Weighing In on Weight and Hormones
Tell me if this sounds familiar. You have made some significant diet and lifestyle changes. You are feeling confident and are sure that you have lost weight. You pull out the scale that you’ve avoided for years, you are now ready to weigh because you are feeling so good with the changes you’ve made!
You step on the scale and your mindset abruptly changes to disappointment when you see the number. The scale hasn’t moved at all or maybe it has only moved 1 or 2lbs.
The scale has a powerful way of getting into our head, doesn’t it? The number on the scale can make us feel confident or discouraged like we have failed or we have succeeded. All of that power in the way that we PERCEIVE a number. A lot of women tie that number to their self-worth.
I know I have been guilty of this. One week I feel confident in my body, the next I find myself picking apart my flaws.
The Way Hormones Affect Weight
If you didn’t know this already, as women, our hormones are a legit rollercoaster throughout the month. Our weight is directly correlated with those hormone fluctuations. Ever wondered why you can “gain” 5-7lbs over the course of a month? You can thank your hormones for that! Let’s talk about how your weight, appetite, and body perception might change throughout the month.
Days 1-5 (menstruation)
A lot of women are still experiencing PMS symptoms in the first couple of days of their menstrual cycle such as bloating and fatigue, both of which will affect your outlook on your body and the scale.
Days 6-11 (pre-ovulation)
During this part of your cycle, estrogen starts to rise. Estrogen has appetite-suppressing effects so you may notice your food intake is lower towards the end of this phase. Estrogen also promotes confidence, so you may notice that you are feeling better about your body during this phase. Testosterone also starts to build during this phase, so motivation to be exercise will most likely be higher.
Days 12-14 (ovulation)
During ovulation, your body has one thing on its agenda - reproduction. During this phase, estrogen and testosterone are both high, and your body is more interested in reproduction than it is food. You might notice that your appetite is lower around this time. You may also feel more confident around your body.
Days 15-28 (pre-menstrual phase)
After ovulation, our body’s make progesterone. While progesterone has some amazing qualities, some of its “not so amazing” qualities are water retention, bloating, constipation, and increased appetite. These are the days of the month that stepping on the scale is probably not the best idea. You will probably crave more fat and carbs during this phase - just blame it on the hormones!
So while we can’t blame our weight COMPLETELY on our hormones, we can certainly take it into account when we are using the scale as a barometer of progress. Weight fluctuations throughout the month are a completely normal part of being a woman! So, don’t get defeated when the scale doesn’t reflect the healthy choices you have been making.
My recommendations for tracking weight loss progress:
- Take your measurements.
- Notice how your clothes are fitting differently.
- If you decide to weigh, limit weighing to 1x/week. If weighing becomes obsessive, DITCH THE SCALE.
- Weigh in the morning, after a bowel movement, naked, when you are NOT on your period or the 7 days leading up to your period.
- Consider if there are outside factors that could be causing you to retain water weight such as high-sodium foods, stress, bloating, or recovery from a high-intensity workout.
While I don't necessarily think you need to ditch the scale altogether (unless it has become an obsession), I am a firm believer that the scale is only a very small piece of the equation when it comes to your overall health.
