Im really conscious of the fact I have a rather broad upper body, and well, my chest area is rather big in muscle round the top for my liking, I was wondering if I stand to lose much?
https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t35.0-12/27835608_875360219309973_935248969_o.jpg?oh=851c6ef0139ab1f51db290c0dda272df&oe=5A7A50DF
Im starting corset training and stopping all my upper body training, reducing my calories and running a lot to work my weight off for now in hopes to lose some.
Your mileage will vary!
I'm not sure how to answer this other than to say, some.
I've gone from a size 8 on top to fitting into most 4's.
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I have found that muscle is coming off fast with a limited calorie diet and low impact exercise.
Yesterday for the first time in my life I was unable to open a new jar - just a basic jar of strawberry jam from Costco. I tried my best and couldn't do it. I am MtF, 6 months HRT.
I'll need to shop for some sort of jar opener. (And no, don't suggest a dating app... I'm fine there). :P
So I'm almost 7 months into HRT and so far I think I've lost some but not a lot. I work a very physical job that involves a good amount of lifting, and yesterday really tired me out, I realized that I just can't do it as well as I used to. I was texting a friend last night and I told her that I think I'm finally starting to lose some strength with the HRT, I told her about how work took more out of me now and I mentioned that I feel more fragile because it hurts more now when I bump into something and I mentioned how like Kendra I've had problems opening a couple jars recently! She texted me back and said that what I wrote was offensive and that girls can do all of those things. I never said that they couldn't!! I responded to her and then she never wrote back, so now I'm bummed that I upset her but I'm not going to say anything else because I don't want to push it. I asked 2 of my other friends today if what I said was offensive and they both said no, and both of these girls lift weights!
It took 10-12 years for me to lose most of my muscle mass that I acquired from 20 years of bodybuilding; which is what I was planning to happen, so I didn't start dressing femininely in public until 5 years of HRT; and I'm still muscular, I just dress for my body type, and I don't wear anything sleeveless.
I've been 6 months on hormones and only recently I started noticing clothes fit differently. Pants are tighter and shirts are looser, so I'm gaining on my legs and butt and losing on top. And that's great. I'm not dieting, I'm actually eating like a pig lol...my body needs the fat to store it in the right places. I did restrain my eating the first couple of months to lose the muscles.
I had been on various herbals and massage before I started real HRT.... even with herbals I lost quite a bit of arm, shoulder and leg strength... and had some breast growth (38B) and some body changes but with HRT it has been much more dramatic. Even though I was never a Gym Rat I used to do quite well with arm wrestling and other physical events but now my mother or sister could outdo me in most physical events. I should be (and am) happy because my body is changing in a good way but sometimes I miss having muscle.
Regarding my muscle loss, even though I am transitioning I still enjoy working on my vehicles... HOWEVER I am finding that I sometimes struggle to loosen a bolt or to remove a heavy part. To my dismay I have had to put a 12 inch pipe on the end of the wrench to get more leverage... in the past I was always the strong one but times have changed... for the better, my body has made great changes in size and curves so it is worth the muscle loss as far as I am concerned.
Quote from: Aspiringperson on February 07, 2018, 02:28:39 PM
I had been on various herbals and massage before I started real HRT.... even with herbals I lost quite a bit of arm, shoulder and leg strength... and had some breast growth (38B) and some body changes but with HRT it has been much more dramatic. Even though I was never a Gym Rat I used to do quite well with arm wrestling and other physical events but now my mother or sister could outdo me in most physical events. I should be (and am) happy because my body is changing in a good way but sometimes I miss having muscle.
I am glad that this muscle mass change is working out for you. :)
Were you on the herbals long, and when you were, did the muscle loss seem gradual or more of in spurts of muscle mass or strength loss? Did you at the same time reduce your physical activity and perhaps that caused your muscles to also shrink?
Chrissy
@ Chrissy: I was on herbals for a little less than a year... the muscle loss was gradual but fairly significant. I only reduced my activity level because my stamina diminished significantly. Since I have been on HRT things have progressed more quickly but I still stay active with workouts, walking and jogging but at a slower pace. I don't mind however, the body changes are wonderful for me to behold.
Very interested in this. I'm pretty bulking from lifting weights but plan to get into purely cardio or very high reps 30-50 for weights. I'm going to reduce calories also and hopefully that will work. Ive heard thyroid medication will eat muscle but I'm not sure how that combines with hrt.
--Sasha
I wouldn't mess with thyroid medication if you don't actually need it. From what I was told it shuts down your own thyroid production while you take it and recovery can be slow. Hypothyroidism isn't much fun. It makes you feel incredibly weak and tired for starters.
Any resistance training you do is going to slow muscle atrophy, even at light weights. If one's goal is small muscles through atrophy then they should not do any resistance exercise at all and at the same time chronically under eat.
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I lost quite a bit. I had to lift heavy objects at work but now I'm having to find less conventional methods to accomplish it. I once noticed it in my bow arm (I play violin) but that was more of a I had to relearn the bow than anything else. I do love my new sound.
I think it depends on the person, there a just so many variables. I think if you don't work out the muscles with time they go away.
I can't view your post so I can't see what your talking about but I wish you the best of luck
Quote from: Kylo on February 12, 2018, 12:53:40 PM
I wouldn't mess with thyroid medication if you don't actually need it. From what I was told it shuts down your own thyroid production while you take it and recovery can be slow. Hypothyroidism isn't much fun. It makes you feel incredibly weak and tired for starters.
And get "Bug Eyes" too!
After most of a year of hrt I had lost a lot of mass and strength. I lost at least 2 inches off the depth of my shoulders and while pre hrt I could do 30 chin ups, I can't do one now. I went from benching 225 to probably 100 now. And I went from hiding my shoulders to loving my look in a strappy sun dress! And yes, I am looking for a good jar opener.
Quote from: Anne Blake on February 12, 2018, 06:53:01 PM
After most of a year of hrt I had lost a lot of mass and strength. I lost at least 2 inches off the depth of my shoulders and while pre hrt I could do 30 chin ups, I can't do one now. I went from benching 225 to probably 100 now. And I went from hiding my shoulders to loving my look in a strappy sun dress! And yes, I am looking for a good jar opener.
@ Anne Blake: I can absolutely identify with exactly what you stated. Likewise I can not do the amount of sit-ups, pushups, pullups, etc. that was able to do before HRT. During the time just before HRT and during HRT I kept exercising and trying to perform the same way BUT my stamina was very reduced and of course my muscle mass started to diminish. In the past I have run marathons and charity runs with good times but now when I participate I am down to a half-marathon and my time is not so great, but at least I finish.... usually!!
Frankly it has been well worth the trade off... body mass and muscle bulk traded for redistributed and increased fat to make curves, a decent bust-line, and soft facial features.
Clothes made for women now fit me properly... YAY.
As a side note to your statement about looking for a jar opener, I agree. Also, as my old male self I enjoyed working on my cars and other mechanical repair projects. Now I have difficulty removing very tight bolts and nuts and trouble lifting heavy parts.... again, these issues are now traded for a convincing feminized body... I like it. !!!