It's important for me to eat healthy, (I try, sometimes begrudgingly) and stay active.
So I run (or hike) it's my Zen space, my inner peace...my time away...my daydreaming time...recharge batteries time..
It's a perfect day for a run in Los Angeles (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180330/3c247c8657a0a00cd278c28636abe912.jpg)
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I try to eat healthy most of the time while leaving a little room for indulgence. I also generally exercise everyday with some running three days a week, powerlifting three days a week, and only walking on the seventh day. The past few weeks I have had to cut back a bit while I'm nursing a groin muscle (adductor) strain but that's almost healed. It would probably be healed already if I'd rest completely but that's just too much to ask [emoji12].
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I eat vegan, and have done for over 20 years. My main exercise is walking the dog. She needs nearly an hour of brisk walking every day. She's a greyhound.
I try to eat healthy. But I love sweets and pastries. I usually go for walks. I could use losing a few pounds, especially my stomach/midsection and upper arms.
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I eat a lot of vegetable dishes and I do aerobics/cardio type work outs.
I don't eat the greatest (something that my mom the retired medical clinic lab technician constantly hounds me about), but I have gotten much better about (food) portion control (I've had a tendency since I was young, to eat enough for two people). I also work out. No weights for me (especially since my left shoulder was severely dislocated in 1989 due to a car-pedestrian accident [I was the pedestrian] is not up to handling the stress of bench presses, etc.), but I do a fair amount of cardio work. I can't run anymore (I used to be a competition runner), due to my asthma getting the best of me (I've suffered from exercised induced asthma, since long before I was diagnosed as being asthmatic back in 2003, when a severe asthma attack almost put me in the hospital), and the fact that getting all sweaty from the kind of brutal workouts I used to do, can aggravate my tendency to have dermatitis outbreaks, but I still spend 4 days a week before I start my workday in the company exercise room, doing a terrain profile jog, on a elliptical machine. It's great for de-stressing, and (as my mom has told me, when I tell her my blood work numbers) helps to maintain things like my cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. at acceptable levels.
I only have time for 20 or 30 minutes on the elliptical machine (my job as a Quality Engineer, can be rather time consuming, with the result that more than occasionally I get out of work late, making additional exercise after work a No Go for me), but it's definitely been worth it for me. I also make a point of walking everywhere in the plant, instead of taking the adult/senior citizen style tricycle that is located in the QA department (I ignore my wimpy hypochondriac of a male coworker's comments about how it would be so much easier for me to get where I want to go, by using it), and use the stairs instead of the elevator. Both the walking, and the stair taking can be of a benefit to anybody health-wise, as a means of getting in additional exercise, without having to set aside additional time to do so.
I don't do anything outside since I have to avoid much sun exposure but I have a treadmill and exercise bike. Though my dad and brother both regularly go to the gym we have a pretty well equipped home gym in the basement. I don't do anything with weights though because I don't want any muscles. With my doses of hrt and being small anyway I probably couldn't get muscles even if I tried but I wouldn't risk it.
Quote from: Julia1996 on March 30, 2018, 05:11:48 PM
I don't do anything outside since I have to avoid much sun exposure but I have a treadmill and exercise bike. Though my dad and brother both regularly go to the gym we have a pretty well equipped home gym in the basement. I don't do anything with weights though because I don't want any muscles. With my doses of hrt and being small anyway I probably couldn't get muscles even if I tried but I wouldn't risk it.
I wouldnt wanna gain muscle either... never had much anyway
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Quote from: Allison S on March 30, 2018, 05:21:17 PM
I wouldnt wanna gain muscle either... never had much anyway
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I never had any muscle either thankfully. My dad and brother both suggested I do some female weight training just to improve my strength and my dad even got some small pink weights. But Im just afraid of getting any kind of muscles.
Quote from: Julia1996 on March 30, 2018, 05:38:58 PM
I never had any muscle either thankfully. My dad and brother both suggested I do some female weight training just to improve my strength and my dad even got some small pink weights. But Im just afraid of getting any kind of muscles.
I know we don't know each other, but based on this board, I can't imagine you having muscles lol
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Quote from: Allison S on March 30, 2018, 05:43:46 PM
I know we don't know each other, but based on this board, I can't imagine you having muscles lol
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Lol, yeah my dad and brother told me that I wouldn't get muscles because of my hrt dosages and that I was too small to have any significant muscles anyway and they are probably right. But I have a fear of looking masculine in any possible way.
