Gym Question

[Heather Shay]

Good for you....I'm cheap, I walk a lot, cut grass and keep active but I admire your will power to work on keeping fit or maybe keep with weight.

Shay

[Jackie C.]

There's a bunch of good reasons, but I started because I needed to loose weight for my GCS. I've come to really enjoy the activity and the friends I've made along the way. I've also noticed that my older relatives seem to begin deteriorating rapidly when they stop physical exercise. I want no part of that, so I'm doing what I can to avoid it.

Finally, I've found that with the right hormone load out, I actually care about my body. That's new. Now that I have a chance to wrangle it into something like the shape I've always dreamed of, I'm not going to let the opportunity slip away.

 

It's also cleared up some health issues I've been dealing with since forever. My blood pressure is back to an approximation of normal, my skin's cleared up and my allergies are a bit less severe. I cannot wait to get access to actual equipment again. While my home routine isn't bad, I can push myself a little farther when I have access to the whole selection of weights and machines.

 

Hugs!

[Heather Shay]

Jackie,

I am proud of your dedication and admire you. I used to be a runner (actually to excess - like 5-6 hours a day and anorexic - not good) and I did eat much heathier (I kept that part). I have a high blood pressure but been under control for years but luckily I have a pretty good metabolism (my wife hates that about me) so as I start HRT in a few weeks I'm sure I'll do what I need to keep healthy as long as I can. I'm not a spring chicken (although I'm finally no onger a rooster - gosh what a great feeling not to hide it any longer) and my wife has health issues (thyroid and fibro) so she monitors what we eat. 

 

Of course I admire all of you going to gyms but as I always said - exercise is good - find what works for you and you like so you consistantly keep doing it or all is for naught.

Shay

[JustineM]

Well I’ve been in the gym for about 2 weeks now. Met with the personal trainer earlier this week and he was actually really nice. Discussed my goals and he didn’t even blink when discussing me being transgender. The only real reaction was suggesting heavier weight training for my legs to tone and get some curves. 
 

On a side note; OH girl my body aches lol. 

[Heather Shay]

that is wonderful...not the girl aches...but the acceptance and making progress on those curves ...go get them girl....

[Joslynn]

Eat lean eat clean and lots of cardio 

it works for me it’s hard at first but you will fall in the rhythm 

[Susan R]

@Joscelyn Amazing change. At first glance the two pics look like Brother and Sister. What a remarkable transition.? You look very much like a friend of my daughters‘.  How long have you been transitioning and was it done medically? No pressure to answer. I’m just impressed with how you’ve blossomed.

 

Warmest Regards,

Susan R?

[Heather Shay]

wow you arent kidding...i have a lot to strive for

[JustineM]

59 minutes ago, Joslynn said:

Eat lean eat clean and lots of cardio 

it works for me it’s hard at first but you will fall in the rhythm 

WOW! You look great! Thanks for the advice and motivation. 

[KayC]

Wow!  Thanks for sharing your photos and story @Joslynn!  That's quite a transition and very inspiring❣️

[JustineM]

So went to the gym Tuesday after work. Feeling a little disappointed in myself. I only made it 6 minutes on the elliptical. (I have to do elliptical or bike right now, have to basically rebuild my left ankle) I keep telling myself that it’s a start and it will get better, but dang! Round 2 for the week is this evening after my therapist appointment. 

[Heather Shay]

you're in "Spring Training" and the first few weeks are ALWAYS the most painful.... soon enough you're be in mid-season form.

[JustineM]

YAY! I managed to double my elliptical time today! A full 12 minutes lol

[SaraAW]

Well done. Keep the confidence going. Watch your form when working out, push but not too hard, you don’t want to injure yourself or setback your ankle recovery. 

[Heather Shay]

getting  spring training and heading towards middle season form 

[Jackie C.]

10 hours ago, JustineM said:

YAY! I managed to double my elliptical time today! A full 12 minutes lol

 

Congratulations! At my gym (if there's people waiting) they throw you off at 20. Almost there!

 

Of course they're closed for the pandemic right now, so I'm jealous you get to go work out.

 

Hugs!

[QuoraQ]

Dont think I'll ever do the gym thing. Its too easy to just buy specialized home equipment for the target areas of my body I want to shape n tone. Dont need my upper body getting any bigger than it already is, lol.  I have however started the couch to 5k jogging program. Anybody else do that? What kinda results u seeing?

