You may know from my previous blog post on cardio that low to moderate-intensity cardio is a fat-burning activity, whereas HIIT and weights typically are not.

HIIT and weights are anaerobic activity, which means your body uses glycogen (carbs) as the main fuel source, not fat.

Cardio is an aerobic activity, which means your body uses glycogen (carbs) and fat as the main fuel source. When you do cardio your body gets into the fat-burning zone.

Note that HIIT and weights typically do not burn fat.

CARDIO (longer duration steady state exercise) –> AEROBIC–> BURNS FAT

HIIT (short bursts of high-intensity exercise) –> ANAEROBIC–> BURNS GLYCOGEN

SO WHY DO WE STILL NEED TO DO HIIT THEN?

HIIT is great because it increases your general cardiovascular fitness and your anaerobic threshold. This means that during exercise your body will remain in the aerobic (fat-burning) zone for longer, before switching to the anaerobic pathway.

The result? You can exercise for longer and at a higher intensity and still burn fat.

HOW TO DO HIIT EFFECTIVELY FOR FAT BURNING

The best fat-burning HIIT workout exercise is interval running. It is similar to sprinting but they are not quite the same. Let me explain :)

SPRINTING

If you are sprinting for 15-30 seconds at your absolute fastest speed, with a 30-second rest, your body is using the anaerobic pathway and is predominantly glycogen. 

Sprinting is a great workout. It engages your muscles more and focuses on muscular power. So you’re likely to build more muscles with sprinting than with just steady-state running.

If you don’t mind a more muscular look, then this is probably a great style of workout for you. But if you prefer a more lean and slim look, it might be best to avoid this type of training and focus on interval running instead.

INTERVAL RUNNING

If you are running at a fast but not maximum speed for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, your body will most likely remain in the aerobic zone for the majority of the time. This means you’ll continue to burn fat.

The fitter you are, the longer your body will remain in the aerobic (fat burning) zone before switching to anaerobic.

The result? You’ll burn more fat!

HOW TO GET LEAN LEGS BY USING HIIT – FAT BURNING HIIT

Interval running is the best type of HIIT for fat-burning and achieving a skinny legs for me :) I started to use this technique a couple of years ago when I was training for a triathlon.

I used fast-paced interval runs (not a full-on sprint) to help me develop my cardio fitness faster. And it definitely helped with my cardio fitness, as I expected. But I also noticed something else.

You see, I’m a mesomorph body type and I can build muscle fairly quickly, especially on my legs. And interval running actually helped me lean out my legs. You can read my blog where I talked about how Cardio can help in getting those skinny legs :)

SHOULD I TRY INTERVAL RUNNING?

If your goal is to get slim and lean legs without bulkiness and you want to achieve it a bit faster, interval running could work very well for you. 

This type of workout will help you burn a LOT of calories and is great if you want to challenge yourself.

But there are some things you should take into consideration:

YOUR BODY TYPE

Interval running may not be the best choice for endomorphs. It may cause their legs to bulk up.

If you are not sure about your body type, I have a special body type quiz you can take. It will help you learn your body type in just two minutes, it’s completely free and you will get tips on how to train and eat specifically for your body type :)

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YOUR FITNESS LEVEL

If you are already in pretty good shape and you would like to do it, I would do this once per week at a maximum.

I also need to warn you that it is really difficult. If you are not already fit, I would not recommend it.

But if you are sure you want to try interval running as your fat-burning HIIT routine, don’t do a proper sprint. It’s supposed to be more of a fast-paced interval run. 

This shouldn’t cause bulkiness like short and intense sprints usually do.

Also, make sure you do it on a flat surface. Hill runs are great but you will build more muscle that way.

HOW TO COMPLETE THE INTERVAL RUNNING CIRCUIT

• 5-minute warm-up walk at 6-7km/hr
• 400m run at around 14km/hr (takes about 1 min 50 secs)
• 60-second walk at 6km/hr
• Repeat as many times as you can. If you’re a beginner, aim for 3-5 rounds. If you’re advanced, aim for 8-10 rounds.
• 15 minute cool down walk at 6-7km/hr

NOTE: You do not have to do your 400m run at 14km/hr. However, it must be at a pace that is fast and quite difficult for you to maintain for 2 minutes. After the 2 minutes, you should be in desperate need of a rest. Choose a pace that suits you best. :)

HOW TO DO FAT BURNING HIIT IF YOU DON’T WANT/CAN’T RUN

You can apply this same principle to other forms of gym equipment such as the bike or cross trainer/elliptical even though I have to say that those are not as great as interval running.

