How does your menstrual cycle affect weight loss efforts. What causes weight fluctuations during your period. Which strategies can help minimize period-related weight gain. How soon after your period can you expect to lose water weight.

Understanding Weight Fluctuations During Your Menstrual Cycle

Many women experience frustrating weight fluctuations in connection with their menstrual cycles. It’s common to see the number on the scale increase by 1-2 kg (2-4 pounds) in the days leading up to and during menstruation. This temporary weight gain is typically due to water retention rather than actual fat gain.

What causes this cyclical weight fluctuation? There are a few key factors at play:

• Hormonal changes, particularly increases in estrogen and progesterone
• Bloating and water retention
• Increased cravings for salty, sweet, or high-carb foods
• Changes in digestive function and bowel movements
• Fatigue leading to less physical activity

While annoying, this temporary weight gain is normal and resolves on its own within a week after your period ends in most cases. Understanding that it’s a natural part of your cycle can help reduce stress and frustration during this time.

The Science Behind Period-Related Weight Gain

To better manage weight during menstruation, it’s helpful to understand the underlying biological processes at work. The menstrual cycle is controlled by fluctuations in key hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

In the week before menstruation (the luteal phase), estrogen and progesterone levels peak. This hormonal shift can cause:

• Increased water retention as estrogen impacts fluid balance
• Slowed digestion and constipation from high progesterone
• Cravings for carb-heavy and salty foods
• Mood changes that may lead to emotional eating

Additionally, the inflammation associated with menstruation can contribute to bloating and water retention. While frustrating, this weight gain is temporary. As hormone levels drop at the start of menstruation, fluid retention decreases and weight typically returns to normal.

Strategies to Minimize Period-Related Weight Gain

While some fluctuation is normal, there are steps you can take to minimize weight gain during your period:

1. Stay hydrated

Drinking plenty of water helps flush out excess sodium and reduce bloating. Aim for at least 8-10 glasses per day.

2. Reduce salt intake

Excess sodium contributes to fluid retention. Limit salty snacks and processed foods in the week before your period.

3. Eat anti-inflammatory foods

Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and omega-3 rich foods to combat inflammation and bloating.

4. Keep moving

Light exercise like walking or yoga can reduce water retention and improve mood. Even if you don’t feel like it, try to stay active.

5. Get enough sleep

Proper rest helps regulate hormones and reduce stress-related cravings. Aim for 7-9 hours nightly.

6. Consider magnesium supplements

Magnesium may help reduce water retention and bloating for some women. Consult your doctor before starting any supplement.

Managing Food Cravings During Your Period

Intense food cravings are a common PMS symptom that can derail weight loss efforts. While it’s okay to indulge occasionally, constantly giving in to cravings for sugary or high-fat foods can lead to weight gain over time. Here are some strategies to manage period-related cravings:

• Plan healthy snacks in advance to avoid impulsive choices
• Satisfy sweet cravings with fruit or small amounts of dark chocolate
• Choose complex carbs like whole grains to stabilize blood sugar
• Increase protein intake to promote fullness and reduce cravings
• Practice mindful eating to distinguish between true hunger and emotional cravings
• Find non-food ways to boost mood, like exercise or relaxation techniques

Remember, it’s normal to have some cravings. The goal is to find a balance between indulgence and moderation that works for your body and goals.

The Role of Exercise in Managing Period Weight

Contrary to popular belief, exercising during your period is not only safe for most women but can actually help alleviate symptoms and manage weight. How does exercise impact menstrual symptoms and weight?

• Reduces water retention and bloating
• Boosts mood and energy levels
• Decreases menstrual cramps and discomfort
• Helps maintain consistent calorie burn
• Promotes better sleep quality

While high-intensity workouts may feel challenging during menstruation, lighter activities like walking, swimming, or yoga can be beneficial. Listen to your body and adjust intensity as needed. Even short bouts of movement can make a difference in how you feel physically and mentally during your period.

Tracking Weight Loss Progress Throughout Your Cycle

Accurately tracking weight loss progress can be tricky due to menstrual-related fluctuations. To get a more accurate picture of your progress, consider these tips:

• Weigh yourself at the same time each day, preferably in the morning
• Track your weight daily but focus on weekly or monthly trends
• Note where you are in your menstrual cycle when recording weight
• Use other progress measures like body measurements or progress photos
• Consider using a weight tracking app that accounts for menstrual cycles

By taking a broader view of your weight trends, you can avoid discouragement from normal cyclic fluctuations and focus on long-term progress.

