Medically reviewed by Sydney Skinner, PA-C | Updated on September 2025

Thrive Medical Weight Loss, located in Pico Rivera, California, is a medically supervised clinic offering safe, personalized weight-loss solutions. These include GLP-1 weight loss prescriptions like Wegovy and Zepbound, vitamin injections, and supplements. 

To ensure patients lose fat without sacrificing muscle, the clinic uses the InBody body composition scale. Sydney Skinner, PA-C, quickly adopted InBody into her GLP-1 weight loss program after seeing its accuracy in tracking body fat, visceral fat, and muscle.

What Are GLP-1 Medications?

GLP-1 medications are a class of prescription drugs originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes but now widely used for weight management. GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1, a natural hormone that helps regulate blood sugar, appetite, and digestion.

These medications mimic the effects of GLP-1 in the body. They slow down how quickly food leaves the stomach, reduce appetite by signaling fullness to the brain, and help control blood sugar levels.

When combined with healthy lifestyle changes, GLP-1 medications can lead to significant weight loss. However, they can also cause unintended muscle loss if progress isn’t carefully monitored.

Why GLP-1 Weight Loss Needs Context

Historically, weight loss has been oversimplified as just a lower number on the bathroom scale. But not all weight loss is created equal. Without context, you may be losing as much muscle as fat.

Losing muscle:

• Reduces metabolic rate, making it harder to maintain weight loss

• Increases frailty, especially in older adults

• Raises the risk of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis

The rise of GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., semaglutide and tirzepatide) has amplified this concern. These medications are highly effective for weight reduction, but their strong appetite-suppressing effects can reduce protein intake. Without proper monitoring, that calorie deficit may accelerate lean muscle loss alongside fat.

The Risks: Muscle Loss on GLP-1s

GLP-1 medications have shown remarkable results, with many patients losing 15–20% of their body weight within a year. For individuals with obesity or metabolic syndrome, these outcomes can be life-changing.

But there’s a hidden danger. Recent research summarized in Nature Reviews Endocrinology reported that up to 40 percent of total weight lost during GLP-1 therapy may come from lean mass in the absence of nutrition and exercise interventions. Losing muscle compromises metabolic health and elevates the risk of weight regain post-medication. That means the number on the scale may look impressive, but the quality of the weight loss could actually undermine long-term health.

Making GLP-1 Weight Loss Safe, Effective, and Sustainable

Thrive Medical Weight Loss addresses the muscle loss issue by pairing GLP-1 therapy with InBody body composition analysis, ensuring fat loss is safe, sustainable, and protective of muscle and metabolism. 

Unlike a standard scale that only shows pounds lost, InBody separates weight into fat, muscle, and water. This allows providers to see what type of weight a patient is losing, making sure progress comes primarily from fat, not muscle.

At Thrive, Sydney Skinner, PA-C, emphasizes that GLP-1 for weight loss programs must include body composition monitoring.

“I can monitor them and make sure they’re not losing too much weight. The right combination of exercise, protein, and monitoring them closely during their weight loss is very key — and the InBody is just essential.”

The Proven Solution: GLP-1 Weight Loss With InBody Monitoring

Thrive uses a five-step approach that pairs the power of GLP‑1 medications with data-driven insights delivered via routine InBody scans and patient education.

Step 1: Baseline Assessment

Every new patient kicks off their program with a complete health evaluation that includes an InBody scan to establish their baseline. Unlike bathroom scales or BMI charts, InBody provides detailed insight into:

• Skeletal Muscle Mass

• Percent Body Fat

• Visceral Fat Level

• Body Water

• Basal Metabolic Rate

• Segmental Lean Analysis

The baseline that InBody delivers gives patients clarity and motivation. Patients learn why preserving muscle matters, why visceral fat is dangerous, and why the goal is fat loss with muscle preservation.

Step 2: GLP‑1 Medication Onboarding

Patients start on GLP-1 for weight loss responsibly - titrated slowly with counseling on hydration, electrolytes, and protein. Patients receive counseling on hydration, electrolytes, and protein intake, which are critical to maintaining muscle while taking appetite-suppressing medication.

