Using a GLP-1 for Fat Loss? Here’s How to Protect Muscle and Stay Strong

GLP-1 medications—like semaglutide—are changing the conversation around weight loss. If you're currently using one, or thinking about starting, you're not alone. These medications are helping more people than ever break through years of weight loss resistance. But here’s the part not enough people talk about: while GLP-1s can help reduce hunger and make it easier to eat less, they also bring unexpected challenges around energy, strength, and long-term sustainability.

At Alter, we’ve designed our system to work with your biology, your training needs, and your long-term goals—whether you’re taking a GLP-1 or not. Here's how it all comes together.

First, What Are GLP-1s?

GLP-1s (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) were originally developed to help manage blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. They’re now prescribed widely for weight loss due to their effects on appetite regulation and fullness. These medications work by signaling to your brain that you're satisfied sooner and for longer, slowing digestion, and helping stabilize blood sugar through increased insulin production and decreased glucagon secretion. The result is a natural reduction in calorie intake—and often, steady fat loss.

But while it becomes easier to eat less, that doesn’t always mean your body is getting what it needs to thrive. And that’s where targeted support becomes critical.

What Happens During GLP-1 Use?

Appetite suppression can sound ideal—but it also brings challenges. Many people unintentionally under-eat—not just in calories, but in key nutrients like protein. Over time, this can lead to fatigue, decreased energy, and even muscle loss. Since muscle is your most metabolically active tissue, losing it means your resting metabolic rate drops, making long-term fat loss more difficult to sustain. When protein intake is low and training isn’t strategic, your progress plateaus—and your health may take a hit.

This is where the Alter system is designed to step in, providing support across strength, recovery, and sustainable nutrition.

How Alter Supports You on GLP-1s

If you’re on a GLP-1, your Alter experience is structured to keep your body strong and supported. First, we set your daily macronutrient targets—including protein—which are personalized based on your goals and biometrics. Most users are guided toward a protein intake of 1.0–1.2 grams per pound of target body weight per day. When appetite is low, hitting those numbers can be tough. That’s why we emphasize easy-to-digest, high-protein options like Greek yogurt, protein shakes, eggs, fish, tofu, and legumes. These foods help you preserve lean mass, stabilize energy, and keep your metabolism working even in a calorie deficit.

Next is training. Alter sessions include 1–3 strength-based workouts per week, programmed based on your DNA, Readiness Score, and real-time recovery data. These aren’t random workouts—they’re structured to stimulate muscle without pushing you into overtraining. Whether you're new to strength work or getting back into a rhythm, the system adapts. Your sessions are built to meet you where you are, and progress at a pace your body can handle.

Recovery is also a key piece—especially on days when energy dips or stress runs high. On those lower readiness days, you might receive a Work-in instead of a workout. These sessions focus on active recovery and nervous system regulation through meditation, breathwork, restorative yoga, or guided mobility. They’re not rest days in disguise—they’re essential parts of the program that support adaptation, regulate cortisol, and keep progress steady without forcing output when your body isn’t ready.

Alter also helps manage the physiological shifts GLP-1s can create. Because these medications slow digestion, some users experience constipation or GI discomfort. We provide prompts to support hydration, increase fiber intake through whole foods, and encourage movement strategies that enhance digestion and circulation. And if changes in sleep or energy show up? Your session recommendations reflect that, too.

What Happens After the Medication?

GLP-1s are a tool—not a forever fix. Whether you’re planning to reduce your dose or eventually come off completely, the habits you build while on the medication will be what carries your success forward. That’s why Alter focuses on creating systems that hold up over time. Our approach is centered on building strength, preserving muscle, supporting recovery, and helping you foster a healthy relationship with food and movement.

We don’t rely on rigid rules or unrealistic expectations. We provide a structure you can trust, tools that meet you where you are, and a system that’s smart enough to adapt with you—long after the medication ends.

Let Alter Be Your Framework

GLP-1s can help open the door. Alter helps you walk through it—with a plan that’s personalized, progressive, and built for the long haul. Whether you’re here to lose weight, build strength, or simply feel better in your body, we’re here to help you do it with intelligence, care, and clarity.

You're not just here to shed pounds. You're here to build something that lasts.

And that's exactly what Alter was built to support.