Exercise.

The process of seeking out and finding a therapist, going through therapy, networking, finding endocrinologists and surgeons, and saving up the money to make the progression possible can be a time consuming endeavor. It is easy to get frustrated when things aren't going as quickly as you may like. After all, you know how you feel and what you want, and you want to start seeing results asap. Unfortunately, asap isn't usually going to be on your schedule. My advice is to make use of all that eager energy and definitely, definitely start a fitness program.

For an FTM, a weight lifting regimen is a must. Not only is it a great way to take initiative and start making your body more masculine on your own, being in shape is going to make surgeries go far more smoothly for you. Some surgeons won't even operate until certain fitness levels have been reached. The sense of empowerment that comes from strength training is also a great boost to the ego. Already I can lift things heavier than any of my female coworkers, and the chance to tote heavy things for a pretty girl gives an awesome sense of manliness. It doesn't have to be a drastic program. I started out just lifting a few reps while my bathwater filled. While you get out of it what you put into it, anything is better than nothing at all.

Tips:

Forearms: One of the things I have always self conscious about is my forearms. Look at an in shape male's, and his forearms are wide and defined. Mine were skinny, round and soft. A dead give away of femininity. So I acquired some of those little grip things that became popular in the 80's and kept them at my desk at work. I do about 20 reps a day when I first get to work, and sometimes throw in a few extra here and there if I get bored. I recently purchased a set at Dick's Sporting Goods that allows me to adjust the resistance. Every few weeks I add a few turns of tension. Though my arms are still considerably smaller than most men's, I am beginning to see encouraging definition in my forearms.


Upperbody: For my initial weight training program, I started off with a very lazy process. I bought a 10lb set of dumbells and did about 5 reps of various exercises (bicep curls, tricep lifts, upright row etc.) until that became comfortable. Then I upped the reps to 10, then 15, then 20. It only took me about 15 minutes every other morning, and since I didn't want to commit more time than that, once 20 reps became comfortable, I'd simply up the weight about 5 lbs. I'm now up to 20lb dumbells at 10 reps. At the time, I knew that if I tried a 30-60 minute work out routine, I simply wouldn't stay with it. Quick and easy was a necessity, and the results even from that little bit of work have been impressive. As I mentioned, you put in what you get out, so I'm hardly a body builder, but I do have much more definition in my arms now, and seeing the process has encouraged me to put even more efforts into fitness. My spouse has bought me a weight bench for my birthday, which I look forward to making real use of once I'm allowed to open it. If financially able, a weightlifting class or a few visits with a personal trainer are highly recommended. Form is very important to avoid injury and target the muscles properly, so if you've never had formal instruction, it's well worth the investment.

Abs: A tricky area, especially for an XX chromosomed guy. Being biologically female, the body tends to store fat in this area for the support of offspring that might be conceived during child bearing years. As I have no intention of ever carrying a child, I've tried to explain to my body that I've no need for this defense mechanism. Alas, it has yet to listen to me. From what I understand, testosterone will assist in the redistribution of said fat, but one can't bank on it alone. T also tends to increase the appetite (think of any teenage boy you've ever seen eat) and I've seen plenty of you tube trans vids where chunky females transformed into chunky dudes. Personally, that's not what I'd like to see come of my transition.

While I haven't yet gotten the washboard abs I've longed for, I have seen some slow and steady progress, so I'll fill you in as best I can. There are various crunch/yoga/ab devices out there. Personally, I find that free crunches strain my neck and back, so I bit the bullet and bought an ab lounger. It gives me a nice burn in my midsection, and comfortably supports my neck and back, thus avoiding straining it. You can also get an awesome back bendy stretch going on it that just feels good. The downside is that it's kind of clunky, and doesn't exactly fold up, so you're left with a big honking ab lounger where ever you set it up. At around $80, it's also kind of pricey. It comes with a workout vid which I have yet to actually watch. I've been doing the simple front crunch, and have just recently started adding in some side work. I've noticed some definition forming in my waist, and when I poke (getting past the pudge) there really is a significant increase of firmness. I'm fairly convinced that there's some awesome abs hidden underneath that gut somewhere, if I can only melt enough fat to reveal it.

Cardio: Which brings us to cardio. As mentioned, being female means that one naturally stores more fat. You can lift weights all day long, but if it's hidden under a layer of fat, you're never going to see the results you want. And so, you gotta bite the bullet, get out there and huff and puff a bit. Walk, run, bike, swim, do something, anything to get that heart rate up. I personally opt for jogging, because it is the most readily accessible to me. It does great things for the endurance, and once you get past the wheezing of the initial month, it actually does amazing things for the energy level. I started mixing running with walking, because I didn't have the endurance to run very far. If you've very out of shape, you might want to just start with walking. Start off with a mile, or half, or a quater (remember, anything is always better than nothing). Run a brief span, then walk to catch your breath, then run a brief span and walk, etc... Start increasing the intervals of your running, and before you know it, you'll be able to run the entire distance. Then it's time to up the distance (or the intensity even, sprints do great things for the lung capacity). Whatever you do, I recommend starting off small and slow. Something you can stick with. Once that becomes comfortable and it won't be so hard to up the ante.

Diet: If you have access to a dietitian, go! If you're trying to build a more masculine physique, it's a little more complicated than simply eating less and losing weight. You're trying to build muscle, so you've got to eat enough to feed them, but at the same time, you're wanting to lose fat, so you've got to not eat too much. It's all about balance, and a professional can be very helpful in helping you find that. If, like me, you aren''t quite so lucky as to have one readily available, it's up to you to research. The internet, books, trial and error, common sense- use them all to your advantage. Cinnamon buns are splurges, not staples! Protein should become common to your plate, as your body simply has to have it to build new muscle. There are alot of good protein shakes out there that can help you supplement your diet, but be careful. Alot of them are also high in calories, and to your still estrogen producing body, this can mean weight gain. I try to use them similar to the slim-fast plan, only with protein shakes. Shake for breakfast/lunch, fruit or veggie snacks, and a sensible dinner. I'm a fan of Muscle Milk, because it tastes good (I've tried some so nasty I couldn't even drink them, which doesn't do you a lick of good) is fairly reasonably priced (about $15 a tub at Target) and they have a reduced calorie formula which is good if you're trying to drop fat while gaining muscle.

Weigh in: The scale can be very deceiving, because you're gaining muscle, which does weigh more than fat. Calipers are probably the best way for measuring fat loss, but not all of us have those lying around. A good old fashioned measuring tape is a good cheap way to keep track of your body transformation. If you have a digital camera, taking a pic of yourself every couple of weeks is also helpful. That way you can actually see the progress you've made, that can sometimes be missed in daily observation of your gradual changes.

A good fitness program is something proactive you can be doing towards your goal of transitioning, and it doesn't even require you wait for a prescription or letter from a therapist. It offers you a sense of control where you might otherwise feel that everything is out of your hands. It will also give you a good foundation for when you start T/surgery that you'll be undoubtedly grateful for come beach season.