Train With Dave pitches muscle-preserving training for GLP-1 users

Train With Dave is targeting Orange County clients taking GLP-1 weight-loss drugs with a strength and nutrition program meant to help preserve lean muscle. The company’s move comes as published trial data show a meaningful share of weight loss on semaglutide and tirzepatide can come from muscle, not just fat.

Why it matters: - GLP-1 drugs can help patients lose weight, but published trial data show a substantial portion of that loss may come from lean tissue. - Train With Dave is betting that strength training and higher protein intake can help Orange County clients stay stronger while losing weight. - The issue matters after medication use too, because appetite can return when treatment stops and weight regain becomes a risk.

What happened: - Train With Dave said it offers a strength and nutrition program for clients taking GLP-1 medications at its studios in Orange, Irvine and Laguna Hills, California. - The Orange County company said the program is designed to protect muscle while clients lose weight. - David Cozzens founded Train With Dave in 2016.

The details: - In the STEP 1 semaglutide trial, a body-composition substudy of 140 participants measured by DXA found fat mass fell more than lean mass, but total lean body mass still declined. - Published analyses of STEP 1 and SURMOUNT-1 put lean tissue at roughly one quarter to 40 percent of total weight lost, depending on the trial and method used. - Separate research in adults losing weight through caloric restriction found resistance training plus adequate protein preserves most lean mass. - Published nutrition guidance for patients on GLP-1 medications recommends about 0.54 to 0.73 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily, or 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram. - Train With Dave sets its protein target as 30% to 35% of daily calories from protein, with coaches adjusting recommendations as appetite falls. - Clients on GLP-1 medications follow the same progressive strength work as other Train With Dave clients. - The program calls for two to four strength sessions a week. - Coaches program and track workouts through the company app and review progress monthly. - Train With Dave said the program also covers the period after a client stops the medication. - The company said its coaches do not manage the medication itself. - "We are personal trainers, not physicians," the company states on its website, and tells clients to work with the prescribing clinician on the drug. - Cozzens said the medication handles appetite, not muscle. - Cozzens said losing muscle can leave a person smaller, weaker and with a slower metabolism, which can increase the chance of regaining weight after stopping the drug. - Every Train With Dave coach holds a college degree, and several have master's degrees. - The company said it also keeps a nutritionist on staff. - Train With Dave said it has completed more than 150,000 training sessions in Orange County since 2016. - The company said more than 32,000 of those sessions took place in 2025. - Train With Dave said it has more than 1,000 five-star reviews. - Details of the program are posted at Train with Dave GLP1. - Additional company information and media resources are available at trainwithdaveoc.com/press. - The company says more information is available at trainwithdaveoc.com, and it lists (714) 904-2036 as a contact number.

Between the lines: - Train With Dave is positioning itself inside a fast-growing health trend while emphasizing a support role, not a medical one. - The company is translating clinical concerns about lean-mass loss into a service pitch centered on protein targets, resistance training and coaching. - The message also aligns with a broader body of research suggesting weight-loss success may depend on preserving muscle, not just cutting pounds.

What's next: - Train With Dave said it will continue coaching clients through medication use and after discontinuation. - The company’s focus on strength work and protein targets suggests it expects demand from patients looking for a structured way to stay leaner and stronger on GLP-1 therapy. - Clients still need to coordinate any medication changes with their prescribing clinicians.