## Current Stats - **Week 12 Weight:** 286.0 lbs - **Weekly Loss:** 1.4 lbs - **Total Progress:** -50.4 lbs - **[Retatrutide]{card:retatrutide}:** 8mg (now split dosing - see below) - **[Tesamorelin]{card:tesamorelin}:** 2mg daily - **[5-Amino-1MQ]{card:5-amino-1mq}:** 10mg daily (switched to injections) - **Testosterone Cypionate:** 150mg weekly (3x 50mg) We did it - **50 pounds down**. When I started this journey at 336.4 pounds, losing 50 pounds felt like climbing a mountain. Now here we are at 286 pounds, and while this was my smallest weekly loss since starting, it's paradoxically the week I've felt the best physically. ::gallery[{"images":["https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/30020a33-78fe-46a6-a1c9-873376845e9b.png","https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/85f9eed1-58a6-4f4a-8c5c-2800c3f64bd6.png","https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/6ac751a7-4792-4f7d-842d-cc7a65254d72.png"],"captions":["","",""]}] ## TRT Week 1: Recovery Benefits This was my first full week on testosterone cypionate - three 50mg subQ injections on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 4:30am before hitting the gym. I'd love to say it instantly made me 55% stronger, but that's not how it works. What I did experience was exceptionally fast recovery, especially with muscle soreness. This response was so significant that I restructured my entire gym plan and will now be going 6 days a week instead of 4. The recovery difference is that noticeable. If you're considering TRT, I documented my complete [AlphaMD onboarding experience](https://retatrutidelog.com/posts/starting-trt-alphamd-onboarding-experience) in detail. They allow you to upload your own labs and have been straightforward to work with. You can get $30 off your first month using [my referral link](https://www.alphamd.org/referral/ZYpEp). ## Sleep Stack Success: The Huberman Protocol This week I felt amazing, and a big part of that is my sleep finally feeling locked in. About a month ago I quietly started taking [Earth Elixir's 4-in-1 supplement](https://earthelixirsupplements.com/products/4-in-1-apigenin-magnesium-glycinate-l-theanine-valerian-root-1?variant=43888871866627&sca_ref=9467426.Kx4u2yhRbK), which closely matches the [Huberman sleep stack](https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter/toolkit-for-sleep). I wanted to test it for a full month before mentioning it. Here's how it compares: | Compound | Huberman Stack? | Earth Elixir 4-in-1? | Notes | |----------|-----------------|----------------------|-------| | **Apigenin** | ✅ Yes (50 mg) | ✅ Yes (50 mg) | Perfect match | | **Magnesium Glycinate** | ✅ Yes (200–400 mg) | ✅ Yes (125 mg elemental) | Lower than suggested dose | | **L-Theanine** | ✅ Optional (100–300 mg) | ✅ Yes (100 mg) | Minimum effective dose | | **Valerian Root** | ❌ Not in original stack | ✅ Yes (200 mg) | May cause drowsiness/dreams | I haven't taken melatonin in a month. I take this at the same time as my tesamorelin dose, and the sleep quality improvement has been substantial. ## 5-Amino-1MQ: From Sublingual to Injections I'm really starting to appreciate the effects from 5-Amino-1MQ. If you missed my post about [making the sublingual solution](https://retatrutidelog.com/posts/diy-5-amino-1mq-solution-trade-offs-lessons-learned), the compound provides clean alertness about 2 hours post-dose. However, the staining from sublingual administration made me switch approaches. I ordered more supplies and made 25mg/mL vials for injections starting at 10mg daily, with plans to titrate up 5mg each week until I reach 50mg or experience side effects. ![5-Amino-1MQ injection vials](https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/4c95bac1-a25e-478c-b799-86ee79e0cedb.png) ## Steps Crisis & The Treadmill Solution While gym performance was great, my steps were terrible this week. Rain and work deadlines created the perfect storm for low activity. Rather than make excuses, I'm implementing a solution I've been planning for months. Next Tuesday I'm getting an [under-desk treadmill](https://amzn.to/46oFNMS) for my office: ![Under-desk treadmill](https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/79eee7d6-eb81-4267-b839-2d047f93b64d.jpg) I already have a standing desk, so this completes the setup. I spend significant time in my office writing software and in meetings - this will let me accumulate steps without leaving my workspace. Some might call it workaholic behavior, but I genuinely enjoy solving problems and building systems. ## Aggressive Hunger & Split Dosing Experiment Around day 5 this week, I experienced aggressive hunger signals unlike previous weeks. Not just regular hunger - **HUNGRY**. It was almost uncontrollable, so I increased calories, mostly protein. This led me to experiment with split dosing: 4mg on Thursday, then 4mg on Monday evening to try evening out appetite control. I documented this decision in detail [here](https://retatrutidelog.com/posts/from-weekly-to-bi-weekly-my-retatrutide-dosing-experiment). ## Dashboard Launch: Data Aggregation Complete This week I finished the dashboard that aggregates all weekly post data: - Weight tracking - BMI calculations - Protocol stack evolution - Lab results - DEXA scan data - Weekly progress photos - Complete cost analysis Check it out at [retatrutidelog.com/dashboard](https://retatrutidelog.com/dashboard). All the data from 12 weeks of documentation in one comprehensive view. ## Physical Changes Beyond the Scale Despite this being my smallest weekly loss (1.4 lbs), I feel trimmer and moved another notch on my belt. I'm seeing improvements in pec definition and overall body composition. I do appear to be retaining a bit of water this week, which is a common side effect when starting TRT. I'm hoping that resolves itself in the next week or two as my body adjusts to the new normal testosterone levels. No side effects this week. Clean energy, clear thoughts, and the best physical feeling since starting this journey. ## Wife Starts Retatrutide Brief mention: my wife has also started retatrutide this week at 2mg with no reported side effects so far. I'm not planning to blog extensively about her journey since this is my personal documentation, but it's worth noting that she's decided to try the protocol as well. ## StepUp Challenge: Maintaining Momentum No new members this week - we're still at 3 people in the group. The consistency continues though, and the under-desk treadmill should help my contribution significantly next week.
Group Name retatrutidelog
Number of current members 3
Group creation date 2025-08-26
Date Range 2025-09-18 to 2025-09-26
Sum of total steps of all members 236,560 steps
Avg daily steps of all members 8,761 steps/day
Total distance covered by group 107.53 miles [173.05 kms]
Weekly Wrap-up: 236K+ steps and 107+ miles covered. Average daily steps dropped due to my low week, but total distance still increased!
If you'd like to join our group, you can use the [direct group invite](https://join.thestepupapp.com/zW07S5) or read about [why I started this challenge](https://retatrutidelog.com/posts/my-step-count-is-trash-started-a-group-to-fix-it). ## Looking Ahead: 50+ Pounds and Systematic Optimization Crossing 50 pounds feels surreal. The combination of retatrutide, tesamorelin, testosterone, and 5-Amino-1MQ is delivering exactly what I hoped for - steady progress without drama or major side effects. The split dosing experiment will be interesting to track. If it helps smooth out those aggressive hunger periods while maintaining progress, it could be a valuable protocol adjustment. Next week: testing the under-desk treadmill setup and seeing how the 6-day gym schedule feels with enhanced recovery from TRT. ::subscribe[{"variant":"default"}] --- **Disclaimer:** The information provided on this site is for **educational and informational purposes only** and reflects my **personal experiences and opinions**. It is **not** intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Retatrutide is an **investigational drug** that is **not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)** for any use outside of clinical trials. Always consult a licensed healthcare professional before making any decisions regarding medications, supplements, or medical treatments. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this site may be affiliate links.