A site that helped me a lot was myplate.gov. I keep calories below 1400 and do at least 30 mins. of cardio a day. I've had success. A neck and back injury forced me to keep it low impact. The bikes are good, elliptical and arc trainer are better. burned a lot more calories quicker for me. Keep up with calories, at least half plate veggies, eat three meals at appropriate times(don't skip meals or eat large meals). preplanning and preparing meals helped, don't wait til you are hungry to find something to eat. Portion out appropriate amount of food and no more(no grazing). These are the things that worked for me, I agree weed thru the info and find what works best for you.

Here's a trick that might help. True story ...

A cis-woman I know, about 5'7" tall, was slim and seriously cute in her twenties. Then she started putting on weight through her 30s and early 40s until she became this chubby, sexless lump. She knew she had to get a grip and deal with her weight issues, but she didn't know what to do and lacked the confidence to believe she could actually succeed at losing weight.
A while later she met up with her sister - who knew all about her problems - for a regular lunch date. But instead of going to a restaurant, her sister said, 'Come with me,' and took her to the nearest supermarket.
Outside the supermarket, my friend's sister picked out the largest trolley she could find, then she took my friend to the aisle where they had blocks of cooking fat. The sister filled the trolley to the brim with blocks of fat - more than 50lbs of it. Then she said, 'Look at that fat. That's how much you're carrying around with you, everywhere you go.'
My friend was blown away by the image of all that fat, piled up in the trolley. It made her understand what she'd been doing to herself. She started dieting and exercising the next day. She didn't go crazy, just cut down her food intake, bit by bit, and gradually increased her exercise. At first she didn't even go to the gym, or try to run. She just walked instead of taking the car, used stairs instead of elevators, got a dog that had to be walked every day. Once she'd reached a better standard of health and fitness, she got more intense about calorie restriction and fat-burning exercise. But she took her time over the whole process.
A year later she was wearing UK Size 10 dresses (US Size and looked as good as she'd done when I first knew her, 20 years earlier. And she's never gone back to being overweight.
So it can be done ... but first you need a supermarket, a trolley, and a LOT of cooking fat!

despite what mainstream understanding is, exercise in the MtoF female is not a good idea.
I started out as a body builder, my weight at an onset of transition was 227lbs, 6'1''
As a body builder I knew a bit about nutrition, and so I have given in to the knowledge and developed a body plan. It is a strenuous application! Do not full your self a bit, if your commitment isn't at 100% you will NOT succeed!
I was able to bring down weight to 154lbs and height by 2.5" also all the body parts such as feet and hands, diminished greatly in girth giving them feminine proportion or at least falling within feminine look.
And so here is the link, good luck:  https://sites.google.com/site/innasbodyplan/

All good info ladies!  I really enjoyed the bombshell work out video and I think will try to start it up soon.

I dont have much to add to this as helpful info. All I can add is I've lost about 30 pounds of weight in the past five months by eating less then I use to and eating more veggie style snacks. I didn't exercise that much so I think I could of lost more by now. I usually run/walk for 15 minutes through light sand everyday and that has been enough for me. 

Biggest thing I have to add though is keep your body guessing its calorie intake. Spend most of the month eating low cals then when you hit a wall. Start eating heavy for a few days then repeat. I found this to be most effective because I've hit several walls and this cured them.

I'm 5' 9" and started at 220, and I'm now at 190! This is the lightest I've been in five years and I plan to make it to 160ish. 

On average I walk between 2-5 miles a night at work, not to mention moving and hauling things all over the place. Right now that's my workout, but if I have a period of time off, even if its just 1 day then I am going to the gym and using the bikes and elliptical machines. Im also trying out the vegan diet that was recommended to me, I found a pretty good way to do it as well. Since im always running all over the place and don't have time to just sit and stop at a salad bar i looked to my grocery stores to see about some more options. Turns out that most grocery stores have these nice convenient bags of salad that you can just grab and go. This is prefect for my lifestyle at the moment, and it also satisfy's my desire to go somewhere to get food. Combined with a apple or piece of fruit it makes the perfect meal for me.

Emma, we must be sisters I have the exact same body type is you. I'm just getting getting started as well. I just joined a gym and I'm starting to diet as well. I had the same family history of husky men in my family like so many other ladies on the site I use food for comfort to deal with anxiety and stress. I suffered  low self esteem and depression. I want you to know you're not alone on your journey. Maybe we can help each other out by giving each other support  while we transition into the beautiful women that we are. keep your head high. You can do it and I will do it too! Danielle

Quote from: danielle28 on February 13, 2014, 02:42:32 PM
Emma, we must be sisters I have the exact same body type is you. I'm just getting getting started as well. I just joined a gym and I'm starting to diet as well. I had the same family history of husky men in my family like so many other ladies on the site I use food for comfort to deal with anxiety and stress. I suffered  low self esteem and depression. I want you to know you're not alone on your journey. Maybe we can help each other out by giving each other support  while we transition into the beautiful women that we are. keep your head high. You can do it and I will do it too! Danielle

We are sisters! But yeah its a tough thing to get through, I ate food thinking it was happiness, which also led to me being depressed all the time. I've only been eating green for a day now and I already feel better, mentally anyways. Its so reassuring to know im doing something about it.

