'Obesity medications are recommended in conjunction with health behaviour change, including physical activity,' says Beneva's Frances Lehun
As claims and usage of GLP-1 agonist, Ozempic and similar weight loss medications like Wegovy continue to rise, it’s only a matter of time before plan members may ask whether they need to workout while on the weight loss medication or whether they can just inject and be done with it.
While GLP-1 injections can support weight loss, health experts argue these medications should be used alongside healthy lifestyle changes, including a nutritious eating plan and regular exercise.
Frances Lehun emphasized the need to distinguish between Ozempic and Wegovy, noting that while both drugs contain semaglutide, they’re approved for different uses.
“Ozempic is indicated by Health Canada for treatment of type two diabetes… when we talk about weight management, it's Wegovy,” said Lehun, pharmacist at Beneva. “I just want people to know the difference with both because while they're the same semaglutide, they don't have the same indication.”
Despite this difference, Lehun made it clear that physical activity plays a crucial role in treatment plans involving either medication.
She stressed that exercise shouldn’t be viewed as optional but as a necessary component of long-term care for both diabetes management and weight loss. With Wegovy, for example, she noted that it’s “indicated as [an] adjunct to a low-calorie diet and increase of physical activity.”
Research on Wegovy found that once a week semaglutide injections can help people manage weight when used alongside a balanced eating plan and increased physical activity. In fact, clinical trials found that participants lost up to 13.1 kilograms of their body weight after a 8-week low-calorie diet and treatment plan.
“Obesity medications are recommended in conjunction with health behaviour change, including medical nutrition therapy and physical activity,” she said, referring to Canada’s updated 2025 obesity treatment guidelines.
Lehun also emphasized that semaglutide treatments like Wegovy should be seen as part of a broader, long-term strategy focused on changing lifestyle habits and not just one that’s about shedding pounds.
“It should be that members want to exercise to lose weight and they want that exercise to now be part of their routine,” she said.
Dr. Kelly Anderson agrees. From her perspective, exercise isn’t just recommended but foundational. Pointing to Obesity Canada guidelines, she noted that “pharmacologic weight management treatments, like Ozempic, can be used as an additive treatment alongside healthy food choices and physical activity,” she said in a statement.
Anderson, medical director at Felix Health and a family physician, stressed that “no matter what your body size is, everyone can benefit from having a regular exercise regimen.” She recommends 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise most days, along with strength training.
Lehun acknowledged that reaching a goal weight is often just the beginning. If patients stop the medication without adopting sustained behavioral changes, weight regain is common. However, maintaining healthy habits - especially regular physical activity - can help mitigate that.
“If you change your health habits, and you continue to be active, you might not gain all the weight that you would do if you never changed your habits in the first place,” she said, also underscoring the importance of resistance training, explaining that semaglutide can lead to both fat loss and muscle loss. Without strength-based exercise, patients risk losing vital muscle mass.
But the reality, both experts acknowledged, is that it’s not always easy. Lehun acknowledged that gastrointestinal issues are among the most common side effects for people starting on semaglutide treatments.
This is why dosing typically begins at a lower level and is gradually increased, she explained, adding that most people see improvements over time as their bodies adjust to the medication.
Despite initial discomfort, she underscored the importance of staying active, even just slightly.
“You should still be doing physical activity…just try to do a little bit more,” she said, adding if symptoms are too disruptive at the outset, she noted that exercise can be ramped up once the side effects diminish.
For those who continue to struggle, switching medications may be necessary.
“What we see is they try another one to see [if] this one will be better for them,” she explained.
Beyond weight control, Lehun pointed to a broad range of health benefits associated with regular exercise, from improved mental health and sleep to better management of blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
As for the workplace’s role in supporting these changes, Anderson asserted that the conversation must shift away from simplistic narratives.
“Avoid defaulting to concepts like ‘calories in/calories out’ that oversimplify the complexity of weight management,” she noted, stressing that weight is impacted by a complex web of hormonal, biological, and genetic factors.
“Obesity and overweight are chronic medical conditions that are highly visible, often leading to judgement, stigma and bias from society and even sometimes from the medical community,” she said. “As a result, people might be reluctant to seek out care and even resort to less credible, non-evidence-based sources for help.”
Anderson underscored employers should think about how benefits packages can promote overall health and keep in line with modern weight management recommendations, pointing to weight loss treatments under medical supervision, discounted access to a gym, and covering support for mental health resources.
Meanwhile, Lehun emphasized simple communication can go a long way. She suggests that communication helps to keep people informed about updated guidelines and available resources.
She argued that supporting physical activity at work shouldn't be limited to weight loss goals. It’s just as important for managing chronic conditions and improving mental health.
Lehun encouraged employers to be proactive and creative, suggesting initiatives like lunch-hour exercise programs, walking challenges or contests, and benefits plans that include gym memberships or subsidized transit.
“You can get really creative,” she said. “It should be part of just a good lifestyle in general.”
