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NASM-certified personal trainer Kylie Hansen says using a GLP-1 medication has changed how she thinks about exercise: she is less focused on calorie burn and scale changes and more focused on strength. In a Fit&Well interview, she shared three exercises she enjoys, while stressing that her experience is personal and exercise choices should suit the individual.
Personal trainer Kylie Hansen says using a GLP-1 medication has shifted her exercise focus away from burning calories and moving the scale toward building strength. In an interview with Fit&Well, Hansen, who also said she has had bariatric surgery, described how the medication affects her motivation and shared three exercises she enjoys: goblet squats, walking lunges and light dumbbell punches.
Hansen is a NASM-certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. She told Fit&Well that her experience includes bariatric surgery and current GLP-1 use. She said medication can reduce how much she eats, allowing her weight to change without what she feels is a comparable increase in effort. That can make it easier for her to think exercise is unnecessary, she said, so she has to make a deliberate choice to work out.
Her three preferred movements are a goblet squat, a walking lunge and a dumbbell punch. Hansen recommends squats for their range of variations and the lower-body and stabilizing muscles they involve. She describes lunges as a way to challenge each side of the body, with balance and coordination alongside strength. Dumbbell punches, she says, offer a less intimidating way to move, but she regards them as a lighter-resistance exercise rather than a substitute for progressively loaded strength movements.
The report gives suggested workout formats: two to three sets of eight to 12 goblet squats, and two to three sets of eight to 10 lunges on each side, with 60 to 90 seconds of rest. For dumbbell punches, it suggests 20 to 30 seconds for two to three sets, resting 45 to 60 seconds. These are exercise suggestions in the report, not a personalized plan for every person using GLP-1 medication.
Strength Beyond the Scale
Hansen’s account highlights a distinction relevant to people losing weight: weight change and strength development are different goals. Her stated priority is maintaining the ability to do activities she enjoys as she gets older, rather than exercising only to influence the number on a scale. That is her personal perspective, not evidence that GLP-1 use changes everyone’s exercise needs or motivation in the same way.
The practical value of her examples is their range of entry points. A squat can begin as standing up from a chair and progress to holding a weight; a lunge can be stationary or supported before it becomes a walking movement. Hansen’s advice is to choose movements that fit one’s body and build difficulty gradually. That approach may make strength training feel more accessible, while keeping the focus on ability and consistency rather than a single measure of progress.
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Hansen’s Exercise Approach
Hansen told Fit&Well that she prefers dumbbell workouts and machine-based strength training. She said machines’ added stability give her confidence to lift heavier, while dumbbells let her move in ways that feel more natural following spinal surgery. She also cautioned against treating any one method as the ideal approach for everyone.
Her exercise descriptions include modifications. For squats, she lists options ranging from chair sit-to-stands and bodyweight squats to weighted variations. For lunges, she suggests a stationary or supported version if walking lunges feel uncomfortable or unsteady. Her broader message is to start at an appropriate level and progress, rather than assuming an exercise only counts if performed in its most demanding form.
“The medication helps me eat less, so the scale can move without me feeling like I’m doing a tremendous amount of extra work.”
— Kylie Hansen, speaking to Fit&Well
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Limits of One Trainer’s Account
The report is a personal account and exercise recommendation, not a clinical study. It does not establish how GLP-1 medications affect exercise motivation across users, or whether Hansen’s experience applies to people taking different medications or following different treatment plans. The supplied material also does not identify the medication she uses, her dose, or how long she has taken it.
There is no individualized medical or fitness assessment in the report, and the exercise suggestions do not address readers’ health histories, injuries or ability levels. Hansen mentions prior spinal surgery, but the source does not provide further details about her recovery or any clinician’s guidance. Readers should not treat her routine as medical advice or assume that a particular exercise is suitable for them.
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Building Habits Over Time
Hansen’s next step, as she described it, is continuing to make deliberate choices about exercise, nutrition and habit-building while using the medication. The report does not announce a new program, a clinical trial or a forthcoming change in treatment; it presents her current preferences and reflections.
For readers considering the movements, a cautious approach is to begin with a manageable variation, pay attention to comfort and stability, and increase resistance or complexity gradually. Anyone taking a GLP-1 or managing a health condition can ask a health professional whether a workout approach is appropriate for their circumstances.
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Key Questions
Who is Kylie Hansen?
Hansen is a NASM-certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. She told Fit&Well that she has had bariatric surgery and currently uses a GLP-1 medication.
Which three exercises does Hansen recommend?
She shared goblet squats, walking lunges and dumbbell punches as movements she personally enjoys. She describes the punches as a lighter-resistance option, not a replacement for progressively loaded strength exercises.
What does Hansen say GLP-1 use changed about her workouts?
She said the medication helps her eat less and that her weight can change without what feels like a large amount of extra effort. That can reduce her motivation to exercise, so she said she has to make a conscious decision to keep working on the habit.
Are these exercises appropriate for everyone taking GLP-1 medication?
The report does not establish that. Hansen’s suggestions are personal recommendations, not an individualized plan. People with injuries, medical conditions or concerns about exercise should seek advice from a qualified health professional.
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