In February I had a medical scare that woke me up: I needed to take control of my health, or there wasn't going to be much of it left. So I found a doctor and got every test they wanted. The results weren't good. My A1C was 9.7, my blood pressure was sky-high, and at 164 kilograms I was severely overweight. They were ready to prescribe everything under the sun.
Rather than become a customer of the medical industry, I decided to see what I could fix myself. That started the journey I'm still on. Since April I've lost 43 kilograms, my blood pressure is now well under control and my A1C is down to 5.4 and I'm not done. I know I can do it, can you?
People have noticed the change, and they ask what I've done and how. I don't think it's complicated, but it does have a lot of moving pieces. So I built this page: one place where friends, family, and anyone curious can find the tools that have helped me.
Tools are all this page offers. The most important part of taking control of your life is discipline — and that's the hard part.
Reconstitution is just adding bacteriostatic water to the powder in the vial. Swab the stoppers, draw the water, and run it slowly down the inside of the glass so it dissolves on its own — swirl, never shake — then date the vial and put it in the fridge. The whole thing takes two minutes once you've done it twice.
The one mistake everyone makes once: assuming you fill the vial with a full 3 mL syringe of water. The amount of water is chosen, not fixed — it's set by the dose your protocol calls for and the injection size you want to draw in units on an insulin syringe. More water means a bigger, easier-to-measure draw; less water means a smaller one. Work that number out before the water goes in, because you can't take it back out. Did I mention — Never Shake!
essential
The one bottle you will never regret buying two of. Can't really have too much.
30 mL · 0.9% benzyl alcohol · multi-dose
essential
These are for drawing bac water and dispensing into the vial down the glass wall, never onto the powder. I use a smaller gauge needle here to avoid unneeded damage to the rubber stopper on the vials.
5 mL · 25G × 1.5 in needles · luer-lock
essential
stopper and skin, every time. Buy the 500-count box.
70% isopropyl · 2-ply · 500 ct
There are a lot of resources out there about choosing injection sites. The bottom is stay about 2 inches away from your belly button and don't over use and single spot. As far as equipment goes, I use 0.3ml 31G insulin-syringes and 36G 8mm pen tips, although I've been moving more and more to the 28G 12.5mm tips to prevent leaking as a result of the short needle. Sharps container are good idea, I use a strong walled plastic shake bottle for all my used tips and syringes.
essential
This is the size and gauge I settled on after trying three. Half-unit marks matter. Also good for venting vials
0.3 mL · 31G × 5/16 in · half-unit marks · 100 ct
Check the units on the barrel before you draw. Every time.
essential
PLACEHOLDER — because a coffee can is not a plan.
1 qt · FDA-cleared · locking lid
recommended
PLACEHOLDER — date the vial the moment you reconstitute it.
ultra-fine · black
The clinicians will tell you 28 days is the most you can keep a reconstituted vial in the fridge at 36 °F. Technically they're right. In practice I've kept reconstituted peptides 60, even 70 days without a problem — kept dark, handled gently, and in a fridge that's genuinely cold. The thermometer card in this kit is how I know it is.
Past the 30-day mark, though, you check every draw. Hold the vial to the light: if there's anything floating in it or the colour has changed, it's done. Discard it, no exceptions.
Unopened, lyophilised vials go in the freezer at 4 °F (−20 °C), where they keep for years. Mine live in a soup thermos with silicone inserts — a hundred 3 mL vials in a container that holds its temperature, stays dark, and survives being knocked around.
recommended
PLACEHOLDER — keeps vials upright and away from the yoghurt.
22 × 14 × 15 cm · clear lid
recommended
PLACEHOLDER — reconstituted vials live upright. This is how.
8 holes · fits 2 mL vials
recommended
PLACEHOLDER — name, date, concentration. Written, not remembered.
1 × 2 in · removable
optional
PLACEHOLDER — for the dry-storage box of unopened vials.
2 g · indicating
optional
PLACEHOLDER — your fridge is warmer than you think. Mine was.
2–8 °C band
PLACEHOLDER — the daily stack and the why behind each line. Stacks below are lists you can copy.
essential
I use this help down regulate the heart rate before sleep to promote restfulness and a complete nights sleep.
120 caps
essential
This promotes collagen production and help promote uninterrupted sleep.
90 caps
essential
Part of the electrolytes trio, this is great before bed to help relax muscles and also aid in the speed of digestion.
60 caps
1 Hour to 30 Minutes before bed.
What I measure, how often, and what I ignore.
essential
Yes, it's expensive. Yes, you can use another scale if you have one or don't want to by this one. But you MUST have an accurate one. Ideally one that you can track on your phone. Otherwise, you MUST track you weight yourself, this data is critical to success.
Wi-Fi · HealthKit sync
recommended
The waist number moves, sometimes the scale doesn't. It one of the better ways to track visceral fat loss.
retractable
optional
This is a one stop shop for valuable Peptide knowledge. What they are, how they work, how to use them. Lot's user input.
Everything above in one list. Copy it, or a single kit, and paste it anywhere.
| # | Item | Details | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 |  | 30 mL · 0.9% benzyl alcohol · multi-dose | essential | ruo.bio ↗ | |
| 01 |  | 5 mL · 25G × 1.5 in needles · luer-lock | essential | Amazon ↗ | |
| 01 |  | 70% isopropyl · 2-ply · 500 ct | essential | Amazon ↗ | |
| 02 |  | 0.3 mL · 31G × 5/16 in · half-unit marks · 100 ct | essential | Amazon ↗ | |
| 02 | 1 qt · FDA-cleared · locking lid | essential | Amazon ↗ | ||
| 02 | ultra-fine · black | recommended | Amazon ↗ | ||
| 03 | 22 × 14 × 15 cm · clear lid | recommended | Amazon ↗ | ||
| 03 | 8 holes · fits 2 mL vials | recommended | Amazon ↗ | ||
| 03 | 1 × 2 in · removable | recommended | Amazon ↗ | ||
| 03 | 2 g · indicating | optional | Amazon ↗ | ||
| 03 | 2–8 °C band | optional | Amazon ↗ | ||
| 04 | | 120 caps | essential | Amazon ↗ | |
| 04 | 90 caps | essential | Amazon ↗ | ||
| 04 | 60 caps | essential | Amazon ↗ | ||
| 05 |  | Wi-Fi · HealthKit sync | essential | Amazon ↗ | |
| 05 |  | retractable | recommended | Amazon ↗ | |
| 05 |  | optional | Open Peppedia ↗ |