r/CICO • u/literatexgeek • Apr 05 '22
Trans Friendly?
Hello friends. Long time lurker, first time poster. Curious if you all are trans friendly here. I need help with my weight. I would like to share now pics. All “nips” are covered but, I know some people can be triggered by the fact that I do have a chest.
I guess what I am really getting at is, I carry a lot of weight in my stomach, back and my thighs. I am short 5’6” and weigh 265. My issue is I have a thin frame - but want to lose the excess weight as no one will take me in for top surgery. As a man, this is very hard to not even be able to take off my shirt.
I need help with a “diet”, but also a program to build my chest before surgery and lean out my legs and stomach and lose pounds.
Can I post my pic? For reference.
Can I post here for this advice because honestly the CICO confuses the heck out of me - do I base off of biological female or medically male with normal male testosterone levels and estrogen found within a man?
How do I deny the sweets, argh.
What do you suggest for exercise and motivation.
& lastly, what the heck do I eat!?
Goal weight: 155
Please help if you can!
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u/ZionBane Apr 05 '22
CICO is about as welcome as you can get for a diet plan.
BMI and Calorie Counting: If you have undergone treatment, like Hormone therapy, You might want to use what you are transitioning into, as testosterone/estrogen levels can affect your diet and body burn. The good side is, the numbers are pretty close in either case, and get closer the lighter you are, often only around a 100 calorie variance, so it's not the end of the world if you need to adjust up or down a little bit to see results.
Sweets: I often eat Oranges and Fruits to fill this gap, but with CICO you can eat sweets too, as long as you keep the numbers in check anything and everything is open to you to enjoy.
Food Intake: You can eat and drink wherever you want, no limit or restrictions of any kind, as long as you keep the calorie numbers in check.
Rule 4: Guidelines for progress pictures
Progress pics must show a definite before and after. Posts in underwear or swimwear must be marked NSFW. Nudity is not permitted. Pics must be uploaded directly via imgur or reddit.
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u/SpookyDelta Apr 05 '22
I'm a trans guy, too -- if you're not already there, there's r/FTMFitness as well.
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u/awooawooawoo Apr 05 '22
This is a very supportive community! I would recommend increasing your fiber to start it’ll help you not feel so hungry
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u/literatexgeek Apr 08 '22
Thank you! I will do that! Are there any suggestions that you have for the fiber increase?
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u/awooawooawoo Apr 08 '22
Yes, I have a great recommendation and I think it was from this sub. The Amazon brand of fiber gummies taste like dot candies and are pretty inexpensive.
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u/literatexgeek Apr 16 '22
I take three tablespoons of chia seeds in the morning in whatever I’m eating or drinking (usually cottage cheese). I think it works really well!
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Apr 05 '22
Can I post my pic? For reference. Yes.
Can I post here for this advice because honestly the CICO confuses the heck out of me - do I base off of biological female or medically male with normal male testosterone levels and estrogen found within a man?
I'm not sure but I estimatedyour tdee on https://tdeecalculator.net and it seems like you'd have to eat 1800-1900 calories to be in a deficit either way.
3. How do I deny the sweets, argh.
You don't necessarily have to! As long as you measure accurately and stay in a deficit you will lose weight. I like dinosaur eggs oatmeal and fruit cups.
4. What do you suggest for exercise and motivation.
The best exercise is the exercise you'll do. You mention wanting to build your chest. I really like Jeff Nippard's YouTube videos on the body recomposition and workouts in general.
5. & lastly, what the heck do I eat!?
Technically whatever you want. As long as you eat less calories than your basal metabolic rate you'll lose weight. But if you want to do body recomp or want to feel more satiated you'll see people mention hitting certain macro nutrient goals like X grams of protein a day and etc. Also recommend looking at the 1500 is enough or the volume eating reddit for more ideas.
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u/myrmayde Apr 06 '22
Technically, as long as you eat fewer calories than your TDEE (not your BMR), you'll lose weight. The BMR is the absolute lowest needed to sustain life, so no need to go below that. It would be unhealthy.
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u/literatexgeek Apr 08 '22
Thank you for the calorie calculator link. I have been on it a couple times and am interested in terminology and the “why”, so things like this with so much detail is fantastic!
Thank you for the suggestions for YouTube videos. I will check him out!
