135 replies to this topic

[Skötkonung]

To do a lot of the changes discussed by valkyrie_ice and Luna, one would really need some sort of nanotech based autodoc type device that could rebuild your body at the most elemental levels into whatever you wanted to become. However there is no telling how such a comprehensive rebuild could affect your mind / memory. Or if you could survive the process. I think we are hundreds, if not thousands, of years away from that level of control being feasible.

For now, the best intervention for trans-genders might be start hormone intervention at the youngest possible age. Perhaps transgenders can be identified / confirmed through genetic analysis, which will allow doctors (with parental consent of course) to stunt growth and alter puberty. I have heard that in some case, physical development can be halted until the child reaches an age where they know which gender they want to become.

For a FTM or MTF, a lot of the gender specific organs can probably be grown artificially and transplanted onto the patient. This approach is probably superior to simply reconstructing the existing pieces, which is far from perfect, and will supplant traditional surgical interventions in our lifetime. Even MTF surgeries, which externally probably look quite close to a real vagina, will never function the same way or appear the same way on closer inspection. But as the OP has shown, we are getting very close to truly effective gender reassignments. I can see a day when the gender we started life as is not important because the transitions will be so effective and complete.

My personal opinion is that if someone wants to alter their body, they should feel free to do so. I use bodybuilding to enhance myself physically. To hold any other opinion would by hypocritical.

[Johann]

I'm sorry, I don't really care if she was born with a penis.

When someone has a sex change surgery, the proper thing is to address them and deal with them in their new/chosen/real gender.

The proper thing? Some people may disagree with you.

On what basis? How would they have us address the person?

They may have you address this person as he if it were originally a he. On what basis? To which I say: On what basis would the be "proper thing" in the poster's comments to which I addressed?

[niner]

I'm sorry, I don't really care if she was born with a penis.

When someone has a sex change surgery, the proper thing is to address them and deal with them in their new/chosen/real gender.

The proper thing? Some people may disagree with you.

On what basis? How would they have us address the person?

They may have you address this person as he if it were originally a he. On what basis? To which I say: On what basis would the be "proper thing" in the poster's comments to which I addressed?

The surgery brought the external organs into agreement with the patient's brain chemistry. The patient wants to be addressed that way. To not do so would be like someone calling you a "girl", assuming you are a genetic boy. I guess your argument is "God made him that way, even though god screwed up the brain and gave it a different gender. But whatever, I will address the person according to the original sex organs rather than their fundamental being." Is that it?

[Luna]

I'm sorry, I don't really care if she was born with a penis.

When someone has a sex change surgery, the proper thing is to address them and deal with them in their new/chosen/real gender.

The proper thing? Some people may disagree with you.

On what basis? How would they have us address the person?

They may have you address this person as he if it were originally a he. On what basis? To which I say: On what basis would the be "proper thing" in the poster's comments to which I addressed?

The surgery brought the external organs into agreement with the patient's brain chemistry. The patient wants to be addressed that way. To not do so would be like someone calling you a "girl", assuming you are a genetic boy. I guess your argument is "God made him that way, even though god screwed up the brain and gave it a different gender. But whatever, I will address the person according to the original sex organs rather than their fundamental being." Is that it?

I am agreeing with niner but I have another point to take.
When going to their community place (like I described before) I had quite a hard time with some of the mtfs.
ftms, sure,, they looks like men easily, sometimes small men, but usually just men.

The mtf, well, that's not that easy. I met some who started at 19 or some at their 20s, here is the thing.
Some of them look awesome and it was easy.
Others kept giving a vibe that they are something else.

Sometimes you see (probably no surgery done) markers on the face which makes it worse.
Others, (who either been lucky on the face or had surgery) might look perfect, but some might have a bit of other markers.
I met 2 who looked like super models, honestly! I could never get confused. one of them introduced herself to me, came to shake my hand and suddenly my hand was covered by huge hand. That's something I noticed in most, but not all of them, some of them were lucky in every aspect.

But the thing is, some of them just had so many markers, usually on the face, that you just get this vibe.
Some had ok face but their body was with... big big shoulders, tall and just big frame whatever.

