For the ladies... working our, diet and periods

So..umm.. kind of a weird question, but could use some light shined here...
I've been hauling *kitten* for a month - proper diet, HIIT and cardio 5-6 days/week for no less than 35 minutes at a time (mostly around the 48 minute or so mark with two work outs at just under an hour in duration)... but this last week (the week before my period), I've seemed to gain 4lbs and now that my period is here, I'm 7lbs heavier than I was a week ago...

a) what the **** is this ****?
b) see A
c) is this common?

Replies

  • laylaness
    laylaness Posts: 262 Member
    What're your stats? Height, weight. What's your calorie goal?

    ETA: I do gain water weight during my period, but it usually vanishes a day or two after.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Always trips me out that this is news to women! :tongue:

    Have you never seen a tv commercial for Midol or Pamprin? Meds for cramps and that monthly bloating?? Never noticed your pants fitting a bit tighter during that time??

    Yes, gaining weight before and during shark week is totally normal. Expect it. Ignore it! Don't let it mess with your head. The weight will drop back off once Aunt Flo hits the road. Tis only temporary.

    Drink plenty of water, avoid high sodium stuff, munch on raw almonds and toss a few dark chocolate chips in with them. Stay off the scale. This too shall pass. Unfortunately it'll happen again next month, but it shall pass again. :bigsmile:
  • jhmomofmany
    jhmomofmany Posts: 571 Member
    Always trips me out that this is news to women! :tongue:

    Have you never seen a tv commercial for Midol or Pamprin? Meds for cramps and that monthly bloating?? Never noticed your pants fitting a bit tighter during that time??

    Yes, gaining weight before and during shark week is totally normal. Expect it. Ignore it! Don't let it mess with your head. The weight will drop back off once Aunt Flo hits the road. Tis only temporary.

    Drink plenty of water, avoid high sodium stuff, munch on raw almonds and toss a few dark chocolate chips in with them. Stay off the scale. This too shall pass. Unfortunately it'll happen again next month, but it shall pass again. :bigsmile:

    This needs to be added to the FAQs. :smile:
  • kfavulous
    kfavulous Posts: 106 Member
    What're your stats? Height, weight. What's your calorie goal?

    ETA: I do gain water weight during my period, but it usually vanishes a day or two after.

    5'5"
    SW: 167
    GW: 142
    Current weight after losing 6lbs is now 167.
    Calorie Goal: 1200-1400 (closer to 1400 when I do HIIT)

    This better freaking vanish soon....
  • kfavulous
    kfavulous Posts: 106 Member
    Always trips me out that this is news to women! :tongue:

    Have you never seen a tv commercial for Midol or Pamprin? Meds for cramps and that monthly bloating?? Never noticed your pants fitting a bit tighter during that time??

    Yes, gaining weight before and during shark week is totally normal. Expect it. Ignore it! Don't let it mess with your head. The weight will drop back off once Aunt Flo hits the road. Tis only temporary.

    Drink plenty of water, avoid high sodium stuff, munch on raw almonds and toss a few dark chocolate chips in with them. Stay off the scale. This too shall pass. Unfortunately it'll happen again next month, but it shall pass again. :bigsmile:


    Oh. Ha! Well how about that?? Well this solves that then now doesn't it?

    PS: Shark Week *snicker*
  • ShadeyC
    ShadeyC Posts: 315 Member
    Always trips me out that this is news to women! :tongue:

    Have you never seen a tv commercial for Midol or Pamprin? Meds for cramps and that monthly bloating?? Never noticed your pants fitting a bit tighter during that time??

    Yes, gaining weight before and during shark week is totally normal. Expect it. Ignore it! Don't let it mess with your head. The weight will drop back off once Aunt Flo hits the road. Tis only temporary.

