast vs. building muscle at the same time. Hearing your story makes me think I should keep lifting weights.
 
That’s exactly why I started strength training. I read about muscle loss in older adults and got spooked. More muscle = fewer fractures and a lower risk of falls.
 
I'm 64 and my rear is gone. Dropped about 40 pounds and I'm at my goal weight. I knew this was coming since I didn't do any weights. It's my own fault. I hate working out. That, plus cutting calories, is a lot, so I picked losing weight over exercise. I started some arm workouts with weights, and I like it. Getting some definition back in my arms. For my legs and butt, I've been getting up and down from my lowest sofa. I do it a lot now that I work from home. I also got one of those squat machines on eBay. I know how important leg and glute strength is for getting older and for recovering from surgery. Now that I'm done losing weight, I'm focused on building muscle. I wouldn't go back to being heavier, though. Being overweight was worse than being weak. We can build muscle at any age. Good luck with your surgery, FoxIRL641.
 
Seriously. I started lifting a month before starting a GLP-1. I'm down 130 pounds and gained like 13 pounds of muscle. My muscle improved as well, but I am in the gym 5 times a week. My joints are hurting, though, and my recovery sucks despite all the supplements I take. I think I need to slow down and give myself time to recover.
 
After I started the shot, I went back to walking and added some resistance band stuff. I also lost my bum, but that was probably the weight I was carrying around. I was walking almost 30 miles a week when I started, on purpose and five or more times a week, I can only tolerate the lowest dose and plan to keep it that way for six more months. I am sort of worried about how to stop taking the shot one day, being 81 and all, if I hadn't lost the weight, my life wouldn't be worth living.
 
Going slow and steady works, and the side effects are less bad. I highly recommend it. Any fast weight loss will wreck your muscles and make your hair fall out.
 
I'm 56 and got prescribed TRT to help build a bit of muscle and fight any muscle loss. I'm at the gym 3 days a week doing basic exercises (bench, squats, deadlifts, shoulders) to build as I lose fat. It really helped when I was trying to lose weight. And it helped me focus on eating enough protein. Feeling good.
 
My dad is going through the same thing, always complaining about his nonexistent rear. We joke about getting him a BBL for his 80th birthday. Seriously, FoxIRL641, up your protein and lift weights, even if it means going a little over your calorie needs. If you lifted weights before, your body will remember. It'll be slower because of your age, but it's doable. Plus, you can focus on building muscle instead of trying to build muscle and lose weight at the same time, which is harder.
 
Thanks again, FoxIRL641! I just started on Ozempic, and I'm going super slow. I'm sensitive to everything, so I'm starting with a REALLY low dose. A knee replacement messed up my muscle mass, so I've been lifting weights, but life (I'm taking care of two people) gets in the way. Plus, arthritis makes it painful, but your post has given me a kick in the pants. I need to take care of myself so I can take care of everyone else! Good luck on your journey!
 
I told Chat GPT about my weight loss, muscle loss, and the equipment I have and asked it to give me a program to rebuild my muscle. I think it gave me a well-thought-out plan. AI is pretty useful for these questions!
 
It's amazing how much better my body moves now that I've lost some weight. I'm mostly maintaining and focusing on strength building now. I hit the gym 3 times a week.
 
I read about a guy who lost a lot of fat but only half a kilo of muscle. He gained some bone density too which is impressive. I need to focus on protein more.
 
Seeing food as fuel rather than reward helps. Go out for unheavy meals once in a while but treat it as special, not routine. Heavy spicing on regular dishes works instead of larger portions. Daily weighing and small adjustments keep me at target. Have a backup supply just in case.
 
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