Once a week I go to the local gym with 4 or 5 of my cis women friends, we have lots of fun chatting and we actually workout. I am not a big weightlifter but I try to keep my body toned and get back some of my stamina that I lost while on 3+ years of HRT.
The several lady friends that I frequently go to the local gym with do not know that I am a trans-woman, I seemed to have passed the frightful locker room scenario, happily, I may add) Here are some pics of me at the local gym.
(first pic: I stacked 49 inches of weights in record time.)
I run five days a week, and try to be active otherwise. I couldn't put on muscle even when I was trying to be masculine, and have stopped all upper body work. When I can sneak it in, I do some squats and lunges.
Diet is much more important though in my opinion. I try to keep myself around a net of 1900 kcal each day, while still getting a decent amount protein, calcium and nutrients. Depending on what's going on in my social life, I won't quite follow those guidelines on Saturday or Sunday. To help ensure I stick to that, I generally eat the same sorts of meals most days and pre-plan as much as possible.
I was at 186lbs when I started to seriously consider transition in October and was at 171 a couple of weeks ago. I don't really want to go below 170 right now (as of this week, I'm at 173).
Quote from: Alaskan Danielle on March 30, 2018, 05:56:33 PM
Once a week I go to the local gym with 4 or 5 of my cis women friends, we have lots of fun chatting and we actually workout. I am not a big weightlifter but I try to keep my body toned and get back some of my stamina that I lost while on 3+ years of HRT.
The several lady friends that I frequently go to the local gym with do not know that I am a trans-woman, I seemed to have passed the frightful locker room scenario, happily, I may add) Here are some pics of me at the local gym.
(first pic: I stacked 49 inches of weights in record time.)
Do you use weights at all when you work out?
Julia, yes I use weights but not way too heavy but I try to do lots of reps. It's best to not hurt yourself so more reps with lighter weights does a good job.
Danielle
Quote from: Julia1996 on March 30, 2018, 05:50:23 PM
Lol, yeah my dad and brother told me that I wouldn't get muscles because of my hrt dosages and that I was too small to have any significant muscles anyway and they are probably right. But I have a fear of looking masculine in any possible way.
That's the number one reason I don't want to do weights...do not want to bulk up...i wouldn't mind to get some definition..like on my abs, and back
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Bulking up without testosterone is pretty much impossible no matter what someone lifts.
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Quote from: Julia1996 on March 30, 2018, 05:50:23 PM
Lol, yeah my dad and brother told me that I wouldn't get muscles because of my hrt dosages and that I was too small to have any significant muscles anyway and they are probably right. But I have a fear of looking masculine in any possible way.
Julia, more than likely the weights you'd do, would tone you, rather than bulk you up. I remember at the Track Team post-season banquet in high school when the girl's track coach (both the girls and boys track teams worked out, and went to track meets together, so the banquet was a joint banquet) joked how so many of the girls on the track team moaned about how they didn't want to do weights (everybody as a part of both track teams' workouts was required to lift weights - the weight regimen was determined by what your track and field specialty was [mine was long sprints {400 meters} and long jump]), because they thought they would end up with "boy muscles." The girls on track team didn't bulk up at all from doing weights. Testosterone, and how many muscle cells you have determines how much you bulk up. Even when I was forced to live in boy mode, I never bulked up much (though I have always had IMO overly muscled calves [which I hate - it's a genetic thing, even dieting and hormones didn't shrink them down enough IMO]) in my upper body, despite occasionally lifting weights. I never had much upper body mass (and was helped by the fact that I didn't have ton of testosterone either [I was told in after my first blood work before HRT, that my testosterone level was below normal - as a result of this {coupled with a ton of estrogen receptors, resulting in a lot of HRT results}, my estrogen dosage has always been pretty low]). You should be OK with lifting light weights. I'd lift myself (my triceps are starting to look a little flabby), if it weren't for my bum left shoulder.
