A Question for the Ladies

darlat74

How does "that time of the month" effect your weight? Do you go up abit or stay the same and do you find that if you stay on track that you see a good drop on the scale when your body returns to normal. I find this time so hard because my motivation slips but I try and stay foccused but it's not always easy and I find this is the most challening time because of certain food cravings.

musicgal8199

I usually skip weighing in on my period week. I retain a lot of water but by the next week, I've lost that water weight again. This keeps me from getting discouraged. (-:

abbie017

I definitely retain water the week prior and the week of TOM, and then usually see a good drop afterwards of 3-4 pounds. Sometimes I don't even bother weighing myself that week, since I know it'll probably go up. Just keep up the smart eating and exercising and you should see a drop after Aunt Flo leaves!

Barelmy

It doesn't affect me, but then, my periods are extraordinarily light. I use a menstrual cup, and I only lose 20ml of blood, compared to most other women who use them, who are up in the triple digits.

I always thought I was normal, and then it was like, oh. OH. I have no clue what you ladies are going through, I'll be over here with my wimpy little pains.

catie224

My wait tends to creep up a tiny bit (and definitely never drop) during the week before, then stay at that point until it drops again right afterward. PMS also equals chocolate for me, so maybe that has an effect? I add it into my daily calories though, so as long as I'm not over it shouldn't have too much of an effect, leaving the weight gain to hormones. I have a feeling this is one of those things where everybody's different though

katie041085

I normally gain an average of 2lb a week on P weeks. I do tend to have a big loss the week after though. Although this does vary depending on how far in the cycle I weigh in! Although I know it will happen it is still dis-heartening when it does x

JennLifts

usually I gain 2 pounds. Just water retention :-)

swaymyway

A few days before I get really lathargic and hungry, so I end up doing rubbish work outs and eating more - I gain a few pounds and panic and admonish myself, then my period comes and the following day the few pound of gain goes away again, I remember it was just water weight and happens every month and tell myself to remember all this next month and not worry about it. Next month comes along and I repeat the same pattern lol

graysmom2005

I'm in the middle of mine and I skipped weighing in this Monday. I didn't want to torture myself. LOL! You will tend to gain a few pounds of water weight. Am I the only one who can actually see the belly bloat? It looks like I'm 2 months pregnant at first! Blech!!

jasmin1310

Mine used to go up, but for the last two months its stayed the same and then i see a drop after - So i'm happy with that :-)

chels1605

i get starving - blame my period, and loose it all straight away!!

parisianskies002

l usually gain a few pounds of water, but actually l have been managing quite well especially since l always eat before and during my menses but l tend to just drink a lot of water and munch on about one packet of crisp (compared to before, l used to eat about 4 packets a day!) So my weight is lower when l am on (still doesn't stop the cramps though! *cries*)

melzteach

My weight goes up a little bit. I have to put in A LOT of effort to drink extra water a few days before and just after I start Then I won't feel so bloated. A Midol on day 1 is essential and even though it is a bit harder at first getting on a really good sweat and pushing myself as hard as I can during my workout help a ton.

ChantalGG

I had mine last week gained 4 lbs but the day before i started i checked the scale and it was normal so i didnt log it in the following day it did go down though. This weeks weigh in I lost 1/2 a lb. I have been losing 2 lbs a week so maybe i can blame it on TOM...?

jamontagne

I usually skip weighing in on my period week. I retain a lot of water but by the next week, I've lost that water weight again. This keeps me from getting discouraged. (-:

I skip that week (i.e. this week for me atm) because of the same thing! Roughly 3 days before I'm due I'll gain 3lbs overnight. very discouraging. but roughly 3 days after getting it (so 7 days total) I find myself usualy right back where i was on the scale! So I've resigned myself to deal with the fact that I won't get a loss from that week, but if I'm conscience with my habits and maintain my diet I can be sure to maintain my weight and not back-track. Plus I find I feel better if I continue my exercise routine - less crampy and less body aches.

rosiedoes

I've been ignoring my scale completely as it's coming up with some wildly irrational numbers for both myself and my housemate, but I absolutely find that I want to eat a lot more around that time.

