Do You Gain Weight During Period?

You have been eating healthy and practicing physical exercises, but you just gained 5 more pounds than last week. Don`t worry! Weight gain occurs 5 days before period, but your weight will get back to normal once your periods starts.

Pre-Period Water Weight

Pre-menstruation water weight might range from ½ pound to almost ten pounds, generally on an average of 5 pounds for most women. This is mostly because the progesterone hormone`s fault, which is very important in the early pregnancy stages.

When there is no baby involved, meaning when you are on your period, the levels of progesterone fall. The side effect of this issue is that the body will retain water. Although this doesn`t necessarily lead to a change of weight, bloating resulted from gas might amplify this situation and you`ll feel one size bigger.

Fortunately, you can find out how much weight gain is involved on your monthly period, but it isn`t really a good idea to focus on numbers. You should instead try and maintain a scale schedule that is healthy in order to supervise your evolution: take your weight once every week, at the very same day, at the same hour and use the same scale. Weight fluctuations are completely normal, so don`t overdo it.

Weight Gaining during your Menstrual Cycle

It is a lot more accurate to consider this particular phenomenon more as weight fluctuations instead of weight gain. Even if you see a raise in your weight on the scale, you won`t really putting that weight on permanently. It will go away.

The additional weight represents only a fluctuation which takes place in tune with an increase of hormonal levels in the days before your period.

Dr. Alyssa Dweck, a doctor in Westchester County, says she is really surprised at how much in fact these fluctuations in fact occur. Even though it is really hard to find such details in medical literature, some of that literature says it is only a few pounds.

However, anecdotally women always complain about fluctuations of 5+ pounds before their period. The amount the weight fluctuates only depends on every woman`s body – 3 pounds on a woman may be 5 on another one.

Why Do You Gain Weight during Period?

Like most things related to your period, the sensation that this may cause you to gain weight may not be all in your head. Actually, there`re a few both psychological and physiological reasons for which a periods may add extra pounds.

PMS

For lots of women, their menstrual cycle begins with at least one of the host of signs, which is known as PMS (premenstrual syndrome), around 1 or 2 weeks before their actual menstrual starts. Weight gain, bloating and foods cravings represent a few of the most common signs.

There`s a study performed on 259 women with regular periods that showed important increase in their protein intake, total cravings and appetite, which include cravings for sweets, salty flavors or chocolate during premenstrual phase.

Anxiety and depression are hallmarks of PMS as well, being thought to be the result of cyclic changes of serotonin in the brain.

Food Intake

The hormone progesterone has an important role during the 2^nd half of your menstrual cycle. This hormone increases your appetite, pushing you to consume even more food. Eating too much if there aren`t any physical activities triggering this need may lead to weight gain.

In order to stay away from additional pounds, you should avoid foods which reduce your general well-being.

PCOS

Experiencing weight gain and irregular periods, there might be a reason to worry. PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, represents an imbalance of reproductive hormones which may cause issues with your metabolism. It will affect one out of ten women.

In women with extra weight and whom have PCOS, losing weight might in fact aid regulate the menstrual cycle. Fat produces the estrogen hormone, which may lead to hormonal imbalances that can have an effect on the menstrual cycle. Irregular menstrual cycles don`t lead to weight gain. Instead, weight gain may lead to irregular menstrual cycles.

For lots of women, weight gain during period is just something that happens temporarily. Trying to have a healthy lifestyle may keep those additional pounds that always fluctuate from becoming a permanent thing. – More info!

Constipation

A woman`s menstruation will affect how well her gastrointestinal tube works to push out waste from her body. The hormone progesterone leads to the relaxation of smooth muscle, which in turn leads to a reduced gastrointestinal motility, leading to constipation or bloating when certain women are concerned.

In order to reduce them both, you should just try and increase the fiber amount from your diet in the 2^nd half of your menstrual cycle.

Fluid Retention

Sensations of bloating are quite common during a woman`s menstrual cycle, when increased levels of estrogen and progesterone lead to a shift in the sodium set point of the body and lead to fluid retention.

This might be more easily observed by women during their 2^nd half of the menstrual cycle when the levels of progesterone and estrogen are at their peak.

How Much Is Normal Weight Gain at this Time?

Women could add between 2 and 10 pounds of excess weight during a monthly menstrual cycle. It`s a misconception to suppose that the entire weight gain is the result of only water retention.

Lots of women who have weight gain during a monthly cycle also have food cravings and most of them cannot help from overeating. This will surely add to weight gain. – Click this!

It`s also a misconception to this weight gain only happens during menstruation. Actually, this weight gain happens during the first 3 stages of their monthly cycle and starts to shows “signs” during period.

Treatments & Remedies

Natural Supplements

You might want to use a diuretic, and you can either use a natural remedy or a prescription. OTC drugs, such as Midol or Pamprin, contain diuretics as well.

Magnesium was previously addressed as a really efficient when it comes to fluid retention due to PMS symptoms.

Calcium has a major role regarding several PMS symptoms, and weight gain is among them.

Vitamins

Vitamin B6 should be taken in doses of 100 – 200 mg/day to fight against PMS symptoms, which include weight gain. This is due to the fact that this vitamin reduces the estrogen amount in the bloodstream, while increasing the progesterone amount.

This will lead to a better balance of your hormones and which may affect several of the most important causes of weight gain during the menstrual cycle.

Lifestyle

You should try and avoid consuming salt or sodium to not have too many issues with water retention. Caffeine it will also add to food cravings and tension. Alcohol should be avoided as well.

Instead, lice juice can be used to decrease fluid retention. Physical exercise will also prevent and get rid of excessive weight due to PMS symptoms. Your diet should include lean proteins, Omega-3 fatty acids, complex carbs and vegetables.

Also, staying well hydrated is a must. Although it might seem counter intuitive to drink lots of water when water retention is in fact the main reason for excess weight. However, the opposite is in fact true as the more water you`ll drink, the more you`ll pass through when urinating.