Losing Weight and HRT

[Guest ValerieD]

I currently have a not flattering pot belly as a result of weight gained during high school and college (currently a junior in college, still on the mandatory $2500/semester meal plan for those of us living in dorms). I really want to get rid of it now that I'm thinking of transitioning (hoping to be full time in May, but I'm not quite sure I can pull that off). I've been trying to lose weight since mid-December, but my pot, while smaller, is still noticeable (it makes me look pregnant). It feels like it's taking me a painfully long time to lose weight, especially since I'm a picky eater; my favorite foods are bread (particularly bagels), pasta, and pizza (in fact they're the ONLY foods I can eat often without getting sick of them), with not a lot of time for exercise, and I don't particularly care for most exercise either (I do like swimming, but I hate male swimming attire... at least I'll have a means of exercise that I enjoy once full time, but until then, I'm out of luck).

Here's another catch: I'm hoping to start HRT as soon as I can, and HRT causes weight gain. I don't see myself going to graduate school, so I'm at the point in college where I have to start looking for a job, and I can't exactly delay transition while I'm waiting to lose weight (which I currently predict will take many months). The idea of job seeking while not full time scares me to death.

One thing I noticed is that I get fat a lot easier than most college students, it seems. Though a lot of that's probably genetic: everyone on my Dad's side of the family is overweight (and high blood pressure), except for my cousins and uncle (who is not related by blood).

Any advice? I'm starting to get quite depressed over this (and other things). I'm only getting more self conscious as time goes on.

[Guest KristineAlana]

I'm in the same situation as you girl!

Ever since I started working in the food industry I've packed on the pounds but I don't have to time or energy after a day at work to even attempt to work out!

I've been told that biking is great for your thighs and midsection which is exactly what I need to work on!

Best of luck!

[Guest ValerieD]

Update: been trying to lose weight, emphasis on trying. I've cut my food intake down and tried to increase activity a bit but I'm not losing anything. I've volunteered to update a show every day for the TV station since it gives me an excuse to take the five minute walk down there three times per day. Here's my current eating habits:

Mon/Wed/Fri: Wheat bagel with a banana and milk for lunch, pasta (wheat with Alfredo sauce, chicken, and peas) (note: I don't eat a full portion any more; it's too much but there isn't anything I can do to reduce the amount they give; I try for 1/2-3/4) and milk for dinner

Tues/Thurs: Plain bagel (no wheat available from the place I get them from on these days) with a banana and apple juice (100% from concentrate), sub (6 inch wheat with turkey, american cheese, and lettuce) with milk for dinner

Sat/Sun: these are my microwavable foods days (don't want campus dining food 7 days/week plus I want to sleep in and not worry about missing a meal): small size microwavable macaroni and cheese with 4 oz Motts applesauce and milk for lunch and 7 chicken nuggets (Banquet) and a Campbell's soup at hand can/bottle

I've been told by my therapist that trying to lose weight like this will take forever and that I should get into shape to lose weight faster. Any ideas on how I could do this? I don't like male swimwear so swimming is out for now (I plan to start it once transitioning though), and my college gym requires a change of sneakers (which I don't have, and can't get anything that fits (I have extra wide feet) in Potsdam; plus I don't want to buy any new male clothes as I plan to transition later this year), so I'm looking for something I can do in my room (besides pace around for half an hour, which hasn't been working and is boring anyways). I've put a link to some dorm room exercises suggested at the bottom of this post.

http://www.clarksonathletics.com/sports/2010/10/11/GEN_1011104047.aspx

[Guest Kitty_Babe]

Keep your calorie in take right down, possibly between 800 -1000 calories per day consume food at breakfast that is around 140-50 calories, 200-250 for lunch, and 300 at dinner time. the rest of the calories you can have in snacks to tie you over till your next meal. Not forgetting supper time. Don't eat food with any salt in it, if you can help it , or choose low salt options. Avoid food that is high in fat, you need to really find meals that are around 3% fat or LESS, nothing higher. Certainly nothing higher than 6 grams of fat.

This is roughly the diet I am on, its more of a life style change, and its not a fast diet, but the weight will stay off. I say yes it does work, if your patient enough to make your eating habits a permanent life style change.

[Guest ValerieD]

It's a pity I don't know how to get the nutritional info on campus meals. I hate meal plan!

[Guest Kitty_Babe]

LOL no ! they don't HAVE to be plain meals at ALL !, its really just avoiding food that contains high amounts of salt and fat. If you see anything like what I mentioned, they are normally either high or medium risk food, and you should never eat much of that kind of food. Take always, read meals (Microwave) meals are exceptionally high in those things. Fact you have a banana is a good thing, so introduce more fruit and veg into your diet, for a start to things.

its really up to you, and what you like eating, and what amounts you eat of it. So why not take a look at that, and think "well maybe this is worse than that other one" but I like those ?! - but just eat a little less of them. Well I LOVE bacon rolls in the morning. I cut off all the fat, and streaky bits if any, and that usually lasts me until my next meal. I rarely snack out now like I used to. I put on a hell of a lot of weight due to hormones, so its best to get this nipped in the bud right now before you are on hormones for years and end up putting on stones.

