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Community Conversation => Transsexual talk => Male to female transsexual talk (MTF) => Topic started by: Ltl89 on April 23, 2014, 06:00:38 PM

Title: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Ltl89 on April 23, 2014, 06:00:38 PM
Hey all,

So, I hate my body very much and have been trying to lose weight like crazy.  For the past 2 or 3 months, I've been eating about one meal a day.  It hasn't been working too fast, but I just don't want to feel and look fat anymore.  However, even that went wrong thanks to Easter (damn cream eggs and cake), and the past few days I've been eating 2 meals a day.  Anyway, I hate my body and how I look which needs to change because I don't want to look fat, especially not when I go full time.  Right now, I'm ready to just take any sort of weight loss pills so I can feel better and fit into "inspiration" clothes that I bought.  I realize these pills aren't healthy for your body, but believe me, my body has been through and continues to be put through much worse than that.  It will survive.  And I all ready do try to exercise along with dieting.  I lose weight, but not as quickly as I want to.

What I would like to know is do these sort of pills interact with hrt?  Do they counter any effects?  For example, I've been noticing that I'm developing more chest wise this past week.  Would weight loss pills interact with fat redistribution or the development of breasts?  Obviously, I'm worried about that.  Also, I notice that my hips have been growing out more.  Would that be put in jeopardy with these weight loss pills?  Basically, any thoughts or experience with weight loss drugs would be appreciated.  I just don't want to make a mistake and lose all the fat redistribution I had.  That's the only reason I haven't dared to take them yet. 

By the way, anyone have any thoughts and/or tips on how to lose upper arm weight?  It's not muscle or anything, but it's like this annoying bit of fat that is much more noticeable in female clothes due to the tightness.  I just want it gone.  Anything that could help would be appreciated.

Anyway, as someone who feels like she looks like the return of Whalemina, I appreciate any helpful input that can help me here.  Thanks! :)
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: kelly_aus on April 23, 2014, 06:25:01 PM
Small meals, more often.. Eating only once a day makes the body more likely to store fat rather than burn it. Which is not what you want when you are trying to lose weight. As for diet pills.. Unless they are 70's vintage diet pills and full of amphetamines, I'd be highly dubious of them.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Jill F on April 23, 2014, 06:28:53 PM
Cut carbs down to a minimum, especially sugar and starch and anything else with a high glycemic index.
Drink a lot of water. 
Walk for an hour a day.

You WILL lose the weight.  I used to weigh 285 at my fattest.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: JamesG on April 23, 2014, 06:36:39 PM
I've been taking "Hydroxicut" weight loss aids about as long as I've been on low-dose HRT (spiro and Estradiol), about 14 months.  In combination with reduced diet (~500 cal. day), vitamins, tuned cardio exercise (legs & lower abdominal mostly), and copious water intake (to counter the spiro). Went from 220lbs. and a 38" waist to now 175lbs. and a 32".   I will try to find some "before and now" pics.

Hydroxi is mostly just herbals and caffeine(!) which I take in copious quantities anyway. So there isn't much health issue, and it definitely makes sticking to low cal. intake easier.

I would say that my aim of "feminizing" is working pretty well.  Lost a lot of weight in limbs, neck and face, but not nearly as much in torso, so the weight loss and fat redistribution seems to be following the female script I'm giving it.  Of course that means that "trouble spots" are still there around the waist, but its just temporary spare doughnut now, not a semi-truck tire. But I'm not in that big a hurry. It takes time for your skin to react and shrink down. No good in being a skinny waiff if you are a saggy bag of stretch marks...

Everyone is different of course, I was a skinny beanpole growing up, so my default genes probably favor losing extremity weight first.  The current wisdom is that you cannot "target" fat for reduction because other than dark muscle fat (which you get with building muscle bulk,which we don't want to do), regular fat gets burned evenly from all over the body as the blood flowing thru it picks it up on demand.   You just have to be patient and know that it will all fall off of you as you go.  It takes time.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Carrie Liz on April 23, 2014, 06:36:47 PM
Yeah... LtL, don't worry about diet pills, and PLEASE don't starve yourself. Neither of these works.

What does work is going on a low-carb diet.

People who diet and exercise spend months and months sacrificing, suffering, feeling like they're never really satisfied food-wise, and all to lose maybe a total of 30-40 lbs or so after months and months of hard work and sacrifice.

I went on a low-carb diet. No exercising. No cutting calories. I could eat as many delicious things like steak, bacon, eggs, chicken soup, veggies, and low-GI fruits as I wanted. I could even cheat and go to the Chinese buffet once a week. But it WORKS. And it works way better than any other diet. At my highest weight, I was 286 lbs. I'm now down to 219, and with basically NO effort and NO sacrifice whatsoever. And my ex-girlfriend, who is the one who got me started on that diet in the first place, went from 215 lbs down to 145 lbs, after a whole lifetime of being unable to lose weight no matter how much she sacrificed. So do that. You will make your life a LOT easier if you go on a low-carb paleo diet rather than counting calories and constantly feeling hungry.

