TOM and weightloss

tracymayo1
tracymayo1 Posts: 445 Member
edited December 3 in Health and Weight Loss
So, I have about 8 birth control pills left to take and then the standard 5 days before TOM starts for me at this point.... is this a normal time to be gaining weight on the scale because of TOM?

I am not sure how soon *(on average) before you actual start TOM that weight increase is normal... Generally I lose again about 2-3 days after I am done... but this seems early to be showing the gains yet...

I guess I want to be sure it is normal!!

Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Yes. Completely normal.
  • vespiquenn
    vespiquenn Posts: 1,455 Member
    edited August 2016
    Yep, completely normal. Typically the scale will go up for a few days at the start due to water retention, then decrease during or after.

    Eta: I just reread and saw that you're almost two weeks out. Some folks do experience weight gain during the time ovulation would occur, which I'm guessing is the case. Make sure you are logging accurately, and see if there is a trend over the course of a few months.
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    tracymayo1 wrote: »
    So, I have about 8 birth control pills left to take and then the standard 5 days before TOM starts for me at this point.... is this a normal time to be gaining weight on the scale because of TOM?

    I am not sure how soon *(on average) before you actual start TOM that weight increase is normal... Generally I lose again about 2-3 days after I am done... but this seems early to be showing the gains yet...

    I guess I want to be sure it is normal!!

    Just to be clear... are you seeing a weight increase 13 days before your menses begins?
  • tracymayo1
    tracymayo1 Posts: 445 Member
    @leejoyce31
    yes, I gained weight on the scale this morning... 13 days prior to menses...
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    I concur. It happens to me. It's insane and frustrating, but it's just how the hormones work. I also think that the pills cause a bit of water retention too. It's all water. Does this happen to you every month?
  • tracymayo1
    tracymayo1 Posts: 445 Member
    I do start to gain when TOM is near... but I wasn't sure this soon before TOM was normal.
    Seems that it is though, and I shouldn't worry.

    I also am wondering if I should change my loss per week from 1lb to 1.5lbs... I have about 23lbs left to go to my first "goal"
    Maybe that will help me show more loss...
  • vespiquenn
    vespiquenn Posts: 1,455 Member
    edited August 2016
    Deleted because I misread. I'm doing that a lot today. :lol:
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    It's what is normal for you. Our bodies are all so different. But I usually see an immediate gain after TOM when I start back the active pills. Estrogen can cause water retention. My weight will usually stay up until menses and then drop back down again. I'm in maintenance so it's okay.

    Do you think 1.5 will be too aggressive? How much of a calorie reduction from your current intake is that? It may not be sustainable and could cause increased cravings.
  • tracymayo1
    tracymayo1 Posts: 445 Member
    @vespiquenn really? I had it set at 1lb a week - when I started. I have lost 12 lbs so far since June...

    I set 175lbs as my first goal to see how I look and feel and then decide if I want to lose more...
    I suppose I can try 0.5lbs a week - but I am not finding it hard to stay in my calories now at 1lb. and honestly I don't even know how I would eat the extra calories 0.5lbs a week would give me!!
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member

    I honestly think there is no norm in this. I gain the day after starting and hold that for 7-10 days. Others may show water gain before/during/after starting and before/during/after ovulation.


    tracymayo1 wrote: »
    So, I have about 8 birth control pills left to take and then the standard 5 days before TOM starts for me at this point.... is this a normal time to be gaining weight on the scale because of TOM?

    I am not sure how soon *(on average) before you actual start TOM that weight increase is normal... Generally I lose again about 2-3 days after I am done... but this seems early to be showing the gains yet...

    I guess I want to be sure it is normal!!

  • tracymayo1
    tracymayo1 Posts: 445 Member
    leejoyce31 wrote: »
    It's what is normal for you. Our bodies are all so different. But I usually see an immediate gain after TOM when I start back the active pills. Estrogen can cause water retention. My weight will usually stay up until menses and then drop back down again. I'm in maintenance so it's okay.

    Do you think 1.5 will be too aggressive? How much of a calorie reduction from your current intake is that? It may not be sustainable and could cause increased cravings.


    Right now I am set at 1600 cal per day based on 1lb a week.

    When I changed it to 1.5lbs a week it shows me 1350 cal/day.

    I have a fitbit so my activity is set to Sendentary and gain calories throughout the day - and generally don't eat them ever... I really don't know if 1350 would be workable - I would have to try it... and it would depend on how much I gain through Mapmywalk and fitbit...
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    vespiquenn wrote: »
    Yep, completely normal. Typically the scale will go up for a few days at the start due to water retention, then decrease during or after.

    Eta: I just reread and saw that you're almost two weeks out. Some folks do experience weight gain during the time ovulation would occur, which I'm guessing is the case. Make sure you are logging accurately, and see if there is a trend over the course of a few months.

    She's on the birth control. Unless she skips some pills, she is not ovulating. Birth control pills are designed to prevent ovulation.
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    I honestly think there is no norm in this. I gain the day after starting and hold that for 7-10 days. Others may show water gain before/during/after starting and before/during/after ovulation.


    tracymayo1 wrote: »
    So, I have about 8 birth control pills left to take and then the standard 5 days before TOM starts for me at this point.... is this a normal time to be gaining weight on the scale because of TOM?

