When you are using steroids for the first time, one of your questions would be, if the steroids will make you gain weight. YES. But to learn why this happens would help us understand why this happens when you just want to bulk up or cut some fat. Isn’t it what a steroid should do?
Bodybuilders, weightlifters, celebrities, athletes, and even regular people are taking steroids for different reasons. Some are for performance enhancement, for muscle mass, for medical reasons, and so much more. But you must remember that even though steroids can do so much in so many ways especially in just a short period of time, there are side effects that you should watch out for.
Steroids and Weight Gains
Steroids have a great impact on your metabolism. This can also affect the way your body stores fat. Your body will usually deposit your excess fat is usually areas like the stomach, back, neck and face. Sad, but true. This is how our body works and whether we like it or not, steroids will make you heavier. The body naturally produces two kinds of steroids.
- Cortisol and Corticosteroids. The cortisol which has a great part in how the body reacts to stress, decrease pain and inflammation. The corticosteroid regulates the sodium concentration and affects the immune system.
- Anabolic and Androgenic steroids. These are the hormones that will regulate the testosterone production in the ovaries and testicles. They also promote cell growth as well as the development of muscles.
How Do Steroids work?
A bodybuilder who’s taking steroids for bulking will look bigger, puffier and bloated. They remedy this by taking cutting steroids to lose the extra fat. But how the steroid works should be understood first before trying to prevent the side effects.
- Your metabolism will change when you are taking steroids. So is your appetite. You will have the urge to eat more and will increase your calories on a daily basis. More than your normal calorie intake which will then lead to weight gain?
- Steroids can cause fluid retention especially around the abdomen area, which will result in weight gains. This will happen because the body will try to regulate and balance the sodium, water, and other electrolytes.
How to Prevent Weight Gain on Steroids
Since it is proven that steroids do make you weight gain, there’s no other way than to combat this side effect. Here are some of the suggestions to help you prevent weight gain while on steroids.
- Keep a journal of what you eat. Take note of the consumed calories to keep a close eye on what you’re consuming.
- Avoid empty calories like simple carbohydrates and processed sugars.
- Eat small frequent meals.
- Drink lots of water.
- Plan your meals ahead.
Don’t let weight gain ruin your goals. You can avoid steroids to gain body weight, but you have to work double time to make it work. And you must remember that once you stopped using steroids, your body will go back to its normal state in about 6 to 12 months. So in the meantime, eat healthier, exercise, and watch your calories.