And before you start thinking that it will destroy your cholesterol, think again. My cholesterol actually dropped on this saturated-fat-heavy diet, going from 139 all the way down to 109. So please. Do the low-carb thing. Everything that our medical establishment tells you about cutting calories and eating low-fat things is WRONG. Go paleo. Cavewomen don't get fat!
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Christine167 on April 23, 2014, 06:38:39 PM
Yep what the others have said.

Here's some additional that may help.
Safe weight loss is about 1-2 pds a week

Don't skip meals just eat healthier.

Aerobic Exercise. Walk, jumping jacks, squats, sit ups, a few calf raises, lunges, biking, running, etc.
Lots of low impact moving. Why? As I have learned here and else where aerobic exercise burns both muscle and fat. And lots of it.

If you find yourself plateauing on the weight loss then start counting calories and nutrition and adjust it for the volume you need but at a few less calories.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Alyssa Rae on April 23, 2014, 06:46:36 PM
If you haven't already, try drinking water and cut soda out entirely or keep it to a minimum (easier said than done, I know  :) ). Also, if they have organic fruit smoothies, those are pretty helpful too.  I drink Bolthouse farms, but I'm unsure if they're available in your area.  As for dieting pills, be careful.  They can, over time, cause an irregular heartbeat.  I still used them my first year of college, despite having two open heart surgeries as a child, so I can't really say much, but they're definitely risky if taken for extended periods of time.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Ltl89 on April 23, 2014, 06:57:11 PM
Hey all,

I don't mind the fitness advice which I'm sure can help, but I'm really looking to lose weight real fast.  Believe me, I've been losing weight all a long for almost a year, but I want to be much skinnier so I can feel comfortable going out in female clothes. Let's say I was in a bad place a year ago.  As of now, I'm vegetarian that takes a bunch of vitamins, drinks coffee all day and doesn't drink soda and stuff like that and avoids snacking.  I don't have a healthy diet, but I don't eat all that much and try to starve myself, though I've relapsed the past few days.  The diet pills is meant for the next month or so. Just something to get me more to where I'l like to be by June.  I'm just afraid of what weight loss pills could do to counteract all the beneifts of hrt.  There doesn't seem to be any info online about this, so I wanted to see if anyone knew if they hurt progress of hrt (like losing chest or hips ratios) or somehow effect you when on hrt. 

Thank you for the nutrition advice, I may implement some of it and will consider all suggestions, but I will be starving myself till June and likely will take the diet pills for me to get where I want to be physically.  It's a short term thing, so don't worry.

Again, thanks for the input! :)
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: naomi599 on April 23, 2014, 06:59:14 PM
I learned that simply cutting out all drinks besides water usually helps me drop about 30 pounds in two months. All sodas, coffee, everything. Every few days or so I would drink an orange juice or some milk. I hike up to the top of a local mountain around 2 miles twice a week. I also Eat like a pig when it comes to healthy foods. so far by following the advice I'm giving you, I'm dropping 1/2 a pound a day. On the other hand I'm not on E just DHT blocker and light doses of a T blocker so I wouldn't know the effects that E would have on my diet. Perhaps this could help a little: http://www.shape.com/blogs/fit-list-jay-cardiello/5-exercises-ditch-arm-flab-forever (http://www.shape.com/blogs/fit-list-jay-cardiello/5-exercises-ditch-arm-flab-forever)

Edit: I failed to mention, I drinks lots of water. I practically breath water.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Jessica Merriman on April 23, 2014, 07:13:32 PM
Quote from: learningtolive on April 23, 2014, 06:57:11 PM
but I'm really looking to lose weight real fast.  but I will be starving myself till June and likely will take the diet pills for me to get where I want to be physically.  It's a short term thing, so don't worry.

LTL rapid weight loss is not good for anyone. You can throw off your acid/base neutrality and cause a disruption in your enzymes. If you persist at least take a vitamin supplement with plenty of B12 to ease the shock to your Central Nervous System. You need to tell your Therapist about what you want to do as I feel you could be headed to an eating disorder. I have run many calls of Metabolic shock caused by rapid weight loss and they were ugly. You could also pick up Atrial Fibrillation or many other cardiac abnormalities. Trust me on this I have 28 years experience seeing the effects of rapid weight loss in the public. :)
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: liz on April 23, 2014, 07:20:37 PM
I would advice you to stay away from those pills too. Most of the "weight loss pills" on the market act kinda like "Amphetamines" which is bad for your body  of course. It's up to you to take any drugs but I'm sure you'll appreciate your new women life better with few extra pounds than with a screwed health. Just think about your future. By taking good resolutions and good life habits you can lose all the weight you want. Just count your calories for few weeks and compare them with what you should really eat. Peoples sometimes "starve" themself with 1 meal a day like you do but don't realize how much calories their meals contain. In my job I often see people saying "I'm fat because of my dna, I eat eat mostly vegetables and don't lose weight" but when following them I often realize that they eat those "vegetables" with over 800 calories of dipping sauce and else.

