Birth Control preventing weight loss?
Apolla92
Posts: 1 Member
So I have been working out and eating healthier to lose weight since last September and have been successful until now. I managed to lose 23 pounds from regular exercise and a good diet by the beginning of January. For the past month however, I haven't lost anything, and might have gained a pound or two and the only thing that has changed is I started birth control for the first time. It's a combination pill with both hormones. My periods are terrible and the birth control has been great with no side effects and finally making periods bearable so I don't want to stop it, would switching to one with less hormones or another form (IUD instead) be better?
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Replies
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No. Stop making excuses.0
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I'm not going to give advice re: switching bc.
I will say that BC's probably aren't hindering your weight loss.
Would like a little more info like whats your calorie goal? height, current weight?0 -
its an excuse.
it may affect your appetite, but you will have to learn to work through that.
it is all CICO......0 -
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Just because someone asks a question doesn't mean you have to jump on them rainbowbow...0
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I have heard that hormones make you hungry!
I have heard a few of my friends stop taking the pill because they gained so much weight.
Ask your doctor but yes hormones can affect your weight loss.
Good luck!0 -
i've never been able to lose weight on birth control. everyone gets affected by hormones differently though.0
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It might be best to just hang in there a little longer and let it all settle. Keep being vigilant with your deficit and exercise and see how you go. Try not to get discouraged.
It's a valid question. But I'd give it a bit more time before changing anything (you might have to readjust calorie level after 20lbs but that depend on your stats already). Changing bc when the only side effect is weight gain may not be necessary. They can affect your appetite (some). So maybe you have a little bit of calorie creep going on or just an initial hormonal response which usually rights itself. Jumping bc's may not change that.0 -
I had a very hard time losing weight on the pill, too.
Was it an "excuse", as some people here claim? Maybe. But it was like my metabolism had been totally screwed up. I'd say give it three months, and see if your body fully adjusts and you start losing again before trying to change pills or anything. You can really mess up your hormonal balances that way.
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I'm on the pill, lose just fine. I've been off the pill and for the brief period I committed to losing back then, I also lost just fine.
There's a possibility it has increased your appetite a bit and/or you've got a bit of calorie creep happening (do you measure and weigh all your food?).
The other possibility is it throwing your water retention off a bit whilst your body adjusts. I'd make sure your logging is tight and give it another 2 or 3 weeks before making any major changes.
As an aside, is there any actual evidence supporting that the pill slows down your metabolism to such a significant degree as to stop weight loss whilst in a reasonable deficit? It's not something I know of.0 -
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Whilst I agree that personally I haven't found contraception to affect my weight loss I do believe that people are free to ask whether it has the potential to, especially if it is their first time on contraception, it just seemed rather "forward" then of you to say it was an excuse when they were asking a question
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Whilst I agree that personally I haven't found contraception to affect my weight loss I do believe that people are free to ask whether it has the potential to, especially if it is their first time on contraception, it just seemed rather "forward" then of you to say it was an excuse when they were asking a question
Yup, that. But then again, most people around here think being rude is okay if they're stating facts.
To answer @VintageFeline 's question, not in the long term if the balance of hormones in the pill is right for the person taking it. Hormone changes can have an effect on metabolism during the 'adjustment' period, usually 1-3 months of being on the pill. If after 4 months, you're still having problems (feeling sluggish, appetite issues, etc) talk to your doctor about it.
For me, personally, it messed with my appetite, messed with my moods, and gave me migraines that incapacitated me for days- After 5 years of trying to find something that worked, I got the boy fixed and was able to stop.
I know not everyone can get their boy fixed, but man, it was nice not to have to worry about it!!! 0 -
rainbowbow wrote: »No. Stop making excuses.
Amen. I'm also on a two-hormone pill. I gained most of my excess weight since I've been on it (2008), but within the last year, I've also managed to get my weight lower than when I started it. I gained weight because I ate too much.0 -
I am on the pill and haven't had a problem with my weight loss. I have been strict with what I eat and try to log everything I am eating and leaving a wide margin of deficit in calories.0
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I've lost 80 lbs so far on BC, no problem as it hasn't hindered me yet.
I can see it increasing your appetite so maybe you're not used to that and you're eating more?
