meds causing weight gain & eating back exercise calories

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I currently don't eat back my exercise calories because I am mostly sedentary and do low impact workouts. One of the main reasons why I don't eat them back is because I am on medication that causes weight gain. I figured that if I eat back the exercise calories there wouldn't really be a deficit because of the medication. I am losing weight - 20 pounds in 3 months. With this medication - should I be eating back the exercise calories or not?

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  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Meds don't make you gain weight. Eating too much makes you gain weight. The meds may make you crave foods or cause water retention but they don't put on pounds of fat unless you eat the food.
  • pamperedhen
    pamperedhen Posts: 446 Member
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    ^ This!:flowerforyou: Find your TDEE and eat at 15~20% deficit and you will not only fuel your body, but, lose weight and NOT be hungry!
  • bambishealth
    bambishealth Posts: 134 Member
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    Actually there are several medications that the side effects are in fact weight gain. Often it is water weight or bloating, but shows as weight on the scale just the same.
  • zombieyoshi
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    I currently don't eat back my exercise calories because I am mostly sedentary and do low impact workouts. One of the main reasons why I don't eat them back is because I am on medication that causes weight gain. I figured that if I eat back the exercise calories there wouldn't really be a deficit because of the medication. I am losing weight - 20 pounds in 3 months. With this medication - should I be eating back the exercise calories or not?

    I was put on a medication that caused me to gain 30lbs in one year. I didn't mind at first because I needed to gain a few pounds anyways, but it didn't stop. I've been off the medication for over a year now, and the weight gain slowed immensely, and now I'm trying to lose it again. But when it comes to your situation you honestly should discuss it with your doctor, because they know way better than anyone on here. It sounds like your getting results though, so if you feel good you should be okay, but I do think you should talk to your doctor.
  • erica6732
    erica6732 Posts: 80 Member
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    yes meds do make you gain weight. I was taking risperadol for several months and gained a significant amount of weight and I didn't even eat that much so go and do your research first!!!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    I've been on meds for bipolar for years and the meds don't make you gain weight. You have to eat more than you need to put on pounds. It may slow your metabolism meaning you need to eat even less but the meds don't pull fat out of thin air and slap it on your *kitten*.

    When I first started medication I gained about 20 lbs before I got a grip. I felt better so I ate more and they made me a bit sleepy so I did less activity. Result was weight gain. Medications can't make something out of nothing and until you get a grip on how to handle the medication and the side effects you'll keep gaining. It still all comes down to calories in/calories out.
  • pamperedhen
    pamperedhen Posts: 446 Member
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    ^ AMEN AND AMEN!:flowerforyou:
  • Mgregory723
    Mgregory723 Posts: 529 Member
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    Meds don't make you gain weight. Eating too much makes you gain weight. The meds may make you crave foods or cause water retention but they don't put on pounds of fat unless you eat the food.


    HA! I was put on a heavy dose of Prednisone for pneumonia (3 times) - the side effect of this drug is that you never ever feel full which in turn, makes you eat like crazy. I gained close to hundred lbs in a year. Asthma, for me, is tough and hard to control so I end up on a lot of steroids to control it.

    http://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/prednisone-asthma