Tips for losing weight on birth control pills

When I first started the pill, I was ravenously hungry all the time. The first month, all I wanted to do was eat and sleep. That feeling went away though!

The pill hasn't made me gain any weight. What I have noticed though, is that it seems a lot easier to lose weight when I'm on the withdrawal week. I usually lose a couple of pounds pretty easily during that week. Because it seems easier to lose, I'll work out a little bit harder on the off week to reap the benefits! I think I might look a bit more bloated as well while on the pill. But it's just water!

Anyone else find that it's easier to lose weight on the pill-free week?

I'm also on Loestrin 24 Fe but I'm about to switch over to something new. Regardless of birth control if you eat right and exercise, you should have no problem losing weight. I've lost 20 lbs while on birth control You should be fine.

I'm currently on Loestrin 24 Fe and I've been losing weight just fine (when I actually stick to eating right and working out).

this. this birth control is magical.

I was originally put on birth control years ago for the purpose of going on Accutane. During, between, and after two different "sessions" of Accutane I continued to take the pill until several months ago when I really focused on weight loss. I think I was definitely spooked by the "potential" side effects of the pill, being weight gain.

I'm not sure the pill really effected my weight at all, now that I'm understanding the whole process of calories and exercise a lot more from MFP. Of course there are different reactions to birth control for everyone, but I would suggest sticking on it and learning to live a healthy lifestyle instead of placing any blame on the pill... I'm debating starting to take it again, for the purpose of controlling my skin, I'm naturally wary, but also interested in seeing if there's any change from taking the pill while living healthily.

Good luck!

I was on some birth control (forgot the name of it) & it made me gain so much weight !
I used to be a size 3, & now im a size 11/13 in juniors. It has changed my body, my boobs have grown from an A cup to a 36C.

its horrible, & i can't lose the weight still !:-( & i have no idea what to do !
maybe my hormones are still unbalanced or something, and I've tried working out and i watch what i eat but no weight loss:-/

I don't want you to take this the wrong way (but you likely will)....at 19 years old, your weight gain and other changes probably had more to do with you developing into a WOMAN, than your birth control. Your hormones probably ARE still unbalanced, and that is totally NORMAL at your age.

A little bit off topic, I didn't like how birth control (oral) reacted with my body. I did gain 15 lbs with it. Granted it could have been my life style, but still!

This time around I got the Paragard IUD. I LOVE it, and haven't gained any weight or had any other issues.

I was on birthcontrol for many years and wanted to go off of hormones after having some spotting issues and what not. I got the Paraguard IUD! WORST DECISION OF MY LIFE!!!!! Cramps almost unbearable at times, spotting each month sometimes more than once for OVER 2 YRS!!!! I was even put on continuous birthcontrol to try and stop my periods all together. It was a nightmare!!! Got the IUD removed in January and went back on the pill. Can never really say that the pill make me gain more wt (maybe water retention at best) . I can pretty much say that any wt gain has been lifestyle. Even though the pill does seem to have some side effects for me, lower libido, skin is more breakout prone, blah blah...it is still a zillion times better than the IUD experience I just kept waiting for it to become one with my body.

just DO NOT USE THE DEPO OR NEXPLANON. what ever you do!!! i gained 60 pounds 5 years ago and cannot loose it. now i am on the neplanon and i have lost almost all of my hair and have been bleeding for 3 weeks now! seriously. DON'T DO IT! I did like my paragard IUD though, but had to get it out for private reasons

First, note that Lo Loestrin Fe is an entirely different pill than Loestrin 24 Fe. That being said, I was on Lo Loestrin Fe for about six months, and I gained somewhere close to 15 lbs. No changes in diet or exercise, yet the weight piled on. Now, I was given sample packs over those months because my doctor wanted to be sure that it wouldn't affect my blood sugar (T1 Diabetic) or cause blood clots before I started using the prescription. It turned out that insurance won't cover Lo Loestrin Fe (it's fairly new on the market compared to various other pills, & it's considered a so called "designer pill", which insurance companies generally refuse to cover), and unfortunately there is no generic equivalent as it's the lowest you can get. On top of the weight gain I was also getting nauseous in the mornings after i took the pill regardless of whether I ate or not. And then of course, it stopped my periods completely, a very unnerving experience.
So they switched me to Sprintec, which I've been on for three weeks, and I've already begun to drop down to my normal weight. I'm not super hungry and I have a normal appetite. I can't really recommend one pill over the other, however, because everyone's body is different, and that's clear by the number of different pills available. The best bet is to start with a low dose pill and see what works, and don't ever be afraid to just call your doctor to ask if you think you're experiencing side-effects. They're there to help you find the best pill for your body.

