Why I Chose to Train Women on GLP-1s

Why I choose to train women using GLP-1s

When you start working with a personal trainer, one of the first things we usually want to find out is your “why.” We want to learn about your goals, both during exercise and in your daily life.

We ask because it helps us understand what matters to you. We want to know if this is something you genuinely want for yourself or something someone else is asking you to do. We’re looking to find out where your motivation is coming from. That may sound cheesy, but your answer matters. It shapes how we train you, the support we offer, and how likely you are to stick with it.

But what if it went both ways and you got to ask your trainer what their “why” is, or why they choose to do this kind of work? I’m guessing you’d hear something like they have a passion for helping people get healthy, or that fitness changed their life and now they want to pass it on.

Those are good answers, but they can feel a little generic, even if they’re wholeheartedly true. That’s because they don’t really go deep enough. If you’re thinking about working with me (or you’ve just started), I think it’s only fair that you know my why. Mine isn’t just about helping people. It’s about who I’ve chosen to help and why I built an entirely different way of doing it.


What My First Career Taught Me About People

For over 20 years, I worked in financial services, often sitting across the table from people making important decisions about money, business, family, and long-term financial security. I learned early on that everyone’s story is different. And if I wanted to really connect with people, I had to meet them where they were.

That meant the way I spoke, the questions I asked, and the solutions I offered had to match the person in front of me. It wasn’t about being fake or changing who I was. It was about adjusting my approach so it made sense to them. And I’ve carried that mindset into every role since, including when I stepped into fitness.

Why Women Using GLP-1s Are at the Center of My Work

Women taking GLP-1 medications are often left out of the fitness conversation entirely. Some people (trainers included) treat women using weight loss medications like they’re cheating the system or taking the easy way out. Others see GLP-1s as a threat to the fitness industry.

That’s never how I saw it.

I chose to work with them because no one else was. They were being misunderstood, judged, or ignored, even though they still need real support. GLP-1s are not a shortcut. And I don’t care how many times we have to say it to get through to those who dismiss this fact: they are a tool. And like any tool, they work best with a strategy and a trainer who understands why some people take them and what they’re really used for.

Women navigating fatigue, body changes, and side effects are often doing so alone. The mental load of adjusting to a new body, new habits, and a new way of living can be really challenging. On top of that, they’re losing muscle faster than expected. They are warned about how serious that can be, but then are sort of left to figure things out on their own.

They don’t just need someone telling them what to do. They need someone who listens and makes them feel safe. They need someone (especially a trainer) who respects their decision to take medication and knows how to train them through it.

That’s what I do. I’m not competing with the medication. I’m here to support the women using it. I want women on GLP-1s to feel stronger, move better, and truly be seen, heard, and trained with care.

I chose to train women on GLP-1s because I believe they deserve a space in fitness that feels built for them, not borrowed from someone else’s plan.

I want them to know that kindness isn’t a weakness, and it doesn’t water down their results. I want them to feel welcome and know that they belong. To experience strength training in a way that feels strong and structured. To see that empathy in training doesn’t require a therapy license, that it takes listening, understanding, and thoughtful design.

Women performing GLP-1 specific exercises at home

What Helping Women Looks Like in My Practice

First, let’s get this out of the way. I’ll never tell you that your goal should be to stop medication. That’s not my lane. And I will never shame you for using science to support your health.

What I will do is listen to you so I can design a program that helps you stay strong, steady, and confident while your body changes. For me, helping isn’t about shouting motivation or handing out random circuits that leave you exhausted just for the sake of it.

Helping means:

  • A Safe Space: Live virtual sessions mean no gym crowds, no stares, no explaining yourself. It’s just you and me.
  • Making it Convenient: No commute, no running late, no juggling school drop-off or rushing to work. It’s about you, on your time.
  • Flexible Equipment Options: We work with whatever you have, or nothing at all. The focus is on movement, not gear.
  • Intentional Structure: Every exercise has a purpose, a foundation, and a progression.
  • We Move in Phases: Each one builds on the last to develop strength and confidence without skipping steps.
  • Progression Built into Every Session: Your plan evolves based on how your body responds.
  • Empathy Without Pity: Adjustments for side effects or past injuries are made without making you feel fragile (because you aren’t).
  • Elegance in Training: Strength doesn’t have to mean pouring sweat, being loud, or feeling unnecessarily aggressive. Strong can be, and often is, feminine, sculpted, controlled, and deeply felt.

