How does the menstrual cycle affect weight loss?

 Did you know that your gender can contribute to how you lose weight? The weight loss journey is different for everyone. “During that time of the month” Women experience monthly hormone changes that physically and emotionally affect them. "That time of the month” is another dimension to navigate to be able to thrive if you are a woman trying to lose weight.

The idea that women gain weight during their menstrual cycle is a popular belief. This isn't always the case, however. Water accumulation is the most frequent source of weight gain. Yet weight loss may be attributed to more menstrual problems such as PMS and increased metabolism. Weight changes associated with the period are typically temporary.

What is the menstrual cycle?

The menstrual cycle is a process that allows women to reproduce.

It is controlled by many hormonal modifications that prepare the body for the transport of the baby.

An egg ripens in the ovary during each cycle and is released in the mid-cycle. The thickness of the lining of the uterus increases if the egg is fertilized.

If your egg is not fertilized, it is your time to remove the uterus lining.

The majority of women have cycles lasting between 26 to 35 days. This is the length of time between the first two consecutive cycles.

The typical duration of menstruation takes 5 days, but it can differ from one individual to another and from month to month.

What is PMS

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), is a mixture of symptoms many women develop approximately a week or two prior to their periods.

The premenstrual syndrome involves a variety of signs which can impact your weight. Gastrointestinal pain is included in the symptoms. You may have a food appetite, but other symptoms may include fatigue and headaches which may lead you to skip food.

How PMS affects weight loss

The menstrual cycle does not appear to impact the gain or loss of weight. However, ‘been at that time of the month’ can have another impact on your weight. Many women are affected by PMS. PMS may cause you to consume sweeter or salty foods more than normal. Such additional calorie intake may contribute to an increased weight because salt directs the body to hold more water which in turn increases the body's weight (but not fat).

Even if your menstrual cycle does not cause weight gain or loss, your menstrual cycle will be affected by weight loss or gain. Women who tend to lose too much weight or lose weight too fast can stop having periods or have irregular periods. 

There are also odd intervals for women with obesity. Good health is signaled by a regular menstrual cycle. A healthy weight can aid women with irregular periods have more regular cycles. 

The menstrual cycles of a woman are powered by hormones that fluctuate and are not always involved in PMS. The pituitary gland releases hormones (stimulation hormones and follicle hormones) to facilitate your ovulation.

At the start of your cycle, the corpus luteum is used to manufacture estrogens and progesterone, which make up a nutrient-rich blood lining to help the ovum survive.  corpus luteum is a cell group reared from your ovary and released after the ovum has been released. This is your monthly guest (you know it!) in cases where the ovum is not fertilized.

How long does it last?

PMS tends to occur a few days before or after bleeding and cease once menstruation has taken place.

Medical professionals may diagnose individuals with PMS if:

• The individual has at least three cycles in a row a pattern of symptoms five days before their period

• Symptoms stop within 4 days after the beginning of their menstruation.

• The symptoms interfere with your daily job

Bottom Line

Over the entire menstrual cycle, hormonal variations can affect a person's appetite. In the days leading up to “that time of the month”, particularly people can experience food cravings.

Women may also feel bloated and retain more water giving the impression of gaining weight.

Several steps may be taken over a time to avoid weight gain. Throughout the cycle, an individual should practice healthy eating. This means eating less salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats, and saving low-calorie snacks to fulfill nutritional needs. Moreover, supplements of magnesium can help to relieve PMS bloat and other symptoms.

When to stop exercising during pregnancy

 

Exercising regularly during pregnancy has many benefits ranging from making you healthy, improving body posture, reducing common pregnancy discomforts such as fatigue and backaches to preventing gestational diabetes, relieving stress, and building more stamina that is useful during delivery.

For beginners, one can start exercising safely by checking in with their health care provider whether exercising during your pregnancy is good for you.

How much exercise should I perform during pregnancy?

Exercising during pregnancy should at least be 5 times each week for 30 minutes or simply 150 minutes each week. These 30 minutes do not necessarily refer to 30 continuous minutes, one can break this into various intervals say 10 minutes per walk throughout the day.

Is exercising during pregnancy safe for you?

Despite the many benefits one can achieve by exercising during pregnancy, not everyone can be advised to exercise for instance those with medical conditions like heart disease, gestational diabetes, severe anemia, and asthma.

Exercise is also not recommended for those with various pregnancy conditions like;

ü  Weak cervix

ü  Recurrent miscarriage

ü  Low placenta

ü  Spotting/ bleeding

Other special cases where intense exercising during pregnancy is not recommended is when one is pregnant with twins or multiples with various risk factors that can promote preterm labor.

Visiting a health care provider before beginning your workout routine is the surest way to know if exercising during your pregnancy is safe for you. The doctor can also recommend a customized workout guideline that suits you.

Initiating an exercise program during pregnancy is dependent on one’s experience with exercise and their medical history.

Benefits of exercising during pregnancy

ü  Reducing the chances of gestational diabetes, hypertension, and the possibility of having obesity.

ü  Better emotional health and sleep patterns by enabling you to manage stress.

ü  Improved heart health

ü  Prepares your body for labor and delivery

ü  Minimizes the chances of cesarean birth (C-section)

ü  Reduce the cases of pregnancy discomforts e.g. leg swelling, back pain, etc.

ü  Accelerate recovery following delivery

What type of exercise is safe during pregnancy?

As long as you do not overdo exercises, most of them are safe can be performed with caution during pregnancy. Activities with low chances of falling, injury, and damage to the joints and the ligaments should be picked.

Brisk walking

Experts agree that walking is a perfect way to jump start your exercise routine during pregnancy since it does not strain muscles and joints. This kind of activity has many advantages such as;

ü  It’s free

ü  You can be joined by family members

ü  Suitable for anyone anywhere

Swimming

Swimming or moving against water is great and safe for expectant women as it makes them forget the extra weight they carry as well as allowing motion without straining the joints.

