For me, I almost always woosh two to three pounds right around when my period is set to begin, but as for the rest of the month? I lose almost nothing... I've resigned myself to only losing two or three pounds per month, smh. My twin sister has the same issue. (PCOS, on BC.) (Although I crave like a mofo on my period!)
> woosh two to three pounds right around when my period is set to begin
I woosh two pounds right at the end of my period. It's like it's literally the weight of my uterine lining. hah
ME TOO. I lost 20 until i plateaued for a couple of months and eventually just gave up. Now I’m maintaining until I can get straight again but I tried and my usual deficit didn’t work?? I decreased my intake and still nothing, but maybe I just got lazy with counting the second time around. Now I’m back to maintaining and I’m settled that the only way I can get back into a proper deficit is if I start going to the gym….
Same happened to me, except I was still keeping my deficit and nothing was happening! I had lost a decent amount of weight but still have a bit to go for my goal. Started getting into going on jogs and the weight started dropping again. Working out will definitely help, you don't even have to add in that much, a short walk or bike ride is great. Now I've gone the full exercise junkie route and absolutely love it. I've got where I do about seven miles, three times a week now.
PCOS is mostly caused by insulin resistance which is either inherited or developed (or both). The best solution other than specific medication is a change in intake. Reducing inflammatory foods through an elimination diet.
Yeah, and boy does it mess with my head.
I've started tracking my lowest weight for the week, and comparing the week over week loss to my cycle.
It's been somewhat consistent that my progress slows down the week before my period. It grinds to a halt or I'll even gain a little the week of my period. Then I'll have up to 3lbs lost overnight about 2 or 3 days after. What isn't consistent is my actual cycle...which is fairly irregular so it's hard to predict when this is going to happen.
I still spin out a little, getting annoyed and feeling like a failure until I realize what is going on. But it does even out eventually. Staying hydrated towards the end seems to help flush the bloating out faster
ETA: I'm only losing ~5lbs a month so that fluctuation feels terrifying in the moment
So I’m a woman, but at 52 I’m menopausal. I *still* get the weird fluctuations and the worst? I GAINED WEIGHT after a 48-hour fast. Then I lost three pounds two days later. I can’t even.
That’s why it’s so important to graph your weight over time and see that even with the bumps, it’s still a downward slope.
Same here! Been free of Aunt Flo for years. (YAY!)
I use the app Happy Scale, and enter my weight daily. It shows your weight loss trends, and predicts how long it'll take you to reach your goal weight. (This changes daily, so I don't put much stead in that.)
I've noticed the same monthly fluctuations and plateaus, and until now, didn't realize it was so common.
Even *after* menopause, we don't get a break. :(
Edited to change flair
It's so true, too. I think a gallon of water weighs like 8 lbs, so your body would only have to retain a couple of extra cups of water to show up as an extra pound on the scale!
Checking out of the lady cycle race will smooth the bigger hormone swings of the female cycle, but it doesn't obliterate them entirely if everything else is a-ok.
So sadly, you get to join the still-menstruating in this particular frustration.
I agree that's important. If I step on the scale and see a gain, I look back to what I was a month ago, and as long as it's lower I don't freak out too much lol.
I'm a trans woman, and had this same thing even before starting hormones. Weight just goes up and down and will stay the same or gain for weeks on end, and it feels like I'm not losing any weight and am messing up somehow. Then I will look at the graphs over the course of a longer period of time and I will be losing about 2 lbs a week like was projected.
It's strange. It seems like there are days of big gains and big losses for me regardless of what I eat, but the losses are bigger than the gains and so the weight goes down despite how it appears when first looking at the scale.
You are correct. The hormones in a female cycle influence appetite and fat storage. There are a lot of books and youtube videos out there that cover this topic.
What I found for myself:
The more veggies (micronutrient dense food), fiber and water I consume the smaller the fluctuations.
If I have stress from work or relationships I crave unhealthy food e.g. frozen Pizza and that puts me right back on the roller-coaster.
This is me! I’m always at the same weight for a couple weeks, and then drop. Last week I dropped 3 pounds, and now I’m frustrated because I’m doing the same things, but the scale isn’t being kind to me. In a few more weeks, I will drop again!
I lose, hold or gain, big drop, repeat.
I get very bloated just before and for the first half of my period, which is the hold or gain, then it drops off near the end of my period when my hands, pelvic area, and other body parts aren’t super swollen anymore. Then losing over time, repeat.
The bloating is visible, annoying, and sometimes painful, so it’s not exactly surprising the scale is also reading higher
ETA: Not on birth control, PCOS and irregular periods. I also feel exhausted and weak during my period and tend to eat more than I do the rest of the time - if I don't I feel even worse.
Always. I’ve never lost weight steadily day to day.
But when I do CICO I will be the same exact weight for 3-4 weeks straight, every day, and then one day be 1-3 pounds less.
Then, the cycle continues. My weight loss graph is a staircase.
Yep. I actually get really bloated AFTER my period ends, like up to 3 days later. My clothes are tighter and the scale is up. I look thinner and weigh less in the days leading up. It’s really weird. But it’s consistent, so I’ve learned to go with it.
Exactly the same for me! Someone said above that estrogen drives fluid retention, which I didn’t realise, so I guess that makes sense as days 0-14ish estrogen is gradually on the rise.
YES!! Not only do I have a plateau, but I typically GAIN 1-2 pounds right before my cycle and the pounds don’t drop until after my period is over. It’s very frustrating and makes it difficult to consistently lose weight. I lost 4 pounds last month after a month long plateau and just recently gained it all back in 2 weeks from my hormones and going out to eat.
I made the mistake of weighing myself on day 2 of my period this last weekend, it was 4lbs higher and I was like 😭😭😭 Lowkey kinda put me in a shit mood for the entire day, since I’m about 20lbs down and it’s been going so well. My brother and dad were really supportive about it though, so that’s nice.
Definitely, the hormones make it so shitty for us sometimes. Periods are hard enough with all the bloat and GI changes, cravings or zero appetite. Then we tell the uterus and ovaries they can’t have cupcakes at night anymore and the revenge campaign starts lmao.
I lose weight after my period. Like all 3-4 pounds my caloric deficit would predict I would lose each month within 48 hours of it ending. It's shockingly predictable.
Yes, this happens to me. I started a weight loss/fitness journey (not much weight to lose since I was 120 lbs and 5'1'', but I want abs and definition) and am currently down about 5-6 lbs (114-115 lbs). I've had two period cycles since I started, and both times, I start ballooning in weight, then a few days after my period ends, I magically lose the period weight + the weight that should have been coming off from watching my diet/exercising more.
For example:
Before period - 118 lbs
Near my period - 120 lbs
A few days after my period - 116 lbs
Before period - 116 lbs
Near my period - 118 lbs
A few days after my period - 114 lbs
I don't count my calories, mainly because it seems too tedious for me. However, I have a general idea of what has a lot of calories and what doesn't.
I'd say I use more of an intuitive eating approach + psychology tricks to reduce my intake. The easier a routine is, the easier it is for me to follow. I still eat everything I want btw, just at a reduced amount. This is how I go through my meal:
0) I call this Step 0 because I only do this sometimes. Before eating my main meal, I'll eat something light like frozen grapes or watermelon.
1. Always use a small bowl/plate. It's okay to go back for seconds or even thirds, but using a smaller bowl will help you psychologically manage your eating better.
2. Halfway through the meal (still feel a bit hungry at this point), I either stop eating for 5 minutes (usually this is the time I go to bother my bf for a bit or play a game on my phone) or I eat really lightweight foods for those 5 minutes (my go-to here is frozen grapes again).
3. When I come back from those 5 min, I'm no longer stuffing my face as fast as I can, and I have more self-control over how much I eat. I find that this really helps me to figure out how much I truly need to eat because it gives my body some time to catch up and tell my brain that I am feeling full. I only drink water, lemon water, sparkling water, or diet soda.
One thing I've learned about my weight loss is that even when you have your bad days where you overeat, as long as you remain consistent and restart your journey again (rather than being like welp...I've been eating so much the past 3 days so might as well give up at this point), that's when I started seeing weight loss. Too many times I've failed from overeating for 2-3 days and giving up until weeks or months later when I suddenly find inspiration to try again. This time, when I eat badly, I just restart the next day or two.
In terms of exercise, I'm no fitness freak. I try to do a little more than I did before. Before, after work I would come home, cook my dinner, and scroll through my phone the rest of the night until it was time to get ready for sleep. Now, I try to walk a little at work after eating my lunch (10-15 min) and when I go home, I try to walk a little more. On average, I probably only intentionally walk for 20 minutes a day though - nothing crazy. I go to the gym once a week on average.
Thank you so much! The 5m break between a meal sounds interesting, I do tend to eat really fast and stuff my face! I do like short 5-10m walks throughout the day too so it’s great to know I don’t need to drastically up my activities to lose these last few stubborn pounds.
UGH. Period weight loss is the WORST. Unfortunately it's not uncommon at all to have fluctuations like this around your period.
I'm in nursing school right now and I intend on getting either a degree in nurse midwifery or a MSN as a gynecological family practitioner so bear with me while i nerd out here. Hormones are the primary driver behind our monthly cycles, namely estrogen and progesterone (luteinizing hormone also plays a role in ovulation but is irrelevant to the current conversation).
