Hi all,

Six months ago I weighed in at 105 kilos / 231 pounds, and since then I have started eating right and jogging to bring me down to 78 kilos / 171 pounds. I'm still losing weight slowly, and as I'm 5'10, I've yet to hit the right range (apparently around 160 / 72 kilos) to be considered perfectly healthy for a male, but I know that I should actually be aiming for around low to mid 60's  (140) for a female range.

My question is, will the HRT help me lower my weight into a feminine range (with the muscle loss, etc?) if I just aim for around 70 kilos, or should I be aiming to hit the feminine range before beginning HRT since I've heard weight loss is slower and more difficult without the T? 60 - 65 is probably dangerously low for a male (I wouldn't actually know since I've been overweight most of my life, but it sounds like it would be) but if perfect for a woman, so what should I be aiming for pre-HRT?

Far easier to lose weight pre HRT, muscle helps you exercise harder so you burn more energy and lose weight easier. That said it is very important to lose weight if you want to go on HRT. I'm not saying you are obese or anything but many of the Aussie endocrinologists are reluctant to put overweight people on HRT due to the health implications. If you are a risk of cardiac disease it is a big red flag for them.

My advice? Plan for your gorgeous new female body by being healthy, lots of exercise and a healthy diet.

Consider a gym, I work out three times a week and transitioned during my gym time without anything but total support from staff and members a like. If you can't afford that, brisk walking every day for at least half an hour.

When you lose motivation look at nice dresses you want to wear, think of your bikini honed body, and keep at it.

Hugs Hon
Cindy

Quote from: Cindy on April 16, 2014, 01:45:14 AM
Far easier to lose weight pre HRT, muscle helps you exercise harder so you burn more energy and lose weight easier. That said it is very important to lose weight if you want to go on HRT. I'm not saying you are obese or anything but many of the Aussie endocrinologists are reluctant to put overweight people on HRT due to the health implications. If you are a risk of cardiac disease it is a big red flag for them.

My advice? Plan for your gorgeous new female body by being healthy, lots of exercise and a healthy diet.

Consider a gym, I work out three times a week and transitioned during my gym time without anything but total support from staff and members a like. If you can't afford that, brisk walking every day for at least half an hour.

When you lose motivation look at nice dresses you want to wear, think of your bikini honed body, and keep at it.

Hugs Hon
Cindy

Thanks Cindy, I'm actually "healthy" at the moment, and my efforts to lose more weight comes with much whining from those who know me, as I look fairly thin. I'm about 5 kilos away from my goal weight, but that's just to get the completely flat stomach. I was more wondering if I should tip the scales and aim for a feminine weight pre-HRT, which judging from your reply, seems like a yes. If that's the case, I'll have to increase my daily caloric deficit and cardio and aim for a further 15 or so kilos, I'm just afraid of being unhealthy.

Sounds good, work out your BMI for a female of your build, that's what was done for me. There are BMI calculators on line, you can google them

Quote from: Nattie on April 16, 2014, 01:58:20 AMThanks Cindy, I'm actually "healthy" at the moment, and my efforts to lose more weight comes with much whining from those who know me, as I look fairly thin. I'm about 5 kilos away from my goal weight, but that's just to get the completely flat stomach. I was more wondering if I should tip the scales and aim for a feminine weight pre-HRT, which judging from your reply, seems like a yes. If that's the case, I'll have to increase my daily caloric deficit and cardio and aim for a further 15 or so kilos, I'm just afraid of being unhealthy.

Heck, I don't even have a flat stomach, and my BMI is merely 20.2, almost too low, and certainly lower than average for someone who is 1.90. Of course, some fat is healthy, I just object to it being in the stomach, and would rather it be in the boobs!
I also don't know how, but I kept dropping and dropping weight every time I'd go see the doctor, from post-appendectomy recovery in late september (188lbs (85kg)) to now (162lbs (73.5kg)) without doing anything special. Normally one gains weight during the winter, but not this girl. I wasn't eating the healthiest, but it wasn't horrible. I walk to class or take the bus to the store and whatnot (shortage of funds have lead me to start walking to places that I'd normally take the bus to, or take the bus one way and walk the other) but I mysteriously still shed weight, even with hormones. I wish I knew my secret, then for sure I'd share with the whole world!