    Drink plenty of water, avoid high sodium stuff, munch on raw almonds and toss a few dark chocolate chips in with them. Stay off the scale. This too shall pass. Unfortunately it'll happen again next month, but it shall pass again. :bigsmile:

    This needs to be added to the FAQs. :smile:

    HAHAH yes
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    I describe it as 'my uterus having a fat day' and I always mentally subtract about 2 kg (though I don't count it as a weigh in weight) when I have that situation. I'll literally jump on the scales and go 'haha my uterus is fat today' and then get over it. It always vanishes within a week and usually takes another half kilo or so with it, so.....
  • salleymo
    salleymo Posts: 50 Member
    I don't weigh in the week before my period because of the water weight, that number just messes with my head.
  • CaliforniaBarbie
    CaliforniaBarbie Posts: 346 Member
    Yes, gaining weight before and during shark week is totally normal. Expect it. Ignore it! Don't let it mess with your head. The weight will drop back off once Aunt Flo hits the road. Tis only temporary.

    baha "Shark week" is what i shall call my period from now on
  • cavia
    cavia Posts: 457 Member
    Yes, gaining weight before and during shark week is totally normal. Expect it. Ignore it! Don't let it mess with your head. The weight will drop back off once Aunt Flo hits the road. Tis only temporary.

    baha "Shark week" is what i shall call my period from now on

    Me too!
  • laylaness
    laylaness Posts: 262 Member
    What're your stats? Height, weight. What's your calorie goal?

    ETA: I do gain water weight during my period, but it usually vanishes a day or two after.

    5'5"
    SW: 167
    GW: 142
    Current weight after losing 6lbs is now 167.
    Calorie Goal: 1200-1400 (closer to 1400 when I do HIIT)

    This better freaking vanish soon....

    Seems like you're doing the right stuff... Being a chick sucks for a week out of the month, no? I'll usually make sure to drink extra water to combat all the saltiness I crave and to try to keep the bloating down.
  • LemonLizard
    LemonLizard Posts: 86 Member
    I love salt way too much for my own good. It certainly doesn't help around that time of the month!

    I've been calling it Shark Week for a while now, it's a fairly apt name :P
  • ktjo1985
    ktjo1985 Posts: 37 Member
    SHARK WEEK!!!! lol. Aunt Flow now = shark week!

    It will certainly pass. I wouldn't worry one bit about it. It's all good and I must say you're kicking some serious rear end!! Keep it up girl!
  • crisb2
    crisb2 Posts: 329 Member
    Since you're using MFP I'm assuming you like your apps. I have a period calendar/tracker app thingy... whenever i see it coming I don't bother weighing in, I stick to my diet as much as I can (I usually get REALLY HUNGRY), drink loads of water, avoid salty foods, wait 1 or 2 days after it's over, THEN weigh myself.

    Get a period tracker app and steer clear of your scale on those days. IT MESSES WITH YOUR HEAD. Even though, I KNOW it's cuz of my period I just hate the numbers popping up and just get irrationally sad (hormones, anyone?).
  • MsJulielicious
    MsJulielicious Posts: 708 Member
    Because of the shark week comment :smile:

    517861a9afa96f09940229a3.gif
  • Chelz2013
    Chelz2013 Posts: 176 Member
    I'm right there with you. HATE the fact I stepped on the scale today. I "know" about the whole "bloating" etc etc but NEVER stepped on the scale to really pay attention to that FACT until recently. Totally agree that "shark week" is so f-n better than "AF" LMAO
  • sarahwilson12
    sarahwilson12 Posts: 70 Member
    I'm SO glad I read this. Last week, on Friday, I weighed myself & I was like 3 pounds heavier. It makes sense logically that you gain weight before "shark week" (best name ever, by the way), but seeing the number always messes with my head. Guess I'll ignore the scale around that time & weigh in next week, as TOM is here for the next few days.

    Does anyone else find it hard to still workout during time of month? I always feel so... blah-ish... & don't feel motivated to workout, even though I feel bloated & feel heavier...