I know this is an older forum, but wanted to add in my experience. I am on lo-loestrin Fe (for about 3 years now) and I love it--as far as birth control goes. My skin went crazy (i have been put on "Clindomycin-T" and if I use it daily, my skin is clear) and the first few months I had very large, painful bumps on my shins (this is not a common side effect to lo-loestrin FE, but I have seen it listed by other people, and a reaction was the only cause). After 3 months the bumps went away, and since then I have been okay. No migraines, no periods whatsoever, and not too moody (all a vast improvement over the other 6 pills I've tried).

However--I have been tested recently and have found that since being on a form of birth control for nearly 9 years straight, my natural progesterone levels are non-existent. This means I am estrogen dominant and therefore have gained about 12 pounds in 9 years, despite eating very healthy and working out. Symptoms of estrogen dominance are weight gain in the midsection, tiredness, irritability, sluggish metabolism, and painful swollen breasts. I have all of these symptoms, and a test confirmed my progesterone levels are low. Progesterone is not supplied naturally by birth control (Progestin is--which is entirely different), and sometimes women's body's will stop naturally making progesterone on its own when ovulation is suppressed for many months. I am now using a progesterone cream in combination with birth control, and have lost about 8 pounds in 3 months while continuing my normal routine. Many doctors told me weight gain was all in my head, and that I probably am just reacting to age, since I am getting closer to 30 (currently 27), but I knew that they were just not willing to investigate, so I decided to research myself and finally found a doctor willing to give me a hormone level test.

I am not saying this to scare anyone or to promote one birth control over another, but when people say that 'birth control cannot make you gain weight' , I think they need to really look at a much larger picture over a very extended period of time. The body is a very complex machine, and often altering one chemical component can drastically change the body's own regulatory reactions, which can affect many aspects of health, including weight. Please-please do your own research on these things,and do not solely listen to standard practitioners and those who tout their 'black and white ' claims. The body can be altered by the moon-phases, food we eat, chemicals in our environment, and certainly anytime we dump 30mg of fake estrogen into our body. Society wants us to think that all medications are safe and do not have adverse side affects, but this is simply not the case. Having worked very closely with psychiatric patients in my career, I know how difficult side effects can be, and they are not the same for everyone, and are certainly not 'a result of not trying enough to lose weight or hypochondria'. Side effects result because we are putting laboratory made chemicals into our bodies daily, and while they I am very thankful for birth control-there is no way to manipulate the body so strongly without some type of side effect.

I've taken Yasmin on and off since I "became a woman." I've been on it solid for the last 5 years. I didn't have an issue with weight gain when I started and I haven't had any weight loss problems since I started working on it. I did stall for about 3 weeks when I skipped my period. I normally don't skip but I was going to be in Vegas and I didn't want to worry about that too. Once I started my next cycle, I lost almost 4 pounds in just a few days.

I've been on loads of different pills (kept switching because of issues such as acne) and its never made me gain weight. None of my friends have gained weight on the pill either.

Like most people have said, it doesn't directly cause weight gain it can just make you more hungry.

The pill itself won't make you gain weight or stop you from losing weight but it does play with your hormones which can cause you to crave more foods and if you are not aware of this you can be mindlessly overeating. I have been on the pill the whole time I have been losing and I have not noticed any negate effects on my weight loss. If I crave something I wait a bit because the craving will usually pass. If it doesn't I allow myself a small amount of what I crave as long as it fits in my calories. Working out regularly also helps to regulate your mood and hormones. Just listen to your body and talk to your doctor about your concerns.

I was on Loestrin before and found it near impossible to lose weight. I didn't gain, but I could not lose at all and I was eating healthy and working out. I am about to start Sprintec and hope that I will be able to post something positive in here soon!

Ok, first of all the doctor's you have talked to are quacks, because I have been on birth control since I hit puberty, and nothing makes my weight fluctuate like birth control. I have taken Lo esterine Fe before, and it did affect my weight. I gained 40lbs in 2 months, and considering I am already overweight, I didn't need that pill to help me in that department. I have been taking Orthotricyclen Lo for the last almost 3 years. This is the only pill that hasn't messed with my weight. My weight has been pretty consistant since I started it, until now because I am trying to lose it lol...well I hope that helps!

I had the same experience on multiple pills. I was in perfect health/weight when I started the pill. I gained 45lbs in a matter of months. (I was only 16 year old when it happened so my metabolic rate was not the problem.) I started working out & dieting but I ended up having to get off the meds to start losing weight.

It depends how your body reacts to the hormones. However, it is VERY possible you will start gaining weight. To be honest, no birth control pill is all that good for you. It is just the nature of the drug.

I have been on the pill for less than a week and holy crap! Today I ate more than I usually do in a week... I don't know why but it does make you crave food. For me especially sugar. Also, I don't seem to feel full. I think if this keeps up I will stop taking it. My Dr. said its a myth that it makes you gain weight - but now reading the majority of these posts, I disagree with my Dr.