BCBusiness
With Ozempic poised to reshape weight management in Canada, Fitness World CEO Chris Smith warns the fitness industry risks irrelevance unless it leads with muscle, movement and long-term health.
Chris Smith is the Chief Executive Officer and President of Fitness World, leading the operation of 15 clubs and growing across B.C.
For decades, the fitness industry has battled against “quick fixes.” Now, one of the most powerful quick fixes is readily available at Canadians’ fingertips. As Canada prepares for widespread access to lower-cost GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, expected as soon as January, the conversation around health is changing at a pace the industry cannot afford to ignore.
These drugs are undeniably effective at helping people lose weight. They quiet what many users call “food noise,” making it easier to eat less and shed pounds. However, research reveals a critical problem: up to 39 percent of the weight lost on GLP-1s comes from muscle, not fat. This is not just a cosmetic issue. Losing lean tissue slows metabolism, weakens bones, compromises joint health, and accelerates frailty, especially for women and older adults.
The result? Canadians could end up with smaller waistlines but weaker bodies. That trade-off threatens not only individuals but the collective strength of our communities. If gyms do not lead with strength as the cornerstone of health, we risk being sidelined in a GLP-1 era defined by medication, not movement. This is the moment for gyms and trainers to champion true fitness: muscle, mobility, and resilience, not just pounds lost. Without that leadership, we risk raising a generation that looks thinner but lives weaker. Now is the time to make strength the companion to medicine, not its casualty.
The urgency cannot be overstated. Once generics hit the Canadian market, adoption of GLP-1s will surge, transforming how millions of Canadians approach weight management. Yet while physicians prescribe medication, very few prescribe movement, leaving a massive gap that gyms, trainers, and wellness providers must fill.
Strength training is not just complementary to these medications—it is the safeguard against their unintended consequences. Without it, GLP-1 users face a three-times higher risk of regaining weight once they stop the drug, and even greater risks of losing bone density, muscle mass, and long-term vitality. By championing strength now, the industry can ensure that health in the GLP-1 era means more than a number on the scale; it means building the capacity to move, play, and thrive for life.
The truth is that the fitness industry has long marketed itself as an engine of weight loss. But in the GLP-1 era, that narrative falls flat. Weight loss alone no longer equals wellness.
Instead, the measure of success must be muscle preservation, mobility, and sustainable health outcomes. Strength training, in particular, has never been more critical. It safeguards against the unintended consequences of GLP-1s, supporting everything from metabolism and cardiovascular health to bone density and injury prevention.
This is not about rejecting medical innovation. Quite the opposite. These drugs can be part of a powerful solution. But they cannot and should not stand alone. Gyms may not yet have GLP-1–specific protocols—and they are not medical providers—but there are clear steps every operator can take to adapt:
Part of the challenge is cultural. GLP-1s have been framed as the “miracle pill” that solves obesity, a condition that has frustrated doctors, patients, and public health systems for decades. But this framing risks drowning out a more profound truth: medicine may initiate change, but movement sustains it.
The concern is particularly acute for younger Canadians, including Gen Z. Many in this generation already question whether they need gyms at all. If they turn to medication as an alternative, without learning the basics of strength training, the long-term consequences of unchecked muscle loss could be profound.
Our message to them, and to all Canadians, is simple: An easy solution is never the whole solution.
The arrival of GLP-1s is not just a medical event but a cultural and business inflection point, and for the fitness industry, it is an opportunity to redefine its value. We are not simply places to lose weight but partners who help Canadians live strong, healthy, and independent lives, whether or not they take a prescription drug. The future of health is not about choosing between medicine and movement but integrating both, so people can manage their weight while also building the strength, resilience, and longevity to thrive. That requires the industry to champion education and advocate for true fitness measured not by pounds lost but by muscle preserved, mobility enhanced, and confidence gained. If we do not lead this conversation, we risk allowing a generation to mistake thinness for health, with consequences that extend far beyond our industry.
As I tell my team at Fitness World, our role as leaders is to champion programs that extend not just lifespan but also play span. The moment is here, the responsibility is ours, and the time to adapt is now.
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