Any woman periodically begins to struggle with excess weight. Various diets, physical training complexes and folk remedies are used. Since all these procedures take a long time, many ladies have a question: do they lose weight during menstruation, is it worth interrupting the process for this period?
Any attempts to independently interfere with the physiology of the body are always fraught with immune and hormonal disorders. And if the procedure of forced weight loss is carried out during menstruation, then such actions can provoke a number of serious diseases in young women.
How does body weight depend on critical days?
It has long been known that a woman’s menstrual cycle and the changes that occur in her body at this time are directly related to the effects of female sex hormones. It turns out that they can also influence changes in the weight of young women.
Features of the first phase of the cycle
The entire period of time from the end of the last menstrual bleeding to the release of the egg in the blood of patients is played by the sex hormones estrogens. These substances improve the functioning of a woman’s heart and take part in regulating the functioning of the genital organs, uterus and urinary system.
In the first phase of the cycle, a woman is less susceptible to mood swings, since estrogens increase the production of “good mood” substances - serotonin and endorphin. Feeling great allows many ladies to keep themselves in shape and not indulge in gluttony.
It should be said that estrogen redistributes the subcutaneous layer of fat accumulated by a woman to the hips and abdomen. In this case, almost 20% of the accumulations are burned and, accordingly, the woman’s body weight may decrease.
We recommend reading the article about why you feel hungry before your period. From it you will learn about the peculiarities of the female body, the reasons for increased appetite before menstruation, and ways to lose weight.
What affects a woman in the second half?
After the release of the egg, a large-scale restructuring begins in the hormonal system of patients. The influence of estrogen fades into the background, its percentage in the blood of women decreases, and progesterone becomes the “first violin in the orchestra.”
The action of this substance is aimed at increasing the accumulation of nutrients in the body. Progesterone stimulates the release of a special enzyme that promotes the production of proteins, fats and carbohydrates from food and retention in the tissues of patients. That is, every piece eaten brings extra weight to the ladies.
We should not forget that a decrease in estrogen leads to various nervous depressions and simply a bad mood. Many representatives of the fair sex are accustomed to solving such problems by intensifying the absorption of a variety of foods.
Among other things, in the last days before menstruation, the body tries to retain excess fluid in the tissues to compensate for losses from menstrual bleeding. Such physiological subtlety can also increase body weight.
What is the problem?
You don't forget about your workouts and eat right, but the scale gives you some bad news: you've gained another 2 kilograms. Don't worry if weight fluctuations occur in the week before your period. It's just the weight of the fluid, says Raquel Dardik, MD, a gynecologist at Medical, explains the doctor.
Raquel Dardik explains that before your period, your body's water weight can range from 0.25 to 4.5 kg (about 2.5 kg on average for most women). Why is this happening? Progesterone is to blame for everything, or rather, an increase in its level in the second phase of the cycle. This hormone prepares the body for a possible pregnancy. If conception does not happen, its level drops. As a side effect of the increase in progesterone, there is an accumulation of fluid in every cell of the body.
This doesn't actually cause weight change, but swelling, bloating and flatulence make you feel larger.
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When is the best time to lose weight?
So when is it better to lose weight - before or after your period? If you look closely at the changes in the hormonal activity of various substances in a woman throughout the menstrual cycle, the conclusion suggests itself.
During the first half, under the influence of estrogen, excess fat is burned, the mood and general well-being of women is excellent, so it is recommended to try to fight excess weight at this time. Experts always recommend starting treatment for any chronic problems of the female body 2–3 days after the end of menstrual bleeding.
Excess weight can also be considered a disruption in the functioning of the female body. Especially if the patient does not have diseases, a symptom of which may be weight gain. Therefore, you need to lose weight during this period, especially since most methods are designed for 12 - 14 days, and a woman can perfectly cope with a set of weight loss measures before ovulation begins.
