An extremely potent class of medications are steroids. They may assist individuals to get rid of the signs of hormonal shortages and they can also make fantastic benefits for the human body. There are many different types of steroids, but the ones we’ll be discussing today are the ones that people use for exercise.
Anabolic steroids are the more common name for workout steroids. The majority of these steroids are androgenic, which means they alter the ratio of testosterone in your body. Steroids can have such profound effects because testosterone has such a large function in the human body.
It’s crucial to remember, though, that if you’re healthy, your body already controls how much testosterone is produced. It is against the natural order of your body to disturb this equilibrium. Some people can take steroids responsibly without experiencing any negative side effects since this is not necessarily a bad thing.
But using steroids excessively or otherwise than how your doctor instructs you might have disastrous results. These negative impacts may consist of:
increased anger or irritability, mood swings, an expanded forehead, diminishing testicles, balding, the development of breasts, and a higher risk of having heart issues… moreover, weight gain.
So why Do Steroids Make You Gain Weight?
There are two factors that steroids can contribute to weight gain, and none of them is especially healthy. Steroids increase your body’s pace of muscular growth and leave you feeling incredibly hungry. You might initially think that this is a good thing because it encourages muscular growth.
Steroids can encourage fluid retention, which is the other key factor contributing to weight gain. Do you know those bodybuilders at the gym who occasionally simply seem a little puffy? Fluid retention is present there.
Of course, holding more fluid than your body needs will lead to weight gain. Because steroids alter your body’s sodium and other electrolyte balance, they can lead to fluid retention. For our bodies to metabolise fluids and keep an appropriate level of hydration, electrolytes are essential.
Fluid retention might not only make us gain weight but also lead to other issues. Fluid retention in particular might exacerbate issues related to high blood pressure, which many steroids already induce.
How to Prevent Bulking Up While Using Steroids
The first and most crucial thing you should do is keep track of how many calories you consume each day. This most likely means that you’ll need to keep a notebook and track everything you consume. Seems too much? Think about the alternative. Which is worse: being required to keep a journal or having to put on 12 extra pounds of water weight?
You’ll need to regulate your diet in addition to keeping a note of what you consume. You cannot consume processed carbs like white bread or spaghetti. Empty calories are another name for refined carbs. They only actually affect your body by raising blood sugar levels. It’s quite risky to consume refined carbs when using steroids since they have the propensity to increase your sensitivity to blood sugar rises.
The fast digestion of refined carbohydrates also contributes to their negative effects. As a result, you’ll experience hunger pangs far more frequently than you would if you had a meal that included high-quality protein and complex carbs.
Eating more frequently is one of the greatest methods to avoid overeating. Hold on, I realise that seems contradictory. Eat several little meals throughout the day rather than three large ones. You should follow this advice, as should everyone else. If you do this, your body will get a consistent flow of nutrients. This is a far better and healthier way to live, provided you keep an eye on your caloric intake.
You must drink a lot of water, which is another crucial reminder. Water not only keeps you hydrated before, during, and throughout an exercise, but it also fills you up. The more water you consume, the less likely it is that you will experience the urge to overeat when you are not genuinely hungry.
In all honesty, as a bodybuilder, your appetite shouldn’t be your main worry. You are less likely to gain weight from eating too many calories because you already exercise. Fluid retention is the biggest concern you should have. How much fluid retention be decreased?
One suggestion for minimizing fluid retention is to consume a diet rich in potassium and low in sodium. As an electrolyte, sodium encourages fluid retention whereas potassium inhibits it. You shouldn’t take more than 2 grams of salt per day, yet many Americans exceed that limit by up to 30 grams.
Start consuming low-salt and salt-free meals as soon as possible. Other foods high in potassium include baked potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, bananas, apricots, and tomatoes. Complex carbs are also abundant in baked potatoes, especially sweet potatoes, which are far healthier than their starchy white siblings.
