For a long time I kind of wanted to be stronger and wanted muscles, but didn't really understand why this desire was so strong.

I bought 2 small dumbbells and trained with them secretly to build my biceps :D

I quickly realized that this is not enough for me and looked for a gym for trial training. I was initially very scared and insecure there but quickly realized how it captivated me to become stronger. 3-4 months later I cut my hair short and came out as trans*.

Training gave me so much gender euphoria and confidence.

As I slowly became more confident with the routines and my training and was no longer new to the gym, I could really get into it and started progressing.

I saw myself in a few years with defined muscles that brought me extreme gender euphoria and it became my passion.

Seeing my muscles get bigger makes me happy, I can live out as the real me there, let out all my frustrations, prove to myself what I can do and the intense training makes me calmer, happier and more indifferent to my worries and stress.

I am "addicted" to the process even if it is slow because my body is becoming more and more what my true identity feels like.

I’ve had a lot of dysphoria and still do, but muscle-building was the only thing that reliably brought me euphoria too.

Unfortunately, it is associated with a lot of patience. The first progress takes forever, but when you see it then it is just WoW.

I’m still far from where I want to go with strength training but I am grateful for every change in the direction in which I see myself and will therefore not stop giving everything I can.

There’s little I can do to look more masculine as I still have to wait for hormone therapy. Exercising is the only thing I can do as I have already changed everything else on the outside that I have an influence on. It often brings me euphoria.