Weight Loss and the menstral cycle- question.

_Kitten_Kate · June 2012

Here is the deal... I have been losing wt slowly. As many of you may know because I have posted about it before.
The past few months I have been paying close attention to the ups and downs.
So the last 2 months I noticed....
During the month I fluctuate up and down1-3lbs.
At the end of my period...the last few days I show a loss of 1-2lbs.
Then the cycle starts over... I fluctuate up and down(but never going below the lowest) and then after my period I am down to a low point.

Maybe to make it clearer...
From April 9-May 1 I went from 242-240 in between those wts. May 1 I start my period... and at the end I am 239.
May 6 -June 1 I go from 241-239 ...June 3 I start my period... Yesterday I weighed 237.
Within the month before my period I dont drop below the lowest right after my period. Then after my period I am down a lb or 2.

and that's it.... I am losing approx 2 lbs a month.

Any insight?
I have been at this since January and have changed how I eat what I eat... multi changes within the 6 months. to try to spur a larger loss.

Is this just how my body does it?
Could it be a medical thing?
I had a blood test in March... no hormone, or insulin or thyroid issues. All was normal...except a cholesterol was 206.
My diary is open if you want to take a look...
I have done low carb and primal.
I cut out PB for a month.
Nothing has made much difference.
All remains the same.

yarwell · June 2012

I did read a study which described a cycle of weight gain and loss similar to the one you describe. It was done with young women who had not given birth and fed them an isocaloric diet (no weight loss or gain) for at least one whole cycle.

journals.cambridge.org/article_S0007114565000235

_Kitten_Kate · June 2012

Wow... thanks.
Not young... but have not had a child.
Thanks for the info. I will definitely read this!

Edit after skimming article....

Yeah.. I know that wt fluctuates during the month. That is a given pretty much... with water wt and hormones and such.

My inquiry lies with...
I don't lose wt until after my period.
I am not showing a 1/2 lb a week or whatever..
I go up and down 2 lbs above my lowest but never below the lowest. Then at the end of my period I show a loss... below the previous months lowest #. Usually 1-2 lbs.

Coyla · June 2012

I notice this, too. I am usually at my lowest weight a couple days after TOM. I'm at my highest a couple days before and during.

_Kitten_Kate · June 2012

I notice this, too. I am usually at my lowest weight a couple days after TOM. I'm at my highest a couple days before and during.

Are you losing any within the month?

I am not showing any loss until the last couple of days of my period.
And that's it for the month.

Beewallows · June 2012

I have a similar thing, only I gain about 5 pounds a few weeks before my period, and lose it (plus a little) right after. As for your diary, I find I lose more when I eat plenty of fruits and veggies, but it could be a personal thing too.

Just a question though, do you workout before/after having the protein supplements (drinks and bars)? I'm not quite sure how they're supposed to work, but maybe you're storing those calories as fat instead of building strength?

zgdsmith · June 2012

wow...I'm EXACTLY the same way!! I lose about 2 lbs a few days after my period then it fluctuates within 1 or 2 pounds of that number until a couple days before my next period. Then it goes up by 5 or 6 pounds. Then after my period i'm down about 2 lbs from the previous month. So, i've lost about 6 pounds in a little over 3 months. But i've lost 12.5 inches!! So, make sure you are taking your measurements bc if it wasn't for me doing them I would be really discouraged.

I know my body fat % has gone down alot so i'm assuming i'm building muscle and losing fat is why my body weight doesn't change alot.

I know it's frusterating....

ladyluch99 · June 2012

I fluctuate a lot during the month very similar to what you described. However, when I do lose the weight after TOM, it's usually permanent. I figured for me it was because I'm going through menopause and my hormones are crazy. The fluctuations were so frustrating that I have recently decided to weigh in only once a month and that will be after my period. It's been almost 3 weeks since I was last on the scale and after my cycle this month I'll weigh in. I hope this will give me a more accurate picture of what I'm losing per month. Try not to let it discourage you and keep working toward your weight loss goals. You will eventually get there.

falamoyacrava · June 2012

My weight loss is pretty much exactly the same as this! I'm interested to read that journal, have it saved to my favourites.

It's annoying, isn't it? Seems no matter how hard you try, it doesn't really pay off.

I have PCOS and am on the arm implant birth control, have been wondering if either/both of those could be contributing.. Will be asking a specialist about it all next week,

pamfm · June 2012

This happens to me, too. I think it's normal. I'm not trying to lose quickly, so I only expect about 1 lb. per month.
The way to think about it is not that you are not losing weight for weeks and then losing all at once. It's that you are losing small amounts of fat weight each week that don't show on the scale because you are retaining at least as much water as the month progresses, at about the same rate. As long as there is a long-term downward trend, and you feel well, no worries!

I started last month at 144. Saw my weight each Monday fluctuate between 144-146, and then 3 days after the end of my period (I guess I hold the water a little longer), I weighed in at 143. Now I'm fluctuating between 143-145, and I expect the scale to say 142 in a couple of weeks.