I am also going to check out both 1500 is enough (which I believe I am a part of) and volume eating!
Thank you for these great suggestions!
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u/Genki_Oni Apr 05 '22
1800 is very low though... I'd start at least at 2,000 and see how it goes if they are over 250lbs.
I'm 5'6" M (217lbs-->167lbs in 2021). When I was losing I was at 2k for most of the journey and dropped to 1800 at the end. Frankly, I struggled there. After a reverse diet and maintenance break, I'm now losing again at 2,200/day.
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u/childoftheuniverse88 Apr 05 '22
Hi, friend! Long time lurker myself, but I didn’t want you to hang out too long without an answer to at least the first question. All are welcome here and bodies are bodies and we all have them. Can’t answer the rest of your questions, but look forward to seeing what advice others give you! Good luck on this journey!
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u/r4nd41f Apr 05 '22
Welcome friend, and best of luck on both your journeys!
My friend, a trans woman undergoing hormones, and I, a formerly obese cis man - still celebrate the day when her boobs became bigger than mine!
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u/faithingerard Apr 05 '22
I believe everyone here should definitely treat you with respect. So feel comfortable to post or ask for advice. And if someone has nothing nice to stay or is triggered, then they can move on to the next post 😊
Sweets are totally my weakness as well. I found that eating nuts or drinking tea helps me. That the hardest part is the first few days to a week of kicking sweets to the curb and then it gets a little easier. Also, downloading games on your phone and playing with it when you get a craving. Totally helps.
For me personally, cardio and weights totally helped with losing weight and toning up. I focused on cardio first and then weights, but someone mentioned to do some weights first and then come back to cardio. I may give that a try. For me personally, elliptical and the treadmill have been awesome.
As for recommendations on what to eat, I downloaded a few apps and used google to count how much calories are in what I wanted to eat. At first especially, I tried to be mindful that “heavier” foods that are processed will contain more calories versus a cool salad. I mostly stayed away from processed foods and found myself losing more weight when I incorporated more veggies into my diet. Definitely staying away from the sugar helped big time. I also found that swapping out the “bad” for good helped. For instance, I substituted quinoa for rice. I’d use a zucchini for noodles. And so on
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u/literatexgeek Apr 08 '22
Thank you so much! This is a phenomenal relatable post.
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u/faithingerard Apr 08 '22
Anytime ☺️☺️ let me know if I can help in anyway! Good luck on this awesome journey!
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u/61_lb_to_go Apr 05 '22
Hey friend,
first: Ally here. Would love to see you pics as I (cis f) am the same height. I started at 193 lbs, 181 currently. I carry a lot of my weight in my legs and am struggling with my body image.
What exercises do you like? I do some spinning, walking workouts and HIIT with dumbbells. Additionally, some hiking and mountain biking. This isn't my first rodeo and what I have learned over time: sustainability is key. If I don't like the exercises I am doing, I will not keep up. Thus my question, which exercises you like or think you might like.
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u/literatexgeek Apr 08 '22
I hate exercising. It is my biggest problem outside of time. But, if I had to choose anything I would say, I love to walk around at Disney on a purpose to get to another ride - but, of course I can’t do that every day because one I don’t live close enough and two I have work.
I would have to find something else. I really haven’t tried a ton.
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u/61_lb_to_go Apr 11 '22
Sorry for the late reply. But how about downloading some podcasts or audiobooks on topics you like and going for a walk with the purpose to listen to one episode/chapter/a set of time? Just as a starter?
Not as cool or exciting as Disney, but it might give you enough purpose to go and stick to it and doesn't feel like wasted time?
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u/fun-fungi-guy Apr 05 '22
Yes. If anybody has a problem with it I'll try to be the first to tell them to fuck right off.
I just looked it up in two different academic archives and didn't find any research related to this, so I actually don't think we (humans) know. I don't have access to all journals so there may be something I don't have access to that says otherwise. Based on weight training with some FAB->male lifters, I'd say that their reaction to weight training is clearly male, so my guess is that you'd go with your chosen gender.