But if you can’t run for some reason, here are your alternatives.

INTERVAL TRAINING ON A BIKE OR CROSS TRAINER/ELLIPTICAL

Cycling can cause bulkiness, especially if you are an endomorph body type. And even if you are a mesomorph I would still do it probably once per week.

As for the cross trainer/elliptical, I don’t think that it will really cause bulkiness.

This machine engages your quads so you can gain more leg muscle than you would like. But it’s not the style of workout that will necessarily cause your legs to really bulk up.

If you can’t do interval running for some reason, the cross trainer is the next best thing.

HOW TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT 

• Exercise at a medium to high intensity for 90 seconds to 2 minutes.
• Have a rest or reduce the intensity for 60 seconds. I recommend a 60-second break, but if you need 90 seconds, that’s OK. 
• Repeat as many times as you can.
• This does not need to be done at the gym either. You could cycle outside rather than on the treadmill or bike.

CONCLUSION

Getting lean or skinny and toned legs with HIIT is not only super effective but also adaptable to different fitness levels and preferences. By focusing on interval running instead of full-on sprints, you can stay in the fat-burning zone longer, making it a fantastic method for slimming down without bulking up. HIIT can be challenging, but the rewards for your cardiovascular fitness and fat loss are absolutely worth it!

LEAN LEGS PROGRAM 1

If you would like a more specific workout program to target fat loss on your legs and to build lean muscle without getting bulky, check out my Lean Legs Program 1. 

My program contains an 8-week workout plan. But if you grab the Next Level You Package, you’ll also get a nutrition plan for each of the three body types.

Love Rachael xx

P.S. Read this blog post for a body-weight HIIT circuit that won’t bulk up your legs.

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The answer isn’t terribly simple. Why? Because there’s more than one type of fat. The most problematic type of fat is called visceral fat.

Before you can start making improvements, you need to understand what this fat is. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

Different types of fat

If you’re trying to lose weight, it might seem like all fat is the same. However, it’s very important where fat is located.

There are two main types of fat that can be found in different areas of the body:

• subcutaneous fat
• visceral fat

Subcutaneous fat

Subcutaneous fat is the type of fat that’s located right under the skin and on top of our abdominal muscles. This is the fat that we can grip with our hand.

It’s what most people think of when they’re trying to lose weight.

The fat we notice on our arms and legs is also subcutaneous fat. Everyone has it and it has several uses:

• It’s your body’s way to store energy
• It pads your muscles and organs and protects them from impact
• It helps regulate body temperature
• It connects the skin to the muscle and tissue

The amount of subcutaneous fat depends on various influences, such as diet, exercise, and even genetics.

Chances are, we are usually worried about subcutaneous fat rather than visceral fat. Getting rid of subcutaneous fat can be difficult, but with a good diet and effective workout routine, and hard work, it can definitely be reduced.

Visceral Fat

Unlike the subcutaneous belly fat that sits on top of our abdominal muscles, visceral fat is the type of belly fat that’s located on the other side of our abdominal muscles and collects around our abdominal organs.

It is is the smallest contributor to overall body weight. We can have a flat tummy and still have visceral fat.

Visceral fat, like subcutaneous fat, is a way for our bodies to store energy and effectively pad or protect our organs when we’re being active. That said, too much of it can be problematic.

Too much visceral fat is more risky for health than subcutaneous fat.

Who Has Visceral Fat?

Everyone has at least some amount of visceral fat. As I said before, it’s natural and our bodies are designed to deposit certain amounts of fat cells around sensitive organs.

Even though women most often tend to store fat in our lower bodies, we are still more prone to have visceral fat than men.

So, what influences the visceral fat levels in our bodies? Well, it’s largely the result of the types of activities we participate in.

For example, if we tend to live a sedentary lifestyle, don’t get enough exercise regularly, or eat more calories than we tend to burn each day, we likely have higher amounts of visceral fat beneath our abdominal walls.

However, if we live an active lifestyle, eat right, and stay fit, we’ll typically have a lower amount of visceral fat.

RELATED POST: How to Calculate Your Daily Calorie Intake

Is Visceral Fat Bad for Your Health?

Apart from storing excess energy, fat cells also produce hormones and inflammatory substances.