When to Expect Weight Loss After Your Period

Many women wonder how quickly they can expect to lose the water weight gained during menstruation. While individual experiences vary, here’s a general timeline:

• Days 1-3 of menstruation: Weight may still be elevated due to bloating and water retention
• Days 4-7: Water weight typically starts to decrease as hormone levels stabilize
• 1 week after period ends: Most women return to their baseline weight

It’s important to note that this timeline can vary based on factors like diet, exercise, stress levels, and individual physiology. Some women may lose water weight more quickly, while others may take a bit longer to return to their baseline.

If you don’t see the scale moving after 1-2 weeks post-period, it may be worth reassessing your diet and exercise habits or consulting with a healthcare professional to rule out any underlying issues.

Long-Term Weight Management and Your Menstrual Cycle

While short-term fluctuations are normal, your menstrual cycle shouldn’t significantly impact long-term weight loss efforts. To maintain steady progress towards your goals:

• Focus on overall trends rather than day-to-day fluctuations
• Maintain consistent healthy habits throughout your cycle
• Adjust your diet and exercise plan to accommodate menstrual symptoms if needed
• Be patient and kind to yourself, recognizing that some fluctuation is normal
• Consider working with a nutritionist or trainer familiar with female physiology

Remember, sustainable weight loss is about creating habits you can maintain long-term, not achieving perfection every single day. By understanding how your menstrual cycle affects your body, you can develop strategies to stay on track with your health and fitness goals year-round.

When to Seek Medical Advice for Period-Related Weight Issues

While some weight fluctuation during your menstrual cycle is normal, certain symptoms may warrant medical attention. Consider consulting a healthcare provider if you experience:

• Sudden, unexplained weight gain or loss
• Severe bloating or water retention that doesn’t resolve after your period
• Irregular periods or significant changes in your cycle
• Extreme mood swings or depression related to your cycle
• Difficulty losing weight despite consistent healthy habits

These symptoms could indicate underlying hormonal imbalances, thyroid issues, or other medical conditions that may require treatment. A healthcare professional can help determine the cause and develop an appropriate treatment plan.

In conclusion, understanding the relationship between your menstrual cycle and weight can help you navigate the ups and downs of your fitness journey. By implementing strategies to manage period-related symptoms and maintaining consistent healthy habits, you can continue making progress towards your weight loss goals regardless of where you are in your cycle. Remember to be patient with yourself and focus on long-term trends rather than short-term fluctuations.

Weight loss: Dos and don’ts of managing weight when menstruating

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01/6Dos and don’ts of managing weight when menstruating

When you have been following a healthy diet to shed kilos for a long time, you would easily notice a sudden weight gain close to your monthly cycle. The fluctuation in the weighing scale can be super frustrating, especially when you have been doing everything right to stay on track. But trust us you are not alone and it is not your fault.

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02/6Tips to manage weight

Period weight gain does not mean that you have gained the lost fat again. It is just water retention that happens due to change in the level of hormones and excessive intake of salty and unhealthy food items. Water weight gain is temporary and you lose it within a week after your monthly menstrual cycle ends. This can easily be managed at that time of the month by following some simple tips.

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03/6​Manage your cravings

Most women gain 1 to 2 kilos of water weight before the monthly menstrual cycle. This is caused due to rise in the level of period hormones and a craving for unhealthy foods before the period. Drastic mood swings before the period often increase the temptation for fatty and salty food items. While you cannot do anything about the hormones, you can easily manage your cravings by increasing the intake of healthy food items.

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04/6​Stay hydrated

Dehydration can be another reason for water retention in the body. When you do not drink excessive water in a day, your body starts holding the fluid. Moreover, when you eat too much salty food, you need to drink more water to flush it out of your system. Try to drink at least 2-3 litres of water in a day. You can also include infused and coconut water in your diet.

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05/6​Stay on track

The increase in the number on your scale might be a little disappointing, but you should not give up on your goal to lose weight. Surprisingly, during a week before your period, your body burns 10 per cent more calories than normal. So, stay strong and keep going. Try to stick to your goal by eating the same amount of calories.

