INTRO Fat Dad Rebuilding His Health

lakemandude

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I'm E. A husband. Dad to two little kids. The sole provider for my family, trying to make it in Southern California.

I'm 6'3". Not long ago, I weighed over 330 lbs.For years, I've chased better health and a lower number on the scale. I've lost weight, gained it back, and repeated the cycle more times than I can count.

I've tried:

  • Counting calories
  • Keto- OMAD
  • Multi-day fasts
  • A 40-day water fast
  • Heavy lifting
  • And now, peptidesThen everything changed

A herniated disc last yearled to emergency cauda equina syndrome and surgery. Recovery forced me to rethink what being "healthy" actually means.

Currently down 26 pounds and continuesly researching reta.
 
Congrats on the progress so far! I’m planning on starting a family soon too and I want to be feeling healthy enough to keep up with kids when the time comes which inspired my journey.
 
lakemandude said:


I'm E. A husband. Dad to two little kids. The sole provider for my family, trying to make it in Southern California.

I'm 6'3". Not long ago, I weighed over 330 lbs.For years, I've chased better health and a lower number on the scale. I've lost weight, gained it back, and repeated the cycle more times than I can count.

I've tried:

  • Counting calories
  • Keto- OMAD
  • Multi-day fasts
  • A 40-day water fast
  • Heavy lifting
  • And now, peptidesThen everything changed

A herniated disc last yearled to emergency cauda equina syndrome and surgery. Recovery forced me to rethink what being "healthy" actually means.

Currently down 26 pounds and continuesly researching reta.

Click to expand...
Congrats on the progress so far!

I've had similar issues with all of the fad diets.

Reta was a big game changer for me because of the appetite suppression.

I can still hit my macros without overeating.

If you don't mind me asking, what are you currently taking?
 
lakemandude said:


I'm E. A husband. Dad to two little kids. The sole provider for my family, trying to make it in Southern California.

I'm 6'3". Not long ago, I weighed over 330 lbs.For years, I've chased better health and a lower number on the scale. I've lost weight, gained it back, and repeated the cycle more times than I can count.

I've tried:

  • Counting calories
  • Keto- OMAD
  • Multi-day fasts
  • A 40-day water fast
  • Heavy lifting
  • And now, peptidesThen everything changed

A herniated disc last yearled to emergency cauda equina syndrome and surgery. Recovery forced me to rethink what being "healthy" actually means.

Currently down 26 pounds and continuesly researching reta.

Click to expand...
welcome fellow behemoth I was 332lbs starting May, 309lbs today, used tirz, I haven't exercised much sans carrying my PA to parties and/or playing shows with my bands, regarding diet I imagine same as you, I spent years learning but failing to consistently apply the concepts, now with the help of these marvels of modern science I am more able to control portion sizes, and the food noise has come and gone away since I decided to stick to a low dose for as long as I see some results.

The best of luck with your journey!
 
lakemandude said:


I'm E. A husband. Dad to two little kids. The sole provider for my family, trying to make it in Southern California.

I'm 6'3". Not long ago, I weighed over 330 lbs.For years, I've chased better health and a lower number on the scale. I've lost weight, gained it back, and repeated the cycle more times than I can count.

I've tried:

  • Counting calories
  • Keto- OMAD
  • Multi-day fasts
  • A 40-day water fast
  • Heavy lifting
  • And now, peptidesThen everything changed

A herniated disc last yearled to emergency cauda equina syndrome and surgery. Recovery forced me to rethink what being "healthy" actually means.

Currently down 26 pounds and continuesly researching reta.

Click to expand...
Welcome!
 
I also have a bad spine, almost gone L4/L5, and herniated L5/S1, it was horrible at first ,and I mean, I'm kind of partially disabled due to not being able to lift heavy stuff anymore, but ever since I started losing weight due to Reta my back pain has reduced by so much. I also changed my lifestyle after my spine surgery.
 
lakemandude said:


  • Multi-day fasts
  • A 40-day water fast

Click to expand...
I've never made it 40 days but I had a fasting routine for years:

Once a week

That once gets extended to a 3-day every month

That 3 day went to 6 between Christmas and NYE

Extended to 11 before the 4th of July

I would gain the weight back within days of losing it and it made my body really susceptible to injuries after a few years of doing it.
 
I know the struggle. My highest weight was 300 earlier this year. I have always got up to about 285 then down to 220-240, then back up. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. I feel great when I am dieting and exercising, normally during the summer. Then, once I hit a good number I do the exact opposite.

Hope that changes this time. Good Luck with your journey!
 
I think that a lot of us here have been in the same boat having tried every weight loss approach under the sun . Over the years I have lost and gained and lost and gained more Since finding GLP's initially Tirzepatide and now Retatrutide / Cagrilintide combo . Weight loss is going great and it is the total lack of “food noise” that really is a bordering on a miracle🙂

This site has a mountain of great information .
 
Not a dad myself but I too tried a similar path. 6’4, 350lbs last year when I started compounds. Despite diet, exercise, macro counting, bloodwork, scans, I just couldn’t shake the weight. It’s easy for me to eat clean, my struggle was portion. Even with macro and food tracking some of the weight would come off but I felt miserable, I always felt hungry. Tried high protein and it was always one sacrifice for a gain. Started noticing changes in with compounds , then someone turned me onto GLP-2, it was all the benefit for me without the side effects.

For the first time in 10 years I’m to a healthy weight and bloodwork is all in check. I totally understand the struggle and there’s so much beneficial information in this forum! Welcome!
 
Good luck! There is a lot of biology to weight lose and with our environments. I think a lot of us can lose weight but the food drive eventually wins. I hope gpl1 can be and other medications can start to be looked at as long term treatment for a biological, environmental condition. I hope you find what helps you.
 
lakemandude said:


I'm E. A husband. Dad to two little kids. The sole provider for my family, trying to make it in Southern California.

I'm 6'3". Not long ago, I weighed over 330 lbs.For years, I've chased better health and a lower number on the scale. I've lost weight, gained it back, and repeated the cycle more times than I can count.

I've tried:

  • Counting calories
  • Keto- OMAD
  • Multi-day fasts
  • A 40-day water fast
  • Heavy lifting
  • And now, peptidesThen everything changed

A herniated disc last yearled to emergency cauda equina syndrome and surgery. Recovery forced me to rethink what being "healthy" actually means.

Currently down 26 pounds and continuesly researching reta.

Click to expand...
Welcome, your in the right place. Reta is great, imo. Hang out. Read, use the search function and then ask questions. Most questions new people have been asked many times. So please put the effort out, before asking. You will get more and better help that way. This is a great forum, great. People are helpful here.

Also don't be in a hurry to buy grey market peps. If you rush it, your chances of getting ripped off is high. And your chances of getting bad product is high.
 
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