weight gain and menstrual cycle

letterfromthesky
letterfromthesky Posts: 18
in Health and Weight Loss
So, I am fairly new to this whole thing, so I could quite possibly be asking one of the worlds stupidest questions :)

I am just at the end of my cycle, a day or two away from my period. I weighed myself today out of curiosity, and I put on four pounds since Saturday. I really don't see how this is possible, as I have been under my calorie count and eating well since Saturday. The only thing I can think of is that i has to do with my cycle since that's the only variable other than I weighed myself a couple hours later in the day than normal. It's the same scale that I've been using since I started this shindig.

Any thoughts on this? I know some fluctuations are normal, but four pounds in two days seem a bit extreme to me.

Replies

  • TheLizBerry
    TheLizBerry Posts: 17
    totally normal and happens to me every month.
  • onel0ve67
    onel0ve67 Posts: 1
    Absolutely possible...same thing happens to me...but after your cycle is done the number on the scale will drop back down. Alarming though,isn't it?
  • ivette52490
    ivette52490 Posts: 17 Member
    I gain between 2-4 pounds a week and a half before my period starts. I have no idea why, but during the end days of my period I lose weight again. My suggestion would be to drink plenty of water and continue with your healthy diet, you will be able to notice once mid way to your period that the scale will go down :)
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
    It's fluid, and it happens. :flowerforyou: Fluid retention has very little to do with calorie consumption.
  • kat9867
    kat9867 Posts: 1
    Of course it's normal, your water weight fluctuates when you're menstruating due to bloating. You can gain 2-6 pounds during the process and lose everything or even more right after it finishes.
    Don't worry, good luck on your journey!
  • KAYRRIE
    KAYRRIE Posts: 201 Member
    I just learned it's very normal myself as I had a similar experience. It's because we retain water and blow up like balloons, at least that's how I felt. But it goes away and you'll go back to normal.
  • bunnymum150
    bunnymum150 Posts: 311
    Ah yes, TOM - time of month.
    many of us see fluctuations through out the month, whether it is a gain or no loss.
    hang in there my friend, realize that this may very well happen again next month and try keep your chin up. Often I see a nice loss the following week.

    A college professor once said the only stupid question is the one that you don't ask:flowerforyou:

    Good luck on your journey to best health:heart:
  • unapologetically_crystal
    unapologetically_crystal Posts: 278 Member
    for me personally.. i would guess it would be that it was a few hours later then you usually weigh yourself.. because i myself can fluctuate a good 5lbs in a DAY if i weighed at different times without even being on my cycle.. but it could very well be your cycle as well especially if you havent eaten any different then you usually do. just hang in there and eat properly and drink water.. in a few days you can be all back to normal and over it. and if you DO mess up.. if you eat a little bad or whatever.. remember tomorrow is a new day to get it right. take care. =)
  • AAL94LBB
    AAL94LBB Posts: 77 Member
    Absolutely normal! I know some people who gain upwards of 6-7 pounds right before their time of the month.

    Before I started with MFP I used to gain usually around 5 pounds right before my TOM would begin. But, since losing 19 pounds using MFP I now only gain around 2-4 pounds (depending on how bad I've eaten too).

    Definitely just keep up with your exercise and drink plenty of water, it certainly helps with bloating.

    If you weight yourself on the very last day of your cycle you should weigh either what you did before, or less (if you did lose weight that week).

    Good luck!
  • denezy
    denezy Posts: 573 Member
    I gain 5-7 lbs every cycle. Is usually gone by day 4-5
  • blkericia
    blkericia Posts: 105 Member
    sadly i gained 8lbs, if you have lots of carbs and salt during that time it can double
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Happens to me every month. I gain about 2-3 pounds a few days before it starts and they are gone again by the 3rd day. :flowerforyou:

    I'm on maintenance now, but when I was losing, I looked forward to that time of the month, because not only would I lose the extra water weight, but that's generally when I'd also drop the extra pound or two of additional weight that I'd been waiting to lose the rest of the month! (I was at 1/2 pound a week loss and it always seemed to wait until the end of my period to finally go.) :laugh:
  • hludwig980
    hludwig980 Posts: 102 Member
    Same thing happens to me. This month it was worse than normal, almost had a heart attack when I stepped on the scale. It just so happened that it started a couple days after I started getting serious again about losing the rest of the weight I want to get rid of. Always thought it was normal, but was never quite sure.

