My Reta 3 month Journey ( with Dexa scan results)

[Peptidedudez]

Started using Reta in November 2025.

Week 1 dose 1mg

Week 2-4 2mg

Week 5-8 4mg

Week 8 -12 5mg

Weighed in at 269lbs. 73lbs of fat.188lbs of Lean mass. 27.2% Body fat

Currently at 231lbs 54lbs of fat. 168lbs of Lean mass. 23.7% Body fat

I am a gym a holic. Lift weights regularly 5x per week. While im happy I lost alot of weight. Im not happy that 50% of weight loss was fat and other 50% was muscle. I lost 18lbs of fat mass and 19lbs of muscle.

The notion that retatrutide is supposed to have some muscle preserving effect is wrong. I will admit that my protein intake was not as good as it was before taking reta due to my appetite taking a hit. But I cant imagine how much more muscle I would have lost not lifting weights.

See attached results of dexa scan

 

[zpped]

You took way too much reta too fast, didn't eat anything, lost 40lbs in 2 months and expected to keep your muscle?

 

[Peptidedudez]

You took way too much reta too fast, didn't eat anything, lost 40lbs in 2 months and expected to keep your muscle?

Fair point. But I increased my dose based on whether I was experiencing appetite suppression. I wasn’t feeling much at the end of weeks 4 and 8, which is why I increased it.

Regarding muscle loss, my point is that Reta isn’t a magic drug among the three GLP-1s that guarantees muscle preservation. A 50% loss still seems like a lot, especially for someone who weightlifts five times per week.

 

[Sid the SeaGull]

Point taken and appreciate your perspective . i guess you were carrying around 40 pounds less so although your hitting the gym hard for certain muscle groups for a small proportion of time each week , for the rest of the time each week your not carrying that 40pounds and thus loosing muscle mass as additional muscle is not required to carry that 40 pounds .

 

[woundcarping]

Assuming the DEXAs are accurate:

In 71 days you lost 38lb, 14% of your weight in 10 weeks, 1.4% or 3.8lb per week. That’s 10 weeks of running a daily 1200 calorie deficit that was light on protein.

Perhaps dosing Reta based on feels rather than data wasn’t the best move, especially when those feels knowingly compromised protein intake.

In 78 days I’m down 28lb (10%), I’m sensitive to food noise more so than going after flat appetite. I started lifting this month, started exercising last month. I’m taking HMB and started TRT to help spare lean mass.

I was going to wait another ~6 weeks for my second DEXA, but you’ve got me wanting to check sooner to see how reality is tracking my efforts while adjustments are easier.

 

[yrrdead]

Fair point. But I increased my dose based on whether I was experiencing appetite suppression. I wasn’t feeling much at the end of weeks 4 and 8, which is why I increased it.

Regarding muscle loss, my point is that Reta isn’t a magic drug among the three GLP-1s that guarantees muscle preservation. A 50% loss still seems like a lot, especially for someone who weightlifts five times per week.

Just to echo Zipped again. Your lb/week was over 3lbs/week. Yet you continued an aggressive titration schedule which significantly reduced your calorie intake. Unless comboing with some other exogenous hormones I'm not sure why you would think you would maintain muscle mass.

I think you will find a couple camps around here, but following trial titration schedules instead of whatever you did would probably yield better results. Or basing titration on actual weight loss instead of "feelings". One of those.

I will agree that it isn't magic, i'm not sure why you expected that. Magic isn't real, i'm sorry.

 

[ambot88]

I will agree that it isn't magic, i'm not sure why you expected that. Magic isn't real, i'm sorry.

Click to expand...

So disappointing, I really would like a shot that makes me both thin and jacked. I never did a dexa scan so don't have data points but I fear to know how much muscle I've lost. I lost pretty fast and did not do much gym time so I assume it's bad. I still prefer being a skinny fat to just a fat fat though.

 

[GeraltRedhammer]

Chudnę tylko około 0,5 kg tygodniowo, ale buduję siłę i masę mięśniową. Chodzi tylko o to, żeby nie mieć zbyt dużego deficytu kalorycznego i jeść wystarczająco dużo białka. Używam już 3 miesiące 3 mg retatrutydu co 5/6 dni.

 

[Minkster]

I've been on for little over 4mos just now to 3.5mg and have only lost 18lbs. I lift 4 days/wk and try to hit min 100g protein/day & really hoping I'm not losing that much muscle. I'm 50s female and have about another 15lbs to go. But it is misinformation that spread all over Reddit that Reta is muscle sparing.

 

[woundcarping]

So disappointing, I really would like a shot that makes me both thin and jacked. I never did a dexa scan so don't have data points but I fear to know how much muscle I've lost. I lost pretty fast and did not do much gym time so I assume it's bad. I still prefer being a skinny fat to just a fat fat though.

Oil and water don’t mix very well, best to take separate shots

 

[zpped]

Fair point. But I increased my dose based on whether I was experiencing appetite suppression. I wasn’t feeling much at the end of weeks 4 and 8, which is why I increased it.

