I’ve decided to start my new years resolution a month early to ensure that I accomplish it. With that being said, I am not focusing too much on nutrition right now other than making sure I meet my protein goals. I can’t help but feel as though I was a lot more hungry and ate a ton more before I started to worry about hitting that mark. Anyone else have this issue?

I’ve been trying to get leaner and it’s not going well. Here are my excuses: my wife’s pregnant and it’s been really stressful (complications, IVF in itself is a journey), I’ve been busy at work, was on a strong steroid for 10 days that screwed with my appetite, and the hunger pains are strong. I also work in a lab setting, so if I am working in the lab I could go hours without eating and by the time I get back to my desk I am STARVING and will eat the first thing I can find. I have a major sweet tooth and every night it never fails that the cravings hit.

I do want to get in better shape and I know what I need to do, but I also just want someone to be brutally honest (but still encouraging) to me. I’m consistent in the gym but my diet needs work. I do meal prep, and I eat what I plan…but then like I said, the nighttime cravings are a bitch.

All that to say, please just give me some advice here. I’ve been too easy on myself and need someone to slap me around a bit and remind me of all the things I already know but need to hear.

Is it normal for my arms to look big if I’m not actually that strong? I do have a good bit of body fat but when I flex it looks and feels like genuine hard muscle, but I cant lift super heavy weight yet.

Im about 222 lbs and I've been wanting to lose weight, however my class schedule this semester just did not give me the room to go to the gym but next semester will. I know I can't work out until the 6 week mark which is in Feb so I wanted to focus on food instead. So for those of you who maintained a deficit during recovery what were your meals? How did you make sure you were still in a deficit while maintaining foods that helped with recovery?

I'm more looking for a list of meals or even individual snacks or meals I feel like thats a good place to start. That and Im planing on going to pick up some dorm snacks next week as I'll be recovering at my dorm and the school cafe will only be available at shorten hours for winter break.

long story short, i’ve been doing fitness tests with my club in university with ~140 other people and we get overall ranked by stuff like max bench, pull ups etc etc. this is my second time doing it. last year around the same time i had just started T so i got ranked with the women and placed around rank 40/70 in women, 2 months into actually working out. this year, i’ve been on T for a year and out to the team so I asked to be ranked with the men. the results came back and i ranked 50/70 with the men.

i’m proud of myself because of how far i’ve come. my numbers compared to last year are objectively impressive, in all aspects. i know T had something to do with it too but i’ve been working out consistently for maybe 8 months accumulatively (life happens sometimes). however, i’m also disappointed that i’ve ranked even lower than last year. i know i’m up against a completely different demographic than last year - all cis men who have completed their puberty already, and probably just have a better starting point than i did naturally. also guys who are simply freaks of nature, but yeah, i’m out of their league lol. I thought i could catch up with T and working out. but i’m just a little upset that despite all the work i’ve put in i’ve still performed worse relatively.

I don't know who else here is primarily using a body composition scale to track gains and losses, and I was hoping to get a nice robust conversation going.

I have a Withings Body Cardio. It's my 3rd body composition scale in the last 35 years and I don't think I could function without one. I've spent the last 2 weeks or so at the same weight, but the scale confirms that I'm losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time.

Since I started my current recomp cycle I've lost 12 pounds of fat and gained 4 pounds of muscle, for a net loss of 8 pounds . Not a lot of muscle, but I'm old and I'll take any muscle gains I can get.

What I love is that I can tweak my strength training and cardio so I keep both goals moving in the desired direction. Before getting my first body comp scale I had no clue what I was doing and I'd have gotten depressed to see the same number for a week or two solid.

Anyone else? Tips, tricks, experiences to share?

