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Hi Christie, It also sounds to me like you've got a tremendous support system. And you're part of that too, of course. I like it that you're putting one foot in front of the other without rushing. Yes, HRT sounds like it's in your near term future. Thank goodness you have such a wonderful therapist and MD to talk to. I think it would be especially interesting to read about how you deal with your fears and doubts as you move toward and possibly into HRT. I know I would love to hear about that. hugs, Emma

My biggest weight gain came after I retired. I was in a job that could be physically demanding, so I stayed in pretty good shape. Over the years I gained a few pounds here and there, but always remained pretty muscular. In my early 20s, I wore a size 31 jeans (despite not being over-weight, I've always had a bit of a belly), later a 33. I found, at least where I live, the only places I could find odd, or "in-between" sized jeans when I needed them were in western apparel stores. As for soda and cake...well, I don't drink much soda at all other than an occasion ginger ale. I never did like Coka-Cola even when I was a kid, and when ever I do drink soda, I usually water it down. I enjoy cake if it's there, but I don't go out of my way to bake them or seek them out at buffets. My biggest problem: GOOD FOOD! At buffets, I get a variety of foods for my meal - including veggies. For desert, I get more food. And then of course, I don't exactly get much exercise anymore. ::: sigh ::: I really can't offer any good dieting advice 'cause I really never had to diet. And now that I need to...I hate it. It's torture. All I think about is food. As a result... my attempts go bust within days.. Good luck with your weight loss... I hope you can do better than I have done.

​Thanks for your reply Monica I have been reading up on adrenal glands, and so many things seems to make sense. I have my endo appointment next week, so I'm glad I wrote this post today and you commented.

Echoing Monica's advice here, but "lifestyle changes" is not very well defined. Maybe it would help to give you some of my story: About fifteen years ago my waist size was 38 and I knew I was headed to 40, tipping the scales at almost 200 pounds. I don't remember what I weighed back in HS and college, but I suppose it was in the mid-150s. My doctor was increasingly concerned, starting having "The Talk" with me about possible diabetes, and I got suitably scared. The good news is that I was able to reduce. I used the Atkins approach, pretty religiously, along with bicycle riding for exercise. I got down to about 36 waist size and 165-170 pounds, and thought I was pretty much done for about ten years. But then it seemed my glucose levels were still staying higher than the doctor wanted to see. So, I got religion again, counting calories and carbs, and am now at about 155#, 34" waist (comfortable), and my blood tests look great. It is hard to do at times. But I do enjoy desserts from time to time, and I really enjoy a glass of wine or a beer. Nothing to excess. When we go out to eat which isn't very often, I do enjoy some bread and butter. At home we often have a nice big salad topped with chicken that I BBQ, and with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dressing. Oh, and did I mention a glass of wine? The other thing I found necessary for me is to every single day... weigh myself. Yes, it sounds extreme, but only then do I see if my weight is staying about where I want it, or if it's trending up. It never goes down without my attention. My weight tends to fluctuate about a pound up and down, anyway, so if I didn't monitor it, then I would not know where I am in that cycle. Lastly, turn it into a game. Don't make it into a "I'll never be able to have cake (or pick your poison) again! Woe is me!" If you do that then it's so hard to stay motivated because you feel like your starving yourself and life's just too short. Give yourself credit and a pat on the back when you lose a pound. And look forward to buying new (smaller) clothes! Okay, I'll get off my soap box. Send me a PM if you'd like more thoughts... Good luck, Emma

I'm so happy things are coming together for you! Best wishes on that email to your sister!

​Hey UO, I have lost a considerable amount of weight (250lbs down to 180) since 2008, I should be happy with my progress, but I have been stuck for 3 years of actively trying. My best advice to you, is just to cut back one thing at a time, repeat. For me, it was potatoes, and I could eat a plateful alone. Within 2 months, I cut down to 2 big tablespoon dollops. If you do it slowly, your body doesn't really recognize that you're eating less. At a buffet, I can barely eat 3 plates (in fact, I can barely eat 2, but I want my money's worth, so I force it!) I'm not going to preach, but if you (or if you're just reading this) want to know more how I did it, and timelines, hit me up.

​Emma, I swore I replied to you yesterday! Basically, yes, I have completely overhauled what I consume, and cut a lot of bad things out that I ate 10 years ago. Almost mirroring your comment. That is why I find it so frustrating at not seeing any results! Either way, keep talking and I'll keep listening.

Well Christie, that's brilliant, and shows that generally US medical thinking seems to in advance of the UK, except for my GP of course, who is a wonderful woman who also prescribed me oestrogen way before the normal protocols state. I did try quarters but they seem to crumble after cutting them in half, Finasteride is also much more effective when combined with testosterone blockers, in my case Decapeptyl. I hope to be able to dispense with wigs within the next 12 -18 months. Catch you later..........Eve

Thanks for moving it Christie, I don't know how I managed to mess up the entry, apologies to all. Eve x

Fantastic Christie, I'm so glad it's going so well for you, and that Finasteride doesn't seem as much of a problem as it can be with some GP Doctors over here. Funny coincidence is that my Electrologist is also a transwoman, not that you'd ever suspect it. Have a great week-end, look forward to hearing more progress from you soon. Eve x oops oxo!

[I originally posted this under the duplicate entry of this blog post, wanted to move it over here ] Eve, I'm so glad you shared this! I've felt very similar to you about this, and it's what fuels what remains of my doubts. I especially like that you talked about testosterone ravaging your body! I remember when I started to have body hair it truly grossed me out (honestly, even writing that phrase right now made me feel a little ill). I've worked very hard to get rid of most of it (waxing, then laser, now electrolysis for my face). It wasn't until I started cross-dressing a couple of years ago (thinking at first that it was a fetish) that I started to realize who I really am inside, and that my outside wasn't matching. xoxo Christie

Dear Brigsby and Christie, Diet beverages have been shown to increase weight gain because they increase the appetite for sweet foods. Am so sorry you gained weight by eating at McDonald's, and wish you had consulted a nutritionist to gain weight in a healthy way. It is not too late . . . especially for young people. You may have blown out your adrenal glands and may have to lose it slowly in a healthy fashion. Avoid the fad diets and seek lifetime lifestyle changes. Monica

When I said, "It's been many years since I changed my diet and lifestyle and started loosing weight", cutting all pop was a MAJOR part of that. I don't remember the last time I had something that contains carbonation or aspartame! Before that, I drank a lot of Coke Zero, like it was going out of style. It IS my favourite drink of ALL TIME! I miss it dearly! And yes, I lost the most weight the fastest after and I noticed a major difference in the way I felt after I cut it out completely. The reason for the title of this post, is because cake and Coke are what I miss the most!