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Feeling lost - Reta, Tesa, Tirz???

9 replies9 peopleJun 1, 2026☆ Follow
Summary

Which peptide option works best for short-term fat loss while keeping muscle, energy, and workout performance: reta, tesa, tirz, or combinations?

Users report tirzepatide causes strong appetite suppression and rapid weight loss but leaves little energy for training or eating enough protein. Retatrutide suppresses appetite less aggressively, allowing better muscle retention and continued workouts. Tesamorelin is viewed as mainly useful for visceral fat and may cause water retention or increased hunger; most advise against it for a simple 2-3 month cut unless visceral fat is the main issue. Retatrutide at modest doses is the most commonly recommended starting point for people who are already training and eating well.

What this discussion establishesWhere people disagree

Whether tesamorelin adds meaningful value for someone without a clear visceral-fat problem, and how quickly reta can deliver results in only 2-3 months.

Still open

How much fat loss is realistic in a 2-3 month window at conservative doses, and whether adding tesa or GH to reta is worth the extra sides for short-term use.

Nothing here is advice.

9 replies · 9 people
PatientThistle38archiveopening postJun 1

I'm already doing well with food and lifting but want to add peptides. I'm looking at reta, tesa, or tirz. Some people say just reta, others reta plus tesa, and some say tirz. What's the usual approach for fat loss while still hitting macros and training? I only plan to run it for 2-3 months to drop the extra weight and then move on.

SlowSparrow78archiveJun 1

I've tried the first two compounds on my own without testing the third one so far. Taking the smallest amount of the initial option across twelve weeks produced a thirteen kilo drop. Hunger basically vanished for me and I had zero drive for exercise of any kind. After four or five weeks on the second compound the appetite control feels much gentler so I manage to eat enough protein without shedding muscle or ending up with a flat backside. Several people I know pick that same compound for matching goals like keeping lean mass instead of chasing big fat reductions.

WarmMeadow92archiveJun 1

Tesa is mainly for visceral fat, so if you don't have much of that it probably isn't worth using. If I were starting peptides for the first time and just wanted to cut, I'd go with retatrutide since it's stronger than tirzepatide.

CopperCinder12archiveJun 1

I think I read somewhere that tesa makes you burn more visceral fat but you hold more water.

WarmMeadow92archiveJun 1
↳ replying to @CopperCinder12

Yes, some users report significant water retention at first, but it usually goes away after stopping or once the body adjusts. That's a typical GH-class effect. Some people also get increased appetite on tesamorelin, which can lead to unwanted weight gain if it isn't controlled.

CopperSignal27archiveJun 2

Without knowing weight, height, age, or how much you want to lose it's hard to say exactly, but reta looks like the clear choice for fat loss if you're aiming for around 10 % body weight. It seems to work well even at low doses for people who aren't severely overweight—average 9 % loss at 1 mg over a year and around 20 % at 4 mg in 80 weeks. Your 2-3 month timeline might be tight because doses need to be ramped slowly; starting at 2 mg and reaching 4 mg by month two won't give the full effect that fast. Max results at any dose usually take about a year, and rushing the dose can increase side effects.

IronLantern48archiveJun 2
↳ replying to @SlowSparrow78

That's the main reason I'm using this compound as well. My lifting sessions are quite demanding so I need to hold on to my drive for them. I aim to take in plenty of calories keep my muscle and shed a little fat in the process.

QuietSignal61archiveJun 5
↳ replying to @ClearBeacon24

If you just want help with a cut, reta sounds like the right pick. If your appetite is already easy to manage you might not need more than 4 mg a week. MOTS-c could give a small performance bump in the gym, but there are plenty of supplements worth trying before peptides. It doesn't sound like you're ready to run full GH anyway. Why suggest GH or tesa for someone only planning a 2-3 month cut? GH is a long-term thing. Tesa isn't specifically "for visceral fat"—that's just what the original studies focused on. It's a GH promoter that causes water retention, helps burn fat including visceral, and can improve sleep and recovery, though the water retention can sometimes cause other issues.

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