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serenagilbert
serenagilbert Posts: 10 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Attempting to lose the 40lbs I gained in a few months due to the depo shot (birth control). It’s absolutely ridiculous and impossible to lose weight while on it. I’ve been the same weight & under my daily calorie goal (calorie deficit) for 6 months, NOT normal!😭😫🤬🤧

Replies

  • serenagilbert
    serenagilbert Posts: 10 Member
    edited July 2019
    Has anyone else had the same problem before and/or found a birth control that doesn’t make you blow up ??😫❤️
  • serenagilbert
    serenagilbert Posts: 10 Member
    edited July 2019
    Also any vegan girlies out there? I’m not vegan anymore but I’m thinking about going back to it because it was the only way I could lose a decent amount of weight and felt amazing + energized, had clear skin, muscle definition etc. without working out !
  • jessicalys
    jessicalys Posts: 27 Member
    Good morning! I had always gained weight and had hormone issues on birth control. I was just switched to Lo Loestrin and so far, so good! It's been 2.5 months and I haven't gained any weight, haven't had any crazy mood swings.

    I attempt to eat as many plant-based meals as possible. My boyfriend is vegan, so he is a great influence. I am a powerlifter, so I am always just concerned with getting enough protein.

    Feel free to add me girl!
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,102 Member
    How are you determining your calorie intake?

    Birth control can affect your weight loss in a couple of ways but none of them directly:
    • Causing water retention (but this is not fat and if it's long term it should be discussed with your doctor)
    • Increasing appetite (portion creep can happen easily and if you're not weighing your food you may be inadvertently eating more than you think)
    • Reducing calorie burn through fatigue (you become less active through the day and if your calorie intake doesn't adjust down to account for this then you will be overeating).

    When I say it doesn't directly affect weight I mean fat - you need a calorie surplus to gain fat, it cannot be created out of nothing. So if you have truly stuck to your calorie allowance (logging accurately your calories in and being conservative about calories burned through exercise) you should have seen some weight loss over the last 6 months.

    Have you spoken to your doctor about switching to another method of birth control, there are non-hormonal options such as the copper coil?
  • serenagilbert
    serenagilbert Posts: 10 Member
    Oh man yeah finding the right birth control is so frustrating. What’s Lo lestrin ? I haven’t heard of that one before :). That’s awesome! do y’all find it’s pretty pricey to get those types of foods or no?
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,102 Member
    serenagilbert wrote: »
    Oh man yeah finding the right birth control is so frustrating. What’s Lo lestrin ? I haven’t heard of that one before :). That’s awesome! do y’all find it’s pretty pricey to get those types of foods or no?

    It's a low dose estrogen only pill, however if you're over a certain BMI it can be difficult to get hold of now as Doctors have to restrict access if you're a stroke risk (they took me off it when I was over BMI 30 after taking it without issues for 15 years) because of new policies.
  • serenagilbert
    serenagilbert Posts: 10 Member
    Shoot yeah I think my BMI is 31 atm
  • serenagilbert
    serenagilbert Posts: 10 Member
    tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
    serenagilbert wrote: »
    Oh man yeah finding the right birth control is so frustrating. What’s Lo lestrin ? I haven’t heard of that one before :). That’s awesome! do y’all find it’s pretty pricey to get those types of foods or no?

    It's a low dose estrogen only pill, however if you're over a certain BMI it can be difficult to get hold of now as Doctors have to restrict access if you're a stroke risk (they took me off it when I was over BMI 30 after taking it without issues for 15 years) because of new policies.

    Damn I typed up a whole reply to your long insightful response and it wouldn’t let me post it and deleted it 😫😂🤦🏼‍♀️

    Anyways I have been the same weight for 6mo if not more & have been logging my meals into this app for 6 mo. I eat the same type of foods and the same amounts pretty consistently. And I also don’t really work out. They’re definitely not healthy but they’re not calorie or fat dense either. The app says, every time I submit my food log for the day, that I should’ve/should lose 10-sometimes 20 pounds in 5 weeks if I keep eating the same way (which I have for 6 months now). So I think this birth control blew me up 10 months ago when I started it and now it’s keeping me at the same unsatisfying weight. Before the shot I could eat like I am now (not completely junk food but not healthy either) and fluctuate around the same low-ish weight, but I would lose small amounts of weight without trying; kinda miss that right about now. I’m at the heaviest I’ve ever been and hate my body 😫 I’m 19 and can’t afford clean foods (also my boyfriend whom I live with basically refuses to eat healthy) or a gym membership. It’s also just really hard to work up the energy and serotonin to get out and excersise. Ugh I needa get my *kitten* together somehow! It’s just a lot harder to get myself to do things nowadays. I’m on medication for my depression & anxiety, the symptoms that come with it make it hard to have self discipline, motivation and all that.

  • serenagilbert
    serenagilbert Posts: 10 Member
    It’s definitely a journey and I neeeeed to lose weight and some how keep it off. I think I need to be vegan again. It really worked for me and I’m really passionate about the cause behind it. It feels good, eating clean for your body/mind and helping make a different.
  • maureenseel1984
    maureenseel1984 Posts: 397 Member
    Never been on the depo shot...I'm on the Mirena and that has worked nicely at regulating my lady problems.
    I've learned to not look at my weight as the be all end all. Am I HEALTHY that is the big question. I eat well...exercise (not to excess). My body knows best and will take care of the rest.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,102 Member
    edited July 2019
    serenagilbert wrote: »
    tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
    serenagilbert wrote: »
    Oh man yeah finding the right birth control is so frustrating. What’s Lo lestrin ? I haven’t heard of that one before :). That’s awesome! do y’all find it’s pretty pricey to get those types of foods or no?