    By the way....that was a GREAT question!
  • FightingMongeese
    FightingMongeese Posts: 17 Member
    Happens to me every month too. Depending on carbs, salt, and stress, it's been as high as 8 pounds a cycle. Awful. The good thing is that as soon as the witch is gone, I lose the water plus the weight. Now that's a satisfying weigh-in!
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    It's probably water weight. If I don't watch my sodium my "record" gain was 12 lbs of water. It goes away though.
  • chelseasunrise
    chelseasunrise Posts: 28
    When I lost weight before having my son I didn't have this problem so I didn't even know it happened! Since having my son about 1 week before my period starts I gain about 1kg (2.2lbs)! It's taken 1.5 weeks since my period starting to lose that kilogram again! It's like I'm taking a 2 steps forward and one step back every month! :(
  • rschreiber
    rschreiber Posts: 23 Member
    Me too! Such a bummer because that's already when I am emotional and crazy and feeling pretty bad about myself. And then I weigh and come unglued. I'm starting to expect it now and it's getting easier to deal with!
  • mom2dzbnwe
    mom2dzbnwe Posts: 129 Member
    I only started paying attention about 6 weeks ago, but long enough for me to experience this exact thing twice! 2.4 lbs up, and then down...

    Yeah, got on the scale and thought: WTH!?!?!?

    Then, the next day, was like, "Oooohhhhhh....I get it now!"

    Fluid retention is a pain!
  • Minerva624
    Minerva624 Posts: 577 Member
    Totally normal...
  • ZombieSlayer
    ZombieSlayer Posts: 369 Member
    Water weight... totally normal.
  • OMG_Twinkies
    OMG_Twinkies Posts: 215 Member
    I once ballooned up to 265 lbs on my menstrual cycle. Oh wait… that was real life.
    And yes, it's normal :)
  • ZombieSlayer
    ZombieSlayer Posts: 369 Member
    When I lost weight before having my son I didn't have this problem so I didn't even know it happened! Since having my son about 1 week before my period starts I gain about 1kg (2.2lbs)! It's taken 1.5 weeks since my period starting to lose that kilogram again! It's like I'm taking a 2 steps forward and one step back every month! :(

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/246100-tom-experiment-preliminary-results?hl=menstrual+cycle+experiment
  • Justjamie0418
    Justjamie0418 Posts: 1,065 Member
    ITs normal.. I gained almost 8 pounds this month from it.. I just drink a crap ton of water and by the 3rd or 4th day after its over the weight has dropped and normally a couple pounds too.
  • Sharkington
    Sharkington Posts: 485
    Yup, get used to seeing that fluctuation on the scale! I stopped weighing myself regularly, but I can still see and feel the weight increase before my period. It's basically just water retention and makes me feel/look bloated (though I'm sure most other people don't notice), so I have to remind myself not to feel bothered because I do go back to normal after about a week.
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    Totally normal!

    Our weight can fluctuate 3-5 lbs in ONE DAY, without your menstral cycle. So gaining the week of is completely okay.
    I personally avoid the scale those days, no need to get myself down for no reason.




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  • meadow_sage
    meadow_sage Posts: 308 Member
    Maybe we all should just save ourselves the heartache and not weigh in the week we have it.
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    So, I am fairly new to this whole thing,

    Congratulations! In most societies that's a right of passage and you would be considered a woman now. Best of luck with this and with your fitness goals.
  • iulia_maddie
    iulia_maddie Posts: 2,780 Member
    I was pretty freaked out too when I got my period for the first time.
  • Tw1zzler
    Tw1zzler Posts: 583
    Ou are holding water... I weigh daily and look at my mean body weight over time...spreadsheet and graph...
  • StarrySkiesYvaine
    StarrySkiesYvaine Posts: 35 Member
    Does anyone here take tablets or anything to try and reduce water retention? (either for time of the month or all the time)

    I know they exist but unsure whether it's wise to use them :S

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