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06/6​Workout regularly

It is widely believed that women should not exercise when they are bleeding as it would lead to excessive cramps. But it is actually just the opposite. There is no harm in exercising when you are menstruating. If you are in pain then you can take up light exercises like walking or yoga. These low-impact exercises can help to reduce period cramps and calm your mind.

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Weight Loss After Period: Is It Normal And How Is It Achieved?

Losing weight and successfully keeping it off is a battle that most of us are yet to win. It is so challenging, and especially for women, due to factors such as the menstrual cycle. As a result, your scale may either end up stuck or reading high numbers during your period. This stresses most women out, and it is no wonder that most want to understand the concept of weight loss after period.

Is weight loss after period achievable? Does it come naturally, or do you have to break a leg to shed pounds? You may be asking yourself all these questions after discovering that your period somewhat affects weight loss. This article will answer all these questions and more about weight loss during your menstrual cycle.  We will explore the causes of weight gain during your period, what happens, and how you can shed the added pounds. Let us get started!

Why Develop A Weight Loss Plan After Period?

Most women tend to gain weight during that time of the month. The result, when you weigh yourself, the scale may indicate a number you are not so comfortable with or proud of. Most likely, you end up consulting a nutritionist to help develop a weight loss plan. But where does this weight come from? Well, weight gain during menstruation comes from several factors, some of which include:

It is almost certain that every other woman will have cravings for different foods during that time of the month. For many women, the pressing food urge during their period is chocolate. However, the desires may differ, and some may crave ice cream, cake, or other sweet, starchy food.

Unfortunately, most women do not crave healthy foods, and neither do they regulate how much of the sweet, starchy foods they consume during this time. So let us take the example of chocolate and determine how it may result in weight gain.

According to Medical News Today, chocolate consumption has been linked to lower body mass index and central body fat (4). However, when people overindulge in chocolate, it results in a high-calorie count due to its high sugar and fat content (4).

Most women believe that they cannot gain weight during their period if they are eating dark chocolate. However, this is far from the truth. Despite dark chocolate having numerous beneficial antioxidants and minerals, it is still high in sugar and fat (11).

These two components make it a very calorie-dense food. Similarly, remember that dark chocolate contains cocoa butter, which may have a high content of unhealthful saturated fats (11).

So, overindulging in this food will result in extra calories. For example, a 100 g-serving of light chocolate has 531 calories, while the same serving of dark chocolate contains 556 calories (4). So, be extra cautious of how much chocolate you consume when on your period.

Read More: Why Do Women Crave Chocolate On Their Period?

On top of having a sweet tooth, most women will also lose their motivation to exercise during that time of the month. As a result, you feel tired, and with the added calorie intake, lack of exercise only contributes to weight gain.

Instead of just lazing around, try to sneak in some minutes of exercise. For example, if you don;t feel up to going to the gym, try taking a brisk walk or jogging. These two aerobic activities will help you burn calories and promote weight loss.

You can also exercise indoors if you hate the outdoors. This is through activities such as dancing, stationary biking, and running on the treadmill. You can also grab your yoga mat and perform various yoga exercises at the comfort of your home.

• Bloating

Bloating during PMS also sabotages your weight loss efforts during that time of the month. It is not necessarily caused by overindulging during an occasional holiday feast. It may also be caused by overconsumption of rich and fatty food, which most women crave during their period (2). These may include fried foods like chips.

When you eat foods rich in fats, you get to feel uncomfortably stuffed. It is because fats take longer to digest and make the stomach feel fuller (2). So, experts advise that you try and limit fat consumption during PMS. Hormonal fluctuations can also lead to water retention, so stay well-hydrated and don’t overdo the salt.

• Skipping Breakfast

Let us be honest. Many women skip breakfast and sleep during that time of the month. This is nothing new, given the hormone storm that comes from PMS. You may either have an increased or reduced appetite.

Many women will end up skipping breakfast, and the effect of this on your weight gain is severe. When you do not eat breakfast, you tend to become overly hungry throughout the day. As a result, you end up over-snacking, and especially on unhealthy snacks.

Similarly, you tend to disregard your daily calorie limit. Ignoring this limit leads you to a calorie surplus, which may contribute to weight gain. WebMD also advocates that skipping breakfast may contribute to mood swings during your period (1). It is because not eating affects your blood sugar levels, making you more irritable (1).

