“A weight fluctuation of 0.5 to 2 kg is seen during periods”, she said. Now before you get all that worked up, you need to understand the reason behind this whole weight gain saga.
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 don't worry, it is completely normal for weight fluctuation during your period and it is usually not anything to worry about. It is also not permanent weight gain. You will usually gain weight in the couple of days before your period begins and then this will start to drop off over the first few days of bleeding.
The amount of weight gained during a period can vary from person to person. On average, women may gain 1-3 pounds during their period due to hormonal fluctuations, water retention, and other factors. However, it is important to note that this is usually temporary and should go away once the period is over.
Just before your period begins your oestrogen levels drop and this can make your body retain more water. As a result, bloating, followed by a slight weight gain in some cases, can become noticeable.
Period weight gain does not mean that you have gained the lost fat again. It is just water retention that happens due to change in the level of hormones and excessive intake of salty and unhealthy food items. Water weight gain is temporary and you lose it within a week after your monthly menstrual cycle ends.
The bleeding tends to be heaviest in the first 2 days – but everyone is different. When your period is at its heaviest, the blood will be red. On lighter days, it may be pink, brown or black. You'll lose about 5 to 12 teaspoons of blood during your period although some women bleed more heavily than this.
Some research suggests that you might burn slightly more calories during the luteal phase. This phase begins after ovulation and ends with the onset of menstruation. So does being on your period burn more calories or not? Typically, no.
The menstrual cycle itself doesn't seem to affect weight gain or loss. But having a period may affect your weight in other ways. Many women get premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS can cause you to crave and eat more sweet or salty foods than normal.
Hormone levels fluctuate throughout the 28-day menstrual cycle. These changes can affect a person's appetite and may also lead to fluid retention. Both factors can lead to perceived or actual weight gain around the time of a period.
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.
For one, you don't burn more calories on your period, contrary to some locker room chatter. If anything, Sims says you burn slightly more calories when your hormones are higher (known as the post-ovulation luteal phase) because your heart rate, respiratory rate, and core temperature increase.
Water retention is one of the most common symptoms of PMS and affects 92% of individuals who menstruate. In fact, water retention can cause weight fluctuations by as much as 2-4 pounds. This is because progesterone and estrogen are involved in fluid regulation.
How Long Does Period Bloating Last? Period bloating generally appears around one to two weeks before your period or also only a couple of days before. Your body supposedly retains the most water on the first day of your period, so the situation should calm down during your period or at least a few days after.
Being underweight can cause you to not have a period. This commonly occurs in competitive athletes and women with eating disorders. Women need at least 22% body fat to menstruate regularly. 11 Having a BMI of 18.5 or under can impact your period.
But you shouldn't feel guilty when you're giving into your cravings. In fact, it's completely normal and OK to eat more during your period.
“When the uterus is deprived of oxygen, it releases chemicals that may trigger the pain such as prostaglandins which increases uterine contractions. This type of period pain usually occurs during the second day of your period and is termed as Dysmenorrhea,” adds the expert.
The heaviest days of menstrual bleeding are usually at the beginning of the menstrual cycle (around the first and second day) (13). During the heaviest days of your menstrual cycle, you may notice clumps or clots in your menstrual fluid—this is common.
Period bloating and weight fluctuations are mostly due to excess water retention (edema). Once your hormone levels and salts normalize after your period, your body should shed the extra fluid.
"Progesterone can lead to water weight gain by allowing fluids to leak out of your blood vessels into surrounding tissues. This retention of water in your tissues can lead to the temporary weight gain around your period and will dissipate on its own after your cycle begins and your hormone levels drop," she says.
“Progesterone gives you water retention, commonly called as bloating or fullness in thighs. This leads to a rise in weight, but is not responsible for the change in fat increases”, she explains. Also, during PMSing you face major mood swings and cravings.
It turns out our bodies require 100 – 300 more calories during our luteal phase (the week before our period is due). This is because our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR – the number of daily calories needed to stay alive) during this time increases by 10-20%.
In a similar vein, while BMR decreases during menstruation, it rises to its maximum just prior to it. The variations in BMR during a menstrual cycle have been estimated by researchers as roughly 8 percent, or 164 Calories. That is roughly the amount of energy found in 1.5 navel oranges, or ¾ of a Kit-Kat bar.