Gaining Weight

[AprilMayy<3]

So over the past year, I've noticed I have been gaining some weight. Now, it's not affecting my male life that much, but it kills me when April comes out. Over the past year, I've gained nearly 45-50 pounds. It's super depressing.

Though there is a silver lining. As I announced a little while ago, I've decided to see a Gender Therapist and plan to eventually transition. I know what I want April to look like after everything is all said and done. It's going to be some time until I'm a woman, so there's no better time to starting losing weight than now.

I'll attach some pictures of my obvious weight gain

[JaytoJillian]

Really????????????????

[Erica Marie]

Ok, so by your pic I dont see a whole lot wrong. Maybe if you gained that much weight you were too thin before. Weight gain happens for many reasons. As long as you are healthy that is the most important thing. I too have gained, but I know I can blame it on being lazy over winter and not eating proper. Find a goal that is comfortable and slowly work towards it. In no time you will be where you want to be again.

[Tracii G]

I see you are in your 20's and as long as you are healthy its not a huge deal.
I think you look cute with or without the little extra.
Your body is changing as you are maturing and that is normal.
If it bothers you take a walk every night or do some crunches or maybe take a dance class.
I have been very overweight in the past and it never caused me not to dress.

[Yoshisaur]

You look cute in the pictures, and you don't seem overweight to me, so I think that with a decently healthy diet and regular exercise you shouldn't have any weight issues.

[Ressie]

You certainly don't look fat in those (jeans) photos . But gaining that much weight in a year doesn't sound healthy. You either started eating a lot more, changed your diet, changed to a sedantary lifestyle, gained lots of muscle mass or you've grown taller. Could be a combination of all of those things. On the average, adult men gain around one pound per year. At least that's what I've heard.

[Stephanie47]

If that picture is after gaining that much weight you did have a weight problem. You were entirely too thin. Does April have a mental image that a woman is suppose to look like "Twiggy" rather than "Marilyn Monroe?" The majority of men I know prefer to have their women to have some "meat on their bones." A little padding is best. Once upon a time on my six foot frame I weighed 138 pounds. My wife saw a picture of me at that weight and thought I had been deathly ill. She calls it my "concentration camp look." The way you look in that picture (white top) will get you more wolf whistles than a woman who is "skin and bones." Perhaps you need to reassess you're self image. You look very desirable.

[sometimes_miss]

Gee, do I have to be the voice of reality again. If those are your best pictures, yes, you should lose the belly. We can't see the rest, the clothes are too loose. This is a 'feel good' site, nobody's going to want to tell you anything bad. It would be better to start losing weight now, do it slowly so the skin has time to adapt or you'll have saggy skin. One pound a week is what I recommend to those I speak with, most people can manage that without going hungry. If you feel yourself getting hungry before mealtimes, increase the fats and proteins of the previous time scheduled meals from then on, and decrease the carbs.

On the contrary to what the previous poster wrote, I don't know many men who like a woman with a lot of 'meat on their bones', as cellulite usually comes with the big 'meat' and that's not attractive. I'm sure there are some...I just don't know many (I know of ONE guy who is completely nuts over very obese women, but he's the only one). As I've mentioned before, if you want to know what men like to look at, check out what they pay to look at. Visit gogo bars, and see what porn rags sell the best. Because the ladies will present whatever gets them the most cash, and the magazine publishers only sell what people will buy. Money talks.....it talks really, really loud.
And if you want to know how you look, post some pics on hotornot.com and you'll get very real answers about if you need to lose weight. Be prepared for brutally honest opinions, though.

[Pat]

45 pounds in a year is pretty troublesome though. Give yourself at least as long to take it off again. Accepting yourself may help quite a bit. If you keep the look you want April to have at the front of your mind, it can motivate you. I did the same and lost about 50 pounds in a year, getting my BMI down to 24-ish which is where I like to keep it. Good luck on the transition!

