i have a REALLY strong hourglass shape to my body & it’s always made me a bit dysphoric. top surgery & testosterone have definitely helped, but it’s still a lot less boxy than i would like😫.

thanks in advance!

dm if interested 24 michiana area need to lose some weight for bottom surgery

i'm a 20 y/o trans guy (5'3, 62 kg/137 lbs, almost 3 years on T) looking to lose body fat and build muscle before top surgery, which can be at the earliest june of next year. i'm keen to hit that deadline because i'm a student so top surgery can only really happen during summer breaks.

due to my height, it is very very slow to lose weight because a steep calorie deficit is difficult/unrealistic and frankly miserable. (i previously lost 8 kg/18 lbs over 11 months, but have gained about half of that back over the last year.) so i'm hesitant to follow the cut and then bulk advice i've seen in various places, because the cut would take quite a long time for me and i'm not really a fan of the yo-yoing for multiple reasons.

i've just started going to the gym and resistance training/using the machines. if i stay consistent (with progressive overload) and eat at a slight deficit, would it be possible to undergo a reasonable body recomp within the span of about a year? (i know technically a body recomp is where your weight stays the same, but i mean more broadly losing body fat and gaining muscle at the same time, as i would like my weight to decrease a little). if anyone has any experience with this or tips, it would be much appreciated!

Do i just spam the fuck out of oblique and overall arm exercises? i don't feel normal doing some lat workouts since they feel weird on my shoulder :/

I'm a trans guy who has been on T and going to the gym for a year now. I've maybe done like 5 ab workouts in that time.. (I rlly hate Standard ab workouts) my goal is to get a V line which Ive seen is achievable and potentially abs. The main issue I have w ab workouts is it puts a lot of strain on my neck. I have a weirdly large head, so I'm wondering if it's because of that? Either way, I needa work out my abs I just feel discouraged bc a lot of the 5-10 min YouTube ab workouts end w my neck rlly hurting. (I also have tech neck which might also contribute to that😬)

With chest workouts I just feel lost on all together. I'm extremely self conscious at the gym, so I'm scared to try the things I see online.. All Ive tried rlly is chest flys on a machine but it never feels like I'm doing those right (probably bc I'm short and the machine isn't built for short people). Anyway I just need guidance and maybe an easy workout plan for those two areas on my body.

I have a full workout plan already, but I get really overwhelmed and don’t like to have too much variation (I know, im working on it). I’m kinda just looking for a single workout to do that specifically targets widening the shoulders and/or the back. What has worked the best for yall? Ive been focusing on pull ups but it seems like they all say different things when it comes to hypertrophy so idk what im even growing rn. I only have a pull up bar, dumbbells, and resistance bands.

Welcome to this week's Daily Simple Questions Thread!
Use this thread to ask simple or beginner-level questions about training, nutrition, recovery, and transition-related fitness topics.

Before posting, check our Wiki and Tips & Tricks section.

Example topics:
• “Should I cut or bulk?”
• “How to start lifting?”
• “How to work out safely after top surgery?”

Be respectful and helpful — we're all here to learn and grow!

1) unfortunately there are no shortcuts, trust me i'm lazy asf and woulda found them by now, working out is a commitment that sucks up time, energy and money, there is simply no way around it. BUT it's true that the quality of life you gain via strength, endurance, sexiness, health, etc. is worth everything you put into it.

2) to that end: calisthenics and at home exercises are great starts, esp for getting u used to flexing certain muscle groups and improving mobility, but they will only take u so far. if u want to be twunk mode, u will likely have to join a gym

3) going to the gym as a transmasc is an exercise in exposure therapy. i highly recommend going to PF simply because they got banners everywhere saying shit like "YOU BELONG HERE" lol. the thing that has helped me most when the little negative voice in my head is saying stuff like "omg you look so lame lifting these 7.5 lb dumbbells" is "the only thing lamer than trying is not trying." also by being like "ok btch so walk out then." and then the voice shuts up and then i finish my workout.

4) NO ONE CARESSSS no one cares no one is looking at you judging you and if they are they're going to hell so fuck em. i started working out in rural north carolina surrounded by guys wearing pro trump tshirts. they never bothered me, and if any of them had decided to back then, i had retorts ready. eyes down, put on some really loud house music or maybe some creed and ASSERT YOUR RIGHT TO BE THERE!

5) this takes foreverrrr it takes forever especially bc the first few gym sessions almost don't even really count for much since you're still getting the feel of the machines/movements. someone on this sub said this was a months-to-years project, not a weeks-to-months project, and that's true. u gotta be disciplined

6) my heart goes out to all my pre-T brothers, it is 10x harder when ur estrogenated BUT ALSO NOT IMPOSSIBLE! natty muscular AFAB ppl exist. just don't beat yourself up if ur gains don't measure up to that of a cis man or a trans man who's on testosterone

7) also if u r a teenager/early 20s ur metabolism is on average way higher than an old grizzled 27 year old such as myself, which means ur gonna have a harder time making the muscle "stick." still i say working out is EVEN MORE IMPORTANT at this age, as it only gets harder to build any sort of muscle when ur an adult. im jealous of all u kids who still have time to get ur skeletal muscle sorted

8) get enough sleep god almighty get some quality sleep. and u can get fussy with the macros and such but ultimately just try to eat whole foods and more protein and sleep.