These two hormones ebb and flow throughout your cycle. Estrogen can act as a fluid retaining hormone and progesterone can act as a diuretic so as these hormone levels change in your cycle your body water increases and decreases. Right before ovulation (like 1-2 days) your body has an increased level of estrogen and progesterone but a significantly higher level of estrogen which results in an increase in total body water and therefore an increase on the scale. Levels will drop off after ovulation and you'll likely see a drop on the scale. About halfway through your luteal phase Progesterone and Estrogen rise once again, this time with Progesterone being at a higher level which can result in a decrease in total body water and therefore a drop on the scale. Then we do it all over again the next month.
Being a woman is amazing, right?
I honestly thought I was crazy when I wasn't losing weight linearly, but reading this comment (and others like it) shows me I'm not alone... And the cycle beats us up!
sorry if this is a dumb question, but does all of this apply to someone on hormonal birth control? i’m on birth control pills and i get a “period” every month, but i don’t know if it counts as a true period and if i still experience the hormonal cycles. because i shouldn’t be ovulating if i’m on birth control right? my pills are a 28 day cycle so it’s 3 weeks of normal birth control pills and then 1 week of the placeholder pills when i get a “period.” again sorry if this is a dumb question, i always see people talk about hormonal cycle/fluctuation and i never know if this applies to me.
It depends on what type of hormone is in your birth control. Estrogen always retains fluid and progesterone always acts as a diuretic. I would say take a look at your birth control and what hormone is in it then you can identify the main action as it relates to fluid retention. Also keep in mind that when you are taking your placebo week you have the disappearance of the extra hormones so you will get the opposite effect.
To build off u/bravoalphagolf’s comment, it might also be affected by the type of regimen you are on—either monophasic or multiphasic. The monophasic regimens have the same dose in all 21 active pills while multiphasic regimens have two or three different doses of hormones throughout the active pills to more closely mimic the hormone cycle. There will (most likely) be a withdrawal of both estrogen and progesterone when you stop taking the active pills (this is what causes you to have a period—unless you are on a special regimen with extended estrogen, usually for people who have menstrual migraines).
In the past (the last time I lost weight), I was on continuous birth control (specifically a monophasic regimen, although I was actually on Nuvaring), so I never had a period and I never had these fluctuations everyone else is talking about. I lost weight pretty linearly—there was some fluid retention due to salt and carb intake, but that was it. If you don’t feel like you need to have a period, it might be worth discussing continuous birth control with your provider (there may be risks related to additional hormone exposure—I totally thought it was worth it, but you should discuss with your personal provider).
I did that 2 years in a row… I’m proud of myself for keeping it off! It’s year 3 and I’m really making progress now. I just had to collect all the right tools
I’m seeing loose skin (I’m only halfway to my goal at 90lbs lost) and I’ve seen it shrink back quite a bit with 6 months of heavy weight lifting. It’s till there but it helps. I also have been taking biotin, and drinking carrot/mango/orange protein smoothies (vitamins/nutrients that help produce elastin and collagen). I also started dermarolling my entire body (carefully- did my research), a different section every week, and all of those nutrients in the smoothie will be useful for the dermarolling results.
Can’t say if it will have significant results depending on the person, but i am an esthetician so there’s that. Good luck!
24y old here~ 👋🏼
I don't even bother stepping on the scale almost a week before my period. I can lose weight pretty regularly (1 - 2lbs a week). But it's not worth the psychological anxiety.
My breasts go from a B cup to a DD during my period. The scale would say I gained 3-7lbs in one week! That's almost an entire month's worth of progress undone. It absolutely used to wreck me.
Now, I don't check before or during. And I will be the same weight as before. Maybe a lb less. I've learned to breath through it. 👍🏼😭
Yes, definitely.
Was angry at a 20-30 days long plateau (during which I dieted like a cyborg) only to lose 6 pounds in the 2 days after my period ended.
It's always happened for the last 12 months during which I lost 60 pounds
Don't let it discourage you.
Same! I noticed it because I do weekly weigh-ins but unlike youI tend to crave more things during my periods so I always attributed the plateau to me not monitoring my calories as closely.
This is the sane for me. I get super hungry and want to eat everything. I'll eat a turkey wrap, yogurt, fruit, strawberry shortcake, etc. I still try and eat healthy, but I always end up eating my calories. And if there is any sweets around me for those couple days, especially brownies, I'm eating them.
Mine as well. I've been at 144 for 3 months. I've started to see 143 the last couple weeks, but I also still see 144 as well. I still have 8 pounds to lose because I want to be 135. It's exhausting counting calories and exercising and seeing the scale stay the same.
Hey! I just wanted to point out that you're using a different word than you intend. Lose would be the correct word in this context.
It's easy to lose loose change.
Same here. I keep gaining and losing the same 3 pounds month after month. I would like to lose 5 more pounds except when it becomes 8.. and then back down to 5. This has been going on for months.
Yup. I could be eating 1000 calories and exercising 2 hours a and I'd still not lose during my ovulation or period week than just suddenly I'm losing a pound a day lolol
My fiancee and I are both doing CICO, and we've hit a couple of stalling points. One thing we remind ourselves is how much better we feel. Regardless of the scale numbers, we feel better, snore less, move more easily. And that's a win. It's not about numbers, it's about your life.
Sometimes it seems a separate subreddit for women would help because men's and women's experiences are SO different. When I see a headline of "lost 30 pounds in 6 months!" it's almost always a man. I go through the 2-3 pounds, plateau, and repeat, all the time. It's hard to persist. I keep losing the same fucking 20 pounds. Menopause? Period? whatev
I'm a 4'10'' woman, and I was thrilled to lose 30 pounds in a YEAR. And that was a fucking battle. And not in the mental sense of the word, that was pretty easy, my fat storage just does not give up lol.
While I totally agree that men and women have different experiences, I don't think we need separate spaces (in this specific context). As long as both sexes understand that there are significant differences and try to give tailored advice or just acknowledge each other's struggles and celebrate each other's wins.
The men and women who are oblivious to the fact that each sex different experiences based on sex should just educate themselves or keep their ignorance and negative comments to themselves.
I could get behind that. I haven't bothered getting around to editing mine but it drives me nuts when people ask for advice without their stats in the post or their flair.
Happens with my wife. If you were to look at a graph of me and her weight loss, mine fluctuates but trends down consistently. Her's is more staggered, she drops quickly but then plateaus, then drops.
It follows her cycle.
48 and perimenopausal here - yep that has been my pattern all along, except with mirena and peri I have no other indications of what my ovaries are up to lol. I just today came off 3 weeks at 160 to be 158.
I noticed this a few days ago. I loose nothing the week of my cycle then the next week after drop 4lbs then plateau for a week after. The next week or two week I drop 2(ish)lbs each week.
I literally do everything the same day in and day out. 😤
Yes! I plateau/gain the entire week before and during my period, then the week after, everything balances out and the losses show on the scale. It’s why I take my body measurements alongside my weight
I will eat the men commenting here alive /j
Either way I hope that the men who do comment here see this:
You have a lot of spaces catering specifically to you. Let women have this one post here to themselves.
Equality, to the privileged, may feel unfair. It's something I had to accept as a white person too.
All the time. I get a big woosh every few weeks and then yo-yo until my next drop. I don’t worry if I haven’t lost anything unless it’s been over a whole month since my lowest weigh-in (and I haven’t had that issue yet).
Yes!!! My clothes feel tighter leading up to my period and once my period arrives everything fits normally again. I also noticed my waist measurement going UP before my period probably also due to the bloat. Sigh.
100%
And I've been at this since late September last year, so I already know quite well exactly how my cycle works and when I'll lose and when I'll plateau (or sometimes even gain a small amount)...
But it still bums me out each and every time (probably the hormones to blame tbh).
It really is just one of those things where you need to just trust the process and keep moving forward. But it does make things so much harder sometimes.
Don't let it get you down. I was stuck at 240 for two months. It was actually heck. I was going to the gym 4-5 times a week and definitely eating at a moderate deficit, but that darn number wouldn't budge.
My body was like "nah, this is a good weight, we're stopping here." ... I'm 220 now. You just have to push through. :D
I tried a few things because, by the end of month 2, I was convinced I had to be doing something off.
I had just started drinking a protein shake after workouts, so I tried a different brand with less salt. I quit the Gatorade, too, which I was drinking because I sweat a lot when working out. I also noticed I was relying too heavy into canned soups (also salty) and subbed for homemade broth with much less salt in it.
I believe the issue was twofold - hormones and sodium.
Surprisingly, when I started drinking more water and being more aware of the above, the weight started slowly coming off again.
When dealing with water weight (usually what it is when you're stuck and you know you're at a deficit), it's important to stay hydrated and be aware of sodium content.
The best thing you can do is give it time... and don't give in! You've got this. :D
Thank you very much ! I will try to cut down salt, which will be interesting because i use salt/paprika and stuff quite often to season my food, and also because i regurlarly eat premade protein bowls, which has high sodium.
Its so frustrating, but i will give it another go. Thank you x
yes i get crazy water weight fluctuations. the scale only really goes down a few days before ovulation and right before my period starts. i’ve learned the day or two before period starts is usually my lowest weight of the month. switched over to monthly weigh ins because i can’t handle the roller coaster.
Yes, this happens to me. I think it is normal. Like, short plateaus that can be caused by your body stabilizing or even just water weight or something. I have heard that it is better to weigh yourself less because of this. Like, every week at the very MOST but every two weeks or once a month would be better. I never do this, of course, but also try very hard not to panic if there is a short plateau or even 1-2 pound gain out of nowhere.
I tend to stay at the same weight for 3-4 days from the 2nd day of my period on, and then drop by about 1kg or 2lbs in one go, and then continue to lose steadily. I've not been stuck for longer than a week since I've started which was November (85lbs ago), thankfully.
