I need advice on Losing weight and muscle

[rose]

Hi all
I'm MTF on hrt for 8 years now
But I still have some muscles I would love to get rid of it along with fat

Any advice I'm 5'7 and 155 lb I want to be 128 or 125

[Dani]

Rose,

We all would like to be 125 pounds and 5'7".

I am much taller and larger. But I did lose over 100 pounds over 2 years.

I have 2 suggestions:

1) Diet - eat a lot of vegetables and avoid animal fat. Count calories and limit your intake to an amount that will get you at your desired weight. For 125 pounds, a caloric intake of 1800 calories per day is about right.

2) Exercise - Lots of Aerobic exercise and no weight training.

28 pounds is a lot for a 155 pound woman to lose, especially if she has been under the influence of Testosterone for many years.

Really, weight is just a number. Do you like the way you look at 155 pounds? Take another look at yourself at 145 pounds and see if you like that.

Most important, do NOT starve yourself. Eat properly.

[Deborah]

Are you being realistic with your weight goals.  I am 5'11 and wanted to be under 150 lbs and when I started getting close found it highly undesirable.  I got to 157 and started looking like a skeleton and my face started looking real sharp and angular again.  Check your body fat and get it to a healthy place, 18 to 25%, and let the scale follow.

This was at 157 lbs with about 14% body fat using calipers and the female formulas. 


It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.
André Gide, Autumn Leaves

[Dayta]

I tend to believe that healthy behaviours are more important than "healthy" results.  Honor your body with food that nourishes it, even if that means treats that boost your spirit.  And as you age, please don't neglect balance and flexibility as important aspects of your overall health.  I've found the practice of yoga to be a remarkable way to train both one's body and mind. 

Erin

[Inarasarah]

I want to second the healthy habits.  Everyone needs nurishment in order to be healthy.  The more you work out, the more your body needs to replenish, so don't forget this as you workout.

I started my latest "push" towards my goal weight of 185 lbs on October 31st, well technically a week or so before this.  But it required a dramatic change in my lifestyle.  Now I love me some beer, but it is just empty calories and went directly to my waist, so I quit, cold turkey.  I also started tracking what I ate so that I became more aware of the "stuff" I put in my mouth.  This helped me go from 212 on 10/31 to 189 today.  Now that might seem like a lot for just changing what I eat, but I also ampted up my workouts, trying to get in a 5 mile run everyday, plus daily exercises for my glutes and thighs (trying to shape them up a little more through non-surgical means).  Now add onto this a few hours of roller derby and I burn a heck of a lot of calories per day, so if I reduce the amount of "bad" calories and food that I intake by replacing them with "good" calories and food, I feel better and have actually had positive results.

Now you may be thinking 189, that isn't very light, well I am 5' 15" tall, so I am a giant   And ideally if I can stabilize my weight at 185, I can maintain enough muscle and body fat to still look feminine without looking too gaunt or underweight.  So keep in mind that body measurements and "ideal" weight ratios vary from person to person.  You need to find the right solution for you so that you remain healthy, happy, and IMHO fit.

Stay active and you will reach your goals!! (That is my inspiration speech) 

Best of luck to you!!
-Sarah

[DawnOday]

So far Michelle_P is keeping me on the straight and narrow in terms of exercises. My body has lost as much weight as it is going to without exercise. So far 80 lbs. Would you be interested in building an exercise support group? Hey everyone needs exercise even girls 5'7" 154 lbs. As well as ones who start out 6'3" and 300 lbs.

Let me know what you think and we can make it happen. That goes for anyone else who reads this and has problems doing the exercise. We can inspire each other.

[Deborah]

A support group sounds like a great idea.  I got restarted in Sep after four months of laziness and 27 pounds of gained weight [emoji33]. I've been getting it done but have to overcome some severe lack of motivation at least once or twice a week.  :-)


It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.
André Gide, Autumn Leaves

[Michelle_P]

So far Michelle_P is keeping me on the straight and narrow in terms of exercises. My body has lost as much weight as it is going to without exercise. So far 80 lbs. Would you be interested in building an exercise support group? Hey everyone needs exercise even girls 5'7" 154 lbs. As well as ones who start out 6'3" and 300 lbs.

Let me know what you think and we can make it happen. That goes for anyone else who reads this and has problems doing the exercise. We can inspire each other.

Oh, great idea!

I got some real-life nudging today in spite of the holiday, and managed to get in over 11,000 steps.  It feels good to be back at that level.  The new boots help... 



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[CoriM]

Grr... You girls get it going, and I'll stick to modifying my diet for now. Real exercise has to wait until I get my new knee in March, then the fun can start!

[Mirya]

I am 125 lbs and 5' 7" 

I eat a lot of greek yogurt.  Especially the ones with zero added sugars and 0% fat.  They have lots of protein (about 25% of the daily value from just one cup), they're only around 100 calories each, and they make you feel pretty full.

Lean meats like boneless skinless chicken breast and fish are my staples.  I'll only eat beef or pork maybe once a week.  Lean steaks are ok, but ground beef (hamburgers) and especially sausages are bad - I eat those maybe once a month.  Bacon is out of the question.  I don't even remember the last time I ate bacon.

