Mega Thread - Reta foods that work / foods that did not

Just like Calm Logic, pizza, chips, and ice cream are still on my plate, but they no longer dominate my thoughts the way they used to. Where I'd previously put away no fewer than 4 slices of pizza, now I have to push myself to get through 1. Ice cream used to be a daily thing; these days it's whenever I feel like it. And rather than a bottomless bowl of chips that somehow keeps getting topped up, it's 1 small bowl or a bag of Quest's loaded taco flavor protein chips.

Since the pull of food has dropped from way off the charts to something mild, and my appetite is mostly dulled, I simply eat however much or however little of whatever sounds good at the moment. Fresh berries, apples, oranges, bananas, roasted root veggies, and pickled beets have all been regulars. The only items that really hit hard were a chunky homemade Bolognese and, after that, a big ribeye.
 
Calm Logic said:

I'll count the Alka-Seltzer as hydration then, haha.
Same goes for chewing a Tums/Rolaid and washing it down with water. For colds, though, Alka Seltzer Plus is something I enjoy.
 
BNLFL said:

Calm Logic said:

I'll count the Alka-Seltzer as hydration then, haha.
Same goes for chewing a Tums/Rolaid and washing it down with water. For colds, though, Alka Seltzer Plus is something I enjoy.
For me, the calcium content is excessive; it even caused mild hypercalcemia.
 
Just so you know, there's a thread over at Meso that's among the earliest and hasn't died yet:

What R U Eating ?​#-what-r-u-eating

AI summary:

The GLP-1 & Retatrutide Shift​The introduction of "Reta" (Retatrutide) and Tirzepatide into the community has changed what people post in the thread:

Protein Prioritization: Users on GLPs/Reta report "extreme satiety," meaning they can't finish large meals. The trend has shifted to



Protein-First Eating: eating the steak/chicken first and leaving the rice if they get too full.


The "Anti-Nausea" Diet: GLP users frequently mention bland foods—crackers, ginger tea, or cold proteins—to manage the "sulfur burps" or nausea common during dose escalations.[

Reta's "Glucagon" Effect: Retatrutide users often note a higher "thermogenic" feeling compared to standard Ozempic. They tend to report needing more hydration and electrolytes (sodium/potassium) to keep up with the increased metabolic rate.

Older Lifters & Insulin Sensitivity: Older members are increasingly using micro-doses of GLP-1s not for weight loss, but to keep fasted blood glucose in the 70s-80s, allowing them to eat more "OGH-style" carbs without bloating.

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Gemini said:


What R U Eating? ~ Old Guy Health Highlights​

CategoryPopular Food ItemsContext / Member NotesProtein StaplesGrilled chicken breast, ground beef (90/10), egg whites, and salmon.Focus on meal prepping in bulk for consistency during the week.Carbohydrate SourcesJasmine rice, sweet potatoes, cream of rice, and oats.Cream of Rice is a "fan favorite" for pre/post-workout digestion.Breakfast FavoritesOmelets with spinach/peppers, protein pancakes, and Greek yogurt.High-protein starts; peanut butter is often added for healthy fats.OGH SpecialsHome-cooked comfort meals, hearty stews, and meat & potatoes.OGH emphasizes balanced, "real food" over processed supplements.The "Cheat" MealsPizza, massive burgers, sushi rolls, and Mexican food.Usually posted on weekends or "refeed" days to boost morale.Vegetables/MicrosAsparagus, steamed broccoli, and large mixed salads.Used for volume and fiber during "cutting" or dieting phases.Snacks & ExtrasAlmonds, protein bars, rice cakes, and cottage cheese.Quick fixes used to hit specific macro targets between meals.

Key Takeaways from the Thread:

Consistency over Perfection: The thread shows that a sustainable routine beats a temporary crash diet.

The CoR Trend: Significant focus on Cream of Rice as a bodybuilding staple for easy carbs.

Community Feedback: Members often "rate" each other's plates and offer macro advice.

Health & Longevity: OGH encourages eating for long-term health markers, not just maximum size.

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When it comes to general health, the mediterranean diet is backed by strong evidence that it lowers the risk of numerous health conditions.

What is effective, or optimal, is heavily influenced by the degree of obesity. People at the gym aiming for 12% body fat have different goals and probably different metabolic profiles than someone with a BMI above 35 or 40.