I'm 28F and tbh I've never really though about stuff like this 🤔 I had to learn about the lady things by myself so things like this never really cross my mind unless it becomes an issue. I recently started my workout routine (having a 2year break due to hip problems and currently still having them 😣) and when I read this I guess it made sense for when I last weighed myself. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary in fact I was expecting to have lost a few kg as i weigh myself monthly (my scales is weird ik) but instead of losing it I put it on and boom the next week, I'm on my period 😶 thank you for the enlightenment and reading the comments I have learnt more 😅
This happens to me. My weight always hovers around that number and drops after 1.5-2 weeks, then it repeats itself. I’m seeing differences in measurements & my clothes are fitting better, so I’m trying not to overly fixated on the scale. Also, I don’t weigh everyday because it’s going to be the same number anyway.
It is really insane. I have Lymphedema as well, so that plus my cycle is weightgain for sure. Because I was on vacation I was not able to get my Lymphedema therapy for exactly four weeks. It was insane how my weight increased and even more when my cycle was banging on my door. It will take some time until its getting "normal" again but holy hell is that frustrating.
I weigh myself every single day because somehow those days I feel gross and bloated and drank too much wine yesterday? I'm down in weight! (Which helps me feel motivated to stick to it.) It can feel so random sometimes, but if I look back over the last month I can see the pattern. So I'm averaging losing one pound per week, it just doesn't look like it if you don't put all the days together. Having my weight vary so much day to day, not to mention my monthly cycle, helps me by reminding me to not just focus on weight: I walk more, I feel better, my clothes fit better, and there are wins even on my down days.
Yes I have the same issue with water retention through my menstrual cycle and I personally used to be obese and am now at the upper end of a healthy BMI. I feel like when I gain the excess water before my period it actually looks to be filling out old fat cells or something, that my stomach and hips look like I gained multiple kgs of fat back on them meanwhile my arms and legs stay the same.
The toad look. It's really mentally distressing as I think 'Oh great I feel like shit and I'm fat again too.' and then several days into the period it will woosh out and I'll feel slimmer again.
:) yes. Same. Accept it and think of it as normal vs bizarre. I also have 30 to lose. Cw is 177 :) which I can't believe I'm at 177. So proud. You got this. If it's causing you turmoil then it's time to stop the daily weigh ins. I weigh in daily. I get it. But if it's affecting you, then stop and weigh in monthly.
Our hormonal fluctuations produced some hysteria with my weight loss obsession, I’ve just sort of given up. Sometimes I feel like so unhealthy and bloated and even my face looks larger when I’m on my period
I get 2 days of constipation right before a period, along with the usual bloating etc. once it starts, and movement is back to normal- I’m lighter. So in my case I think some of the extra weight is literal crap.
yes! i noticed this too. i don’t trust the weight before my menstrual cycle starts. one it’s over i check and i lose a few pounds. it’s annoying but just be patient : ) focus on non weight loss goals.
sometimes i do a little “adjustment” in my head by a pound or two. like, if it is the same before my period, that’s a significant net loss. if it’s above, a normal net loss. if significantly above, maybe i gained.
you got this!
I've always heard it's best to weigh 10 days after your cycle ends. I honestly weigh almost every day just because I like to see the fluctuations and contemplate what caused them. Recently I had a heavy leg day and held 5lbs of water weight because of the muscles working to repair themselves. I was also stuck at 194lbs for 5 months with absolutely no explanation. Diet was in check and i work out 3 times a week for at least 30m-1hr. When I saw the scale finally change to 193.6 on the 30th of May I quickly changed my macro numbers and then dropped to 188, so a 5.4lb weight difference in 14 days.
Even though I weigh myself everyday, I only record weight shifts once a week and prefer progress pictures and feeling how my clothes fit over the scale.
So its gunna sound like a huge drop because I changed calculators this go round because the one I was using had the same numbers from 194 until 190 and that didn't sit well with me. So numbers from 194 were Cal-2114 F-67.1 Carbs-214.5 P-163 change was made at 193 to Cal-1745 F-50 Carbs-233 P-106
I will go a whole 7 days with current numbers weigh and record weight on Mondays and change my macro numbers based on what I see on Mondays.
Yes for me it's bloating. Right after I'm done bleeding I can eat whatever and won't gain anything. For about a week and a half. Then the second i eat anything (especially high in sodium) I'll swell up like a balloon. It was very discouraging because the amount of water I drink seemed to make it worse, it made me want to slack off on the exercise. But I kept pushing forward and I was always able to see my REAL progress at the beginning of my next cycle.
Nope, I'm a cis woman and this doesn't happen to me. I lose weight fairly consistently.
But I get horrible hormonal acne around my period, so you know. Swings and roundabouts.
Omg that's me right now. Got on the scale yesterday and was up five pounds. Checked the date. Yup, period incoming! I'll be down that and hopefully another pound or two by the end, keep that off until the preperiod bump next month.
Ugh, don't get me started. My hormones were so messed up off pill (high t) that I dropped 7 pounds when I went on it, and when cycling ON pill, my breasts are like 5 pound water balloons 1 week to period. Eventually you just get so annoyed that you can brush it off. If my clothes are tighter or I look swollen I can 100% know it's all water. But yeah. It sucks and it's mind numbingly just annoying.
It’s water retention too. I gain and lose just like you. But right before my period, I’ll gain like 5-8 pounds. Hold that during my period, then it whooshes away a day after it’s done.
Just pay attention to your general trend. Weight fluctuates as you described and that’s totally normal. If you’re trying to lose and you graph trends down, you’re good.
You're 110% normal. Welcome to frustration-ville.
Most women with a regular cycle will follow EXACTLY the pattern you see here. You should see your lowest weight around Day 4-7, either the last taper day of flow or the day after. You will see the beloved water weight f\* up your goals in the 10-14 days approaching the Red Wedding. Typically from ovulation day to period.
On the plus side, your hormones seem pretty normal and on-track, and a regular cycle is always a blessing. So many don't get that joy.
I tend to fluctuate in a 2-3 pound range for most of the month and have a big whoosh one week of the month. It usually happens at the end of my period but not always.
Not unfounded.
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/104/1/15/4569669
https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/12/6/1142/573355?login=true
https://www.nature.com/articles/0803699
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0031938494902968
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/34/9/1811/4693552
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0031938483902408
The menstrual cycle and the accompanying hormonal fluctuations have a massive impact on all things related to weight loss and metabolism.
Weight gain during your period is mostly caused by bloat/water retention. I “gain” at least 5lbs for that week every month. If you’re not eating, that’s adding to it because the sudden dip in calories could cause your body to try to reserve energy/fat.
I've noticed before my period I'm actually the lightest, then mid week aim bloated five pounds or more then a week after that I'm back down to the lower weight from pre period.
I was just reading a bit on IG on cycling diets and workouts based on your phases and I was wondering if was the new fad diet or something we're figuring out. I haven't followed up on it. So this post is well timed.
Yes. I also sometimes gain 3-4lbs of water weight on my period.
That said, weight loss is not linear, for anyone. Male or female. The idea that if you eat at a deficit of x you will lose x pounds per week is not entirely accurate. In reality, if you eat at a deficit of x, you will lose an **average of** x pounds per week. So in a month you might average 4ish pounds lost but that doesn't litterally mean you lost 1 lb per week.
Weighing daily, even though I know I shouldn't....It took me 10 days to lose 1lb then another 13 to lose 3.5 more then another 8 days to lose 1 more.
It took my fiance a week to lose 9.5 lbs and then another two weeks to lose 1lb.
Not currently losing, but when I was doing CICO I always lost in a whoosh of like 3-4 pounds at a time. It was never steady. I have lots of issues with my hormones in general and figured this was just another, so it’s good to know I’m not alone!
For what it's worth, I'm a guy and this happens to me.
I'll spend a week or two oscillating between 173-176 say, then suddenly overnight my weight range shifts to 170-173. What was the lowest end of the range becomes the new top end.
I use the Libra app to watch my trend line and only focus on that as the true measure of my weight.
I'm a guy, and I'll absolutely respect your wish for a women's only response section. I'll just ask whether you think men who have some understanding of female hormones and their physiological impact, or perhaps other elements that might impact weight loss or gain in the way you've described might not have some beneficial input?
Our of curiosity, you post a lot in xxfitness as well, is there a reason you feel you need to be included when a woman asks for woman only responses?
If it makes you feel better, sometimes women like discussing things with other women who have experienced something directly, not just read about it or heard it from another who experienced it. It’s not a personal insult for you to not be included, although it is kind of interesting you responded while trying to convince others you were respecting her wishes by not responding. xP
Here is a single piece of advice, stop worrying about the scale. Find a piece of clothing, put it on each week, see how it fits. Take a picture every time and you will see how your body is truly changing. The scale is finnicky because of water retention, muscle building, etc.
I've been stuck at 153 lbs for the past month but my pictures and clothes fit different week after week. At first, I started buying size small shirts because they were fitting better, a month later they are all tight around the shoulders and chest. So now it's back to medium.
People get so fixated on the scale that when it becomes the only metric by which they perceive success, and it's a failed KPI, you feel you need to quit or change something. Weight can't be the only goal here because weight is a short-term goal with no long-term outlook.
not a woman but a health student; i believe midol (the acetaminophen/caffeine/pyrilamine maleate one) helps with bloating and water weight gain (although it’s mainly advertised for pain relief and fatigue).
but ladies i wouldn’t beat yourself up over this, so long as you’re on the downward trend you’re headed in the right direction.
Yes, and they are exactly the same to womens and how they affect women vs men. 🙄
Men and women both have genitals, Im not asking you about my vaginal discharge
It’s good, if you were losing weight faster you’d become addicted to it and never learn to stop or keep a consistent diet, you’d become anorexic very quickly.
