This is a special case so I wasn't sure where to post this let me know what you think

[Bex]

I'm looking for advice I've been researching for about 2 years and still have a few questions before I start any cycle.

A little about me: I have been lifting consistently for almost a decade with the exception of the last year due to illness (my strength is mostly still there but I've lost a lot of quality size) but I've been nack in the gym a few months now. My present stats are 29 yrs old, 5"6" and 180lbs. I'm going for a body composition scan on Monday to figure out exactly where my lean body mass sits. I've lost approx 55ish lbs over the last 4yrs and would ideally like to lose another 20-25 more of fat and put on 20 of muscle. I eat around 1900 cals with a 40/40/20 distribution in terms of protein/carbs/fat. I lift and do cardio 4x a week. My split is legs, back and shoulders, chest and bi's, and shoulders n tri's with 20 mins of steady state cardio before and after each lift.

Day 1 - legs and abs
20 mins moderate resistance cycling average mph 22 - avg watts 160 - 7mi
(the resistance system on these bikes is based on wattage)

120 second breaks between sets & exercises all warm up sets are 15reps and I work til I find my 8-10 rep max with good form

Squat 1 warm up set 15r
4 sets- 10,10,10,8 reps
i got up 10lbs each set

Deadlift - warm up set of 15r
4x 10,8,10,10
i go up 5 lbs each set and nex workout I start 5lbs higher

Leg ext- warm up set 10r
super set with unilateral calf raises 20 each side
3x 12,12,12

Lying leg curl warm up 12r
3x10 r

hyper extension
3x 10r with a 5 second hold at the top of each rep
super set with lying leg raises
3x25

Crunches 3x25
super set standing calf raises 3x20

20 min brisk walk 3.7mph
then shoulder mobility work - cool down n stretch

Day 2 Back shoulders
15 min bike 20 mph - avg 180 watts- 4.5 mi

Underhand pull ups 2.5 min rest
3x7 (yes 7 is my max at the moment, but it's better than the 0 I started with!)

Assisted pull up 60s rest
3x 10 reps. i take breaks if needed but each set doesn't end til I get 10 reps

Barbell row w.u. 15r 90s rest
3x10,10,8 weight goes up each set

unilateral db row
3x8-10r depeds on what left side can do I'm trying to get it caught up

Wide grip pull downs 90s rest 3x10-12
s.s. hyper extension 3x20-15-15

dual cable row 90s rest
3x12r

face pull 60s rest
w.u. 15r
3x15r

Arnold press 90s rest
3x10-10-8

Hanging lateral raise 3x12r

decline sit up 3x20r 60s rest

20 min brisk walk 3.7mph
then shoulder mobility work - cool down n stretch

Day 3 chest shoulders
15 min bike 20 mph - avg 180 watts- 5ish mi
Db incline bench w.u 12r 90s break
4x10-8-8-8

Db flat bench w.u. 12r 90s rest
4x8-9-10-8

Decline able fly 60s rest w.u. 15r
5x 12,15,20,20, (my shoulder blade wings on my left side fro an injury so I have to go ight to keep good form)

Cable cross 60s rest
4x12r

Incline fly 60s rest
3x10r

Hammer strength wide press 90s rest
4x12
super set Alternating db curls
4x10,12,10,10

Outward curls 60s rest
3x8r

Hammer curl 70s reast
3x10

Overhand ez bar curl 60s rest
3x10

20 min brisk walk 3.7mph
then shoulder mobility work - cool down n stretch

Day 4 shoulders tris

15 min bike 24 mph - avg 190 watts- 6ish mi

Seated db shoulder press 90s rest w.u 15r
3x12-10-8

Standing lateral 90s rest
w.u. 12r
3x10,10,12

Rear delt fly w.u. 12r
3x12

Front raise 90s rest
3x15,10,10

Face pull
4x20 (trying to rehab my shoulder)

Assisted Dip 60s rest
w.u.-10r
3x10

Skull crusher 90s rest
w.u. 15r
3x10r

Unilateral cable kickbacks 60s rest
4x10r

Captain's char leg raise 3x20r 60s rest

20min brisk walk 3.8 mph

shoulder work stretch and cool down

I am also female to male and trying to recomp my body to look more male. I am pre hrt but have an endocrinologist and should be on a low dose test regime within the next 3-6 months pending my blood test and my doc signing off on my hrt letter. Yes I know my bf% is still high even for a genetic female but that is not a limiting factor for hrt and once on T I have no intention of ever getting off. Remember I trying to get my hourglass shaped painfully female looking body to look male like all of you guys out there. My goal is to get to 160lbs at 14% to start and set my next goal from there. Why 160? Because i REFUSE to be shorter AND smaller than my fiancé.