Question about the cardio. I joined a gym and they have 2 options on the machines, fat burn heart rate and then a cardio heart rate.  My fat burn one is 124 and the cardio one I think around 150. Which do I stick with to lose my fat and slim down?

You have certainly received plenty of advice, at least on weight loss.

I have been a member of Weight Watcher's for nearly two years now.  They have a proven program that works.

You can count points, but an alternative they offer is to eat only "Power Foods".  You can download a list of power foods here: 
https://www.weightwatchers.com/images/1033/dynamic/GCMSImages/Food_List.pdf

I can offer a few tips.  You should lose between 1/2 lb and 2 lb per week.  If you lose any more than that you will not succeed long term.  It does you no good to lose 50 lbs and gain back 60.

Take a break and splurge once a week or so.  Can you imagine never, never eating a hamburger again?  Never to have pizza, pasta or bread?  Take a break from time to time, so you have the will to keep going.

On a weight watchers program you can eat anything at all.  You just keep track of the points and try to keep within your daily point allowance.  There is even a bonus of points you can use every week just for that splurge.

Remember that it took a long time to gain your weight so you shouldn't expect to lose it in a few months.  Imagine losing only 1/2 lb a month for two years.  That's 52 pounds!  Lose that and keep it off and you will have really accomplished something.

Lose 10 pounds in two weeks and find 3 months later that you've gained back 20.... not so good.

Best Wishes

Randi

Quote from: Randi on February 13, 2014, 04:23:15 PM
You have certainly received plenty of advice, at least on weight loss.

I have been a member of Weight Watcher's for nearly two years now.  They have a proven program that works.

You can count points, but an alternative they offer is to eat only "Power Foods".  You can download a list of power foods here: 
https://www.weightwatchers.com/images/1033/dynamic/GCMSImages/Food_List.pdf

I can offer a few tips.  You should lose between 1/2 lb and 2 lb per week.  If you lose any more than that you will not succeed long term.  It does you no good to lose 50 lbs and gain back 60.

Take a break and splurge once a week or so.  Can you imagine never, never eating a hamburger again?  Never to have pizza, pasta or bread?  Take a break from time to time, so you have the will to keep going.

On a weight watchers program you can eat anything at all.  You just keep track of the points and try to keep within your daily point allowance.  There is even a bonus of points you can use every week just for that splurge.

Remember that it took a long time to gain your weight so you shouldn't expect to lose it in a few months.  Imagine losing only 1/2 lb a month for two years.  That's 52 pounds!  Lose that and keep it off and you will have really accomplished something.

Lose 10 pounds in two weeks and find 3 months later that you've gained back 20.... not so good.

Best Wishes

Randi

I was told by someone else as well to have a single splurge day a week or so, that way I don't get burned out and fall back to old habits.

Good advice though, I will give that weight watchers a look, sounds interesting. Thanks! <3

A few years ago I lost about 100 pounds (from 280 to 180. 6' height. Now I'm at 170 several years later).

All I did was try to eat healthier - cut out all fast food, candy, unhealthy foods, soda, etc. I also tried to have very little carbs. I also gave myself a maximum daily calorie limit of 1300 calories - which is pretty low compared to how much it would take to maintain weight, but not so low that you are fasting. If you can stick to it, and also work out at least moderately, you should be able to be down to 190 or so in around a year. Maybe less - I didn't keep much track of how long it took, I just kept at it until I was at my goal weight.

After a little while eating so little, your stomach shrinks and it becomes difficult to even eat the portions normal people can take. Maybe this is not the most healthy method to lose weight - I am no doctor or nutritionist - but it worked for me. All it takes to lose weight is willpower and determination to stick to it.

Quote from: Androgynous_Machine on February 12, 2014, 01:04:53 PM
Okay first HRT blocks testosterone which is instrumental in building a large mass.   With most of that being out of your system it will be difficult to build muscle which is good news for you.  Furthermore, estrogen works against muscles.

Secondly, CARDIO and lots of it.   Cardio tones existing muscle (thus giving shape) and sheds fat.

Thirdly, focus exercises (stay away from weights) that tone the more womanly parts: hips, thighs, buttocks, and abdomen. 