Step 3: Nutrition and Exercise Coaching

Because GLP‑1s reduce hunger, patients often under-eat, especially protein. Thrive combats this with structured strategies:

• Protein-first approach: Prioritize 100–120g of protein daily

• Resistance training: 2–3 sessions per week

• Movement goals: Walking, stretching, and low-impact cardio

• Meal planning support

The goal of this multi-tiered approach is to reteach healthier habits with a focus on a protein-rich diet to ensure patients preserve muscle mass during their GLP-1 program.

Step 4: Regular InBody Monitoring

*InBody 570 Result Sheet outputs shown; outputs may differ depending on the model

Patients return every 2–4 weeks for follow-up InBody scans. These check-ins:

• Track muscle vs. fat loss via the Muscle-Fat Analysis metric

• Monitor visceral fat reduction via the Visceral Fat Level output

• Provide real-time feedback on progress shown via the Body Composition History chart and motivate patients to follow through 

When patients see tangible improvements in body fat percentage, visceral fat, and muscle retention, it gives them the confidence and motivation needed to be successful in their weight loss program. 

Step 5: Data-Driven Adjustments

If the InBody scan reveals that a patient’s skeletal muscle mass declines, Thrive acts immediately by:

• Increasing protein targets

• Adding extra resistance workouts

• Adjusting medication titration if weight loss is too rapid

This proactive approach prevents the “skinny fat” outcome that plagues other weight loss programs.

Why Muscle Matters in GLP-1 Programs

Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. Losing muscle reduces basal metabolic rate, the total number of calories you need for your basic essential functions, making weight maintenance more difficult. It also weakens the body, increases the risk of injury, and accelerates age-related frailty.

Without resistance training and adequate protein, GLP‑1 patients risk long-term harm — even as they look thinner.

GLP-1 Weight Loss Success Story: Jane's Transformation

Before getting in touch with Thrive, Jane had tried multiple weight loss programs with varying degrees of disappointing results, but had heard promising things about Thrive’s GLP-1 programming.

Jane's goals were to lose not just weight, but body fat while maintaining her muscle mass. Her initial InBody scan established an essential baseline that revealed where her body composition was at, where she wanted it to be, and the path to get there:

• Weight: 180.1 lbs

• Percent Body Fat: 46.9% 

• Skeletal Muscle: 52.7 lbs

After just nine months of Thrive’s integrated program, Jane was astounded by the tremendous progress made tangible by her routine InBody scan:

• Weight: 150.3 lbs (↓ 30 lbs)

• Percent Body Fat: 37.7% (↓ 9.2%)

• Muscle: 51.6 lbs (preserved)

Jane was able to lose nearly 30 pounds of fat while essentially maintaining the muscle mass she had at the beginning of her program. 

Bottom Line: Sustainable GLP-1 Weight Loss With Muscle Protection

Thrive Medical Weight Loss has redefined what safe and sustainable GLP-1 weight loss should look like. By combining InBody’s advanced body composition technology with personalized nutrition, structured exercise, and ongoing patient education, every pound lost works toward long-term health, not against it. Their evidence-based approach prioritizes muscle preservation, metabolic health, and patient empowerment, ensuring results that go beyond the scale.

In a weight loss industry often dominated by quick fixes and temporary solutions, Thrive stands apart through its integration of science, compassionate care, and accountability. 

FAQs

How does GLP-1 work for weight loss?

GLP-1 mimics the hormone GLP-1, reducing hunger and slowing digestion. By reducing hunger signals to the brain, slowing digestion so food stays in the stomach longer, and improving insulin sensitivity, these drugs make it easier to eat less, feel full sooner, and maintain more stable blood sugar levels. 

What’s the best GLP-1 for weight loss?

Options like Wegovy and Zepbound are commonly prescribed, but the best choice depends on your medical history.

Who Is a Good Fit for GLP-1 Medications?

GLP-1 medications are generally prescribed for adults with obesity (BMI ≥30) or those who are overweight (BMI ≥27) with related health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.  

Are GLP-1s Safe?  

GLP-1 medications are FDA-approved and widely studied, but like any treatment, they can have side effects. The most common include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and stomach discomfort, which often improve over time. Less common but more serious risks can include pancreatitis, gallbladder issues, or thyroid tumors in certain individuals. Regular medical supervision is essential to ensure safe use and to adjust treatment as needed.

