# Retatrutide Week 40: 226.4 lbs - The Scale Barely Moved, But the Composition Did ## YouTube Summary Subscribe at https://www.youtube.com/@Dark.Rebuild if you prefer video format. ::youtube[{"videoId":"S5PPuPEM-2g"}] ## Current Stats - **Week 40 Weight:** 226.4 lbs - **2-Week Change:** -0.8 lbs (skipped Week 39) - **Total Progress:** -110.2 lbs - **Body Fat %:** 16.4% (scale reading, likely ~17% realistic) - **WHR:** 0.75 (improved from 0.77) - **Retatrutide:** 4mg weekly - **Testosterone Replacement Therapy:** 150mg weekly (prescription through clinic) - **GHK-Cu:** 2mg daily - **BPC-157 / TB-500:** As needed, roughly twice weekly - **KPV:** Twice weekly (Monday/Thursday) ::gallery[{"images":["https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/e3139c60-9ffb-4af7-96f7-c08663b1ebc5.png","https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/b312adae-2d8d-44c1-b783-f71274338090.png","https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/eff080c3-8cb4-4e2c-aea1-68d7fb608a27.png","https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/91677d8a-8203-43ae-954d-e4bcf1f85efc.png","https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/28da01a4-123d-4c86-95d2-ba1e1fc1378a.png","https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/df6d65f7-5a37-4519-951c-0a5d9400993d.png","https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/3be1bc67-1b31-483d-8660-d6ee3e987116.png"],"captions":["","","","","","",""]}] I skipped Week 39. First time in the entire 40 week process. Easter weekend was part of it, but the real reason was simpler than that. I ballooned up to 229 on Saturday morning, was holding a ton of water in my midsection, and just was not happy with what I saw. So I didn't check in. That's the honest version. This week, 226.4 lbs. The water is gone. The midsection deflated. And while the scale only moved 0.8 lbs in two weeks, the body composition data tells a completely different story. ## The Recomp Week Here's what the RENPHO scale shows over the two week span (3/28 to 4/11): **Fat mass:** 38.2 down to 37.2 lbs. Lost a full pound of fat. **Muscle mass:** 176.4 up to 176.6 lbs. Gained 0.2 lbs of muscle. **Skeletal muscle:** 109.8 up to 110.0 lbs. Also up. **Fat free mass:** Held steady at 189.2 lbs. **Body fat percentage:** 16.8% down to 16.4%. **Subcutaneous fat:** 12.0% down to 11.8%. **WHR:** 0.77 down to 0.75. So the scale says -0.8 lbs. But internally, fat went down, muscle went up, and the composition shifted in the right direction. That's textbook recomp and it's exactly why I track body composition in high fidelity instead of just stepping on a scale and calling it a day. I physically feel leaner. The midsection water from Week 39 is gone. The obliques have a little more definition than Week 38. Arms and legs continue to lean out faster than the midsection, which is just how my body works apparently. ![d5a6477e-9366-4dc1-84c4-9fd6cee6456d.jpeg](https://retatrutidelog.com/uploads/7b143e44-776a-4974-8e93-697f4f1b5fa5.jpeg) ## The Midsection Problem This is the stubborn area. No matter how low I push the calories or how strict I keep the carbs, the lower midsection just continues to hang on. It deflates a little more each week, but it's clearly the last place my body wants to give up fat. I know the answer is just time and consistency. Keep the deficit, keep the protein high, keep training, and let the body work through it. But it's frustrating when you can see definition everywhere else and then look down and there's still a pouch. 11 lbs left to goal weight. That fat has to come from somewhere. ## Simplified Stack The stack has gotten simpler over time. Early in this process I was running a complex protocol with multiple compounds. Now it's stripped back to what I know works. **Retatrutide 4mg:** Still holding here. Plan hasn't changed. Stay at 4mg until I close in on 215, then step down to 2mg. **GHK-Cu 2mg daily:** Staple. Not coming out. Skin, hair, the gray reduction continues. **BPC-157 / TB-500:** Using these as needed, roughly twice a week. Not a daily protocol, just supplemental for recovery. **KPV:** Trying this out twice weekly, Monday and Thursday, mixed in with the GHK-Cu shot. Still evaluating. **TRT (prescription):** 150mg testosterone cypionate weekly through AlphaMD. 34 of the 40 weeks of this process. The body recomp data this week is a perfect example of why testosterone support matters in a deep deficit. Losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously while eating at a deficit and training 5 days a week doesn't happen without stable hormone levels. **Coming soon:** MT2 for tanning. Ordered a kit, planning 200 micrograms daily with some sun exposure. Not a weight loss compound, just evening out the paleness. Will be interesting to document. ## Shoulder Issues Left shoulder gave me some trouble this week. It's been repaired before, I've got a pec rupture on that side that was never fixed, and it will never be 100% range of motion because of the SLAP repair and bicep repair. The issue this week was different from the usual weather related flare ups. Felt some tendinosis inside of it and general weakness on a couple of lifts mid week. Didn't injure it, didn't go