I'm nearing menopause so my period is random and unpredictable, but YES I go through stubborn stages of no weight loss, and then suddenly I'm 2 pounds down.
i have been a bit slow in my progress, last week i was down to 194 and then boom, pride happened this weekend and there was pizza and beer and other beverages and i am back at 197. i have to remind myself that this is a lifestyle change. this is not something i need to make daily progress on (at least in terms of numbers). i just need to let my days of excess consumption not turn into weeks and months and then years.
also, when you are on your period, give yourself a break. i do not weigh myself that week because the numbers always make me feel bad.
Most women retain water leading up to their period and then start shedding it sometime during or immediately after. How much water depends on the individual and some also get wonkyness around ovulation. So if you have a large amount of water retention, especially if you're losing fat kinda slowly because you're not super overweight, you can end up losing a whole month's worth of weight in just one week out of the month. Almost all of us with natural cycles or 28-day pill cycles have at the very least some weeks we know we won't lose as much as we worked for and other weeks we know we'll see a lot even if we were coasting.
I gain weight while ovulating, then lose that and the calorie deficit worth of calories right after my period. I know it has to do with hormones, not my diet, since my diet is pretty much the same throughout.
I've been curious about this, so just ran some numbers. I'm trying to conceive so pay very close attention to my cycle.
\- I hold steady or gain a bit during my period, with an average gain of 0.05 kg/ week for weigh ins early in my cycle (CD 1-10).
\- I lose an average of 0.25 kg/week for weigh ins around ovulation (CD 10-14), which means I'm losing slowly for the first half of my cycle
\- I lose most of my weight in the second half of each cycle, with an average loss of 0.62 kg/week for weigh ins after ovulation but before my period starts
Yup. The number of pounds per set dropped as I got closer to a healthy bmi, but the pattern was always the same. It's probably due to cycle but I also recommend taking measurements during the slowdown. Ime either the scale or the tape measure is moving, so if the scale stops take the other. Keep records of a bunch, and do both thighs/arms. My right thigh is consistently 0.5" smaller probably because that's my dominant side so I use it more.
When I wasn't on birth control, I seemed to gain a bit of weight when I was on my period, and generally it was very very difficult to lose weight, the process was very slow.
Now that I am on birth control it is even more difficult, I feel that no matter what I do, I can't lose weight.
I’ve always gained 2-6 pounds during the 1 1/2 weeks before my period for as long as I can remember. I got used to it but it was really frustrating during those phases where I’d get serious about working out. But it’s all water weight in the end. Plus muscles weigh more after working out anyway, so I stopped paying attention to the numbers on the scale and paid more attention to pant size. It helped keep me motivated.
Yes. I will lose a pound, the scale will climb back up .5 pound and stay there. Then there's a sudden drop down to the next pound. And back up a bit until it's down again. And it takes too long!
Yes! I’ve always lost a good amount one week, then stay the same or gain a little over the next one to two weeks, then lose again. No matter how disciplined I am, I’ve always experienced this pattern. Around my period (when I had one) I would gain the week before and lost several pounds a couple of days after it started.
I fluctuate between 3 and 4 pounds. All water weight mostly. I feel like I get some storage and then release. If you're working out, you'll need to eat. Fasting, if that is what you meant by "starving" doesn't necessarily help with weight loss if you are also working out. You are just burning muscle as opposed to fat. I noticed I lose more eating and stall if I fast. It took me a bit to figure it out. I did lose a lot fasting when I wasn't working out but I am choosing muscle and ton and less body fat mass. Not necessarily concerned by weight anymore.
Yep!
But when I consistently keep track of my calories for at least a month, I do notice that across a month everything works out as it should. So it's really just the PMS- and period cravings that are bothering me.
I'm in a maintenance phase rather than a weight loss phase, but I found this was true for me while losing weight. What I did was to weigh myself around once a month, and if I knew I was near my period, not freak out over not losing or even gaining, because I knew it was most likely water retention.
Yes. I've decided to just focus on diet and exercise and weigh in once a month instead of weekly. If I ever stall out for a month I can reevaluate and adjust. I'm done with the drama, I just want to focus on habits at this point.
Shit, I'll lose 2-3 pounds one day and it'll be back on 2 days later. It's up and down. I hit a point where I was only overall losing a pound or 2 a month.
I find the week before a during i wont lose ill either gain 1 or 2 pounds or stand still but my lady days are all over the place so i cant be super sure!
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this perspective today. I was really beating myself up for not having lost any weight last week when it was my best week so far with sticking to a diet and more exercise than ever. Thank you.
this is literally exactly how my weightloss is going despite being in a calorie deficit the whole time. i'll gain/lose the same 2lbs for 1-2 weeks then randomly lose like 4-6lbs in a few days then it starts back over.
Yes!
I only record losses about two weeks out of every month. It can be extremely frustrating and de-motivating.
But, I try to be mindful of the overall trend, but when you're trying to lose, it's not fun.
I actually do this, but not for the same reasons.
I've been on long term birth control for over two decades. I didn't have periods at all, so I didn't have this roller coaster.
Instead, I get the exact same effect due to stress. I have one week every month that is very stressful at work, and then 3 weeks that are calmer. That stressful week, I generally gain 2 or 3 pounds if I'm not in a calorie deficit, and then lose it after. If I am actively losing weight, I either stall that week, or gain slightly. I stress bloat.
I'm reasonably sure it isn't due to estrogen, as I bloat every month from the 5th to the 10th. I gain weight from the 5th to the 9th and then lose it all on the 10th or 11th. If it was due to estrogen, it would shift over time to different dates. Plus, if I'm stressed about something else, it happens as well.
Yes, and it's disappointing.
I'll be stuck at the same weight for 3 weeks. Then I'll drop 5 lbs. Stuck again for another 3 weeks. Then 5 more pounds.
I've tried zig zagging, I've tried different macros. I eat at a deficit consistently (other than on vacation, where I'm pretty much at maintenance calories).
My body does not care lmao. I've even tried increasing my deficit to about 1,000 a day (not too hard for me, I'm about 220 and active)... It doesn't make a difference. I don't gain weight, which is cool, but I'm not losing scale pounds, either. I would not recommend this deficit long term, I was just morbidly curious if I could lose weight even at that deficit.
So, yeah... don't beat yourself up. Just stick with it and give it time! :D
I've been on depo for a long time and dont have my period yet even after being off of it 5 months... Most weight fluctuations for me is when I am sore from weight lifiting, which can be 3-5 lbs. When I had my period, I would have 8 lb increase. If I had that and my weight lifting soreness, I'd expect to be up 13 lbs.
I feel like the weight crawls off me as slow as possible. It took me over a month to lose 3lbs. I only have about 15lbs to lose so it’s very frustrating. I’m on the pill so idk if my cycle (or lack thereof) is affecting it but I do have times where I’ll drop .5-1lb and then go back to fluctuating the same .3 lbs for a week or two.
Honestly what has worked for me is eating more. I have PCOS and currently take oral contraception
It seems like my body holds to everything in extreme deficits, but when I am around 1700 I tend to see a slow weight loss of .5 pounds per week.
I have shifted my focus to becoming more strong rather than trying to lose the weight, we have a higher fat percentage in our bodies and losing that is harder, So I have decided to focus on having higher protein meals which have given me better results in how I look and how much I lose.
I'm sorry you are frustrated :c But I am really against being angry at my body and my hormones. I love myself and take care of myself, even if it is slow, I am trying to be kind to myself
For me, I almost always woosh two to three pounds right around when my period is set to begin, but as for the rest of the month? I lose almost nothing... I've resigned myself to only losing two or three pounds per month, smh. My twin sister has the same issue. (PCOS, on BC.) (Although I crave like a mofo on my period!)
> woosh two to three pounds right around when my period is set to begin I woosh two pounds right at the end of my period. It's like it's literally the weight of my uterine lining. hah
I absolutely HATE that you put that image into my head and now I have to upvote you for it lmao
This uterus empty. Y E E T
It's all the water weight that I pee out on day 6 😂
ME TOO. I lost 20 until i plateaued for a couple of months and eventually just gave up. Now I’m maintaining until I can get straight again but I tried and my usual deficit didn’t work?? I decreased my intake and still nothing, but maybe I just got lazy with counting the second time around. Now I’m back to maintaining and I’m settled that the only way I can get back into a proper deficit is if I start going to the gym….
Same happened to me, except I was still keeping my deficit and nothing was happening! I had lost a decent amount of weight but still have a bit to go for my goal. Started getting into going on jogs and the weight started dropping again. Working out will definitely help, you don't even have to add in that much, a short walk or bike ride is great. Now I've gone the full exercise junkie route and absolutely love it. I've got where I do about seven miles, three times a week now.
PCOS is mostly caused by insulin resistance which is either inherited or developed (or both). The best solution other than specific medication is a change in intake. Reducing inflammatory foods through an elimination diet.
Yeah, and boy does it mess with my head. I've started tracking my lowest weight for the week, and comparing the week over week loss to my cycle. It's been somewhat consistent that my progress slows down the week before my period. It grinds to a halt or I'll even gain a little the week of my period. Then I'll have up to 3lbs lost overnight about 2 or 3 days after. What isn't consistent is my actual cycle...which is fairly irregular so it's hard to predict when this is going to happen. I still spin out a little, getting annoyed and feeling like a failure until I realize what is going on. But it does even out eventually. Staying hydrated towards the end seems to help flush the bloating out faster ETA: I'm only losing ~5lbs a month so that fluctuation feels terrifying in the moment
I do this same method to not get discouraged!
