At this point I could honestly gnaw the leg off a horse. I feel like I'm starving even though I just finished with breakfast. I've only been on injectable T for a week now. Damn.
I'm still trying to keep to my diet of 1400 calories a day. I honestly can not gain weight. I refuse to gain weight. I just hope my body adjusts soon because this is ridiculous!
I imagine this is common enough. How do the rest of you deal with this wild hunger thing?
My Sevan just ate alot.
Sense your comment makes not
I looked 3 times at it I think it does.
Sevan is my spouse, Sevan is on T. When Sevan went through that phase Sevan ate alot.
Sevan didnt gain weight, just packed on some muscle and lost some fat.
at first I was like you... I refused to gain weight. I ended up gaining some though. I freaked out but now I'm actually starting to like my weight gain. If you gain a few pounds you might actually like the look.
Quote from: cynthialee on June 03, 2010, 08:31:18 AM
I looked 3 times at it I think it does.
Sevan is my spouse, Sevan is on T. When Sevan went through that phase Sevan ate alot.
Sevan didnt gain weight, just packed on some muscle and lost some fat.
Since I didn't know who Sevan is or that you are married or anything about you it didn't make sense to me. However now that I know who he is everything is perfectly clear.
Thanks knowing his experience helps.
Quote from: TheOtherSide on June 03, 2010, 08:40:31 AM
at first I was like you... I refused to gain weight. I ended up gaining some though. I freaked out but now I'm actually starting to like my weight gain. If you gain a few pounds you might actually like the look.
I have already gained a few pounds actually. I hope to take it off again and stay below 150. Fortunately my body fat to muscle ratio is slowly improving but I still have love handles that I just don't want hanging around.
I've been T for 4 months and I haven't really run into this. I wonder why.
The funny thing is sometimes I have a difficult time finishing things now.
I was underweight before I started T so I wanted to gain weight, so I just ate and worked out a lot when I first started. I have already gained about 15 pounds but I work out less now.
Eating small meals multiple times a day rather than trying to stick to the basic 3 helps a lot with feeling ravenous though.
My appetite decreased on T. Probably because prior to that I was doing a lot of stress eating, and finally starting T calmed me down. I lost 20 pounds that first half year or so. Then it leveled off. My appetite did increase somewhat after that, though.
If you are fairly active already I wouldn't worry too much. You will probably gain some muscle, and the body fat you have will redistribute. Mine is still redistributing after nearly 2 years. ;)
Jay
I hope you're not a vegetarian.
I didn't experience any increase in my appetite when I started T. I believe it's because I already ate a lot of protein. That's right, meat.
Over the years, I've had people tell me that all I have to do to lose weight is to cut most of the fat out of my diet. In fact, I did that years ago, under the supervision of a well-meaning dietitian. It nearly killed me. She kept telling me to eat more of certain nonfat/low fat foods (fruits and vegetables, nonfat milk, pasta); I kept telling her that I wasn't cut out for that; she kept telling me that my body would adjust. It didn't, but she wouldn't listen.
I had serious intestinal problems for months. I was running to the toilet every hour. I was hungry all the time, and I was miserable. All I thought about was food. I eventually gave that dietitian the boot. She wasn't interested in customizing an eating plan to suit my body; she only wanted to dogmatically apply the party line that fat is bad for you.
Some time later, I discovered by accident that I was sensitive to high-carb foods and happiest eating lots of protein. My innards calmed down. My hunger was satisfied. I lost weight.
Ironically enough, HRT seems to have lessened my sensitivity to carbs, so I can eat all the carbs I want and not have any internal problems. It sounds great, but it isn't. Before that, I was able to stick to a high-protein diet because I knew how my internal organs would react if I didn't. So a few months ago, I got sloppy about my eating habits. Started eating lots of convenience food. Not so much protein but many carbs. I gained weight back, and I am hungry all the time.
I don't know what will help you to lose weight. That seems to vary from person to person. But among guys, when trans or cis, I have found that protein satisfies hunger for much longer than carbs.
I wanted to gain, so the crazy increased apetite was awesome. But like it has slowed on week two, but I still eat more than I used to pre-t. I haven't checked my weight here lately.
Sorry Squirl I talk so much about my spouse here and s/he is a member here I just asume people know I am in a dual transition household. (has its benifits, has its own unique heartaches)
Yeah Sevan is my wife, who is an androgyne and s/he is in transition to a more inbetween state of being via HRT.
So as a result s/he has alot of the same issues as ya'll FTM folks. (thats why I am always lurking ya'll dudes part of the forum)
Anyways back to our regularly scheduled thread discussion.....
1400 calories?!!! Thats a crash diet for a woman and starvation for a man. Men can afford more calories because their metabolic rate is higher even at rest. Cutting calories too much can have the unintended effect of lowering your metabolism altogether in attempts to conserve energry which will make you feel sluggish. I don't think any man should restrict below 2000 calories a day.