• Hormonal Changes

You may also end up adding weight during your menstrual cycle due to hormonal fluctuation. The two most affected hormones during this time of the month are estrogen and progesterone. 

Progesterone is the hormone responsible for increased cravings and hunger during your menstrual cycle (3). Therefore, it makes you crave a lot of unhealthy foodstuffs, particularly carbohydrates and sugars.

As you may know, overindulging in such foods leads to a calorie surplus that may contribute to an extra few pounds. Unfortunately, you cannot control this hormonal fluctuation but can instead watch what and how much you eat.

BetterMe app will kick you out of the mental funk, shake off your extra weight, rid you off your energy-zapping habits, and help you sculpt the body of your dreams. Intrigued? Hurry up and change your life for the better!

How Much Weight Do You Gain During Your Period?

There is no standard weight women are bound to add during PMS. Instead, it varies significantly because of your calorie intake and engagement in physical activity during this time of the month.

Women who still adopt healthy eating practices are likely to add a few pounds during their period. However, those women who do not watch what they eat and do not exercise end up adding more pounds.

However, Medicine Net acknowledges that you may gain around 3 to 5 pounds just before your period (10). If you add this to the pounds you add from a high-calorie intake, bloating, and water weight, you may end up adding more pounds than this.

Can You Lose Weight After Period?

Of course, if you looked at the scale after your period and freaked out, you may be wondering if you can lose the added pounds. You certainly can. However, for some people, weight loss after a period comes naturally. 

You might have seen some women questioning if it is normal to lose weight after a period. Of course, it is normal, and this may happen a week after your menses. The main reasons for weight loss after period are as follows:

• Reduced Bloating

When you are done with your menses, bloating tends to reduce, mainly because of reduced hormonal fluctuation. Similarly, you also get to shed a few pounds because you have reduced cravings for fatty foods, resulting in added bloating.

To be clear, we need to emphasize that we are talking about water weight caused by hormonal fluctuation and not chronic water retention. According to WebMD, chronic water retention signals a kidney or hormone malfunctioning (13). It is dangerous as it may pose several health risks.

However, water retention caused by bloating and hormonal fluctuation also melt away a week after your menses. Most women will lose the water weight faster if they move more, drink more water, eat more fiber-filled and potassium-rich foods (13).

Read More: What To Eat During Period To Lose Weight?

Do You Get Heavy Period After Weight Loss?

For the longest time now, women have been trying to establish an association between weight and heavy periods. Some believe that a heavy period is a result of tremendous weight loss. On the other hand, others believe that weight does not influence heavy periods. But what does science say?

To begin with, it is essential to note that a heavy period can mean two things. One is constantly changing your pad or tampon every hour or so. Two, a heavy cycle could mean passing blood clots that are bigger than a quarter (12). If not, WebMD states that it could mean having periods that last for more than seven days (12). Several factors cause such a menstrual cycle.

According to experts, the most common cause of heavy periods is the womb’s inability to properly contract (7). Remember that the womb contractions help shed the lining of the womb, leaving your body together with some blood (7).

Heavy blood flow may also result from childbirth or using a contraceptive coil (7). Experts acknowledge that your menstrual cycle is not directly impacted by weight loss (6). However, they recognize that lower body weight may affect hormone production and lead to lighter periods (6).

How Do You Lose Weight After Period?

As mentioned earlier, some women will naturally lose weight after their menstrual cycle. However, others retain the weight, meaning they have to lose the weight by incorporating various weight loss techniques.

However, it is a bit harder to shed pounds after your menstrual cycle. Nonetheless, this does not mean that it is not achievable. You can make several choices to help prompt healthy and steady weight loss. Some of these choices include:

Of course, the best and fastest way you will lose weight is by maintaining healthy eating habits. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these habits include eating mindfully, eating slowly, and more fruits and vegetables (5).

Eating mindfully incorporates habits such as eating without distractions and when hungry. Unfortunately, most of us tend to eat when we are not hungry, increasing our calorie intake. This may be because most of us mistake dehydration for hunger. 

That said, before you eat, drink a glass of water and wait for thirty minutes. Then, if you still feel hungry, drink another glass and chill for another thirty minutes. If the hunger persists, then you can give in and eat.