[Stephanie47]

Oh, very much to the contrary. Even though this morning's newspaper had an article that 4 in 10 women in the USA are now obese has nothing do to with "meat on the bones." Cellulite in itself has nothing to do with "meat on the bones." Sure there are many women who are riddled with cellulite which is nothing more than perhaps "spotty" clusters of fat cells. However, if you're going to say Marilyn Monroe type women are riddled with cellulite..nope. I know many many women who are even high plus size and have smooth skin and not cellulite. Yes, I also know some men who like their women obese. Not just a few pounds overweight, but, unhealthy weight. In our society I cannot figure that out. In some societies with shortage of food, famine, etc, obesity was viewed as a sign of having affluence and a lot of food. As to the porn angle I think you'll probably get an array of whatever will sell to any particular male. What sells in the porn industry is not a true indication of what most mature (in mind, not age) like best. Maybe it is a generational things.

I still believe if April gained 45 pounds in a year that may not be healthy. We don't know her weight then and now. I personally gained in college abut 37 pounds in six months. My wife calls my prior picture my "concentration camp" look. She thought I had been gravely ill. I went swimming is my college's pool between classes for six months and went from 138 to 175, and, maintained that weight for a very long time. The weight gain was all muscle. Yes, April may have a little belly to work off or tone up, but, the anorexic look some women think is attractive is a total non starter in 99.99% of the men I know.

Anyway, just don't confuse a "little meat on their bones" as the same as obese. Frankly I have seen some ladies on this site and other cross dressing sites who look undernourished.

[AprilMayy<3]

I appreciate all the responses. I feel I should clarify on a few aspects though.
Now, 50 pounds gained in a year is a pretty large gain, to anyone. I was originally 19, 110 pounds, 5'8. Now I'm 20, roughly 160, and still 5'8. I 100% attribute my weight gain to, as The Office would put it, "Fat Butt Disease". I was a manager in retail, sat on my butt, ate poorly, didn't exercise, spouted about my hereditary fast metabolism. So yea, it came back and bit me in the (fat) butt.
I've started going to the gym, eating better, slowwwwwlyyy cutting soda out of my diet(I love it to much, lol).
Just some clarifications for ya'll.

[Tracii G]

Just keep an eye on what you eat and have a decent work out routine at the gym and you should be OK.
Mine has been from a medication change and it caused me to gain quite a bit the first time I was on it so I hope it won't be as bad this time.
I get out and walk a lot and do daily exercise so I'm hoping that helps to some degree.

[crystaltvco]

With respect hon, you look great! Yes, should you lose a few of those pounds? Your dr. would probably say yes. Your smiles shows your real happiness!!

[Sarah Louise]

You still look very pretty. Your BMI is still below 25 which is in the normal category. You probably don't want to put much more on though so well done for adopting a healthier lifestyle.

[Michala]

I can see where your have gained a little weight. I don't see in the pictures 40-50lbs. Not doubting you as you are the one reading the scale. The good news is that at your age weight loss most of the time is not that difficult. Proper eating habits and exercise is the key. Exercise does not have to be difficult, walking is very beneficial and not hard on the body. About 10 years ago I started watching what I was eating, began with walking about a mile per day and worked that up to 3-4 miles per day and lost 50-60lbs in 4 months. The change in eating was the easiest for someone who loves to eat. I ate what I liked, I just put a smaller portion on my plate and didn't add to it when finished. Walking wasn't hard to start but I was in very poor condition (same reason as you, too much time sitting on my butt) but by doing a little each day and over time building it up to a longer distance worked very well. Exercise becomes a habit. Once you exercise on a regular basis you won't want to skip a day very often. You just feel better at the end. Good luck.

[BrendaPDX]

I think you look great! I am also 5' 8” but was at 185 pounds, I was down to two dresses that would fit, and didn't feel good about myself. I am down to 170 pounds now and am still trying to loose a little more. I will never be down to 110, I was thinking 165 or 160 at the most. Loose your weight slowly, workout, and eat balanced meals. But you look good.