I am fat

[Tgirly]

It seems that most CD's that show off are skinny but rarely see fat cd's. So I am 5`11" 230lb with some upper body strength but a big belly bulge 42 waist and big legs.

Also I want to wear short skirts and short tops, so I guess it goes against all no-no's for big women in fashion.

I know that it shouldn't matter to be some what passable but I guess it is to me, is there any way to solve this problem or just lose weight. Any suggestions are welcome.

[Rita Irene]

Im a big girl...Ive been on a weight loss kick since turkey day and its actually going well.

But Im not small...funny cuz I like short skirts, too!

Real girls come in all sizes, just do your best to be cute and SMILE ALOT, it helps!

[Vicky]

Not to be crude, but hey skinny, if I can do it you can!!.  Ok, I'm only 10 pounds heavier than you are, but I'm also an inch shorter!!!  Three months ago I was near 270, but have cut out a very fattening beverage and my girl waist has just gone below 42". 

You would be a Womans 3x or a 24/26 at several places on the ground or in the ether.  You might find out that your alta belly button size is different from your baja belly button size, but if you get something at a store that carries several sizes of the same outfit, you can return the stuff for the correct size without blushing too much.

Separate tops and bottoms in solid, but lighter colors will cut you in two without going the belt route.  Black and white tops and skirts can look very good.  Blouse will be out at the waist. Queen size L'eggs panty hose in a color slightly darker than you natural skin tone are good, but black tights in Queen size will also look very good, especially in cold weather.  A few more posts from now and I will be able to put in pictures, and I have one with a white lace top and a black spandex skirt that hits two inches above my knees. Its skin hugging in the backside of my anatomy, but that is part of the fun of it.  You can look very happily feminine in knits that show a little bit of bulge, so don't overlook outfits with a little bit of stretch.  Your figure will actually look good with a "C+" boob size, so don't worry about being big on top. 

Us larger sizes will actually get clocked less than the rain pipe skinny "girls" because we will get a single fast look if we don't have an obvious beard, or buck teeth and then our inspector will shift his double attention to the skinny girl with the turkey gobbler adams apple.

Have fun.

[tekla]

Though they may not be posting more pictures than Brittney Spears, if you go out, you'll find a lot of continental ladies.

[Cindy]

Hey Gorgeous
I'm 5" 9" and weight 57 kgs. I'm tiny. I'm the odd one out. ALL girls are beautiful. Go to a major store and book a stylist. Tell her your problem. OK you are going to say NO WAY this is too much. Guess what you are paying her. She will help you. I've done this. I was only finding clothes in the miss shop. Big deal, I'm 56. I don't want to look like a teenager. She didn't have a problem, I was in "its" clothes, she introduced me as a buyer for a friend. Now a days I would go as me and have the free (?) manicure etc.

Hey go out and enjoy
You are you
Cindy James

[Tgirly]

Thanks for the support guys. I don't pay attention to big girl fashion or any at all, so I guess there is hope after all. Yet I still want to lose weight because I guess I envy skinny girls and find them more attractive sadly.

[MarySue]

There are three secrets to losing weight:

* Exercise more.
* Eat less.
* Eat differently.

It's that easy ... and that hard. Sorry, but there are no magic bullets. Incidentally, I went from 175 to 140 seven years ago, and I've kept it off since then. And while some of that was because I wanted to wear short skirts, the thing that finally motivated me was lying on my back, on a gurney, counting the holes in the ceiling tiles in the ER while I was having a heart attack.

A few other tricks:

* Do NOT think of this as going on a diet. That implies you expect to go back to your old eating habits when you reach your target weight. Sorry, kiddo, that won't work. You need to make a permanent life style change. Accept that now.

* Read the labels on foods: calorie count, fat content, all that jazz. Know how many calories you eat a day, and set a goal for yourself.

* More fruits and veggies, less carbs and fat.