I want to help you build a strong foundation that supports you now and stays with you, no matter what your future looks like.

The Remedy

Seventh Remedy is a private, high-touch strength training company I founded specifically for women using GLP-1 therapies because I saw how often they were being overlooked in fitness spaces.

The Remedy Method is the training system I created to make that happen. It’s for the women who’ve felt invisible in the gym. The ones who’ve never had a trainer actually listen.

I’m here, I’m listening, and everything I’ve created is for them.

Helping women using these therapies and making a real difference isn’t a tagline. It’s the reason I walked away from a comfortable career that I could have ridden out to retirement and stepped into this work full-time.

What I love most is helping women discover they’re capable of more than they thought. I love designing programs that meet them where they are and watching their confidence grow as they do things they once believed were out of reach. Seeing someone get stronger, move better, and realize they can trust their body again is incredible.

Over and over, I hear women tell me this feels different than anything they’ve tried before or what they assumed strength training would be. It’s effective and challenging, but not punishing. We focus on building real strength through thoughtful, progressive training that is high intensity, low impact, and designed around how your body actually moves, not endless cardio or complicated gym machines.

I design training that adapts to your body and honors your pace. This is strength training without shame, pressure, or performance. And I do it all virtually, so it’s convenient, flexible, and built for your real life. No commute and no gym stress. Just focused support, wherever you are.

This is why I work with women on GLP-1s. I built Seventh Remedy so that you never feel left out of fitness again.


Photo Credits

Fitness Copyspace, Workout Plan Mockup Clipboard by fascinadora

Online workout exercise at home by Natee Meepian’s Images

This article is for educational purposes and is not intended to replace medical consultation. Always consult a healthcare professional before making health-related decisions. If something here doesn’t sit right with you, take a closer look. Ask questions, look into it further, and make sure it makes sense for your body and your situation. When relevant, I include references to support key points so you can explore things more on your own.

Read the full disclaimer here. 

Editorial Note: Portions of this article may be supported by editorial tools, including AI. All content is researched, written, reviewed, and approved by Claudia Dzina, CPT, before publication

The Remedy Method

Most exercise programs focus on what to do.
This work focuses on helping your body feel steady and capable again as it changes.

Training is guided, intentional, and paced to support strength, balance, and confidence in real life, not just workouts.

If your body feels different and you’re not sure where to start, this is a supportive place to begin.

This is where it begins.

Share a bit about where you are so I can meet you there with the right kind of training support.

Thank You for Sharing Your Experience

Thank you for taking the time to complete this form. I appreciate your feedback and the trust you placed in Seventh Remedy.

Your words help me continue improving my services and may help another woman feel more comfortable taking the next step.

Here’s to feeling your best,

Claudia

Heart Rate & Effort Calculator

Understand Your Heart Rate Zones 

Estimate your heart rate zones and learn what each effort level should actually feel like.

Heart rate zones can help you understand how hard your body is working during cardio, walking, strength circuits, or conditioning. But heart rate is only one way to measure intensity. Your heart rate can be affected by sleep, stress, hydration, medication, caffeine, fitness level, and even the temperature in the room.

This calculator gives you an estimate that you can compare with your breathing, talk test, and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) so you can understand effort in a more practical way.

Use heart rate as a guide. If your smartwatch or fitness device says one thing but your body says something else, pay attention.

Check in with yourself and ask:

  • Can I talk?
  • Can I control my breathing?
  • Could I sustain this pace?
  • Do I feel steady or overwhelmed?
  • Does this match the goal of today’s workout?

Age (years)

This tool is for education only. It does not diagnose, prescribe exercise intensity, or replace guidance from your medical team. If you take medication that affects heart rate or have cardiovascular concerns, ask your medical provider what intensity range is appropriate for you.

