With the menstrual cycle, the week of your period makes your body do some extra work. This extra work burns more calories and your BMR actually goes up. In some women, the week of your period can make you burn up to fifteen percent more calories, and you haven't changed a single thing about your lifestyle!
“It's very minimal though,” she says. “Approximately 100 calories per day.” And no, getting your period is not like a natural form of “blood doping.” “It's not about having more blood in your system,” Sims says.
So does being on your period burn more calories or not? Typically, no. While experts largely agree that resting metabolic rates fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, the change is negligible. Given this minimal difference, most women will not burn many more calories than usual.
Because of the hormonal fluctuations and water retention, one experiences a change in how they feel hungry and how much they want to eat. A change in the appetite occurs during the entire course of the menstruation because of which girls experience a weight loss.
In fact, it's completely normal and OK to eat more during your period. We explain why, below! Your menstrual cycle increases your metabolic rate, which is the amount of energy you expend while at rest. The weeks leading up to your period, you actually burn more calories than any other time of the month.
Basal metabolic rate varied significantly with the menstrual cycle. Basal metabolic rate decreased at menstruation and fell to its lowest point approximately 1 wk before ovulation subsequently rising until the beginning of the next menstrual period.
It's normal to gain about three to five pounds during your period. Generally, it will go away a few days after your period starts. Period-related weight gain is caused by hormonal fluctuations. It may be the result of water retention, overeating, sugar cravings, and skipping workouts due to cramps.
You're watching
But if you did need a little extra assurance it turns out women do actually need more calories when they're menstruating. Research has found that women need between 100 and 300 extra calories a day during the week leading up to their period.
The reason for this increase in hunger is simple. Your body uses more calories during the time right before and in some cases during your period. This increase in calories makes your body burn more calories during this time, and as the calories as burning you're going to feel hungry more often.
There's no scientific reason you should skip out on your workouts during your period. In fact, there's evidence that exercise can be helpful during this time. The bottom line is this: Continue with exercise, but back off on the intensity, especially if you're feeling fatigued.
"The menstrual cycle isn't the cause of weight changes, it's just a bystander," explains Arias. The menstrual cycle does not directly impact weight loss or gain, but there may be some secondary connections.
PMS can cause some women to sleep much more than normal. Fatigue and tiredness around their period, as well as mood changes like depression, may lead to sleeping too much (hypersomnia).
Canned foods, heavily processed meat, and other items made with chemicals and preservatives can make bloating and water retention worse. High levels of sodium are unhealthy at any time of the month, but they do even more damage during your period.
The hormone progesterone, which rises prior to the onset of menstruation, can also stimulate appetite. The body burns more calories during your period. Pre-menstrual food cravings can be more severe for those with PMS or depression.
But when you donate regularly, it gives you the opportunity to save multiple lives. Burning calories. No, blood donation won't become a weight loss fad any time soon. However, researchers at the University of California, San Diego have found that you can lose up to 650 calories per pint of blood donated.
It is true that water retention leads to weight gain during periods but that is very minimal and not the same for all. Some women gain more than others. You can expect to gain 500 grams to 1.5 kilos of weight when you are bleeding.
But fear not; period weight gain caused by water retention usually goes away about three to five days after your period starts. Period weight gain usually goes away about three to five days after your period starts.
Overall, we found that the phase of the menstrual cycle had no effect on the body composition measures determined by the BIA analyzers used in this study.
Although men will not bleed, nor will they experience all of the same symptoms as women, these hormonal shifts can have some pretty notable side effects, especially with mood and irritability. Some call it the “man period” others call it Irritable Male Syndrome, either way, it can be quite similar to a woman's PMS.
Sleep in the fetal position: If you're normally a back or stomach sleeper, try rolling to your side and tucking in your arms and legs. This position takes pressure off your abdominal muscles and is the best sleeping position to relieve tension that can make cramping worse.