Nycie30 · June 2012

Well, with me personally, I had the same issue with losing very little weight even though I was doing everything right. So I went to my doctor and had a physical and labs done. Turns out I had an under active thyroid along with other health issues that were interfering with my weight loss.

But as far as the menstrual issue, I didn't have THAT specific problem. My menstrual problems was that I wouldn't have periods for extended periods of time, then when I would have them it would last for a month or longer. One time it lasted for 4 months straight!!! But I did notice that my weight fluctuated a lot before and after my periods when I DID have them.

But maybe its time to have a talk with your doctor, just to make sure you body is functioning properly. You don't seem to have as severe issues as I did, but no doubt it is still frustrating.

_Kitten_Kate · June 2012

My weight loss is pretty much exactly the same as this! I'm interested to read that journal, have it saved to my favourites.

It's annoying, isn't it? Seems no matter how hard you try, it doesn't really pay off.

I have PCOS and am on the arm implant birth control, have been wondering if either/both of those could be contributing.. Will be asking a specialist about it all next week,

OOOH... FR me.. I would love to know what you find out.
I don't have the symptoms for PCOS but have never been tested. And I am not on BC. And don't think I am going thru menapause... but who knows.!!
The article really did not give any info other than wt fluctuates during the month for women 18-22. LOL DUH!!

_Kitten_Kate · June 2012

I have a similar thing, only I gain about 5 pounds a few weeks before my period, and lose it (plus a little) right after. As for your diary, I find I lose more when I eat plenty of fruits and veggies, but it could be a personal thing too.

Just a question though, do you workout before/after having the protein supplements (drinks and bars)? I'm not quite sure how they're supposed to work, but maybe you're storing those calories as fat instead of building strength?

I use the shakes more as meal replacement for breakfast on days I have to be up at 5am and don't want to cook.
The bars are more of something I use after a hike... and sometime as a quick snack when I don't have access to anything else that would be somewhat hearthy.

_Kitten_Kate · June 2012

Well, with me personally, I had the same issue with losing very little weight even though I was doing everything right. So I went to my doctor and had a physical and labs done. Turns out I had an under active thyroid along with other health issues that were interfering with my weight loss.

But as far as the menstrual issue, I didn't have THAT specific problem. My menstrual problems was that I wouldn't have periods for extended periods of time, then when I would have them it would last for a month or longer. One time it lasted for 4 months straight!!! But I did notice that my weight fluctuated a lot before and after my periods when I DID have them.

But maybe its time to have a talk with your doctor, just to make sure you body is functioning properly. You don't seem to have as severe issues as I did, but no doubt it is still frustrating.

Did go to Dr in March... all is well as I stated in the original post.

cspong · June 2012

I've only been on MFP for a month, so I dont have a huge frame of reference, but I barely lost during the first few weeks, had my TOM and my weight loss seriously jumped, now its slowing a bit again. Not sure if they have anything to wuth eachother, but there was no other change so it makes sense

megleo818 · June 2012

YES! Same here, though like some of the other women who have replied, I can go up 5 pounds or so during TOM. Then down to a pound or so below pre-period weight when it's over.

Someone should put us in a study! :laugh:

ZombieSlayer · June 2012

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/246100-tom-experiment-preliminary-results

myfitnessval · June 2012

it definitely makes sense. our bodies retain a lot of water right before (which is why every girly magazine ever has always said to go easy on the salt when pmsing). this sounds like just normal body weight flux. i wouldn't worry unless you arent losing weight at all over the span of a couple months and doing all the right things lol.

_Kitten_Kate · June 2012

Yes it totally makes sense to go up and down over the course of a month with water wt and such.
What does not make sense to me is that that loss rt and the end of my period is the only loss for the month.
And yes it is a permant loss ...other than the normal flux up and down before the next period.

_Kitten_Kate · June 2012

Found this information when googling....

Menstrual cycle and BMR

BMR varied significantly with the menstrual
cycle in five of the six subjects tested.
The change in BMR with menstrual cycle
was the same in all five subjects; there was a
decrease in BMR during menstruation falling
to a low point approximately 1 wk before
ovulation which was followed, by a rise before
the next menstrual period (see Fig 1 A and

. Subject 5506 did not show evidence of a
cycle in BMR.
There are no statistically significant effect
of diet (ie, protein intake) on BMR. Therefore,
all metabolic periods were used to explore
effects of menstrual cycle.

http://www.ajcn.org/content/36/4/611.full.pdf+html

quill16 · June 2012

Well, with me personally, I had the same issue with losing very little weight even though I was doing everything right. So I went to my doctor and had a physical and labs done. Turns out I had an under active thyroid along with other health issues that were interfering with my weight loss.

But as far as the menstrual issue, I didn't have THAT specific problem. My menstrual problems was that I wouldn't have periods for extended periods of time, then when I would have them it would last for a month or longer. One time it lasted for 4 months straight!!! But I did notice that my weight fluctuated a lot before and after my periods when I DID have them.

But maybe its time to have a talk with your doctor, just to make sure you body is functioning properly. You don't seem to have as severe issues as I did, but no doubt it is still frustrating.

Weight Loss and the menstral cycle- question.

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