Regarding muscle loss, my point is that Reta isn’t a magic drug among the three GLP-1s that guarantees muscle preservation. A 50% loss still seems like a lot, especially for someone who weightlifts five times per week.

Lean muscle mass isn't the same thing as muscle. You most likely also lost 10lbs of water which is read by the dexa as lmm.

But also slow down and you'll get better results

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[BinaryPinecone]

So disappointing, I really would like a shot that makes me both thin and jacked. I never did a dexa scan so don't have data points but I fear to know how much muscle I've lost. I lost pretty fast and did not do much gym time so I assume it's bad. I still prefer being a skinny fat to just a fat fat though.

It's called testosterone enanthate

 

[Muffyflowers]

Started using Reta in November 2025.

Week 1 dose 1mg

Week 2-4 2mg

Week 5-8 4mg

Week 8 -12 5mg

Weighed in at 269lbs. 73lbs of fat.188lbs of Lean mass. 27.2% Body fat

Currently at 231lbs 54lbs of fat. 168lbs of Lean mass. 23.7% Body fat

I am a gym a holic. Lift weights regularly 5x per week. While im happy I lost alot of weight. Im not happy that 50% of weight loss was fat and other 50% was muscle. I lost 18lbs of fat mass and 19lbs of muscle.

The notion that retatrutide is supposed to have some muscle preserving effect is wrong. I will admit that my protein intake was not as good as it was before taking reta due to my appetite taking a hit. But I cant imagine how much more muscle I would have lost not lifting weights.

See attached results of dexa scan

The lean mass counts water and glycogen in the muscle so depending on your diet and level of inflammation could be better than it seems keep up the good work

 

[BinaryPinecone]

Weighed in at 269lbs. 73lbs of fat.188lbs of Lean mass. 27.2% Body fat

Do you have before and after pictures? Have you lost strength in your lifts?

 

[Peptidedudez]

Do you have before and after pictures? Have you lost strength in your lifts?

I did lose strength. I went from benching 405lbs x1 to 325lbs x1

 

[lusty]

Dexa scans are very sensitve to water, lower glycogen, lower gut content and reduced inflammation from the reta can all lead to large drops in water retention.

This is why it is also good to have other data points like your lifts did you maintain strength or not, measurements like where did your body dropped the most in size.

Beyond that, optimising protein is key, I still eat 200g of protein on reta, usually high protein low carb, moderate fat. Train hard in the gym.

Do get your testosterone checked too, I got mine checked before reta and it was low, been doing a lot of investigations, I am subclinical but now trying to get treatment as it has impacted my ability to build and maintain muscle so hopefully I will get the right treatment due to other issues it is causing as well that fits the criteria even if my levels are not super low.

 

[Peptidedudez]

Dexa scans are very sensitve to water, lower glycogen, lower gut content and reduced inflammation from the reta can all lead to large drops in water retention.

This is why it is also good to have other data points like your lifts did you maintain strength or not, measurements like where did your body dropped the most in size.

Beyond that, optimising protein is key, I still eat 200g of protein on reta, usually high protein low carb, moderate fat. Train hard in the gym.

Do get your testosterone checked too, I got mine checked before reta and it was low, been doing a lot of investigations, I am subclinical but now trying to get treatment as it has impacted my ability to build and maintain muscle so hopefully I will get the right treatment due to other issues it is causing as well that fits the criteria even if my levels are not super low.

How in the heck are you able to get in 200gm of protein on reta? Jeeze

 

[lusty]

How in the heck are you able to get in 200gm of protein on reta? Jeeze

Carnivore diet, slow-cooked beef shin, 1kg of meat, 200+g of protein for 2000 calories.

I am running 0.5mg every 3 days, keeping dose low, but might up it as I had an icecream incident the other night.

 

[BinaryPinecone]

I did lose strength. I went from benching 405lbs x1 to 325lbs x1

Ouch. What's your plan going forward? I am fairly sure that most of that mass will come back somewhat quickly once you hit your bf % goal and start maintenance, but it definitely sucks.

icecream incident

the ninja creami fixes this

 

[chemstud]

Dexa scans are very sensitve to water, lower glycogen, lower gut content and reduced inflammation from the reta can all lead to large drops in water retention.

This is why it is also good to have other data points like your lifts did you maintain strength or not, measurements like where did your body dropped the most in size.

Beyond that, optimising protein is key, I still eat 200g of protein on reta, usually high protein low carb, moderate fat. Train hard in the gym.

Do get your testosterone checked too, I got mine checked before reta and it was low, been doing a lot of investigations, I am subclinical but now trying to get treatment as it has impacted my ability to build and maintain muscle so hopefully I will get the right treatment due to other issues it is causing as well that fits the criteria even if my levels are not super low.

I like this approach. Is there guidance on when to get a DEXA scan? I have never done one. I have been on low dose (1mg/wk)of Reta for 4 weeks. Noticed appetite and alcohol suppression. I was actaully really surprised about the alcohol suppression. I will make a drink and it will take me a long time to finish it and I really don't want another after. So my drinking has definitely been subdued.