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.

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

 

[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.

 

[woundcarping]

It depends on your curiosity… a baseline then checking along the way is what I’m doing. My next should be sometime in April.

 

[lusty]

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.

No real guidance on that, just get them when you want to, most likely at the start of your journey and mid way through but just expect that you will get water loss, so it is just a single data point to be used with other data like how strong you are. Also it is worth noting where the lean muscle mass was mostly lost, sometimes if it appears more in the stomach area then you know it is more water, food waste and glycogen from the liver.

The other point to note as well is your hydration level and that when you lose fat the fat cells are bound by a glycerol molecule, which is a three-carbon molecule (a sugar alcohol). That can show as lean mass on a dexa, so if you lose a lot of weight, you will lose some lean mass from glycerol holding your fat cells together. It is very minimal but if you lose like 30% of your fat mass then it can add up.

 

[dirtyharry]

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

Is 1mg to 2mg of Reta considered too much at the start? I figured that was a relatively small/ normal starting dose.

 

[dirtyharry]

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

Not the original poster but figured I would chime in. I've been taking a lower dose of Reta (1mg-1.5mg) and found I've been easily able to hit my macros (1500 Calories & 150grams of protein). I also only just started so who knows haha.

 

[zpped]

Is 1mg to 2mg of Reta considered too much at the start? I figured that was a relatively small/ normal starting dose.

No, that's fine. But increasing the dose every couple weeks while loosing substantial amount of weight is too much too fast.

 

[ChicagoFit]

when calculating the "correct" protein per day while on reta, how is it measured?
1) Is protein per day measured based on the ideal body weight or the current body weight?
2) How many grams per pound?
3) Are there variances based on age and/or type of exercise?

 

[yrrdead]

when calculating the "correct" protein per day while on reta, how is it measured?
1) Is protein per day measured based on the ideal body weight or the current body weight?
2) How many grams per pound?
3) Are there variances based on age and/or type of exercise?

Use goal weight and 1gm/lb.

Some people will say more some less, its a range and a goal. The more serious you are about hypertrophy and training the more serious you need to take your protein intake as well as overall nutrition.

Personally , I have a scoop with my coffee and then eat whatever I eat. I will generally have another scoop for "dessert".

 

[woundcarping]

Do some research, there’s plenty of variance in the gram/lb range based on goals, per pound of lean or total weight, bro science, etc.

I’m more interested in maintaining mass vs trying to meaningfully put it on while in a decent sized and duration cut.

I started TRT, lifting, and take 3g HMB/daily to help protect lean mass. I’ll be getting another DEXA sometime this month or early next to compare to my baseline from the end of January (nearly 50 days from the starting date, scheduling sucked at the DEXA place).

 

[lessthanhalf]

Losing 38 lbs in 10 weeks is rapid weight loss, in that sort of catabolic state you are going to lose muscle, your body is going to break down anything it can get to survive. I agree that up to 10 lbs of that will be water, so more realistically it is 20 of fat and 10 of muscle and other tissues/organs lost. You have to be in a serious calorie deficit to lose weight that fast, which does not fit perfectly with you saying you did not get much appetite suppression which is why you increased doses more quickly.
Essentially no science exists for the problem you have, the drugs were designed and studied as treatments for obesity and body fat 27% is definitely not obese, maybe overweight. I am probably still higher than that after losing 79kilos.
I am guessing you probably have pretty high energy expenditure to explain the calorie deficit, without major reduction in food intake. The only sensible answer is to drop down in dose , maybe increase calorie intake to reduce rate of weight loss to get into a mildly catabolic state, rather than a drastic one, and aim to lose fat slowly maybe 1 - 2 lbs per week rather than nearly 4. And high protein intake , at least 1.5g/kg/day. Some muscle loss is nearly inevitable with weight loss, but I have seen the odd exception. Meso probably has a lot more info on cutting cycles, but not a huge fan of their megadoses of anabolic steroids and hgh.

 

[ChicagoFit]

@yrrdead what are your thoughts on protein variance based on the focus of muscle fiber type? As a weightlifter/bodybuilder you clearly "need more" for fast-twitch, but what about slow-twitch endurance focused people? Will the demand for protein be different based on slow-twitch vs fast-twitch catabolism?

Also 1gm per ideal weight seems to be a common standard when not on Reta. Does Reta change the demand for protein in order to spare muscle?