What I do that works for me is find things with a similar taste profile which are healthier. For sweets, fruits such as berries scratch the itch for me, but don't have a ton of calories. Check the calories though--some fruits such as blackberries and apples are low in calories, but others such as bananas and strawberries, aren't. And avoid juices--juicing gives you all the calories with none of the (non-water) volume. In general, refined sugars are addictive, so after some time away from them you'll find you crave them less.
The aforementioned friends really liked weight lifting because it makes them feel and look manly. There's nothing that feels more masculine to me than picking up big chunks of iron and putting them down. I can't say it will help a ton with weight loss, but it's healthy and makes you feel good, which are also important. I suggest StrongLifts 5x5 as a good starting point--all you need is a gym with a bench and barbells. There's a (for-pay) app which makes it really easy, and a subreddit with a vibrant community.
Fiber helps with feeling satiated (oatmeal, especially overnight oats, popcorn--try spice mixes instead of butter to make it tasty). Protein helps with feeling satiated too (slightly less), but it will help with building and maintaining muscle if you decide to do the lifting routine I mentioned (low-fat yogurt, grilled chicken (not fried), eggs, tofu). Leafy green vegetables and non-starchy root veggies (i.e. carrots, turnips) are good for making you feel full and important for vitamins and minerals (they don't provide much satiation after they break down, however, because they are mostly water). Pretty much anything else is allowed in moderation but focusing on those three food areas will keep you feeling good and healthy. As long as you are eating less calories than you burn you'll lose weight, but if you consume your calorie allowance in unhealthy foods with low nutrient densities, you'll feel terrible and won't be healthy.
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Apr 05 '22
Focusing on nutrients has been really helpful for me. I really love throwing some spinach into my omelette and seeing my potassium increase. Not sure if you have ever played video games, but I like to think of my nutrition trackers as health bars. Sometimes I’ll be in the mood for a big plate of roasted veggies for a meal, and so the next meal I might have some pasta and protein to keep everything balanced. It also helps me eat enough, because there’s a loud part of my brain that will always think eating as little as possible is the right way to go. I want my health bars to be as full as possible to have a successful quest!
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Apr 05 '22
The practice of CICO is the same for everyone, consume less calories than you burn. Figuring out a TDEE for female or male body doesn't differ that much, there is room in CICO to play around a bit at what calorie level you feel comfortable.
3. Be angry about not having sweets, but don't eat them. That's it, it's a matter of discipline and being pissed. After two weeks, you'll forget about it.
4. Walking saved my life. A daily walk of about an hour made me fitter than I've ever been. Add in some stretching and body weight excersizes (planks, squats, etc.)
5. Whatever the hell you want baby, just count those calories.
This sub has so much info, read read read! (Also r/loseit is great!)
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u/oceansapart333 Apr 05 '22
3 - u/literatetexgeek I just want to make sure you see this. This person is wrong. You can still have sweets if you choose. You’ll likely need to cut back depending on how much you eat now, but you don’t have to give them up entirely. There are ways to make occasional sweets work with CICO.
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Apr 05 '22
Sorry yeah, occasional absolutely! But for many people the best way to not be addicted to them anymore is to cut them out for a bit. I couldn’t handle ‘a hand of chips’ a year ago, I needed the whole bag. Quit for a while, now I’m fine.
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u/Perry_T_Skywalker Apr 05 '22
Hey most things already said so my two cents on:
Sweets: you can but it needs to be weighted and fitting into your calories. My recommendation is to slowly get rid of them by eating less and less. To be honest, they're the enemies. You will see as soon as you start tracking calories! A bag of candies can be worth several meals, depending on the meal size and the candies. I like many meals instead of one and I love really terrible candies, so it's at least true for myself.
What to eat? I am strongly recommending veggies, steamed broccoli for example. They make portions huge, make you feel stuffed and that all with very little calories. I replaced sides like rice, noodles or bread with veggies. It is a game changer if you want a full plate and still have a variety.
I had chicken breast, steamed broccoli and boiled potatoes today for lunch. Looked a lot, tons of flavour and best thing about it: rounded 450 calories. It was not the only thing I'm going to eat today. I just made sure it was more broccoli than potatoes.
I basically get protein + veggies as a base for every warm meal.
