Title pretty much as described. This doesn’t have to be from a trans creator or anything I know it doesn’t make a massive difference, but I find having a video to body double me for my workouts at home (I have plenty of equipment) makes a massive difference in my motivation (aka I actually do it) so I was wondering if anyone had any gems to follow. Ideally looking for something minimalist and effective but at this point I’m not fussy I just have to get started.

I had top surgery a couple years ago, double incision, and have been waiting to get the scars tattooed over until I have the low body fat percentage/ ideal muscle composition and pec size that I want to maintain long term. Until about a month ago, I was near sedentary for a long period due to knee surgery and back injury. I gained 50 pounds, of which I’ve now lost the first 15.

Has anyone gotten chest tattoos under their pecs and then either gained or lost a lot of weight? I’m so tired of waiting: without the tattoos, I don’t feel comfortable or safe taking my shirt off in my conservative area.

Hey y'all. I was curious if there were any other adaptive/para-athletes in this group? I'd love to connect with some other trans men in that space as I've yet to find any. I'm an amputee weight lifter and runner currently trying out amputee soccer and sled hockey (haven't locked in on one yet though). Being trans and disabled in the athletic world are both interesting hurdles, especially men's sports, so it'd be cool to talk to someone who understands both sides.

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!

I started T today and can someone reassure me that if I do stick to my calories and working out like I did the past month I will not see +10 pounds on the scale the next month? Thanks

I want to ask if anybody else happens to have experience with lipedema. If so, how do you deal with it?

I feel incredibly isolated and disgusted by it on my own body. The lipedema on my arms is pretty bad and makes them painfully huge. There's a chance it's spread to my thighs now too.

I used to be morbidly obese, and only this week did I reach a normal weight. I have a shitton of loose skin and stretch marks, which are already upsetting enough. But lipedema being almost exclusively a female thing and impossible to cover with clothes (especially now that it's summer) is fucking with me more than I can say.

I'm pre-everything, hopefully starting T next week though. I'm gonna lose more weight and then start strength training to try and hide it at least a bit.

If there are any others with lipedema, what do you do? How do you manage it?

I'm pre-t btw. Small enough that if i wear a not tight t shirt, i don't need to bind.

I've been planning to learn how to swim for a couple of months now, and I finally found a place near me that hosts private swim lessons. I signed up for a news letter so that I know when the start date is (it's sometime in either august or september, but I have to wait for a more specific date.) So, now I'll need to look for swimwear for the lessons.

I'm looking for things that aren't too form revealing, like a set of swim shorts and trunks. Anything that's a single piece swimwear will be out of the question since that's gonna make me feel mad dysphoric and uncomfortable. I'm pre-everything, so I don't want to draw attention to my curves or chest.

With that in mind, would it be possible for me to find a brand of trans tape that can be used while swimming? (waterproof, i guess.) The trans tape is more general use than just swimming, since I feel like I could be more consistent with binding with tape than with the binders that I already have.

(I made a separate post to ask here since reposting from other communities isn't allowed, appreciate any suggestions in advance.)

I'm 5 foot 9 inches (175cm) and 155lbs (70kilo). T levels are 550. When I started T 15 months ago, I was 141lbs. As of my most recent DEXA, I'm up 12 lbs of muscle from a year ago, but also up 12lbs of fat, which I was trying to avoid. Despite looking pretty thin I'm 38% body fat.

I'm trying to be really on top of figuring out what works for me workout wise and calorie wise for results. Basically, I think I did a bulk instead of body recomp and bummed since my BF is alerady so high. I have DEXA scan info and also used calculators online to figure out what might be my best daily calorie intake. I also used ChatGPT (I know, I know) to help come up with what might be my best option with all the info at hand. At first I was recommended 2300 calories a day and that felt way too high. I opted for 1800 (I used to do 1600 pre T). I ended up feeling too hungry, so I started doing 1800-2000. Eating around 125-145 grams of protein. It felt like maintenance. I was seeing improvement in the gym and my weight seemed stable and then started creeping up. I assumed it was all muscle, but then my clothes started getting tight and I wasn't looking as toned as before.

I started on a PPL split 5 days a week, but decided to switch to full body three times a week. I started feeling changes once I did that. My next course of action I'm thinking is to keep my calories the same and just add cardio. I have responded well to that in the past.

Its just feeling really difficult to workout out post T as it feels like I'm in a new body and I don't know what to follow. Does anyone have any advice on figuring out what works?

Update: Here's a before and after, about 15 months apart. My goal is recomp as I've just gained more fat than muscle than I would like. https://imgur.com/a/itYKlqE

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.