Quote from: Lauren5 on April 16, 2014, 02:14:45 AM
Heck, I don't even have a flat stomach, and my BMI is merely 20.2, almost too low, and certainly lower than average for someone who is 1.90. Of course, some fat is healthy, I just object to it being in the stomach, and would rather it be in the boobs!
I also don't know how, but I kept dropping and dropping weight every time I'd go see the doctor, from post-appendectomy recovery in late september (188lbs (85kg)) to now (162lbs (73.5kg)) without doing anything special. Normally one gains weight during the winter, but not this girl. I wasn't eating the healthiest, but it wasn't horrible. I walk to class or take the bus to the store and whatnot (shortage of funds have lead me to start walking to places that I'd normally take the bus to, or take the bus one way and walk the other) but I mysteriously still shed weight, even with hormones. I wish I knew my secret, then for sure I'd share with the whole world!

You would make a fortune Honey!!!

Quote from: Cindy on April 16, 2014, 02:16:19 AMYou would make a fortune Honey!!!

I sure know I would, I do have a few tips that I forgot to add:
Try instead of eating three meals a day to eat 4 smaller meals a day. Breakfast is usually coffee and/or tea and/or juice, fruit, maybe a pastry. Lunch is a sandwich, a glass of milk and/or lemonade and a granola/nutri-grain bar. Second lunch is a bit bigger, usually whatever they're serving in the cafeteria, often a bit more filling than first lunch. Jerk chicken is a favourite of mine, with rice and mixed vegetables on the side. Dinner is similar to second lunch, but tends to be a little larger, tends to consist of pasta (often without meat,) and I may throw in a slice of cake or pie, or a spot of ice cream. I tend to avoid salad myself, because I don't really like lettuce, can deal with spinach (which overall is a very good food for you) but love cucumbers and edamame. If I ever indulge in a burger or anything of the like, I always have edamame and/or cucumbers with it.
Second: try to use smaller plates. It will make your meal seem less inadequate when using smaller portions, which is crucial when trying to eat four smaller meals a day.
Third: don't be afraid to splurge once and a while. Overdoing it on health foods isn't as bad as overdoing it on junk food, but still isn't good. Don't be afraid to once and a while grab a bag of potato chips/crisps and have that with your sandwich for lunch, just don't do it too often. It gives your stomach something else to digest, and your tongue something else to taste.
Fourth: If forced to resort to fast food while on the go, restaurants like Chipotle and Moe's are good choices. Burritoes, when prepared right, are actually a very good and balanced food, if you add vegitables and meats to them. I like mine with chicken, a corn salsa, rice, olives, cucumbers, cheese, beans, spinach, and sometimes jalapeños if I want a little kick. Overall a very well rounded meal, and you can always eat half of it and take the other home. Of course, everything in moderation, don't eat it too often.
That's all I've got for now, I'll try and think of some more.

I'm just a fraction taller than you so perhaps I can give you a reference point.

At age 22 as a fit male I was 69kg, 28inch waistline, and all skin and bones.  4kg of that was probably pure muscle.  Pre weight training, I was 65kg and Andre Pejic level skinny.

Although we'd all love to apply the female BMI I don't think it's entirely appropriate, particularly past age 25 as male and female peak bone mass differ greatly.  I would say that a target weight between 68 to 70 will find you very very slim.

In any case, bravo for a job well done on your weight loss to date!

