Bodybuilding and Birth Control????

[Run2bFit]

Hi all. I am new to the forum,

31, 5'2"; 123lbs and 23%BF

Goal is to drop that 23% to 18%

Wondering if I should go on Birth Control so that I won't get prego (I'm married and we don't want to try till next year) and I couldn't get the hubby to use condoms to save my life!

How or has birth control affected your body building? I used to take depo (loved it for no periods but made me unemotional) or seasonale (love it for only 3 periods a year)

thanks for any feedback!

[rlmadrid]

Hi all. I am new to the forum,

31, 5'2"; 123lbs and 23%BF

Goal is to drop that 23% to 18%

Wondering if I should go on Birth Control so that I won't get prego (I'm married and we don't want to try till next year) and I couldn't get the hubby to use condoms to save my life!

How or has birth control affected your body building? I used to take depo (loved it for no periods but made me unemotional) or seasonale (love it for only 3 periods a year)

thanks for any feedback!

Hi and welcome! I'm pretty new too but I'll try to help from experience. When I was on a BCP with monthly cycle I had a lot of trouble losing weight. Everyone is different in how they tolerate hormones, but for me it did more bad than good (the weight issue was only part of it). If you have always tolerated it well, with few side effects, it shouldn't be as much of an issue.

I was also reading an article on the APS website: www .the-aps.org /press /releases /09 /16 .htm
It describes the conflict between synthetic female hormones and testosterone receptors. The fact that it could affect both gains and fat loss doesn't make it seem worth it to me. Tell that boy to glove it! It's far safer than adjusting your body's natural hormone levels, but that just my opinion.

[Run2bFit]

RLMADRID:

I totally agree!!! Thanks for the reply, I'll check out that article today.

Hi and welcome! I'm pretty new too but I'll try to help from experience. When I was on a BCP with monthly cycle I had a lot of trouble losing weight. Everyone is different in how they tolerate hormones, but for me it did more bad than good (the weight issue was only part of it). If you have always tolerated it well, with few side effects, it shouldn't be as much of an issue.

I was also reading an article on the APS website: www .the-aps.org /press /releases /09 /16 .htm
It describes the conflict between synthetic female hormones and testosterone receptors. The fact that it could affect both gains and fat loss doesn't make it seem worth it to me. Tell that boy to glove it! It's far safer than adjusting your body's natural hormone levels, but that just my opinion.

[canjad80]

Personally, I don't trust anyone else to determine whether or not I get pregnant. My body, my responsibility. But that's just me.

Different people react differently to the pill when it comes to lifting/weight loss. You won't know until you try it out. The question you need to ask yourself is this. Which will be more detrimental to your goals: possible slower progress or getting pregnant?

[rlmadrid]

I definitely agree with canjad80. It's more of a hinderance to be pregnant than to deal with the hormones. whether you take bcp or not, it's good advice! Keep control, no contraception = no fun

[patterson678]

I'm on an oral contraceptive for birth control as well to treat PMDD. I can say it hasn't hindered weight loss but it does hurt muscle growth. I noticed it when I was off of it for about 9 months. It was a lot easier for me to put on muscle. Then I found a study that oral contraceptives do hurt muscle growth. Of course with less muscle it could be harder to to lose body fat.

I would steer clear of the depo shot. Almost everyone I know that has been on it gained weight like crazy

[DaniGrrl]

I've been on the pill since my daughter was born and she is four and a half. I need to be on it for medical reasons as I was on many fertility drugs to conceive twice so my ovaries need to not be operating. I have not noticed any hindrance to building muscle or any added bloat or weight. Really I am in the best shape I've ever been in. That being said, I dont know how much more muscle I might have or how much leaner I might be if I weren't on them. But I dont really have a choice. In addition, another child isn't something we want and I dont expect or want my husband to use condoms and I like knowing when my period is coming and it is lighter and shorter when I'm on the pill

Obviously from the other responses, it affects everyone differently so you have to make the decision for yourself. As someone else said, a pregnancy would get more in the way of your goals. So if condoms aren't desirable, it might be your best bet unless you maybe want to try a diaphragm. Something to think about - no hormones.