Eating slowly allows you to concentrate on the food and listen to your body when signaling you when it is full. It is an excellent eating habit that can help you maintain a calorie deficit for weight loss.

Fruits and vegetables tend to contain low calories and high fiber content. The low calories make them excellent snack options. Similarly, the high fiber content helps increase your satiety levels, limiting or reducing overeating and frequent snacking.

Lean and toned up body isn’t just a far-fetched fantasy. Check out the BetterMe app and watch it propel your weight loss journey into high gear!

• Regular Exercise

You can also lose weight faster and safer after your menses by engaging in physical activity. There is an assumption that weight loss can only occur if you practice resistance training. This is a notion.

You can lose weight by engaging in both aerobic and anaerobic activities. The CDC recommends you adopt more physical activity because it increases the number of calories you burn (9). When you combine this regular activity with a calorie deficit, you get to shed pounds faster.

However, this does not mean overdoing a physical activity in the hopes of losing weight overnight. This is impossible. The CDC recommends you work your way to 150 minutes if you are doing a moderately intense aerobic activity (9). If the aerobic exercise is more intense, you can aim for 75 minutes weekly (9).  

Do not undermine the effectiveness of aerobic activities in calorie burning for weight loss after the period. For example, here is an overview of some aerobic exercises and the number of calories an individual weighing 154 pounds can burn (9):

• • Hiking for half an hour- 185 calories
  • Bicycling for less than ten mph for thirty minutes- 145 calories
  • Walking for half an hour at a speed of 3.5 mph- 140 calories
  • Dancing for one hour- 330 calories
  • Jogging for thirty minutes at a speed of 5 mph- 295 calories
  • Running for one hour at a rate of 5 mph- 590 calories
  • Swimming for thirty minutes at slow freestyle laps- 255 calories

• Reducing Stress

Quit stressing about how many pounds you have added during your period. It does you no good because added stress also contributes to weight gain. According to Medical News Today, stress triggers the release of two different hormones: cortisol and adrenaline (8).

Cortisol can remain in your bloodstream for an extended duration when released. As a result, its impact increases your appetite, leading to emotional or stressful eating (8). So, focus on reducing your stress levels by incorporating stress-management techniques such as yoga, meditation, and breathing and relaxation techniques (8).

• Get Enough Rest

 Medical News Today also acknowledges that getting less than 5 or 6 hours of sleep can result in weight gain and is an obesity risk factor (8). In addition, experts reveal that getting less sleep slows down your metabolism.

When your metabolism is low, your body burns fewer calories and instead stores most unused energy as fat (8). Likewise, not getting enough sleep increases the production of cortisol and insulin. As a result, these two hormones increase fat storage (8).

You can manage your weight during and after your period by getting enough sleep. Focus on improving your sleep quality by avoiding distractions such as noise and social media when you go to bed.

You can also improve your sleep quality by trying guided meditation before sleeping. It will help relax and calm you down, which makes you instantly fall asleep and soundly.

The Bottom Line

Do you gain weight during your menstrual cycle? Believe it or not, you do. You may end up gaining three to five pounds just before your menses. You might also add weight during your menses, especially if you have poor eating patterns and habits and never exercise.

Fortunately, weight loss after period may occur naturally if it was caused by bloating, water retention, or hormonal fluctuation. However, if other factors like increased calorie intake caused it, you will have to do more to get rid of the extra weight.

It will mean exercising more, creating and maintaining a calorie deficit, getting enough rest, and reducing your stress levels. As always, talk to your healthcare provider and fitness coach before making any changes to your diet and workout plans.

DISCLAIMER:

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for decision-making. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!

SOURCES:

1. 8 Diet Dos and Don’ts to Ease PMS (2011, webmd.com)
2. Bloating 101: Why You Feel Bloated (2010, webmd.com)
3. Catch It Before It Kills: Progesterone, Obesity, and the Prevention of Endometrial Cancer (2014, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
4. Health benefits and risks of chocolate (2018, medicalnewstoday. com)
5. Healthy Weight, Nutrition, and Physical Activity (2021, cdc.gov)
6. Heavy Menstrual Periods (2020, healthharvard.edu)
7. Heavy periods: Overview (2020, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
8. How to naturally lose weight fast (2018, medicalnewstoday.com)
9. Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight (2020, cdc.gov)
10. Should I Weigh Myself During My Period? (2021, medicinenet.com)
11. What are the health benefits of dark chocolate? (2019, medicalnewstoday.com)
12. What Your Period Says About Your Health (2020, webmd.com)
13. What’s Water Weight? (2021, webmd.com)

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Weight change on critical days

Weight gain of no more than 900 grams, which disappear after menstruation, can be called a normal phenomenon. However, many women, due to their great appetite during this period, increase their weight by more than a kilogram. And, of course, extra calories settle on the figure. Since this happens on a monthly basis, excess fat is gradually accumulated.

