Fitness enthusiasts can be said to be in a see-saw, trying hard to strike the right balance between muscle growth and weight gain. Any course of action ranging from the food you eat, the workout regime that is followed and even the drugs you intake are all carefully selected depending upon the effect it has on your weight. A very common doubt among beginners in the fitness circle is whether steroids causes an increase in body weight. While anabolic androgenic steroids can definitely help you increase your muscle mass, you will also put on more body fat. This is because the steroid has an impact on your metabolism and affect how the body stores fat. The body will eventually deposit excess fat in the stomach area, back of the neck as well as the face.
Bulking steroids on intake leads to bigger, puffy and bloated appearance. These symptoms can be prevented by taking cutting steroids that do not make you fat. Let us understand how steroids make you gain weight while you’re taking them:
- The most prominent reason is an increased appetite. With an increased appetite, you will eat more. This means that you consuming more calories on a daily basis than what you are used to, which leads to the weight gain.
- The second reason is the common side effect of steroids that is associated with weight gain that is fluid retention, especially around the abdominal area. It occurs because the steroid is responsible for helping to regulate the balance of sodium, water and various other electrolytes in the body. This will indirectly lead to blood pressure issues.
Even though steroids users will put on more body fat, there are ways in which you can prevent gaining unnecessary weight while consuming steroids. Keeping an eye on the food you consume is the most important step in this direction. Keeping an eye on your appetite, you will want to avoid simple carbohydrates and processed sugars, which are known as empty calories. These are bad for you because they digest quicker than other calories and will cause you to feel hungrier much sooner. You will also want to try to eat smaller, more frequent meals and drink lots of H2O. Drinking water, lots of it is a practice that will never go out of fashion for fitness enthusiasts. Plan your meals according to the suggestion of a dietician or your personal trainer keeping in mind your body structure and body building objectives. In case you notice substantial weight gain, consult your trainer regarding a change in fitness regime or diet according to the expert opinion. Once you start using steroids you want to make sure that you are doing some strength training and plenty of aerobic exercises. Even if it is just for 10 minutes, try to make a full effort every single day. To reduce the amount of fluid retention that occurs in your body with the use of steroids, you can start by eating a diet that is high in potassium and low in sodium. Even though steroids can lead to weight gain once you discontinue the steroids, your body will be back to normal within roughly six to 12 months.