Hey looking for a gym buddy in Tucson AZ. No rush. I wanna start after my top surgery recovery which is Dec 10. Thinking I need to wait at least 6 mo? Not sure yet but figured I can get to know my gym partner before then. I'm an introvert, like playing Valheim and enjoy sci-fi/fantasy. Married to a beautiful woman and have 2 cats. I'm 3 yrs on T. Weigh 154lbs, wanna build more muscle especially my pecs and abs.

Hey guys, I'm kinda new-ish to the gym, (I have a routine and such), but I was looking for a friend to come with me to the gym! I do have a gym membership, and I can bring a friend!

Or if anyone knows some good trainers, honestly anything to keep me going and lifting!

Please feel free to reach out though, it'd be cool to have some gym friends!!

Hey guys- I was considering taking creatine to boost my muscle mass and I was wondering if a low dose would do anything for me. I’m nervous about the side effects of creatine and wanted to start small. The recommended dose is 3-5g per day, would 2g still be worth it for me.

Also side question is it okay to take creatine all at once (once per day)?

Lastly about how long will it take to see results from creatine?

I’m pre t if that matters

Also what’s the safest creatine brand? Are capsules okay? (I have some sensory issues and I’m very picky)

I’m seeking out advice or tips on a plan for body recomp I’ve come up with. I’ve been struggling a little bit due to the fact that most of the videos online I’ve seen for people who are usually overweight.

I believe I am skinny fat. I’m 136lbs and 5’9 (pre-t) I don’t really have any muscle definition and have little experience lifting. I’ve been struggling with food intake for a little bit but I believe I can start gradually adjusting calories and increase exercise and be fine.

I’m planning on going up from 1,300 to 1,700 going up by 50-100 calories every week. 1700 is due to most fitness advice videos saying you should eat at a slight deficit below maintenance, but again, I’m not sure if this applies to my case or not. (TDEE calculator said maintenance was 1776)

My goal is to lose fat and gain more muscle to aid in hip dysphoria since it is my main hindrance of passing right now. I’m planning on trying to get in about 95g of protein a day. I think I have what exercises to do down, and how often, but If anybody would like to share exercises tips I would appreciate it still!

Iv'e been losing weight fairly steadily for a few months, then I got stuck at a maintenance. I couldnt get below 260. Then with the holidays, and a vacation I went on, I gained back 15 pounds. I'm sure some of it is water weight, but even then, I'm not sure why I got stuck at 260. I was eating the same as when I was losing weight, the only difference being that Ive been more physically active at work. I'm at a loss. Should I be eating more? Less? Is it what I'm eating?

For context, I'm 175 cm (5'9"), 75 kg (165 lbs). My shoe size is around 40 (US size 7?). I’ve been dealing with ankle pain when running for a while now, specifically in the front of my ankle, which flares up whenever I try to run or even walk at a fast pace.

I recently saw a physiatrist, who believes my small feet relative to my body size are the issue. Have you experienced anything similar? Can I get rid of the pain by strengthening my ankles or smth, or is the structure of my feet and ankles simply too weak for running?

What would be a good lifting routine to somehow include skating? I would like to lift 3-4x a week but also be able to skate as a hobby a few times a week as well. I’m pre-t btw.

hey guys, i’ve recently been looking to be a lot more active, and i love taking walks outside where i live (the middle of nowhere lol)

however, with the weather being way too cold/snowy to justify going outside, i’m stuck with going on the treadmill. i try to watch videos while i’m on it but man it just sucks and i’m not sure why exactly

is there anything i can do to make it not so miserable? i’m not even sure why i hate it as much as i do, but it’s really tough to motivate myself to even walk for 30 minutes. thanks in advance!

edit: thank you all for the words and advice! i’ll be looking into alternatives for cardio as well as looking for some kind of show to watch :)

hey dudes, im having a rough time figuring out what to eat on a super tight budget. think broke college student lol. i can usually eat pretty healthy meals but im not hitting my calorie and protein goals consistently because it's hard to kinda stack up enough meals throughout the day on my budget. anyone have tips/recipes for some pretty cheap snacks and meals that'll help me hit my goals?

