Gyms & Clubs Are Starting To Offer GLP-1s, Although Their Methods Vary

As the GLP-1 era presses on, different fitness operators are starting to offer programs that cater to the growing clientele now taking the weight-loss medications, with a range of approaches depending on the brand.

According to a report from Inspire360, a platform that helps fitness and wellness organizations create, manage and sell branded online educational programs, 17 operators now have some form of a GLP-1 program, tapping into a base that’s expected to reach 30 million U.S. users by 2030.

But each club is leaning into the medications at different paces, with varying levels of investment.

GLP-1 program approaches

Those approaches range from adapted programming, which involves redesigning workouts and coaching for GLP-1 users, to in-house clinics where physicians or nurse practitioners prescribe GLP-1s directly at the club location, to creating referral loops in which gyms refer members to clinics, and clinics refer patients to fitness clubs for support.

The higher-end chains are going big with their investments, evidently seeing a strong future for the medications.

Luxury operators like Life Time are taking GLP-1s into their own hands, offering members prescriptions in the same place where they go for a workout. The move follows the increasing trend of gym-as-a-clinic model, expanding beyond just longevity-centered memberships, high-tech health tools and the growth of recovery zones.

UFC Gym has increased its investments in wellness and longevity offerings, unveiling in-club clinics through a partnership with NexGen MD Scientific to provide members access to GLP-1s, hormone replacement therapies and peptides alongside their usual fitness programming.

The partnership is known as a telehealth white-label program, where telehealth providers deliver clinical services under the gym’s brand.

Another fitness franchise dipping its toes into the GLP-1 world is F45 Training, which offers a bundle program through telehealth platform Dr. B that consists of a co-branded GLP-1 and fitness/nutrition program, giving both partners a revenue share. F45 also has a partnership with telehealth platform Joi + Blokes that includes access to GLP-1s.

Referral models emerge

For high-value, low-price (HVLP) operators, it seems referrals are the way to go.

Planet Fitness has partnered with GLP-1 provider Ro, operating as a referral-only model where members receive a referral/discount from the fitness chain.

The partnership comes as no surprise, given CEO Colleen Keating recently pointed to GLP-1 consumers as a significant and largely untapped membership base the fitness giant appears to hope to attract.

In a similar vein, HVLP operator Crunch Fitness announced its partnership with Thrive in its own referral program for the weight-loss drugs.

Other brands are taking entirely different approaches, though. Orangetheory, for one, isn’t yet following the trend of incorporating medical services or wellness offerings into its clubs. The brand’s vice president of fitness told Athletech News that for the time being at least, its focus will remain on delivering effective workouts as a complement to those on the medications.

Another Purpose Brands entity, gym franchise Anytime Fitness is taking a similar complementary approach, prioritizing education for owners, coaches and staff so they can better support members around strength training, nutrition and recovery, according to the brand’s global vice president of operations, Mitchell Keyes.