Odd Ways Your Period Affects Your Weight Loss

---

With the endless obsession in the media over body size and dieting, it’s not uncommon for someone to try to control their weight. If you’ve ever tried to lose or maintain your weight, you may have noticed weeks when the scale doesn’t play nice. For women, small fluctuations in poundage from week to week may have nothing to do with their diet or body composition. In fact, it could be something as common as their period.

Phases of the Period

To understand why weight changes during your menstrual cycle, it’s good to know what’s going on in the body. The menstrual cycle consists of 4 phases. Different hormones are released in each phase, causing different reactions in the body.

The phases of the menstrual cycle:

• Menstruation, which lasts 3-7 days at the start of the cycle, and is part of the follicular phase.
• The follicular phase starts on day one of menstruation and continues for approximately 14 days.
• Ovulation, which occurs around day 14 of the cycle.
• The luteal phase lasts the remaining time of the cycle, usually another 14 days.

Menstrual Cycle Hormones

There are 2 key menstrual cycle hormones that cause major fluctuations in the body:

Estrogen

During the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, which starts the day your period begins, a woman’s body will produce large amounts of estrogen (or oestrogen). Estrogen is a classification of sex hormones that control the reproductive system in women. These hormones have many purposes, including appetite reduction, elevated performance, and faster recovery.

Progesterone

After ovulation, the body will start producing progesterone. Progesterone is a hormone that triggers the body to prepare for pregnancy. During the luteal phase, women will most likely feel increased hunger and cravings for carbs and sugar. Another side effect of progesterone is feeling weak or tired. In this phase, the metabolism is also intensified.

Weight Gain During Your Period

It’s typical to gain 3-5 pounds at the start of your period. When menstruation happens, the body will retain water and crave rich, comforting foods. Also, exhaustion and stress can encourage women to take some time off from their daily activities. The pounds gained should go away within a few days as the weight from retained fluids and overeating is flushed from the body.

For someone unaware of the yo-yo in weight caused by their period, this can be incredibly frustrating. It’s discouraging to see a plus on the scale after a week of hard work. Sometimes, what seems like a weight loss plateau is actually the body doing its job. Weight gain during your period is completely normal.

"Above all, be the heroine of your own life…" – Nora Ephron Click To Tweet

Your Period Can Better Your Workouts

Yes, there are positive effects! During the follicular phase, regular workouts will be easier than before and you can train like a beast. You’ll have higher pain tolerance, better endurance, and more energy output. Strength training is shown to be more effective during the follicular phase and ovulation. Ovulation is best for your highest intensity workouts, but it’s also when you’re most likely to injure yourself. In the event that you do an intense workout, take extra caution and warm up beforehand.

When the luteal phase happens, the body is premenstrual, weaker, and mentally and physically tired. During this time, the body’s temperature is raised, and the heart works harder, creating more fatigue. Take it easy, and listen to your body. Remember, you’re not weaker, but your body needs to rest. When the follicular phase returns, you’ll be ready to push your limits again.

While you may not feel like working out during your period, it’s a great time to progress and beat personal records. Endorphins released during exercise can help relieve the discomfort of menstruation, and elevate your mood. Even light exercise can have a positive effect, and taking a short walk can make your day a little better.

Higher Metabolism

During ovulation and the luteal phase, the body’s metabolism will raise. The basal metabolic rate, or the number of calories your body needs for regular functions, is higher while the body prepares for pregnancy. For anyone trying to burn more calories, this can be a dream come true.

But, while the luteal phase burns the most calories, it brings on intense cravings for high-calorie foods. It’s best to watch your eating to make sure you don’t overdo it and eat too much. Keep in mind, you won’t be able to eat cake and ice cream all day and still drop pounds. Stick to a healthy and filling diet with lots of fiber, protein, fruits, and veggies. Your body will thank you.

Should You Take Any Action?

When menstruating, our bodies can gain weight and feel bloated. Weight fluctuations are normal but can lead someone to drastic action to lose weight. Never try to overcompensate to bring your weight back down. It will level out on its own.

Still, there are things you can do to calm the weight rollercoaster you’re on:

• Drink lots of water to discourage water retention.
• If you normally consume a lot of salt, it’s helpful to cut back.
• Avoid overeating.
• Keep active to encourage blood flow and improve your mood.
• Eating small snacks between meals can keep you satisfied and put off cravings.

In Conclusion

Knowing about the menstrual cycle hormones and phases will set you up for success when it comes to health and fitness. With this knowledge, you can figure out what actions are best for weight loss, workouts, improving your mood, and beating personal bests.

But remember, everyone is different. Focus on your body, and keep track of how it responds in the stages of your cycle. Being mindful will help you avoid injury and get better results. You’ll be surprised at how well you progress when you work with your body, not against it!

Extra: If you’ll be working out during your period, I have an amazing discovery I want to tell you about! These period panties are made to catch any leaks so you can bend your body and work out with peace of mind. After waking up in the morning and finding a disappointing leak on my sheets time after time, I needed something that covered farther than a normal pad.

I was overjoyed to find these are cheap, effective and best of all: comfortable! You can wear them alone or with your regular pad or tampon for added protection. Here’s the link to a 3-pack of regular briefs or a 3-pack of supersoft hipsters. Check them out!

Have you noticed major weight gain during your period? Let me know in the comments!

That’s it for now everyone. If you’ve found some value in this post, please share it to inspire others too! Thanks!

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

This post contains affiliate links for products that I love. If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission with no additional cost to you. Thanks for helping keep this site going! Also, this post was made for the site Lose Weight With Ang. If you’re reading this on a different site, please email us https://loseweightwithang.com/contact/

References:

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26558833/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7357764/
• https://thethirty.whowhatwear.com/do-you-burn-more-calories
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estrogen
• https://www.hormone.org/your-health-and-hormones/glands-and-hormones-a-to-z/hormones/progesterone
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-ways-to-reduce-water-retention