My heart is "weak" so I don't excercise, but I think I eat healthy, my shape is only the result of my genetics tbh, I'm not able to gain weight but it's fine
Quote from: EllenJ2003 on March 30, 2018, 06:48:34 PM
Julia, more than likely the weights you'd do, would tone you, rather than bulk you up. I remember at the Track Team post-season banquet in high school when the girl's track coach (both the girls and boys track teams worked out, and went to track meets together, so the banquet was a joint banquet) joked how so many of the girls on the track team moaned about how they didn't want to do weights (everybody as a part of both track teams' workouts was required to lift weights - the weight regimen was determined by what your track and field specialty was [mine was long sprints {400 meters} and long jump]), because they thought they would end up with "boy muscles." The girls on track team didn't bulk up at all from doing weights. Testosterone, and how many muscle cells you have determines how much you bulk up. Even when I was forced to live in boy mode, I never bulked up much (though I have always had IMO overly muscled calves [which I hate - it's a genetic thing, even dieting and hormones didn't shrink them down enough IMO]) in my upper body, despite occasionally lifting weights. I never had much upper body mass (and was helped by the fact that I didn't have ton of testosterone either [I was told in after my first blood work before HRT, that my testosterone level was below normal - as a result of this {coupled with a ton of estrogen receptors, resulting in a lot of HRT results}, my estrogen dosage has always been pretty low]). You should be OK with lifting light weights. I'd lift myself (my triceps are starting to look a little flabby), if it weren't for my bum left shoulder.
I saw female body builders on TV once and it kind of freaked me out. Not trying to be mean, but they totally looked like guys! My dad and brother were talking about how manly they looked. After seeing those women I didn't want to get near weights!
Quote from: Julia1996 on March 30, 2018, 06:53:46 PM
I saw female body builders on TV once and it kind of freaked me out. Not trying to be mean, but they totally looked like guys! My dad and brother were talking about how manly they looked. After seeing those women I didn't want to get near weights!
Yeah, I know what you mean. They look pretty gross IMO. Most of that look IIRC, comes from women using steroids, and mega weight workouts. Don't do 'roids, and/or pump a lot of iron (especially heavier weights), and you should be fine.
Quote from: Julia1996 on March 30, 2018, 06:53:46 PM
I saw female body builders on TV once and it kind of freaked me out. Not trying to be mean, but they totally looked like guys! My dad and brother were talking about how manly they looked. After seeing those women I didn't want to get near weights!
They take anabolic steroids, i.e. high doses of testosterone. Many of them have much higher levels of testosterone than the majority of men. The other thing they do is diet down to extremely low bodyfat levels so their muscles show.
Someone not on anabolic steroids or with non-existent T cannot get big. They can only get strong.
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Side view... I try not to get definition I prefer soft and petite. I actually gained weight but it might be good for me.. I'm tall(ish) at 5'7(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180331/76a8f591c8dccedb7f00c8fdfcb7bb55.jpg)
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Quote from: Allison S on March 30, 2018, 07:11:59 PM
Side view... I try not to get definition I prefer soft and petite. I actually gained weight but it might be good for me.. I'm tall(ish) at 5'7(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180331/76a8f591c8dccedb7f00c8fdfcb7bb55.jpg)
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@ Allison: Mama Mia.... your curves look terrific.
Thanks for posting.
Danielle
Quote from: Deborah on March 30, 2018, 06:31:52 PM
Bulking up without testosterone is pretty much impossible no matter what someone lifts.
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Seriously?
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Quote from: jennie.ayana on March 30, 2018, 07:41:52 PM
Seriously?
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Women and the Myth of Bulking Up
http://xgym.com/women-and-the-myth-of-bulking-up/
Quote from: Deborah on March 30, 2018, 07:46:08 PM
Women and the Myth of Bulking Up
http://xgym.com/women-and-the-myth-of-bulking-up/
I feel as I lived in the dark ages, not knowing all this stuff. But I guess I was afraid that my T levels were still high enough to cause me to grow muscles.
My last lab results my T was 12 ng/do
And my E level was 107 pg/ 'll.
I'm not a med wiz, so I had to look it up, I'm now within cis-female ranges, which kids a gives me peace of mind.
It seems that you know a lot about this[emoji44]
I'm impressed, thanks
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Quote from: jennie.ayana on March 30, 2018, 08:11:53 PM
I feel as I lived in the dark ages, not knowing all this stuff. But I guess I was afraid that my T levels were still high enough to cause me to grow muscles.
