Exercise isn't a punishment.
It's part of the plan.
Whether you're managing your weight through lifestyle changes alone, medication, or preparing for surgery, movement plays a different role at every stage, and having an expert guide that role matters.
START A CONVERSATIONWhy Movement Matters More Than People Think
Most people think of exercise and weight loss as simple: move more, weigh less. In reality, the role movement plays depends heavily on how you’re losing weight in the first place.
When weight is lost through calorie restriction, medication, or surgery, the body doesn’t only lose fat. Muscle, bone, and water are lost too, and without the right kind of movement, a significant share of that loss can come from lean muscle rather than fat. This matters because muscle isn’t just about strength: it supports your metabolism, your joints, your blood sugar control, and your ability to stay active and independent, at every age and every stage of a weight loss journey.
This is exactly why exercise physiology sits alongside nutrition and medical care in our holistic support team, rather than being an optional extra.
The Support Most People Don't Know They Need
An exercise physiologist isn’t a personal trainer, and this isn’t about generic gym advice. Shane Johnstone works with each patient to build a program around where they actually are – their mobility, their health conditions, their equipment access, and their real, everyday life. That includes:
- An initial assessment of movement, strength, and any physical limitations or pain points
- A program built around resistance-based movement, proven to help protect muscle and bone during weight loss
- A flexible plan for real life: a gym-based option and a home-based option, because consistency matters more than a perfect setup
- Ongoing review as your weight, fitness, and circumstances change, tracked against more meaningful markers than the number on the scale
Meet Your Exercise Physiologist
Shane is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist with over 12 years of experience in applying the best evidence-based exercise programs. Shane helps clients find a sustainable exercise routine to ensure they can keep a life-long healthy lifestyle. Shane is well equipped to help you manage and overcome injuries i.e. hip, knee osteoarthritis, plantar fasciopathy and lower back pain that may be impacting your mobility. Additionally, Shane can factor in considerations for health conditions i.e. diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.
What Actually Works
The goal is always the same: build sustainable habits,
not a routine that burns out in six weeks.
In practice, that means resistance training is the foundation. That moderate, repeatable effort is what actually preserves muscle during a calorie deficit. And because life doesn't always go to plan, every program comes with two versions:
Plan A, a gym-based option
Plan B, an equivalent at-home version
Take the first step and contact us to review how this looks in your journey.
START A CONVERSATION
Why Expert Monitoring Matters Before Surgery or Medication
If you’re considering bariatric surgery or weight-loss medication, having an exercise physiologist involved isn’t a nice-to-have; it directly affects your outcome. Muscle and bone loss can happen faster during rapid weight loss from surgery or medication such as GLP-1 therapies, and without a program in place to protect against it, patients risk a slower metabolism, a higher chance of regain, and reduced strength and mobility over the long term.
Shane works alongside Dr. Siva Gounder and the dietitian team throughout the process, before surgery, to help prepare the body, and after, to help protect muscle while the weight comes off. The same applies for patients on medical weight-loss pathways: exercise physiology support helps make sure the results are sustainable, not just fast.
Start a Conversation