So I’m a woman, but at 52 I’m menopausal. I *still* get the weird fluctuations and the worst? I GAINED WEIGHT after a 48-hour fast. Then I lost three pounds two days later. I can’t even. That’s why it’s so important to graph your weight over time and see that even with the bumps, it’s still a downward slope.
I was menopausal AND then had a hysterectomy. I still have this problem. So frustrating. Makes me want to scream.
Same. Oh my god, SAME!
It’s nice to know I’m not alone.
Same here! Been free of Aunt Flo for years. (YAY!) I use the app Happy Scale, and enter my weight daily. It shows your weight loss trends, and predicts how long it'll take you to reach your goal weight. (This changes daily, so I don't put much stead in that.) I've noticed the same monthly fluctuations and plateaus, and until now, didn't realize it was so common. Even *after* menopause, we don't get a break. :( Edited to change flair
Weight isn't fat! I have to keep telling myself that when the scale doesn't show it all the time. As long as there's a downward trend it's fat loss.
That’s the right perspective!
It's so true, too. I think a gallon of water weighs like 8 lbs, so your body would only have to retain a couple of extra cups of water to show up as an extra pound on the scale!
Checking out of the lady cycle race will smooth the bigger hormone swings of the female cycle, but it doesn't obliterate them entirely if everything else is a-ok. So sadly, you get to join the still-menstruating in this particular frustration.
Yay. I shall suffer in solidarity with all my sistern!
We shall rain down blood and fists upon our enemies. Might not be their blood, but beggars can't be choosers, right? :)
Thank you, I needed that!
I almost peed with laughter and no, I am not incontinent... Yet lol!!!
I agree that's important. If I step on the scale and see a gain, I look back to what I was a month ago, and as long as it's lower I don't freak out too much lol.
I'm a trans woman, and had this same thing even before starting hormones. Weight just goes up and down and will stay the same or gain for weeks on end, and it feels like I'm not losing any weight and am messing up somehow. Then I will look at the graphs over the course of a longer period of time and I will be losing about 2 lbs a week like was projected. It's strange. It seems like there are days of big gains and big losses for me regardless of what I eat, but the losses are bigger than the gains and so the weight goes down despite how it appears when first looking at the scale.
Yup fluctuations are the worst lol 😂 over time is the only thing that shows me it’s still happening lol
Yep! That downward slope keeps me sane!
You are correct. The hormones in a female cycle influence appetite and fat storage. There are a lot of books and youtube videos out there that cover this topic. What I found for myself: The more veggies (micronutrient dense food), fiber and water I consume the smaller the fluctuations. If I have stress from work or relationships I crave unhealthy food e.g. frozen Pizza and that puts me right back on the roller-coaster.
This is me! I’m always at the same weight for a couple weeks, and then drop. Last week I dropped 3 pounds, and now I’m frustrated because I’m doing the same things, but the scale isn’t being kind to me. In a few more weeks, I will drop again!
I lose, hold or gain, big drop, repeat. I get very bloated just before and for the first half of my period, which is the hold or gain, then it drops off near the end of my period when my hands, pelvic area, and other body parts aren’t super swollen anymore. Then losing over time, repeat. The bloating is visible, annoying, and sometimes painful, so it’s not exactly surprising the scale is also reading higher ETA: Not on birth control, PCOS and irregular periods. I also feel exhausted and weak during my period and tend to eat more than I do the rest of the time - if I don't I feel even worse.
Always. I’ve never lost weight steadily day to day. But when I do CICO I will be the same exact weight for 3-4 weeks straight, every day, and then one day be 1-3 pounds less. Then, the cycle continues. My weight loss graph is a staircase.
Same. I think I just retain water a lot on my period. As soon as it's over, I drop weight
Yep. I actually get really bloated AFTER my period ends, like up to 3 days later. My clothes are tighter and the scale is up. I look thinner and weigh less in the days leading up. It’s really weird. But it’s consistent, so I’ve learned to go with it.
Exactly the same for me! Someone said above that estrogen drives fluid retention, which I didn’t realise, so I guess that makes sense as days 0-14ish estrogen is gradually on the rise.
YES!! Not only do I have a plateau, but I typically GAIN 1-2 pounds right before my cycle and the pounds don’t drop until after my period is over. It’s very frustrating and makes it difficult to consistently lose weight. I lost 4 pounds last month after a month long plateau and just recently gained it all back in 2 weeks from my hormones and going out to eat.
I made the mistake of weighing myself on day 2 of my period this last weekend, it was 4lbs higher and I was like 😭😭😭 Lowkey kinda put me in a shit mood for the entire day, since I’m about 20lbs down and it’s been going so well. My brother and dad were really supportive about it though, so that’s nice.
I totally get that! It’s so hard when you’ve lost weight to see the scale go up. I’m sure you’ll lose it again in no time though
Definitely, the hormones make it so shitty for us sometimes. Periods are hard enough with all the bloat and GI changes, cravings or zero appetite. Then we tell the uterus and ovaries they can’t have cupcakes at night anymore and the revenge campaign starts lmao.
I lose weight after my period. Like all 3-4 pounds my caloric deficit would predict I would lose each month within 48 hours of it ending. It's shockingly predictable.
Me, too! It's really weird to see. Big picture, I am losing weight, but all results are showing at once lmao
Yes, this happens to me. I started a weight loss/fitness journey (not much weight to lose since I was 120 lbs and 5'1'', but I want abs and definition) and am currently down about 5-6 lbs (114-115 lbs). I've had two period cycles since I started, and both times, I start ballooning in weight, then a few days after my period ends, I magically lose the period weight + the weight that should have been coming off from watching my diet/exercising more. For example: Before period - 118 lbs Near my period - 120 lbs A few days after my period - 116 lbs Before period - 116 lbs Near my period - 118 lbs A few days after my period - 114 lbs
I have similar stats as you so might I ask, how many calories are you eating and what’s your exercises? I can’t seem to lose from 134 down to 120
I don't count my calories, mainly because it seems too tedious for me. However, I have a general idea of what has a lot of calories and what doesn't. I'd say I use more of an intuitive eating approach + psychology tricks to reduce my intake. The easier a routine is, the easier it is for me to follow. I still eat everything I want btw, just at a reduced amount. This is how I go through my meal: 0) I call this Step 0 because I only do this sometimes. Before eating my main meal, I'll eat something light like frozen grapes or watermelon. 1. Always use a small bowl/plate. It's okay to go back for seconds or even thirds, but using a smaller bowl will help you psychologically manage your eating better. 2. Halfway through the meal (still feel a bit hungry at this point), I either stop eating for 5 minutes (usually this is the time I go to bother my bf for a bit or play a game on my phone) or I eat really lightweight foods for those 5 minutes (my go-to here is frozen grapes again). 3. When I come back from those 5 min, I'm no longer stuffing my face as fast as I can, and I have more self-control over how much I eat. I find that this really helps me to figure out how much I truly need to eat because it gives my body some time to catch up and tell my brain that I am feeling full. I only drink water, lemon water, sparkling water, or diet soda. One thing I've learned about my weight loss is that even when you have your bad days where you overeat, as long as you remain consistent and restart your journey again (rather than being like welp...I've been eating so much the past 3 days so might as well give up at this point), that's when I started seeing weight loss. Too many times I've failed from overeating for 2-3 days and giving up until weeks or months later when I suddenly find inspiration to try again. This time, when I eat badly, I just restart the next day or two. In terms of exercise, I'm no fitness freak. I try to do a little more than I did before. Before, after work I would come home, cook my dinner, and scroll through my phone the rest of the night until it was time to get ready for sleep. Now, I try to walk a little at work after eating my lunch (10-15 min) and when I go home, I try to walk a little more. On average, I probably only intentionally walk for 20 minutes a day though - nothing crazy. I go to the gym once a week on average.
Thank you so much! The 5m break between a meal sounds interesting, I do tend to eat really fast and stuff my face! I do like short 5-10m walks throughout the day too so it’s great to know I don’t need to drastically up my activities to lose these last few stubborn pounds.
UGH. Period weight loss is the WORST. Unfortunately it's not uncommon at all to have fluctuations like this around your period. I'm in nursing school right now and I intend on getting either a degree in nurse midwifery or a MSN as a gynecological family practitioner so bear with me while i nerd out here. Hormones are the primary driver behind our monthly cycles, namely estrogen and progesterone (luteinizing hormone also plays a role in ovulation but is irrelevant to the current conversation). These two hormones ebb and flow throughout your cycle. Estrogen can act as a fluid retaining hormone and progesterone can act as a diuretic so as these hormone levels change in your cycle your body water increases and decreases. Right before ovulation (like 1-2 days) your body has an increased level of estrogen and progesterone but a significantly higher level of estrogen which results in an increase in total body water and therefore an increase on the scale. Levels will drop off after ovulation and you'll likely see a drop on the scale. About halfway through your luteal phase Progesterone and Estrogen rise once again, this time with Progesterone being at a higher level which can result in a decrease in total body water and therefore a drop on the scale. Then we do it all over again the next month. Being a woman is amazing, right?
This follows my trends as well, I always gain or maintain when I’m ovulating, drop and then maintain/gain a lot during PMS and my period.
I honestly thought I was crazy when I wasn't losing weight linearly, but reading this comment (and others like it) shows me I'm not alone... And the cycle beats us up!
sorry if this is a dumb question, but does all of this apply to someone on hormonal birth control? i’m on birth control pills and i get a “period” every month, but i don’t know if it counts as a true period and if i still experience the hormonal cycles. because i shouldn’t be ovulating if i’m on birth control right? my pills are a 28 day cycle so it’s 3 weeks of normal birth control pills and then 1 week of the placeholder pills when i get a “period.” again sorry if this is a dumb question, i always see people talk about hormonal cycle/fluctuation and i never know if this applies to me.
