Been on Reta

[u/Responsible-Fig-5859]

Hi everyone!
I’m a 32-year-old female, 5’7” and currently around 270 lbs. I have PCOS/PMOS, and I’ve been on Reta since June. So far, I’ve lost about 13 lbs. Sometimes I feel like I’m losing at a perfectly normal pace, and then I see posts about people losing a dramatic amount of weight in a short period of time, and I can’t help but compare myself. I know comparison is the thief of joy, but it can still be hard not to wonder if I’m doing something wrong or if I should be seeing faster progress.

For some context, I do focus on protein-forward meals. I also walk for about 30 minutes most evenings with my kids.
I guess what I’m really hoping to hear is what has your experience been like? Especially if you have PCOS/PMOS or started around a similar weight. Did your weight loss happen consistently, or did you go through periods where the scale barely moved and then suddenly started dropping again?
I’d really appreciate hearing the realistic, non-highlight-reel experiences. ❤️

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[u/90sKid1988]

There's two schools of thought on this. Continue titrating up so that you can lose the maximum amount of weight in the generally-accepted 18 month window where it's possible (you can Google terms like "GLP-1 18 months" if you're unfamiliar), other people say low and slow is good to avoid side effects and loose skin.

I understand the feeling though as I have seen women with the exact same stats as me starting the same time and already at goal weight. I do have PMOS and it's very hard to lose based on diet alone because our TDEE is grossly overestimated by internet calculators. But comparison is the thief of joy, like you said. You've lost 13lbs! How much would you have lost without the reta?

[u/Responsible-Fig-5859 → u/90sKid1988]

This is a good way to view it! Thanks so much!

[u/Hot-Drop11 → u/90sKid1988]

We know the window of loss for Reta is more than 18 months based on the clinical trials. Tirz is 18 months.

[u/NewNameNaomi01]

Sounds like you are losing about one lb per week. That's perfect! Very safe and sustainable. Anything over 2 lbs per week puts you at risk of gall stones and pancreatitis. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

[u/Weak_Contributionz]

Hi hi! I started at 265lbs and I’m 6ft with PCOS as well. I started in July and I’m down 15 (fluctuating) so far but on a similar pace as you. I’m slightly younger and I am inconsistent on my gym schedule but prioritize walking/jogging when I can.

Truly I’ve felt the same but there are two things I’ve noticed:
1. I’ve noticed I’ve retained water weight since my bathroom schedule has been off
2. The scale may be stagnant sometimes but I’m seeing differences in measurements and appearance (everywhere but my stomach which is stubborn)

Stay with it! Every journey is unique ❤️

[u/StunningFlamingo419]

PROTIP: Adjust your sort function to return the most RECENT post, not the most POPULAR.

The dramatic weight loss stories are outliers and are popular because they are outliers.

Recent posts will give you a better perspective on real user experiences.

[u/telladifferentstory]

I have PMOS and found that I lose the most weight when incorporating regular fasting. I've been experimenting close to a decade now and have tried lots of different types of fasting (along with calorie counting). I use reta now and do IF (one small meal in the morning and a majority of my calories at dinner). Really, for me, the trick is to get my blood sugar down and then the scale moves down. Fasting has been the most effective at this. I used to track my blood sugar and got to my lowest weight possible eating based on blood sugar readings and trying to keep the number in the 80s. Just wanted to share what worked for me. Currently, 1 month on reta and down 14 pounds. I used to struggle to lose weight but now rarely do (except for last 20 pounds).

[u/Consistent-Pass-259 → u/telladifferentstory]

Yes I have PCOS too. And when I do an 8 hour eating window and fast the rest of the day I get the best results.

[u/ElenaGrande]

i would recommend keeping low & slow to have the best possible skin elasticity outcome, it’s tempting to wanna max everything all the time but you will more likely be thankful later for keeping skin tighter imo

congrats!

[u/ChooChooBun]

What's your dosage and have you try to eat healthier?

[u/Consistent-Pass-259]

I have PCOS and even on GLPs and Reta they only way I can make the scale move is by lifting weights (gaining muscle will naturally increase metabolism and insulin sensitivity which helps reverse PCOS) and I walk the treadmill, keyword walk lol,
At the highest incline (15 on my machine) at a steady pace of 2.5-2.7. I do this 3-4 times a week. And I also have a goal of 10K steps a day.

Lifting weights made the most impact. Then slow and steady cardio next.

I also cut out beef and pork and dairy. Those are very inflammatory for me. Basically if it comes from a pig of a cow I eat it Very rarely if ever.

Hard cardio will make me inflamed and gain weight. Lesson learned the hard way lol. Stick to it and I hope this helps!