Palates (excuse spelling), curls (not sit ups), and numerous leg exercises.  This plus 30 minutes of cardio 3 times a week with a 6-day vegan diet and you'll shed weight like you won't believe.   You are a big girl so you have your work cut out for you.  The cool thing is once you get your body trained, and you get set in the schedule it is easy to maintain.

At 5'5 I had to lose a tremendous amount of weight, I went from 185 down to 115 in a span of 4 months.  So it's doable.

-AM

Is it better to slim down before starting HRT or after? I have the idea that it may be harder to lose weight after starting hormones.

Quote from: debpossible on February 15, 2014, 10:16:22 PM
Is it better to slim down before starting HRT or after? I have the idea that it may be harder to lose weight after starting hormones.

I am also curious to know the answer to this, I know that after starting HRT most ladies ive talked to have said that their body starts to really fill out, this is cause of all the muscle that is being stripped away, and all the fat being re-distributed to all the right places. I would assume that the healthier you are pre-HRT, the more noticeable the effects of HRT will be. Personally I want to take daily pictures when im doing my HRT so I am thinning down as mush as possible until I feel im at the right body weight to be able to notice the transition.

Also its worth mentioning that when your on HRT alot of your man muscle that women do not have gets broken down and goes away. And being that muscle is very dense I would assume that there would be some noticeable weight loss during your transition. Id figure somewhere in the 10-15 lbs area, but that's just a guess.

Quote from: debpossible on February 15, 2014, 10:16:22 PM
Is it better to slim down before starting HRT or after? I have the idea that it may be harder to lose weight after starting hormones.

I'm not sure if it would be easier or harder, but I will say exercise and healthy diet are essential for everyone, trans and cis alike.

This is particularly true for transwomen (well I don't know about transmen) because the various hormones like to pick on the heart, cardio and a healthy diet strengthen the heart, and by the way, makes you lose weight which is also good for the heart.

I encourage everyone, pre/post HRT/SRS to exercise and eat right, it just makes sense.

Okay, after a preliminary search, here's what I've found.

Doing training before HRT:
Pros: Easier to lose weight, muscle strength intact, stamina intact
Cons: Could potentially build unwanted muscle

Doing training after HRT:
Pros: Fat gets distributed better, having some body fat might better enhance breast growth, very little unwanted muscle growth.
Cons: Weight is harder to lose, lower stamina, lower muscle strength.

So basically weigh it out.


-AM

Quote from: Androgynous_Machine on February 16, 2014, 12:36:04 PM
I encourage everyone, pre/post HRT/SRS to exercise and eat right, it just makes sense.

-AM

This = Truth

I had the same problem. Being overweight (mainly muscles) and fat are way easier to lose than muscle. In my case the only thing that worked to get rid of that muscles is to overwork them ( 2 times a day every muscle group I wanted to get rid of ), this way they were not able to heal and build. I did a lot of cardio but my final calorie count was about 1700 per day (intake about 2800 per day but burning about 1100 everyday). Everyone is made differently but I lost about 120 pounds before my transition by doing this( 240 to 118-122, depending on weeks xD). I don't know if I'll achieve the "casual girl" look someday but now at least I look like the athletic women in the workout video on youtube.

Quote from: Androgynous_Machine on February 16, 2014, 12:36:04 PM
Okay, after a preliminary search, here's what I've found.

Doing training before HRT:
Pros: Easier to lose weight, muscle strength intact, stamina intact
Cons: Could potentially build unwanted muscle

Doing training after HRT:
Pros: Fat gets distributed better, having some body fat might better enhance breast growth, very little unwanted muscle growth.
Cons: Weight is harder to lose, lower stamina, lower muscle strength.

So basically weigh it out.


-AM

I think I will try to lose alot of my excess weight before HRT, but will keep a small bit of fat so it gets distributed better. Sounds like a win win to me

In fact the most important thing is that you feel good in this. Hormones will certainly add some stress and variable mood/emotions. Just remember that fat redistribution itself is more a myth than anything else. It is proven that new fat will go to the "good spot" but scientists say that the old fat won't move.

If during your weight lost you have a hard time with the belly, begin by checking for diabete or others internal inflamation. If everything seems okay it's probably your abs that are too weak. I've not yet seen someone with no health problem doing the right efforts not losing their belly. The body is lazy and will put the fat where the muscles oppose the least resistance (just like electricity in circuit) so if your abs are always loose it is for sure the easiest place to add it. But I warn you because isolation exercise won't work that way, you won't have thinner legs by targeting only the legs. Getting "equal" amount of muscles all around the body will help to distribute the fat equally too.

As the principal abs corset exercise you may want to search for the "vacuum" and the static version of the "plank" and "side plank".