Just try to stay active if your health permit you and try to change your eating habits. Be patient if greatly overweighted and especially if consuming big sodium quantity because body tend to replace the fat you lose by water retention. It's easier for you body to stock back "energy(fat)" when there is water retention. In this situation if you stay constant your gonna lose weight by "blitz", what I mean is like 2-3 weeks without any lose then poof 4-5 pounds less. That happen because the body "turn" your fat to water then when it realize that you don't need this "reserve" anymore it let it go.

Sorry for my bad english and good luck to you. You deserve to be happy and healty so hold on!
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Veronica M on April 23, 2014, 07:23:10 PM
Yep... What others here are saying for sure... I am doing a modified diet like Carrie Liz and limiting my calorie intake to about 1200 - 1500 calories a day. No Carbs... I eat a good breakfast then use stuff like celery and veggies throughout the day. Then eat a balanced small portion meal in the evening. I am dropping 2-4 pounds a week. I also go to the gym three times a week and when the pool finally warms up I will most likely be in there a lot. It is really more a lifestyle change than a diet.

PS: Damn them stupid Cadberry eggs... LOL
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Ltl89 on April 23, 2014, 07:24:44 PM
Quote from: Jessica Merriman on April 23, 2014, 07:13:32 PM
LTL rapid weight loss is not good for anyone. You can throw off your acid/base neutrality and cause a disruption in your enzymes. If you persist at least take a vitamin supplement with plenty of B12 to ease the shock to your Central Nervous System. You need to tell your Therapist about what you want to do as I feel you could be headed to an eating disorder. I have run many calls of Metabolic shock caused by rapid weight loss and they were ugly. You could also pick up Atrial Fibrillation or many other cardiac abnormalities. Trust me on this I have 28 years experience seeing the effects of rapid weight loss in the public. :)

I take Vitamin D, Vitamin B complex along with a regular multi vitamin.  I've talked to my therapist about this.  She's aware I'm trying hard to lose weight and doesn't see a problem with that on the short term.  REmember, I'm only doing this for a little while, so please don't worry about an eating disorder.  However, I need to lose weight really quickly for the short term.  This is needed for me to go full time and I'm really trying to get into a zone where I'm comfortable enough to do that.  I;d only be taken the pills and continuing my dieting until June or so.  Then I can be more comfortable with my body to take the next steps of my transition.  I don't want to wait forever and I feel really fat and ugly.

Thank you everyone, for the tips and concerns.  I will do these things in the future and appreciate all the help, I'm just trying to find something quick for the short term.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: liz on April 23, 2014, 07:40:18 PM
Just take the right informations about the pills you're gonna use because if they do contain Amphetamines then yes they are gonna interfere with your hormone. Amphetamines do boost E naturally and lower T in an unstable way. In few tests Amphetamines taken with T-blocker has nullified the effect of the T-blocker.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Skyler on April 23, 2014, 07:47:06 PM
the thing is with only eating two meals a day or one meal a day will you lose weight..well yes you will however your going to end up doing the rubber band effect once you start eating regular meals your body is going to store it all mostly as fat because you have been depriving it.  It can take a few months to over a year for your body to recover after that.  Your best option is to start eating a whole foods life style (vegan or vegetarian to your preference im also vegan) and just exercise every day and you will lose weight. ya...not as easy as it sounds its definitely hard and a struggle but its something to over come because the benefits are high..I'm still working at it.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: ath on April 23, 2014, 07:53:17 PM
About 5 or 6 years ago I lowered my calorie intake to 700-1300 cal per day, cut carbs way down, and started working out using stairs. I lost 100 pounds. Right now I'm about to start another weight loss cycle, doing what I did before because it worked for me. I didn't use any diet pills or anything, just was a total nazi about what I could eat, how much I could eat, when I could eat, and also a nazi about working out heavily 3-4 times a week, and I stuck with it until I hit my goal.

Persistence is the most important thing - with time, if you stick to it, your weight loss will come. Weight loss isn't the easiest thing to rush, just take it a day at a time.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: JamesG on April 23, 2014, 08:03:58 PM
I'm a sucker with no native willpower for sweets so need a crutch...  they are kind of expensive though. If you can do it without, more power to ya.

Quote from: learningtolive on April 23, 2014, 06:57:11 PM
I don't mind the fitness advice which I'm sure can help, but I'm really looking to lose weight real fast.

The problem is that your body starts to fight you if you push to hard. Your lower brain (the one in charge of the housekeeping of keeping you alive) will release relentless hunger signals and it will start hording fat tenaciously every time you slip up and eat a cupcake, thinking, "OMG things must be really terrible out there because there is no food!". So it will hold onto existing fat cells instead of letting them die off.