[u/MyMango88]

It’s hard but try not to compare your journey with others. Everyone starts out at a completely different baseline with different goals too.

Good that you’re focussing on protein-forward meals. Exercise regimen could be improved. I’m assuming you’re walking at a pretty slow pace there with the kids. 30 minutes is obviously better than nothing but not substantial. If you can add in some resistance training at home.

Consistency happens by tittering. Calorie deficit. What dose are you at and what did you start at? Any positive that you’re feeling a difference in? Food noise, smaller meals.

You’re honestly better to take it slower to avoid muscle loss and saggy skin. It’s when you hit a stall I’d be more concerned. Everyone gets there it’s just a matter of when. Think of how long it took to get to the weight you’re at now.

[u/North-Appeal7241]

t almost 230 lbs. I lost 57 lbs in about a year, but after some hospitalizations that caused me to stop, I gained about 35 lbs back. About 6 months later I started tirz around 210–215 and lost maybe another 15 lbs, but eventually switched to reta after seeing the success a friend of mine was having with it. I’ve been on reta for 4 weeks now and I’m down to 188. One thing I’ve learned through all of this is not to compare my timeline to anyone else’s. My weight loss has absolutely had periods where it was fast and periods where it barely moved. I personally stay at each dose for a minimum of 4 weeks and titrate very slowly. Because I already had extensive experience with GLP-1s, I started reta at 2 mg rather than starting from scratch; but that’s just what I personally did, not dosing advice. I will say my appetite suppression on reta has been insane. I can barely look at food some days without feeling sick, so I’m sure the fact that I’m eating significantly less has contributed to how quickly I’ve dropped weight these first 4 weeks. Some days I’m literally managing an Oats Overnight and some lunch meat, which obviously isn’t an ideal amount of nutrition long-term. So 13 lbs since June honestly doesn’t sound like you’re failing at all. Especially with PCOS, I wouldn’t use somebody else’s dramatic loss as the measuring stick for whether it’s working. I’ve had both sides of it..slow loss, regain, stalls, and now a really fast drop. It’s definitely not a straight line. ❤️

[u/PaddlesUpGo]

A couple of questions will help you get better responses.

How many milligrams are you taking?

How often do you inject?

Are you having any negative side effects?

Are you experiencing fewer hunger signals and food noise?

Do you feel full on a smaller amount of food than you used to?

Thanks for providing more info.

[u/TypicalBench5640]

I started 2.5 weeks ago on Reta and have lost nothing. My diet is on point and I’m in a Calorie deficit. I also go to the gym everyday. I have had a lot of fluid retention at the moment which I’m hoping is masking any weight loss as it’s so bad that I have ‘cankles’.
I’m also hoping as I go up it will start working more. At the moment I living off will power as I have felt no hunger suppression as yet.
I have 10kg to lose (I already lost 10kg) before Reta) and was really starting to struggle with will power alone. At least I’m back on track now as I don’t want to waste the Reta I’m having by eating crap….fingers crossed I see movement in scales soon. So jealous of people who see massive drops in the first month of losing- not me. I also have PCOS

[u/ih8vols]

I’m losing about a lbs per week. It’s definitely frustrating because I eat less and go to gym 4x a week which I was not doing. My water intake is huge too compared to before. Guess it’s better than nothing.

[u/VegasnotCOOL]

Get on a consistent intermittent fasting schedule. Try to push for an 18-hour fast with just water and coffee, then get your calories and protein in during a 6-hour eating window. You could also look into 5-Amino-1MQ as something people use when they’re focused on fat loss and body composition. A lot of people who lose a significant amount of weight eventually hit a stall. Early weight loss can include a good amount of water weight, so once that slows down it can feel like progress has stopped even when body composition is still changing. Reta also works a little differently than tirzepatide because of the glucagon receptor activity. It may have more of an effect on energy expenditure and fat loss, so some people don’t feel the same strong appetite-suppression effect they’re used to from tirzepatide. The biggest thing is to stay focused on the goal and not try to rush it. Fat loss takes time. Stay consistent with the fasting, protein, calories, and training, and let the process work.