How Do You Get the Most Out of Your GLP-1 Treatment?

GLP-1s work best when combined with healthy lifestyle habits. Eating enough protein and incorporating resistance training help protect muscle while losing fat. Staying consistent with follow-up visits and body composition checks, such as with an InBody scan, ensures progress is monitored and treatment is adjusted if muscle loss is detected.  

What Happens When You Stop Taking GLP-1s?

If GLP-1 medication is stopped, appetite typically returns to normal, and some patients regain weight if new lifestyle habits aren’t in place. Without careful planning, lost fat and muscle can come back, making long-term success more difficult.  

Disclaimer: InBody devices should be used as an adjunct for clinical decision making and are not intended to diagnose or treat any diseases.

Dr. Adrienne Youdim is a board-certified internal medicine physician and a nutrition specialist and an obesity medicine specialist. Her educational background makes her uniquely qualified to address different aspects of care at her practice.  Previously, Dr. Youdim was the director of the center for weight loss at a nationally ranked hospital in Los Angeles. For over 8 years she used InBody with patients at this facility. When she transitioned to her own private practice, InBody was one of her first purchases.

Her goal with the InBody was to give patients better goals to focus on than weight, monitor progression to body composition, and to use the Result Sheet as a teaching tool to inspire lifestyle changes.  

Building a Therapeutic Bond

Weight loss is a challenge for both the practitioner and the patient. The American Medical Association defines obesity as a chronic disease. Physicians recognize that there are many factors behind obesity including underlying medical conditions, genetics, and environment. But there still exists a stigma that obesity results from laziness and apathy. The negative feelings connected to an obesity diagnosis, like guilt and remorse, can be a barrier to both compliance and commitment.

To help them achieve their goals, Dr. Youdim tries to form a therapeutic relationship with every patient.

She counsels all the patients and addresses every aspect of their care herself. During visits, Dr. Youdim tries to allay her patient’s concerns and fears about treatment while managing expectations. She will dedicate a portion of each session on education and uses the InBody Result Sheet as one of her teaching tools. Dr.Youdim wants her patients to understand that their struggle with weight is physiologic and with the right treatment plan it can be treated.

“Having numbers you can rely on helps validate that obesity is not a failure of character, but it is a medical condition we can treat.”

When It Comes to Treatment, Data is King

For Dr. Youdim, consistent monitoring helps the practitioner stay on top of key metrics and it helps the patient trust the process. It is why InBody and the comprehensive Result Sheet it produces, was a great fit from the beginning.

“Using the InBody helps us achieve that weight loss goal and ensuring, to the best of our ability, that they are not losing muscle in the process. The InBody is a helpful tool for me as a clinician and as an educational piece for my patients.”

InBody helps her achieve her two objectives:

1. Shift the patient’s focus from weight loss to fat loss and muscle maintenance.

2. Monitor her patient’s weight loss to make sure they’re not losing too much muscle.

Dr. Youdim tests her patients on the InBody during the initial consultation and then every subsequent visit. The initial consultation will include an extensive overview of the result sheet. She will then revisit parts of the Result Sheet or its entirety during future visits.

For her, InBody testing is helpful to stay on top of trends and make timely adjustments.    

 “Over time, when we get enough measurements, we can see that trajectory whether they’re gaining muscle mass, which is rare in a weight loss program, but, more importantly, if they are losing muscle mass.”

A feature that Dr. Youdim track on every visit is muscle mass and body fat. Her initial prescription for the patient will base their protein requirement off their lean body mass, which is often 2-3 times their lean mass. The purpose of the high protein requirement is to help maintain muscle.

During subsequent visits, she often finds that patients are not exercising enough or meeting those protein requirements. Tracking lean muscle mass is an objective way to show to patients why he or she needs to fulfill those requirements.

“You can provide the counseling to the patient as to how much activity they need or how much protein they need to consume, but that objective measurement of change in lean muscle mass, and therefore change in percent body fat, really helps to augment the message and the treatment plan.”

