Do we really gain weight during our period?

Do yor feel like gaining weight during each menstrual period ? Your scale shows one or two extra kilos, your belly seems more bloated, and you're having trouble fitting into your favorite jeans? Don't worry, it's normal!

The weight gain during menstruation is a common phenomenon that affects the majority of women. It is temporary, mainly due to the hormones, to the water randention, to diandary changes and to the modifications of the intestinal transit.

But then, how many kilos do you gain during your period ? Why does this weight gain occur and, above all, how can we minimize it? Thand's analyze this phenomenon togandher and discover how to better navigate this period by adopting the right habits!

The causes of weight gain during menstruation

Before panicking at the sight of the scale rising, it is important to understand the true reasons for this weight gain during menstruation. No, it is not necessarily an excess of fat, but a combination of physiological factors related to the menstrual cycle, such as: hormonal fluctuations, diet, or intestinal transit. 

Hormonal fluctuations: the key factor in this weight gain

The female hormones directly influence your weight et your water retention throughout the menstrual cycle. 🩸

Source: Cyclotest

Thet's take a look at the main hormones that influence weight gain: 

• The estrogens increase before the period, favoring water retention and variations in the regulation of body fluids. Result? You find yourself feel bloated and heavier without actually gaining fat!
• The progesterone, which dominates before menstruation, tends to slow down digestion and to stimulate appetite. That's why you feel no more cravings and your bowel transit becomes more unpredictable.
• The cortisol, the stress hormone, may also be elevated before and during your period. If you are stressed, your body tends to store more water and to increase the sugar cravings.

The increase of its hormones in your body go promote water retention. Water retention is a water accumulation in the tissues, which causes the body to swell. Generally, water retention mainly occurs in the lower legs and creates this heavy legs sensationWater retention can make you gain up to 2 kilos in addition to the approach of your period. 

But don't panic, this hormonal cocktail leads to temporary weight gain, who naturally disappears after the period. 😊

Changes in eating behavior

Do you have more hungry before and during your period ? Are you finding yourself eating more chocolate, chips, or fatty foods? 🍫 It's completely normal! And there's a scientific explanation for it. 👩‍🔬

If you tend to modify your diet during your period, it's because:

• Decrease in serotonin : serotonin, the hormone of well-being, drops before your period. The result? Your body urges you to consume comforting foods rich in sugar and fat to compensate!
• Glycemic imbalance : hormones also modify the blood sugar management, provoking uncontrollable cravings for sweet foods.
• Metabolism boost : good news, your metabolism increases slightly before and during menstruation. You burn a little more calories, but if your intake exceeds this increase, it can result in a slight weight gain.

If there is one of the causes of weight gain pendant les règles of which one must be wary, it is indeed her. Unlike water retention, these those kilos won't disappear by magic. 
Even if your metabolism speeds up during your period, once these are completed, it returns to its original function. So if you have taken some bad eating habits and if you keep them after your period, the pounds will not be long in coming. 

For limit weight gain related to diet and to experience your period without frustrations, we recommend that youadd a little more sweetness to your diet without falling into excess by alternating between pizza, chips, and candy. 

Changes in intestinal transit and digestion

Do you feel that your digestion is slower before your period ? What your stomach is bloated and your transit becomes irregular? Yes, it's a common phenomenon!

During the menstrual cycle, the hormones directly influence your digestive system. In particular, progesterone, which peaks just before menstruation, tends to slow down intestinal transit.

Result? You may feel:

• A feeling of bloating : your belly looks more bloated than usual, as if you have overeaten.
• From the constipation : elimination becomes more difficult and you feel heavier.
• Of gas and some abdominal pain related to the slowdown of transit.
• Paradoxically, some diarrhea at the beginning of your period: when progesterone drops sharply, your digestion speeds up, sometimes causing the opposite effect.

But why these changes? It's all a matter of hormones. In addition to progesterone, the prostaglandins, which are released to promote the uterine contractions and expel the uterine lining, can also stimulate the intestinal contractions. This is why some women have more frequent bowel movements, even diarrhea at the beginning of their periods.

The Changes in your bowel movements will not cause you to gain extra weight during your period. However, it will give you a feeling of heaviness and discomfort during and before your period. 

Yes, you take a few kilos during your period, and as if that weren't enough, you will also experience feelings of heaviness and various discomforts slightly before your period and during it.
But good news! Some of these pounds will come off on their own. 

What is the extent of weight gain during menstruation?

Now that we have seen the reasons that stimulate the weight gain during menstruation, it is time to answer the big question: how many kilos can one actually gain during menstruation?

You may have already noticed that your weight fluctuates throughout the monthOne morning, the scale shows a higher number than usual and, a few days later, you find your normal weight again... But is it a real weight gain? 🤔

Every woman is different with a different metabolism

You may have noticed that your weight gain during menstruation varies from cycle to cycle, or that some of your friends hardly gain anything, while you feel like you're inflating every time... It's because each body reacts differently to hormonal fluctuations.

Some women only take a few hundred grams, while others may see their weight increase by 2 to 3 kilos before or during their period. 🩸But then why this difference among women?

Several factors influence this temporary weight gain:

• Your tendency to retain water: some women are more sensitive to hormonal fluctuations, which leads to a greater accumulation of fluids in the tissues. The result? A sensation of swelling, especially in the area of the belly, legs, and breasts.
• Your diet and your level of physical activity: if you consume more salt, sugar, and processed foods, your body retains more fatConversely, a diet rich in fiber and protein can help limit this retention. Similarly, move and sweat promotes the elimination of fluids and reduces the feeling of bloating.
• Your natural hormonal balance: every woman has a unique menstrual cycle, with some variable levels of estrogen and progesterone. Some react more strongly to these variations, which affects their appetite, digestion, and water retention.