Visceral fat also produces more protein which can cause inflammation and negatively affect your health.

High percentages of visceral fat can contribute to the development of:

• Heart problems
• Raised blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• A stroke
• Breast and colorectal cancer
• Dementia 
• Asthma 

How to Measure Visceral Fat?

Before we can start looking for ways to ditch that visceral fat for good, we need to know if you have too much building up in our body. It’s possible to measure the estimated visceral fat percentage, just as we can measure our estimated body fat percentage.

The best way to measure the amount of visceral fat is to go to the doctor. A doctor can give us a CT scan or an MRI. This can show us exactly how much fat is collecting in the body and can give us a definitive idea of how healthy we are and whether we need to be proactive about decreasing our visceral fat levels.

That being said, those scans are very expensive. There are ways we can try and check on our own, even though these cannot be said to be absolutely reliable.

Think about waist size. There are studies to suggest that women with a waist measurement of 35 inches (89cm) or more have higher amounts of visceral fat than those with smaller waistlines.

By knowing our body mass index (BMI) measurement or body fat percentage, we can also estimate our visceral fat levels. On average, visceral fat makes up about 10 percent of our body’s total fat content. The higher the body fat percentage is, the more visceral fat we are likely to have.

Keep in mind that this is just a guide. We can’t really know exactly how much visceral fat we have without going to the doctor. That said, it should still give us an idea of whether or not we need to be more proactive about fat loss.

How to Lose Visceral Fat

The best thing we can do, if we are worried about too much fat collecting around our middle, is to be proactive and start taking steps to decrease the amount of body fat we have.

I’ll be honest. It’s not the easiest thing in the world, but it’s definitely worth the effort. All it takes is commitment to the process.

Here are a few simple things we can do to further decrease visceral fat buildup and achieve that lean and toned body.

1. Exercise the Right Way

The best way to get our waistline to slim down and lower our body fat levels is to exercise. And I’m not just talking about dancing in the living room when no one is home (which is totally fun and something I think everyone should do to de-stress). We need to kick things up a notch.

We need to get some serious cardio work going. Download that book you’ve been meaning to get to or make a playlist of your favourite songs and go for a 60 minute power walk every day!

Or try a HIIT routine to get your heart pumping quickly. If you feel up for it, you can go for a quick jog around the block too!

The point is to get your heart pumping. If you can walk fast enough to at least get slightly out of breath, you’re getting some serious cardio in.

If you’re looking for a well-structured workout routine, then try one of our Programs. They are all tailored to get you the best results possible without growing your muscles too much (if you are going for a more lean and toned look).

2. Eat the Right Way

Exercise is an important component of any weight loss routine, but it’s not the only factor to consider. What we eat is just as important when it comes to supporting healthy weight loss. 

While there are more studies highlighting the effects of exercise on reducing visceral fat diet still plays an important role. Balanced nutrition can make a big difference in managing visceral fat levels, especially when combined with regular physical activity.

The best thing to do is to cut out all processed foods from the diet. That means ditching junk food and sugar.

We need to start eating a diet rich in lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. If you drink regularly, try to cut back. Remember, the calories in alcohol are mainly empty calories, which means they have no nutritional value.

RELATED POST: Healthy Foods That I Eat Every Day

CALCULATE NOW

3. Get Enough Sleep Each Night

Did you know that sleep can have a major impact on our body’s ability to maintain a healthy weight? It’s important to start prioritizing your sleep schedule.

If you can, get at least eight hours each night. This will help your body recover and give it the rest it needs to better burn calories and shed unwanted fat. If you’re struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep through the night, find ways to foster relaxation.

Do a yoga routine before bed. Have a cup of herbal tea and listen to relaxing music. Whatever can put you in a more relaxed state will help you get better sleep.

Final Thoughts

Visceral fat is the most potentially problematic type of fat we can have in our bodies. Small amounts are fine, but letting it build up puts our health and wellbeing at risk.

Start getting active as soon as you can, and you’ll start to see a serious improvement in your health and a decrease in your waistline.

If you have any questions, make sure to ask me in the comments!

Love Rachael xx

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I believe that getting your body in the fat burning zone is a great way to burn more fat.

In this blog post, I’ll explain what the fat burning zone is, how it works and the best way to exercise to lose fat fast.

DOES THE FAT BURNING ZONE REALLY WORK? THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE FAT BURNING ZONE THEORY

When you work out, most people think that you need to give the workout all the energy you have and to work out as hard as you can. After all, this is what makes you burn the most calories!