Teaching Patients to Be Kind to Themselves

A message that Dr. Youdim stresses to all her patients is that nobody is perfect all the time. Dietary compliance is a struggle for everybody, and emotions play a factor.  When her patients are falling short of their goals, it can be stressful. There’s often already frustration from past failures, and setbacks can lead to a patient giving up.

Dr. Youdim uses this opportunity as a teaching moment. She will compare a patient’s daily caloric intake to Basal Metabolic Rate (using this number to calculate Total Daily Energy Expenditure).

Together, Dr. Youdim and the patient can see what changes need to be made to the dietary restriction and then monitor body fat and lean body mass as a gauge of progress. These numbers can help simplify a difficult process.  Patients understand why they aren’t getting the results they want to see and they get a clear path forward.  

Wrapping it up

It’s almost a cliche to say at this point but obesity is a significant medical problem in the United States and around the world. The evidence is clear that weight management is key to preventing many chronic medical conditions that are on the rise.

To help reverse this epidemic, it will take empathetic health professionals like Dr. Youdim who can use a variety of different strategies and tools to help motivate their patients.

“My goal is to help individuals create lifestyle changes that will prevent disease and improve the quality of their life. When you give people objective information and data, they’re more likely to make changes based on the information.”

Disclaimer: InBody devices should be used as an adjunct for clinical decision making and are not intended to diagnose or treat any diseases.

Dr. Anuruddh Kumar Misra is a board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine and sports medicine and is a medical director at Premise Health in San Francisco. He also serves as a consultant to MLB teams and has had previous experience working with the NFL.

As a medical student, Dr. Misra felt that there was too much focus on disease treatment instead of disease prevention. He wanted his practice to not only treat the sick but show them how to improve their health through lifestyle changes. That is why he decided to take on a subspecialty of Sports Medicine after his residency in Internal medicine. During his sports medicine fellowship, Dr. Misra gained expertise in exercise physiology, nutritional dietary practices, and exercise prescription.

Today at Premise Health San Francisco, he uses his well-rounded knowledge base to optimize the health of his patients. InBody has helped Dr. Misra elevate the patient visit by allowing him to give objective, instant feedback , and personalized recommendations. Patients leave his clinic feeling empowered and motivated to improve their health.    

Sparking an Honest Conversation About Health

“How do I optimize an individual’s baseline of health?”

That’s the question Dr. Misra runs through before each appointment with a patient. In his San Francisco practice, Dr. Misra wants to go beyond reactive medicine and practice preventative healthcare. With his expertise in fitness, nutrition, and internal medicine, Dr. Misra is uniquely qualified to provide his patients with a comprehensive course of action that will improve their lives. The first step in that process is to begin an honest conversation about health.  

The problem is that most patients don’t visit a doctor unless there is something wrong. Patients don’t treat their primary care provider as a source for preventive care.  

One issue in a traditional preventive health exam, which should be a great way to build a relationship with your doctor, is that a lack of immediate significant feedback exists.

During a typical exam, a doctor may order a variety of blood tests and other screenings, check your vitals, and calculate your BMI. The blood tests and screenings require repeated visits– time that many working adults and students don’t have. If you don’t a need for these tests, the only information you may get from your visit is your BMI.

For a patient who is overweight or obese, BMI is not going to reveal anything new. On the flip side, patients have both a normal weight and BMI may have hidden health risks such as excess visceral fat, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and more due to BMI’s inability to distinguish between muscle and fat.

InBody Result Sheet displays an individual with a normal BMI of 22.5 but an elevated body fat percentage of 35%

Instead of relying on BMI to direct patient health, Dr. Misra wanted to incorporate body composition analysis to relay relevant health information and guidance his patients otherwise wouldn’t have access to: muscle mass measurements, body fat percentage, basal metabolic rate, and body water analysis. On the advice of a trusted colleague, he decided to try InBody. The overwhelming response from his patients became an “a-ha” moment and confirmed that

Dr. Misra and his staff decided to invite patients to try the InBody device as part of a wellness challenge. The response was incredibly encouraging. As the team was testing and interpreting results for the high volume of patients, it became obvious to him that he was making a difference in these patients’ health because InBody documented the actual health improvements patients were making.