My questions are:

On T can I put on muscle and still lose fat at the same time?

How can I develo mass in my chest and shoulders faster? I do mostly dumbbell multi joint movements and a lot of incline work in the 8-12 range for most of the lift and finish up with lighter 15 rep exercises to make sure I truely burn out everything.

Once on T should I adjust my diet and if yes how so? Should i adjust my caloric intake based on my genetic gender or the one I'm shifting to? Base it on my present lbm or target lbm? Or should I calculate it based on bmr?

Should I be trying to cut or focus more on building mass / losing fat?

He's only starting me out on 20mg of test c a week is that too little to see gains? I've seen cycles in the ladies lounge that are way more agressive then that, should I ask to start higher?

Lastly I generally like my face & would like my jaw to square out some but don't want facial hair or my voice to drop that low. Is there are steroid that I could cycle that would allow me to develop the density and musculature of a guy but not virilize me too much? If yes what is it and how should i cycle it?

My endo doesn't lift, and my nutritionist says the average adult needs less that 100g of protein a day to build muscle which is bs so I've come to see what the pro's here can tell me.

Your advice is greatly appreciated and thanks for your time.

 

[IMT]

Welcome to the boards! Ok so you are a female turning into a man. The workout routine looks well thought out. What is you diet like now?

 

[Bex]

Diet is as follows: (please be brutally honest. I come from a fat family where absolutely no one lifts or even attempted to eat healthy until 4 years ago;, so I honestly have no better ideas than what lies herein.)

Typical I shoot to get at least 20g protein a meal, keep carbs under 30g, and fat as low as possible. (I did keto n carb cycling previously but had my gallbladder removed over the summer and the docs recommend against both styles for now.)

I work over night as yard jockey and material handler in a warehouse. I go in at midnight and don't usually eat until I get off around 9-10ish.Then I have class ti 12 so I may get a protein shake in between the 2 but not usually. I heard one isn't supposed to eat late night if they could avoid it then also read that it doesn't matter when you eat; IDK. Generally I avoid eating before work and we don't get breaks so I never get the chance to eat/drink/go to the bathroom at any point during work. My job consists of managing the yard and unloading truck averaging 8-10 miles a shift or 2-3 hours of hoisting boxes out of trailers but I never factor these things into my macros. Should I?

avg = 3-4 meals a deal and it's generally pretty clean unless I get weak and eat something that is obviously junk which I'm working on. My question is how do I figure out how many cals should I be eating a day. How do I figure out my targets for my macros?

Meal 1: 4 egg whites- 5oz greek yogurt- either cereal like kashi w/unsweetened almond milk or plain oatmeal. (388cal,42p,54c,5f)

Lift
protein- i have pro nos and drink half a serving 1 scoop aprox 25g P 150cal. or premiere protein whuch is 30g for 160cal

Meal 2- 6oz either baked lemon pepper catfish or swai, curried asparagus/string beens & 2/3 cup white rice. (443cal-33p,50c,14f)

---AS far are meat goes is it supposed to be counted for it raw or cooked weight?---

Meal 3 white bean turkey chili - 250cal-18p,15c,9f. or Southwestern corn chowder (210ish-16p,27p,5f)

Meal- 4 JUNK but if I don't eat junk then something like 5oz beef/ chicken breast cabbage/greens, something green that is also a vegetable, and rice. (average from 450-600cal, 35-50P, 45-50c, 5-10f)

Maybe casein before bed but not often.

These aren't necessarily in order and I batch cook so if one day looks like this the week follows suit. I always have fish and chicken cooked and ready in the fridge and either beef or ham/or porkloin.
I don't use butter when I cook, use sweet sauces, and can't eat raw vegetable, f***ts, or nuts (oral allergy syndrome). I can add more days if this isn't pecific enough but my questions are as follows:

Any obvious mistakes?
How do I find my target macros/ caloric range?
How can I add variety to this?
When one is weighing meat do one count the raw weight or cooked weight?
Should I be eating before work?
As far as protein goes I hear it's 1-1.8g per lb of body weight- how besides drinking tons of protein shakes does one manage that? I know this sound like a dumb question but I just can't seem to manage it; how do you guys?