Current Stack — Metabolic Lock-In Phase

Educational use only. Not medical advice. Not instructions.
This page explains rationale and organization — not personal dosing or individualized prescriptions.

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Why This Phase Exists

I just came off a 6-month cut and dropped about 75 pounds.

This phase is not about chasing more loss.

This is about locking in the win:

• restoring metabolism
• protecting joints
• calming inflammation
• making sure gut + sleep are stable
• building a clean runway for lean muscle gain over the next year

Calories sit around my stabilization range (roughly 2,950–3,150 kcal/day) — high enough to refill the tank and normalize hormones, not so high that I spill into body-fat gain.

Training stays heavy and intentional.
Cardio is for heart health and recovery — not punishment.

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The Foundation (Non-Peptide Terrain)

Before any research signals, the foundation is boring on purpose:

If this stuff is off, the “stack” becomes expensive noise.

Base

• TRT (physician-prescribed) — baseline hormone support. No magic. Just keeping levels from falling off a cliff post-cut.
• Collagen (Types I–V) — connective tissue, skin, hair, structural support.
• Omega-3 + Vitamin D3/K2 + Magnesium glycinate — inflammation control, cardiovascular support, and sleep quality support.
• Gut support — food fiber, hydration, meal spacing, chewing, and digestion-friendly habits so absorption actually happens.
• Melatonin (night) — circadian stability and sleep depth, which supports recovery and hormone normalization.

The rule: terrain first.
Then signals.

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Research Signals — Metabolic & Structural Support

All compounds below are research peptides.
Nothing here is medical advice or a recommendation.

This is how I organize the signals I’m studying in the lock-in phase.

Sourcing note

Sourced through AIO Peptides (Protov20):
https://aiopeptides.com/?coupon=Protov20

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Retatrutide — Insulin Sensitivity & Nutrient Partitioning

Retatrutide is a multi-receptor metabolic signal studied for effects on:

• insulin sensitivity
• glucose handling
• nutrient partitioning

Coming out of a long cut, my goal isn’t “eat less forever.”

My goal is:

• bring calories back online
• train hard
• and make sure carbs go toward muscle work and recovery instead of spillover storage

I’m watching it for:

• better post-meal glucose control
• steadier energy and appetite
• cleaner nutrient flow toward training output

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KLOW Blend — Hair, Skin, Gut & Recovery Scaffold

This blend combines four signals:

• GHK-Cu — studied for skin quality, hair support, and inflammation modulation
• BPC-157 — researched for gut lining and soft tissue recovery signaling
• TB-500 (Thymosin Beta-4 fragment) — tied to tissue repair signaling in multiple models
• KPV — α-MSH fragment studied for gut and systemic inflammation control

I treat this as “terrain repair”:

• gut stability
• connective tissue support
• low-grade inflammation control
• systemic backstop while I push hair work harder

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Cartilax — Joint & Cartilage Support

After dropping 75 lb and living under a barbell, joints become the limiter.

Cartilax is researched for:

• cartilage matrix support
• joint environment signaling

I’m watching it for:

• knees/hips holding stable as volume increases
• less “day after” stiffness
• fewer forced deloads from joint irritation

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DSIP — Sleep Architecture & Recovery

DSIP (Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide) is studied for:

• sleep depth and architecture
• stress response regulation

In a lock-in phase, I don’t care about “feeling sedated.”

I care about whether sleep is doing the job:

• deeper restorative sleep
• fewer 3am stress spikes
• better wake-ups and recovery readiness

This runs alongside basic sleep hygiene and nightly melatonin.

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How This Fits The Bigger Plan

This phase is the bridge: cut → stabilize → rebuild

The scorecard isn’t the scale. It’s:

• stable bodyweight at higher calories
• training performance trending up
• joints holding under load
• gut/sleep/mood steady instead of brittle

Once those stay checked long enough, calories move toward a lean-gain lane and that becomes the next protocol.

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Protocol V Takeaway

Lock-in isn’t flashy.

It’s discipline:

• terrain first
• clean signals second
• consistent training execution

That’s how you keep the 75-lb win and build the next year the right way.

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