FtM Pre-T Weightloss Questions

[Peacebone]

I'm currently around 11 stone 5 (161 lbs) and 5'3. I'm small chested and most of my weight is around my belly... I bind, so I think my fat distribution hides my chest...

I'm not yet with a gender clinic (I hope to be on T by next spring), but I was looking up resources and I'm basically 2 points off the maximum BMI they'd accept for certain treatments.  Also, I feel like sh*t about my body anyway and I've decided to focus on a fitness/weightloss goal for Christmas... I'd like to lose a stone/14 lbs by then...

• If I lose fat, will it make my chest look bigger compared to my body?
• Any tips on masculinising exercises?

[Arch]

I lost a lot of weight before starting T, and I just looked better all around. I assume that my chest got somewhat smaller during the process, but I don't really know because I did my best to disconnect from that part of my body. I did have to buy smaller and smaller binders, but the sizing isn't only based on the size of one's chest.

Many people gain weight while on T, so you should keep that in mind in case it happens to you and you wind up over your target weight again after losing some pounds. I'm not familiar with non-U.S. systems, so I'm not sure what kinds of treatments would be in jeopardy. Surgery?

[Peacebone]

Yeah... I basically can't have top surgery if I get any fatter, though I'm not really a massive guy (34 inch waist).  If I don't start working on it when I have the energy and physical ability, I may end up sick/injured and gain more weight and not be able to get surgery.

I've heard that a lot of guys lose weight after starting T? Maybe it depends on their body...

[AndrewB]

I think most guys on T that report losing weight do so because they are more comfortable in their skin, happier to work on their body (because there's finally an end goal to their means—a masculine figure), and often get out more once they feel like they're passing and such. T probably won't help you lose weight without effort, same as without T. When I lost weight (I'm now 32 lbs lighter than I was in November) my chest shrank significantly, I went down 3 inches or so on my waist, and I just generally started feeling better about everything, trans-related or not. At my highest I sat at about a (tight) 38D at around 183 lbs, 36-38 waist, and I am only 5'4. When I went into my consultation for top I was measured at around a 36C, I believe. I'm not too bummed the number didn't go down much, as I'm barrel-chested like my father, but yes usually weight loss will drop your chest size significantly, depending on how much you lose. Weird they won't do surgery if you're too hefty, it's totally not like that in the states, as far as I'm aware (to a point).

[FTMax]

The chest is mostly fat. So you may actually lose weight there. That's the first place I lose weight. Unfortunately targeted weight loss isn't a thing - you can't choose where the weight comes off so it's really just up to nature.

What I'd worry about most is your diet. Exercise is taking one step forward, but a bad diet is two steps back. Make a meal plan, stick to it, and start doing cardio. Add in lifting when you're ready. Ideally, you want to reduce your waist size and increase the size of the muscles in your shoulders/upper back to create a more triangular shape.

I'd look around online and see if you can't find some bigger English guys that have gone through NHS. I've got two inches on you, and I can run anywhere from 165-185lbs. My surgeon didn't have any issues, and my doctor doesn't care either. I'm in the US though.