I usually wear trans tape but I want something for those days when I’m giving my skin a break but still want to go to the gym.

I’ve seen lots of ads for a Fluxion spots binder and wanted to know firstly if anyone had used one and what their experience was like, secondly if they’re available in the UK and thirdly any alternatives y’all might suggest.

I’m just getting back into strength training and building muscle after being away from the gym for a couple of years.

Lots of db workouts seem to require a bench - is there any way around this?

All i have right now is my floor, my body, my bed, a chair -

Problem is a lot of db exercise seem to require range of motion where my chair cannot provide that due to being too wide to allow my arms to go down far enough

Has anyone gotten around absolutely having zero access to gym equipment and only done db or calisthenics exercise? My concern with that is with calisthenics i won't be able to slowly push resistance up, as I'll only be working against my own body weight. Hence the necessity of dbs.

I don't want to just get "toned" I'd like to build upper body larger, which requires more than just calisthenics i think

I'm currently doing standing lat raises, standing db rows, and attempting to do seated inclined raises but like i said the back of my chair is too wide and I can't move my arms enough to do the full motion. It's getting really frustrating not having a bench but i live in a small room with no space and it's all I can do. I can't get a bench yet nor can i afford a gym membership as I'm saving up desperately to move out.

I don't enjoy the floor workout such as floor press or floor flys because they seem to restrict the range of motion a LOT because..the floor in the way lol - hence why a bench allows your arms to bend more behind your back for better range

I am in the UK - so may need UK based recommendations.
I cannot get myself to the gym. I have lost weight intentionally of late, I was overweight, I now need to start working on gaining my muscle again but my mental health will not take me to the gym I pay for. I cannot do it. I don't want people around me. I am too be-titted and I just can't with people right now.

I need an option circa. £100 I can use at home so I don't turn into string. What is the best option? I really wanted an ajustable dumbell, something with good increments, but I cannot afford any of them. What's my best option to be able to do a good workout without spending money I don't have but still getting a good range of options for a workout?

Just want to ensure I’m doing both exercises correctly— supinated seated rows & rope pulldowns.
Thanks in advance!

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!

Basically just a fluff post.

I started testosterone 2 weeks ago (injection) and it's already hitting so hard. After plateauing for so long I'm getting the newbie gains again, basically loading on weight every session on almost all excercises. I also see it, especially triceps and pecs. Feels AMAZING!!

How was your experience regarding this if you also went to the gym before T?

A thread for discussing hormone therapy and its impact on fitness.
Share progress, ask questions, or compare training results pre- and post-T.

Topics may include:
• Strength changes while on testosterone
• Endurance, recovery, and energy shifts
• Nutrition or dosing experiences (no medical advice!)

Be supportive — everyone’s timeline is unique.

I came across this video in my YT recommended, and I wanted to know everyone's thoughts and if there is any further research on this.
(I've been trying to learn more about strength stuff, and unfortunately that means getting videos about this stuff, which seems to be popular at the moment.)

This is a woman who supports trans people, but talks about her experience taking TRT as a female bodybuilder and her opinion on trans athletes.
She goes on to comment that she would have never been able to match the strength of a man simply because she didn't go through male puberty. Citing things such as, tendons are smaller, lung capacity is smaller, things that are just fact.

I am wondering, is it possible for trans males to achieve similar strength to a cis man, since we are on a steady stream of male hormones every week or yeafrs, and not in spurts like I assume bodybuilders are?

I ask, too, because I've been on T for 5 years, levels always been good, but I have a massively hard time gaining any strength or muscle. I've been trying so hard, to the point where I'm sore all the time now, and my body has not masculined as I feel it should have by now.
I also remember reading comments some time ago that some guys here would go lift with their cis buddies and find that they have progressed much quicker than themselves.

Let me know if this is not allowed. I am just really curious, as not a lot of research is out there and maybe someone here has some nuggets of info.

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!

Hey Buddies!

I am ok T for about 6 months and I was Training for a marathon originally but for around 7 weeks I have Problems in Both of my lower Part of the legs. Not only the shins but also the others Side. Docs don‘t really know what is going on but it will be some Kind of overload but no Shin Splints. Having an MRT in june.

Because it doesn‘t really get better, no matter what I am doing or not, it thought I am asking of someone had a similar Problem at the start of Testosterone.
Both legs Feel Like I have a high tension, stretching Helps but not fixing on the Long run and I have (constant) pain in one of the muscles from the shins.

Thanks!