* Situps and walking work wonders, and treadmills are marvelous. To keep from going nuts, listen to audio books. Yes, they're expensive, but check your library. In my neck of the woods, libraries have greatly expanded their audio book collections.

* Margarine and butter have a disgusting number of calories. Drop them from your diet.

* As far as you're concerned, fast food places no longer exist.

* If you want to do upper body exercises, do lots of reps with small weights. I believe that tones the muscles without bulking up.

* Don't expect to lose more than 1-2 pounds per week. If you do lose more, it's probably fluid loses, and it will come back quickly.

[Tgirly]

Yes I have tried exercise regiments with friends but sometimes they get lazy, than it kind of defeats my routine or motivation. Even having a gym membership I would get going for 1-2 hours everyday for a week by myself than get lazy. Than realize I need to exercise than rinse and repeat.

Dieting god knows how many times I said I would only drink water and eat less. Than every time family goes out or friends it's usually fast food there or restaurant here or drink here.

I grew up with 1 friend that had super high metabolism, 1 was a health freak and ate like a bird, and one had medium metabolism with bad eating habits. We all had one thing in common is that we loved soda and junk food like any other teenager.

I guess I wasn't blessed with high metabolism or the will power to diet and exercise daily. I was chubby ever since I was a baby and it only grew worst through grade school.

I can see why so many get discouraged because I want unrealistic results for what may seem like a lot of effort. On top of that I see all these skinny people eating what ever they want, I am jealous of some people's metabolism. I think I would be happy with a 30 inch waist, although all I can think of are the anorexic brushed up twig figures on TV. I think I'm happy with just being a closet CD until I'm satisfied or confident in going out in public.

[Vicky]

Both your weight and your dressing issues are part of you.  You are looking at the rest of your life with both of them.  Why not let one help the other??  MarySue was right on what she told you and I was right on what I told you about there being good looking clothes that will help you get out and enjoy yourself.  Part of my recent weight issue, as was MarySue's. involved medical issues.  Mine is blood pressure out of the roof, and blood surgar darn near there.  I am staring at a copy of the American Diabetes Association cook book with dietary level charts as I type this.  I can even have a chocolate bar every now and then and still keep my sugar levels intact.  My best pair of crosstrainers, are womens shoes, and working up to 10K steps of walking per day (probably about 4.5 miles for your height) while wearing them is fun. 

Even though I have been known to be a little (OK a lot) catty about other CD's, we can and do support each other when we can be together (unless of course we are drunk or stoned).  Acceptance of yourself for who you are today, what you want to be and how you will get there is a key.  There are a large number of organizations that give CD support, and some TG/CD stores also have groups that meet there, and one or two will be in your heels!!  So, get a good looking outfit, get out, and get friends who will help your future dress sizes go from 24 to 14!!!   Use your crossdressing to help you, but you will have to get out to let it.

[Vexing]

Ack. I'm working very, VERY hard on putting on weight to get curves and padding.
Nothing wrong with some healthy fat.

[Rita Irene]

I have found that the more I "come out" the more weight I am losing...just by being happier...

maybe that will apply for you...

[jamie lee]

There are three secrets to losing weight:

* Exercise more.
* Eat less.
* Eat differently.

It's that easy ... and that hard. Sorry, but there are no magic bullets. Incidentally, I went from 175 to 140 seven years ago, and I've kept it off since then. And while some of that was because I wanted to wear short skirts, the thing that finally motivated me was lying on my back, on a gurney, counting the holes in the ceiling tiles in the ER while I was having a heart attack.

A few other tricks:

* Do NOT think of this as going on a diet. That implies you expect to go back to your old eating habits when you reach your target weight. Sorry, kiddo, that won't work. You need to make a permanent life style change. Accept that now.

You are so correct about PERMANENT LIFE style changes. About 8 years ago I lost 35 lbs when from 200 to 165 Lbs then went back to my old habits and gained it all back ! PB back up now I'm trying to loose it again but with each year it's getting harder, I'll make it but this time I will make the changes permanent ! and look oh so good in my new skirts !