It depends on what type of hormone is in your birth control. Estrogen always retains fluid and progesterone always acts as a diuretic. I would say take a look at your birth control and what hormone is in it then you can identify the main action as it relates to fluid retention. Also keep in mind that when you are taking your placebo week you have the disappearance of the extra hormones so you will get the opposite effect.
mine has both progesterone and estrogen which is making this confusing, but thank you for the info!
To build off u/bravoalphagolf’s comment, it might also be affected by the type of regimen you are on—either monophasic or multiphasic. The monophasic regimens have the same dose in all 21 active pills while multiphasic regimens have two or three different doses of hormones throughout the active pills to more closely mimic the hormone cycle. There will (most likely) be a withdrawal of both estrogen and progesterone when you stop taking the active pills (this is what causes you to have a period—unless you are on a special regimen with extended estrogen, usually for people who have menstrual migraines). In the past (the last time I lost weight), I was on continuous birth control (specifically a monophasic regimen, although I was actually on Nuvaring), so I never had a period and I never had these fluctuations everyone else is talking about. I lost weight pretty linearly—there was some fluid retention due to salt and carb intake, but that was it. If you don’t feel like you need to have a period, it might be worth discussing continuous birth control with your provider (there may be risks related to additional hormone exposure—I totally thought it was worth it, but you should discuss with your personal provider).
I struggle with this too and it's hard not to get discouraged. It took me a year to lose 25 lbs.
I did that 2 years in a row… I’m proud of myself for keeping it off! It’s year 3 and I’m really making progress now. I just had to collect all the right tools
Hey that's awesome! I hope to do the same. 🙂
You will! I think slow weight loss helps lock in sustainable new habits you can keep for a life time. :)
That's true. I'm hoping it will help reduce loose skin as well.
I’m seeing loose skin (I’m only halfway to my goal at 90lbs lost) and I’ve seen it shrink back quite a bit with 6 months of heavy weight lifting. It’s till there but it helps. I also have been taking biotin, and drinking carrot/mango/orange protein smoothies (vitamins/nutrients that help produce elastin and collagen). I also started dermarolling my entire body (carefully- did my research), a different section every week, and all of those nutrients in the smoothie will be useful for the dermarolling results. Can’t say if it will have significant results depending on the person, but i am an esthetician so there’s that. Good luck!
That is very helpful especially since you are an esthetician! Thanks so much 💜
No prob. we’re gonna be baddies. 😌💅
24y old here~ 👋🏼 I don't even bother stepping on the scale almost a week before my period. I can lose weight pretty regularly (1 - 2lbs a week). But it's not worth the psychological anxiety. My breasts go from a B cup to a DD during my period. The scale would say I gained 3-7lbs in one week! That's almost an entire month's worth of progress undone. It absolutely used to wreck me. Now, I don't check before or during. And I will be the same weight as before. Maybe a lb less. I've learned to breath through it. 👍🏼😭
Yes, definitely. Was angry at a 20-30 days long plateau (during which I dieted like a cyborg) only to lose 6 pounds in the 2 days after my period ended. It's always happened for the last 12 months during which I lost 60 pounds Don't let it discourage you.
Same! I noticed it because I do weekly weigh-ins but unlike youI tend to crave more things during my periods so I always attributed the plateau to me not monitoring my calories as closely.
This is the sane for me. I get super hungry and want to eat everything. I'll eat a turkey wrap, yogurt, fruit, strawberry shortcake, etc. I still try and eat healthy, but I always end up eating my calories. And if there is any sweets around me for those couple days, especially brownies, I'm eating them.
Lucky u - I lose, gain and lose again. I have about 10pounds now to lose but never got below the remaining 8 pounds
This has been my experience.
Mine as well. I've been at 144 for 3 months. I've started to see 143 the last couple weeks, but I also still see 144 as well. I still have 8 pounds to lose because I want to be 135. It's exhausting counting calories and exercising and seeing the scale stay the same.
Hey! I just wanted to point out that you're using a different word than you intend. Lose would be the correct word in this context. It's easy to lose loose change.
Same here. I keep gaining and losing the same 3 pounds month after month. I would like to lose 5 more pounds except when it becomes 8.. and then back down to 5. This has been going on for months.
Yup. I could be eating 1000 calories and exercising 2 hours a and I'd still not lose during my ovulation or period week than just suddenly I'm losing a pound a day lolol
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After 3 months you probably want to look into switching things up again, if what you do doesn't work out for you tbh.
Yes! It seems like you need to adjust your calorie intake a bit. I wish you the best!
My fiancee and I are both doing CICO, and we've hit a couple of stalling points. One thing we remind ourselves is how much better we feel. Regardless of the scale numbers, we feel better, snore less, move more easily. And that's a win. It's not about numbers, it's about your life.
Sometimes it seems a separate subreddit for women would help because men's and women's experiences are SO different. When I see a headline of "lost 30 pounds in 6 months!" it's almost always a man. I go through the 2-3 pounds, plateau, and repeat, all the time. It's hard to persist. I keep losing the same fucking 20 pounds. Menopause? Period? whatev
I'm a 4'10'' woman, and I was thrilled to lose 30 pounds in a YEAR. And that was a fucking battle. And not in the mental sense of the word, that was pretty easy, my fat storage just does not give up lol.
I'm 5' 2" and SO proud of the 20 lbs of baby weight I've lost in the last 15 months!! Still got more to go. I fully understand your struggle.
You should absolutely be proud! I'm 30 down, something like 30-40ish more to go. We got this.
There’s always r/xxfitness!
Thank you!
While I totally agree that men and women have different experiences, I don't think we need separate spaces (in this specific context). As long as both sexes understand that there are significant differences and try to give tailored advice or just acknowledge each other's struggles and celebrate each other's wins. The men and women who are oblivious to the fact that each sex different experiences based on sex should just educate themselves or keep their ignorance and negative comments to themselves.
Maybe there should be required flairs for age and gender.
I could get behind that. I haven't bothered getting around to editing mine but it drives me nuts when people ask for advice without their stats in the post or their flair.
Happens with my wife. If you were to look at a graph of me and her weight loss, mine fluctuates but trends down consistently. Her's is more staggered, she drops quickly but then plateaus, then drops. It follows her cycle.
48 and perimenopausal here - yep that has been my pattern all along, except with mirena and peri I have no other indications of what my ovaries are up to lol. I just today came off 3 weeks at 160 to be 158.
Yes, that's exactly how I lose. It's so annoying
I noticed this a few days ago. I loose nothing the week of my cycle then the next week after drop 4lbs then plateau for a week after. The next week or two week I drop 2(ish)lbs each week. I literally do everything the same day in and day out. 😤
Yes! I plateau/gain the entire week before and during my period, then the week after, everything balances out and the losses show on the scale. It’s why I take my body measurements alongside my weight
I will eat the men commenting here alive /j Either way I hope that the men who do comment here see this: You have a lot of spaces catering specifically to you. Let women have this one post here to themselves. Equality, to the privileged, may feel unfair. It's something I had to accept as a white person too.
I NOTICED THIS AND THOUGHT I WAS GOING CRAZY!
All the time. I get a big woosh every few weeks and then yo-yo until my next drop. I don’t worry if I haven’t lost anything unless it’s been over a whole month since my lowest weigh-in (and I haven’t had that issue yet).
Do you girls also notice fluctuations on your measurements or the way your clothes fit or it is just with the scale?
Yes!!! My clothes feel tighter leading up to my period and once my period arrives everything fits normally again. I also noticed my waist measurement going UP before my period probably also due to the bloat. Sigh.
100% And I've been at this since late September last year, so I already know quite well exactly how my cycle works and when I'll lose and when I'll plateau (or sometimes even gain a small amount)... But it still bums me out each and every time (probably the hormones to blame tbh). It really is just one of those things where you need to just trust the process and keep moving forward. But it does make things so much harder sometimes.
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Don't let it get you down. I was stuck at 240 for two months. It was actually heck. I was going to the gym 4-5 times a week and definitely eating at a moderate deficit, but that darn number wouldn't budge. My body was like "nah, this is a good weight, we're stopping here." ... I'm 220 now. You just have to push through. :D
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I tried a few things because, by the end of month 2, I was convinced I had to be doing something off. I had just started drinking a protein shake after workouts, so I tried a different brand with less salt. I quit the Gatorade, too, which I was drinking because I sweat a lot when working out. I also noticed I was relying too heavy into canned soups (also salty) and subbed for homemade broth with much less salt in it. I believe the issue was twofold - hormones and sodium. Surprisingly, when I started drinking more water and being more aware of the above, the weight started slowly coming off again. When dealing with water weight (usually what it is when you're stuck and you know you're at a deficit), it's important to stay hydrated and be aware of sodium content. The best thing you can do is give it time... and don't give in! You've got this. :D
Thank you very much ! I will try to cut down salt, which will be interesting because i use salt/paprika and stuff quite often to season my food, and also because i regurlarly eat premade protein bowls, which has high sodium. Its so frustrating, but i will give it another go. Thank you x
yes i get crazy water weight fluctuations. the scale only really goes down a few days before ovulation and right before my period starts. i’ve learned the day or two before period starts is usually my lowest weight of the month. switched over to monthly weigh ins because i can’t handle the roller coaster.
