Your metabolism slows on estrogen. If you're eating a couple big meals a day, you can try eating a bunch of little ones instead and see if that changes anything? (Fatty foods at the end of the day help keep you full for the night). Also, estrogen-based bodies have a generally higher body fat % - that's normal & good. Generally ppl gain weight when starting any hrt. Your body may also just want more fat on e - esp if your family members w/ estrogen-based systems have more body fat!
to my understanding, working out specific areas doesn’t burn fat in those areas. it’s more about calorie deficits (so burning more than you eat). it’s a big myth that working out hips and waist = less fat in those areas. really, the fat distribution is dependent on genetics (and obv hormones which alter gene expression).