Increased cravings for food and overeating can also be other reasons for weight gain before and during periods. The serotonin-estrogen cycle is the main reason for overeating. Estrogen levels generally start to increase just a few days before your period and fall just right before your period, which regulates serotonin secretion and tends to decrease it.
Low serotonin levels cause craving for more sugary and processed foods, which are major contributors of weight gain 5.
How a Big Change in Your Weight May Affect Your Period
Just before your menstruation cycle, the magnesium levels in your body might drop. This can lead to lower levels of insulin, which increase the craving for glucose. This leads to increased food cravings, especially high-sugar foods, and that can lead to weight gain before and during your periods. Mood swings or cranky mood are the most common symptoms of PMS.
Food craving and mood swings are often linked. The hormonal game play makes you crave salty and sugary foods. These foods are not healthy enough to maintain your weight 6. These are the seven major reasons for weight gain during periods. But the main question is, how to prevent or protect yourself from gaining this unnecessary weight?
Take a look. Since you will feel a lot more anxious when you PMS, cutting back on caffeine will make you calmer and prevent other related symptoms like crankiness. Drinking water will keep your cells hydrated, flush out the toxins from your colon, and keep your metabolism active. This, in turn, will prevent weight gain before and during your periods.
Consume at least meals per day. Along with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, snack twice a day.
Weight Loss During the Menstrual Cycle
This will keep your metabolism from stalling, balance your hormones, and keep you satiated. Salty or high-sodium foods like junk foods and processed foods can cause water retention in your body. Cutting down on these before and during your periods will help prevent water weight gain. But working out will actually uplift your mood.
5 Reasons You’re Gaining Weight During Your Period Every Month
And when you feel better, you will not binge on unhealthy food, sleep well, and feel less stressed out. Calcium is helpful in combating PMS symptoms, and hence, it is advised to consume enough calcium during this period.
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If you wish, you can also use a diuretic or a natural herbal remedy for controlling your weight gain. Magnesium is another important nutrient that you must consume to balance the hormonal changes in your body. Omega-3 supplements or fish oil supplements may also help reduce the stress levels when you PMS and prevent you from consuming a lot of unhealthy food.
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However, remember, it is necessary to consult an expert medical professional before consuming any supplements or medications as not doing so can have adverse effects on your body. Vitamin B6 helps reduce the estrogen levels and also increases the progesterone levels in the blood. This helps in balancing the fluctuating hormones, which controls weight gain.
Once you lose weight, your resting metabolism how many calories you burn at rest goes down.
Resist Cravings
At a lower weight, your body needs fewer calories to sustain itself. If you want to continue losing weight, you may need to adjust the amount of calories you eat and drink every day and your level of physical activity. However, if you are eating healthy foods and getting regular physical activity but are still struggling with weight, you may want to talk to a doctor who specializes in obesity or weight management. It can also be challenging to keep off weight that you have lost. For more information about weight loss, call the OWH Helpline at or check out the following resources from other organizations:.
Fatima Cody-Stanford, M. Department of Health and Human Services. Citation of the source is appreciated. This content is provided by the Office on Women's Health. Language Assistance Available. Skip to main content. Popular topics Vision and mission Leadership Programs and activities In your community Funding opportunities Internships and jobs View all pages in this section.
Home Healthy Weight Weight loss and women. Will losing weight really help my health? Weight loss and women. Expand all. What is the best way for me to lose weight? How many calories should I eat and drink to lose weight safely?
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Staying active and eating healthy foods can help you stay on track with your weight-loss goals. How can I avoid gaining weight as I get older? Will weight-loss medicines help me lose weight? Your doctor or nurse may recommend weight-loss medicine if: 6 You have obesity BMI of 30 or more OR You have overweight BMI of 27 or more and you have health problems related to extra weight, such as: High blood pressure High blood cholesterol Diabetes AND You have been counting calories and getting plenty of physical activity for at least 6 months, but you are losing less than a pound a week on average The Food and Drug Administration approved several weight-loss medicines for the treatment of obesity.
Can over-the-counter or herbal weight-loss drugs help me lose weight? What surgical options are used to treat obesity? Is liposuction a treatment for obesity? Do I still need to lose weight? Talk to your doctor or nurse to find out what a healthy weight is for you. How fast should I try to lose weight?
Ways To Prevent Weight Gain During Periods
How do I continue losing weight? Did we answer your question about weight loss? For more information about weight loss, call the OWH Helpline at or check out the following resources from other organizations: Aiming for a Healthy Weight — Information from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Weight Management — Tools and resources from Nutrition. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Rideout, C. Journal of the American Dietetic Association; 5 : Jastreboff, A.
Sex differences in the association between dietary restraint, insulin resistance, and obesity. Eating Behaviors; 15 2 : American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Polotsky, H. Metabolic implications of menopause. Semin Reprod Med. Expert Panel Members, Jensen, M. Executive summary: Guidelines for the management of overweight and obesity in adults. Progesterone levels spike in the second half of your cycle, leading to water retention, breast tenderness, and sometimes water weight , she says.
Some women notice their breasts increase by a full size on their periods—again, thanks to progesterone which causes your body to pull fluid from the blood vessels to the tissues, making them appear fuller, perhaps to get ready for a potential pregnancy, she says. But again, this is only temporary, so if you don't get pregnant, your body will go back to normal. Wild guess: Your period probably doesn't leave you craving broccoli. It's the salty and sweet stuff that's on your mind. Those foods contribute to period weight gain, says Lisa Dabney, MD, an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.