Now, I am not saying we should only call the ones who look good girls/boys (in the matter of bots, they all look good), I am just saying sometimes you just feel something which might make you uncomfortable and it's hard, or you mistake.
If that is my instinct, of an outside observer who is open minded about it and wants in their favor, I think it's not that surprising that discrimination is usually against mtf and not ftm, and that it will exist period.

I have an ftm friend I made from there, even if he told someone that he was a girl, it can't affect anyone because he doesn't give a girl vibe in any way with his behaviour and his look.
In some mtfs way, the problem is they don't need to say they were a boy, they might need to say "I AM A GIRL, NOT A BOY", and when you get this vibe, from I dunno, hearing their voices, seeing them, sometimes (in ftm too, but it only works as an addition, not alone) their behaviour, you are just all like "?!?!?!??!?! O_o :S" inside.

Still most of them seems to pass ok and apaprently live ok too, without discrimination - because: who knows? - discrimination is usually from the group which gets stuck somewhere in the middle and from some people who STOP in the middle.
Some people can do a surgery but are against it. They stop. They say "people should accept us for who we are" and act as if the whole world is against them while they can do a facial surgery and just blend, instead they choose to be transgenders instead of women.
From my observasion, the israeli community is divided by those who go to some sort of war with people not in the community, in those who just blend with the rest and might be there casually.

Unfortunally, there are those who have no choice but to be in this war, those who ended up in body frames and faces which are yet to be correctable, these are the ones I truly feel sorry for, others can have their new small bionic hands soon but in the matters of body, it's still hard.

That's the way I see thing, we should see them for who they are, but at times our instincts will double play us and it will feel hard for us, it will feel unnatural for both of us and it will make them feel bad because we will slip.

[Johann]

I'm sorry, I don't really care if she was born with a penis.

When someone has a sex change surgery, the proper thing is to address them and deal with them in their new/chosen/real gender.

The proper thing? Some people may disagree with you.

On what basis? How would they have us address the person?

They may have you address this person as he if it were originally a he. On what basis? To which I say: On what basis would the be "proper thing" in the poster's comments to which I addressed?

The surgery brought the external organs into agreement with the patient's brain chemistry. The patient wants to be addressed that way. To not do so would be like someone calling you a "girl", assuming you are a genetic boy. I guess your argument is "God made him that way, even though god screwed up the brain and gave it a different gender. But whatever, I will address the person according to the original sex organs rather than their fundamental being." Is that it?

The point is, one may say this is the "proper thing", but someone else can say, who says that? One set of virtues versus another. It could have been written like this: The proper thing according to me, would be...

But there was no authority cited other than the implied unofficial mob consensus. If the mob says we are to be politically correct, and sensitive, and considerate, well then, when and where did the mob agree on this?

Edited by Johann, 02 December 2009 - 01:01 AM.

[valkyrie_ice]

Let me quote a recent article by Joe Quirk

Your hypothalamus is in charge of horniness. Next time you get aroused, blame your hypothalamus. A tiny part inside the hypothalamus is called the BST nucleus. If you're a male, this source of your male sexuality is about the size of a grain of rice. If you're female, it's about 30% smaller. Females are short-grain. Males are long-grain. That's what makes us men.

Professor D.F. Swaab dissected the brains of male-to-female transsexuals and found that male transsexuals have a female-sized BST nucleus. Male transsexuals have a female structure in their brains in charge of gender identity.

Female brain, male body.

For most of us, the way we feel inside matches up with the way we look. I look like a guy, feel like a guy. Transsexuals have the body of one gender and the brain of another. They look at their bodies and know intuitively, "This is a mistake. I'm not supposed to look like this."

What's the explanation for this?

Researchers at UCLA have figured it out. It's partially the sex hormones that the fetus marinates in while she's in the womb.


While we're developing in the womb, 54 genes turn on and off in a precise cascade to determine your unique sexual disposition. These on/off switches are mediated by the influence of sex hormones marinating our developing brains. Most of us have those 54 genes turn on and off in such an order than we end up all male or all female. A significant minority of us end up somewhere in the middle.

Tomboys! Listen up! Girls who are exposed to male hormones at week seven after their conception grow up to choose trucks over dolls, to choose boys as playmates, to engage in more rough housing. All because of one little testosterone surge when they were a centimeter long.