You have to look at the long term and slowly work down to your ideal ACTUAL weight which is the mean between your heaviest (after eating and fully hydrated) and lightest (empty and "dry").  Gotta remember that weight loss stairsteps because those fat cells take a while to go away.  Even when depleted of fat, your body fills them with water (which is heavier lol) until it is sure it doesn't need them (ie: you are't starving yourself on a crash diet). Then you will lose more weight.  That pause (can't recall the medical term for it OTTOMH), is what frustrates and fails so many attempts at weight loss.   You just have to do what has been recommended here, change the way you eat and live and the weight will come off (and stay off) over time. 
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Ltl89 on April 23, 2014, 08:38:38 PM
Quote from: Skyler Lusk on April 23, 2014, 07:47:06 PM
the thing is with only eating two meals a day or one meal a day will you lose weight..well yes you will however your going to end up doing the rubber band effect once you start eating regular meals your body is going to store it all mostly as fat because you have been depriving it.  It can take a few months to over a year for your body to recover after that.  Your best option is to start eating a whole foods life style (vegan or vegetarian to your preference im also vegan) and just exercise every day and you will lose weight. ya...not as easy as it sounds its definitely hard and a struggle but its something to over come because the benefits are high..I'm still working at it.

Quote from: JamesG on April 23, 2014, 08:03:58 PM
I'm a sucker with no native willpower for sweets so need a crutch...  they are kind of expensive though. If you can do it without, more power to ya.

The problem is that your body starts to fight you if you push to hard. Your lower brain (the one in charge of the housekeeping of keeping you alive) will release relentless hunger signals and it will start hording fat tenaciously every time you slip up and eat a cupcake, thinking, "OMG things must be really terrible out there because there is no food!". So it will hold onto existing fat cells instead of letting them die off.

You have to look at the long term and slowly work down to your ideal ACTUAL weight which is the mean between your heaviest (after eating and fully hydrated) and lightest (empty and "dry").  Gotta remember that weight loss stairsteps because those fat cells take a while to go away.  Even when depleted of fat, your body fills them with water (which is heavier lol) until it is sure it doesn't need them (ie: you are't starving yourself on a crash diet). Then you will lose more weight.  That pause (can't recall the medical term for it OTTOMH), is what frustrates and fails so many attempts at weight loss.   You just have to do what has been recommended here, change the way you eat and live and the weight will come off (and stay off) over time. 

Good point.  I've heard that going into starvation mode can have a counter productive side; however, I have been losing weight.  I just want to lose more quickly and look better in my clothes.  I feel like a walking and talking whale right now. 

Quote from: liz on April 23, 2014, 07:40:18 PM
Just take the right informations about the pills you're gonna use because if they do contain Amphetamines then yes they are gonna interfere with your hormone. Amphetamines do boost E naturally and lower T in an unstable way. In few tests Amphetamines taken with T-blocker has nullified the effect of the T-blocker.


Thanks.  I guess I'll have to make sure to use the right kind.  Thank you for pointing that out.

Thanks everyone for all the tips.  I'll go through each post more throughly tomorrow.  I'm just looking for really fast methods that will get me to where I want to be.  Diet pills may suck, but using them for 2 months won't kill me.  It may even get my body where I'd like it to be, so I don't feel like a whale and can get over feeling awkward in girl mode as much as I can.  Got to get past this stuff.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Ltl89 on April 24, 2014, 07:25:43 AM
Again, I would like to thank everyone that's posted and shared your advice.  I do appreciate it and will implement some of those things.  However, I want to bump up this thread to see if anyone has any experience with diet pills.  It's so hard to find info on the effects between the two and I really don't want to end up with a boys body for taking it either.  I just don't want to be a whale anymore, and I'm at a loss here.  So, anything that you may know about diet pills or even your own experience with them would be appreciated.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: EllieM on April 24, 2014, 10:21:26 AM

LtL, there is no quick fix. Slow and steady. Here's the big repeat: More veggies, cut out sugar and fat, cut out highly processed foods, reduce your meat intake, learn to love the garbanzo. You don't eat less, you eat better. Desert? Fruit, fresh, not canned. Celery takes more calories to metabolize that you get by eating it. Don't buy your salad dressing, make it. Stop using butter and margarine, use olive oil. Don't eat ANYTHING after 8:00PM. Oh, this is hard... consume... less... alcohol... whew, got it out :)

Me: 250lbs --------> 175lbs; not bad, I'm 5'11" did that in my late 50s.

