Setting a pace, avoiding holes

[Nia Hush]

I guess this all boils down to your living situation. I'm single so I guess that offers me a bit more freedom to pursue my interest in crossdressing and practicing more feminine behaviors.

In many respects I'm using Nia as a motivator, so diet and exercise routines have begun and I'm exploring the routines to find something that will slim me up real good without building too much muscle. Yoga and Pilates are looking like things that are good to grow into.

The dieting part is actually not much of a departure from what I should have originally been doing. I had a food allergy diet I just fell off of, so its really a matter of just getting back on it. I'm supposed to go gluten-free, but within that I can get away with soft tortillia wraps every now and again. Dieting for me is really just letting the guilty pleasures cut back to a small once-a-week treat.

The wardrobe isn't something i'm looking to expand rapidly, but I guess you could say I'm working on the inside-out below the waist before considering inside out above the waist. Funny story, I have most of the features and structure of my mother, but the wonky fat distribution of my father's side, which is to say girly arms and legs with a gut. Gut's got to go before I can really make and fashion choices up top. At leas, thats how I feel I should go about it.

Anyway, I'm well-aware there are some traps laid out on this road, offers of tempting shortcuts for more feminine results, my concern is avoiding the ones I can't obviously detect. Plus sometimes my BS detector loves to go off in places that it might not apply. So I'm looking for a little advice there.

[Danni Renee]

Nia, I hope you can find your pace. I am on my own pace now and though it took me a while to get on it, now that I am I am so much more comfortable. I have lost 50 pounds since I finally admitted to myself who I really am and I feel great! It seems we have a similar problem though - girly arms and legs with a gut! I have actually walked most of my weight off. I started walking a treadmill with a 8% incline for an hour and now that the weather is better, I have found a challenging hill course to use. But I think the real key is that I walk for one hour straight almost everyday - I think that alone has been the best measure. I still do strength training twice a week but I focus on a full body workout and I do more repetitions with less weight to work on toning instead of strength training. I am trying to add aerobics into the routine but that is a goal (I am so uncoordinated). But the other good thing about walking is I get to practice my "girl" walk. Brush the knees, one foot in front of the other. My SO tells me I am developing quite the strut! GOOD LUCK!

[suzy1]

Unfortunately the “gut” is the hardest part to slim down sometimes.
A big belly is a combination of two things, lack of muscle tone and a build up of fat. Mainly fat.
When loosing fat the last place to loose it is usually the belly [sucks I know]
So the only way of getting a flat tummy is to loose all that fat and exercises like crunches.
There is no easy way, and I talk from experience!

SUZY

[Nia Hush]

Well, most of the work right now is centered on eliminating the gut or what contributes to it. I may negotiate with my parents and see if they'll give up their old treadmill or at least a the excersize bike so I have some options for a rainy day and it indeed is a rainy season here.

Anyway, I've already had a small victory. I made a shot in the dark on ordering my first set of boyshorts from Jockey. I feared after ordering that I might have ordered too small at a large, but they're a perfect fit and keep the business in place. Might go for a longer leg next time, but otherwise I love the feeling and I am seriously never going back to briefs. I'm trashing those briefs today.

This gives me some real confidence on where the lower body is and where I can go from there, not to mention what else I can wear on the lower body. My style is tomboyish anyway, so not too worried about the hips just yet, but we'll see.

[Cynthia Anne]

Exercising is good! But God is great and beer is good! So every time I think my tummy is getting a little too flat I just open another beer!

[Nia Hush]

Eh, never got into drinking actually, I always saw beer and cigarettes as things that would limit my video game funds. Now I have girl funds, too. Besides, I always have fun observing others while drunk , mostly just to remind them what they did later.

I do seem to be making progress on the workout two weeks in. Shirts feel a bit more loose and my jeans are in dire need of a belt again. I don't look too different, but its a start.

[Danni Renee]

I am glad you found your panties in the first shot! I had no clue when I ordered my first pair. I knew I wore about a size 16 dress (and I was large at the time) so I figured a size 14 panty would be fine. They came in and as large as I was, you still could have fit two of me in them! With a little help I got the size right the next time. I wear a large or x-large size 8 now but I am almost ready to move down again. I have not thrown out my male underwear yet but it has been months since I last wore any - panties all the time now! I have even recently started wearing sports bras under my clothes too. The feeling is fantastic!

[Nia Hush]

Well, I might be hasty on throwing out the briefs. Since i like the feel of these boyshorts (http://images.jockey.com/en-us/Catalog/ProductImages/002030_reg.jpg)and the women's biker shorts and skorts I'll likely be getting soon, I may grab some of those boxerbriefs for things like doctor days.

The briefs are done, though. Funny thing was they were pink anyway, due to a red shirt bleeding too much in the wash.

I had figured Men's 36-38 might have been too large for me anyway, but I just love the way these feel and breathe

[Eryn]

A pace is a noble goal, but the most important thing is to always make progress in the desired direction. Even a measly pound a week is 52 pounds in a year. You will have setbacks but don't let them bother you. Just redouble your efforts and do better then next time.

Do take some pictures. You may not like what you see now but later on they will be strong motivation to keep going in the desired direction!

[Steph.TS]

it's funny, if I live life a a male, I just don't care, I eat whatever I want and don't exercise, I just have no motivation, but whn I think of myself as a woman, I want to improve myself, get in shape, exercise (not to build muscles but to burn off fat, and be generally healthy. I started trying new foods to be a bit more healthy, like soy milk and tofu, even trying to bring more fruits into my diet. as a woman, I find I'm taking more and mroe charge of my life, but as a man, I just play games, and generally don't care about myself.

being the best woman I can be is what motivates me to be healthier, and look better. I've been using the olay body wash, and I think it's actually making my skin a bit softer, when I shave my arms I just love the look, how can anyone look at this way of life in a negative way, me being feminine has me building more responsibility in my life, and a desire for healthy living, yet I can't mention a word to my family... if only they knew what was making me make these changes lol

[Danni Renee]

Jen - you are so right! I had my most success in weight loss and eating habits after I accepted myself. I was slow and fat as a guy, but I am getting tone and lean now!

[Gerrijerry]

Since when does being over weight have anything to do with being a CD or transexual. You should loss weight for health reasons that is always a good thing. However feeling better about what you want to wear is not about weight loss. What you appear to be doing is not accepting who you are and using weight loss a crutch. Just my 2 cents

[Nia Hush]

Since when does being over weight have anything to do with being a CD or transexual. You should loss weight for health reasons that is always a good thing. However feeling better about what you want to wear is not about weight loss. What you appear to be doing is not accepting who you are and using weight loss a crutch. Just my 2 cents

Its more to the effect that I'm just way more meticulous as Nia. I started this routine before accepting her as part of myself, but in accepting her what would otherwise be a fad is a way of life with me now. When I have roleplayed as women, this different side of me always came right out. More conversational, more focused and goal-oriented. What I've come to learn is what entertains me as a woman is setting goals and not only just meeting them, but knocking them out of the park.

I would not he happy just putting on an outfit and "accepting myself," I would feel cheated. With the progress I've already made, eventually moving into the clothing I want will be even more exciting and satisfying for me. My goal is to be in full outfits and satisfied in them by September, but I've had thoughts on some ways I can enjoy it sooner. Either way, it doesn't end at September, that's really just the beginning.

[kimdl93]

I have heard that you can't selectively target an area lose fat - it comes off where it comes off. That being said you might consider something really radical - liposuction!