Hey guys, I looked through the wiki for both this sub and the fitness sub and couldn’t really get a straight answer on which would be better for my goals. Hoping that y’all can give me some advice. (If it was somewhere in either, I’m sorry)

I’m not overweight, but I do have quite a bit of fat I’d like to lose. I live quite a sedentary life unfortunately and definitely don’t have the healthiest of diets. I went to the gym semi-regularly when I was in college, but I haven’t been since I graduated.

I’m just not sure where to start. I don’t want to look like a hunk honestly, but I do want to eventually build some muscle on my shoulders, back, and arms to help hide my hips. I’m just not sure if I can jump straight into it. I really want to lose weight as well, and changing my diet to be a deficit was hard enough, I’m not even sure where to begin with adding a ton of protein. I really don’t want to become one of those gym bros who eats nothing but unseasoned chicken.

I’m going to get a membership to a gym this week and make a commitment to go at least once or twice a week. Should I start with just cardio or should I go ahead and pick up some weights? Or both?

My forearms/wrists are incredibly thin compared to the rest of my arm. Is it possible to build them without any equipment

TW for some talk about disordered eating habits

I’m 23, I’ve been trying to bulk up and broaden my chest and shoulders for a while now. I started working out consistently 3x a week in the spring of 2022. I made pretty significant strength gains, but my lifts hit a plateau around the end of 2023. I continued going to the gym consistently this year but none of my lifts went up much (if any.) Throughout this whole process my body’s appearance hasn’t really changed significantly, so I’m clearly not accomplishing my goals.

I had meta in October so obviously I’ve been out of the gym. On Thursday I’ll be 8 weeks post op and cleared to go back to lifting. I really want to try to address why I haven’t been making much progress. My best guess is that I’m not eating enough calories. I’ve been making sure I hit protein targets, but I’ve been doing so by using protein shakes that aren’t even 200 cal. I have a history of calorie restriction and body dysmorphia, and every time I try to track my calories I become obsessive and end up restricting. I’ve kind of known that I probably need to be consuming more calories but I have a lot of anxiety about eating a lot, especially because I don’t want to gain more fat. I’m 5’6, 135 lbs, so I’m not overweight but I’m not particularly lean.

I’m not sure what the answer is for me. Since having surgery I’ve started eating meat again after being vegetarian for almost 2 years, but I’m kind of doubtful that it was my vegetarian diet holding me back because I was hitting the protein goals even being plant-based.

Even if I can’t manage to increase my lifts and bulk up, I’ll continue to work out just because I enjoy it and it makes me feel good.

So, I’m 14, 5’5 and 170lbs. I’m going to start T soon, but I’ve heard that it can make you gain weight incredibly fast. I’m mostly inactive (except for PE classes and walking around n stuff), but I want to lose weight (fat-wise) before going on T in case it might make me put on a lot of weight.

Would it be quicker to cut down on the amount of food I eat, or go on a diet? Or both? I also have ADHD, and, for me, that makes me incredibly unwilling to commit to things I find boring (such as exercising). Would diet alone be enough to lose a dozen pounds or so? If so, what should I eat or omit from my diet?

Working out chest is hard with out a bench luckly I found some workouts I can do with put a bench but when I do them I feel it in my shoulders instead.

Happy Milestone Monday! Please use this thread to post about any accomplishments or achievements you've hit. Whether it's getting to the gym 2 days in a row or dropping fast food, we want to hear about it here!

If you're brand new to the sub, brand new to fitness, or a long-time lurker, welcome to the sub!

Because this thread is likely to fill up quickly, consider sorting the comments by "new" (instead of "best" or "top") to see the newest posts.