Is The Remedy Method
Right For Me?

(Find out in less than 1 minute!)

Answer a few quick questions about how your body feels and how you like to exercise. This will help you see if The Remedy Method, which blends corrective exercise, Pilates-style control, and strength training for women on GLP-1 medications, is a good fit for you.

1. Are you currently using a GLP-1 medication?

2. How often do you notice nausea, dizziness, low energy, or fast fatigue during movement?

3. Have you noticed changes in your balance, coordination, or stability since your body started changing?

4. Do certain movements feel awkward or disconnected now, like squats, lunges, bending, stepping, or getting off the floor?

5. Do you notice any of these when you move or exercise? (Select all that apply.)

6. Do you feel comfortable exercising in a public gym or group class?

7. Does the idea of guided instruction sound helpful right now?

8. Have you ever felt rushed, judged, or misunderstood by past trainers or programs?

9. What matters most to you right now? (Select all that apply.)

10. Do you want a structured plan with phases that build on each other?

11. Can you commit to training at home with simple equipment or none at all?

12. Would you benefit from having a trainer watch your form and guide your pacing in real time over Zoom?

This quiz is for education and reflection. It is not a medical screen or diagnosis. Always follow the guidance of your medical team for movement and exercise.

GLP-1 Nutrition
Reflection Tool

A quick check-in on your last meal and today’s patterns so you can see what your body might be asking for next.

Step 1 of 4
Think of your last meal. How many different colors were on your plate?
Where did most of the color come from?
What was the main protein in your last meal?
How was that protein prepared?
How many sides did you have with that meal?
What best describes your sides? (Choose all that apply.)
How were your sides prepared?
What was the main starch or grain at your last meal?
How much of your plate did that starch or grain take up?
Which of these were part of your last meal? (Choose all that apply.)
About how long did it take you to eat your last meal?
What were you doing while you ate?
Where did your last meal come from?
How long did it take to get that meal from “I’m hungry” to “let’s eat”?
How easy was this meal to put together?
Were you able to finish everything on your plate?
How did you feel 30–60 minutes after that meal?
So far today, how many different fruits have you eaten?
So far today, how many different vegetables have you eaten?
How many times have you reached for a snack today?
Which of these sounds most like your typical snack today?
What color were most of your drinks today?
Did you add anything to your drinks to make them taste better?
In the past week, how often have you felt too full to finish a small or normal-sized meal?
In the past week, how often have you felt nausea or strong discomfort after eating?
In the past week, how often have you gone more than 5 waking hours without eating anything?
Thinking about a typical day, how do your meals usually look?
Over the past week, how has your sleep been?
Do you have any kind of evening wind-down routine?
Your GLP-1 Meal Reflection
What this might be telling you
Optional: next-step ideas

    BMI & Waist Check

    Use this tool to look at your Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist size.

    BMI compares your height and weight to estimate general body size. It does not measure fat or muscle and cannot show how your body is changing with strength training or GLP-1 use. It is simply a numerical estimate.

    Waist size provides additional information because abdominal fat is more closely linked to metabolic risk than fat stored in other areas. Measuring the waist gives a better idea of where the body is holding weight.

    Both BMI and waist size can change quickly when someone starts a GLP-1. Muscle, water, and fat often shift at different rates, so these numbers work best as general reference points rather than something to obsess over.

    This tool gives you a simple snapshot you can use for your own self-awareness or just to know before doctor’s appointments. It’s one of several things to pay attention to, along with movement quality, strength levels, recovery, and daily well-being.

    Waist size is optional. The tool will still calculate your BMI if you skip that section.

    BMI Categories:

     

    • Underweight: Below 18.5
    • Healthy weight: 18.5 – 24.9
    • Overweight: 25 – 29.9
    • Obese: 30 or greater
      • Class I (Mild): 30–34.9
      • Class II (Moderate): 35–39.9
      • Class III (Severe): 40 or greater

    Unit of measure

    Sex

    Age (years)

    Height (feet)

    Height (inches)

    Weight (pounds)

    Waist circumference (inches, optional)

    This tool is for education only. It cannot diagnose medical conditions. If you have new symptoms or health concerns, talk with your medical team for guidance. For adults only. BMI is one data point and does not reflect muscle, body composition changes on GLP-1s, or overall health.