However, the fat burning zone theory says that you shouldn’t push your body all the way to 100. Instead, you’ll burn the most fat when you working at 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate.

Basically, what this means, is that fat burning occurs when you limit the intensity of your workouts to a specific heart rate zone.

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HOW YOUR BODY BURNS FAT AND CARBS

In order to understand how the fat burning zone works, we need to understand how the body burns fat.

Our bodies are constantly turning carbohydrates and fat into energy that we can use. This energy is called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. 

The ratio that your body uses carbs versus fat is going to depend on several things, including your activity level.

In general, though, our bodies are going to do what’s most efficient. In most situations, they are using a combination of fat and carbohydrates stored in our body to make energy and help us function.

WHY DOES MY BODY USE FAT DURING LOW-INTENSITY WORKOUTS?

Your body needs oxygen to convert fat into ATP. When you’re doing low to moderate-intensity exercise, you’re able to breathe easier and your body gets more oxygen than when you’re pushing hard in a HIIT or other intense workout.

The most efficient thing your body can do during lower and moderate forms of exercise is to turn to your stored fat into energy.

So according to the fat burning theory, you should do long low-intensity exercises in order to use up fat storage and to burn enough calories in order to see weight loss.

WHEN YOUR BODY USES CARBS FOR ENERGY

When you start to push your body into really hard workouts, your body needs to be able to find energy quickly. But when you’re working out hard and you’re struggling to breathe, your body doesn’t have enough oxygen to burn fat.

So instead, it turns to glycogen (or your body’s stored carbs) in order to get energy fast.

When you do a high-intensity workout, your body burns through your glycogen stores and may eventually turn back to fat burning depending on the length of the workout, and your body’s amount of stored carbs.

But if you eat before doing a high-intensity workout (and especially if your diet is high in carbs), your body will most probably burn way more carbs than fat.

WHAT ARE THE HEART RATE TRAINING ZONES?

There’s a direct connection between your heart rate and the intensity of your training. The harder you train, the faster your heart rate gets.

Depending on how hard you train, your heart rate can be in 5 different training zones.

For example, if you’re power walking for an hour, your heart is not going to pump as hard as it does when you’re doing something more intense like sprinting.

Knowing which zone you’re in will help you understand how your body is making energy and whether you’re burning mainly fat or carbs.

If you want to keep track of heart rate training zones, you need to know your maximum heart rate (more details below) and what each zone means.

Here are the 5 heart rate training zones and each of them can be estimated based on your heart rate!

1. HEART RATE ZONE 1 – WARM-UP ZONE

In this zone, you’re working out at <60 percent of your maximum heart rate.

Your heart rate is in this zone when you’re just moving around without doing anything remotely challenging.

It’s like when you’re rewatching Friends and going to the fridge to grab a piece of cake. ;)

2. HEART RATE ZONE 2 (FAT BURNING ZONE)

Just above the warm-up zone is your fat-burning zone. In this zone, you’re working out at about 60-70 percent of your maximum heart rate.

This level is all about endurance. Your body will be able to use oxygen to convert fat to energy, and you’ll find that you’ll be able to exercise for a while in this zone.

You’ve totally got this!

You’ll most likely be in this zone during low-intensity cardio like going to long power walks.

I have a really detailed blog post on how to use low-intensity cardio to burn more fat and get lean so make sure to give it a read. :)

3. HEART RATE ZONE 3 (CARDIO ZONE)

We’re picking up the pace here!

In this zone, you’re working out at about 70-80 percent of your maximum heart rate.

You should be able to talk and be relatively comfortable. However, you might find yourself sweating and breathing harder during this stage.

So it’s challenging but still doable!

In this zone, you’ve also reached what’s called the cardio zone. You start to burn a lot of calories relatively quickly in this zone.

The calories you burn here split evenly between your fat stores and glycogen (carbs). However, the fitter you are, the more your body will be able to rely on fat for energy, and not carbs (this is known as the anaerobic threshold).

Although you may not burn more fat than carbs, you will still burn lots of calories overall. 

You’ll most likely get to the cardio zone when you’re jogging, swimming or cycling.

4. HEART RATE ZONE 4 (HIGH-INTENSITY ZONE)

Now we’re getting serious!

You’re working out at about 80 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate.

You’re struggling to breathe and may find that it is becoming difficult to hold a conversation.

