THE PROTOCOL: Protein: 1g per pound of GOAL body weight (I target 180g/day). Non-negotiable. I eat protein first at every meal. If I can't eat enough whole food protein (common on tirz when appetite is crushed), I supplement with whey isolate or fairlife shakes. Resistance Training: 4 days/week, upper/lower split - Monday: Upper (bench, rows, OHP, pulldowns) - Tuesday: Lower (squat, RDL, leg press, leg curl) - Thursday: Upper (DB press, cable rows, lateral raises, curls/tris) - Friday: Lower (deadlift, Bulgarian splits, leg extension, calves) Progressive overload is KEY. I track every set, every rep, every weight. If I'm not progressing (or at minimum maintaining) my lifts, something is wrong. Current lifts (all at 206 lbs bodyweight): - Bench: 245 lbs (was 255 at 268 lbs — barely dropped) - Squat: 315 lbs (was 335 — slight decrease but I also have less mass to move) - Deadlift: 405 lbs (was 405 — no change 💪) Creatine: 5g daily. Helps with strength, cell hydration, and there's emerging data on lean mass preservation. Sleep: 7-8 hours minimum. GH release during sleep is critical for muscle protein synthesis. Tirz actually improved my sleep quality (probably because it helped my sleep apnea). Cardio: Light. 2-3x per week, 20-30 min walking/cycling. NOT doing excessive cardio that could eat into recovery.

This is great but you were clearly an experienced lifter before starting tirz. What about people who've never lifted? I'm 5'7" 220 lbs, never been in a gym. Terrified of the "ozempic body" thing.

Honestly? Starting to lift while on tirz is even BETTER than my situation. Because you're a beginner, you'll experience "newbie gains" — your body can build muscle even in a caloric deficit because the stimulus is novel. Recomposition is very possible for untrained individuals. Start with a basic program like Starting Strength or GZCLP. Learn the compound movements. Focus on form first, weight second. Get your protein in. The "ozempic body" thing happens when people: 1. Eat 800 calories/day 2. Do zero resistance training 3. Get maybe 40g protein 4. Lose 80+ lbs rapidly That's not the drug's fault. That's a failure of protocol.

Physical therapist and recreational lifter here. Want to add some nuance: The lean mass loss on DEXA includes water, glycogen, and organ mass — not just skeletal muscle. When you lose weight, your heart doesn't need to work as hard (less cardiac muscle mass needed), your liver shrinks (less fat storage), etc. So the 7 lbs of "lean mass" lost in your case probably includes ~3-4 lbs of non-muscle tissue. Your actual skeletal muscle loss might be as low as 3-4 lbs, which over 62 lbs of weight loss is exceptional. Additional tips: - Don't drop volume during a cut. Maintain training volume, reduce intensity slightly if needed - Time your tirz injection so that your heaviest training days aren't during peak nausea (usually days 1-2 post-injection) - If you can't eat enough protein due to suppressed appetite, liquid sources are your friend (shakes, bone broth, Greek yogurt) - Consider leucine supplementation (3-5g/day) if protein is marginal — it's the key amino acid for muscle protein synthesis