I heard that working out my chest can make it smaller,I really hope that’s the case,since I can’t get top surgery as of right now I at least want to make smaller so it’s not so noticeable without a binder

The answer will probably be obvious to some but I’m asking seriously. I’m a 5’4 trans guy at 190lbs and I’ve been on testosterone for 2.5 years. I’m a picky eater so I tend to limit myself to the fee foods I like, I am on an extremely tight budget too so I can’t afford much. I’ve struggled with losing weight since I was 18 (I’m 20) especially with my diet and low activity levels. I need advice on how I can switch up my diet to be relatively healthier. Any advice on how to keep active consistently is also welcome

Hey all, this is a cross-post to my original post, linked below. Basically I'm *not* into lifting at the gym (I'll go for fun with my friend every now and then, but I prefer functional fitness). I'm 13 days post op and craving simple calisthenics like bridges, lunges, tree pose in yoga, etc. I don't want to be stupid about it though. I know all that sounds like nothing compared to weightlifting - I searched this thread for post op advice and saw mostly posts about lifting - but my surgeon emphasized to me the difference between a leisurely stroll (fine) and an hour-and-half of power walking (not fine) when I asked him what he meant about vigorous exercise. He said nothing to get my HR or BP up for 4 weeks in order to lessen the likelihood of hematoma or seroma. But he has no limitations on ROM now, because, he explained, he prefers to prevent frozen shoulder etc. by encouraging his patients to use their full ROM early. Pre-surgery, I have a nearly acrobatic job as a floor nurse at a community hospital, and on my days off I'm typically on my feet most of the day doing housework, gardening, or chi gong, yoga, or dance. So about 3-4 miles per day on my feet 6-7 days/week. In the past, I've had success with basic regimens to come back from being deconditioned by illness/injury, like body-weight-only squats, lunges, bridges, etc - I was thinking of modifying those to minimize how they might quickly affect intra-abdominal pressure since that's the physiological reason that vigorous exercise might cause hematoma or seroma (e.g. stand at wall in a prolonged squat instead of a bunch of fast reps in a row). But besides creating my own little regimen, I was wondering if anyone already had one for lower body/whole body balance & strengthening/reconditioning post-operatively. I found this - https://www.genderconfirmation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Dec-2023-Top-Surgery-Rehab-Protocol-Cirque-Physio-x-GCC.pdf - but it's really for shoulder/posture and I want something else for my whole body that maintains safety for my thorax/chest.

(Here's my original post. I defs come off as a nutty nurse but whatever I was having fun writing & it's the internet :) )

https://www.reddit.com/r/TopSurgery/comments/1h4cg39/postop_early_exercise_regimenadvice/

It’s everyone favorite day of the week: Selfie Sunday! Please use this thread to show off and cheer each other on. Or, you can also use this thread to ask for some feedback on your physique and get some constructive feedback. Please post your selfies as a comment using Imgur or similar links, give us a little context, and let us know if the post is NSFW or SFW.

i feel miserable. i'm turning 15 soon, 48 kg and 170cm tall, pre-T. i do pass, but i'm so skinny it hurts looking in the mirror. guys from my class are all starting to go to the gym. i know i need to do something about myself as well but it's a struggle. first of all, social anxiety. i know i'd feel like thrash with everyone's eyes on me. also, what restroom would i even use? second of all, due to having SPD, as far as i know there's some kind of an anatomical problem with my arms that makes them weaker than normal, like, i mostly struggle with opening bottle caps and ever since i remember, i was the weakest person in the class (amongst both guys and girls) third of all, public places are overstimulating, what blocks me further. fourth of all, considering i have SPD, i (probably) also have ARFID (avoidant-restrictive food disorder), basically hardcore picky eaterism, what creates another problem, which is struggling with protein foods. i hate most of them, especially the protein powder based ones like shakes, bars, protein milk etc. the only protein foods i tolerate are probably eggs and chicken. it makes gaining muscle mass feel impossible for me. to sum up, i keep going in a circle of self-loathing that seemingly goes on forever. any advice would be appreciated. PS. i am in fact planning on talking to my therapist about this