Mounjaro progress update without insurance

Hey guys, I’m a vet without coverage (VA doesn’t always cover off-label weight-loss meds) and wanted to lay out my honest experience with Mounjaro (tirzepatide) over the last few months. Thought some of you who run gear and are cutting/recomping might find it relevant, especially if you picked up weight after service like I did. Quick backstory: I’m mid-40s, left the service a few years ago, and climbed to about 245 lb from stress eating, beers, and sloppier training. Tried the usual calorie cuts and extra cardio, but nothing stuck long-term. Heard about GLP-1s like Mounjaro online and decided to try it. Getting it out-of-pocket sucks — retail was over $1,000/month, but I checked around pharmacies and used discount cards/apps to get it down to roughly $500 a box from an online seller. I started at 2.5 mg/week and worked up to 7.5 mg. Side effects were pretty mild for me: some nausea the first couple weeks (eating smaller meals helped a lot), occasional tiredness, but nothing that stopped me from lifting. Results: lost 42 lb in about five months (245 → 203). Mostly fat — I’ve been training heavy (compounds + some cardio) and keeping protein high to hold onto muscle. Appetite is basically gone; no more junk cravings, which is huge after years of fighting them. Strength dipped a bit early (probably from lower calories), but it’s leveling out now that I’m dialed in with protein and keeping lifts heavy. Pros for guys like us/no-insurance folks: actually works when willpower alone fails, helps with stubborn belly fat N…