Over time, working out in this zone should help you to push harder or go faster.

Here you’re definitely burning tons of calories and more carbs than fat.

Resistance training is considered to be a high-intensity activity. Also, resistance training raises your metabolism which means you’ll burn more calories while resting.

So, even though it may not help you burn more fat, it will definitely help with weight loss and increasing your fitness.

5. INTENSE HEART RATE ZONE (MAXIMUM-INTENSITY ZONE)

This zone feels like when your PT tells you to push through the last 30 seconds of your 3 rounds of HIIT!

In this zone, you’re working out at about 90 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate.

You’ll probably only be able to stand this zone for a few minutes. Your body’s respiratory and blood system will be working as hard as possible, and you’ll be panting and unable to talk.

Doing interval training in this zone (such as during a HIIT workout or sprinting) will make it easier for your body to burn both carbs and fat. You’ll also continue to burn calories after the workout is over, and your metabolism will temporarily increase.

If you’re new to exercising or haven’t done much high-intensity workouts, you might find that you can’t handle this intensity at all. So it’s important to listen to your body and take it easy.

HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR FAT BURNING ZONE

First, you’ll need to know your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate = 220 minus your age. So for example, if you are 25 years old, your maximum heart rate is 220 – 25 = 195 beats per minute (bpm).

To calculate your fat burning zone of 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate, follow these equations:

• Maximum heart rate x 0.6 (60%)
• Maximum heart rate x 0.7 (70%)

AN EXAMPLE

Here’s what this would be for a 25-year-old.

• Maximum heart rate = 220 – 25 = 195 beats per minute (bpm)
• 60% of your maximum heart rate is 195 x 0.6 = 117 bpm
• 70% of your maximum heart rate is 195 x 0.7 = 136.5 pm

So for a 25 year old person, the fat burning zone is when your heart rate is between 117 – 137 bpm.

If this is too technical for you, I recommend you try to just notice your body’s signs. In the fat burning zone, you should be able to talk and continue at the pace you’re going for at least an hour.

When I go for walks, I try to be in the fat burning zone as I’ve found this really helps to keep my legs slim.

I aim to walk at a medium-fast pace, and my heart rate is in the right zone. I don’t need to go full speed and feel really puffed out. 

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WHY YOU SHOULDN’T JUST STICK TO LOW-CARDIO WORKOUTS

Different types of workouts give your body different benefits. To help you see how they can do this, let’s imagine a few scenarios:

INTENSE WORKOUTS

Let’s imagine that after work, you decide to power through an intense HIIT workout or some resistance training.

This workout is intense, so your body needs a quick form of energy. Your body is struggling to use fat as an energy source because you’re breathing hard and aren’t getting enough oxygen to convert fat to energy.

But since you have eaten throughout the day, the carbs stored in your muscles are readily available, and your body doesn’t need oxygen to turn them into energy. You may eventually burn fat too, but the percentage of carbs burned will be higher than the percentage of fat.

This intense workout burns a ton of calories which is great for weight loss, helps boost your metabolism, and helps build some muscle that’s great for toning up.

LESS INTENSE WORKOUT

Now, let’s say it’s morning and you haven’t eaten yet. Your body is low on carbs and you decide to go for a power walk to start your day. This is called fasted cardio and it’s great for fat loss.

Your body isn’t being pushed too hard, so you’re getting plenty of oxygen. This, along with not having too many carbs in your body, means that your body starts to use fat for energy.

Fat is more abundant and is a great source of slow-burning energy which makes it perfect for the times like these.

Going for power walks and doing other low-intensity workouts is great for getting slim legs, it prevents burn out, and helps you recover from more intense workouts. :)

ACHIEVING THE BEST RESULTS!

Sticking to one form of exercise will prevent you from seeing the good results that the other forms can bring.

I believe the fat burning theory is based on scientific facts, but I still encourage you to do more than just low-intensity cardio. The best way to lose weight is to combine low and high-intensity cardio with resistance training. :)

This is why I designed my own workout program that combines fat burning exercises and resistance training. It’s designed to help you get lean and toned in just 8 weeks.

Here are some of the lovely girls who did my Lean Legs Program! :)

Love Rachael xx

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A lot of the time, I feel like women are given the contraceptive pill by their doctors without really understanding the risks. I know I did!  