I know how unkind the mirror can be, but like everything else on this journey, it takes patience. Be careful, don't hurt yourself. In addition to the pathologies described by our resident EMT (thank you Jessica) there is this little factoid: rapid weight loss is often followed by rapid weight gain. You have to let your body get accustomed to the "new" situation, or it will rebound unpleasantly. Hope this helps.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Dee Marshall on April 24, 2014, 10:36:26 AM
Quote from: JamesG on April 23, 2014, 06:36:39 PM
I've been taking "Hydroxicut" weight loss aids about as long as I've been on low-dose HRT (spiro and Estradiol), about 14 months.  In combination with reduced diet (~500 cal. day), vitamins, tuned cardio exercise (legs & lower abdominal mostly), and copious water intake (to counter the spiro). Went from 220lbs. and a 38" waist to now 175lbs. and a 32". ...

Five hundred calories per DAY? What's your weight loss rate? I'm doing about 500 calories per meal and I'm losing 2 pounds per week. If I was any hungrier I couldn't work. My temper would be too short.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: JamesG on April 24, 2014, 11:03:03 AM
500 cal. was the goal not often met.  ;D

Guess I should have used a bigger ~.  :-X

I think I was averaging around 1-2 lbs. a week, but that's not a consistent steady rate (darn holidays in New Orleans...) plus I have/had a lot of muscle mass (darn Army) that I am working off too which takes longer than fat.  Right now I am sitting on one of my plateaus of 175-180lbs but can't touch 170 yet (my final target weight, i'm 6' 1").
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Ltl89 on April 24, 2014, 11:49:13 AM
Quote from: EllieM on April 24, 2014, 10:21:26 AM

LtL, there is no quick fix. Slow and steady. Here's the big repeat: More veggies, cut out sugar and fat, cut out highly processed foods, reduce your meat intake, learn to love the garbanzo. You don't eat less, you eat better. Desert? Fruit, fresh, not canned. Celery takes more calories to metabolize that you get by eating it. Don't buy your salad dressing, make it. Stop using butter and margarine, use olive oil. Don't eat ANYTHING after 8:00PM. Oh, this is hard... consume... less... alcohol... whew, got it out :)

Me: 250lbs --------> 175lbs; not bad, I'm 5'11" did that in my late 50s.

I know how unkind the mirror can be, but like everything else on this journey, it takes patience. Be careful, don't hurt yourself. In addition to the pathologies described by our resident EMT (thank you Jessica) there is this little factoid: rapid weight loss is often followed by rapid weight gain. You have to let your body get accustomed to the "new" situation, or it will rebound unpleasantly. Hope this helps.


Thanks the advice and concern (I mean that).  I do know that these things take some time and effort; however, I've been doing that for a year.  I've been "starving" (800-1000 cals a day)myself the past few months just to speed it up, and I've gotten results.  However, it just hasn't been fast enough and somedays I would binge for emotional reasons or just shere hunger. I can't go less than those calories because I would go insane , but I can't do one of those healthy long lasting diets anymore.  I will do those things again soon as they are meant to be sustainable diets (like you do point out).  In the meantime, I just don't want to feel like a whale in most of my girl clothes.  Since I really want to go full time soon, this has to be dealt with sooner than later.  It's one of the things that will make me feel more comfortable going out as myself.  And more time in the depressed cocoon I'm putting myself in is bad.  Whatever get's me out of it faster.

I understand it's not healthy to do this, but it really is only in the short term.  And believe me, I do much worse already than take diet pills.  For example, every night I take 4 advil pms and 15 mg's of melatonin (and depending on the anxiety level, I'll mix it with kava) in order to get sleep.  And I've did much worse in my past than that. Still, my liver is in good shape according to blood test and I've spoken with  my therapist and doctors , about what I do. *

Still, I do care about the pills hurting my progress with chest development and further hip development.   I wonder if it could do that and that's kind of a deal breaker for me.  Also, I'm sure it could interact with hrt in some way and prevent my hormones from being digested adequately.  That's what I'm really concerned about.  It seems like there is nothing out there about this and many here that have responded aren't sure of the answer themselves.  If that's the case, I'll avoid the pills rather than risking degression with hrt, but it sucks because I feel I need some quick solutions.

* I in no way endorse what I do and plan to do for other people.  Believe me, I advise everyone to not act like the screw up mess that I am.  I'm just being honest about things and trying to figure out if diet pills can be taken with hrt.  Much of these things are only short term and will be stopped shortly.  They are just quick fixes while I'm still living with everything.  Once I fully transition, not only will I be happy, I will make sure that I take better care of myself and maintain a healthy life.

Quote from: JamesG on April 24, 2014, 11:03:03 AM
500 cal. was the goal not often met.  ;D

Guess I should have used a bigger ~.  :-X

I think I was averaging around 1-2 lbs. a week, but that's not a consistent steady rate (darn holidays in New Orleans...) plus I have/had a lot of muscle mass (darn Army) that I am working off too which takes longer than fat.  Right now I am sitting on one of my plateaus of 175-180lbs but can't touch 170 yet (my final target weight, i'm 6' 1").

