I have serious body image issues with my muscular shoulder, biceps, and forearms.
I am doing cardio, no weights and eating high carbs, soy protein, and fat. Will the hrt help eliminate these, or reduce them at all? I am a littl...a lot worried, this is my main issue that ->-bleeped-<-s with my confidence about passing and presenting female. When I say passing, I dont mean to others, I mean to me, so i can feel comfortable in a high class dermatologists and med spa office.

I think I already know that I am stuck, but hope is always welcomed, just not lies.   

I have the same problem but I have that issue with my thighs and calves too, not sure what to do.

Hi,
I'm a lot older so things should change more slowly, right?
I had a LOT of upper body strength, genetically pretty well build, broad shouldered.
Had done windsurfing which broadened me out no end. Incidentally so did my son.

I was a size 16 for my height of 5" 6.5" yet after 1 year HRT I'm close to medium, a size 12 - 14.

So my answer is: DO NOT WORRY, you will loose on top --- like everyone else.
Using light exercise as I do, daily walks for 1 hr already does the trick.
BUT YOU CAN NOT RUSH IT!
Take care,
Axelle

thanks axelle. Im not in a rush, although it may seem that way. I just need to know that in time i will be able to see myself the way I desire. I know I will never be a supermodel, but I do want to feel comfortable with myself. 

Thanks again :-)

HRT can affect soft tissue but if you're working out you're going to look buff.  And with T still coursing through your body, that workout will result in more muscle mass.

Lowering T and increasing E has different effects on different people.  The mesomorph will more easily gain muscle mass than the ectomorph or the endomorph.  This article does a good job explaining the different body types.

I'm mostly mesomorph and there has been very little change in musculature other than what changed when I stopped swimming.  I stopped swimming because I was hopelessly ripped, just from swimming.  No weights at all.

Once you figure out your body type, you'll have a better idea what kind of impact diet and exercise have on your body.

There are plenty of exercises that natal women do that tone and shape some of the very same areas that give the MTF concerns.  To avoid them, even pre-operatively, is probably doing your body an injustice.  But HRT is not going to account for drastic changes by itself...some of it still requires effort by the operator (ie. YOU). 

As I have noted, I never had a lot of muscular definition.  Probably the most noticable change years ago had been in the calves but that was not so much a change in the muscle itself but rather somewhat of a reshaping through fat distribution.   

Admittedly, most of the work I do beyond the hour or so of cardio every day or so is focused more on abs and legs, but I also make sure to spend at least a little time each week working on upper body.  The non-cardio work is done on resistance machines and not free weights...it is a personal preference for me, but I seem to have better results with the machines since I am not looking to add bulk.  I do more reps with a lighter weight...it works for me (albeit this is also MANY years post-op).

HRT should help with this to some extent. Though if your sisters, cousins, mother, etc. all have big arms, it may not do very satisfactory results regarding them. Though you may want to take a look at this.

I personally have always fled exercise like plague and have avoided getting my father's big arms thus far, but it's probably not healthy. (Forget the "probably").

Anyhow, the general advice is to ditch weights altogether and do solely endurance training and to focus on the lower body when you do.

I've heard after orchiectomy/SRS muscle mass goes down a lot, because even though you're on HRT you still have a good amount of T coursing through your veins. So getting an orchi might help reduce it further if it doesn't go down enough

This is basically a remake of a post I did on the FtM board, if you want to understand it more then read this https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,99999.0.html  otherwise, here is the short version.  Hope this helps.

Age 18, taking Testosterone illegally for bodybuildingAge 24,  Over a year off T and the Gym, this is what I looked like with no exercise.
Age 26, 2 years on estrogen I still love my Biceps =) 

When you are young the body has an amazing ability to dramatically change, revert and dramatically change again in a different direction. 

Wow your so pretty you have like super pumped my self confidence its like your pumped me with happy pills 

Quote from: LilKittyCatZoey on July 12, 2011, 02:39:38 PM
Wow your so pretty you have like super pumped my self confidence its like your pumped me with happy pills 

Hehe I'm glad =) 

you know whose hair would look amazing on you!

Light's hairstyle


lot of alternatives to this, in the official video it's more straighter and less raggedy, my favorite Light's hairstyle would be in the meatloaf video.

I'm probably going to be kind of short and stocky. I worked out in high school and in the air force.  This was me about 9 years ago.


I dont have much muscle left in my lower left leg since my fork lift accident, So in a way I hope I dont loose too much muscle mass in my legs.

LOL... Sorry, but its soooo weird to see these before and after pics.
I dug through a box and showed my pic from the Air Force Boot Camp to my daughter   
30 years later, 20 of them on hormones, all we could say was WOW....

Soooooo weird 

Your body will change....

54 and I still have great legs and not a trace of cellulite! (ok, so my belly flopped)

I see all of you so pretty and impossible to tell about your ex boyishness its amazing seeming all information websites state other wise hmmm whats your secret? I mean is HRT really miracle worker or did you all just drink a magic potion 

you'll notice that the longer you're on E and androgen blockers, the less muscle mass you'll have. 

Quote from: Jamie Nicole on July 13, 2011, 09:40:32 AM
you'll notice that the longer you're on E and androgen blockers, the less muscle mass you'll have.

Very true =)  I've been on hormones for over 2 years now and I still notice muscle loss and muscle change... and I exercise and stay really active.  There is no telling how much I would have lost had I not stayed active.

Vanessa do yourself a favor and go to a model agency please i mean really its good money and fun i hear  I mean i cant see why but i as a boy have been asked to model a lot and always say no because well i can beat you girls can guess but no seriously Vanessa just go try out i mean your model pretty and if they dont agree well nothing lost dont you agree

Quote from: LilKittyCatZoey on July 13, 2011, 12:46:49 PM
Vanessa do yourself a favor and go to a model agency please i mean really its good money and fun i hear  I mean i cant see why but i as a boy have been asked to model a lot and always say no because well i can beat you girls can guess but no seriously Vanessa just go try out i mean your model pretty and if they dont agree well nothing lost dont you agree

Hehe, you sound like my mom... and It's Vanna =)
I have done modeling before, as a boy and as a girl.  I enjoyed it much more as a guy... I don't really like being around a lot of women. Straight girls tend to irritate me =)
Also, as a boy I could show my parts, but as a girl I have to hide them to make sure that nobody figures out I was a boy.  So, I am more reserved in female modeling.  Maybe things will change after I get my surgery =)
For now I just model for my girlfriend...

  with my mom a few days ago =)  I'm only 5'8, she's just barefoot and i'm wearing shoes

Quote from: jillian on July 12, 2011, 04:29:31 AM
I have serious body image issues with my muscular shoulder, biceps, and forearms.
I am doing cardio, no weights and eating high carbs, soy protein, and fat. Will the hrt help eliminate these, or reduce them at all? I am a littl...a lot worried, this is my main issue that ->-bleeped-<-s with my confidence about passing and presenting female. When I say passing, I dont mean to others, I mean to me, so i can feel comfortable in a high class dermatologists and med spa office.

I think I already know that I am stuck, but hope is always welcomed, just not lies.

People have already said it but I'll say it again. Testosterone is a steroid, it's what is responsible for men's muscles getting larger than women's. Once you take away your testosterone (or most of it) your muscles shrink. You WILL lose strength and your body will eventually begin to shape like a woman's. It takes time though, you can't be too impatient. Give it a year on hormones before you really start to notice the muscle mass reduction.