Hormonal birth control methods include more than just the pill. Injections, patches, implants, and vaginal rings are all options for administration. Although they vary slightly, we’ll consider them together for this general discussion about the impact on the body.  

In this blog post, I want to cover weight loss and the birth control pill. Plus other effects so that you can be more well informed. 

HOW DOES HORMONAL BIRTH CONTROL PILL WORK

Birth control pills work by synthetically altering the hormones in your body. Most modern-day birth control pills contain both estrogen and progestin (synthetic progesterone which mimics actual progesterone).   

These hormones prevent the release of an egg from the ovaries. Simultaneously, the lining of the uterus is thinned to discourage implantation if an egg is fertilised.  

When taken properly, hormonal contraceptives can prevent pregnancy, regulate cycles, and lighten heavy or painful periods. But just like most medications, hormonal birth control also has a long list of negative side effects.  

Let’s cover some of these side effects.  

WEIGHT GAIN

The birth control pill can in fact affect your weight. A lot of my girlfriends have stopped taking the pill because it caused them to gain weight. And a lot of people I know actually lose weight as soon as they stop taking the pill! 

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FLUID RETENTION

Sometimes the weight gain is just due to fluid retention (water weight). You might be able to overcome this by drinking lots of water or just letting your body adjust to the changes, but other times you can’t.   

FAT DISTRIBUTION

The pill can also change the way fat is distributed around your body. Curves and softness are the name of the game for female hormones (especially estrogen!). This could mean an increase in padding around the hips and thighs.  

DEPLETION OF IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS

This may not sound important at first. But nutrients actually makes a HUGE difference to your weight.  

It is widely known that the contraceptive pill reduces your zinc levels. Zinc is super important for your adrenals and thyroid. Without it, they can’t function properly and this has a major effect on all of your hormones. Without your adrenals and thyroid functioning properly, you will gain weight. 

 The pill also reduces your magnesium levels. This is another nutrient that is important for your adrenals and thyroid (and hormone levels), but is also important for your blood sugar, insulin and metabolism.  

The pill also reduces your selenium levels. Selenium is also important for your adrenals, thyroid and liver. It is used in every single cell of your thyroid! And a low functioning thyroid will 100% affect your weight.  

Some of the other nutrients depleted by the birth control pill include Vitamins E, C, B6, B12, B9 and B2.  

If you are taking the contraceptive pill, I would highly recommend getting these levels tested. If you are low in any of them, taking a good quality supplement might help (of course with the recommendation of your doctor or naturopath).  

HOW A HORMONAL IMBALANCE CAN CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN

INCREASED APPETITE

Some women also find their appetites increase when taking birth control —a side effect of the hormones and nutrient deficiencies. Increased appetite, of course, can result in weight gain. If you do decide to take hormonal birth control, you may need to counteract increased hunger by more carefully counting your caloric intake.  

I have a free 7 day meal plan that can help :) You can download it below!

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BREAST SIZE

Women who take the pill may also notice an increase in breast size. This might seem like a benefit to some women, but it can also mean increased weight. Plus, breasts will likely shrink again when the pill is stopped—possibly leaving them a bit droopy.  

OTHER SIDE EFFECTS

MOOD CHANGES AND DEPRESSSION

Taking synthetic hormones for pregnancy prevention may help with PMS. But it can also wreak havoc with emotions. The pill can cause sadness and kill your mood. In fact, pill users are estimated to have double the risk of depression. And what do many women do when we’re depressed or emotional? We eat! 

 Some other side effects include 

• Anxiety 

• Headaches 

• Low libido 

• Reduced bone density 

• Increased blood clots 

• A higher risk of breast cancer 

• Decreased memory and ability to concentrate 

• Difficulty getting pregnant after use (due to your body needing to start producing its own hormones again – this can take anywhere from 1 month to several years) 

WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?

If you choose to take a hormone based birth control, that is up to you. You need to make your own decision. But I would highly recommend educating yourself about what is going on in your body. A lot of these issues aren’t discussed with us by our doctor’s. I wish I had done my own research prior to taking the pill. 

 There are other plant based or bio-identical hormones that could have fewer side effects. Do your research and be an informed patient about other non-invasive, non-hormonal forms of pregnancy prevention that are available. Take your time and find the healthiest option that suits you.  

 In any case, please talk to your doctor before starting or stopping the pill. And it could be a good idea to have your health checked by your doctor or a naturopath.  

I hope you found this blog post on weight loss and the birth control pill helpful! xx 

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