[SaraAW]

I spin, too many knee injuries for running. Also do yoga and strength training with body weight and free weights. Keeps me healthy. I was a gym rat before coming out. Part of my last hurrah of denial. Still losing lots of mass through more cardio and light weight high rep for strength training. 

[QuoraQ]

9 hours ago, SaraAW said:

Part of my last hurrah of denial

I love this. How long did u spend knocking your head against a wall and wondering why almost nothing u ever did felt right? Lol Not tryn to change the subject. It's so easy to get sidetracked and not used to doing the forum thing yet... Anytime Fitnezz just happens to be the only gym I've ever been a member of and though it was short lived, I was impressed by the staff and facility. I'd even go as far as to say it didn't smell as bad as other gyms I'd visited. XD Dunno if that's saying much as the others include middle school, high school and a Gold's gym I met a friend at once. Phew! That last one really had an aroma! 

[KayC]

Thankfully (now!) my body has never had the frame or muscle mass of a typical man.  So like @SaraAW my gym focus is on cardio and light weight reps.  But I find gym time so boring, I also use non-gym (home) yoga and lots of walking. 
Also, for us older girls, I highly recommend squats (no weights required, just home squats) and core strengthening.  This is so important for balance issues and avoiding falls and injuries later in life.

 

I feel like with transition in mind, and the current (or next) pandemic, its really important to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

[SaraAW]

2 hours ago, QuoraQ said:

How long did u spend knocking your head against a wall and wondering why almost nothing u ever did felt right?

38 years. Through school I played as many "manly" high contact sports as I could to try and fool everyone, including myself. I was 145 lbs @ 6'2" playing football. It's a good thing I was fast, as I was significantly lighter than pretty much everyone trying to tackle me.

 

After I finished school, I switched to the gym on and off over the years. In my mid 30's is when I went absolutely gym crazy and started powerlifting.

2 hours ago, KayC said:

highly recommend squats (no weights required, just home squats) and core strengthening.

A focus on core is so important for everyone, it helps reduce injuries all around in life, not just for working out. Bodyweight exercises are great, you can achieve amazing tone with nothing more than your bodyweight. Squats are a pretty good core exercise and are also not bad for us trans women as you can get some decent glute activation too. Planks are one of my core go to's, which are much better for your back than situps or crunches.

[JustineM]

Hey ladies! I appreciate all the responses and tidbits. The gym staff at my home Anytime has been absolutely amazing, I’ve been in a couple times wearing a skirt (prior to changing of course) not even an eye blink. I’ve been following one of their toning/core programs and I’m happy to say I’ve already lost 6 lbs. I seem to have an easier time sticking with the workout program in a gym than I do at home. 

[Dana Michelle]

On 7/25/2020 at 3:17 PM, QuoraQ said:

Dont think I'll ever do the gym thing. Its too easy to just buy specialized home equipment for the target areas of my body I want to shape n tone. Dont need my upper body getting any bigger than it already is, lol.

If I move into a condo, I'd be concerned that having my own treadmill could be noisy for neighbours. Sometimes condos have gyms but if I end up in one that doesn't, I might consider a gym. I'm interested in cardio for fitness and muscle building in the chest and buttocks since I'm not well endowed in those areas.

[SaraAW]

That's awesome Justine! Keep at it! It is a good idea to change up your routine every so often, or you may hit a plateau.

 

Dana Michelle, the world outside is a wonderful alternative to a treadmill. Leg lifts, squats (multiple variations), lunges and single leg glute bridges are great for glutes, there's lots more bodyweight exercises not listed for glutes. For chest, pushups are a great bodyweight exercise for chest development. Building muscle in those areas, will give you a good foundation of shape to build on, but you will need some fat redistribution to really round those areas out.

 

Happy working out everyone! Hugs!

[Jackie C.]

23 minutes ago, SaraAW said:

Dana Michelle, the world outside is a wonderful alternative to a treadmill

 

Very true. I just got back from a couple miles walking outside. However there's a bug: Outside it rains. Treadmills are great for when the weather isn't cooperating or if you need a distraction (watching TV or something) to get your miles in. Also good if your neighborhood isn't conductive to being outside just walking (bad neighborhoods, I'd hate to get a shell casing stuck in my sandal). So yeah, treadmills are well worth it if you want to keep your momentum going.

 

Hugs!