    Is The Remedy Method
    Right For Me?

    1. Are you currently using a GLP-1 medication?

    2. How often do you notice nausea, dizziness, low energy, or fast fatigue during movement?

    3. Have you noticed changes in your balance, coordination, or stability since your body started changing?

    4. Do certain movements feel awkward or disconnected now, like squats, lunges, bending, stepping, or getting off the floor?

    5. Do you notice any of these when you move or exercise? (Select all that apply.)

    6. Do you feel comfortable exercising in a public gym or group class?

    7. Does the idea of guided instruction sound helpful right now?

    8. Have you ever felt rushed, judged, or misunderstood by past trainers or programs?

    9. What matters most to you right now? (Select all that apply.)

    10. Do you want a structured plan with phases that build on each other?

    11. Can you commit to training at home with simple equipment or none at all?

    12. Would you benefit from having a trainer watch your form and guide your pacing in real time over Zoom?

    This quiz is for education and reflection. It is not a medical screen or diagnosis. Always follow the guidance of your medical team for movement and exercise.

    Movement Pattern Starting Point

    Answer these questions about how your body feels today. This tool helps you find a safe starting point for key movement patterns if you are using GLP-1 medications or coming back to exercise after weight loss. The goal is to match your body to the right level of support, not to push through pain or fear.

    1. How do your knees feel when you walk, use stairs, or stand up from a chair?

    2. How does your low back feel today?

    3. How steady do you feel on your feet?

    4. Can you safely get down to the floor and back up on your own?

    5. Any foot or ankle pain when you walk or stand?

    6. Right now, how confident do you feel about moving your body?

    This tool is for education only. It cannot diagnose injuries. If you have strong pain, falls, or new symptoms, talk with your health care team before starting or changing your exercise plan.

    GLP-1 Training
    Readiness Check

    Many women notice changes in balance, coordination, and strength as they lose weight. This tool helps you choose movements that feel supportive instead of stressful, so you can build confidence and avoid overloading joints or overworking muscles that are still adjusting.

    1. Have you eaten a small meal or snack in the last 2 to 3 hours?

    2. How is your stomach right now?

    3. How is your energy right now on a scale from 1 to 10?

    4. Have you felt dizzy, faint, or lightheaded when you stand up today?

    5. Any new sharp pain, chest tightness, or trouble breathing since your last workout?

    This tool is for education only and does not replace medical advice. If you ever feel unsure, choose rest and contact your health care team.

    Macro Split Calculator

    First, calculate your daily protein target using the protein calculator.

    Then enter your maintenance calories from the TDEE calculator, or type in a starting estimate, and choose your goal. This calculator adjusts your calories based on that goal and shows you how those calories break down into protein, fats, and carbohydrates. This is called a macro split.

    For women using GLP-1 medications or going through weight loss, this structure is designed to make eating feel more manageable. Protein supports muscle. Fats support hormones and nutrient absorption. Carbohydrates support energy, movement, and recovery.

    Protein recommendations online can be confusing because the official Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is designed to prevent deficiency, not necessarily support muscle retention during weight loss. The RDA for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, but many experts recommend closer to 1.2–1.6 g/kg during weight loss or resistance training. That is why our Daily Protein Target Calculator starts at 1.2 g/kg.

    Fat intake is usually recommended as a percentage of total calories rather than a fixed number. For most adults, about 20% to 35% of daily calories coming from fat is considered a balanced range. This calculator keeps fats within a moderate range while balancing protein and carbohydrates based on your calorie needs and goal.

    Carbohydrates help support energy, movement, recovery, and brain function. General nutrition guidelines often place carbohydrate intake within a broad range depending on activity level and calorie needs. Instead of using a rigid percentage, this calculator adjusts carbohydrates based on your calorie intake, protein target, and fat needs while maintaining a minimum intake for daily function and energy levels. However, carbohydrate needs can still vary widely depending on activity level, appetite, medications, and overall calorie intake.