For those beginning at severe obesity, losing a lot of weight and keeping it off usually means relying on foods designed to suppress hunger, maximising fullness for every calorie. Certain individuals using GLP medications appear capable of doing this even while consuming pizza and beer, yet for those with the most serious cases that might not be feasible.

Although the mediterranean diet is superior for health outcomes, it might not be the top choice for appetite control or lasting weight reduction because it contains relatively high fat and low protein. A modified version with additional protein, reduced olive oil, plenty of salads, vegetables and fruit, and fewer grains is likely more effective for managing weight. Fortunately, GLP drugs generally steer food choices toward less fatty, less processed options regardless.

Broadly, protein provides the most satiety per calorie, and you also benefit from 20% of its calories being expended during digestion and metabolism. Even though high protein diets raise concerns about kidney strain, I discovered that my own diet with 40-50% of calories coming from protein actually enhanced renal function and cut proteinuria significantly. (A high protein diet is extremely unwise if there is substantial renal failure; low protein diets delay the worsening of renal failure, but that may not apply when renal function remains good, with only hyperfiltration and proteinuria.) Still, it is probably wise to know your renal function before trying this.
 
If someone's only aim is building muscle during a "cut," then reta probably isn't superior to tirz in that respect. And whether we like it or not, dosage can matter more than diet. Still, I'm a fan of intermittent fasting that doesn't require changing what you eat, even a 12-hour version.

If a person doesn't care about cardiovascular health, then YOLO, might as well jump on steroids too, lol. A big part of why I favor reta is its far stronger impact on LDL compared with tirz.

I'm with you that healthy fats get more credit than they deserve, and so does protein. Aside from fiber, pretty much everything is overrated, given that most Americans are overnourished more than anything else.

Processed foods aren't the only problem, though. Take the belief that chicken is heart healthy, which is a myth (APPROACH study). Animal protein (particularly in large quantities) doesn't line up with cardiovascular health. Here's 1 of thousands of studies reaching the same conclusion:

Association of Animal and Plant Protein Intake With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality

High animal protein intake was positively associated with cardiovascular mortality and high plant protein intake was inversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, especially among individuals with at least 1 lifestyle risk factor. Substitution of plant protein for animal protein, especially that from processed red meat, was associated with lower mortality, suggesting the importance of protein source.

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Physical and mental performance also depend on cardiovascular health.

On the plant-based side, Tom Brady takes a bro-style approach, which is overkill unless you're talking about starch:




TB12





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tb12sports.com

In a nutshell, athletes need nutrients to fuel their bodies, and fruits and vegetables provide those nutrients without many of the negative side-effects of ultra-processed foods...

“I wake up and drink 20 ounces of water with electrolytes,” he says. After that, a high-calorie, high-fat, high-protein smoothie follows. The usual fare is bananas, blueberries, nuts, and seeds...

Around noon, Tom assembles his lunch according to his core principle of “mostly plants.” About 20 percent of his plate is a healthy protein (like a piece of fish), and the rest is vegetables — “lots of vegetables,” he notes — whole grains, and dark leafy greens. For the rest of the day, it’s nuts and seeds as a snack, 2 to 3 more protein shakes, a plant-packed dinner, and — not infrequently — a steaming cup of bone broth.

If you’re looking to eat more like Tom, start with the 80/20 rule outlined above... make sure 80% of your plate consists of plant-based food, with the other 20% representing animal product.

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By contrast, "the best fighters in the ancient world were essentially vegetarian."



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What Is the Gladiator Diet and How Do Vegetarian Athletes Stack Up? | NutritionFacts.org



I compare the diets of the Roman gladiator “barley men” and army troopers to the modern Spartans of today. The remains of dozens of Roman gladiators were

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nutritionfacts.org

The vegetarians beat out their omnivore counterparts for cardiorespiratory fitness, but their strength didn’t differ. This suggests, at the very least, “that vegetarian diets do not compromise performance outcomes and may facilitate aerobic capacity in athletes.”

[The modern Spartans] eat the same kind of 75 to 80 percent starch diet, based on beans, corn, and squash, and have the cholesterol levels to prove it, with total cholesterol levels down at 136 mg/dL, which is essentially heart attack-proof...They don’t have special genetics, either, because data show that if you feed them enough egg yolks, their cholesterol levels creep right up.

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