Demystifying Menstruation Myths: A Nutritionist’s Insights on Premenstrual Weight Gain, Puffiness, and Body Fat Changes

“You’re on your period, right? It’s great that you can eat dessert all the time without gaining weight!” The secret of not gaining weight by eating dessert is spread among girls, but is it true? Besides eating dessert, there are also edema and easy hunger…

I will organize the following four common questions during the menstrual cycle, and answer them in order:

Don’t you think you will gain weight if you eat dessert during your period?

No way! Eating dessert will make you gain weight if you consume too much, and the metabolism during the menstrual cycle is no different from usual. Therefore, it’s important to avoid excessive intake of dessert during your period to prevent weight gain.

Why do I get edema before my period?

Estrogen and luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion increase before the menstrual cycle, causing body fat to increase and leading to edema.

Tips for reducing edema before your period:

  1. Drink enough water every day (daily water intake – tea does not count – should be weight per person (kg) x 30-50 c.c. water; avoid drinking too much water before bed as it may affect sleep quality).
  1. Avoid strong flavors, seasonings (e.g., soy sauce, chili sauce), and processed products (e.g., sausage, meatballs, ham) to reduce sodium intake.
  1. Avoid drinking too much soup due to its high sodium content.

Do you feel hungry during menstruation?

During the menstrual cycle, the body sends a message to store energy for cell renewal and production. However, this message is only physiological and not the body’s actual need, since these cells should be metabolized and eliminated.

If you tend to feel hungry during your period, it’s recommended to use low-calorie foods to prevent weight gain and maintain your usual weight loss eating habits to achieve better weight loss results.

Physiological period weight gain? Menstrual Weight Gain? Body Fat Change?

Individual metabolism and differences lead to weight gain, weight maintenance, or weight loss during the menstrual cycle.

Body weight increase: Most women experience weight gain during their period, but maintaining a weight loss diet can speed up weight loss during the weight loss “golden period” (days 8-14).

Weight maintenance: Don’t get discouraged and try to meet the weight loss “golden period” (days 8-14) to achieve weight loss.

Weight loss: Congratulations! You have a natural good physique that allows you to lose weight smoothly even during your period.

After answering common questions about the menstrual cycle, remember not to believe in myths. Understanding the facts about the menstrual cycle can help you lose weight effectively.

NuliTeam
NuliTeam
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