What Causes Weight Gain Before Your Period

A common indicator that alerts many women about the onset of their periods is a little increase in weight. The weight increase isn’t as apparent as it seems; though, for those who keep daily track of such a detail, it is quite noticeable. If you belong to this category of women, you probably wonder why you experience such weight gain before your period. Well, don’t fret as this article will break it all down for you.




Before you proceed, though, you should put your mind at ease. There is no negative health impact of this pre-menstrual weight again, and in fact, it is just a temporary change. Unless your eating habit isn’t healthy, you’ve got nothing to worry about.

So what is the main cause of weight gain before your period?

Hormonal Changes

The female sex hormone, oestrogen, is secreted in huge doses during the late stages of the menstrual cycle. This is just before you start having your period. The high secretion of oestrogen is well known to indirectly cause an increase in fluid retention in your body.




The extra pounds of water aren’t permanently retained, though, as your oestrogen levels revert to normal once menstruation begins. The drop in oestrogen levels leads to the evacuation of excess water and soon, your weight returns to normal eventually.

Another hormone that is activated right before menstruation is progesterone. Its levels also spike during the later stages of your menstrual cycle and this leads to a variety of noticeable changes like tenderness around your body including your breasts.

This tenderness happens because your body is preparing for a pregnancy. Once your cycle comes to an end and there isn’t any fertilization, your body returns to its former weight.

There are also some other reasons why you gain weight before your period, but only the most common factors are touched on below.

Constipation

Believe it or not, but your period actually influences how effective your GIT evacuates waste from your body. The secretion of progesterone causes the relaxation of muscles. This, unfortunately, leads to a reduction in the motility of your GIT.

The obvious result of this is that you get bloated and at times even constipated, and this adds to your overall weight. To fix this, increase the amount of fiber you consume when your period gets near so that you’re still able to poop.

Increase in Food Consumption

You may not even notice it but it is possible that you increase the amount of food you consume when your period is getting close. This is because progesterone has been proven to increase one’s appetite.




So if you do increase food consumption and fail to burn out excess carbs through exercise, you’re likely to gain some weight before you experience your period. Qualified doctors and research experts advise that you avoid eating between meals even when it seems you’re hungry as it is just your hormones screwing with you.

Caffeine Intake

If you’re the type that indulges in the daily tradition of caffeine consumption then this is also another valid explanation for experiencing weight gain before your period. Researchers have found out that caffeine can lead to an increase in water retention, which of course, is a big contributing factor to weight gain.

So easing up on the consumption of any beverage that contains caffeine may be a smart step to take if you want to keep your weight in check.

PMS

PMS comes with a whole lot of symptoms that affect multiple facets of your well-being. Many of these symptoms are actually experienced by lots of women right before they see their period.

One common symptom is an increase in appetite that can lead to uncontrolled consumption of food like chocolate, candy etc. It is also not unusual for some women to experience a bit of depression during this phase. This can also lead to reckless food intake.




So if you notice any of the apparent symptoms of PMS and also regularly experience weight gain before your period, you should see a health specialist so that you can be properly diagnosed and treated.

How to Prevent Weight Gain Before Your Period

As long as your weight gain isn’t as a result of an underlying health condition, you really don’t have to worry much. Here are some steps you can take, though, to ease the problem:

Reduce food and water intake right before your period

Eat a large amount of fibers

Don’t consume caffeine

And try to exercise a lot; it is also good for your overall well-being.