Strangely, I've found that dieting has sent my otherwise perfectly regular schedule hugely out of whack. Anyone else?

karilynn27

I was having such a hard time with this.
I would loose 5 lbs and then gain it all back from my TOM, I started really stressing over it and also I have had a history of some really terrible side effects of TOM and PMDD, lots of issues. ANYWAY, I went to my doctor and got on a birth control that stops my period all together. No cravings, no temper tantrums, no out of wack emotions, its wonderful and its changed my life. Message me if you want to know the name of the drug.

It has changed my appetite and made me feel like a whole new woman.

RPonder1

I am going through this now! I usually gain between 5-7lbs the week prior and week of... This is usually dependant upon how easily I cave into my 'sweet cravings' the week before and how much water I am consuming.... But this is all hormonal/water retention, so no need to worry... Of course we all hate to see that number go up, but sometimes we need to in order to stay in check =]

christine24t

Not the poster but reading this is making me feel so much better! Thanks guys!

blobby10

Mine are rather irregular and heavy - I'm one of the triple figure mooncup users!! About 3 weeks after my last period I get an overwhelming desire to stuff my face. Lately I've resisted that pretty well. The few days before I start I'm so exhausted it's as much as I can do to put one foot in front of the other. Exercise is such a chore but I push myself through albeit a ittle slower. The trouble is, as I'm so irregular, this phase of pre menstruation and the symptoms can last for 2-3 weeks!! I don't tend to gain weight but then I haven't lost anything yet so maybe my body is on permanent pmt!

B x

PrettyScenery

It is just water weight and it shall pass. Like a few others I usually get very hungry the week before so I have to really watch what I eat because I get the sugar cravings as well. I usually eat my 1200 calories during this time since I really have the munchies. I try to aim for the healthy snacks (fruits) during the sugar craving attacks. I may gain a pound or two during the week of but I just continue drinking my water and trying my best to stay on track with the cals and exercise. I have gotten so much better and disciplined. Don't worry yourself about that b/c it is just all a part of the fabulous life of being a woman!

lizzybethclaire

This is my second "time of the month" since I started MFP. My first one was really hard, I really blew it and ate like a pig. It has been easier this time around. The cravings were less and I think my water retention has even gone down a bit! My weight in is on this Saturday and if I still feel bloated I will weigh myself again on Tuesday so I can see how much weight I "really" lost. I ate a lot of low calorie yummy snacks and only went over my calorie budget by 58. Sugar Free Fudge pops were awesome (and I usually don't eat fake sugar), Luigi's water ice, etc..

ccbloom1

My weight normally goes down right before my period and stays that way until after. I say "normally" because I'm dealing with a nasty plateau now.

MinnieInMaine

I try not to cave to the cravings, or if I do, I pick better options like 70% dark chocolate and just have a few pieces (instead of the whole container like I used to). Thankfully I crave more sweet than salty so the water retention thing isn't too much of a problem for me. I find that continuing with exercise helps a lot too - you may not feel like it but you have to push yourself to do it anyway and afterwards you'll feel tons better. Trust me on this....

tiffanyrose519

I don't weigh myself, but I notice my stomach bloat and my clothes fit a little more snug...

LisaMarieee

It affects my weight a lot, it makes me bloat 4-5lbs for a couple days before it comes but then it drops once it ends.

jamontagne

Point in case ... TOM is almost gone so I stepped on the scale this morning:

Monday (day before I got IT) 143.8 - 2.5 lbs up over night!
Today (day before it's over) 140.4 - .8 lb loss from original weight before TOM hit

So it's a definate - I will not weigh myself when TOM is coming anymore - I'll just wait out the week then see what it says.