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NASM-certified trainer and nutrition coach Kylie Hansen told Fit&Well that using a GLP-1 medication has changed how she thinks about exercise: she prioritizes strength and muscle rather than workouts aimed only at moving the scale. She shared three exercises she personally likes—goblet squats, walking lunges and light dumbbell punches—along with easier variations and suggested sets and repetitions.
Personal trainer Kylie Hansen, who says she uses a GLP-1 medication and has had bariatric surgery, told Fit&Well that her weight-loss experience has shifted her focus from exercising to burn calories toward building strength and muscle. She recommended goblet squats, walking lunges and dumbbell punches as movements she personally uses, while stressing that people can adapt exercises to their abilities.
Hansen is a NASM-certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. In the Fit&Well interview, she said that losing weight and building a strong, healthy body are different goals. She described wanting to stay capable and active as she gets older, and said she is now less interested in workouts done only to make the number on the scale fall.
Her first recommendation is the goblet squat: hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at the chest, lower into a comfortable squat and stand again. Hansen’s suggested starting format is two to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions, with 60 to 90 seconds of rest. She said squat variations can be adapted, from standing up from a chair to using body weight or adding a dumbbell.
Hansen also recommended walking lunges, which she said challenge each side of the body and involve balance and coordination. Her suggested format is two to three sets of eight to 10 repetitions per side, resting 60 to 90 seconds. For a more manageable version, the source suggests a supported or stationary lunge. Her third choice, light dumbbell punches, involves alternating controlled arm movements for 20 to 30 seconds, followed by 45 to 60 seconds of rest. Hansen characterized these as a lighter resistance exercise, not a replacement for progressively loaded strength movements.
Why Hansen Prioritizes Strength
Hansen’s account offers a personal example of how someone using a GLP-1 medication may approach exercise alongside weight loss. Her central point is that a lower scale reading is not the same goal as developing strength, and she describes exercise as a way to work toward a body she feels is capable and active.
She also said that the medication’s effect on her appetite has affected her motivation. Hansen told Fit&Well that when weight can change without what feels like a large increase in effort, she sometimes has to challenge the thought that she does not need to exercise. That is her own experience, not evidence that everyone taking GLP-1s will respond to exercise or motivation in the same way.
The practical value of the interview is its emphasis on adjustable movements, not a single required routine. A chair-based squat or supported lunge may provide a starting point, while a person who is ready may add resistance. Hansen’s recommendations are personal training guidance reported by Fit&Well, not individualized medical advice.
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Hansen’s Training Approach
Hansen told Fit&Well that she has had bariatric surgery, currently uses a GLP-1 medication and has had spinal surgery. She said she favors dumbbell workouts and gym strength machines, describing the stability of machines as helping her feel more confident lifting heavier weights. She also said dumbbells let her move in a way that feels more natural to her body.
Her comments are grounded in her own history and preferences. She does not describe one exercise style as right for everyone; instead, she advises finding movements that suit the individual, starting at an appropriate level and creating opportunities to get stronger over time. Fit&Well’s report provides exercise instructions and sample sets, but does not establish that the three exercises are suitable for every person taking a GLP-1 or living with a history of surgery.
““Seeing the scale go down and building a strong, healthy body are not the same thing.””
— Kylie Hansen, speaking to Fit&Well
What the Interview Does Not Establish
The report describes Hansen’s personal experience; it does not present a study or evidence that GLP-1 medications produce the same changes in motivation or exercise needs for other users. The source also does not identify Hansen’s medication, dosage, treatment timeline or specific health circumstances beyond the surgeries she mentions.
It is not clear whether the suggested exercises or set-and-repetition ranges have been evaluated for people taking GLP-1 medications as a group. Nor does the interview provide individualized guidance for readers with medical conditions, pain, mobility limitations or a history of surgery. Anyone unsure whether an exercise is appropriate should seek advice from a qualified health professional.
How Readers Can Apply Her Advice
The Fit&Well report offers no announced follow-up, research release or next milestone. Hansen’s practical advice is to select movements that feel appropriate, begin with a manageable version and increase the challenge only when ready. That could mean practicing a sit-to-stand before trying a weighted squat, or using a supported lunge instead of walking lunges.
Readers taking a GLP-1 medication should not treat this interview as a personalized exercise or treatment plan. They can discuss exercise, nutrition and any concerns related to their medical history with their clinician, and work with a qualified trainer when they need help adapting movements. Hansen’s account leaves the broader question of how GLP-1 use affects exercise habits across different people unanswered.
Key Questions
Which exercises did Kylie Hansen recommend?
Hansen named goblet squats, walking lunges and light dumbbell punches as movements she personally likes. She also described easier ways to approach some of them, such as a chair-based squat or supported lunge.
How did Hansen say GLP-1 use changed her approach to exercise?
She told Fit&Well that she is less focused on exercising to burn calories or move the scale and more interested in building muscle and staying capable. She also said that weight loss without what feels like extra effort can affect her motivation to work out.
Did Hansen say dumbbell punches replace strength training?
No. Hansen described punches as a lighter resistance movement and said she would not use them instead of progressively loaded exercises such as squats, lunges, presses or rows.
Are these exercises appropriate for everyone taking GLP-1 medication?
The interview does not establish that. It shares Hansen’s personal preferences and general exercise suggestions, not an individualized plan. People with health conditions, pain or a history of surgery can ask a qualified health professional about suitable movements.
Source: rss