9) QUIT VAPING QUIT VAPING QUIT VAPING. QUIT SMOKING. my unethical tip is if u must, reward urself with a zyn after every workout.

10) my last tip is also applicable as general life advice: instead of approaching every machine with a sense of doom, try to lead with a sense of curiosity. instead of "im never gonna be able to hit the 85 lb mark that guy did here :(" try "wow i wonder how this works, i wonder if i can do a 20 lb sitch? ok slay how many reps can i hit? yayyyyy" honestly just say yayyyyy to urself a lot. and play NTS radio and have lots of fun and give thanks for your body's powers, however nascent, of motion and strength and change. <3 <3 <3 let's get at it boyz

I’ve been on testosterone 16.2 mg/g for almost a year. For the three years before that I would lift weights twice a week at least then walk 10-15 miles once or twice (I’m unemployed haha). It wasn’t difficult since I did it for years and it was very fun to me. When I started T a year ago I had stopped working out regularly after month 3 because I had no energy, was always hot, it got boring, and I felt a lot more strain on the same weights I’d been using. I thought I might’ve gotten lazy as I felt more validated. Over the summer I stopped taking testosterone for a couple weeks on two different occasions because of the heat waves and I was a lot angrier and depressed. Both times I was happier, not angry, less hot, and I could workout almost the same amount with slightly lighter weights than I did pre T, the same weights that felt really hard to lift post T. For example, I did 200 bicycle crunches with a 5 lb weight, then after two weeks back on T I did 50 bicycle crunches with no weights and gave up. I have a hrt appointment with a new doctor tomorrow, I’m scared to ask for a lower dose since it’s hard to “prove” you have gender dysphoria here. I also haven’t checked my levels in months, but last time they were low for the dose I’m on. Has anyone had the same experience? Any advice on what I should ask my doctor?

Hey, I'm 16 and have been on testosterone for roughly 4 months now. So far all changes I have seen I've been ecstatic about (voice changes, facial hair etc) except for one thing: my weight.

A year ago when I was pre-T I was able to drop 25kg on my first weightloss journey, for reference I'm 165 cm and my starting weight was 85kg, however I noticed just before starting testosterone I had gained about half of it back. Thus, I started trying to lose weight again.

I heard that being on T could cause metabolism increases so I thought that losing weight would be much easier second-time-around, but over the last month or so despite being on a calorie deficit and spamming cardio, the scale hasn't moved AT ALL! (and my face has puffed up to make me look even rounder than before to add to my suffering). I'm hoping that fat redistribution will do its magic with time but until then I have a lot of unwanted fat on my hips, thighs, butt etc which needs burning off.

I'm using the same method as before so unless I am making my own mistakes (like miscounting my calories) I have no idea how I have not lost any weight over the last month. So, please let me know if my weight gain/ stubbornness is a common experience and how I can overcome this down the line!

Anybody have any advice on a day to day diet plan that’s low effort/ doesn’t require hella cooking and cheap for a bulk? For context I’m 6’ , 155lbs. Looking to be in surplus about 500 calories a day so ~3000. I also don’t really mind eating the same thing everyday because I work too much to really worry about it. 🙏🏽

Hey everyone! I realized just how weak I was after moving back home after university and really want to build some muscle, improve my stamina, and gain some confidence. I’m not really looking to bulk up or lose a ton of weight, though I would appreciate slimming my hips/thigh region a bit since I’m certain that part of my physique is what gets me misgendered the most often. For reference, I’m about 5’3, 4 years on T, got top surgery about 2 years ago.

Up until this point I’ve been focusing just on getting outside and moving around more, mostly through running, but it turns out I have severe plantar fasciitis (like, massive night brace for the foreseeable future and PT to fix my gait levels of plantar fasciitis) in both feet, so that’s off the table for now per doctor’s orders. The other problem is I can’t get to a gym consistently or easily, and I only have a set of dumbbells and some resistance bands at home.

Does anyone have any recommendations for routines with limited equipment and/or recommendations for at-home equipment to look into? Also, any advice for alternative methods of incorporating some cardio and/or getting started with strength training without making the plantar fasciitis worse? I’d really love to start exercising regularly while I have the time.

Welcome to this week's Daily Simple Questions Thread!
Use this thread to ask simple or beginner-level questions about training, nutrition, recovery, and transition-related fitness topics.

Before posting, check our Wiki and Tips & Tricks section.

