Female Fat Loss Workouts & Birth Control Pills

I found this article today on my mentor's, Craig Ballantyne, blog; Turbulence Training


Yesterday, at the http://www.globeandmail.com/ website, there was an interview with Leslie Beck, a nutritionist, and one of the readers asked about female fat loss and birth control pills. How should a woman eat and workout for fat loss while using birth control?

Here's Leslie's answer...I believe Leslie is an RD.

Female fat loss workout question: I've been on different types of birth control pills for about four years now. I have gained weight being on them (about 15-20 pounds) and feel like I am constantly on a diet. Although I really watch what I eat (and try to exercise regularly), I feel like I can't cut back much more if I am to maintain a healthy diet. Yet I can't seem to lose weight.

Does the birth control pill make weight loss difficult? If so, do you have any tips to lose weight without going off of it?

Leslie Beck:
Many women believe that a common side effect of oral contraceptive pills is weight gain.

However, the association between birth control pills and weight gain has not been scientifically established. In fact, studies suggest that women who stop using oral contraceptives may be more likely to gain weight than those who continue to use them.

In 2004, scientists evaluated 42 randomized controlled trials investigating birth control pill use and weight change and found no evidence to support significant weight gain. The authors did note, however, that this topic has not been studied extensively and that their conclusions are largely based on studies conducted 30 years ago, when high-dose estrogen was used.

Weight gain with modern low-dose products is unlikely. That said, I have had a few clients report weight gain (3 to 5 pounds) when starting oral contraceptives. But it has still been possible for them to lose weight once they change their eating and exercise habits.

If you feel the pill you are taking has contributed to your weight gain, speak to your doctor about trying another pill.

In the meantime, I suggest you keep a detailed food diary for two weeks to help you assess your eating habits. Write down what time you eat, the foods you eat, and your portion sizes. If you are not sure how much food you are eating, measure it. A food diary provides a huge amount of self awareness and may uncover reasons for your weight gain such as portion control or mindless nibbling.

It is also possible that you have cut back too much and as a result, you are not feeding your body enough calories. When this happens, the body's metabolism becomes very efficient and burns fewer calories to perform its tasks. In other words, it conserves calories. I have seen this in a number of clients over the years, women who consume less than 1000 calories per day and who also over-exercise.

The trick is to gradually add calories back in 100-calorie increments each week to help restore your metabolism. (A healthy calorie target for women to lose weight is 1200 to 1500 calories per day, depending on your level of activity.)

Without meeting you and being able to conduct a thorough nutrition and diet assessment, it is impossible to know what changes you need to make to your diet. I do advise you eat 3 meals per day and one snack to help keep your metabolism efficient.

And I strongly recommend at least four 30-minute (or longer) cardio workouts each week.

Joining a gym is not necessary; most women lose weight by brisk walking. Consider consulting a registered dietitian in your community to help you fine-tune your diet to promote weight loss (www.dietitians.ca).

***Thanks to Leslie and the Globe and Mail for this.

But may I give a big "booo" and an "I doubt it" to her comments regarding brisk walking for fat loss.

If you and I both really believed that brisk walking was all that women needed to do to lose weight, well then, there'd be no need for Turbulence Training would there? And the world wouldn't be full of overweight women on elliptical machines.

Don't believe me? Well, read this link...maybe you'll believe Stephen Holt and the researchers from the University of Alberta...

Walking isn't enough to do the job...

Good info on nutrition, but a little "dreamy" on the exercise suggestion,

fat loss, workout, nutrition, birth control pill, lose weight