Why some PTs hate GPL-1

Why Do Some PTs Hate GLP-1s?

There seems to be a growing divide in the fitness industry when it comes to GLP-1 medications (Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro, Saxenda, Victoza). Some Personal Trainers see them as "cheating", taking the easy way out or undermining everything we stand for as fitness professionals.

I understand where that attitude comes from. But after 20 years working as a Personal Trainer, I think that perspecive shows a lack of empathy and a lack of experience.

Perhaps those PTs don’t understand their clients well enough

The reality is that many PTs simply haven't worked extensively with people who have struggled with significant excess weight for most of their lives.

If you've always been naturally lean, enjoyed exercise, grew up in a family where healthy food was normal and never had a particularly difficult relationship with food, it can be incredibly difficult to understand what life is like for someone at the other end of that spectrum.

For some people, the problem didn't start with a lack of knowledge about calories or exercise. Their relationship with food can be influenced by childhood, family environment, habits, emotional factors, income, food availability and years of unsuccessful dieting.

So when someone says, "Just eat less and exercise more," we need to ask: what if they've been trying that for 20 years?

GLP-1 isn't necessarily the easy option

For many people using GLP-1 medication, this isn't their first attempt at losing weight. It may come after years of diets, calorie counting, slimming clubs, excessive exercise and repeated cycles of losing and regaining weight.

Calling that person "lazy" or suggesting they're cheating completely misses the point.

GLP-1 medications can reduce appetite and make it easier for some people to create a calorie deficit.

And that's where I think Personal Trainers have a huge opportunity.

We shouldn't compete with the medication — we should complement it

As PTs, our job isn't to decide whether someone has "earned" the right to lose weight without medication.

Our job is to help them become stronger, fitter and healthier.

After 20 years as a PT, I've seen enough clients struggle with their weight to know that there isn't one solution that works for everyone.

GLP-1 medication isn't a shortcut to health. Used poorly, it can create its own problems. But used correctly, alongside good nutrition, resistance training and proper support, I believe it can be a genuinely positive tool for people who have spent years struggling with their weight.

Maybe instead of asking, "Are GLP-1s cheating?", we should be asking:

"How can we, as Personal Trainers, help people use them in the healthiest possible way?"

To find out more about using a PT to help your GPL-1 fat loss experience, read my other blog on GPL-1 & PT.