this is where I begin

[Robbo]

Recently I came here after I discovered I am transgendered. I am actually bigengered or androgyne but as you can see I look like John Goodman.
I have severe body image issues and I would like to know how any of you overcame things like weight and height. Height does not bother me so much. Even though I am six four! When I wake in the morning in my mind I am thinner and better looking. I have a more femme thought of myself in my mind than the way I actaully look. Now that I think of it there is a woman I have seen on TV or somewhere that reminds me of how I see myself in my mind. I'll let you know if I remember who she is. But when I pass a picture of myself in the hall or see myself in a mirror I really have to pause to remind myself that I am really okay. AND that I love me...and stuff like that.
THis is something that I want to change. I have begun to work out in hopes of going from LINEBACKER size to QUARTERBACK size and believe me that would make me MUCH happier just to make that much progress.

much love, Robbo

[Chrissy be good]

I'm in the same boat. I was a gym nut for years, but now with the kids its hard to find time to keep up with it and I've packed on a couple. The last thing you want to do is bulk up with muscle. If your hitting the gym stick with high rep and low weights. Try 3 set of 12 to 15. I would also concentrate more on your back and legs than chest and arms (what most guys do). The back and legs are 2 of your biggest muscles and will burn more calories when worked than the small chest, biceps and triceps. I would also follow up with atleast half an hour of cardio(tradmill, bike, eliptical). If you can find a yoga studio that offers high heat yoga give it a shot. Yoga is an incredible workout. If your dieting one of the most important things is to drink lots of water. Cut the coffee and soda. Even some diet sodas contain sodium which will make you retain water. Try eating more smaller meals a day. That will help kick start your metabolism. In the end you have to do what feels right and works for you. I would stay away from diets. Just cleanin up what you eat usually works and if need be, have a designated cheat day every couple of weeks. As long as its a cheat and not the norm. I hope some of this helps...good luck

[Kristen Marie]

Weight is always a problem for me, and while I have a ways to go, getting down to an acceptable level was my first goal. Make it realistical...and make it in terms of girl's sizes. My pants have gone from an 18 to 16 to 14 and now teeter on a 12, but mostly 14. That gives me encouragement, where my weight lose in pounds and where I still am, is oftertimes discouraging.

Have a professional make-over done. See what your potential is. It is amazing how the girl in your mind might actually match the girl you see in the mirrow. I love what Kristen looks like, and that encourages me to work out more, eat less, and shop smarter.

Congratulations on posting here! That is a huge step!!!

[StacyCD]

There are probably very few people who would not like to be smaller than they currently are--weight loss is the number one new year's resolution! My SO has clothes is four different sizes due to her fluctuating weight. However, I think she looks great in any size so it's not an issue to me. Simply be the best you can be at any size! If your goal is to be quarterback size that's great but don't let it postpone living happily until you achieve your goal. My goal is to get down to a size 10 but even though I'm still wearing size 16 I still have a lot of fun!

[BeckyAnderson]

I can only speak from personal experience and not from medical knowledge or advice. I know this has worked for me.

About a year ago I weighed in at 204 lbs and was climbing and wore a size 14 dress (I'm 6'-1" tall). Now I'm in at 163 lbs, can wear a size 10 and seem to be holding at my current weight. Sometimes it goes up a few pounds, usually around the holiday's, and, afterwards, I have to watch what I eat until I lose the small weight gain. I can put the weight on very quickly!!!!

My typical day then would start with a very large breakfast of 3 or 4 donuts and a cup of coffee. By 10am I'd be having a morning snack of either more donuts or some other type of cake-like snack along with a soft drink. At lunch, I'd usually have a whole hoagie or steak sandwich and soft drink. At dinner I would have two servings of everything on the table. During the evening I'd be having cookies or popcorn and more coffee.

Once I made the commitment to myself that I just had to lose weight I began to eat "healthy". I would have a low fat breakfast bar and glass of orange juice in the morning and also stopped having the mid-morning snack. For lunch I would have a small salad with very little dressing (just enough to flavor the salad). For dinner I still ate everything as I did before but limited myself to one average serving of everything on the table and drank something like cranbury juice or just plain water. And the biggy, I stopped having anything to eat after dinner. Also, throughout the day I drank lots of water.

At first it was difficult to change my habits but I persisted and the pounds started coming off. I found that the more the weight that came off the easier it was to stick to my plan. I seemed to have bottomed out in the low 160's and haven't been able to lose much weight at this point. I continue with the same eating pattern. Apparently, my intake of food equals the energy that I expel and I'm holding status quo and healthy.

Hope this helps.

Hugs,
Becky

[Karren H]

welcome to the forum!! And if I can do it then you can too.. Lost 50 pounds in 9 months.. Went from a 220 pound defensman to a 170 pound winger!! Lol. Droped from a 16 to a 10 dress size!! And its a lot of work but if you want something bad enough!! Yeah!! So start eating right.. Get out there and exersize!! Do not diet!!. Since when the diet's over the wieght comes back... Think of it as a a life changing event.. That's what it is to me!!

[MarcieM]

Now that I think of it there is a woman I have seen on TV or somewhere that reminds me of how I see myself in my mind.
Mimi from the old Drew Carey show?
http://multiplepersonalitess.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/bobeck_mimi2.jpg
http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=78364&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1229931240

[Robbo]

NO. not mimi...

i plan to work out with what's called strengh and endurance training. I did it in college and I plan to look it up on the net. I like what you all said about eating right but not necessarily dieting....I was on Jenny Craig three diffenrent times and it just did not work. Once I did lose about 40 pounds but they never taught me how to prepare my own meals and instead insisted I eat thier prepacked food...which is awful by the way....I don't know what the future really hold for me. Androgeny is really something I aspire to and I could be happy looking like "Pat" from Saturday Night live only I want to look good. what ever that may look like....

Robbo

[Alice Torn]

I'm trying to go from a linrbacker, to a jockey!!! Ho Ho Hoax!

[Jessicaparkson]

Just watch what you eat hun. I'm 6'3 and I've never really found that to be a problem personally. And welcome aboard!

[Angie G]

That will take some very hard work but if you want it bad enough you can do it. Now you go girl.:hugs:
Angie

[Billijo49504]

I went from 345 to 200 and now I'm at222 this morning. I'm working at it again. It's something you have to keep at or it will get away from you. But one tthing to do, check with your Dr. to see if any of your meds are causing the weight gain. Some med for diabetes will do that. I have type 2 and I am just switching to a new med, called Byetta. It keeps things level and don't cause weight gain. Just a thought...BJ

[JoAnne Wheeler]

I went from 250 to 198. Want to drop another 10-15 pounds if I can. Hang in there, you can do it too.
JoAnne Wheeler

[Carly D.]

It's a state of mind there Tex.. sorry just had to get my own rub in there.. truth is I would rather not try to look like a woman at all.. but rather I would really rather just wear what feels good to me clothing wise.. but I think there's the feeling that if a guy likes to wear pantyhose or tights and a skirt with high heels then he (I) should dress completely up..