My complete Retatrutide journey documented through weekly updates and insights
Week 15 at 277.6 lbs with 58.8 pounds total lost. Breaking into the 270s, GKI 2.0 deep ketosis, first full RENPHO body composition report, split dosing success, SLU-PP-332 thermogenic effects, kneeling cable crunches addition, and StepUp challenge grows to 5 members.
Learn how to filter peptides to remove particulates and bacterial contamination. Step-by-step guide with equipment list, proper technique, and what 0.22μm filters can and can't remove.
Week 14 at 280.6 lbs with 55.8 pounds total lost. First RENPHO scale body composition report, complete 5-day gym routine breakdown, SLU-PP-332 thermogenic effects, split dosing success restoring appetite suppression, wife's protocol update, and StepUp challenge grows to 4 members.
Week 13 at 283.5 lbs with 52.9 pounds total lost. Split dosing week 1 assessment, 5-Amino-1MQ delivering all-day clean energy at 15mg, exceptional sleep quality improvements, under-desk treadmill integration, and investing in new body composition tracking tools.
Week 12 milestone: 50.4 pounds lost with retatrutide. First full week on TRT shows exceptional recovery benefits, leading to 6-day gym schedule. Aggressive hunger signals prompt split dosing decision for Week 13, plus 5-Amino-1MQ injection transition and dashboard launch.
Why I moved beyond weekly blog posts to create a real-time dashboard that tracks every aspect of my retatrutide protocol - from weight loss and lab results to exact costs and progress photos.
After 12 weeks of perfect appetite suppression, day 5 hunger is creeping back since adding 5-amino-1MQ. Time to experiment with split dosing: 4mg Thursday + 4mg Monday instead of 8mg weekly to maintain consistent OMAD eating.
Week 11 brings me to 49 pounds lost with retatrutide at 8mg, plus my TRT prescription finally arrived from AlphaMD. Getting hunger signals for the first time and reflecting on the consistency that's made this journey different from past attempts.
I mixed bulk 5-Amino-1MQ powder into an oral solution and documented everything - the sterile process, the $30 storage mistake, staining issues, and why I'm switching to injections. Real experiment, honest results.
Week 10 brought me down to 289.6 lbs - that's 4.8 lbs this week and 46.8 lbs total since starting this journey. The metabolic data shows I'm in a stable fat-burning state, plus an unexpected connection between current tesamorelin side effects and symptoms I experienced 20 years ago in special operations.
After discovering my clinically low testosterone (243 ng/dL) during my retatrutide journey, I researched TRT providers and found AlphaMD. Here's my complete onboarding experience, cost breakdown ($109.91/month), and why their approach stood out from other telehealth clinics.
Week 9 brings the most visible tesamorelin effects yet - noticeable visceral fat reduction when I "suck in" my gut compared to just a week ago. The 8mg retatrutide dose continues to be the sweet spot for hunger control without overdoing it. Heart rate and body temperature have increased since starting tesamorelin, and I'm prepping to add 5-Amino-1MQ to the stack next week using raw materials from Amazon.
Week 9 Update: I'm adding 5-amino-1MQ to my retatrutide + tesamorelin stack despite breaking my original timeline. Here's why I'm not waiting 12 more weeks, the science behind NNMT inhibition, and my complete $117 Amazon shopping list that saves 60-75% vs commercial capsules.
Week 8 brings my planned increase to 8mg retatrutide plus second week of tesamorelin. The sleep improvements are remarkable - deeper phases confirmed by Garmin data, but morning grogginess from being pulled out of restorative sleep. Most surprising: complete DOMS elimination and dramatically faster recovery between gym sessions. Body composition changes are becoming more important than scale numbers.
After discovering my daily step count is embarrassingly low despite consistent 5AM gym sessions, I started a StepUp group for anyone on retatrutide or weight loss journey wanting basic movement accountability. My gym routine is solid, but I'm sedentary the other hours.
Clinical trials show retatrutide increases heart rate 5.6-7.5 bpm, but my 9 years of Garmin data reveals the opposite. My resting heart rate decreased from 72 to 64 bpm after starting retatrutide - returning to healthier baseline levels from 2020.
Blood work results are in: testosterone at 243 ng/dL (officially "Low"). Instead of rushing to TRT, I'm testing natural recovery with targeted supplements while continuing retatrutide + tesamorelin. 3-month experiment begins.
Week 7 marks a significant milestone - not just because I'm now at 6mg retatrutide, but because I've added tesamorelin to target visceral fat. Oh, and there's this: 299.3 lbs. Back in the 200s for the first time in years. This week covers the fasting requirement myths, blood lab results, and my first tesamorelin injection experience.
I thought retatrutide would help me lose weight. I didn't expect it to kill an 8-year nightly whiskey habit in one week. After years of 500ml of Jameson every night, the cravings just disappeared. No white-knuckling, no willpower battles.
Real DEXA scan results 6 weeks into retatrutide: 301.2 lbs, 40.1% body fat, 319cm² visceral fat. Perfect baseline data before adding tesamorelin on Monday. Complete scan experience and what the numbers actually mean.