    It's a low dose estrogen only pill, however if you're over a certain BMI it can be difficult to get hold of now as Doctors have to restrict access if you're a stroke risk (they took me off it when I was over BMI 30 after taking it without issues for 15 years) because of new policies.

    Damn I typed up a whole reply to your long insightful response and it wouldn’t let me post it and deleted it 😫😂🤦🏼‍♀️

    Anyways I have been the same weight for 6mo if not more & have been logging my meals into this app for 6 mo. I eat the same type of foods and the same amounts pretty consistently. And I also don’t really work out. They’re definitely not healthy but they’re not calorie or fat dense either. The app says, every time I submit my food log for the day, that I should’ve/should lose 10-sometimes 20 pounds in 5 weeks if I keep eating the same way (which I have for 6 months now). So I think this birth control blew me up 10 months ago when I started it and now it’s keeping me at the same unsatisfying weight. Before the shot I could eat like I am now (not completely junk food but not healthy either) and fluctuate around the same low-ish weight, but I would lose small amounts of weight without trying; kinda miss that right about now. I’m at the heaviest I’ve ever been and hate my body 😫 I’m 19 and can’t afford clean foods (also my boyfriend whom I live with basically refuses to eat healthy) or a gym membership. It’s also just really hard to work up the energy and serotonin to get out and excersise. Ugh I needa get my *kitten* together somehow! It’s just a lot harder to get myself to do things nowadays. I’m on medication for my depression & anxiety, the symptoms that come with it make it hard to have self discipline, motivation and all that.

    Check out the accurate logging thread, you'd be surprised how easy it is to underestimate. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1

    You don't need "clean" foods to lose weight, I ate Dominos once a week and eat chocolate every day, I lost 35lbs initially and kept it off for a year, gained it back recently with some binge eating episodes and my activity level dropping.

    Just try and incorporate a few more veg and fruits in your day, ensure you're hitting your protein and fat targets (they are minimums not maximums) and fibre is a good one to watch too.

    You also don't need a gym membership, I've lost more weight since I quit the gym and started just becoming gradually more active at home - I do some youtube workouts and then do things like walking, hiking and rowing.

    I would definitely consider going back to your doctor and explaining that you're finding it hard to motivate yourself and that you're struggling with your birth control, it might just be that it doesn't mix well with your other meds.

  • serenagilbert
    serenagilbert Posts: 10 Member
    Ooo girl you dodged a bullet by not trying it out ! Is the mirena a pill? I just know about the pill, depo shot, the arm injection & the the implant. Yeah that’s good ! I’m trying so hard to love my body but it’s always at the back of my mind that I’m unhappy with it. My goal is definitely to be healthy and if/when losing weight comes with that, I’ll be stoked as hell. I’m just broke asf rn and kind of in a funk. I also need to find a way to work out that is fun to me, I played volleyball all through middle school and high school; so now that I’m graduated average working out is boring to me for some reason. I was grinding really hard a year or two ago & going to the gym daily and felt great while working out (after a really bad break up so that was good motivation lolll). Idk what changed energy/attitude/motivation wise mann
  • serenagilbert
    serenagilbert Posts: 10 Member
    It’s just a lot harder now to force myself. I hate to sound negative but I’m just keeping it real & it’s cool to find other people who’ve been through what I’m going through & conquered it. The struggle is realll girls !
  • maureenseel1984
    maureenseel1984 Posts: 397 Member
    edited July 2019
    serenagilbert wrote: »
    Ooo girl you dodged a bullet by not trying it out ! Is the mirena a pill? I just know about the pill, depo shot, the arm injection & the the implant. Yeah that’s good ! I’m trying so hard to love my body but it’s always at the back of my mind that I’m unhappy with it. My goal is definitely to be healthy and if/when losing weight comes with that, I’ll be stoked as hell. I’m just broke asf rn and kind of in a funk. I also need to find a way to work out that is fun to me, I played volleyball all through middle school and high school; so now that I’m graduated average working out is boring to me for some reason. I was grinding really hard a year or two ago & going to the gym daily and felt great while working out (after a really bad break up so that was good motivation lolll). Idk what changed energy/attitude/motivation wise mann

    The Mirena is an IUD. It's the best luck I've had with contraceptives and managing my period. I'm no longer a psychopath for a week before my cycle...not having miserable cramps/going through multiple boxes of tampons/pads. I'm very happy with it.

    I'm a big fan of yoga. It helps me make that mind/body connection and appreciate and love my body for what it does instead of what it looks like.
    I used to check my body many times in the mirror every day-critiquing each perceived flaw...but now I look at it and I'm like "Damn! I'm a hot mama!"...i am also at my heaviest weight ever...but I'm ok with it. I'm also much stronger and I'm actually eating.
    I also love to run, but I'm on the bench until probably September...having another bone density scan done next week. :(

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