1400 does seem way too low for a man...and even worse for what amounts to an adolescent boy.
If your body is screaming hunger signals at you that loudly, you have to feed it. It needs energy to make all the changes you want it to make. It's trying to put on muscle, for one thing, which it can't do very effectively if you're forcing it to burn fat for energy. But it's also trying to do a lot of other stuff - your skin, hair, all of your soft tissue is transforming. And that requires energy. Eat. Just eat lots of lean protein.
oh god, i've already got the appetite of a wild beast! and T makes it more?
i think i'm going to eat my own self out of house and home!
Quote from: rexgsd on June 03, 2010, 02:43:51 PM
oh god, i've already got the appetite of a wild beast! and T makes it more?
i think i'm going to eat my own self out of house and home!
This.
I'm pre-T and sometimes eat more than my cisgendered fiancé. xD I wonder what would happen ON T. xD I mean, yeah, I have days where I can't eat much, but I have other days where I just graze constantly. I usually do 2 hard burning sessions of martial arts a week, which ALWAYS leave me physically exhausted, AND I'm pretty damn skinny right now [about 6ft tall, weighing approx 126lbs, very little of it fat], so I suppose it wouldn't make too much of a difference if I ended up eating more.
Then you have to exercise. Increase your calories. Increase your activity level. Increase the quality of your calories. Increase the intensity of your activity.
If you feel like your body looks too feminine from fat distribution, weight loss isn't really going to quell that appearance unless you're emaciated. Intense cardio and regular weights will do that in a way that nothing else can, other than T and surgery.
Quote from: Arch on June 03, 2010, 12:18:40 PM
I hope you're not a vegetarian.
....
I don't know what will help you to lose weight. That seems to vary from person to person. But among guys, when trans or cis, I have found that protein satisfies hunger for much longer than carbs.
Sorry to hear about your bad experiences. You can't always trust the experts. The reason I was going down to 1400 is because my personal trainer recommended that I do. Of course he doesn't know about my transition. I really should share, he'll be shocked but I am a client.
But yes protein! I am a very big protein eater. I try to keep it lean if I can and limit the red meat. I have heard that those who eat diets higher in protein tend to have more T in their bodies. So that's why I started a while ago.
Quote from: kyril on June 03, 2010, 02:23:29 PM
1400 does seem way too low for a man...and even worse for what amounts to an adolescent boy.
If your body is screaming hunger signals at you that loudly, you have to feed it. It needs energy to make all the changes you want it to make. It's trying to put on muscle, for one thing, which it can't do very effectively if you're forcing it to burn fat for energy. But it's also trying to do a lot of other stuff - your skin, hair, all of your soft tissue is transforming. And that requires energy. Eat. Just eat lots of lean protein.
For some strange reason I didn't even look at it that way. I've always tried to be thin because I know I pass better when I reduce all curves. However now that I am on T I'll try to look at it differently. After dieting for years I have a hard time recognizing my body's signals regarding eating. I need to retrain myself.
Quote from: KaleisGood4U on June 03, 2010, 04:27:08 PM
Then you have to exercise. Increase your calories. Increase your activity level. Increase the quality of your calories. Increase the intensity of your activity.
If you feel like your body looks too feminine from fat distribution, weight loss isn't really going to quell that appearance unless you're emaciated. Intense cardio and regular weights will do that in a way that nothing else can, other than T and surgery.
Actually I do exercise, quite a bit. Which is hard when you are really hungry. I do 30 minutes strong cardio on the elliptical 6 times a week and then weight training with lunges and chest presses and sit-ups and so on 4 times a week. I suppose I'm just impatient and I want that more masculine figure yesterday. But yes I'd rather have muscles then ribs sticking out.
I know intellectually that T is changing my system but I really don't see much evidence of that on the outside. This is a sign however so I suppose I'll take it.
Even if you are on a diet, I don't think you should be feeling hungry. If you are hungry all the time ultimately it won't be sustainable and you will eat yourself in the other direction.
Yes, your trainer should definitely know about your transition - it drastically changes things. He basically has to start treating you like a skinny pubescent boy rather than a healthy-weight adult woman. And male puberty takes a lot of energy - teenage boys are famous for eating their parents out of house and home. Here are the US and UK guidelines for calorie intake for teenage boys:
http://www.weight-loss-center.net/calorie-needs-teens.htm (http://www.weight-loss-center.net/calorie-needs-teens.htm)
You probably want to start at the low end of that range because you're relatively short by boy standards, you're not gaining height, and you're not starting with a lot of body mass that you need to maintain. But as you gain muscle, your calorie needs will continue to increase until you reach an equilibrium weight and fat distribution. And at that point you can think about calorie restriction again to cut your body fat.