Why are some lesbians so good a fixing trucks, and don't want to blow dry their hair, but want to play rugby? Some part of their brain feels masculine.


Why are so many gay men skilled at interior decorating and know how to be best friends with women? Maybe they weren't bathed in testosterone at week seven after conception, so some part of their brain is female.

They're mixed gender people. You might be a mixed gender person. It partially depends on which hormones brewed your brain while you were in the womb.



Read more: http://sfchroniclema...5#ixzz0YUyKxfTH

So, being one of those with the wrong brain/body combos, the answer is simple. I don't give a damn what gender you think I should be addressed. My brain chemistry gave me a female mind, that's what I am.

The fact that I'm cursed to be stuck in body most guys would kill for is just natures way of rubbing the salt in. I really don't need other people doing it too.

[Luna]

I'm sorry, I don't really care if she was born with a penis.

When someone has a sex change surgery, the proper thing is to address them and deal with them in their new/chosen/real gender.

The proper thing? Some people may disagree with you.

On what basis? How would they have us address the person?

They may have you address this person as he if it were originally a he. On what basis? To which I say: On what basis would the be "proper thing" in the poster's comments to which I addressed?

The surgery brought the external organs into agreement with the patient's brain chemistry. The patient wants to be addressed that way. To not do so would be like someone calling you a "girl", assuming you are a genetic boy. I guess your argument is "God made him that way, even though god screwed up the brain and gave it a different gender. But whatever, I will address the person according to the original sex organs rather than their fundamental being." Is that it?

The point is, one may say this is the "proper thing", but someone else can say, who says that? One set of virtues versus another. It could have been written like this: The proper thing according to me, would be...

But there was no authority cited other than the implied unofficial mob consensus. If the mob says we are to be politically correct, and sensitive, and considerate, well then, when and where did the mob agree on this?

What about intersex conditions, which had to choose which sex to be and had both organs?
Or for example, XY complete androgen insensitive women, appear and behave completely female but have undescended testicles and vagina at the same time?

[Johann]

I'm sorry, I don't really care if she was born with a penis.

When someone has a sex change surgery, the proper thing is to address them and deal with them in their new/chosen/real gender.

The proper thing? Some people may disagree with you.

On what basis? How would they have us address the person?

They may have you address this person as he if it were originally a he. On what basis? To which I say: On what basis would the be "proper thing" in the poster's comments to which I addressed?

The surgery brought the external organs into agreement with the patient's brain chemistry. The patient wants to be addressed that way. To not do so would be like someone calling you a "girl", assuming you are a genetic boy. I guess your argument is "God made him that way, even though god screwed up the brain and gave it a different gender. But whatever, I will address the person according to the original sex organs rather than their fundamental being." Is that it?

The point is, one may say this is the "proper thing", but someone else can say, who says that? One set of virtues versus another. It could have been written like this: The proper thing according to me, would be...

But there was no authority cited other than the implied unofficial mob consensus. If the mob says we are to be politically correct, and sensitive, and considerate, well then, when and where did the mob agree on this?

What about intersex conditions, which had to choose which sex to be and had both organs?
Or for example, XY complete androgen insensitive women, appear and behave completely female but have undescended testicles and vagina at the same time?

I'm not sure of what it is you are asking of me. Will you clarify?

[Luna]

How would you refer to a person with one of these conditions?

http://en.wikipedia..../Intersexuality

Would you refer a complete androgen insensitive woman a guy because she has no ovaries and uterus, but was born with vagina and testicles which did not descend?
Would you call and XX woman with SRY gene man or woman?

How about women with pcos who developed somehow much like men? that's not even intersex condition.

Or XXY men/women.

So many other options too.

Here is an article I found on gender identity:
http://www.transgend...t_is_gender.htm

[Luna]

Just for the men out there which are stuck in a girl's body :D

http://www.scienceda...91210125546.htm

[Luna]

I just went over the article again, as I didn't pay too much attention to it yesterday.

I found this:

These findings will have wide-ranging implications for reproductive medicine and may, for instance, help to treat sex differentiation disorders in children, for example where XY individuals develop as females or XX as males, and understand the masculinising effects of menopause on some women.