Jamie L.

[Eva Marie]

There are three secrets to losing weight:

* Exercise more.
* Eat less.
* Eat differently.

It's that easy ... and that hard. Sorry, but there are no magic bullets. Incidentally, I went from 175 to 140 seven years ago, and I've kept it off since then. And while some of that was because I wanted to wear short skirts, the thing that finally motivated me was lying on my back, on a gurney, counting the holes in the ceiling tiles in the ER while I was having a heart attack.

A few other tricks:

* Do NOT think of this as going on a diet. That implies you expect to go back to your old eating habits when you reach your target weight. Sorry, kiddo, that won't work. You need to make a permanent life style change. Accept that now.

* Read the labels on foods: calorie count, fat content, all that jazz. Know how many calories you eat a day, and set a goal for yourself.

* More fruits and veggies, less carbs and fat.

* Situps and walking work wonders, and treadmills are marvelous. To keep from going nuts, listen to audio books. Yes, they're expensive, but check your library. In my neck of the woods, libraries have greatly expanded their audio book collections.

* Margarine and butter have a disgusting number of calories. Drop them from your diet.

* As far as you're concerned, fast food places no longer exist.

* If you want to do upper body exercises, do lots of reps with small weights. I believe that tones the muscles without bulking up.

* Don't expect to lose more than 1-2 pounds per week. If you do lose more, it's probably fluid loses, and it will come back quickly.

Good suggestions.

Losing weight doesn't have to be drudgery, and if done properly it WILL take a while. After all, it took years to gain the weight. Don't think of it as dieting, rather, look at it as a permanent lifestyle change. You undoubtedly have some poor eating habits, and perhaps eat too much at a sitting. Changing these habits is pretty easy once you think about it and with a new outlook on what you are doing. You may do better eating many small meals during the day rather than eating 3 big meals.

Also, i'd check with my doctor and see if there is anything medically wrong.

[barbie]

My experience tells that changing eating habit is extremely difficult, and the easy and only solution to loose weight is aerobic exercise. At least once every 2 days and more than 30 minutes. Never try to run fast. Run as slow as possible, or just walk fast.

I have regularly run for about 8 years, and sometimes I participate in marathon courses. It is winter, but I like running at night with chilly winds which cool down my heated  body. Most people, including little kids, first think I am 20's when they see my body shape. After studying my face, they usually guess I am 30's, but I am 40's. For example, last weekend I went to a restaurant with my family. Usually I had visited there with my colleagues, and female employees there remember me very well because of my long hair. They first said that they thought I am a lady. When going there with my 3 kids and wife, all of them were surprised. They had thought I might be a single man at 20's. One of them shouted like "You have as many as 3 kids! I would be surprised even you would have just one."

This kind of everyday episode is my pleasure, but I have to invest at least 1 hour everyday to maintain my body shape, and of course my health for supporting my family. It is not an easy job, but I am already addicted to running. A problem is occasional pain in my left knee when climbing stairs, despite stretching and slow running. To prevent this problem, I stretch more after running.

Once addicted to aerobic exercise, it is very easy to loose weight.

Barbie~~

[DragonGirl]

For health reasons the wife found a nutrition plan that over 2 years took me from 280 to 195 lbs. It is written by a couple the Dausts and it is called 40-30-30. The simple premise is eat in proportion and substitute low glycemic carbs for for the high glycemic carbs breads,pasta and potatoes and white rice. When we first started it " THE " wife piled a plate with the amount I was allowed and my eyes just about popped out and I told her " when have you ever seen me eat that much in one sitting. So I eat pretty much as I used to but much more balanced and that did the trick and for exercise at first I didn't do anything different and still dropped weight but when I added in walking the weight dropped quicker and when I added in weight training lighter weights and more reps I dropped even more and now I am sitting pretty steady between 195 and 205. Hope this helps out some folks. DG.