heavier than normal. It just refused to cooperate. Modified the workout, changed techniques, adjusted weights, and made sure nothing was painful. By Friday it was back to what I'd consider my version of 100%. These things happen 40 weeks into a cut. You adjust and keep going. ## Home Gym Incoming Equipment started arriving early this week. Was supposed to mostly come in next week but the Smith machine, bench, and a bunch of miscellaneous parts showed up ahead of schedule. The setup will be a Smith machine with two cable towers (selectable weight, not plate loaded), adjustable dumbbells from Snode, mirrors, T-bar row handle, and eventually a plate loaded leg extension/leg curl machine to round it out. This changes the content format significantly. No more car talk vlogs from the Planet Fitness parking lot. I'll be able to film workouts, do content from the garage, and not have to work around public gym restrictions or wait for equipment. Once the dumbbells arrive and everything is set up, I'll do a walkthrough video. Pretty excited about this one. Being able to just walk into the garage and train without driving anywhere or modifying plans because a bench is taken is going to be a big quality of life improvement. ## Testing Updates **BPC-157 test results:** Back this week for YouTube Lab Partner members. COA and video breakdown available in members-only content. **New poll:** GHK-Cu, MT2 (new addition), KPV, and TB-500 are the current options for the next test. **HGH:** Pulled from the poll. I'm going to test that separately through Janoshik. New kit ordered. There's been some confusion with different sales reps about availability, some saying out of stock, others saying it won't be sold again. As far as I know it is being sold and I have a kit on order. Once it arrives, it goes straight to Janoshik. That test will be members-only content, funded partly by donations and partly out of pocket. **Retatrutide retesting:** New kit ordered, will be sent to Freedom Diagnostics. Last test was from January so it's time for a fresh one. Results will be updated in the guide and a bulk email will go out to all Gumroad purchasers. You can always re-download the guide from your Gumroad library without emailing me. **Testing lab change:** Switched from Finnrick to Freedom Diagnostics. Faster turnaround, more reliable. Costs a couple hundred per test but the speed and consistency have been worth it. If you're interested in the testing group, click the Join button below any video on YouTube. You get a vote on what we test next, access to all COAs and breakdowns, and you're directly funding the third party testing. ## Bac Water Situation Amazon dropped bacteriostatic water recently. The sources I normally recommend got cleaned out from the demand shift. I placed a test order with an alternative source (more of a medical supply shop) on Thursday and it's already shipped via UPS. Once I confirm quality, I'll update the guide with that as an alternative option. Temporary problem, but worth mentioning since I know a lot of people rely on the guide for sourcing. ## StepUp Challenge: Week 40 Update - 25 Members Gained **3 more members** this week. Now at **25 members**.
Group Name retatrutidelog
Number of current members 25
Date Range 2026-04-04 to 2026-04-11
Sum of total steps of all members 1,073,845 steps
Avg daily steps of all members 7,207 steps/day
Total distance covered by group 488.11 miles [785.53 kms]
Weekly Wrap-up: 1.07M+ steps and 488+ miles covered with 25 members. Average daily steps: 7,207/day. Back over 1 million steps this week with 3 new members joining.
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). ## YouTube Growth: 1,915 Subscribers
📺 YouTube Channel
1,915
Subscribers
+161 since Week 38
Closing in on 2K
From 29 subscribers to 1,915 in 40 weeks. That's 66x growth. Vlogs Monday through Wednesday, Thursday live streams at 7 to 8pm Central, weekly check-ins continue. Thank you all for the support.
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## What's Next **Diet:** Staying zero carb, high protein. No changes until I hit goal weight. Once I'm at 15% body fat, I'll look at increasing calories to maintain while continuing to build muscle. **Reta:** Holding at 4mg. Stepping down to 2mg when I approach 215. **Home gym:** Getting set up this week. Smith machine, cables, bench, dumbbells incoming. Content format shifts once it's operational. **DEXA scan:** Mid-May. 12 weeks from the last one. Will validate everything. **MT2:** Starting once the kit arrives. 200 micrograms daily with some sun exposure. **Testing:** Reta retest to Freedom, HGH to Janoshik, both in process. **Goal:** 215 lbs, roughly 15% body fat. About 11 lbs to go. 110.2 pounds down. 16.4% body fat on the scale, probably 17% in reality. The scale barely moved this week but the composition shifted in the right direction. Fat down, muscle up. 11 lbs left. Time to grind it out. ::sourceguide[{ "headline": "Need a source? ", "description": "Quick access to my supplier's contact info.", "buttonText": "Get Contact Info", "variant": "gradient" }] --- **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** 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.