That sounds kinda wrong, I mean, if they already *developed* female or male, they usually fit their gender too, and don't want any messing around with it just because their chromosomes might think otherwise, take for example XY testosterone immune women.

I just found this sentence in the article a bit annoying, because it would be the same as coming to an adult woman and saying "we are going to treat you" "what treatment do I need?" "We are going to make you into a guy." "What?!".. that would pretty much be the reaction of those XY women and XX men, *usually*.

I remember reading quite a bit about androgen insensitive women and how sometimes people (doctors I think) treated them as guys when they were BORN and lived their WHOLE life as girls and women - just because they found out they have a Y chromosome.
It also had quite a bit of emotional impact on some of those girls and women too. And it shouldn't have, they know who they are, they developed and lived their whole life in a way, they even CAN'T be man in any way, they have no androgen effects at all on their body.

There was an episode in House M.D. which found one of those girls and said she is the *perfect* woman.. and then he discovered "why" she is the perfect woman and started to call her "he" (because house is stupid @@... :D) The episode is called "Skin Deep".

[shawn]

Do I think it is cute????
I just think he is mentally deficient.
Perhaps crazy is more accurate.
Just an extreme cross-dresser is all.......biologically, still male.

Edited by shawn, 31 December 2009 - 11:45 PM.

[valkyrie_ice]

Do I think it is cute????
I just think he is mentally deficient.
Perhaps crazy is more accurate.
Just an extreme cross-dresser is all.......biologically, still male.

Mentally deficient is denying the proof of the difference in brain chemistry, hormonal development differences and all the other GENETIC FACTORS which determine Homo and trans-sexuality. We have no more choice about our brain chemistry than you have over your natural eye color, hair color, or size.

You DO however have a choice about how close-mindedly and deliberately ignorant you are. Try educating yourself in reality as opposed to handed down prejudices.

[valkyrie_ice]

I just went over the article again, as I didn't pay too much attention to it yesterday.

I found this:

These findings will have wide-ranging implications for reproductive medicine and may, for instance, help to treat sex differentiation disorders in children, for example where XY individuals develop as females or XX as males, and understand the masculinising effects of menopause on some women.

That sounds kinda wrong, I mean, if they already *developed* female or male, they usually fit their gender too, and don't want any messing around with it just because their chromosomes might think otherwise, take for example XY testosterone immune women.

I just found this sentence in the article a bit annoying, because it would be the same as coming to an adult woman and saying "we are going to treat you" "what treatment do I need?" "We are going to make you into a guy." "What?!".. that would pretty much be the reaction of those XY women and XX men, *usually*.

I remember reading quite a bit about androgen insensitive women and how sometimes people (doctors I think) treated them as guys when they were BORN and lived their WHOLE life as girls and women - just because they found out they have a Y chromosome.
It also had quite a bit of emotional impact on some of those girls and women too. And it shouldn't have, they know who they are, they developed and lived their whole life in a way, they even CAN'T be man in any way, they have no androgen effects at all on their body.

There was an episode in House M.D. which found one of those girls and said she is the *perfect* woman.. and then he discovered "why" she is the perfect woman and started to call her "he" (because house is stupid @@... :D) The episode is called "Skin Deep".

To be honest, it is an encouraging development for this reason. It will allow F2M to produce their own hormones. and if they can find the reverse procedure, it will do the same for M2F. It also shows signs that we are unlocking the secret to creating genetic therapy for trans-sexualism which can lead to true chromosome corrected sex reassignment technology.

[David Styles]

What do you mean?

As far as I understand from Lazarus Long earlier post and from readings, they can already make realistic female parts (vagina), and still can't make a penis so I am, not sure about what you are saying.

I had a brief relationship once with a fellow who was born a hermaphrodite. A doctor made this hermaphroditic body into a male one, to include what essentially amounted to the creation of a proper penis.

He turned out to be a homosexual male, who flitted between male and female images. When I knew him, he had short hair and a goatee beard and looked somewhat like Johnny Depp. In pictures of other times, he had long hair, no beard, and looked really quite girly.

