A question for women...

HornsUT32
HornsUT32 Posts: 146 Member
in Motivation and Support
Ok, so this question is a bit personal and one that only women can answer. I started my weight loss journey in January and was losing weight very slowly. I was eating better and exercising more, but the weight was coming off really slowly. A friend of mine mentioned that it was harder to lose weight while on birth control, so I stopped using it.

Well, she must have been right because I am now 30 pounds down. The weight has come off twice as fast since going off, and I have no real need to be using it anyhow, so I figured I would stop until I hit my goal weight.

I have noticed though that the week of my period, my weight does not move...at all. This week was the worst. I burned between 900-1200 calories 4 days this week, and then about 300 on day 5. I ate between 1200-1600 depending on how much I worked out, so there is no reason for me to have not lost some weight. Well, I got on the scale this morning for my weekly weigh in and I was UP 1.2 pounds!!!

So, my question is...is this possibly water weight from my period? I was on birth control for the past 3 years, so I hardly got a period...so needless to say, this stuff didn't happen. I am about ready to go in to panic mode lol....

Replies

  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
    Water weight is notorious during your cycle. I can fluctuate 5 lbs during that week. As far as birth control it's all individual. I am on the Nuvaring and have not had any issues losing weight.
  • Madelinew22
    Madelinew22 Posts: 289
    I gain 4lbs during. Best thing is to not weigh in during Tom
  • HornsUT32
    HornsUT32 Posts: 146 Member
    Thankfully I never gained weight on the NuvaRing, just had a hard time losing. Thanks for the advice though :). I really appreciate it!!!
  • leslisa
    leslisa Posts: 1,350 Member
    My water weight is so bad even my boobs go up a size. I have 2 sets of bras. How pathetic is that? Anyway, I try to avoid the scales as much as possible anyway. I do weigh but only 1 time a week and right now I'm on a 2 week wait.
  • Senbou
    Senbou Posts: 9
    Yeah your body retains water weight to compensate for the fluid loss...

    honestly I'm on the Depo, i heard you gain weight on that, haven't really had an issue with it until recently, turned 21 last year and needless to say vodka is nothing but sugary delicious carbs so.. going to ween off my depo for a bit and let my body get back to normal for a bit.. Glad to know it's working for you!
  • EvilMomma
    EvilMomma Posts: 70 Member
    I"m peri-menopausal and I've noticed that my hormones play a large role in my weight loss. I"m not on BC but I know that I lose weight fastest the week before and during my Period and often lose nothing the first two weeks after. I just stick with the ol' calorie count and not let it worry me. I"m not running a race, I"m changing the habits of a life time and want the changes to last the rest of my life.
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
    My period ALWAYS makes me retain water like crazy.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I gain 3-4 lbs during my period week then it all comes off after. It's totally normal.

    Don't let that number on the scale upset you so much. Just keep doing what is working for your long-term and don't sweat it if you get a bump in the scale weight sometimes. It's normal to fluctuate a few lbs over the course of the day and month, especially if you're a woman.
  • Norsegodess
    Norsegodess Posts: 30
    have you tried drinking lemon water, squeeze the juice of 2 lemons into 2 pints of water (add sweetner if required) and this after each meal. I done this last week when it was that time and I lost 3lbs. Theres something in the acidity of lemons that breaks down the contents of the food and it digests quicker. I only done this Friday & Saturday of last week
  • led6777
    led6777 Posts: 268
    i've considered going off the pill for a few months to see if it makes my weight loss more consistent but i'm not sure if i'll actually stop. i skip the placebos every other month so i only have 6 periods per year which has been wonderful.
  • NomadicKris
    NomadicKris Posts: 90
    Yep, this is one of my biggest struggles at the moment... I get my period every 2 weeks right now so I am constantly hormonal / bloated / craving food. I am getting a mirena put in to see if that helps, I have heard some people say it causes weight gain but I can only give it a shot because nothing else is working right now.

    I do find though, that when I am retaining water, if I increase my water intake it does help reduce how much I am holding onto as my body is flushing itself out more often.
  • briebear77
    briebear77 Posts: 253 Member
    I rarely have periods and when I finally had one just about a week ago I could NOT figure out what was wrong with me. I could have slept all day, scale didn't move, and I had zero energy or appetite. I wasn't sure if that was normal since I've never really paid attention to my body like I have been lately and normally not having energy to exercise wasn't a problem haha. Needless to say the whole ordeal is such a pain! So it makes sense if your scale didn't move, but looks like you are doing great!
  • vanessalillian82
    vanessalillian82 Posts: 350 Member
    I believe the pill tricks your body into thinking it is pregnant, and so its natural reaction is to hold on to weight around your belly.

    That said, I've heard people say that it doesn't affect them and others say that it affects them significantly so I have no idea what the real answer is! I think my shape changed when I went off the pill for a while, but not for the worse. I didn't lose a heap of weight but then, I wasn't really trying to!

    Water weight can really stuff you up, though. I never expect to lose any weight that one week of the month because of it. Don't stop drinking water, though - I find it actually helps flush the water weight out. I'm sure you'll be back on track next week when the hormones settle down :)

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