Weight loss

[Guest Beautiful inside]

Hi I'm going to be starting HRT soon and I had some questions about weight loss. I'm 27 years old 5'9" and 170lbs. I have a bit of a gut ( hate it!!!) I don't know if I should try to lose all the weight before I start HRT as I was told it may make you gain some or if I should see how hormones change my body first. I was told it's good to have some fat on you but idk. I just want to be able to wear a dress and not have love handles!!

[Guest AllisonRae]

Hi, I am 48, 6' and currently 212 lbs, been on HRT for about a month. I would advise you to loose what you can prior to HRT. Weight loss gets a little more tricky on hormones. I have been dieting and exercising since December and my weight loss has slowed since I started HRT. Loose what you can prior to HRT and remain diligent with your diet and excercise regiment after starting hormones. And most of all don't get frustrated. Your weight is going to be a little weird but you will keep loosing. Least I have been.

Hugs

Allison

[StephanieVikingGirl]

Hi Beautiful,

I am 56 years old, 5 foot 10 inches tall, and currently weighing in at 177 lbs. I was training for a body building contest right before starting HRT, and transitioning into the woman that I am now. I will say that I think maintaining your fitness while transitioning is very useful, remember of course that estrogen will give you a layer of feminine fat, and Spiro will decrease your muscles significantly. I started my transition when I was 190 lbs of ripped muscle, ready to step on stage, and pose. I stopped lifting weights, but continued my job as a bicycle wine tour guide. Riding a bike has kept me from getting too fat, and the hormones have done the rest. Kayla, and I both think that exercise helps accelerate the effects of HRT, but I don't think there are any studies supporting or denying this hypothesis. Anecdotal, empirical evidence though does seem to indicate an increase in rate of change due to exercise, ie. it works for me. I mostly wear sundresses, and mini-skirts nowadays, and I am glad that I have stayed in shape. Choose something fun, that gets you in shape, and keep doing it. Congrats on your upcoming HRT, and good luck.

hugs,

Stephanie

[Guest Kayla Grace]

Stephie, I think its more potent the better shape you're in beforehand; less fat to move around, bodily functions at optimal levels, you know? My endo said that exercise during hrt wouldn't be able to counteract the Spiro at least. I can certainly testify that its become harder to lose fat. Whether that's directly because of hrt I'm unsure, but PMS as per the hrt has caused me to eat less healthy :c

[JJ]

HRT affects where fat is stored. Testosterone tends to cause weight gain around the waist and in the belly while estrogen tends to cause weight gain in the thighs and hips and sometimes the chest. And it is definitely harder to lose fat on estrogen as opposed to testosterone.

But you also need fat to create that extra layer of fat that makes you look softer and more rounded on HRT. Most breast tissue is made up of fat too so you will need fat for that. It seems logical therefore to me to maybe lose before HRT so you can regain fat in all the right places once you are on HRT.

Johnny

[Guest Raya]

Hi Beautiful! I'd do it asap. I lost the weight a few years ago, and am so glad I did, just for general good health. Now, at 6'1 and 160, my dr. says not to lose any more, and it wouldn't look good. I'm hoping that the fat will redistribute, like Johnny said. Especially if I can get that last bit of belly to drop down to my hips...

And I'm gonna stay active, and hope, like Kayla and Stephanie shared, that it will boost transition.

[Guest Kayla Grace]

The only thing I see that doesn't fit into the puzzle Johnny, is that if you don't have much fat to begin with, how are you going to develop curves where you want them? Seems very counter productive to me, but hey, I'm no expert! I'm still at the mercy of my hormones!!

[JJ]

In my experience the fat that was already there tended to stay but new fat was stored where the new hormone dictated. So if you take off all the male fat you can in the case of an MTF and then put back on when estrogen is dictating-influenced by your individual body chemistry because we all differ so some men have fatter hips and some women bigger bellies-then your body will be more likely to appear more feminine.

Just anecdotal and I have not specifically researched it but it does match observations here and the scientifically accepted fact that hormones affect where fat tends to be stored. I have seen transmen who started T overweight and didn't lose and complained that T didn't make them masculine because that soft layer was still there-and transwomen also complaining bitterly that HRT didn't make them more rounded but were rail thin so that there was no new fat to store as that softening layer women have.

Johnny

[Guest Kayla Grace]

Makes sense. The fat has to come from somewhere and if you dont gain any fat afterwards I suppose it could cause a bit of dysphoria - It does for me, I'm a bit agitated that I have a PMS and not breasts or curvy hips yet :c