Okay, even I think 500 cals is insane, lol. 
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: devon14 on April 24, 2014, 12:00:07 PM
Ive been following these commandments for my diet regimen:

Thou shalt not eat foods dense in carbs (bread, noodles, rice, etc.)

Thou shalt not eat table sugar and only natural sugars

Thou shalt not eat a few hours before bed

Thou shalt not eat processed foods

Thou shalt eat some meats but mostly vegetables, fruits, and nuts

Thou shalt exercise for an hour every day

By following these commandments that i made for myself, I've been able to lose over 10 pounds within a month or so. Make sure to still eat at least three meals a day otherwise your body will hold onto those fat cells as your body will be in a starvation mode and will pack on all the fat it can when you do end up eating. Also it might be worth noting that estrogen clings to fat cells so your exersize and diet will need to be more rigorous than if you were not on HRT and small slip ups in diet can cost you dearly. 

I know you'll meet your weight goal. Its hard but just stay focused and determined sweetie! :icon_hug:





Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: JamesG on April 24, 2014, 12:11:57 PM
Amen!   :D

@ LtL:
One of the benefits/effects of "diet pills" is that they suppress your appetite.  You literally do not feel like eating (so you can do 500 cal days). Remember the trick to weight loss is consistency. The rate of loss is less important than not having wide swings in your calorie intake which upsets your body. You have plenty of carbs and proteins in your body already, they are what you are trying to get rid of.   The only thing that is a "consumable" by your body that you need to keep supplying it to stay healthy are vitamins and minerals. And water.

AFAIK there is no disruptive effect between them and HRT. They are totally different chemicals and hormone systems. Even the diuretics like senna aren't going to make E go thru your system faster than you can absorb it.  They have been tested, not by the FDA, but by the companies who don't want to get sued for making people sick.

I think that if you want to do serious short term weight loss, then you pretty much need to use help. And drink water.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: EllieM on April 24, 2014, 12:12:37 PM

I understand the dilemma, LtL. I don't know enough about drug interactions to provide any light on this. Maybe you can find middle ground, just a suggestion. Caffeine is an appetite suppressant, you could curb your intake that way (real coffee, green tea). As far as I know, the only way to lose weight is to avoid certain foods and to exercise more. I don't know of any drugs that act directly on fat cells. I guess this is really a question for the docs, then.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: DiDi on April 24, 2014, 02:03:36 PM
The best diet is one you enjoy and can stick with. Sounds trite, but if you don't want to make a permanent change in what you eat, you will fail as soon as you go back to your previous "normal". Also - your body will have a set point below which you will actually need to starve to lose more. I recommend that you check this out.

http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

If my current status does not allow the link then google parts of it yourself. It will tell you what women of your height and age see as "ideal". What you envision may be beyond reach.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Lady_Oracle on April 24, 2014, 02:41:13 PM
Don't diet pills have terrible effects long term? And aren't good for you in general???

Finding a workout/diet regimen that fits you is what works. Never heard of a pill compensating for that.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Lady_Oracle on April 24, 2014, 02:53:03 PM
Exactly what Kate said!! If you want a fuller butt and boobs you need that fat cis girls gain throughout puberty. Or else you're just stunting your growth.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Ltl89 on April 24, 2014, 03:32:14 PM
Thanks everyone.  I guess I will stay away from them.  I just don't know what to do.  I'm fat and never will look the way I want to anytime soon.  As much as I've lost in a year, I'm still nowhere near thin.  The stomach area doesn't bother me too much, but my fat arms do.  I just want them to go away.  Yeah, they could be worse and it seems to be a common thing for many girls, but I hate it.  It's probably my most dyshoric quality about myself right now because they create the illussion of bigger shoulders in tighter clothes.  Oh well, not much I can do about it.   I have to deal with the fact that even when I go full time I'll look like a ridiculous sumo wrestler compared to other girls my age.  I'm tall and got bigger arms.  Great quality for a 25 year old girl.  I'm sick of this obsession over my body and of my flaws, I feel disgusted and trapped but passing is important to me.  And this may sound vain, but I realy want to look somewhat pretty and it kills me to know I'm not and never will be.

Ignore this post, I'm just feeling really dysphoric right now.  But don't worry I won't take the pills.  Still, I refuse to eat anything more than 1,000 calories and will strive for about 800 a day.  These fat arms have to go away someday.  Maybe I should become a sumo wrestler?  I'll burn off the weight but look the part in the mean time, lol.

