Nutrition, Hormones, and Weight fluctuations around ‘that time of the month.'
Firstly, It’s completely normal to have weight fluctuations during different stages of your cycle.
Each cycle lasts an average of 28days and consists of 2 stages; the follicular stage (1-14days) and the luteal phase (15-28days). Over these stages, your body changes the amount of each hormone you make in relation to what stage of your cycle you are in. This allows the whole process of menstruation, ovulation, etc. to be carried out and is a natural way of life.
As your hormones fluctuate, your weight can often fluctuate slightly for multiple reasons.
Often the body retains more water on the days leading up to menstruation due to hormones, estrogen, and progesterone reaching peak levels. This is why we often bloat or weigh heavier on the scales.
Hormones can also affect our hunger levels and we often naturally become hungrier on the days leading up to menstruation. Some studies show that high progesterone levels during the premenstrual phase may lead to compulsive eating and body dissatisfaction. Estrogen, on the other hand, appears to be associated with a decrease in appetite. Estrogen is at its highest levels during ovulation (day 14 of the cycle).
It’s also important to be aware that our weight fluctuates over the course of the day and will change depending on whether we weigh ourselves before or after we eat, drink, sweat, shower, or go to the toilet.
As we all know, weight is never a true representation of a person’s health and it’s important for us to accept our bodies for all of the shapes and sizes that they are.
My best advice for you all would be to throw away your scales… yep I said it! And why?
We often don’t see huge results on the scales because even with the best nutrition and most regular exercise routine, our bodies may be melting fat and building muscle but the weight on the scales may stay the same or even increase! This is because muscle weighs more than fat.
So, its best to focus on feeling good about your body and enjoy noticing your body change as you become fitter and stronger, developing a regular exercise routine and healthy habits. It’s a long journey, but a goodie.
Weight really is just a number on the scales!
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