    The joys of being female! :grumble:
  • sarahwilson12
    sarahwilson12 Posts: 70 Member
    Because of the shark week comment :smile:

    517861a9afa96f09940229a3.gif

    Hahaha! That's AWESOME! :laugh:
  • kfavulous
    kfavulous Posts: 106 Member
    Since you're using MFP I'm assuming you like your apps. I have a period calendar/tracker app thingy... whenever i see it coming I don't bother weighing in, I stick to my diet as much as I can (I usually get REALLY HUNGRY), drink loads of water, avoid salty foods, wait 1 or 2 days after it's over, THEN weigh myself.

    Get a period tracker app and steer clear of your scale on those days. IT MESSES WITH YOUR HEAD. Even though, I KNOW it's cuz of my period I just hate the numbers popping up and just get irrationally sad (hormones, anyone?).

    perfect - I'll see what Crackberry has to offer =)
  • ShadeyC
    ShadeyC Posts: 315 Member
    Because of the shark week comment :smile:

    517861a9afa96f09940229a3.gif

    This is terribly, horribly, funny :)
  • codycsweet
    codycsweet Posts: 1,019 Member
    Because of the shark week comment :smile:

    517861a9afa96f09940229a3.gif

    lol love it I will now call it shark week too
  • ValerieJean
    ValerieJean Posts: 35 Member
    Shark week just hit me a week early.. so frustrating, i mean i know it causes weight gain but when it comes earlier than its suppose and surprises you... ugh :-( i honestly thought it was a gain, i calculated it on MFP and then 2 days later SHE got here. so then it all made sense. wondering if she came early due to exercise? hmmmm



    signed frustrated lady that just wants to lose those last 5lbs already
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Am I the only woman who looses weight during "shark week"????? *Don't hate me*:flowerforyou:

    Seriously I was down a lb from the week before.....

    I avoid sodium, drink lots of water, no I do not take anything for bloating and I still exercise regardless...hmmmm

    Mind you the weekend before I ate Wendy's poutine, Chicken strips and then had a big huge deep fried seafood platter (not all on the same day mind you but within a weekend)
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    Always trips me out that this is news to women! :tongue:

    Have you never seen a tv commercial for Midol or Pamprin? Meds for cramps and that monthly bloating?? Never noticed your pants fitting a bit tighter during that time??

    Yes, gaining weight before and during shark week is totally normal. Expect it. Ignore it! Don't let it mess with your head. The weight will drop back off once Aunt Flo hits the road. Tis only temporary.

    Drink plenty of water, avoid high sodium stuff, munch on raw almonds and toss a few dark chocolate chips in with them. Stay off the scale. This too shall pass. Unfortunately it'll happen again next month, but it shall pass again. :bigsmile:

    :bigsmile: this
  • sing809
    sing809 Posts: 54 Member
    Is there a way in MyFitnessPal to make a note of when your period starts so that you can make sense of what the scale is showing during shark week?
  • annanaidoo
    annanaidoo Posts: 34 Member
    totally normal! I'm always heavier that week and I tend to stay off the scale (i try as hard as i can but doesn't always work), keep working out, lots of water and it'll all be fine as shark week ends LOL!I love that comment!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Because of the shark week comment :smile:

    517861a9afa96f09940229a3.gif

    LMAO!!! In for shark week! OP, totally normal
  • ylvak94
    ylvak94 Posts: 32 Member
    Definitely common. My last TOM my weight was 97.3kg the day before it started, then it went 97.8, 97.9, 97.9, 97.6, 97.3 and then 96.9 on the last day with 96.2 the day after that, and I'm on the pill. Some women lose a few pounds during TOM, other women gain a few pounds. Just hormones messing with us as usual.
  • smashley_mashley
    smashley_mashley Posts: 589 Member
    Shark week... Love It!! I am in the same boat two... I always get frustrated when the scale is higher than I expect and then a few days later and I have that " ohhhh righhht" moment. I stay off the scale that week as well and work extra hard at the gym just to be on the safe side the next weigh in day