“It was on my 23rd birthday that I decided, ‘This is not okay. I’m unhealthy. I’m the wrong gender. It’s time for a change,’” Jo Avelyn Grey tells People. Already in therapy for her gender issues, Grey decided to go on hormone treatments to start her transition and improve her health by changing her eating habits. The hormones slowed her weight loss, but she followed a strict high-protein, low-carb diet to meet her goals. “I taught myself how to cook, and I also started riding a bicycle,” Grey says. “The first 50 lbs. were super hard, and then it gets easier and easier.” The results have boosted her confidence. “I used to wear plain, loose-fitting, sloppy and unflattering clothing,” she says. “Now I wear tighter-fitting pants and tapered shirts. I like clothes that make me look attractive but also make me appear ready to handle whatever comes my way.”