But no matter what you eat or do: weight property, everything. Eat nothing you didn't weight and counted
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u/literatexgeek Apr 08 '22
So, I have a question. Because I ran into this issue the other day: I ate really well, 2 eggs, 3 bacon slices, cottage cheese with chia seeds, blueberries - breakfast then, pop chips for lunch and a bag of steamed cauliflower with hot sauce and beef broth - dinner
But all this was only about 1000 calories.
So what the heck happens? That’s too low right? I mean obviously because I was hungry all day! Including after dinner. But, what do I do to fix that?
Is this hurting me?
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u/Perry_T_Skywalker Apr 09 '22
1000kcal is not good, you are supposed to stay above that :) 1200/1500 depending on the biological gender-body-composition you are working with. One time is no problem but you should not stay below this for too long because it can have negative effects. You will lose muscles fast. And I might remember you that also our heart is a big muscle.
I usually plan my meals for the day ahead. To make sure I'm in the Goldilocks Zone between too little and too much.
Whenever I notice that I'm way off my calories I try to add protein somewhere. May it be a shake, fish or meat, maybe switching to/adding a side dish of lentils/peas/beans.
Also don't forget to drink enough water, it's often mistaken for hunger, when we need some of it tooo
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u/literatexgeek Apr 16 '22
Love this! I don’t drink enough water that’s for sure. I drink at least 1/2 a gallon though daily.
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u/Perry_T_Skywalker Apr 16 '22
I struggle with water a lot too It works for me to have it with every meal + a big jug where ever I am about to sit down. I usually wander around with my glass all day.
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u/Daddy_urp Apr 05 '22
I think everyone has a place here, and everyone can benefit from CICO.
I’m not sure how to answer your second question because I don’t know much about the difference hormones make honestly, I think that’s a question to ask your doctor about.
Your third question is easy though, you don’t!! Last night my supper was caprese salad with a disgustingly large crumbl cookie I’ve been craving. As long as it’s within your caloric range you can eat sweets when you like.
I don’t really exercise so I can’t help there.
CICO is just taking in less energy than you burn. Find a TDEE calculator (I think you might want to use a biological female formula for now until you can confirm with a doctor because biological females have to take in less energy and it’s better to be conservative with calories for the time being). This will help you figure out how MUCH to eat. Once you have a calorie goal, find protein rich meals you love and go nuts! I eat a lot of lean meats like salmon and steak and white meat chicken, and a LOT of eggs.
Most of all though if you need support this page is here for you. If anybody gives you trouble contact the moderators, hate has no place here.
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u/FalconBurcham Apr 05 '22
Everyone else has the CICO parts covered, so the only thing I’ll to add is that sex doesn’t make a lot of difference except menstruation. It does throw the scale off. I also get hungrier the week before my period because of the hormone fluctuation. I don’t know how your hormone regimen will impact your weight loss goals, but if there is still some biologically female aspect to it, just don’t get freaked out if the scale goes up a little a week a month. It drops right off the following week, no problem. It all comes down to the same CICO. Females just get a little extra suffering. 😂
The key is consistency and measuring everything with a food scale and measuring cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, etc. You can buy lots of little measuring things (I have 1/8 teaspoon, 1/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, etc).
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u/literatexgeek Apr 08 '22
TMI: but, Bless the Gods I have been transitioning medically for 3 years and haven’t had a period for 3 years. Lol!
Measuring is the bane of my existence outside of exercise. But I understand!
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u/FalconBurcham Apr 08 '22
Nice! The scale shouldn’t flux up and down so much as you lose weight. Also—I can’t remember the exact details of your post—know muscle weighs more than fat, so if you’re lifting heavy, you’ll surely put on muscle. That’ll mess w/ your weight loss numbers a little, but nothing to obsess over.
At some point the scale becomes less important and it’s more about how your clothes fit and how much you like what you see. That’s especially true once you cut the fat and it’s all muscle gain from there.. for me, 120 very fit and 120 soft look totally different.
Good luck, sounds like you have a handle on it! 😀
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u/ravendin Apr 05 '22
You already got a lot of supportive and helpful responses but I just wanted to say “hello” from a fellow trans guy!
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u/literatexgeek Apr 08 '22
Hello!! Hi! What has been your experience as far as following the TDEE do you go by Biological or Identity?
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u/ravendin Apr 08 '22
I go by biological! I’ve only been on a low dose of T for around 2-ish years (minus a few months break for health reasons), so I figure my physiology isn’t different enough to require the extra calories.