And his having-been-manufactured penis was bigger than my all-natural one

His own attitude was that he thanked the doctor in question for doing such a great job, but also often thought "maybe I was supposed to be a girl!".

[David Styles]

Valkyrie_ice, I just wanted to say that the more posts I read of yours on various subjects, the better I like you

[valkyrie_ice]

Valkyrie_ice, I just wanted to say that the more posts I read of yours on various subjects, the better I like you

Thank you. I also have posted a lot over at H+ Magazine and I'm having an article reviewed there for publication.

[valkyrie_ice]

Okay. Due to the inspiration found in this thread and a few other articles I've read recently, Val has decided to form a new years resolution for the next decade.

Last time I looked, ten years or so ago, there was very little that could be done to make someone of my physical physique look feminine, no matter what my brain chemistry is. Since then, it seems some rather interesting advances have occurred not only in the science, but in the, ah, shall we say, illusory abilities as well?

Basically, due to Luna's very intriguing questions and answers, I've decided that the tweens will be just that, the decade I finally make the full transition from gender dysphoric male to full female. I've found sources online for everything from body shapers to breastforms large enough to fit even a frame as massive as mine and be in proportion (i.e. 48EE cup) The clothing needed to appear female for the section of the Standards of Care requiring I live as a female can be aquired for less than a thousand dollars for all needed accessories for my personal satisfaction.

However, I have one thing I must do first. Lose a pot belly and babyface.

To be blunt, I am unusual in that I have very little fat build up anywhere on by body but two locations, the abdominal area, and under my chin. No diet so far tried has succeeded in reducing either area and even long term strenuous exercise during my younger days only succeeded in gaining me 25 pounds of muscle with out taking a single inch off my waist. It's one of the things I hate most. I look normal in every other area of my body but my stomach, which gives me the appearance of a pregnant woman. If I acquired every item I have found needed, I could indeed appear to be female, but I don't really want to look like a pregnant amazon, at least not until I can actually get pregnant the old fashioned way. (Trust me, I am sick to death of the pregnant jokes NOW, when I am still very male looking)

SO... Val is completely ignorant of the field of supplements, diet aids, etc. I know they have recently made some major advances in dietary supplements that can increase my metabolism and allow me to shed this undesired poundage, and I do exercise regularly, it just doesn't seem to help. I know part of my problem is only eating once or twice a day which I am working on, but what other INEXPENSIVE advice does anyone have? I can probably afford some inexpensive OTC supplements (like 15$ or less a month) but nothing more expensive than that.

Anyway, my resolution for this year is to lose weight, and get my figure down to something that can actually be enhanced via the technologies that are currently available to appear typically feminine, while I continue to wait for the other technologies to catch up. Considering how much the actual surgeries have improved since a decade ago, if things go well, I may simply take what's available now (or rather what's available in the five to eight years I am likely to spend jumping through hoops for the psychiatrists to finally approve me for gender reassignment.)


Any suggestions?

[rwac]

However, I have one thing I must do first. Lose a pot belly and babyface.

Have you tried a low carb/paleo diet ?

It may boost testosterone. I don't know if you consider that a problem.

Edited by rwac, 03 January 2010 - 09:20 AM.

[Luna]

hey val! congrats on the decision!

I really hope it will work for you.

How much do you weight? personally, I used to weight about 88kg at one point (for my height of 164 and frame that's really a LOT), no diet helped, just counting calories.
I worked out about how many calories I burnt per day and used just simple math and will to limit my eating to some number which always decreased a bit as I lost weight (because calorie output decreases too) and now I am about 60kg. (kinda failing lately! but it's because of the will rather than the math ^^)

If you can get some booster to burning to speed up the metabolism, that might be a advantage, just make sure it's not too unhealthy or risky!

Other than that, I doubt just losing weight will make one look feminine, from what I seen - people before and after hormones look very much different.
Apparently hormones change where the fat is stored in the body and the muscle tone as well as skin and texture and some other things which I can't point out (I seen a person from before hormones and after hormones, the change was amazing!!) so maybe consider starting hormones already.