Thanks everyone for your concerns and help. 
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: naomi599 on April 24, 2014, 03:39:02 PM
Quote from: learningtolive on April 24, 2014, 03:32:14 PM
Thanks everyone.  I guess I will stay away from them.  I just don't know what to do.  I'm fat and never will look the way I want to anytime soon.  As much as I've lost in a year, I'm still nowhere near thin.  The stomach area doesn't bother me too much, but my fat arms do.  I just want them to go away.  Yeah, they could be worse and it seems to be a common thing for many girls, but I hate it.  It's probably my most dyshoric quality about myself right now because they create the illussion of bigger shoulders in tighter clothes.  Oh well, not much I can do about it.   I have to deal with the fact that even when I go full time I'll look like a ridiculous sumo wrestler compared to other girls my age.  I'm tall and got bigger arms.  Great quality for a 25 year old girl.  I'm sick of this obsession over my body and of my flaws, I feel disgusted and trapped but passing is important to me.  And this may sound vain, but I realy want to look somewhat pretty and it kills me to know I'm not and never will be.

Ignore this post, I'm just feeling really dysphoric right now.  But don't worry I won't take the pills.  Still, I refuse to eat anything more than 1,000 calories and will strive for about 800 a day.  These fat arms have to go away someday.  Maybe I should become a sumo wrestler?  I'll burn off the weight but look the part in the mean time, lol.

Thanks everyone for your concerns and help.

Its okay to let out your pain and frustrations out. I too am overweight, but these things take time. I struggle with the mirror all day but hey, we all struggle with the mirror even cis women. Even if its slow, we will loose weight  :). The best things come with time.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Ltl89 on April 24, 2014, 04:24:09 PM
Quote from: kate on April 24, 2014, 03:47:18 PM
From photo's you have posted in the past, i don't recall any issue with your weight at all. LtL it's one thing to have a healthy diet and making decisions as to what you eat, but be careful this doesn't develop into an obsession and potentially an eating disorder babe.

Don't worry.  I don't have an eating disorder or anything.  I'm just really fat and need to lose the weight.  However, I'm not going to vomit and stuff like that. I just got to be very restrictive for now.  I mean, there is a chance that I do sort of have an eating disorder, but it's something I can change easily enough once I get to where I want to be.  I have control over it at least.   But believe me, I need to do what I'm doing right now.

Quote from: naomi599 on April 24, 2014, 03:39:02 PM
Its okay to let out your pain and frustrations out. I too am overweight, but these things take time. I struggle with the mirror all day but hey, we all struggle with the mirror even cis women. Even if its slow, we will loose weight  :). The best things come with time.

I understand.  You are probably right, but I've given it a lot of time.  It hasn't been that quick as I've been working on these things for about a year.  It's just I'm tired of crying while looking in the mirror.  And I'm dressing more and more in girl clothes so I can get a sense of what I'll look like when I get the nerve to go full time, but I feel ashamed of how I look, especially my big fat arms.  Like I said, I feel like a sumo wrestler and I'm tired of it.  I've already lost a ton of weight in about a year, but I'm no where near looking thin or pretty.  I don't think I can ever be those two things.  But I guess I just have to keep going slowly like the whale I am, lol.  Seriously though, I would just be happy if my upper arms were a little smaller or didn't create this illussion of very broad shoulders in some of my clothes.  That along with being 5'11 in very depressing. 

Again everyone, I'm in a bad dysphoric place right now, so forgive me for being so blah and crazy as usual.  And I'm trying to put some humor into my writing about my weight to at least alleviate my bad feelings a bit.  Like I said, I will stay away from the pills.  Thanks everyone for all the advice, help and feedback. 
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: naomi599 on April 24, 2014, 04:42:28 PM
Quote from: learningtolive on April 24, 2014, 04:24:09 PM
Don't worry.  I don't have an eating disorder or anything.  I'm just really fat and need to lose the weight.  However, I'm not going to vomit and stuff like that. I just got to be very restrictive for now.  I mean, there is a chance that I do sort of have an eating disorder, but it's something I can change easily enough once I get to where I want to be.  I have control over it at least.   But believe me, I need to do what I'm doing right now.

I understand.  You are probably right, but I've given it a lot of time.  It hasn't been that quick as I've been working on these things for about a year.  It's just I'm tired of crying while looking in the mirror.  And I'm dressing more and more in girl clothes so I can get a sense of what I'll look like when I get the nerve to go full time, but I feel ashamed of how I look, especially my big fat arms.  Like I said, I feel like a sumo wrestler and I'm tired of it.  I've already lost a ton of weight in about a year, but I'm no where near looking thin or pretty.  I don't think I can ever be those two things.  But I guess I just have to keep going slowly like the whale I am, lol.  Seriously though, I would just be happy if my upper arms were a little smaller or didn't create this illussion of very broad shoulders in some of my clothes.  That along with being 5'11 in very depressing. 

Again everyone, I'm in a bad dysphoric place right now, so forgive me for being so blah and crazy as usual.  And I'm trying to put some humor into my writing about my weight to at least alleviate my bad feelings a bit.  Like I said, I will stay away from the pills.  Thanks everyone for all the advice, help and feedback.

