INTRO The Path From Skeptic To Superfan!

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Neurogroot

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Hey everyone!

I just wanted to pop in, introduce myself, and express my gratitude for the friendly reception. A bit of background…

Back in November 2025, my health was… not great. I stand 5’10”, tipped the scales at 274 lbs, and was 39 years old. Psoriatic Arthritis was hitting me relentlessly. Turning 40 was hanging over my head, and things were BAD.

Regarding GLP-1s, I had every reason in the book to avoid them. How could such a tiny subcutaneous injection actually do anything? I figured I should leave these for folks who truly need them, like diabetics. And so on.

Then came Tirzepatide! I started at 2.5 mg for a month and dropped 12 pounds fast, with virtually no working out. The weight loss was amazing! But then other changes began. At 6 weeks, my joints felt… improved. By 10 weeks, overall inflammation was simply dissolving away! I devoured everything about GLPs, GIPs, Glucagon, Amylin analogs… Peptides!

I was fascinated. Could I genuinely boost my physical health and perhaps gain a mental edge too? I introduced a few peptides, plus a nice 4:1 blend of Reta/Cag. For weeks, I was astonished by how much better I felt.

Now I’m at week 18… I’ve dropped 33 pounds. I realize smart scales are wildly inaccurate, so take this with a grain of salt, but my body fat percentage is 7.6% lower. Visceral fat rating down 5. Muscle Mass lost, only 4.6 lbs. When I saw my doctor 6 months ago, my blood pressure was 143/93; now it’s 124/81. My moderate severity psoriatic arthritis is so minimal (borderline gone) that I’m completely off Otezla. There’s rarely a trace on my skin, and my joint mobility went from 5/10 to 8/10. I’m much more effective as a husband, more reliable as a son, more capable at work as a DevOps Engineer… I’ve even felt a lot better playing golf!

I was pointed to this community from Reddit. It was clear I needed to join. I hope to learn a lot, but just as importantly, I hope to be able to educate or help others looking to improve themselves. Looking forward to meeting all of you!
 
Welcome — what a remarkable reversal.

Getting from your November state to where you stand 18 weeks later is a serious achievement, particularly when psoriatic arthritis is part of the picture. The pounds lost would be noteworthy by themselves, yet the drop in inflammation and better joint function are what truly set your account apart.

Your experience with tirz reflects a pattern more people are beginning to observe — beyond hunger and scale weight, an immune/inflammatory element appears to be at play for certain individuals. Stepping away from Otezla and witnessing changes of that magnitude is significant.

It also comes through that you took a measured approach:

  • began at a low dose
  • watched how your body reacted
  • slowly added other compounds
  • monitored practical markers (BP, mobility, performance, etc.)
That is precisely the way most people end up with the best long-term outcomes.

Body composition figures (imperfect as they may be) alongside limited muscle loss and gains in strength/function paint a convincing picture of genuine recomposition, rather than mere scale movement.

And truly, the note about showing up more fully as a husband, son, and at work — those are the things that count most in the end.

You are going to be a great fit here. This community appreciates results alongside careful experimentation, and you obviously bring both.

Eager to hear more about what you have tested and what you keep refining. 🧬💪
 
s2HappyCamper said:

Nice work on the impressive strides! Happy to hear you're doing better. What brand of smart body composition scale are you using?
Click to expand...
So, the ArboLeaf is what I've got. Is it the greatest option out there? Not even close, but it's held steady for me overall.

With spring here and me getting out more for golf, swing speed training (which, surprisingly, delivers great strength and cardio work) plus lawn care, my numbers have gotten a solid lift. Over the last 4 weeks I've dropped another 11 lbs.

Back when I began, 22 weeks ago, my bodyfat was 38.6%. These days it's 29.5%. Losing 7.5 lbs of muscle stings, I won't lie. That's 7.5 out of 44 lbs, so about 17% of what I lost was muscle. I'm hoping it returns before long.

Subcutaneous fat dropped from 32.9% to 25.4%. My visceral fat score went from 20 down to 14.

One thing I really want to emphasize: I'm no gym bro. TRT, HGH, none of that is in my routine. Mostly just some tirz, alongside a supplemental dose schedule using a Reta/Cag 4:1 blend. Plus a few peptides on top of that.

Being this sedentary is something I definitely regret, but my job keeps me planted in a chair a lot, whether that's writing scripts (or more recently, instructing Claude and then fixing what it does) or configuring implementations. Still, here's the bright side: if a boring, nerdy, middle aged guy like me can manage this, just think what's possible for you! Haha.

Anyway, hard to believe I've been a member here under a month. This community is fantastic and I've picked up so much! Excited to find out what next month holds.
 
Perhaps you're not someone who frequents the gym right now, but keep an open mind about it. A lot of folks begin in your exact situation, and something related to the transformation—possibly the Glp-1 itself—pulls them toward working out, maybe a stair climber for cardio, then a resistance machine... And their body starts to feel different, feels better. After that, a few hours each week becomes just as essential to them as their Glp-1. Once that shift occurs, whether in a month or a year, body recomp will move ahead of weight loss as the main focus. And certain peptides exist that can assist with that.
 
Your journey is truly motivating! I'm hoping for comparable outcomes in the near future.
 
Researcher6076 said:

Perhaps you're not someone who frequents the gym right now, but keep an open mind about it. A lot of folks begin in your exact situation, and something related to the transformation—possibly the Glp-1 itself—pulls them toward working out, maybe a stair climber for cardio, then a resistance machine... And their body starts to feel different, feels better. After that, a few hours each week becomes just as essential to them as their Glp-1. Once that shift occurs, whether in a month or a year, body recomp will move ahead of weight loss as the main focus. And certain peptides exist that can assist with that.
Click to expand...

So I've been adding workouts into my routine bit by bit, SLOWLY. I'm not a gym bro at all, not even close, but I've been doing real workouts, and honestly… I might even be looking forward to them a little? While I was training yesterday, I thought back to your post and how you told me to stay open-minded about it. I did, and you were spot on!

Since I want more energy and endurance during workouts, I'm going to start an SS-31/MOTS-C/NAD+ protocol once the kits arrive at the end of the week. I'm still trying to work out what makes sense for a 40 year old who's still pretty out of shape. Some people say they run SS-31 for 1 or 2 weeks before adding MOTS-C, then use them every other day, alternating. Others say just run them on alternate days, starting the same week. Does anyone have any insight?

Current Plan: (Reconstitute SS-31 and MOTS-C with Hospira BAC w/0.9 NaCl — the light green cap kind. I guess to reduce welting? I don't welt on KLOW, but… we'll see I guess)

Week 1 - 5 mg SS-31 daily.

Week 2 through 12 - 5 mg SS-31 Monday/Wednesday/Friday, 5 mg MOTS-C Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday, 100 mg NAD+ Monday/Thursday.

6 weeks off, repeat if needed.
 
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