My last lab results my T was 12 ng/do
And my E level was 107 pg/ 'll.
I'm not a med wiz, so I had to look it up, I'm now within cis-female ranges, which kids a gives me peace of mind.
It seems that you know a lot about this[emoji44]
I'm impressed, thanks
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You can get very strong but you won't get big except maybe getting big from eating too much and that doesn't require working out. :-)
Look at this video from a woman who powerlifts and can deadlift 400 lbs. Most men can't do that.
https://youtu.be/xdhMctxCPHM
She has lots of good videos posted.
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Quote from: Deborah on March 30, 2018, 08:36:01 PM
You can get very strong but you won't get big except maybe getting big from eating too much and that doesn't require working out. :-)
Look at this video from a woman who powerlifts and can deadlift 400 lbs. Most men can't do that.
https://youtu.be/xdhMctxCPHM
She has lots of good videos posted.
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For some reason, your link doesn't show in your post. :)
Here's the link. Sorry I couldn't get the video to embed in my post (grrr!!), despite using every VBulletin trick I know, for embedding videos without having the video embed tool available in the posting window.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdhMctxCPHM&feature=youtu.be
I tried posting it again too. Usually this works but I'm not sure what's wrong tonight. Anyway, the video is by a youtuber called megsquats. She posts regularly and is both entertaining and highly informative.
Last year, I started the year at 212 lbs. I am 164 lbs at a recent check. Everyone's different - for me, I was eating okay, it was a lot more about just getting up and moving around. I do a lot of walking - an hour or more 4 or 5 times a week to maintain, I used to do about 1.5 hours every day when I was working on losing weight.
For me, the lesson I learned for my middle-age body is that everything you do as far as exercise should have the goal of not hurting yourself as the primary goal. Before I figured out I liked walking, I tried running, bicycling, etc, but would inevitably get hurt by overdoing things, and then I wouldn't be able to do anything for months - it was counter-productive. I don't get hurt walking (with good shoes - I wear good boy running shoes for my large, wide feet).
Quote from: ToriJo on March 31, 2018, 10:18:51 PM
Last year, I started the year at 212 lbs. I am 164 lbs at a recent check. Everyone's different - for me, I was eating okay, it was a lot more about just getting up and moving around. I do a lot of walking - an hour or more 4 or 5 times a week to maintain, I used to do about 1.5 hours every day when I was working on losing weight.
For me, the lesson I learned for my middle-age body is that everything you do as far as exercise should have the goal of not hurting yourself as the primary goal. Before I figured out I liked walking, I tried running, bicycling, etc, but would inevitably get hurt by overdoing things, and then I wouldn't be able to do anything for months - it was counter-productive. I don't get hurt walking (with good shoes - I wear good boy running shoes for my large, wide feet).
Wow
ToriJo: From 212 lbs to 164 lbs is a terrific achievement .... kudos to you for the willpower and self-determination to get to your goal.... by the way, how tall are you? No matter what your height that kind of weight loss will do wonders for your figure and also for your general health.
Congratulations are in order!!!!
Hugs,
Danielle
I tell the DMV I'm 5'10", but I'm probably really 5'9". :) The biggest thing it helped with was my general energy level and ability to sleep comfortably. It was a deal I made with myself - if I didn't have the discipline to lose weight, how would I manage transition? That's a stupid bargain with myself, and people shouldn't do that, but it definitely was a factor for me.
The interesting thing was that I didn't lose an inch of waist until I was down to about 175 lbs and started HRT. I lost most of my belly after starting HRT, which was kind of a really pleasant surprise. :)
I run, slowly over long distances. I've stalled for the first time for years this winter but am getting back into the swing of things now. I'm aiming for a 50k in August if I'm fit enough.
I eat a pescatarian diet. Mainly salad and salmon, wild salmon if I can afford it, and lots of fresh fruit.
I'm also no saint and love cake more than I should :D
Peace and love and all that good stuff,
Sadie
Quote from: ToriJo on March 31, 2018, 10:45:45 PM
I tell the DMV I'm 5'10", but I'm probably really 5'9". :) The biggest thing it helped with was my general energy level and ability to sleep comfortably. It was a deal I made with myself - if I didn't have the discipline to lose weight, how would I manage transition? That's a stupid bargain with myself, and people shouldn't do that, but it definitely was a factor for me.