Be careful comparing male/ female bmi. At 5"11' round the 68kg while still classified as in the healthy weight range I start looking to thin.  While I believe it can be a very good guide on what weight is right for you, one should also take into account what body type they are. (Ectomorph mesomorph endomorph).
Eat in moderation exercise don't live on junk food (but don't cut it out all together) and you should get there in the end

Very good advice on BMI, I'm a bit odd (if you hadn't already guessed) I'm 5'7" and 60 kg, very slight frame so I sort of fit easily into the female range, I fail in the male range (story of my life )

Contrary to a lot of what's been said here, I found weight loss easier after HRT. For one thing, my depression went away and I was more motivated to get out of the house and exercise. For another, spiro being a diuretic kept me from retaining too much water and reduced my body's natural bloating. That being said, two dosage increases later it also dangerously lowered by blood pressure, so if you start feeling faint while exercising it's something you need to discuss with your endo.

I have a whole host of medical issues that have been roadblocks to transition. Eating healthy and exercise are things I've always tried to do. Do you know what my cardiologist told me? "Eat more junk food and salt everything you eat. You need all the salty foods to boost your blood pressure. You don't want to lose your spiro, do you?" [facepalm]

Yes, salt is very important on Spiro! And makes sense that as depression is lifted, one loses weight.

Weight's been a little confusing for me. I'm neither over or under weight, but I also wasn't in shape when I began HRT. I had male pattern fatty areas, and although I've definitely gained curves in female areas, my male pattern fatty areas don't seem to want to go away or shift to female areas.

Does anyone know how I might fix those male fatty areas, perhaps lose as much fat as I can and then regain and perhaps it'd go to only female areas?

Quote from: teeg on April 17, 2014, 05:58:45 PM
Weight's been a little confusing for me. I'm neither over or under weight, but I also wasn't in shape when I began HRT. I had male pattern fatty areas, and although I've definitely gained curves in female areas, my male pattern fatty areas don't seem to want to go away or shift to female areas.

Does anyone know how I might fix those male fatty areas, perhaps lose as much fat as I can and then regain and perhaps it'd go to only female areas?

Yes, losing and regaining helps a lot. Already located fat doesn't redistribute well with HRT, but if lost and regained it goes to more typically feminine areas...

Hmm, thanks for all the replies lots of food for thought! hehe.

I think I'll keep burning as much as possible and get down to ridiculously skinny, and then simply start putting on weight while on HRT (at which point hopefully it'll locate correctly). I'm already getting very concerned comments from people and I'm in the 70's, but that's probably just because I've been so overweight for so long.

New goal! 60 Kg! By the time hopefully I'll be on HRT as well, but my therapist is being pretty difficult to organize, annoyingly enough. >_<

It's kinda hard to do either way. Yes, being on HRT long-term will indeed make it possible to get down to a lower weight, because that same muscle won't be there, (muscle weighs more than fat, after all,) but it will not on its own get you down to those weights.

I've been fighting with my weight since forever, and was 270 lbs before starting HRT. In the beginning, as I was half-heartedly dieting, the weight just melted off. But it got harder and harder and harder to lose weight as HRT has progressed. I made it down to 230 after about 3 months, and then it's taken another whole year to get under 220. (Mainly my fault for cheating as much as I do... that's another thing that you can count on, is food cravings only getting worse.) And I have NOT had the freedom to cheat as much as I used to. Now, I have to stick to my diet very rigorously otherwise I just don't lose weight at all, where before I merely had to restrict my cheating to only one meal a day.

Basically, yes, I have lost a LOT of muscle. But most of the muscle has been replaced by fat. So now rather than being a person who was overweight from both muscle and fat, now it's mainly fat. So if I were to lose this weight now, yes, I would be much slimmer and much lighter than I was as a male. But losing that weight has gotten REALLY hard.

So yeah... just accept that it's going to be difficult, lose as much weight as possible pre-HRT while your metabolism is still high, and then you'll have less fat to worry about once the girly pills do their magic. It's definitely possible, just takes a lot of work.