Plateaued for a year now.. possibly the contraceptive pill?

I have been gaining and losing the same 5lbs for a year now and it is starting to get very frustrating. I am also not losing body fat - I bounce between 20-22% and cannot get below it. I am 5'3, 134lbs (healthy weight) but I cannot for the life of me get under 130lbs or 20% body fat. I have tried eating at TDEE, eating at 15% cut, eating at 10% cut, eating at 20% cut, strength training, running, HIIT, macro changes, clean eating you name it, but I am getting nowhere! I am sure that the problem is my birth control pill, because by the books I am doing everything right. Could it really be the birth control pill causing this?

I have been on the pill for 7 years and the only time I ever got below 130/20% body fat was for my wedding (127lbs/18% body fat) where I cut my calories low, but I am never doing that again.

Replies

  • norcal_yogi
    norcal_yogi Posts: 675 Member
    bumping because i am in a very similar situation! except it's been TWO years for me, and i'm way older (42)! there are hormones at play in both of our situations...
  • swingkid1975
    swingkid1975 Posts: 105 Member
    Different form of birth control here (IUD) but this spring I lost 11 lbs using EM2WL. Beginning of June I had the IUD inserted and my weight started going back up despite doing the exact same thing I had been successful in the 3 months prior. I'm now back at my original weight. I'm giving it till the end of the year, and if nothing changes I'm having it removed. I think birth control hormones can definitely play a part.