In order to save your figure during critical days, follow the advice of Passion.ru.

1. Don’t follow desire

If you have an overwhelming desire to eat something forbidden during critical days, hang a sign in the kitchen with the words: “PMS will go away, but the weight will remain.” It will help you to refrain from “bad” food.

2. Have an educational conversation with your man

Men also contribute to gaining excess weight in their second half. After all, they have to deal with such unpleasant manifestations of premenstrual syndrome in their beloved as tears, tantrums, bad mood.

And in order to somehow protect themselves from such manifestations, they are forced to indulge us with sweets, some agree to run to the store for chocolate even at night. During the premenstrual period, women around the world eat tons of chocolate products. Talk to your partner about this if you don’t want these tiles to sit on your hips and waist.

3. Get up for exercises!

Light exercise can help reduce appetite. It can be like 15-minute exercise in the morning, and dancing. It is very important at the same time that the training brings emotional pleasure, leaves a pleasant feeling of warmth in the body, and does not take away all your strength.

Scientific studies have shown that exercise reduces appetite. This is due to an increase in the level of adrenaline and norepinephrine in the blood against the background of muscle work. In addition to the fact that these hormones help break down fats, they also help to increase the tone of the brain, reducing the depressive mood of the body. Accordingly, the body ceases to feel the need for food as an antidepressant.

4. Exercise weight control

During the premenstrual period, the uterus swells and its weight increases by 1-1. 5 kg, and during the critical days, the weight increases by another 1 kg. There is also an increase in the breast by 1.5-2 sizes, and the stomach may look like in the third month of pregnancy. In order not to spoil your mood, you do not need to weigh yourself these days.

During menstruation, excess fluid accumulates in the body, causing such unpleasant manifestations as heaviness, nausea, vomiting, and irritation of the alimentary tract. And the fluid in the brain tissues provokes such nervous manifestations as nervousness, irritability, depression. And extra pounds can be just this liquid that will disappear after the critical days.

Weigh yourself at least once a month, but after your period. It is better to do this on the same day of the menstrual calendar and record the result. If there is no change in weight, this suggests that you can control your “menstrual” appetite.

5. Pay attention to your diet

Do not eat fatty foods these days: bacon, pork, all kinds of sausages and high-fat cheeses. Forget fried potatoes, chicken skin and all-purpose mayonnaise sauce. Limit the consumption of pickles, alcohol, beer and especially sweets (confectionery, pastries, sweet fruits, chocolate).

6. Diet for good mood

If you are in a state of significant psychological stress, in other words, you are experiencing premenstrual syndrome, then we advise you to follow the carbohydrate diet , which promotes the production of serotonin – the hormone of pleasure, and at the same time helps you not to gain extra kilograms.

A few days before your period and during all red days, your diet should consist of various cereals, cereals, vegetables and fruits. It is worth including lettuce, cabbage, apples, broccoli in the menu as often as possible.

And instead of sweets, you can treat yourself to bananas, dried apricots, watermelons, sunflower seeds and nuts. If you cannot do without meat, give preference to poultry fillet. Avoid salty foods, sugary and caffeinated drinks.

7. Don’t forget about iron

Every month during the menstrual cycle, a woman loses about 100 ml of blood, and with it – about 30 mg of iron. For some women, this does not go unnoticed. During this period, they may feel weak, drowsiness, decreased performance. Headaches, dizziness, and even fainting are also possible. After all, blood is not water at all! Both the well-being and the appearance of a woman depend on this red liquid, or rather on its composition. Unfortunately, statistics show that about half of women have blood problems, especially young girls who, following fashion, exhaust themselves with starvation and diets.

