How Hormone Replacement Therapy Affect Your Body Fat Distribution

There is a certain degree of effect of transitioning on food and diet among trans women, especially when they start with hormone replacement therapy. The exact dietary changes largely depend on your body type.

The primary point to remember is that if you are a trans woman, some amount of fat would be a good thing, since it can help add to your body’s shape and form.

In addition, when you start hormones, the fat redistribution will help augment the size  of your breasts. Thus, this is one of the first steps undertaken by hormones- the redistribution of fat.   

 

While each person’s body type is unique and the way the hormones act on your body is specific to you, many trans women swear by dieting to lose weight before transitioning.

This could optimize your fat redistribution. Thus, essentially, many women start transitioning when they are extremely lean and once the hormones begin to take effect, the fat is redistributed to add weight at all the right places.

This facilitates a quicker redistribution than waiting for your body to locate your fat in various areas and transfer it across. The key is to remove all your fat and add it back when your body is ready to redistribute it, with hormones acting as catalysts.

It is also important to remember that the goal is to consume healthy fats. Some options include cashews, protein shakes, avocados, and so on. You might even begin to notice some fat accumulating on your face as well as hips.

Some trans women also recommend alternating between gaining five pounds and losing five pounds to facilitate proper redistribution of your fat. When you put on five pounds, the body will direct that fat towards the right spots that tend to be curvy in female bodies.

While, on the other hand, when you lose five pounds, the fat is taken away from regions that are not critical for feminization. Thus, this process is ideal for feminization of your body and to add shape and curves where you deem fit.   

 

Many trans women add a few thousand extra calories a day, consuming anywhere between 3000 and 4000 calories, with healthy fats and proteins. Such a diet can help you put on weight without making you obese.

In fact, it might help to consume a lot of calories right before you go to sleep, since during that stage, your body stores that energy which can really help in accelerating weight gain.

However, please note that none of this is medical or dietary advice since each person’s body type is unique and therefore, it is best to ask your doctor for recommendations to feminize your body.  

 

If you are looking to lose weight before transitioning, intermittent fasting is a proven method to do so.

This technique essentially involves not eating for 16-20 hours a day. So, if you eat dinner at 8 PM today, you can’t eat anything else till the next afternoon.

When you skip breakfast and lunch, your body enters a ketosis stage where fat as well as other toxins are burnt and eradicated from your system so your body can use them as fuel.  

 

According to studies, being in a calorie deficit is the most effective way to lose weight. In fact, living in ketosis is supposed to decrease the prevalence of disease and chronic issues.

You can also lose weight by minimizing your intake of unhealthy fats and starting a vegan diet.  

Other general steps you can undertake in order to keep your body healthy during the transition process is to consume foods that are anti-inflammatory in nature, such as coconut oil and turmeric.   

We hope this article has helped you understand how hormones affect your body in terms of fat distribution.  

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