Features of weight loss for women - taking into account the menstrual cycle
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Very often, in relation to the female body, nutrition and physical training programs are built taking into account the physiological characteristics depending on the phases of the menstrual cycle.
The first phase is catabolic . The ideal time to start a weight loss program. During this period, the body becomes very generous, in a figurative expression, “crying bloody tears over a failed pregnancy.” He easily loses the accumulated extra pounds. This phase begins on the third day from the start of menstruation and lasts about ten days. During this period, a woman’s body experiences low levels of hormones. And it is the best to start any unloading program. Firstly, metabolic processes occur more intensively, so the effect of the implemented program will be much more impressive, since the process of fat oxidation in subcutaneous fat tissue proceeds quite quickly, and water is not retained, but accumulated water easily leaves the body. All this is due to low progesterone levels. Secondly, the woman feels very well during this period, her mood is positive, as the level of estrogen begins to gradually increase, which will stimulate oxidative processes in adipose tissue.
The catabolic phase lasts about ten days and is ideal for any fasting program combined with physical activity.
It is during this period that maximum efforts can be made in the fitness room in order to reduce the volume of fat in the problem areas of a wonderful female figure. In this case, the exercises must be performed with a load at which the heart rate, depending on age, will be in the range of 120–150 beats per minute. It is under this regime that the subcutaneous fat tissue receives more oxygen and “melts” literally before our eyes.
The second phase is anabolic . It is called so not only because the body greedily begins to gain body weight due to the accumulation of a “strategic reserve” and fluid retention, but also because appetite increases. During this period, the woman’s body is preparing for the upcoming pregnancy, which is accompanied by a decrease in estrogen levels and an increase in progesterone levels, and this gives a chance to gain extra pounds due to excessive absorption of favorite foods. Therefore, it is important to be especially careful in choosing food products, and I prefer to do fasting days during this period based on products that will remove excess fluid from the body and stimulate the intestines (rice, fresh green vegetables, berries). If a woman needs to strengthen her muscles and even gain some muscle mass, this period is ideal for training or lifting weights. The main thing after training is not to forget to use foods with complete protein (cottage cheese, fish, meat) in your diet, since the amino acids that make up the proteins of these products will be the building blocks for increasing and strengthening muscle elements.
In order to correct the figure and change the ratio of fat/muscle tissue in the anabolic phase, in the first half of each session it is necessary to perform physical activity (depending on age) at a heart rate of 120–150 beats per minute. The load (shaping, aerobics, individual training with a trainer on individual muscle groups) should be placed on problem areas to reduce the volume of fatty tissue in them. In the second half of the session, it is better to perform physical exercises on simulators in order to increase and strengthen muscle mass in the same areas. The heart rate should exceed 150 beats per minute. The optimal training regimen is four sessions per week for one and a half to two hours. Or according to the scheme: two catabolic classes per week, and the next two classes are anabolic.
Shortly before the onset of menstruation (3-7 days before the start of the period), some women experience a condition called premenstrual syndrome. During this period, the level of progesterone decreases sharply, which is clinically accompanied by irritability and changes. Physical exercises should be performed at medium intensity according to the program of the second phase of the cycle. The main thing is that they are performed with pleasure. moods for no apparent reason. In addition, the mammary glands become enlarged and painful, the stomach swells, fluid is retained in the body, and the intestines do not work well. During this period, you should use soothing compounds and herbs (valerian, mint, motherwort, lemon balm), foods that stimulate intestinal function (raw beets or a salad brush for the intestines, prunes, kiwi with skin), as well as diets aimed at removing excess fluid (rice, or containing grapefruit).
Thus, taking into account the physiological cyclicality of the female body, when carrying out a comprehensive program for reducing excess body weight, significantly better results can be achieved.
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To lose weight or not during menstrual periods
A separate issue is the attempt of some women to continue the struggle with weight after the onset of menstrual bleeding. This practice is quite vicious and can have a detrimental effect on a woman’s health.