My T levels have gone up some on the DHEA and the one thing I've noticed the last few weeks is that I'm absolutely craving MEAT. And more meat. And then a little bit more meat. Which is kind of disturbing for someone who is semi-vegetarian (I don't eat much meat and what little I do eat is usually lean chicken). I'm still eating chicken but now I want ham and bacon and pork chops and hamburgers and hot dogs.
DHEA did the same thing to me, although I deal with it by blending fresh fruit and a good quality protein powder, which takes care of those cravings (I don't like meat). There's distinctly a burning need for extra protein going on, and I'm slowly but distinctly putting on a little more muscle, which equals weight. But my fat is slowly going away. I'm glad I stated taking DHEA, it's almost like a tiny peek into what hormone therapy has in store.
Im hungry 24 hours, 7 days a week :P Cant imagine how much T will change this aah, thats crazy! For some reason I can eat loads and not get fat...dunno why, I dont even exercise ;D I dont care about what I eat or how unhealthy it is, but then again weight isnt on my mind, or not yet at least 8)
Quote from: Kvall on June 03, 2010, 11:37:24 PM
Remember that many of us FTMs are much smaller-statured than the average cis man. I'm 5'3 and I eat about 1500 calories a day and I'm usually quite satisfied with it. There are occasional days when I get this problem of always feeling hungry, but that just means I keep eating more on those days. :p Once I start working out again I am sure I will need more.
I just can't imagine eating that little. I'm 5'4.5''(hey, every half inch counts) weigh 105 and eat 2000 calories a day at least. Plus I don't exercise. I don't have a high metabolism though, my thyroid test came back normal. I just worry that you guys aren't eating enough! 1400 calories is like the perfect sized meal for me.
Quote from: Kvall on June 04, 2010, 02:14:31 AM
Might have to do with how calorie-dense of foods we're eating. For example, some fast food places have single burgers with 1000 calories. That can take up the same room in your stomach as a healthier burger with, say, 400 calories. Your body will notice the energy difference over time, but when you actually eat it the signals of satiation and physical stomach capacity are no different.
That's true to some extent but there is more to satisfaction than fullness and stomach capacity. I have tried to "trick" myself many times into choosing the healthier option over a high calorie craving, however, eating a large salad will make you full but not content if what you really wanted was a burger. I have mindlessly snacked on healthy foods to the point I was full and bloated but my cravings for pizza or ice cream were still there just as strong. If, on the other hand, I had given into temptation it would hit the spot immediately and I'd be satisfied with less food volume wise. Appetite isn't simply physical sensations, there are many emotional components as well as hormone signals involved.
I don't count calories. I just eat when I'm hungry, which is all the time. MEAT, MEAT, MEAT, CAKES, MEAT.
I am not hungrier nor has my metabolism risen. I am still a sluggish slug. I eat a carrot and gain 5 lbs fat and 1 oz muscle(maybe). T is not doing me the most good in a few ways.
Quote from: Carson on June 03, 2010, 09:41:41 AM
Eating small meals multiple times a day rather than trying to stick to the basic 3 helps a lot with feeling ravenous though.
doing this and upping my water intake to around a 1 gallon a day helped with my constant hunger, lost 34lbs so far.. your body can confuse the need for hydration with food, are you sure that you're getting enough?
Heya, squirrel. I just wanted to mention that yeah, from what I understand it's pretty common. Within the first week of starting T I was ravenous. I felt like I could eat and eat and eat. Your body is being stimulated to change at a cellular level, you're more or less going through another puberty; while it's good to watch what you eat, it may not be such a great idea to starve yourself, not when your body is going to be working overtime. I'd suggest eating *more* but *well* and working out hard too(if you don't already).
I ate quite a bit more for the first month or so of starting T before my appetite settled down; thankfully I was never inclined to eat a lot of junk, but despite the increase in my caloric intake I *didn't* gain weight, I actually *lost* a little weight for a bit before it picked back up again(my meals did and still do consist of mostly meat and vegs). Now I can say my weight distribution/muscle tone has changed a bit, but I am the *exact same* weight I was pre-T.
if you're hungry, eat. 1400 calories a day is too little for even a small female that's as active as you are. i would first try eating 1800 calories, high protein, lots of fruit and veggies, whole grains, and moderate fat. yep, that low fat crap really doesn't work, plus men need more fat in general than women anyway. if it's high quality fats (olive oil, avocado, fish, lean meats) it shouldn't affect you negatively, just keep you fuller longer. i use a website called sparkpeople to track all this stuff, they take your activity level, weight, etc into account and tell you how many calories you need, it's really helpful. ;D
also, since you're on T, any fat you have or gain will end up in a more male distribution, so you shouldn't have to worry too much about getting more curves if you do end up gaining a bit.
(i'm not an expert, i just play one on tv ;D)