It’s no secret that many women gain weight when they’re on their periods. In fact, a recent study found that the average woman gains about 3 to 5 pounds during those 5 days. While some of that weight is water retention, many women find it difficult to lose weight after their period ends. If you’re one of those women, don’t worry – I have some tips for you! In this blog post, I’m going to cover everything from how to deal with water retention to how to make sure you don’t gain too much weight.
Why Do Women Gain Weight on Their Periods?
There are a few reasons why women tend to gain weight when they’re on their periods. First, many women experience water retention. This is caused by hormonal changes that occur during your period and it can lead to a temporary increase in weight. Second, many women eat more during their periods. This is often due to cravings caused by hormonal changes and can lead to a significant weight gain. Finally, many women are less active during their periods due to the fatigue and cramps that often accompany menstruation. All of these factors can lead to a weight gain of up to five pounds prior to your period.How Much Weight Do You Gain During Your Period?
The average woman gains about three to five pounds during her period. However, it’s important to note that not every woman experiences this weight gain. Some women retain more water while some women have more cravings. And these symptoms can switch cycle to cycle. How active you are during your period can make a big difference in how much weight you gain, both due to eater retention and appetite shifts. If you’re on the more consistently active side of the spectrum, you may not gain much weight at all. However, if you’re on the lower side of the active spectrum, you may gain up to five pounds. It’s important to be aware of your own body and how it reacts to menstruation. Read more on how to beat weight gain after menopause to help you understand more about how hormone shifts affect women’s weight management. Body awareness allows you to understand how you react and whether you need to talk about it with your doctor. If you already know how your body responds to your monthly cucle, read on for more tips on how to avoid weight gain that does not go away after your period is done.Tips for Preventing Weight Gain on Your Period
Here are some tips for preventing weight gain during your period:- Drink plenty of water: Staying hydrated can help reduce water retention. You must drink lots of water if you are seeking to keep the bloat down and flush toxins. In addition, increasing water helps decrease inflammation which is one of the major factors in consistently gaining weight after a period.
- Avoid salty foods: Salt can also lead to water retention, so try to avoid foods that are high in salt. You can also try seasoning your food with herbs and spices instead of salt. Also, as much as you want them try to avoid those processed and manufactured foods or set a limit on how many you want to eat during this time.
- Avoid sugary foods: Cravings for sugary foods are common during periods, but it’s important to moderate how many you are eating. Sugary foods can lead to weight gain, especially for women who have PCOS or other metabolic syndroms (like insulin resistance or high testosterone). Women tend to be more inflammatory with hormone shifts and eating sugar exasterbates the inflammation stimulating your adipose (fat) tissue to be more active, meaning getting bigger or creating new cells or receptors.
- Exercise regularly: Moevment can help keep you active and energized during your period. Exercise of any sort decreases your inglammation, however, within 48 hours your inflammation is built back up to the same level agiain. The more you move, the less water retention, inflammation, and cravings you might have due to the improvement your body has when you stimulate your muscle fibers to burn sugar.
- Stay mindful of your diet: Pay attention to the foods that you’re eating and make sure that you’re not overeating. You may also want to keep a food journal to track your eating habits. Other tips would be portion control that is visible. Leave the bag in the cabinet and just portion out in a clear container the amount of food (chocolate) you want to eat. You can always refill, but if you see your food getting lower this might help you with “mindless eating”.