One thing I must point out is that even though the change of that person was amazing, they were somewhere at about 20s I think and they looked kinda like teenager boy and therefore planned on facial surgery..
So you should really look for a whole plan on how you might want to do it and how to make it really possible instead of just planning a thing or two and end up seeing there is no real work toward your goal. What I mean is - I doubt 99% of people in that path can "pass" without some bone work on their face, instead they might just be somewhere inbetween.
And even the bone work done needs to be quite precise, there are some very different markers in the skull of a man and a woman which some of them rarely overlap (but do in some cases!) such as the forehead (biggest thing), chin and other two major things would be the nose and jaw according to someone I asked.. though I'd tend to think more of the lips (usually I thought eyes but I saw photos and it seems to be fixed along with the forehead somehow so I don't think it's eyes anymore.. I also saw some boys/guys with some really feminine eyes that some girls would die for!)

So think it all through! be sure you work on the face because the body should pretty much change quite a lot on its own with weight loss and hormones

Edit: Try to look for forums online with some experienced people on the subject which might be able to help you and give you advises!

Edited by Luna, 03 January 2010 - 10:28 AM.

[Shannon Vyff]

I had a good friend who went through a sex change in her late forties, she attended my wedding in '06. She stayed married to her wife, and although she still had a male frame after her transition-her voice, dress and mannerisms were all female. She and her wife have a son, grown and attending college in Austin. She did not change her sexual organs all the way to female, for her wife and for ideological reasons- it was a decision they made together, to keep that closeness/expression of love, respect how she was made originally etc. But, although he was older when he changed to a woman (legally and in full life expressions) the hormones worked well, and she even has nice breasts that are not surgically altered-and she is not overweight. I admire anyone that lives life how they feel they were born-or feel they've become, if one identifies with the opposite gender and has from an early age-there are differences in the brain and in hormone expression, they should live how they want. Some people are born with both organs. Some even want to keep the ability to be male at times or female at times, it is interesting that our society wants people to pick one gender. As my friend Lisa says, she just felt she was female ever since she was a child-in that case. (She is quite active still as a Transgender advocate in the Central TX at http://www.cttgs.org/contribu.html & http://www.ifge.org/...ls-lid-46.phtml )

Please read her story, I miss her (and so many friends in Austin) and you can see how beautiful she is: http://www.austinchr...?oid=oid:481955

[Shannon Vyff]

My point is, that Lisa is a woman, she is attractive, sweet, lovely--and she did not go through extensive surgery or alterations--she just lived as she felt, and her beauty is striking to all who meet her.

[valkyrie_ice]

My point is, that Lisa is a woman, she is attractive, sweet, lovely--and she did not go through extensive surgery or alterations--she just lived as she felt, and her beauty is striking to all who meet her.

My eventual goal is full genetic female, with reproductive ability if I chose. Surgery will be an option when I can afford it, because I simply do not wish to remain male in any sense.

However, my biggest concern is that I am an Amazon. I am 6'5" (195cm) 330lb (150kg)and built to normal proportions, which makes me absolutely HUGE. And yet I am desiring of being extremely feminine. I may have no choice but to wait till they perfect more advanced surgical methods for the total femininity I want, but I'm worried more right now about finding support, hormones, and weightloss.

One concern I have is I am not at all attracted to "queer culture". I am not a drag queen, have no wish to be one and I am not interested in the transvestite or gay bar scene. I've bounced at enough of them. I simply want to become a woman in as peaceful and non-disruptive manner as possible. I have a wonderful, supportive mate, who is supporting me in this transition, and who has no intention of ever abandoning me or leaving me because of this. I am, and always have been female oriented both mentally and relationship preference wise, and she is strongly bi-sexual and we've had a fairly open relationship for over ten years now, so I know that my being female is not a problem for her now that she has finally accepted that it is a genetic trait and not a "choice". Mainly, I am just not sure where to look for help. I've been studying the psychology and technology, but not the systems in place.

Still that is simply a matter of research, and learning my through the system.

And even if I can't have my tail and wings yet, I will be able to get my eight inch stilettos damn it!

Edited by valkyrie_ice, 04 January 2010 - 02:55 AM.

[niner]

However, I have one thing I must do first. Lose a pot belly and babyface.

Have you tried a low carb/paleo diet ?

It may boost testosterone. I don't know if you consider that a problem.