After an InBody Test and consultation, a patient leaves Dr. Misra’s clinic with a detailed assessment of their health standing, specific areas to work on, and personalized recommendations on how to improve.  

In an area like downtown San Francisco, where people have come to expect cutting-edge technology and innovation, InBody is a tool that helps his clinic go the extra mile to guide and improve the health of his patients.

“It’s very fast. It’s non-invasive … and it gives you very specific data points where you can immediately give feedback to people about what they need to pay attention to. [InBody] is something I find ideal as I have a high-volume, busy practice.”

Using Body Composition Analysis to Combat Insulin Resistance

Today, Dr. Misra has patients who look forward to their InBody results. They feel comfortable admitting “Doc, I haven’t been that good over the last three or four months. I know this isn’t gonna look good. But I gotta know where I’m really at.”

Dr. Misra uses the InBody Result sheet to give very refined, targeted recommendations based on different data points. He finds that most of his patients can benefit from at least one of three interventions: modifying their baseline nutrition, improving their exercise prescription, and optimizing their metabolic profile with intermittent fasting. Each intervention requires a lot of dedication from the patient, but body composition analysis helps Dr. Misra motivate them to follow his protocol.

“Someone may not be too keen on fasting. They may not like lifting weights. They may not want to change their diet. But if I’m able to motivate them based on InBody results, and the plethora of other medical data points I have, now I’ll get them doing what they wanted to achieve and that is very powerful.”

The section of the result sheet that Dr. Misra find the most actionable is the visceral fat score, which has a direct correlation to “insulin resistance”, a precursor to prediabetes. The higher the score the higher the risk of developing insulin resistance.

A Visceral Fat Score over 10 cm² increases an individual’s risk for developing metabolic disorders.

When Dr. Misra sees a patient with an elevated score, his first course of action is to learn what their dietary practices are. What do they eat? How often do they eat?

In many patient cases, Dr. Misra likes to recommend monitored intermittent fasting because he believes that intermittent fasting is the single, most powerful therapeutic metabolic intervention a physician can do for a patient.

In between lab work, Dr.Misra will also test his patients on the InBody to track and monitor progress while they are on this program.  

“I don’t need to keep on checking labs on people if I can document progress in a different way. If I’m able to show a progressive decrease in the visceral fat score over the course of three to six months I am even able to reduce their lab draws. InBody becomes a great tool to give patient feedback and it helps the practitioner optimize their patient’s internal medicine issues”.

InBody has been a helpful tool to show patients that they aren’t necessarily stuck on a path that will end in medication. Patients can see the work they put in to improve their body composition translates to real health benefits.

“We’re taught in medical school and in post-doctoral education that diabetes is pretty much a one-way street. You’re a diabetic. It’s a life sentence and you’re gonna be on medication for life.  That just not the case.”

Through program design and careful monitoring, Dr. Misra has even been able to successfully liberate patients from their insulin medication. InBody plays a critical role in that process, acting as a patient’s GPS as they follow Dr. Misra’s roadmap for a healthier life.    

Building Trust and Improving Patient Care

Technology can help enhance patient care, but trust in a patient-doctor relationship remains one of the most important factors for an effective treatment plan. One study found that nearly two-thirds of patients with high levels of trust follow their doctor’s treatment plan.

The tools a doctor uses must be fundamentally reliable because trust itself is a non-negotiable entity. Dr. Misra trusts the InBody to monitor his own health, so he confidently recommends it to his patients. I say, “Look, I check this about once a month to keep track of my personal goals and fitness things that I have in mind, and I encourage you to do it too.”  

At the end of the day, it is up to the patient to take control and be accountable for their health. However, because of knowledge gaps, a patient may be too scared to bother the doctor with follow-up questions. Dr. Misra has found that starting a conversation around body composition – losing body fat and gaining muscle- is something that is relatable, helps build that conversation, and makes a patient a partner in being responsible for their lifestyle choices. When a patient is motivated to take responsibility and make changes, the rewards are endless.  

“It saves the patient from morbidity. It saves them money. It saves them time. It reduces their cost to their insurance plan. It reduces the cost to their employer. I mean it’s a universal win where the most important stakeholder – the patient – is the one who benefits the most.”