FAQ
Direct answers first, detail after. General information only; your clinician knows your situation best.
Yes, for most adults. A 2025 joint advisory from four U.S. obesity and nutrition organizations recommends resistance training alongside adequate protein during GLP-1 therapy, because some of the weight lost can be lean mass. How much, what kind and how hard depends on your health, so check with your clinician if you have a medical condition, a recent injury or fracture, or exercise restrictions.
Weight loss from any cause, including GLP-1 treatment, usually includes some loss of lean mass as well as fat. How much varies a lot between people and studies, and lean mass is not the same thing as muscle strength or function. It doesn't mean everyone will become weak. Resistance exercise and enough protein are the commonly recommended ways to support muscle during weight loss.
U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week for adults. If you're starting from nothing, one or two short sessions a week is a reasonable place to begin, then build up at a pace you can keep.
There's no general rule. Some people feel fine, others notice side effects on certain days. Sturdy doesn't change exercise based on your medication timing. It lets you move, shorten or skip sessions whenever you like. If symptoms are concerning, don't exercise through them; contact your healthcare professional.
No app can promise that, and Sturdy doesn't claim to. It's a tool to help you plan and keep up a strength routine, track protein and record your own progress. It doesn't diagnose, treat or prevent any condition.
Pick three to six movements that cover different patterns: a squat or sit-to-stand, a push, a hinge, a pull, and a balance or carry. Do each for a set number of reps or seconds, rest as needed, and repeat for a second round if you have time. Five minutes works as a habit-builder; 20 minutes allows two full rounds.
None to start. Sturdy's free library is mostly bodyweight movements using a wall and a sturdy chair. A resistance band or a pair of dumbbells adds more options.
Stop the movement. Pain, dizziness, chest discomfort or unusual shortness of breath are reasons to stop exercising. In the app you can swap the movement or mark it uncomfortable so it's left out of future suggestions. For ongoing pain, talk to a healthcare professional.
It counts how many times you can stand up fully from a chair, arms crossed, in 30 seconds. The CDC includes it in its STEADI older-adult fall-prevention toolkit as a check of leg strength and endurance. At home, it's most useful for comparing your own results over time under the same conditions, not for diagnosing anything.
Track only protein, by meal. Log each meal's protein from the label, a typical value for a common food, or a rough hand-portion estimate, or just check off that you had a protein food. Sturdy and the free protein checklist on this site work this way and label where every number came from.
It depends on your body size, health and treatment, so Sturdy doesn't set a target for you. Ask your clinician or a registered dietitian. People with kidney disease or other conditions that affect diet may need specific limits.
Record the date, medication name, the dose exactly as it appears on your prescription or pen, and the site used, plus any notes. Only use the sites listed in your product's official instructions. Sturdy's optional medication log stores this on your iPhone and never suggests or changes doses.
What you've been doing (type, how often, how long), anything that caused pain, dizziness or unusual symptoms, any strength checks you've recorded, and your questions written down. Sturdy's appointment summary puts the sections you choose into one PDF.
Yes. The free app includes the weekly planner, all three session types, the core movement library, protein logging, optional medication records, strength checks, 30-day summaries and CSV export. Sturdy Pro is an optional weekly or yearly subscription that adds more movements, longer sessions, label reading, unlimited saved meals and longer progress history.
On your iPhone. There's no account and no Sturdy server. If you subscribe, Apple and RevenueCat process the purchase with an anonymous identifier; your health records aren't part of it.
No. Medication tracking is optional and can be hidden. Planning, workouts, protein and progress work for anyone who wants a manageable strength routine.
No. The website planner saves only in your browser. In the app you build your week in a few taps during setup.
Written by
The Sturdy publisher (independent app developer). Not a clinician.
Review status
Not reviewed by a physician, pharmacist, dietitian or physiotherapist. Checked against the sources below.
Published
September 26, 2026
Last reviewed
September 26, 2026
Limitations
Short general answers, not medical advice. Evidence on exercise and nutrition specifically during GLP-1 therapy is still developing.
Sources
