LADIES ONLY! - Not really a 'guy' kinda post :P

This past month wasn't as bad as the previous months. I drank a lot of water and worked out days leading up to it. I kept my salt in check. I had minimal bloating, if any. It was like a Christmas day miracle! lol

Wow, you can really see how much we all have in common here! As women, we ALL experience this - what solidarity!

I'd like to add something. I believe that this issue offers us all a special opportunity that men do not have the chance to take advantage of.

And that is...the opportunity to grow in inner character and strength - which is ultimately what we NEED in order to have long-term success in our journeys.

When we hit those days each month and start feeling like crap, we have the unique opportunity to turn our feelings of *powerlessness* (i.e., "I'm ugly", "I'm fat", "Those guys at the gym snicker at me", "see? I'll never lose weight!", etc.) into feelings of POWER and initiative and freedom, and to take control of our negative inner thoughts and turn them into something positive. Which will only benefit us in the long run.

Yes, I know this sounds nuts. But hear me out.

Most overweight gals struggle with two things: low self-worth and impatience with the slow, lengthy process of weight loss. "Aunt Flo" challenges both and challenges it HARD. Not only do our bodies temporarily change (for the negative), our hormones rage and we *feel* generally terrible about ourselves for no reason whatsoever.

So we have a choice:

1.) Submit to Aunt Flo's taunts and abuse, roll over, believe the lies I quoted in the fourth paragraph, and curl up in a ball in tears; or,
2.) Straighten our mental spine, look her in the face and say, "F* YOU, Aunt Flo - I know your tricks and deception - but it's not going to work with me. I am losing weight slowly, but steadily. A little water weight isn't going to knock me down. The number on the scale at the END of my journey, which I will reach, is what matters - not a couple of extra lbs a couple of days a month! I am beautiful and I am successful - despite what you say. I am exercising. I am eating within my calorie range. I WILL prevail, no matter what you say!!"

Get mad, people! Don't roll over! YOU ARE WOMAN - YOU SHOULD ROAR! Turn this thing around. Make it your springboard into the pool of success! In the process you'll develop patience with the process - patience you desperately need to go the long haul. You are stronger than a couple of bumps in the road!!

And never forget it!

Weight loss is going great, but I'm just wanting to know if any other ladies experience any problems around 'that time of the month' to keep already lost weight from coming back? Even if only temporarily. Bloating gets sooooo annoying around this time, and can sometimes undo some of the renewed confidence gained from the weight loss.

Have tried every adjustment you can think of to my diet to deal with it, and I've now run out of ideas!
Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you ladies! xxxx

It is pretty normal to gain weight/bloat when it's your time of the month. I try not to worry about it because if I stress over the small weight gain I will get depressed and eat things I don't need or start feeling the need to over exercise. Just eat your normal diet drink plenty of water and tell yourself it will be over soon lol

The problem for me is I actually want to eat less when I'm on my period. It takes a lot of effort to make sure I at least keep a healthy intake of 1200 calories, and I usually work off at least 700 of those calories at the gym (I go twice a day). So my curiosity is how to minimise the bloating when my want for food decreases during the visit from 'aunt flow'.

Just out of curiosity, are you saying you're only eating 1,200 a day while exercising twice a day for a total of 700 calories burned?

Sorry, what I meant was - are you only eating 1,200 calories when burning 700 a day? (I'm asking because I'm concerned and wondering if you realize that is actually not safe and will ultimately sabatoge your success).

With me it is inevitable, but limiting salt helps. I just ignore the scale for a week and it doesn't bother me.
I am shocked that there are people at your gym acting that way. I have never come across one rude/critical person ever in a gym in 13 years that I can think of. They need to be the ones worried about their crappy attitudes, rather than you be worried about some temporary fluid gain.

First, sorry to hear you've got a group of D-bags at your gym. I've never experienced anything like that at any gym I've gone to in my entire life (many years of which I've been fat).

Second, those blobby pounds you referenced are something that you feel and experience much more than anyone outside of you can actually "see." Nobody looks at you during those 5 days and thinks "she really porked out this week." It just doesn't happen that way. But, I totally get that that is probably how you feel when things are too tight and maybe the water retention makes your fingers swell and such. It sucks. But it's life and we must proceed. As many responses have already stated...there isn't much to be done about the bloating. Just kick it's *kitten* on the treadmill and wait a few days to weigh in.

Just try not to weigh yourself the days before or during. That way when you jump on that scale after......you should have a nice drop in numbers b/c it's been well over a week since you weighed yourself.

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.

You can try drinking lemon water too, it seems to help me when I feel extra bloated. Just squeeze a lemon wedge or two into your ice water and it really does help to de-bloat since its a natural diuretic.
I was so excited for my monthly to come this month because I felt like a balloon. My husband laughs because I get so excited when it arrives! Just focus on how you will feel when you step on the scale once it goes on its merry way! Until next time......!

When its that time of the month, I usually just throw the diet out the window and give into my cravings, don't get me wrong I still eat mostly healthy but if I want a giant bacon cheeseburger, I will have my cake and eat it too lol Try to stay active and drink lots of water.