That's neat, I'm 5'11 as well. I just looked up your pictures from March and can honestly say that you look wonderful! You look like a woman with no signs of any masculinity!  :)
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Ltl89 on April 24, 2014, 07:26:11 PM
Quote from: naomi599 on April 24, 2014, 04:42:28 PM
That's neat, I'm 5'11 as well. I just looked up your pictures from March and can honestly say that you look wonderful! You look like a woman with no signs of any masculinity!  :)

Aww, you're very sweet and that made me feel nice.  I just don't see myself the same way at all.  But thank you, that cheered me up a little. :)
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: JLT1 on April 24, 2014, 10:35:43 PM
I'm bouncing my weight down to maximize fat redistribution.  Loose 10, gain 6, loos 8, gain 4.  When I want to lose, I do the 1200 cal/day diet with enough of a work out to burn 800 cal.  Nice breakfast with some fiber, light lunch, heavy work out, light dinner and a light snack a couple hours before bed time.  I lose 3-5 lb/week.  Gaining weight, well that's easy.  (I do ice cream).

I'm down 92 lbs in two years.  And fat distribution is cis woman good, trans woman awesome....

Loosing weight does not do great for fat redistribution, particularly breast growth.  In fact, I believe it makes it much more difficult.

Hugs,

Jen
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Katherine on April 25, 2014, 02:09:05 AM
From time to time throughout my "male" life, I've been an exercise freak of sorts.  Eating once a day will actually cause your body to store fat.  Eat small portions four to five times a day, cut back on carbs, but not too much.  They provide your body with energy.  Weight training can help, higher reps, light weight will help reduce weight with minimal muscle gain, help to keep you lean.  Use light weights, maybe 3 to 5 pounds, high reps (about 15 to 20) when exercising your arms to get rid of the fat that flaps around under your arms. Eat healthy and lean, drink plenty of water.  Doing the opposite of all this, heavy weights, lower reps, extra carbs, and protein supplements, will build muscle mass, which is what you want to avoid.  Also, do some speed walking or jogging for at least 30 minutes to burn those carbs and trim down.  About three times a week is good as a minimum. 
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Dee Marshall on April 25, 2014, 09:16:16 AM
LtL, have you calculated your BMI? Personally I think BMI makes people look fat when they're not, but it's worth figuring out. A BMI of 21.5 is about in the middle of the normal range, anything under 18.5 is underweight. Dysphoria and normal female insecurity makes us all feel fat, even when we're not and that can lead to trouble, so check with a dispassionate, if slightly biased, source.

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm

Dee

(I'll be happier looking like "Venus" than Twiggy.)
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: f_Anna_tastic on April 25, 2014, 10:18:41 AM
I lost 42lbs since last summer (most has been muscle) but i only started my below diet in december and thats when most of the weight dropped off ((https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,163770.0.html)) before and after pic in there if you want.

I already knew about healthy eating and exercise which made things easier but i set a goal of 1200 calories per day and i documented everything on MyFitnessPro app on my phone - scanning barcodes of products etc (and if i added my own i would ALWAYS estimate UP not down)

1200 calories will guarantee you to lose weight and is enough to run off (you will feel hungry for the first 7 days then you will get used to it.)  They key is to make every calorie you eat count.  No wasted empty calories all nutritious.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: JamesG on April 25, 2014, 10:44:12 AM
But empty calories are sooooo good.
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: f_Anna_tastic on April 25, 2014, 10:50:31 AM
Ah, well.  I was lucky to get to a weight I was happy with within the first 3 months of hrt.

I still hate my upper body muscles but now I am eating a calorie surplus and actively trying to put fat on.  It's working as I'm getting a nice round ass and my breasts are growing week by week.

But if I was eating a calorie deficit I would seriously expect it to hamper my transition.

Fat is stored energy and it has to come from somewhere. 
Title: Re: Weight loss pills, hrt, and fat redistribution. Oh and upper arms.
Post by: Ltl89 on April 25, 2014, 12:25:18 PM
Thanks everyone for the feedback.  I want to apologize for being a huge mess in this thread.  I just feel really bad about my body and appearance.  Since that is how I measure my transition progress, I feel very trapped and miserable at the moment.  Unlike most of you here, I don't allow myself to live or strive for the life I want until I know that I pass.  And yeah, I want to be pretty too and it hurts so much to know I'm not and probably won't be anytime soon.  I'm tired of being this way.  I just want to be happy.

For all the girls that haven't started transitioning yet, please don't be like me.  There are healthier ways to lose weight and make something of yourself.  Really, most of this stuff is just working hard and putting your mind to something.  Our dreams don't need to be impossible.  I don't want to be the negative force that I'm becoming, but I'm very flawed and have many anxieties, but that doesn't mean this will be you.  I felt compelled to write this warning because I feel like I may be contributing to other people's eating disorders. That is something I feel very passionate about and really don;t want to do.   Love who you are and take care of your body.  You're worth it. 

Thanks again everyone.  I won't take the diet pills.  I'll just continue losing the weight the way I've been going.  Thank you all.