Hello,
I am currently 294 lbs, am going to the gym regularly, but still have a poor diet.

What an I expect to happen if I were to start HRT??

Am I going to struggle to lose weight?

It's going to be harder. You need to eat healthier.

You will find your body requires fewer calories to maintain you weight so you should reduce or eliminate snacking and go with a structured meal plan. If hunger is a problem, add planned snacks or go with 6 small meals a day where a meal is no more than 300 calories. You didn't say how often you attend the gym but you should get out and do something every day even if it's walking a couple of miles each day. It will be more difficult to lose weight but it is doable if you make it a habit that you do every day. It is allowed for you to treat yourself every week but just do it with common sense.

I believe that exercise will do very little for weight (but important for health).

J Am Diet Assoc. 2007 Oct;107(10):1755-67

"advice-only and exercise-alone groups experienced minimal weight loss at any time point."

Some do quite well on low-carb, high-fat, not counting calories. There is much scientific evidence behind it and it has shown to improve health and metabolic parameters. Talk to your doctor.

I'm 5'9 and was 243 pounds when I started HRT in late may, as on this moment I'm down to about 185. My goal has always been to get to 160 but I'm certainly finding it harder now at 6 months on HRT to lose weight then the summer when it was my first few months. I pretty much only count calories (about 1500-1700 a day) and walk about 3-4 miles every day. Early on I used to only eat 1200-1400 a day but I'm trying to lose the rest more slowly now to prevent any skin issues as I've lost the weight fairly quickly. It's certainly possible but it's certainly harder.

(Maybe I should cut back the walking if it doesn't help that much, I feel like my thighs/calves are too muscly and unfeminine from all the months of daily walking >_< haha)

I was 6' and 210 lbs and I started losing weight about 8 months before HRT. I've used the slow carb diet and dropped more than 40 lbs within just a few months quite easily. It was the first time in my life that I even attempted to lose weight. The drawback of that diet is that you lose a lot of fat but gain lots of muscles even though I didn't work out at all, I just went running almost every day.

After starting hrt in March this year I gained about 10 lbs back but in good places. I had quite prominent veins on my hands due to the diet and they're still there (of course!!! Silly me)  but much less visible.

I would do it again this way as it's definitely much harder now to lose weight. I also switched from running to walking to not get more muscles on my legs.

Hugs
Jessica


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Exercise alone will not shed weight.  However, exercise does help shed weight when incorporated with an intelligent diet plan.  Both can work together for synergistic effects in both weight loss and health.


It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.
André Gide, Autumn Leaves

I am hoping to go on HRT at some point, at least a low dose to help with the dysphoria.  With that said, I am 5'7" and currently just over 240.  I have always been "stocky" and as crazy as it sounds, I liked having a fat because it gave me moobs which I could imagine were real boobs.  Now, I have come out to my wife and sister-in-law so I want to drop down to at least 160 before I start.  Lower would be better I know so I could put it back on in the right places.  At 51, I know this will be a challenge for me but I WILL make it happen.  In fact, just a few months ago I was pushing 270 which at 5'7 I know is extremely unhealthy so I got on Weight Watchers and dropped almost 25 but have plateaued here for the past couple months.  I lost my motivation but I will get it back because I have a reason...I want my girlish figure!!!
Paula