Just my thoughts, I hope some where I was helpful

Catherine.

[JJ]

Actually it has been proven that cutting calories below approx 1200 a day not only causes physical damage-even brain tissue is then consumed by the body-but will eventually cause you to gain weight. The younger you begin calorie restriction and the more you restrict the fatter you will end up. Not a theory or some idea people are talking about but proven fact.

I have taught nutrition to families and had to be certified as well as losing 170+ lbs in a little over a year so I have a little background. I gained the weight initially from prednisone and from physical inaction caused by some serious physical problems. And because I have been watching my weight by dieting since my teens.

There is only one way to lose weight and that is to exercise more than you eat. When you can swim it can be the best exercise of all depending on the level and strokes used and may be worth the discomfort of wearing a swimsuit. You can always go with board shorts and a rashguard. I noticed both come in colors and patterns that border on feminine. The one time men wear flowery stuff. You can get bargains on Ebay or thrift stores. I was just reading the other day that Michael Phelps swimming routine is so intense that he has to consume 12,000 calories a day just to maintain his weight! So swimming really can burn faster and better than any other exercise. It is how I got myself to a point I could walk again after 3 years bedridden. I could only walk about 30 feet at most and not stand at all. After 4 months of intense swimming I could hike again since the season was over-no indoor pools here-and now I average 21 hours a week hiking.

The HRT will actually help you take that tummy off easier because that is a male rather than a female fat storage area generally. For me being on T has made a huge difference in where the fat has come off when. I'm far flatter in the chest for instance than I have ever been.

Also it is not a given that you will gain weight on HRT. The same is actually said about T because your body thinks you are a 15 year old and need to bulk up-but it doesn't have to happen You will need to gain some to put that extra softening layer of fat on -the one that so feminizes. It won't automatically start switching from one area to another from what I understand. You have to lose the old and gain new.

Do you have a fridge in your room? Even a mini one? If you keep salad stuff in it and have a big salad with low calorie dressings before your meals you'll find you will eat less. Sam's and places like that have big bags of salad mix that are actually cheap. I add raw mushrooms-also cheap at Sam's and cherry tomatoes-ditto-I love the yellow ones-some sliced green olives and different peppers and onions. Fills me up and adds a lot of taste too. Anyway it's just an idea.

in my observation any exercise done alone and confined to a room eventually fails because of boredom but have had success riding an exercise bike set up in front of my PS3. Wouldn't let myself play unless I rode.

Finally-all you need is 15 min. of cardio/ aerobic exercise a day to keep your metabolism up. It increases fat burning that lasts for about 24 hours so what ever you do end up doing be sure to get those 16 min in. I also eat anything I want 1 day a week. Keeps the cravings down and the metabolism up. Works really well for me. And I have a firm rule with myself-No Excuses. None. Ever. I can switch my eating day to accommodate holidays or special occasions but I don't do more than that. In 13 months I have had 1 day that I ate more than I planned. The same goes for the exercise. Since last May I have exercised at least 6 days a week. No exceptions. When you get used to not bargaining with yourself the whole thing gets much, much easier.

Oh, I also recommend finding a program like Caloriecount.com or my favorite Livestrong.com My Plate feature and keeping track of exercise and what you eat each day. It keeps you accountable to yourself and really makes a difference. Both of those are free as well as many others.

Not as hard as it sounds and it feels great. I plan to eat and exercise along these lines the rest of my life. And on the Real Age test I have dropped my age by 30 years and increased my life expectancy from "you better plan your funeral" to over 25 years. That is worth the effort.

Good luck! I know you can do it

Johnny

[Guest Kitty_Babe]

its really a matter of the right Nutrition needs for your body. Your supposed to have around 2000 Calories a day. But if your eating mostly junk food not only is that high in salt and fat, but you would likely put on more weight from eating that way. You should really be looking at a permanent life style change, some thing your happy with. I can tell you for a FACT that I have since 12 months ago when I began loosing weight of my own, that I eat between 1000 - 1500 calories myself, I was using 800 as a low end of the scale. Some people can live on that amount, most of us can't. It is possible to have the full 2000 calories but of course this depends on LIFE STYLE. Its a given that plenty of exercise will burn off lots of calories and fat, but if your eating more in calories and fat than you burn off, then its just going to become weight. Considering the diet I am following is an on going life style change also, and have GRADUALLY lost weight this way, I think what I said earlier does work. Not more so for the fact that health care professionals also have mentioned its best loosing weight slowly as I have done, as its more likely to stay off. NOT gain in the long term.

[Guest ValerieD]

Thanks for the encouragement JJ. HRT can't come soon enough! I never though it could help me lose the pot belly after hearing about how it makes people gain weight. I guess my ability to rigidly plan everything (including meals) and not change my plans will help here.

LOL no ! they don't HAVE to be plain meals at ALL !,

Meal plan, not plain meals! I live in a college dorm, so I can't make my own food (no kitchen, just my mini fridge and microwave) and have to buy a meal plan from Aramark to eat at on-campus locations (never mind that it's cheaper to just pay cash... my college requires it so they can skim money off the meals for building construction!).