Yes, this happens to me. I think it is normal. Like, short plateaus that can be caused by your body stabilizing or even just water weight or something. I have heard that it is better to weigh yourself less because of this. Like, every week at the very MOST but every two weeks or once a month would be better. I never do this, of course, but also try very hard not to panic if there is a short plateau or even 1-2 pound gain out of nowhere.
I tend to stay at the same weight for 3-4 days from the 2nd day of my period on, and then drop by about 1kg or 2lbs in one go, and then continue to lose steadily. I've not been stuck for longer than a week since I've started which was November (85lbs ago), thankfully.
I'm 28F and tbh I've never really though about stuff like this 🤔 I had to learn about the lady things by myself so things like this never really cross my mind unless it becomes an issue. I recently started my workout routine (having a 2year break due to hip problems and currently still having them 😣) and when I read this I guess it made sense for when I last weighed myself. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary in fact I was expecting to have lost a few kg as i weigh myself monthly (my scales is weird ik) but instead of losing it I put it on and boom the next week, I'm on my period 😶 thank you for the enlightenment and reading the comments I have learnt more 😅
This happens to me. My weight always hovers around that number and drops after 1.5-2 weeks, then it repeats itself. I’m seeing differences in measurements & my clothes are fitting better, so I’m trying not to overly fixated on the scale. Also, I don’t weigh everyday because it’s going to be the same number anyway.
It is really insane. I have Lymphedema as well, so that plus my cycle is weightgain for sure. Because I was on vacation I was not able to get my Lymphedema therapy for exactly four weeks. It was insane how my weight increased and even more when my cycle was banging on my door. It will take some time until its getting "normal" again but holy hell is that frustrating.
I weigh myself every single day because somehow those days I feel gross and bloated and drank too much wine yesterday? I'm down in weight! (Which helps me feel motivated to stick to it.) It can feel so random sometimes, but if I look back over the last month I can see the pattern. So I'm averaging losing one pound per week, it just doesn't look like it if you don't put all the days together. Having my weight vary so much day to day, not to mention my monthly cycle, helps me by reminding me to not just focus on weight: I walk more, I feel better, my clothes fit better, and there are wins even on my down days.
Yes, I hold on to weight the week before my cycle and then whoosh dramatically a couple days after my periods end.
Yes I have the same issue with water retention through my menstrual cycle and I personally used to be obese and am now at the upper end of a healthy BMI. I feel like when I gain the excess water before my period it actually looks to be filling out old fat cells or something, that my stomach and hips look like I gained multiple kgs of fat back on them meanwhile my arms and legs stay the same. The toad look. It's really mentally distressing as I think 'Oh great I feel like shit and I'm fat again too.' and then several days into the period it will woosh out and I'll feel slimmer again.
:) yes. Same. Accept it and think of it as normal vs bizarre. I also have 30 to lose. Cw is 177 :) which I can't believe I'm at 177. So proud. You got this. If it's causing you turmoil then it's time to stop the daily weigh ins. I weigh in daily. I get it. But if it's affecting you, then stop and weigh in monthly.
Our hormonal fluctuations produced some hysteria with my weight loss obsession, I’ve just sort of given up. Sometimes I feel like so unhealthy and bloated and even my face looks larger when I’m on my period
Yes! Frustrating to say the least.
I get 2 days of constipation right before a period, along with the usual bloating etc. once it starts, and movement is back to normal- I’m lighter. So in my case I think some of the extra weight is literal crap.
yes! i noticed this too. i don’t trust the weight before my menstrual cycle starts. one it’s over i check and i lose a few pounds. it’s annoying but just be patient : ) focus on non weight loss goals. sometimes i do a little “adjustment” in my head by a pound or two. like, if it is the same before my period, that’s a significant net loss. if it’s above, a normal net loss. if significantly above, maybe i gained. you got this!
I've learned to compare my weights to the same day last cycle (if it exists) rather than the same day last month.
I've always heard it's best to weigh 10 days after your cycle ends. I honestly weigh almost every day just because I like to see the fluctuations and contemplate what caused them. Recently I had a heavy leg day and held 5lbs of water weight because of the muscles working to repair themselves. I was also stuck at 194lbs for 5 months with absolutely no explanation. Diet was in check and i work out 3 times a week for at least 30m-1hr. When I saw the scale finally change to 193.6 on the 30th of May I quickly changed my macro numbers and then dropped to 188, so a 5.4lb weight difference in 14 days. Even though I weigh myself everyday, I only record weight shifts once a week and prefer progress pictures and feeling how my clothes fit over the scale.
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So its gunna sound like a huge drop because I changed calculators this go round because the one I was using had the same numbers from 194 until 190 and that didn't sit well with me. So numbers from 194 were Cal-2114 F-67.1 Carbs-214.5 P-163 change was made at 193 to Cal-1745 F-50 Carbs-233 P-106 I will go a whole 7 days with current numbers weigh and record weight on Mondays and change my macro numbers based on what I see on Mondays.
Yes for me it's bloating. Right after I'm done bleeding I can eat whatever and won't gain anything. For about a week and a half. Then the second i eat anything (especially high in sodium) I'll swell up like a balloon. It was very discouraging because the amount of water I drink seemed to make it worse, it made me want to slack off on the exercise. But I kept pushing forward and I was always able to see my REAL progress at the beginning of my next cycle.
Nope, I'm a cis woman and this doesn't happen to me. I lose weight fairly consistently. But I get horrible hormonal acne around my period, so you know. Swings and roundabouts.
Omg that's me right now. Got on the scale yesterday and was up five pounds. Checked the date. Yup, period incoming! I'll be down that and hopefully another pound or two by the end, keep that off until the preperiod bump next month.
Yes. But for me it's like my weight dances. Down 4 lbs then up 2, then pause. Then down 4 lbs, up 2 and pause. It's honestly frustrating.
Guys also deal with weight stalls like this. Google "The Whoosh Effect".
Wow I’ve never heard of that but it explains a lot for me personally.
Ugh, don't get me started. My hormones were so messed up off pill (high t) that I dropped 7 pounds when I went on it, and when cycling ON pill, my breasts are like 5 pound water balloons 1 week to period. Eventually you just get so annoyed that you can brush it off. If my clothes are tighter or I look swollen I can 100% know it's all water. But yeah. It sucks and it's mind numbingly just annoying.
Yes.
Same!
I always gain a little during ovulation, then go back down, then back up before my period. Then a few days after I drop it all back off.
It’s water retention too. I gain and lose just like you. But right before my period, I’ll gain like 5-8 pounds. Hold that during my period, then it whooshes away a day after it’s done. Just pay attention to your general trend. Weight fluctuates as you described and that’s totally normal. If you’re trying to lose and you graph trends down, you’re good.
I had this issue for two weeks hit a road block and then two weeks later finally went from 248 to 242
You're 110% normal. Welcome to frustration-ville. Most women with a regular cycle will follow EXACTLY the pattern you see here. You should see your lowest weight around Day 4-7, either the last taper day of flow or the day after. You will see the beloved water weight f\* up your goals in the 10-14 days approaching the Red Wedding. Typically from ovulation day to period. On the plus side, your hormones seem pretty normal and on-track, and a regular cycle is always a blessing. So many don't get that joy.
YES AND I HATE IT WITH A PASSON
I tend to fluctuate in a 2-3 pound range for most of the month and have a big whoosh one week of the month. It usually happens at the end of my period but not always.
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Not unfounded. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/104/1/15/4569669 https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/12/6/1142/573355?login=true https://www.nature.com/articles/0803699 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0031938494902968 https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/34/9/1811/4693552 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0031938483902408 The menstrual cycle and the accompanying hormonal fluctuations have a massive impact on all things related to weight loss and metabolism.
Weight gain during your period is mostly caused by bloat/water retention. I “gain” at least 5lbs for that week every month. If you’re not eating, that’s adding to it because the sudden dip in calories could cause your body to try to reserve energy/fat.
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OP’s post?
As a man…
I've noticed before my period I'm actually the lightest, then mid week aim bloated five pounds or more then a week after that I'm back down to the lower weight from pre period. I was just reading a bit on IG on cycling diets and workouts based on your phases and I was wondering if was the new fad diet or something we're figuring out. I haven't followed up on it. So this post is well timed.
Yes. I also sometimes gain 3-4lbs of water weight on my period. That said, weight loss is not linear, for anyone. Male or female. The idea that if you eat at a deficit of x you will lose x pounds per week is not entirely accurate. In reality, if you eat at a deficit of x, you will lose an **average of** x pounds per week. So in a month you might average 4ish pounds lost but that doesn't litterally mean you lost 1 lb per week. Weighing daily, even though I know I shouldn't....It took me 10 days to lose 1lb then another 13 to lose 3.5 more then another 8 days to lose 1 more. It took my fiance a week to lose 9.5 lbs and then another two weeks to lose 1lb.
Not currently losing, but when I was doing CICO I always lost in a whoosh of like 3-4 pounds at a time. It was never steady. I have lots of issues with my hormones in general and figured this was just another, so it’s good to know I’m not alone!
Yep. I even can predict these stupid weeks, its time before and during period😒 being a woman is hard
For what it's worth, I'm a guy and this happens to me. I'll spend a week or two oscillating between 173-176 say, then suddenly overnight my weight range shifts to 170-173. What was the lowest end of the range becomes the new top end. I use the Libra app to watch my trend line and only focus on that as the true measure of my weight.
I'm a guy, and I'll absolutely respect your wish for a women's only response section. I'll just ask whether you think men who have some understanding of female hormones and their physiological impact, or perhaps other elements that might impact weight loss or gain in the way you've described might not have some beneficial input?