It wouldn't have to be extreme paleo, but it's the right approach. Val, what you are describing is "central obesity", which cardiologist William Davis calls "wheat belly". He finds this term more appropriate than "beer belly", since most people get it more from wheat than beer. His advice to you would be to cut out wheat. That alone will get rid of an awful lot of the high-glycemic carbs that are causing the problem, but I would refine his advice as follows: Cut out sugars as much as possible, and cut out "white carbs" (white flour, white rice, white potatoes...) as much as practical. At the same time, bring healthy fats into your diet. These would be things like Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, macadamia oil. Try to avoid the common cheap vegetable oils, like corn, sunflower, safflower, or even canola oil. (canola is the best of a bad lot, but still bad.) Don't fear animal fats, but don't binge on them either. Butter is better than margarine. Increasing healthy fats is a win-win proposition. Not only does it enhance your enjoyment of food and make it easier to reduce carbs, but it will make you healthier and assist in changing your body composition and fat distribution. Eat lots of vegetables, and rather than the large high-sugar fruits, go for berries; they are loaded with beneficial compounds. A diet like this will not only melt your waistline, but it will vastly reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. You'll not only look and feel better, but will be actively doing something for your longevity. On the supplement front, I would recommend 3-4000 IU of vitamin D3 in an oil-based (gelcap) formulation, 2-3 grams of fish oil (any brand; I buy it by price because it's all similar enough), and 600-800mg of Green Tea extract. The GTE can be helpful in weight loss, and has a ton of other beneficial effects.

Even without a tail and wings, at six feet five, you will be something else in eight inch stilettos!

[shawn]

Canola oil is a bad oil as it causes the skin to become less elastic and break easier.
It was never meant to be a food oil, and was toxic until they took the eurucic acid out of it through genetic manipulation.
It also has excessive biocides on it as they have to spray a herbicide to desiccate the crop in autumn so as to straight combine.
The herbicide kills the crop so it will be uniformly dry at harvest.
So all in all a less desirable oil, unfortunately they put it in virtually everything these days.

[niner]

Canola oil is a bad oil as it causes the skin to become less elastic and break easier.
It was never meant to be a food oil, and was toxic until they took the eurucic acid out of it through genetic manipulation.
It also has excessive biocides on it as they have to spray a herbicide to desiccate the crop in autumn so as to straight combine.
The herbicide kills the crop so it will be uniformly dry at harvest.
So all in all a less desirable oil, unfortunately they put it in virtually everything these days.

Wow. I've not heard that. Causes skin to be less elastic? Seems like a negative... Are you sure about that? Many people consider it to be the best of the (bad) vegetable oils due to its fatty acid composition. Being genetically modified doesn't concern me from a health standpoint, but herbicide residue could be a concern. Of course, since it's a known compound it would be easy to test the oil for it. Herbicides are bad for certain plants, but not necessarily bad for humans, Agent Orange notwithstanding. Still, all in all I'd rather avoid all the polyunsaturated oils.

[shawn]

I still eat some as it is in virtually everything and some things I like regardless, but I have made effort to cut it down to as minimum as possible since I heard of that.
Flax oil will do a similar thing, if you eat a lot of it you will develop parchment like skin which also is less elastic.
Hemp oil is a better oil, but it has a very green flavor which doesn't work for some and doesn't go with some foods.
Coconut oil is about the best I have found(provided it is cold pressed and not deodorized.....they use hexane and pentane and such to do that to get the rancid smell out of the hot pressed oils), and butter is still a good product, if taken in moderation and from a non-hormone laden source.

[Luna]

I'd still recommend trying to meet with a psychiatrist to get hormones and have that one started.
And maybe look for some forums to have information on how to step forward with your path, you don't have to hang around with them but htey can provide you help, addresses for psychiatrist and support, as well as experienced advice.

I will leave the diet formulas for the guys here who know much more than me (and even helped me a few times!) but I'd just say I'd still recommend to calculate the calories and make sure you eat the right number of calories in addition to eating healthier food recommended by those who know (which is probably not me)..

Good luck

And Shannon

Wow!

I met quite a few at a center there is here and many of them been on hormones for several years and still look like guys, this transformation is amazing!
Hopefully Val won't need to pay for any expensive and invasive surgery at all!

