Metabolism on T - Faster or slower?

[Moneyless]

My psychologist told me that on T your metabolism is most likely to change, either slower or faster. This worries me because I know that my appetite will increase, and if my metabolism slowed at the same time it'd be problematic. I'm planning to start gym but at least a few months into my transition so I will be passing and comfortable enough. I'm already losing weight just by eating healthy, and trying to lose as much as I can before T, but scared of gaining it all back when I go on T.

Did you notice your metabolism get faster or slower after T? I realise it's probably different for everyone. Also, did you gain or lose weight? I hear that you're basically guaranteed to gain weight but I assumed that was from muscle gain.

[jlaframboise]

I've been on a weight loss journey since I started T. I've lost over 50 pounds, and in my opinion I think my metabolism increased a tiny bit? but the energy I got from T to push each workout further and the fact that I eat a lot better now is how I lost weight and boosted the metabolism. All in all, T helped so much with weight loss for me. it takes a lot of effort to gain muscle that you'd notice and know it was from your effort. Keep your eating habits healthy and I'm sure you'll be fine with what changes come!

[Moneyless]

I've been on a weight loss journey since I started T. I've lost over 50 pounds, and in my opinion I think my metabolism increased a tiny bit? but the energy I got from T to push each workout further and the fact that I eat a lot better now is how I lost weight and boosted the metabolism. All in all, T helped so much with weight loss for me. it takes a lot of effort to gain muscle that you'd notice and know it was from your effort. Keep your eating habits healthy and I'm sure you'll be fine with what changes come!

That's amazing! I've only lost 5kg so far, around 11 pounds but I don't have much to lose. I'm happy for you. I guess you're right that the energy from T would push you to work out more, I never thought of that.

[FTMax]

I don't think mine has changed. I've lost 30lbs total since starting T.

My appetite is still the same, and the weight loss I've experienced has been due to changes in what I consume, and not how much I consume. I didn't work out with any regularity until this year, and am only doing it to prepare for bottom surgery.

[Guile]

Personally, my endocrinologist practically guaranteed that my metabolism would increase, so hopefully that's a good sign.

Also, I think it should be important to keep in mind the different types of weight you'l be gaining/losing. Gaining weight due to muscle gain is obviously a good thing, and losing weight due to fat loss is always excellent. Also remember that a cubic inch of fat weighs much less than a cubic inch of muscle. Muscle just weighs more because it's denser. Because of that, if you lost a certain volume of fat and gained the same volume in muscle, you'd see your weight on the scale increase, but you might actually feel slimmer and more fit than before.

Far too much importance is placed on that number on the scale. While it is one decent way to keep track of progress, I feel that this obsession with pure weight is really clouding the true goal. What people should be going for is a body image, not a weight. Do you feel good? Awesome. Do you like the way you look? Perfect. That's really all that matters in this.

[DarkWolf_7]

I don't know if my appetite increased but if it did so did my metabolism because I'm the same weight I was Pre-T. My appetite and metabolism was never as high as it was when I was still growing several years ago.

[FtMitch]

My appetite and metabolism both increased. In general I believe that metabolism is more likely to either increase or remain the same on T than to decrease, but metabolism is affected by many factors, not just hormones.  Genetically I have a high metabolism and always have, but it is higher now on T.  Before I ate perhaps 1800 calories a day and stayed the same weight when non-active. When active (light athletic activity like SCUBA diving or horseback riding 3-4 times a week) I had to eat about 2000 calories a day to maintain.  I lost a lot of weight living in Honduras for four months because I was active but not counting calories--I looked like a skeleton. Now I have to eat 2700 calories a day to maintain the same weight when active (riding horses 4-5 times a week, lifting weights once a week) and about 2900 to gain anything.  Luckily my appetite has gone up as well, but I still have a tough time eating more than 2500 calories--I drink a lot of whole milk now.

I do see how I might have gained weight on T if I sat on my butt all the time and didn't watch what I ate since my appetite has gone up so much and junk food is stuffed with empty calories that don't really make you feel full.  But I generally feel like if people will monitor what they eat, steering away from junk foods, and use the energy increase often given by T to do some kind of light athletic activity (even just power walking) then weight gain can be controlled.  But then I honestly have no first hand experience with weight struggles since that's just not genetically how I am built...