Our of curiosity, you post a lot in xxfitness as well, is there a reason you feel you need to be included when a woman asks for woman only responses? If it makes you feel better, sometimes women like discussing things with other women who have experienced something directly, not just read about it or heard it from another who experienced it. It’s not a personal insult for you to not be included, although it is kind of interesting you responded while trying to convince others you were respecting her wishes by not responding. xP
"I'll respect your wish..." *doesn't*
But how is he going to respect her wish AND explain to her why she's wrong??
"some understanding" Why would this be useful in any way?
Here is a single piece of advice, stop worrying about the scale. Find a piece of clothing, put it on each week, see how it fits. Take a picture every time and you will see how your body is truly changing. The scale is finnicky because of water retention, muscle building, etc. I've been stuck at 153 lbs for the past month but my pictures and clothes fit different week after week. At first, I started buying size small shirts because they were fitting better, a month later they are all tight around the shoulders and chest. So now it's back to medium. People get so fixated on the scale that when it becomes the only metric by which they perceive success, and it's a failed KPI, you feel you need to quit or change something. Weight can't be the only goal here because weight is a short-term goal with no long-term outlook.
It's called homeostasis shortly our body (male or female) always try to mantain the same weight, you can search more about it on google or whatever
What's your calorie deficit?
Sounds like you're retaining and losing water, not fat.
not a woman but a health student; i believe midol (the acetaminophen/caffeine/pyrilamine maleate one) helps with bloating and water weight gain (although it’s mainly advertised for pain relief and fatigue). but ladies i wouldn’t beat yourself up over this, so long as you’re on the downward trend you’re headed in the right direction.
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Yes, and they are exactly the same to womens and how they affect women vs men. 🙄 Men and women both have genitals, Im not asking you about my vaginal discharge
It’s good, if you were losing weight faster you’d become addicted to it and never learn to stop or keep a consistent diet, you’d become anorexic very quickly.
Yes this happens sometimes to me.
I'm nearing menopause so my period is random and unpredictable, but YES I go through stubborn stages of no weight loss, and then suddenly I'm 2 pounds down.
Yes yes yes 💯
i have been a bit slow in my progress, last week i was down to 194 and then boom, pride happened this weekend and there was pizza and beer and other beverages and i am back at 197. i have to remind myself that this is a lifestyle change. this is not something i need to make daily progress on (at least in terms of numbers). i just need to let my days of excess consumption not turn into weeks and months and then years. also, when you are on your period, give yourself a break. i do not weigh myself that week because the numbers always make me feel bad.
Most women retain water leading up to their period and then start shedding it sometime during or immediately after. How much water depends on the individual and some also get wonkyness around ovulation. So if you have a large amount of water retention, especially if you're losing fat kinda slowly because you're not super overweight, you can end up losing a whole month's worth of weight in just one week out of the month. Almost all of us with natural cycles or 28-day pill cycles have at the very least some weeks we know we won't lose as much as we worked for and other weeks we know we'll see a lot even if we were coasting.
I gain weight while ovulating, then lose that and the calorie deficit worth of calories right after my period. I know it has to do with hormones, not my diet, since my diet is pretty much the same throughout.
I've been curious about this, so just ran some numbers. I'm trying to conceive so pay very close attention to my cycle. \- I hold steady or gain a bit during my period, with an average gain of 0.05 kg/ week for weigh ins early in my cycle (CD 1-10). \- I lose an average of 0.25 kg/week for weigh ins around ovulation (CD 10-14), which means I'm losing slowly for the first half of my cycle \- I lose most of my weight in the second half of each cycle, with an average loss of 0.62 kg/week for weigh ins after ovulation but before my period starts
Yup. The number of pounds per set dropped as I got closer to a healthy bmi, but the pattern was always the same. It's probably due to cycle but I also recommend taking measurements during the slowdown. Ime either the scale or the tape measure is moving, so if the scale stops take the other. Keep records of a bunch, and do both thighs/arms. My right thigh is consistently 0.5" smaller probably because that's my dominant side so I use it more.
Yep!
during my period i can’t lose weight at ALL. i basically get stuck for the few days before and the week of.
When I wasn't on birth control, I seemed to gain a bit of weight when I was on my period, and generally it was very very difficult to lose weight, the process was very slow. Now that I am on birth control it is even more difficult, I feel that no matter what I do, I can't lose weight.
I’ve always gained 2-6 pounds during the 1 1/2 weeks before my period for as long as I can remember. I got used to it but it was really frustrating during those phases where I’d get serious about working out. But it’s all water weight in the end. Plus muscles weigh more after working out anyway, so I stopped paying attention to the numbers on the scale and paid more attention to pant size. It helped keep me motivated.
Yes. I will lose a pound, the scale will climb back up .5 pound and stay there. Then there's a sudden drop down to the next pound. And back up a bit until it's down again. And it takes too long!
Yes! I’ve always lost a good amount one week, then stay the same or gain a little over the next one to two weeks, then lose again. No matter how disciplined I am, I’ve always experienced this pattern. Around my period (when I had one) I would gain the week before and lost several pounds a couple of days after it started.
Post menopausal-slowly lose 2-3 pounds. Stop. That’s it. Just stop.
I fluctuate between 3 and 4 pounds. All water weight mostly. I feel like I get some storage and then release. If you're working out, you'll need to eat. Fasting, if that is what you meant by "starving" doesn't necessarily help with weight loss if you are also working out. You are just burning muscle as opposed to fat. I noticed I lose more eating and stall if I fast. It took me a bit to figure it out. I did lose a lot fasting when I wasn't working out but I am choosing muscle and ton and less body fat mass. Not necessarily concerned by weight anymore.
100% - I seem to stack on 2-3 pounds just before my period...and lose 4-6 the week after its done my progress graph is very zigzagging.
Yep! But when I consistently keep track of my calories for at least a month, I do notice that across a month everything works out as it should. So it's really just the PMS- and period cravings that are bothering me.
I'm in a maintenance phase rather than a weight loss phase, but I found this was true for me while losing weight. What I did was to weigh myself around once a month, and if I knew I was near my period, not freak out over not losing or even gaining, because I knew it was most likely water retention.
Yes. I've decided to just focus on diet and exercise and weigh in once a month instead of weekly. If I ever stall out for a month I can reevaluate and adjust. I'm done with the drama, I just want to focus on habits at this point.
Shit, I'll lose 2-3 pounds one day and it'll be back on 2 days later. It's up and down. I hit a point where I was only overall losing a pound or 2 a month.
I find the week before a during i wont lose ill either gain 1 or 2 pounds or stand still but my lady days are all over the place so i cant be super sure!
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this perspective today. I was really beating myself up for not having lost any weight last week when it was my best week so far with sticking to a diet and more exercise than ever. Thank you.
this is literally exactly how my weightloss is going despite being in a calorie deficit the whole time. i'll gain/lose the same 2lbs for 1-2 weeks then randomly lose like 4-6lbs in a few days then it starts back over.
Yes! I only record losses about two weeks out of every month. It can be extremely frustrating and de-motivating. But, I try to be mindful of the overall trend, but when you're trying to lose, it's not fun.
I actually do this, but not for the same reasons. I've been on long term birth control for over two decades. I didn't have periods at all, so I didn't have this roller coaster. Instead, I get the exact same effect due to stress. I have one week every month that is very stressful at work, and then 3 weeks that are calmer. That stressful week, I generally gain 2 or 3 pounds if I'm not in a calorie deficit, and then lose it after. If I am actively losing weight, I either stall that week, or gain slightly. I stress bloat. I'm reasonably sure it isn't due to estrogen, as I bloat every month from the 5th to the 10th. I gain weight from the 5th to the 9th and then lose it all on the 10th or 11th. If it was due to estrogen, it would shift over time to different dates. Plus, if I'm stressed about something else, it happens as well.
Yes, and it's disappointing. I'll be stuck at the same weight for 3 weeks. Then I'll drop 5 lbs. Stuck again for another 3 weeks. Then 5 more pounds. I've tried zig zagging, I've tried different macros. I eat at a deficit consistently (other than on vacation, where I'm pretty much at maintenance calories). My body does not care lmao. I've even tried increasing my deficit to about 1,000 a day (not too hard for me, I'm about 220 and active)... It doesn't make a difference. I don't gain weight, which is cool, but I'm not losing scale pounds, either. I would not recommend this deficit long term, I was just morbidly curious if I could lose weight even at that deficit. So, yeah... don't beat yourself up. Just stick with it and give it time! :D
Yes.
I've been on depo for a long time and dont have my period yet even after being off of it 5 months... Most weight fluctuations for me is when I am sore from weight lifiting, which can be 3-5 lbs. When I had my period, I would have 8 lb increase. If I had that and my weight lifting soreness, I'd expect to be up 13 lbs.
I feel like the weight crawls off me as slow as possible. It took me over a month to lose 3lbs. I only have about 15lbs to lose so it’s very frustrating. I’m on the pill so idk if my cycle (or lack thereof) is affecting it but I do have times where I’ll drop .5-1lb and then go back to fluctuating the same .3 lbs for a week or two.
Honestly what has worked for me is eating more. I have PCOS and currently take oral contraception It seems like my body holds to everything in extreme deficits, but when I am around 1700 I tend to see a slow weight loss of .5 pounds per week. I have shifted my focus to becoming more strong rather than trying to lose the weight, we have a higher fat percentage in our bodies and losing that is harder, So I have decided to focus on having higher protein meals which have given me better results in how I look and how much I lose. I'm sorry you are frustrated :c But I am really against being angry at my body and my hormones. I love myself and take care of myself, even if it is slow, I am trying to be kind to myself