    I am not sure how soon *(on average) before you actual start TOM that weight increase is normal... Generally I lose again about 2-3 days after I am done... but this seems early to be showing the gains yet...

    I guess I want to be sure it is normal!!

    I totally agree. That's why I said this is what is normal for her. Our bodies are all so different and unique.
  • tracymayo1
    tracymayo1 Posts: 445 Member
    I think I will keep track more closely on my Weight Grapher... that shows the trend and you can see your weight on that day 28 days previously... so I should notice a trend always happening around TOM...then I will know
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    tracymayo1 wrote: »
    leejoyce31 wrote: »
    It's what is normal for you. Our bodies are all so different. But I usually see an immediate gain after TOM when I start back the active pills. Estrogen can cause water retention. My weight will usually stay up until menses and then drop back down again. I'm in maintenance so it's okay.

    Do you think 1.5 will be too aggressive? How much of a calorie reduction from your current intake is that? It may not be sustainable and could cause increased cravings.


    Right now I am set at 1600 cal per day based on 1lb a week.

    When I changed it to 1.5lbs a week it shows me 1350 cal/day.

    I have a fitbit so my activity is set to Sendentary and gain calories throughout the day - and generally don't eat them ever... I really don't know if 1350 would be workable - I would have to try it... and it would depend on how much I gain through Mapmywalk and fitbit...

    I would stick to 1 pound at 1600 calories. Is an extra 1/2 pound worth dropping 250 calories. I suppose you could try it and see what happens though.
  • vespiquenn
    vespiquenn Posts: 1,455 Member
    edited August 2016
    tracymayo1 wrote: »
    @vespiquenn really? I had it set at 1lb a week - when I started. I have lost 12 lbs so far since June...

    I set 175lbs as my first goal to see how I look and feel and then decide if I want to lose more...
    I suppose I can try 0.5lbs a week - but I am not finding it hard to stay in my calories now at 1lb. and honestly I don't even know how I would eat the extra calories 0.5lbs a week would give me!!

    Damn, I didn't get that deleted in time. Ignore what I said. I misread it and thought you only had 23lbs to lose. I'm going back to bed because apparently my reading comprehension is out the window today.

    Seriously though, if you're setting your goal only to see quicker results, that's probably not the best way to go about it. Because you will eventually have to decrease it. If you are satiated on 1600 calories currently, cutting 300 calories could be a lot. I currently have mine set at 1600 on nonworkout days for 5'9" and 153lbs, and the idea of cutting another 300 would make me cry.
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    Do you exercise?
  • cariduttry
    cariduttry Posts: 210 Member
    had weight gain yesterday...tomorrow's my last pill, so 7-8 days prior. totally normal for me. i'll probably plateau and do nothing great until 1-2 days after. i always tell myself at least it's better than the alternative!
  • tracymayo1
    tracymayo1 Posts: 445 Member
    leejoyce31 wrote: »
    Do you exercise?

    I have recently started walking and sometimes biking for an hour or more in the evenings (Pokemon Go don't you know with the family) but that is the extent of my "workouts"
    whatever calories I gain from those activities (added with the MapMyWalk app) I don't usually eat back anyway as by the time we get home and get kids in bed - I don't want to eat anything that late.

  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    I gain 3 or 4 pounds in water the week before mine. By the end it's back down to normal.
  • lisaisso
    lisaisso Posts: 337 Member
    I gain at ovulation, and only lose a "chunk" of weight the day before I start, every month. So basically for 3 weeks the scale shows no losses and even reflects a gain.. smh.
    Go figure. B)
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    lisaisso wrote: »
    I gain at ovulation, and only lose a "chunk" of weight the day before I start, every month. So basically for 3 weeks the scale shows no losses and even reflects a gain.. smh.
    Go figure. B)

    Yeah I gain during my first week of active pills and stay up until menses starts.
  • ashcky
    ashcky Posts: 393 Member
    I am on the nexplanon and this is what happened for me this last month. I've been losing 2 lbs a month but from the week before my period to the week of I dropped 4 lbs. Idk if that's the norm for me but I guess I'll see. I definitely felt like I retained water the week prior to my period though
  • Sweet_Heresy
    Sweet_Heresy Posts: 411 Member
    I gain a couple days before, then it slowly goes down. I'm sure all the sodium I stuff myself with in those days leading up to it don't do much favors either...
  • sfa90
    sfa90 Posts: 105 Member
    I only gain 2 days before a few pounds and around day 4 of my period I've lost again that extra weight.
  • idabest777
    idabest777 Posts: 97 Member
    I'm also on the pill and I never really gain, but for the last 2-3 weeks of the active pills i've found that my weight loss reeeaaally slows (i'm usually only set to 0.5 or 1 lb/week anyways so it's already decently slow). And then after my period I drop about 3 pounds and start losing like normal again.
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