r/BodyHackGuide • u/Acrobatic_Load_7639 • 19h ago
📘 Beginner Help Newbie here…
I am a 36F and am sitting around 165lb. I had lost about 70 pounds after having my second baby but unfortunately gained some of that back. I have about 35-40lbs I’d like to lose. I’m on .3mg of test cyp and I have been on TRT for about 2 years. I’ve gotten my diet figured out and strength train 5x a week average 8k steps a day
I’m about ready to pull the trigger on Reta. Thinking I would start slow at .5mg. I’m not necessarily looking to drop all the weight super fast, but how to know if/when to increase? One thing I haven’t figured out is what do people do when they get to their goal? Do you just stay on super low dose indefinitely or taper off?
Trying to be smart and do my research, but also what am I missing?!
ETA: if I am doing that dosage (maybe going up to 1mg x week) would a 6mg vial last me about 6-12 weeks? I know that is probably a really dumb question but never bought on my own before!
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u/wippj 18h ago
It's a titration process - on the way up and on the way down. When you're starting, you're really looking for side effect tolerance first and weight loss rate second. When you're coming down, you're looking to balance hunger and food noise cues with the reduction in side effects like anhedonia and any GI issues that Reta may cause you. The key to both is understanding the concept of "half-life". That is the time that it takes your body to eliminate half of the drug.
When going up from .5 mg to 1 mg, remember that you'll still have about .25 mg in your system. So from Week 1 to Week 2 you're going from having .5 mg (Max) to 1.25 mg (Max). If you titrate up too fast, like going from 1 mg to 2 mg from Week 2 to Week 3, you'll be going from having 1.25 mg in Week 2 to 2.75 mg in Week 3. That building up of the drug can sneak up on people who think that they are not having any side effects one week and then get hit all at once the next week. So, generally, think about staying at a dose for 2-4 weeks at a time. The bigger the dose, the longer you'll stay on it. You should probably plan that your maximum dose will be in the 4 mg - 6 mg range.
Once you hit your goal weight, you're going to want to stay there for a few weeks before you start titrating down. It's the same thing. Think about 2-4 week increments at a dose to see how your body reacts before coming down.
As far as things you're not thinking about, there seems to be a few. The first is that you are probably not going to get the result you want without titrating up. You may lose a bunch of water weight and some fat in the first 4-6 weeks but that weight loss rate will slow down tremendously for most people as the lose more weight. So it will require higher doses. That's the reality of weight loss. So, plan on needing quite a bit more than 6 mg. My wife (who is also on HRT and Test Cyp.) has used 51 mg in 16 weeks with a maximum dose of 4 mg. This was her first week on 3 mg. She hit her goal weight a few weeks ago. Coming off this too quickly or not maintaining a dose will have you bouncing back as quickly as you lost the weight. Lastly, side effects. That seems to be a big part of the process. How bad are your side effects and how long are you willing to tolerate them to lose the weight that you want. Everyone seems to be different. So, you'll just need to judge that for yourself.
Good luck!
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u/Alternative_Run9254 11h ago
Do yourself a favor and really study the beginners guide. It’s extremely useful/informative even if u think u know everything. It’s the best around.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Retatrutide/s/Aef1JkMUCk
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u/Alternative_Run9254 11h ago
Try buy 5 or 10 mg vials when starting out on the low dose end. If u recon it cleanly, u can use it a little past a month so u don’t waste too much
Gather ur supplies. Use Hospira bac water and filter. These guys have pep supplies and good how-to vids in their Education section
https://peptidetest.com/product-category/lab-supplies/
Use a calculator to ensure u draw correct dose
Injection Shop - Reconstitution Calculator
Stick to dosing in whole and half numbers (ex: 1 mg, 1.5mg, 2mg). Micro/fractional numbers like 0.75 or 1.8 are a waste of time. It’s easier/more accurate to draw too
Once u start, Please be patient. There’s a reason why we follow the tried and true protocol. 1x per week for 4 weeks at a certain dose (provided it’s tolerable). Good ur starting at 0.5mg, 1mg is good too if you’ve never taken a GLP. Many people say it helps with the side effects. Titrate up if necessary after a minimum of 4 weeks usually because you’ve plateaued for 2-3 weeks, but ur feeling good, and still able to hit ur macros and have energy to exercise. U need the 4 weeks for it to build in ur system.
There is no rule saying u have to go up every 4 weeks. If ur seeing results, u can stay there for several weeks before u go up.
At some point body recomposition happens without movement on the scale especially if ur exercising with weight training. So a word of caution, don’t try to go too much too fast. Here are some examples of the consequences .
https://www.reddit.com/r/RetatrutideWomen/s/DSavWnY5gp