Ask Hannah!

Hi Hannah, I have a question about your workout routines. You’ve mentioned before how hard you’ve worked for your figure and legs (using the stairmaster), and it shows. What did/does a regular week look like? Thanks for all you do.

Thank you!

I think that when we accept ourselves as transgender we begin creating, or perhaps reinventing ourselves, in a way.  We have stopped resisting our feelings and emotions and are no longer denying who we are or who we want to be.

When we come out, we often wonder what is next.  We have come to terms with our gender identity and we begin exploring and getting to know this side of us.  We may expand our wardrobe, come out to others in our life, and try new things.

Whenever anyone tries new things, mistakes are made.  If you decide you want to be a painter, you will create a thousand bad paintings before your masterpiece.  You learn how to paint by painting.  The paint will cost money, it will take time to improve, you will dedicate time to practice your technique…but through all this you are learning.  You are improving, although it may not feel like it.

There’s no right or wrong way to be whatever gender you identify as.  But when I came into who I am, I wanted to learn makeup, I wanted to look a certain way in a dress, I wanted to walk confidently in heels.

I had a long way to go.

Again, you do not have to be able to walk in stilettos or wear lipstick to identify as a woman.  These were things I wanted to do.

I believe that in order to achieve anything takes it will (probably) take time, practice, and money.  Like painting, my life is a result of those three things.  It took time to build up my confidence to leave the house.  Makeup took practice.  It cost money to build my wardrobe.

One of the hardest things I did was lose weight.  At one point I weighed 240 pounds and was a size 18.  But I gave up drinking and have been sober for almost three years.  I never drink soda and rarely eat fast food.  I work hard at the gym.  When I hit the point where I was embarrassed with my reflection I decided to lose weight and I resolved to keep it off.

I came up with a routine and stuck with it.  I used to hit the gym six times a week in order to lose weight.  Now that I am just maintaining my weight I am there only four times a week.  My routine now is the same as it was when I was trying to get in shape.  I do 30 minutes on the Straimaster four times a week and another 15-30 minutes on the elliptical machine after that.  In the summer I go on bike rides.  And that’s it.  My body responded pretty well to cardio and avoiding alcohol, soda and fast food.

The changes I made benefit all of me.  I feel I look better in a little black dress as well as a suit.  I feel better, look younger, and have more energy than I did ten years ago.  My self-esteem and confidence have never been better.  Notice I never said I wanted to feminize my body or look more female.  This is because there is no standard as to what a girl is “supposed” to look like.

Everyone’s body is different and reacts to exercise and diet in different ways.  What works for one person may not work for another.  I feel I should mention that before starting any diet or exercise routine one should check with your doctor.

Love, Hannah

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