INTRO Hi 20M looking to get into the peptide space

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unamedcell

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Hey all, hope things are going well for everyone. Like the title says, I'm 20 and want to start exploring peptides. Total newbie here — I've never put a needle in myself before. Honestly, it's made me a bit nervous. There's also been some back-and-forth in my head. I've been lifting for 4 years now, so should I keep up with cardio, or switch to reta with the aim of getting shredded? I'm 5'10, around 165 pounds. There's still fat sitting on my abs and midsection. Could reta actually help with that, or is it strictly cardio plus diet that does the job? On top of that, I'm kind of uneasy about placing orders and dealing with needles.... And I wasn't sure how shipping to canada would go either...

Any input would mean a lot. Thanks for taking the time to read.
 
Hi hi! I was really nervous as well, both back when my doctor prescribed injectable weight loss pens years ago and later on when I began pinning reta. That anxiety fades entirely after the first or second go! For pinning I go with 6mm, since they are short and seem less intimidating. My own journey only started not long ago (my aim is to shed 10kg while keeping muscle) and things have gone well so far, I take in a lot of protein and remain in a calorie deficit, so the fat is just gradually coming off. Wishing you the best ☺️
 
Welcome! No need to stress — you've got plenty of assistance and backing from tons of awesome people here who are all traveling the same path!

At some point, this was a first for nearly all of us. It's best to research and build up a general knowledge first. Injecting at the start might seem tricky, but once you get going it turns into such a simple process. From what I can see, your BMI is 23-24, which is a great starting point! You're active too, another plus! Even so, that doesn't keep you from wanting to shed more weight from those tougher stubborn spots with a little extra help from Reta.

Here's a fantastic guide to help you with reconstituting vials and choosing injection sites: Guide

31g needles are basically painless, and 6-8mm needles give an easy injection that won't go in too deep — very beginner friendly!

I'd also suggest checking out the many Crypto guides in the group here, and looking into starting dosages.

Good luck and enjoy!
 
unamedcell said:

Hey all, hope things are going well for everyone. Like the title says, I'm 20 and want to start exploring peptides. Total newbie here — I've never put a needle in myself before. Honestly, it's made me a bit nervous. There's also been some back-and-forth in my head. I've been lifting for 4 years now, so should I keep up with cardio, or switch to reta with the aim of getting shredded? I'm 5'10, around 165 pounds. There's still fat sitting on my abs and midsection. Could reta actually help with that, or is it strictly cardio plus diet that does the job? On top of that, I'm kind of uneasy about placing orders and dealing with needles.... And I wasn't sure how shipping to canada would go either...

Any input would mean a lot. Thanks for taking the time to read.
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Welcome!

"Losing weight normally" and "getting shredded" are not the same thing. If you lose weight normally, you finish at a healthy body fat percentage (15–20% for males). How hard that is depends on where your starting BF% sits, but it's fairly easy to reach.

Getting shredded (<15%) is much more difficult, and it demands that you truly lock in your diet and training.

GLPs will certainly assist you, but you must ensure you eat enough protein and train hard to keep muscle mass. Also: TRACK YOUR CALORIC INTAKE!

So many people mess this up.

During a cut, your expenditure shifts over time, so your intake has to be adapted to match. If you don't know what goes in, this will mess you up.

Also, DON'T OVERDO IT.

If you cut too aggressively, progress will be hindered (even on GLPs).

GIVE IT TIME.

Cut for max. 16 weeks, then drop to a maintenance phase for 2-4 weeks so your body can reset. Rinse and repeat.



You are pretty young, so don't waste your money on things like mitochondrial peptides (MOTS-c, SS-31) or GH secretagogues (CJC-1295, Tesamorelin, etc.). Your own body should be able to do just fine; nothing is broken... yet! 😉

A GLP like Tirzepatide or Retatrutide is all you need, as it will provide you with the hunger suppression that will help you endure the deficit (the GIP and glucagon effects are just a nice 'bonus').

Finally, manage stress and get good quality sleep (~8 hours). High stress and poor sleep lead to high cortisol, which will severely diminish fat loss and even promote fat storage.

Hope this helps!

Good luck getting ripped!
 
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