Obesity Medications Are Transforming Care. Healthy Habits Must Be Part of the Treatment Plan

While weight reduction is an important outcome, it is only one measure of progress. Long-term health depends on much more than the number on the scale.

Obesity medications work. There’s no question about that. GLP-1-based and other obesity medications represent one of the most significant advances in obesity care in decades. Millions of Americans are using these medications, and clinical trials have demonstrated meaningful weight loss and improvements in metabolic health.

Much of the public conversation has focused on the medications themselves, who qualifies, how much they cost and whether insurance will cover them, but far less attention has been paid to what happens to the body during significant weight loss and what patients can do to maximize the health benefits while minimizing the potential downsides.

Obesity medications can open the door to better health, but taking a daily pill or weekly injection is not enough on its own. Healthy behaviors remain vital to long-term success. What people do while taking these medications can help determine whether weight loss translates into lasting improvements in health, physical function and quality of life.

The Part of the Story That Gets Overlooked

There has been considerable discussion on social media and elsewhere about reductions in lean body mass, including skeletal muscle, among people taking obesity medications. That has raised important questions about the roles of resistance training, adequate protein intake and other evidence-based strategies for helping preserve muscle during weight loss.

Significant weight loss, regardless of how it is achieved, typically results in reductions in both fat mass and lean body mass. While fat loss accounts for most of the weight reduction, some muscle loss can occur as well. Because skeletal muscle plays a critical role in strength, mobility, metabolic health and everyday function, preserving muscle mass and strength should be an important consideration throughout treatment.

As highlighted in my recent U.S. News & World Report column, individuals taking these medications should view physical activity, particularly resistance exercise, as an essential component of a comprehensive treatment plan.

More broadly, the public conversation has largely equated successful obesity treatment with weight loss. While weight reduction is an important outcome, it is only one measure of progress. Long-term health depends on much more than the number on the scale.

Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, metabolic health, physical function and quality of life all contribute to overall well-being. In fact, higher levels of fitness and strength are independently associated with lower risks of chronic disease and premature mortality.

Ultimately, the goal should not simply be to become lighter. It should be to become healthier, stronger and better able to do the things that matter most. By focusing not only on weight loss but also on preserving muscle, improving fitness and maintaining physical function, individuals are more likely to realize the full health benefits of treatment.

Where Exercise Professionals Come In

Obesity medications do not replace healthy behaviors. Rather, they can create an opportunity for individuals to establish sustainable habits that support long-term health. This is where qualified exercise professionals come in, as they are educated and trained to design safe, individualized programs that help people improve strength, fitness and self-efficacy to help facilitate long-term adherence to healthy behaviors.

As exercise becomes more fully integrated into healthcare, physicians and other healthcare providers need confidence that the professionals to whom they refer patients have appropriate qualifications and work within an established scope of practice. Resources such as the Coalition for the Registration of Exercise Professionals’ U.S. Registry of Exercise Professionals (USREPS) does this and can help support that referral process.

That kind of credential transparency matters. A physician referring a patient for exercise support should be able to identify a professional with the appropriate education, certification and scope of practice, just as patients should have confidence that the person guiding their exercise program meets recognized professional standards.

Organizations such as the American Council on Exercise are preparing exercise professionals to work more effectively alongside physicians, registered dietitian nutritionists and other healthcare providers as part of a multidisciplinary approach to obesity care.

The evidence supports incorporating resistance training into treatment plans for people using obesity medications to help reduce muscle loss and maintain or develop strength during weight loss. Aerobic exercise supports cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular and metabolic health, while adequate dietary protein can provide additional support for maintaining lean tissue. Together, those strategies should be viewed as integral components of obesity care—not optional add-ons.

A Call to Action

Obesity medications can reduce appetite, improve satiety and support clinically meaningful weight loss, but they cannot directly build muscle, improve cardiorespiratory fitness or replace the healthy behaviors that sustain long-term health.

Obesity is a complex, chronic disease influenced by biology, environment, behavior and social factors. That is precisely why medications and lifestyle change should not be viewed as competing approaches.

The strongest approach is to integrate evidence-based medical treatment with exercise, nutrition and behavioral support. Healthcare systems should routinely incorporate qualified exercise professionals into multidisciplinary obesity care teams, and patients should ask their healthcare providers how structured exercise—particularly resistance training—can complement their treatment plan.

The ultimate goal of obesity treatment is not simply to help people lose weight. It’s to help them live healthier, more active lives. The promise of these medications should be measured not only in pounds lost, but also in health gained and exercise and other healthy lifestyle habits are essential to realizing that promise.

Cedric X. Bryant serves as chief executive officer of the American Council on Exercise (ACE), where he focuses on advancing science-based education, championing inclusivity and empowering health and exercise professionals to help people build lasting healthy habits. In August 2026, he was inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame for more than three decades of work advancing exercise science, professional standards and inclusive health initiatives.

Bryant has authored, co-authored or edited more than 40 books and written more than 400 articles. He is frequently featured as an expert voice in outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Time and Newsweek.