Sugary drinks and alcohol are usually the biggest culprits in a high-calorie diet.  I don't drink alcohol at all, except for really special events (like New Year's Eve!).  No sodas and no orange juice either (too much sugar).  My beverages consist almost entirely of water and 0% fat milk.

[Deborah]

If one is trying to lose weight then an electronic food scale and diet tracking to maintain a healthy calorie deficit will greatly enhance success.  Whenever I do this then consistent weight loss is guaranteed.

The app I recommend is MyFitnessPal, Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker by MyFitnessPal by MyFitnessPal.com
https://appsto.re/us/oXSvu.i , in the IPhone App Store.  It has a huuuuge food database, great features, and a nice community.

The other thing, as mentioned above by Mirya, is to mostly eliminate refined carbohydrates.  This has the added benefit of allowing you to eat quite a bit of actual nutritious food and still maintain the calorie deficit.

Whenever I get disciplined and keep my sugar intake low I can lose weight quickly and consistently.  When I get lazy and start eating that stuff again I'll start gaining weight almost immediately.  Plus, all that sugar tends to make me feel sluggish.

I treat this whole diet business like a game.  I track and record everything and try to keep my streaks going.  Every day that I succeed it's a new high score to beat tomorrow.


It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.
André Gide, Autumn Leaves

[DawnOday]

I am 125 lbs and 5' 7" 

I eat a lot of greek yogurt.  Especially the ones with zero added sugars and 0% fat.  They have lots of protein (about 25% of the daily value from just one cup), they're only around 100 calories each, and they make you feel pretty full.

Lean meats like boneless skinless chicken breast and fish are my staples.  I'll only eat beef or pork maybe once a week.  Lean steaks are ok, but ground beef (hamburgers) and especially sausages are bad - I eat those maybe once a month.  Bacon is out of the question.  I don't even remember the last time I ate bacon.

Sugary drinks and alcohol are usually the biggest culprits in a high-calorie diet.  I don't drink alcohol at all, except for really special events (like New Year's Eve!).  No sodas and no orange juice either (too much sugar).  My beverages consist almost entirely of water and 0% fat milk.

Myra
You must have been small to begin with. As in my case, most have dropped all the weight we can maintaining a healthy calorie count and adjusting diets. There is a point where we hit a plateau and exercise is the only way to proceed.

[DawnOday]

Here is a handy dandy calorie calculator to help set weight loss goals.  http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html

Unfortunately my mind is always saying. Umm cookies.

[Deborah]

If I eat at a nutrient balance of carbs 40%, protein 30%, fat 30% and keep a daily calorie deficit, with exercise, of 500 to 1000 calories, I'll lose weight steadily.  If I keep the sugar quantity low and drink a lot of water then hunger is not a big issue


It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.
André Gide, Autumn Leaves

[Brooke]

I will also add that exercise is Amazing for you.... but not the secret to weight loss. You really need 30 min/day of medium intensity exercise (get heart rate over 110 or a light sweat) 5 days a week.

Also, the best diet is one that you can stick with. Because if you are in agony while on the diet, doubtful you'll be able to maintain the diet once you hit your goal weight.








Hugs,
~Brooke~

[Mirya]

Myra
You must have been small to begin with. As in my case, most have dropped all the weight we can maintaining a healthy calorie count and adjusting diets. There is a point where we hit a plateau and exercise is the only way to proceed.

Yes, I exercise a lot too.    I run for 30-40 min, 6 days a week.  And I also do strength training for 30 min, 3-4 days a week.  That is of course in addition to my very healthy diet.

I actually would like to lose a bit more weight though.  125 lbs is good, but I wish I could get to and stay at 119 lbs.  Laura Vandervoort, for example, is 5' 7" and 117 lbs.  It is really, really hard to get below 125 lbs and stay there though.  I think I'd have to completely give up the occasional cheat meal in order to do that, and I don't think I can do that in the long run (for example, I ate Korean BBQ today, lol).

[Brooke]

Just a warning to the dieters out there that a low bmi (under 20) is associated with a higher risk of mortality.




Hugs,
~Brooke~

[Deborah]

I'm safe then.  Today mine was 25.  My goal is between 22 and 23.   That leaves me looking pretty skinny in the lower 160s.


It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.
André Gide, Autumn Leaves

[Brooke]

Same for now. I'm at around 21. Trying to maintain.

Though having lost around 100 lbs I have that loose skin around my belly.

I also partake in intermittent fasting daily, for various other reasons that help several chronic illnesses I have. Not related to weight. At this point though I have to make sure I get enough calories a day. Kinda weird being on that end of the spectrum.

My extra weight was a result of misdiagnosed and mistreated conditions where the medication side effects combined with the underlying illness caused massive weight gain. Got correct treatment and correct meds and my weight dropped back to what it was pre condition (only 18 years of misdiagnosis lol)


Hugs,
~Brooke~

[somewhat]

You don't really sound like you need to lose weight  but I do have some experience with losing and gaining weight.

I've found that if the problem is eating too much or stress eating, it's good to find a hobby that's more interesting than eating, that requires your full attention, like playing games, or having sex/masturbating. Not having appetising food at your immediate disposal helps as well as eating a lot of fibres.

When it comes down to exercise, running burns calories without increasing muscle mass much. I've read that it may actually decrease muscle mass if you do long-distance running. Otherwise I don't know any healthy way to decrease muscle mass other than wait and let the hormones do their work.