[valkyrie_ice]

However, I have one thing I must do first. Lose a pot belly and babyface.

Have you tried a low carb/paleo diet ?

It may boost testosterone. I don't know if you consider that a problem.

It wouldn't have to be extreme paleo, but it's the right approach. Val, what you are describing is "central obesity", which cardiologist William Davis calls "wheat belly". He finds this term more appropriate than "beer belly", since most people get it more from wheat than beer. His advice to you would be to cut out wheat. That alone will get rid of an awful lot of the high-glycemic carbs that are causing the problem, but I would refine his advice as follows: Cut out sugars as much as possible, and cut out "white carbs" (white flour, white rice, white potatoes...) as much as practical. At the same time, bring healthy fats into your diet. These would be things like Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, macadamia oil. Try to avoid the common cheap vegetable oils, like corn, sunflower, safflower, or even canola oil. (canola is the best of a bad lot, but still bad.) Don't fear animal fats, but don't binge on them either. Butter is better than margarine. Increasing healthy fats is a win-win proposition. Not only does it enhance your enjoyment of food and make it easier to reduce carbs, but it will make you healthier and assist in changing your body composition and fat distribution. Eat lots of vegetables, and rather than the large high-sugar fruits, go for berries; they are loaded with beneficial compounds. A diet like this will not only melt your waistline, but it will vastly reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. You'll not only look and feel better, but will be actively doing something for your longevity. On the supplement front, I would recommend 3-4000 IU of vitamin D3 in an oil-based (gelcap) formulation, 2-3 grams of fish oil (any brand; I buy it by price because it's all similar enough), and 600-800mg of Green Tea extract. The GTE can be helpful in weight loss, and has a ton of other beneficial effects.

Even without a tail and wings, at six feet five, you will be something else in eight inch stilettos!

great, I don't even drink beer... *sigh*

I prefer olive oil for cooking, but I'm sad to say I am not sure how to cut "wheat" out of my diet since I'm on food stamps, which translates to mainly hamburger helper and sandwiches. I do add veggies to the HH though, Broccoli and Cauliflower for three cheese, tomatos for taco, etc. I never touch margarine.

I tried atkins for awhile too.

Typical veggies I eat are Broc and cali, lettuce, G Beans, English peas, carrots, and corn. Tomatoes only cooked.
Meats are Hamburger, spam, hotdogs and chicken (breast only) Roast beef for sandwiches or turkey or ham.
And I probably eat way too much cheese and dairy

So what does fish oil, D3 and GTE all do?

[valkyrie_ice]

my my... such interesting news over at Next Big Future

http://nextbigfuture...besity-key.html

the TL:dr version. They found a method to regulate the bodies energy use system. It basically makes the muscles LESS efficient in their use of energy. This results in much higher levels of energy use in rest states, higher energy use during exercise, and lowers endurance. The upshot? You lose weight... period. Your body will automatically devour your fat reserves just sitting there. According to the researchers it made no real difference in normal activity levels, or daily food intake, it just lead to higher fuel consumption rates by muscles and tissues. In other words, regardless of diet, it promoted weight loss and prevented weight gain.

But that isn't all

http://nextbigfuture...an-reverse.html

Leptin, a drug under research for weight control, has a interesting side effect of potentially curing diabetes.

In other words... it not only reduces fat, even at very low doses it causes the body to correct insulin levels.

And since the #1 cause of diabetes is.... WEIGHT... it's a double whammy.

Damn it... they need to hurry this stuff through trials! I don't need to be able to lift 100lb weights to the ceiling one handed as a girl! I need a slim waistline!


And a third article

http://nextbigfuture...ain-cancer.html

Which is not just about a method for cancer reduction, but about stem cell based cosmetic surgeries. I.E. using the patients own fat cells mixed with stem cells to give face lifts, restore tissue generation, and even fill out bony hands.

So, maybe by the end of this decade, even if they don't yet have full chromosomal therapy, I can resculpt my body using my own stem cells to flesh out the proper areas. My... only 5 days into the new decade, and I'm seeing happy news on the research front!

Edited by valkyrie_ice, 06 January 2010 - 04:48 AM.