Is Weight Loss Possible When You’re Medicated?

November 10, 2018 Ashley 0 Comments

“I didn’t recognize you! You’ve lost so much weight!”

This comment came from someone recently who I hadn’t seen in nine years. See, she’d known me back when I was on a non plant based diet and taking meds for back pain. The laughable part of it all, though, is that the meds tend to make you gain weight. And weight gain tends to make joint pain of any kind worse (as it weighs down on your body, compressing your vertebrae). My doc knew this, but like most medical “professionals” who stand to make more money from a product, he never told me.

So I gained a good ten pounds on that bad stuff before giving him the finger.

“What? No. You’re fine. You just need to double the dose. And pay for your pudge- pills up front”

But why? And what did I finally do about it?

Well, every medication works differently. But, for me, the cause was pretty direct. As one person who’d also been taking it so eloquently put it, “I’m ravenous 24/7… I’d eat the wallpaper if I could.” Simply put, your hunger level goes up. An insane amount. You can’t help yourself. This isn’t boredom induced psychological desire to munch something tasty. It’s just that your body’s so hungry on this stuff that you don’t even think to wonder how many calories you’ve put away. You feel like you legitimately need it. So, when I stared tracking calories eaten and burned respectively in the kitchen versus on the elliptical (a nice low impact activity for those suffering from back pain), that helped to regulate my weight a bit. It was an eye opener for sure. So those two items were the first thing that helped.

However, it didn’t help the core cause: I was still hungry AF.

Sure, I was abstaining. But it literally felt like I was starving myself. And, TBH, I never fixed this issue until after I got off the meds altogether and got on a vegan diet. However, what would have helped me heaps would have been to go plant based and balance my macros. Eating high fiber keeps you fuller longer by releasing the sugar slower and physically filling your belly more. Meanwhile, eating evened out macros ensures you don’t face-mow your way through the fridge in search for the protein, fat, or carb you’re low on. It might not stave off all those misplaced hunger cues the drugs cause. But it’ll certainly make a dent in that peckishness. Likewise, hydration is crucial. The faucet was a facet I was definitely lacking back then. The backward thing about that is that when you’re on meds you need it even more. Not only does keep you fuller and flush out the leftover junk the stuff you take everyday harbors. It also keeps you nice and hydrated so you can stay active – which, as we all know, is almost as important as diet for weight loss.

And that’s the next tip. Keep it moving.

Now, if you’re on meds, you might not be able to do high intensity interval training or lift weights. (Although, if you physically can, you should so be doing that.) But just cuz you can’t go crazy at the gym doesn’t mean you give up on physical fitness altogether. I met a lady once in the park who told me she had diabetes, but that she kept it regulated by staying active. She couldn’t run because her knees and ankles were shot. But, here she was, doing her “daily seven mile walk” so she could enjoy her “piece of chocolate later in the evening”. The upside of this is double, too: I’m never as hungry after a good workout as I was before. I always end up eating just what I need and not much more.

Then, that brisk walk should carry over to the supermarket. People always say, “don’t shop when you’re hungry.” The problem with this is that it doesn’t account for folks who are perma-peckish. That’s why I recently wrote an article about this. The takeaway was to shop like an automaton: make a list of things you need only, stick to it, and stop to ogle exactly zero of the desserts and snacks around you. If it’s not in your cart now, it won’t be in your cupboard later. (Or your plate after that. Or your scale after that.)

Then, make sure to zen. Stress causes cortisol. Cortisol causes belly fat. And belly fat is a bon-of-sitch to get rid’ve. Chances are, if you’re having to take meds in the first place, you’ve probably got some anxiety in your life. If you’re taking them due to pain, that’s a point of stress. If you’re taking them for a mental disorder, that’s a point of stress. The medical bills, appointments, or worry about remembering to take them daily (hello birth control) are also points too. Then, once they start working, you begin to gain weight and the stress doubles. Regulating these things is simple and free. Breath or mantra meditation is a great way to start off the day by self calming. A yoga and/or short cardio sesh after that also diffuses any detrimental feelings. Laughing at some dumb standup clip online is a helpful mood booster. And, of course, getting out in nature may be the most underrated way to manage anxiety.

(Soul squad optional)

Then, if this doesn’t work, nip your pill issue right at the root – not the tip where it’s woeful fruit blooms.

And what am I suggesting, exactly? That you quit the pills? Maybe. Once you make these changes and go plant based (versus waiting so long like I did), you may notice inflammation induced pain goes away, you lose more weight than you bargained for, or your mood improves -totally eradicating your needs for meds. But, if your script is something you need for whatever other reason, there’s another super obvious thing you can do: call up your doc and ask him for a swap. Tell him the stuff you’re on is causing your pants to pop at their seams and see if there’s a comparable med that won’t murder your scale. Any doc worth his weight will help you lose yours. That said, I put this last on the list intentionally because I guarantee he’ll tell you to do everything I just mentioned and send you out the door, forty dollars poorer than when you walked in. I’m just saving you the trouble. If you can tell him, “I’m doing all this lifestyle change BS and I’m still fat and ravenous”, then making the switch to a different med will seem more logical.

So, if pills are pillaging your weight loss efforts, give these tips a try.

And, as ever, consult with a (trusted) physician before making any crazy dietary changes.