But good news! No matter the number of kilos that you take during this period, this weight gain is not permanent. 🤗

Weight gain that disappears after menstruation

Rest assured: these pounds are not here to stay! Unlike weight gain due to excessive eating over the long term, the weight gained before and during menstruation are not just fat, but mainly of the water stored by the body. 💧

As soon as your hormones return to normal, your body begins to naturally rebalance itself:

• Excess water is gradually eliminated You may notice that your need to urinate increases after your period. It's simply your body getting rid of retained water.
• Your appetite returns to normal: Cravings disappear at the same time as the drop in progesterone. You no longer have that irresistible urge for chocolate or salty snacks. 🍫
• Your transit is improving: if you have suffered from constipation or bloating, your digestion returns to its usual rhythm. Your stomach becomes flatter again and the feeling of heaviness fades away.

That is why it is no need to weigh yourself during your period ! The scale does not reflect your true weight, and you may simply stress over a temporary and natural fluctuation. 🤗

Morality? Trust your body! It knows how to rebalance itself once the hormonal storm has passed. 💙

How to manage and limit weight gain during your period?

Good news: you can act to limit this temporary weight gain ! Even though hormonal variations are inevitable, your alimentation, your physical activity and your stress management play a key role. By adopting a few good habits, you can reduce the feeling of bloating, limit water retention, avoid gaining pounds that will stick, and regain better comfort!

Adopt a balanced diet

What you eat directly influences your water retention, your energy, and your cravings. A suitable diet can help you limit these inconveniences and avoid the feeling of heaviness.

Foods to prioritize during your period:

• The potassium-rich foods (bananas, spinach, avocados, sweet potatoes, lentils). 🍌
  Why? Because they regulate water balance and help to eliminate excess salt in the body.
• The lean proteins (fish, chicken, tofu, eggs) 🐟 : they are satisfying and stabilize your blood sugar levels, which limits sweet cravings. 
• The fiber-rich foods (green vegetables, whole grains, chia seeds) 🥦 they promote a good intestinal transit et reduce bloating. 
• The foods rich in magnesium (nuts, dark chocolate, seeds, green vegetables) 🍫 they allow to relax the muscles and of regulate mood, thus reducing sugar cravings and menstrual cramps. 

Foods to avoid during your period:

• The excess salt : it promotes the water retention and enhances the feeling of swelling.
  Limit industrial dishes, cold cuts, salty snacks, and sauces high in sodium. 🧂
• The refined sugars provoking a blood sugar spike following a sudden drop, which leads to snacks and of the fatigue.
  Prefer fruits, nuts, and natural alternatives like honey or maple syrup. 🍭
• The coffee et alcohol : coffee increases the production of cortisol, the stress hormone, which can amplify the water retention and cravings. Alcohol, for its part, dehydrate et irritates the digestive system, thus aggravating bloating.  ☕

💡 Tip: if you're craving a dessert, go for a dark chocolate square 🍫 (at least 70% cocoa), rich in magnesium and beneficial for mood!

The most important thing during this period is to find the just the right balance between a pleasure diet and a balanced diet. To make your diet easier during this time, create a list of meals that you find comforting and healthy to cook during your period. 

Move, even if you feel tired

We know it: when you have your period, the motivation to exercise is often at its lowest. However, physical activity is one of the best ways to reduce water retention, of reduce bloating, of boost your mood and avoid a prise de poids too important !

Why is it important to engage in physical activity during menstruation? 💪

• It improves the blood circulation, which helps your body eliminate excess fluids more quickly.
• It boosts the serotonin, the happiness hormone, thus reducing sweet cravings and mood swings.
• It helps to evacuate the stress, which is often responsible for food cravings and water retention.

So which sport to choose? 🏋️‍♀️

If you feel exhausted or have any menstrual pain, no need to push yourself into an intense session. Focus on the gentle activities, which will help you without further tiring your body:

• The fast walking : ideal for activating circulation and reducing water retention. A 30-minute walk is enough!
• The yoga and the stretching : perfect for relieving cramps, relaxing muscles, and calming the mind.
• The swimming excellent for feeling lighter, reducing pressure on the abdomen, and improving blood circulation.
• Le pilate : a gentle option to strengthen the core and improve intestinal transit.

If you're feeling a bit down, try a dance session at your place ! Moving to your favorite music stimulates the dopamine production and gives you an instant energy boost. 🕺

Manage stress to avoid water retention during menstruation

Le stress is a key factor in menstrual weight gainWhen you are stressed, your body produces more cortisol. This hormone promotes water retention and stimulates sugar cravings.

If you notice that you have more cravings or that you are retaining more water than usual, it is possible that stress is to blame. The good news is that you can adopt simple actions to better manage your stress! 😎

Here are some tips to reduce stress: 

• The deep breathing: try the 4-7-8 technique (inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds). It immediately calms the nervous system!
• The meditation or the yoga Even 5 minutes a day can make a big difference.
• The relaxing herbal teas Chamomile or verbena help to soothe stress and improve sleep.
• The hot baths  A good bath relaxes the muscles and stimulates the elimination of toxins.
• Listen to soothing music ou read a book Taking time for yourself helps to relieve pressure and avoid emotional snacking. 🩷

Avoid screens before sleepingThe blue light from phones and computers disrupts sleep, which can increase stress and sugar cravings the next day!

So if your scale shows somethings kilos more before or during your period, don't worry: it's completely normal! This weight gain has nothing to do with fat accumulation; it is mainly due to the water retention, bloating, and hormonal fluctuations.

The good news? These kilos disappear naturally after your period ! Your body rebalances itself! So there is no reason to panic or feel guilty. It happens to all of us 💙