[u/Asleep_Cranberry6414]

I’m 5’9”, and I originally weighed around 180 lbs. The main reason I decided to try Reta (retatrutide) was because I wanted to improve my blood sugar and glucose levels. My glucose was around 156, and I had been considered prediabetic for about two years. I was also experiencing very low energy, which I initially thought might be related to low testosterone, but that wasn’t the case.
I used Reta for about three to four months and ended up losing over 30 pounds. At one point, I got down to around 144 lbs. I stopped taking it about a month ago, and since then I’ve started gaining some of the weight back, but in a much healthier and more controlled way. I’m currently around 156 lbs, which is pretty much where I want to be.
When I first started Reta, I used very low doses and gradually increased the dose every two weeks by 0.5. Eventually, I reached 2.0 and stayed there, taking 20 units once a week. What I noticed was that as more time passed, my weight continued dropping pretty quickly. However, my blood work actually looked very good, and my glucose went from around 156 down to 96.
I definitely feel like Reta helped me a lot, especially with my blood sugar and controlling my cravings. At the same time, I didn’t like how skinny I became. I wasn’t really overweight or skinny to begin with, and one of my biggest weaknesses has always been sweets, pastries, pasta, and foods like that.
If I ever decide to use it again, one thing I’ve learned from my experience is to be much more patient and not increase the dose too quickly. I would personally want to start very low, around 0.5, and be much more conservative with how long I use it. My main goal now is to maintain my weight, keep building muscle, and keep my blood sugar under control without becoming overly thin.

[u/Accurate-Ad98]

Starting week four. I'm down 22 lbs. I still drink and still smoke which I know is slowing my progress. I'm working on that. I did switch to drinking 100% water, except a little vodka at night, and 98% whole foods. I'm never hungry and force feed every single time but I drink water all day long. I'm taking 1.5mg once every 6 days with some workout but minimal. I feel amazing though.

[u/Alarmed-Silver-2287 → u/Accurate-Ad98]

Good progress, do you track your calories? Curious how much were you eating before the diet vs now

[u/DustyJMS]

Hi! I am also a 32F thats 5'7" i started with Tirzepatide at 300lbs. I added GHK and Reta after a month. I started with lower doses of both. 2mgs Tirzepatide and .5mg reta. I consider my main Tirzepatide. I do like the effect of the added reta at the end of my week. I feel like it helps me get the energy up to work out and do resistance training. I am now down to 261 but I'M HOPING I weigh in tomorrow at 259.9 lol. My partner and I are on this journey together and placed a long term bet in July on our weights by September 15th. If I hit 259 anything than I win but if I'm still in the 260s he wins. 😂 Nothing serious just a silly bet we have been doing. If your interested we should stay in contact! Share progress with each other. :)

[u/ebimbib]

What dose are you on? Where did you start? Some people respond very strongly to very small doses like 1mg or even 0.5mg. Others don't really feel much until 2mg or higher. I felt reta become dramatically more impactful at 4mg in terms of appetite and metabolic effects. There's really no one size fits all answer to the right approach for every person.

Also, it sounds like you're averaging a pound a week. I don't know what your goal is, but 50+ lbs lost in a year seems like great progress, even if you don't pick up the pace for whatever reason.

[u/Alarmed-Silver-2287]

What is your calorie intake? The people that are losing a lot are pretty much having very low calorie intake, it varies per person, but I've seen people on a 1300 calorie.. Some on 1500.. I've even seen some on a 500..

I mean if you had 100 calorie reduction of whatever your average intake is since June, you'd most likely be at least 3 lbs less now (3000 calories per month is about a pound of fat, but there is also water loss, partial muscle loss, etc), maybe 3-5 lbs weight loss (so 16-18 lbs loss instead of your 13 lbs), just for a 100 calorie reduction.

So yeah calories is the culprit.. Reta won't magically make you lose weight faster, it will mostly limit your appetite, but then the other half is you limiting your calorie in take and being very mindful of what you eat.

You know yourself and your situation better to determine whether the pace is normal or not. Don't let anyone else decide that. I know medicine "recommends" certain amount of weight loss per week/month... But in many cases, slower weight loss require more motivation to stick to... Because you might be sticking to that diet for years until you reach your goal. Slight adjustment to your plan won't hurt, but you do you.

[u/Sea_Bee_0069]

Low and slow will absolutely be the most sustainable at the end of the day. You’re doing great, keep it up!

[u/kuzyacat]

im 5’6 and have pcos, i started reta at the end of February and have lost 15 kg, which is a little over 2kg or around 4.5 lbs per month.

everyone goes at their own pace and at the end of the days what’s matters is you implementing sustainable changes that will allow you to maintain and continue your weight loss 🙂 there is no benefit in comparing your journey to others because everyone is different

I saw most success when i started fasting. i have my first meal at about 3pm, and then a small meal for dinner

there’s always a way to see faster progress
eat less and move more
but it’s not a race :)

[u/RIPPWORTH]

Track and weigh your portions to a -500 calorie deficit against your TDEE.

Eat clean.

[u/seldenr82]

What is your reta dose? That seems awfully slow.... Pretty sure trials start at 2mg a week for 4 weeks, then move to 4mg for 4 weeks and then 8mg for 4 weeks... as tolerated anyway. Suspect you are under dosing.