During menstruation, in addition to a hormonal surge, which usually causes a sharp decrease in the patient's immune strength, there is a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood. This leads to a decrease in the supply of nutrients and oxygen to cells and tissues.
Anemia causes a woman to feel weak, irritable, and even have short-term loss of consciousness. If at this time you reduce the intake of nutrients from food or allow yourself increased physical activity, then not only the entire menstrual cycle may fail, but also the development of a more serious pathology.
The vast majority of experts will answer the question of whether it is possible to lose weight during menstruation. Critical days require a woman to have the most gentle regime and enhanced nutrition, which cannot be combined with an attempt to lose excess weight.
Diet rules during menstruation
Almost all representatives of the fair sex have experienced severe pain during menstruation or increased blood loss. In addition to special medications, a properly selected diet can help a woman survive this difficult period.
Experts advise patients to adhere to the following rules during menstruation:
- During this difficult period, women should completely abandon animal fats. It is their increased consumption during menstruation that increases a woman’s weight and increases pain. All this occurs due to the increased release of estrogen in the blood of patients with the abuse of spicy and fatty foods.
- Many doctors recommend that their patients completely switch to fish during menstruation. There is a sufficient selection of fatty varieties on sale, including trout and sardines, which will help support the female body and compensate for calorie losses during menstrual bleeding.
- Complete ban on butter. Salads and other dishes should contain only olive or flaxseed oil. These varieties give a woman the opportunity not to gain excess weight, but at the same time give most dishes an exquisite taste.
- Food should be rich in microelements and vitamins; a large amount of calcium, magnesium and vitamin B6 is especially important for a woman during this period. The list of products for replenishing the body with these substances is quite wide. You can include cottage cheese, kefir, buckwheat porridge, beans or beans in your diet. Even an ordinary banana can alleviate the patient’s condition.
- Most experts agree that during menstruation it is extremely important to include soy in your diet. It contains special substances - phytoestrogens, which can stop the surge of hormones and reduce the dependence of the female body on PMS.
- And, of course, a complete abstinence from alcohol, coffee, black teas, and tobacco.
Figuring out whether girls lose weight during menstruation is not so easy. The fact is that if you follow the rules of nutrition and avoid swelling, you simply do not gain excess weight on “critical” days. The doctor should offer patients a list of products for this period of time. Peas, beans, potatoes, walnuts will help decorate any table and at the same time eliminate extra calories.
All pickles and smoked foods are prohibited. Excess salt prevents fluid from leaving the cells, which leads to swelling. And since a woman must compensate for the loss of fluid during menstrual bleeding, most experts recommend using medicinal flower tea or rose hip decoction throughout the entire period.
A balanced diet is extremely important during menstruation, so the question of losing weight during this period should not even be a question for a woman. There is enough other time in a woman’s life for this.
Watch the video about nutrition during menstruation:
How to avoid gaining weight during your period?
Weight gain during menstruation is common. Is it possible to lose weight during menstruation or is it better to immediately protect the body from the appearance of excess fat deposits? The answer to this question is obvious. Of course, it is better to control your forms.
For this, a few tips can help on how not to gain weight during menstrual periods:
- During menstruation, heavy physical activity is prohibited. But any doctor will approve of moderate sports activities. Running is considered a good method to keep the body in constant tone. Morning jogging will not only keep your body fit, but will also enrich your blood vessels with oxygen.
- To keep your body in shape, you should monitor not only your diet, but also its quantity. Dietary foods in large quantities can also end up as body fat. To reduce the dose of food consumed, it is necessary to tighten the stomach, then saturation will come much faster. To do this, you need to avoid any drinks for an hour after eating.
- You should eat foods that contain serotonin, the so-called happiness hormone. It is found in corn, bananas and tomatoes. Serotonin levels affect mood, and consequently self-esteem.
To always look good, you should love yourself and your body. Otherwise, any corrective actions will become useless, since they will still not be impressive.