The interesting thing was that I didn't lose an inch of waist until I was down to about 175 lbs and started HRT. I lost most of my belly after starting HRT, which was kind of a really pleasant surprise. :)
@
ToriJo: All I can say is CONGRATULATIONS... good for you.... and at your height and 164 pounds that puts your BMI at a healthy level and "normal" level of 23.5 too!
You not only look better, feel better, but
feel better about yourself also!
Danielle
I'm in such horrible shape that it's not even funny. I recently bought an Apple Watch that tracks everything from exercise to sleep and I have been alarmed at how little I exercise. I turn 50 this year, time to start taking better care of myself.
Quote from: allisonsteph on April 01, 2018, 08:50:34 AM
I'm in such horrible shape that it's not even funny. I recently bought an Apple Watch that tracks everything from exercise to sleep and I have been alarmed at how little I exercise. I turn 50 this year, time to start taking better care of myself.
I got an Apple Watch on the very first day it came out and have used it extensively for activity tracking since then. It is great and getting those rings closed every day adds the extra motivation needed to do just a little more.
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Quote from: allisonsteph on April 01, 2018, 08:50:34 AM
I'm in such horrible shape that it's not even funny. I recently bought an Apple Watch that tracks everything from exercise to sleep and I have been alarmed at how little I exercise. I turn 50 this year, time to start taking better care of myself.
@
allisonsteph: As long as you are still alive it is never too late to start getting into shape and taking better care of your body.
Better late than never.
Looking for your updates as you feel comfortable posting them.
Hugs,
Danielle
Quote from: Deborah on April 01, 2018, 08:53:14 AM
I got an Apple Watch on the very first day it came out and have used it extensively for activity tracking since then. It is great and getting those rings closed every day adds the extra motivation needed to do just a little more.
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My boss has one of those Apple Smart Watches. IIRC, that's installed Fit Bit software in it. It's a pretty cool watch. Every now and then he'll mention fitness things that he sees on his Smart Watch. If I remember right it even has a step counter feature in it. My boss uses his step counter all the time.
Actually for anybody who wants a quick and dirty way to push themselves to do more fitness related activity, count the steps you walk. You can buy Fit Bits that do this (included the generic non-Fit Bit branded ones) for a pretty cheap price. A goal to shoot for is 10,000 steps a day. The company I work for has actually set this as a fitness goal/incentive for the employees at some of the facilities it has (mainly in North America - I don't think the European divisions are doing this initiative). Do 10,000 steps per day, providing proof for doing so (the company will provide cheap step counters if you need them to count your steps), and you can get prizes, gift certificates, etc. Unfortunately, I kind of gave up on the challenge, due to the sedentary nature of my job (unlike my last job, where I spent a lot of time on my feet, moving around, doing a fair amount of calibration work in a large facility [along with being one of the Quality Engineers, I was also the Calibration Technician], I have to spend a significant amount of time flying a desk - oh well), and I don't always feel like going for walks at lunchtime, or after work (I'd prefer to go for runs, like I used to do before my asthma got the best of me), so it's why I make a point of always doing a workout on one of the elliptical machines in the company's exercise room.
I have the benefit of having a few fitness buffs and a perpetual motion machine for friends. One is a cyclist, its part of her job with helping heroes. One is a pilates/pole dance instructor, and the other just never stops hiking, exploring, cleaning, doing projects, and chasing kids (probably the most active of the group). By association, I need to keep up with them when we hang out. That's a lot of miles to bike, hike, and of course tons of body weight resistance training. When I'm not trying to keep up with the Jones', I like to dabble in auto/motorcycle restoration. Lots of lifting and polishing inherent in the hobby... Keeps me fit.
I do yoga ~ keeps my tummy flat and doesn't cause me to bulk up so I can keep my girly figure ~ love the leggings too!
Well, I am vegan so that helps I suppose. Honestly though, staying away from chocolate and candy has had the biggest effect then anything else. I do not like how weak I have gotten though, so that kinda sucks honestly. Most Woman are not weak, so I do not know why I am having this issue. Anyways, I weigh 136 pounds but used to weigh 175 2 years ago, and none of the exercise made a difference but eating healthy did.
I walk on the treadmill at the highest incline daily. It is good for building calves, legs, and firms up your tush without requiring high stress on your joints like running.