Malnutrition causes anemia (anemia). In order to compensate for the loss of iron and restore their strength during this period, women, instead of intensively absorbing their favorite flour and sweet dishes, need to pay attention to foods with a high content of iron – brewer’s yeast, boiled shellfish, wheat bran, cabbage sea, cocoa, pork liver, molasses. Remember that 20-30% of iron is absorbed from meat products, and 3-5% from vegetable products. Vitamins C and B12 promote the absorption of iron.

***

Following our advice, you will not only not gain weight during critical days, but also improve your well-being.

How weight changes during one menstrual cycle – Slimming – tsn.ua

There are days when it seems – everything is against us! Physical activity is hard, the scale needle is treacherously off scale, your favorite skirt, which you put on just yesterday, does not fit today! What is going on? The secret lies in the peculiarities of the menstrual cycle, on which the appetite, metabolism, and physical endurance of a woman depend.

First phase of cycle ( menses).

Diet and weight loss. At the beginning of the cycle, any diet is contraindicated. During this period, the level of progesterone drops and the production of a large amount of prostaglandins begins – substances that irritate the uterine mucosa and provoke the onset of menstruation. At the same time, estrogen levels plummet. But this hormone is involved in the production of serotonin – the hormone of good mood. Not surprisingly, at the beginning of the cycle, many women become depressed and try to compensate for the lack of good emotions through sweets, which, as you know, do not contribute to weight loss. There is only one way out – to replace harmful carbohydrates with useful ones: fruits, vegetables, cereals, honey. But it is better to refrain from strong meat broths, tea, coffee and chocolate during this period, since they all enhance the action of prostaglandins. True, if you really want something sweet, you can afford a couple of slices of chocolate, but nothing more.

Not the best time to weigh in. Under the influence of hormones, fluid is very poorly excreted from the body, and therefore a woman is gaining extra pounds. But not due to fat, but due to water, which accumulates in all tissues. Do not be discouraged, after 5-7 days, the metabolism will return to normal again, and excess water will leave your body.

Physical activity. In the first days of the cycle (1-7 days of menstruation), physical activity is difficult. Women with painful periods are generally not up to sports. However, experts do not advise lying on the couch all the time, since passive rest in a horizontal position reduces the tone of the uterus, thereby increasing pain. If you feel the strength to get out of bed, go for a walk. After wandering through the park or city streets for at least half an hour, you will improve the blood supply to the pelvic organs and relieve uterine spasm.

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Mid cycle ( ovulation).

Diet and weight loss. During this period, nature planned the onset of pregnancy, and therefore the woman’s body produces a large amount of androgens – male sex hormones. Under their influence, metabolism increases, and therefore all diets bring excellent results. However, doctors do not recommend too zealous. Remember, during menstruation a lot of blood is lost, and therefore the transition to a strict diet will only exacerbate iron deficiency. To prevent this from happening, eat a balanced diet, not forgetting iron-rich foods (beef, apples, buckwheat, pomegranates, veal, liver).

Weight. Ideal period for weighing. After the end of menstruation, the hormonal background of a woman changes in the direction of estrogens. All excess fluid is excreted in the urine, and the weight returns to normal.

Physical activity. During ovulation, a woman becomes more resilient. She is active and resistant to stress. That is why on the 12th-14th day of the cycle (plus two days before and after) any physical activity, including extreme ones, is easy.

The second phase of the cycle (destruction of the egg)

Diet and weight loss. If pregnancy does not occur during ovulation, then in the second phase of the menstrual cycle, the death of the unfertilized egg begins. That is, if in the first phase of the cycle the female body was set up for creation (maturation of the follicle), then in the second – for destruction. That is why the period from 15 to 20 days of the cycle is considered ideal for “destroying” body fat. Feel free to arrange fasting days for yourself or go on a diet. However, a week before the onset of menstruation, you can feel a brutal appetite. This happens due to an increase in the level of luteinizing hormone (LH), which stimulates the exit of the corpus luteum from the ovary. It is under its influence that mood and appetite change. Losing weight during this period will be especially painful, and the effectiveness of the diet promises to be very low. So you don’t need to beat yourself up. It is better to refrain from simple carbohydrates (sweets and flour products) in favor of complex (whole cereals, wholemeal bread) and proteins (lean meat, fish). This will help maintain harmony even without a diet.

Weight. During this period, the weight is still normal, and therefore you can safely stand on the scales.