Example topics:
• “Should I cut or bulk?”
• “How to start lifting?”
• “How to work out safely after top surgery?”

Be respectful and helpful — we're all here to learn and grow!

Hi guys! I’ve started T aug 5th it’s been 4 weeks. I’ve always been fat I’d like to preface, and I never l took dieting seriously. Now that I’ve started T and my dream body is more within my reach, I’m excited to finally get into shape! I have a strong foundation of going to the gym at least 2 times a week and the goal I’ve been doing it 3 times a week.

I’ve been pretty happy with how I’ve changed my diet. But when I had stepped on the scale it said I gained 7 more pounds. I’m wondering if it’s because my body is starting to adjust to testosterone since weight gain is a side effect but I’ve been eating better and exercising. I have no problem gaining muscle but I can’t lose this fat and when my grandma pointed out I gained more! I feel discouraged, and I’d like to hear advice for those who are/is In a similar position

Hi!
I've been working out for two weeks now, im doing a PPL with one rest day (+ core and abs on leg day) with a weight of 3kg since im skinny and hypermobile and terrified of injury hahah

I have top surgery scheduled on november 16, and I was wondering if anyone here could give me any advice, experiences... to get ready for it, i'm aware it will be like starting over again, losing the usual rutine, so maybe some light rutine to get back to it you could recommend.
Sorry for bad english and thank you in advance!

I’m not necessarily super overweight, but when I look at pre t trans guys who go to the gym they’re almost always lean and start out naturally skinny. I’m 165cm and 68kg and carry a lot of my weight on the lower half of my body. Is it possible to achieve the same smaller thighs/ boobs by just losing fat? Or am I doomed to have a fat ass until I start T?

I've been training my upper body a lotand i can see my body looking more masc, however i hardly do any lower body exercises because i'm afraid I'll end up with a feminine physique.

I'm not taking any HRT, i guess that's where the paranoia about doing an exercise that won't help me comes from.

im currently doing the basic upper, lower, full, split every week and im looking to up my days/intensity. what do yall reccomend as a split for the week and what to focus on the most if that makes sense

Welcome to this week's Daily Simple Questions Thread!
Use this thread to ask simple or beginner-level questions about training, nutrition, recovery, and transition-related fitness topics.

Before posting, check our Wiki and Tips & Tricks section.

Example topics:
• “Should I cut or bulk?”
• “How to start lifting?”
• “How to work out safely after top surgery?”

Be respectful and helpful — we're all here to learn and grow!

Few things. I'm in university, and going to be taking a weightlifting class for my required exercise. I don't see a lot of running/jogging in my future, but it's a possibility.

I don't bind, don't use tape, don't really care to. I'm looking for compression shirts. I'm not going for flat chested, more "hold everything down"

I'm also fat, I lean more towards the shape of "would have no tits if I lost weight", and yet here we are. My chest is flat-ish in that everything sags down, but not to the point where things don't most while I run/etc. My chest is about 50" around, assuming my measuring tape hasn't stretched out too much.

Any and all recommendations would be appreciated. I appreciate yall!

Looking for a way to make sure I have a visible bulge when swimming on overnight hiking trips: the packer must be lightweight and quick drying.

Took a recent backpacking trip and had unexpected other hikers at the lake: had to safety-pin socks inside my shorts to avoid outing myself. I don’t bring my heavy silicone packer backpacking— I need a lighter option that can be worn comfortably while hiking long miles AND go into water without holding water and getting heavy/ taking a long time to dry.

Google AI recommended foam inserts, but with the two I’ve bought so far (Reelmagik’s Imprint size small, and TG Supply’s EZ Bulge Realistic Foam Packer) the backside’s edges contact my thighs when my legs close and cause the insert to shift in a way that looks nothing like a real bulge because the edge of the insert is visible as a line. I tried trimming them down, but I’m sure when I swim they’ll still move around too much.

Any recommendations? For both packers and non-cotton athletic shorts and boxers with an inner packing pouch. I bought some cake bandit swim boxer briefs, but I have a bigger ass than most guys so they ride down in the back.

And cut out sugar.
Have porridge for brekkie
And do 100 push ups a day is that a good enough to get started?
5’6 over 40 and 15 stone
Heart attack waiting to happen here but so unmotivated

Welcome to this week's Daily Simple Questions Thread!
Use this thread to ask simple or beginner-level questions about training, nutrition, recovery, and transition-related fitness topics.

Before posting, check our Wiki and Tips & Tricks section.

Example topics:
• “Should I cut or bulk?”
• “How to start lifting?”
• “How to work out safely after top surgery?”

Be respectful and helpful — we're all here to learn and grow!

Welcome to the Weekly Fitness Wins Thread!
Share your victories — big or small — and celebrate your progress with the community.

You can post about:
• Personal records (PRs)
• Visible progress or recomposition
• Mental health wins
• Training consistency and milestones

Keep comments supportive and positive.
We're proud of every win, no matter how small.