Movement Practice

Exercise

Weight loss reshapes the body, but movement decides what shape it takes. Lift to keep your strength, move often to support your heart and hormones, and rest well enough to keep coming back.

Medical Disclaimer · Wegovy Woman is educational. Nothing here replaces advice from your doctor or prescribing clinician.

The priority

Weight lifting

Protects the muscle you already have, sculpts the physique you want, and keeps metabolism healthier through weight loss.

The foundation

Cardio

Supports heart health, insulin sensitivity and hormonal balance. Not the main driver of fat loss, but essential to wellbeing.

The multiplier

Recovery

Sleep, walking and mobility. This is where adaptations happen. Skip it and progress stalls no matter how hard you train.

Chapter one

Weight lifting is non-negotiable

During weight loss, up to a third of what you lose can be lean muscle unless you actively protect it. Resistance training is the single most effective way to change that outcome.

Why it matters more now

Wegovy quietens appetite, which makes protein and stimulus even more important. Lifting tells the body: keep this muscle, burn fat instead.

How often

Two to four sessions per week, 30 to 45 minutes each. Even two well-run full-body sessions produce meaningful results.

How hard

Work to within 1 to 3 reps of failure on your last set. Weights that feel genuinely challenging by the final reps - not comfortable.

A beginner's full-body template

Two sessions per week. Rest at least a day between them. Start light, master the movement, then add load.

Session A

Goblet squat3 x 8
Dumbbell press (floor or bench)3 x 8
Romanian deadlift (light)3 x 8
Dumbbell row3 x 10
Plank3 x 30 s

Session B

Split squat3 x 8 each side
Incline press-up3 x 8
Hip thrust3 x 10
Lat pulldown or band pulldown3 x 10
Dead bug3 x 8 each side

New to lifting? A few sessions with a qualified coach is the fastest way to learn form and avoid injury.

How to progress

Add a small amount of weight when the top of the rep range feels manageable
Keep a simple log - phone notes are fine
Prioritise the same handful of movements for at least 6 to 8 weeks
Change exercises when boredom or plateaus hit, not every week

What women often worry about

Lifting will not make you 'bulky' - it builds shape and tone
Soreness in the first weeks is normal, not damage
You do not need a barbell to start - dumbbells and bands are enough
Consistency at 70% effort beats sporadic 100% effort

Chapter two

Cardio still matters

Lifting shapes the body, but cardio protects the heart, sharpens insulin response and helps regulate the hormonal shifts that come with weight change. It belongs in every week, in some form.

Zone 2 walking

150 min / week

Brisk, conversational-pace walking is the easiest, most sustainable cardio. Break it into 20 to 40 minute chunks across the week.

Steady-state cardio

2 x 30 min / week

Cycling, swimming, incline treadmill or the elliptical at a moderate effort. Builds an aerobic base without eating into recovery from lifting.

Short intervals

1 x 15 - 20 min

Optional. Hard efforts of 30 to 60 seconds with equal rest. Efficient for cardio fitness, but keep it once a week alongside lifting.

Cardio, hormones and intimacy

Weight loss shifts the body's hormonal landscape. Cortisol, insulin, oestrogen and thyroid signalling all respond to consistent movement. Regular cardio helps smooth those shifts, supports mood and sleep, and often improves libido and body confidence as fitness builds.

Intimacy itself is a form of cardiovascular activity. Sex raises the heart rate, releases oxytocin and endorphins, and can help relieve the hormonal tension that often builds during dose increases. It is not a replacement for structured exercise, but it is a legitimate, healthy part of an active life - and worth protecting during a weight-loss phase, not letting it fall away. More on this in Sexual Wellness.

Bringing it together

A sensible weekly template

Two lifting sessions, most days walking, one longer cardio piece and one true rest day. Adjust to your life - consistency beats perfection.

Mon
Lift - Session A (40 min)
Strength
Tue
Brisk walk 30 min + mobility
Recovery
Wed
Steady cardio 30 min (cycle, swim, incline walk)
Cardio
Thu
Lift - Session B (40 min)
Strength
Fri
Brisk walk 30 min
Recovery
Sat
Optional intervals 15 min + long walk
Cardio
Sun
Rest, stretch, sleep in
Recovery

Chapter three

Recovery is where the work lands

Muscle is built between sessions, not during them. On Wegovy, with a smaller appetite and a calorie deficit, recovery matters more, not less.

Sleep

7 to 9 hours consistently - non-negotiable for muscle repair
Cool, dark room; screens off 30 minutes before bed
Alcohol close to bedtime dramatically reduces recovery quality

Daily movement

Aim for 7,000 to 10,000 steps most days
Short walks after meals help blood sugar and digestion
Stand and move for a few minutes every hour if you work at a desk

Mobility and yoga

10 to 15 minutes, two to three times per week is enough
Focus on hips, thoracic spine and shoulders
A slow yoga or Pilates class covers all of it in one go

Fuel the recovery

Protein at every meal - the training stimulus needs raw material
Hydrate before and after sessions, especially on higher doses
Consider a small carbohydrate + protein snack within an hour of lifting

Starting out

Getting started safely

New to structured training, or returning after a break? Ease in. The programme you can sustain for a year is the one that changes your body.

Clear exercise with your clinician if you have cardiovascular, joint or pelvic-floor concerns
Begin with 2 short sessions per week and add from there once they feel routine
Fatigue and nausea are common in the first weeks on Wegovy - train lighter, not harder, on those days
Warm up for 5 minutes and finish with 5 minutes of easy movement
Stop and reassess if a movement causes sharp pain - discomfort is fine, pain is a signal