By Judy Davie
**”Since I started taking the pill I’ve gained quite a bit of weight. What can I do to keep it under control?”
— Diana**
A number of contraceptive pills do affect weight gain, either by slowing the metabolism or increasing the appetite. It’s not dissimilar to menopause where hormonal changes — through a decrease in oestrogen — slow the metabolism. To maintain weight, menopausal woman have to increase exercise and reduce energy consumption from food.
If your diet hasn’t changed at all since taking the pill and most importantly, you feel okay on it, you may have to increase your level of physical activity each day with some added cardiovascular exercise. If you’re happy staying on this particular pill, I would start by exercising more, cutting down on (or cutting out) occasional foods, such as the three ‘Ch’s — chocolate, chips, and cheese — and eating healthily.
If your weight continues to increase, you could try speaking to your doctor and requesting a change of prescription.
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