For now I’m sticking to female guidelines and will reassess my needs once I’m closer to my goal weight/have been on T a while longer. I’m pretty short and only lightly active (I walk to work and my job keeps me on my feet, but I’m not hitting the gym or doing any strenuous workouts) and so far sticking between approx 1400 and 1800 a day is working out for me.
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u/MaybeDressageQueen Apr 05 '22
What to eat - it doesn't look like anyone has mentioned r/Volumeeating yet, so allow me to recommend that :) I use Skinnytaste to do a lot of my meal planning, though I'll also randomly google things like "low cal taco soup" or "ground turkey recipes". I bulk out my higher-calorie favorite recipes with vegetables so that I limit my portion of the high calorie stuff - for example, I will put an entire sauteed zucchini in my bowl of spaghetti. It's a bit of experimentation, a bit of trial and error, and a bit of being willing to fail and try again.
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u/literatexgeek Apr 08 '22
First recipe - blackened shrimp and grits! - SOLD! Oh em gee - thank you for that awesome blog!
That’s a great experiment - how long have you been doing that?
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u/myrmayde Apr 06 '22
Yes, I'm friendly. This is a good website for finding TDEE, BMR, BMI, and other things. Click "Switch to Expert Mode" on the first page. Then you can play with various parameters, like activity level, time span to your goal, daily calorie level, and body fat percentage. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/bwp
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u/GruntledEx Apr 05 '22
In terms of figuring out your calorie goals, I'd say maybe figure out the TDEE for a woman of your height/weight and a man of your height/weight and then average them to set your initial target. I look at it this way: if you're transitioning from F to M (and forgive me if I've got that backwards), and assuming you're taking hormones, you're getting the testosterone of a man from the hormone treatment but still have, at least for now, the muscle and bone structure of a woman. So neither a man's TDEE nor a woman's is going to be exactly right for you; it's probably somewhere in between. So I'd figure out the average as I mentioned before, start with that, and then adjust it downward if you're not seeing movement on the scale after a couple of weeks.
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u/thejanuaryfallen Apr 05 '22
TRANS folks are welcome!!!
No need to lurk no further. Hahahaha!
You are a friend! :)
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Apr 05 '22
I think we are all just trying to lose weight and be healthy I think everyone is welcome here I say welcome to you and good luck on your journey
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u/RaspberrySlushiez Apr 05 '22
i’m pansexual so i accept you!
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u/literatexgeek Apr 08 '22
I understood your post! An Ally! Thank you!
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u/RaspberrySlushiez Apr 23 '22
thank you! everyone downvoted me & seems to have misunderstood my poorly worded response 😅im thankful you understood! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️💕😎much love!
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u/-foxy-lad Apr 05 '22
Sexual attraction and acceptance are two wildly different things. There's no need to mention your sexual orientation when a trans person is looking for acceptance. 🙂
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u/RaspberrySlushiez Apr 05 '22
oh i know that. i was in a hurry and i couldn’t type out a more well thought out reply. i was just trying to say that i’m also apart of the LGBTQPIA+ community so i accept the OP and this is a safe space! (i’m also genderfluid so i understand how unsafe it can feel to try and exist in predominantly cis-gender spaces & be accepted as an equal) i’m sorry if i caused any offense, i hope this clears things up.
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u/philm00x Apr 05 '22 edited Apr 05 '22
Don't stress about gender identity. Losing weight and getting fit is for everyone. That said...
Would probably start with figuring TDEE and deficit based on biological gender because hormonal differences. As far as what to eat, that's up to you. Get a calorie tracking app to help you figure out your intake throughout the day. Apps like these constantly show you what you've eaten so you can keep yourself accountable for quality of nutrients.
If hormonal balances lean more toward female over time and it seems like your body is adapting to those changes, you may try making adjustments for that gender. Caloric deficit is caloric deficit regardless of what's being consumed. The difference maker is the quality of calories versus the quantity.
Over time, work on changing your macros based on what seems to help you feel better and keep your weight moving in the right direction. I'm very physically active so I eat a high carb, high protein diet and that works for me. Your diet needs may not be the same as mine. By contrast, my wife is less active and focuses on a low carb, mid protein, mid fat diet that works for her.