Can birth control KEEP you from LOSING weight?

Bry8432
Bry8432 Posts: 37
edited October 19 in Food and Nutrition
I have been working out everyday for about 5 weeks. I lost 6 pounds. But thats it. I'm curious to know if birth control affects weight loss.

Because i have a friend who is not on birth control and we workout and eat together yet she is losing more weight? Could there be any truth to my theory?

Or is it just me?
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Replies

  • Irish_eyes75
    Irish_eyes75 Posts: 475
    For sure! It depends on the kind tho. I was on Yaz and it actually helped me lose. It raised my blood pressure though so everything has pros & cons.
  • Katahna
    Katahna Posts: 326 Member
    Considering how much you would gain if you became pregnant, no lol.
  • Dino924
    Dino924 Posts: 47 Member
    I think birth control slightly inhibits your ability to build muscle, because of the hormones. I did an experiment for myself one time, went off BC, got stronger and ran faster without more training, but stayed at the same weight. It only made a small difference in my appearance though, and acne free skin was more important to me, so I went back on it.

    There have been a few studies saying that serious athletes and long distance runners shouldn't use hormonal BC, I think for everyone else the difference isn't significant.
  • adioschubs
    adioschubs Posts: 384 Member
    What are you taking? I'm actually on Yaz also and having a steady loss.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    well, 6 lbs is an outstanding loss for a week.

    sometimes birth control can make your hormones go wacky, making you feel hungry when you really aren't, making you want to eat, and generally giving you a sort of pregnancy effect where you either feel crazy sick or you just want to eat eat eat everything.

    I've been on a few different kinds and it did seem like the weight was easier lost on one compared to the other, but I have to take into consideration how much weight I had to lose, how active I was, what kinds of foods I was eating, how much of it, how well hydrated I was... lots of stuff.

    Do you and your friend eat the same exact food? It is possible that you need to eat more or less to lose weight faster. It is also possible that her body is just better equip to lose weight.

    Whatever it is, 6lbs in a week is :noway: !!!!!! so keep doing what you are doing and try not to stress the speed of it
  • crimson_seven
    crimson_seven Posts: 42
    People keep saying that it does, but I honestly think it is an excuse. I don't want to play the blame-game, but I did go research what was out there and it says that it doesn't technically cause you to gain/unable to lose weight, but it CAN increase your appetite and water-retention. That being said, I don't think there is any 100% agreed-upon conclusion in the science world. I am on the Depo shot, which is one of the big "omg weight gain!" one, and I have lost 7lbs in two months, without being hungry or overworking myself.

    edit: I say "excuse" because I have met several people who say "oh why bother, birth control made me fat!". My roommate was like that. She claimed it was the depo shot that made her fat...not the pounds of cheese, fried foods, and candy that I saw her eat all the time....
  • DeadMarsha
    DeadMarsha Posts: 203
    I tried to blame my weight gain on birth control but my doctor told me that wasn't the case... I still have a hard time believing her. But it's been two years since I made a serious effort to lose weight (before my wedding) and two years can make a difference in one's metabolism I guess. =P I've also noticed it seems harder to lose than before BC.
  • mona1806
    mona1806 Posts: 3 Member
    YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i took it for 3 years .. i was eating super healthy so i couldnt really gain too much weight but as soon as i went off i immediately lost a kg in 2 weeks.. it usually takes me 2 months to lose a kg.. and it blooats you like craaazzy.. GET OFF OF IT NOW.. not worth it. HATE IT
  • adriadawn19
    adriadawn19 Posts: 174 Member
    I have heard that certain birth controls can lead to weight gain. Losing 6 pounds in 5 weeks is good, that is a little more than a pound a week.

    Everybody loses weight at different speeds. Also if you have more weight to lose it is going to come off faster than someone who has less to lose.

    Hope this helps.
  • Slimmasaurus
    Slimmasaurus Posts: 141 Member
    I spoke to my doctor about it the other day and she said there is no evidence to show that the pill causes weight gain...

    But she didn't mention anything about it inhibiting weight loss, or muscle gain.

    I suggest talking to your doctor, or maybe having a look through some science journals to see if there have been any studies done.
  • katheern
    katheern Posts: 213 Member
    People keep saying that it does, but I honestly think it is an excuse. I don't want to play the blame-game, but I did go research what was out there and it says that it doesn't technically cause you to gain/unable to lose weight, but it CAN increase your appetite and water-retention. That being said, I don't think there is any 100% agreed-upon conclusion in the science world. I am on the Depo shot, which is one of the big "omg weight gain!" one, and I have lost 7lbs in two months, without being hungry or overworking myself.

    Agreed. I am also on the depo shot (and have been the entire time) and I've lost 80lbs.
  • KenRNhol22
    KenRNhol22 Posts: 28 Member
    I think so for sure! I lost 10 pounds to start with then quit loosing anything for a month or so, I quit taking my bc for 2 months and i lost 5 more pounds after I stopped taking it , didn't change anything with my diet or exercise. Started taking it again, took a week off of working out for my honeymoon, came back after the honeymoon with gaining 10 pounds (IN ONE WEEK :( ) started my work out routine and now I'm stuck where I was before I quit taking it the first time (the last 5 pounds)
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
    I thought that the pill I was taking was perhaps making me put on weight or holding me back from losing - once I stopped I realised that wasn't a factor.

    As everyone else has said - different meds can do different things to people. Perhaps your friend had a pretty unhealthy lifestyle to begin with hence the reason she is dropping weight quickly?
  • viktoriaakills
    viktoriaakills Posts: 24
    weight gain, unfortunately, is a side affect...
  • MissShancey
    MissShancey Posts: 464
    Considering how much you would gain if you became pregnant, no lol.