Also, if you haven't readjusted your MFP calorie goal since losing those 23lbs, it could be that you're not eating the same deficit you were before. Perhaps try readjusting that.0 -
rainbowbow wrote: »
Girl, you mean. Tone it down. You can tell people things w/o coming across like an un-helpful wanker.1 -
http://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/birth-control-pills-weight-gain There ya go. I hope this helps. I would suggest giving it a little bit longer before you switch! I do have to say that I know people who have gained a lot of weight using Depo provera (the shot)did it make them eat more? No clue but just letting you know! 0
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I used to be on a combined pill that made me depressed and I gained two stone in less than 3 months. Now I am not blaming the pill for making me fat. But it did make me very depressed and that probably made me overeat. I had no sense of control or knowledge on nutrition.
I stopped the pill and lost weight by eating healthy and exercising consistently for almost 3 years. In the end it turns out I had PCOS and that pill wasnt the right one for me. I have been on another pill for a year and a half and it helped me lose weight because it sorted out my hormones. My suggestion is that since its only a couple lbs you should stick with the pill for the 3 month period that GPs usually advise. However, if you get any sort of dramatic side effects I think you should consult your doctor and see if you should change.0 -
I've lost 71 pounds while on birth control, and losing the weight in combination with the meds basically cured me of PCOS along the way.
Certain birth controls can make you hungrier (it varies for every woman), but it's something you'll have to find your own way for dealing with (can't really think of a nicer way to word it, but I don't mean it in a mean way..there are just some days you will be hungry and if you want to hit your goals on time it's something that just has to be tolerated.)0 -
PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »No. Stop making excuses.
Amen. I'm also on a two-hormone pill. I gained most of my excess weight since I've been on it (2008), but within the last year, I've also managed to get my weight lower than when I started it. I gained weight because I ate too much.
ETA (too late to edit my post): Re-reading your post, I will say that you haven't given it enough time. You may have gained a bit of water weight, which is temporary. You may have had a spike in appetite. Keep your calories in check and wait it out.0 -
You have found your maintenance calories.
The only reason you're not losing weight is because you're eating about as much as you burn.
Have you dropped your calorie goal as you've lost weight?
Are you weighing & measuring your food?
Are you ignoring exercise calories, just eating to your healthy calorie goal?
If your answer to all of those is "yes", and it's been more than a month since you adjusted everything,
talk with your doctor.0 -
As for the "being mean" remark...
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1088600/dear-mean-people-of-mfp/p10 -
This nonsense right here is why I got an IUD. Best health decision I have ever made in my life. No hormones, no problem. Hormones turn me into a nom-nom-noming rage monster half the month and a "I can't even look at food" textbook model of depression the other half. And to top it all off it makes my acne explode into 15 year old male levels.
Op, I feel for you. I know, probably better than normal ppl who manage taking birth control just fine, how messed up it can make you, but the reality is that it doesn't cause weight gain or fat retention. It can make you more bloated, make you hang onto water weight for a while longer than you're used to, but end of the day it just isn't to blame for anything related to weight loss. If you are that concerned about it, you can always try different birth control methods, as I have done, or you can talk to your doctor about a different kind of pill, or you can just white knuckle the transition and follow the flow-chart.0 -
Will Birth Control Pills Make Me Gain Weight?
In this article: http://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/birth-control-pills-weight-gain
Today’s Pills Are Different
It’s rare, but some women do gain a little bit of weight when they start taking birth control pills. It’s often a temporary side effect that’s due to fluid retention, not extra fat.
A review of 44 studies showed no evidence that birth control pills caused weight gain in most women. And, as with other possible side effects of the pill, any weight gain is generally minimal and goes away within 2 to 3 months.
If you happen to be one of those few women who put on pounds, talk to your doctor. She may suggest a different type of birth control pill. Why? Because all pills are not the same.
There are two types:
Combination pills, which contain estrogen and progestin
Progestin-only pills.
Most birth control pills use the same type of estrogen in various doses, but each brand of pill may offer a slightly different type of the hormone progestin, at different doses. The result? Potentially different side effects.
Whichever one you try, give it at least 3 months for any side effects to pass.0 -
I went onto the 3-month injection around the time I started losing weight back in 2003. I lost around 12 - 15kg while on hormonal contraception. Don't use hormonal BC as an excuse for not losing weight.
Instead, work a bit harder at losing weight. Plan your meals as far ahead as you can. Control your portion sizes by weighing everything. Overestimate the number of calories that you eat, and underestimate the number of calories you'd burned.
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