    Your protein target comes directly from the protein calculator. This tool builds the rest of your intake around that number.

    Please note: If you choose Body Recomposition (losing fat and building muscle), the calculator uses a smaller calorie reduction than the Fat loss setting. This provides more energy for strength training and recovery while still creating a modest starting deficit. Building muscle while losing fat is possible, but results will depend on your resistance training, protein intake, recovery, starting point, and actual calorie intake. The calculator provides a starting structure rather than guaranteeing that both changes will happen at the same rate.

    kcal

    Use your TDEE number from the TDEE calculator or enter a starting maintenance estimate. This calculator will adjust that number based on your goal before splitting your macros.
    Use my TDEE Calculation

    Adjusted calories: 0 kcal per day

    Protein: 0 g per day

    Fat: 0 g per day

    Carbs: 0 g per day

    This is a starting point, not a prescription. Your medical team may adjust your needs based on your health, labs, and medication plan.

    Daily Protein Target

    Enter your weight and choose how often you strength train. This calculator gives you a daily protein range in grams to help support muscle, recovery, and overall health.

    The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. That amount is the minimum needed for basic health, not for maintaining muscle during weight loss or training.

    People may need more than the RDA when they are:

    • losing weight
    • using GLP-1 medications
    • strength training
    • trying to keep or build muscle
    • over age 35

    This calculator starts at 1.2 grams per kilogram. Think of this as your baseline for muscle protection, not a goal you have to exceed. The range increases slightly based on how often you train. This reflects what your body could use if it is supported with enough food and recovery.

    Because appetite can be lower on GLP-1 medications, you do not need to chase the highest number in the range. Start with the lower end of your range and focus on consistency first. If your appetite allows and your body is responding well, you can gradually work toward the higher end. If not, staying at the lower end is still effective for protecting muscle.

    lb

    Recommended range:

    0 to 0 grams per day

    This range is an estimate based on body weight and strength training level. It is a guide, not a strict rule. Your medical team may adjust your protein needs, especially while you are on GLP-1 medication.

    TDEE & BMR Calculator

    Fill in your details to find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).

    Your TDEE is the total amount of energy your body uses in a full day. This includes everything. Your workouts, walking, cleaning, daily movement, shifting posture, fidgeting, and even the energy it takes to digest your food.

    Part of your TDEE is your BMR. Your BMR is the energy your body needs for basic life functions like breathing, circulating blood, maintaining organs, and keeping your body temperature stable. This is what your body would use even if you stayed in bed all day.

    Understanding both numbers is helpful if you are on a GLP-1 or working on your health. Appetite can drop quickly, which makes it easy to undereat without noticing. Knowing your TDEE and BMR shows you how much fuel your body actually needs so you can keep your energy up, protect muscle, and support safe and steady fat loss.

    You can choose from three formulas to calculate these numbers. Mifflin-St. Jeor and Harris-Benedict use height, weight, age, and sex. Katch-McArdle uses body fat percentage if you know it. They use slightly different math equations, but they all estimate the same thing. Mifflin-St. Jeor is generally the most accurate for most people.

    lb
    ft in

    BMR: 0 kcal per day

    TDEE: 0 kcal per day

    These are estimates. Calculators may read low for people with more muscle and may not work well for people living with obesity. Use as a guide, not an exact number.

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    Live Virtual Training Options

    Private, 1:1 via Zoom

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    3-Pay Plan:

    3 payments of $320 (Total: $960) $40/session

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    Pay in Full:

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    3-Pay Plan:

    3 payments of $480 (Total: $1,440) $40/session

    Three automatic installments

    Simple. Transparent. No surprises.

    *Pricing shown is for 30-minute private training sessions. Each package is a 12-week program that includes either 24 or 36 scheduled live training sessions, depending on the option selected.

    Live, personalized training. No app. No gym. Support that adapts to your body and your life.