    ^ this

    also i have tried every birth control there is and they ALLL gave me horrible side effects ... so now i just dont have sex... it seems to be working lol
  • Fluttershy91
    Fluttershy91 Posts: 2
    My health nurse told me that the pill can increase your appetite, which is why a lot of people gain weight, but then she said, "the only thing that will make you gain weight is what you put in that mouth of yours." :)
  • KatiD83
    KatiD83 Posts: 152 Member
    I'm on Loestrin and I'm losing weight. Only problem is the cravings on my off days from the pill. They are a pain!
  • Josie_lifting_cats
    Josie_lifting_cats Posts: 949 Member
    Based on clinical trials it's actually extremely rare for nearly all hormonal methods on the market now since the doses are so low. Read the clinical insert of your specific type for more information, but nearly all are less than 1%. The only one that is notoriously bad, even in clinical trials, is the Depo shot. Otherwise, it's probably just that you have different genetics than your friend, are eating different things, and hopefully are building muscle. I highly recommend taking measurements if you are working out and watching those more closely than the scale at first. Trust me, been there, done that.
  • Kenzietea2
    Kenzietea2 Posts: 1,132 Member
    No.
    It can hinder weight loss and make it more difficult, but not impossible. Few medications can actually make it impossible to lose weight, but they do exist.
  • Josie_lifting_cats
    Josie_lifting_cats Posts: 949 Member
    I tried to blame my weight gain on birth control but my doctor told me that wasn't the case... I still have a hard time believing her. But it's been two years since I made a serious effort to lose weight (before my wedding) and two years can make a difference in one's metabolism I guess. =P I've also noticed it seems harder to lose than before BC.

    Some day that might change. Mine told me the same years ago, and I didn't believe her. Then I started nursing school wanting to go into women's health, did some research papers on the subject, and now I know that it wasn't the birth control, it was the crap I was putting into my mouth.
  • mead
    mead Posts: 68 Member
    i was on the deptpo shot and it made me gain weight
  • angiejo666
    angiejo666 Posts: 11
    I'm on Loestrin and I'm losing weight. Only problem is the cravings on my off days from the pill. They are a pain!


    OMG....I'm on the same pill and totally agree with you! The cravings in the 4th week are crazy!!!! Nom nom nom
  • skonly
    skonly Posts: 371
    I think it depends on the person and why you are taking them. If you are on them for birth control only and not using them as hormone therapy it usually doesn't affect your weight. This is what I was told while complaining about becoming so fat while on them as therapy. I did not use estrogen though.

    The last time I was switching the dr did tell me I probably wouldn't have the increased hunger so much. She said a lot of women say they feel hungry all the time. I did on some doses.

    Don't compare yourself to other people. We are all different. Some lose easier than others. Same goes for gaining.
  • emmeylou
    emmeylou Posts: 175 Member
    I understand how frustrating it can be to be a "slow loser" but six pounds in five weeks is perfect! It is a healthy number, and chances are you have lost more fat then you realize and your muscles have bulked up (which is keeping the number from changing drastically).

    When I first starting losing and I'd see 1lbs lost, 2lbs lost... it was very discouraging. But eventually it turned into 10lbs, 15lbs, 20lbs, etc and I started to be really happy with each pound.

    My tip, is to make sure you are drinking plenty of WATER!! When I don't drink enough, I don't lose. When I stall out, if I think about my water almost every time i've been low.

    Keep going as you are! Great job!
  • MissShancey
    MissShancey Posts: 464
    My health nurse told me that the pill can increase your appetite, which is why a lot of people gain weight, but then she said, "the only thing that will make you gain weight is what you put in that mouth of yours." :)

    if you put it in your mouth then you dont need the pill at all ...
  • ChristineFredrick1
    ChristineFredrick1 Posts: 8 Member
    You don't have sex? Do you realize the workout your missing out on?:wink:
  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    6 lbs in five weeks is bad progress? Damn, I must be doing something wrong because that's how much I lost in the last five weeks :/
  • Slimmasaurus
    Slimmasaurus Posts: 141 Member
    My health nurse told me that the pill can increase your appetite, which is why a lot of people gain weight, but then she said, "the only thing that will make you gain weight is what you put in that mouth of yours." :)

    if you put it in your mouth then you dont need the pill at all ...

    Hahaha!!
  • notyouraveragetalia
    notyouraveragetalia Posts: 223 Member
    I switched from a low hormone dose BC to a higher hormone dose BC about a little over a year ago due to medical issues. I went directly online to read reviews, and almost every single one stated weight gain as a side effect. I was completely expecting to gain weight, but have not gained a single pound due to Birth Control. IMHO it's a very over stated excuse.
  • Irish_eyes75
    Irish_eyes75 Posts: 475
    I had the Mirena IUD a few years back and it made me incredibly bloated. So bloated it looked like I swallowed a basketball whole. I was taking 3 spin classes a week, kickboxing once a week and walking every day. I was also logging my food in the daily plate. So what was being put in my mouth was definitely not the cause! My doctor looked me in the face and said it couldn't possibly be from the Mirena without even taking the time to talk to me and really listen. Take my advice and research the birth control you're on. I found a forum of women who weren't crazy, weren't all fat a$$es and had the same exact experience I had. I was so upset I almost tore the IUD out myself. I printed out pages and pages of other women's experiences and brought it to my doctor then asked her for my records, and never saw her again. I was back to normal a few days after the IUD was taken out.

    So all the research, studies and papers written are all well and good but real women with real experiences are just as relevant.
    If you've ruled out everything else, you're honest with yourself about what you're eating and how much you're exercising, then re-evaluating your bc is definitely something you should do.
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