Choosing a stroke that feels relaxed and doesn't strain or injure the neck, back muscles or shoulders is crucial. Breaststroke can be a good choice for that. The use of a kick-board will help to strengthen the muscles of the leg and the buttock.

Water aerobics makes cardiovascular fitness perfect. Such water sports are safe because body weight is supported by water without straining muscle.

Stationary cycling

This is a cardiovascular workout that aims at improving the muscles of the legs. Stationary cycling is safer for one expecting as balancing a bike can be a difficult task especially during the third trimester.

One of its benefits is its ability to improve the heart rate while joints and pelvis have minimum strain.

Weight training

Weight training plays a great role in the strengthening of the bones, building muscles, and building stamina required during labor.

Using weight machines and free weights for moderate resistance training during pregnancy do not have effects on mothers who were exercising before pregnancy.

Research studies have shown that those engaging in weight training exercise tend to have increased flexibility and strength which aid the body in adapting the physiological changes occurring pregnancy for instance, one can tolerate heavier body weight.

It’s worth noting that weight training which promotes lifting heavy weight is discouraged.

Pilates

Pilates involves a sequence of movements and positions aimed at improving your strength and coordination by utilizing deep breathing and relaxation techniques.

The movements concentrate on the muscles, tummy, and back of your pelvic floor, all of which are key to good posture, strength, and balance that will not strain your body.

Doing Pilates regularly will help you in strengthening areas that usually cause problems during and after delivery, for instance;

ü  Strengthen muscle of your tummy

ü  Minimize back pain- Pilates strengthens your back and pelvis muscle thus reducing back pain.

ü  Improve your balance – as the baby bump grows one may lose balance as they walk but with regular Pilates, one can strengthen their core and finally stabilize whenever they walk.

ü  Strengthen pelvic floor

ü  Helps you relaxing and breathing – crucial for labor

Yoga

Yoga is an activity that focuses on physical and mental well-being by using some of the body positions and respiratory exercises. Pregnancy yoga uses techniques of relaxation and breathing together with an appropriate position to reduce anxiety and improve your sleep.

Studies have proven that yoga has a positive effect on both pregnancy and the health of the baby.

Caution- Avoid holding the breath in a difficult position as it a clear indicator that you are exerting much pressure on yourself.

When to stop exercising during pregnancy

Exercising during pregnancy requires one to stay hydrated, pay keen attention to their body, and how one feels generally.

One is free to continue with the exercise program until the last minute where one does not have a complicated pregnancy.

As an expecting mother, you should stop exercising and seek medical attention once you start showing the following signs and symptoms;

ü  Muscle weakness or swelling in your lower legs- a sign of deep vein thrombosis.

ü  Headache

ü  Regular contractions or pain

ü  Shortness of breath – before exercising

ü  Vaginal bleeding

ü  Fatigue

ü  Reduced baby movements

ü  Chest pain

You don’t need to show these signs and symptoms for you to stop, sometimes it’s important to consider how comfortable you are with exercising. Monitor each activity and its impacts on your body and make the necessary adjustments.

 

 

 

Best Tips for Weight loss After Pregnancy

Changes in weight after and during pregnancy may have huge lasting health impacts for most women. Baby blues weight loss may minimize the chances of weight gain and obesity in the long term.

Women should cautiously approach baby blues weight loss because after giving birth, the body needs time to heal. After delivery, they would have to wait several weeks so that they can safely lose weight.

What is “baby weight?”

The Institute of Medicine suggests that women between healthy weights ranges gain from 11.5-16 kg during pregnancy. This weight is composed of amniotic fluid, breast tissue, placenta, baby, and extra fat stores.

If weight gain becomes excess it results in too much fat which is commonly called “baby weight”. Surprisingly, many women tend to gain beyond the suggested weight amount when pregnant.

Studies have also shown that women may retain up to 3 kg of weight over a postpartum past year. There are also great possibilities of passing the acquired weight on to future births, regardless of the interval between pregnancies.

Why is it important to lose weight after pregnancy?

ü  Retaining postpartum weight can be a significant contributor to obesity. Obesity will enhance the risk of certain diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, in the long term.

ü  Increased chances of complication in later pregnancies

ü  Gestational weight gain is a major promoter of postpartum depression

When is the right time to lose weight after delivery?

New mothers are recommended by the U.S. National Institutes of Health to wait until when the baby is two months old at least and the supply of breast milk is stabilized before decreasing weight loss calories. It's important to note that there is no need to hurry the weight loss process as it is okay also to take a year or even more to get back to your weight before pregnancy.

Naturally, women can lose up to 50% of their pregnancy weight within 6 weeks of delivery. In any case, you need to lose more, it’s recommended that you seek a doctor’s advice before getting into weight loss exercise and weight loss diets.

Best tips for weight loss after pregnancy

Postpartum weight loss is a result of healthy eating, active lifestyle, and ongoing breastfeeding (in case you are a mother who is breastfeeding). It is also suggested by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that gradual and steady weight loss is encouraged rather than concentrating on rapid weight loss after pregnancy.

1.  Set realistic weight loss goals

Quick weight loss after pregnancy is unrealistic for many women, and can only be achieved by methods that not healthy. A body needs time to relax and recover after pregnancy and it is recommended to wait a few months before actively trying to lose weight.

If you are breastfeeding, the consistency and quantity of your milk supply may be impaired by a calorie deficit. Despite that, seek a gradual approach to losing these extra pounds. Losing around one and a half pounds every week is a both realistic and safe goal.

One should be able to reach any weight loss level they like with proper diet and exercise. While the amount of weight to lose after birth varies from one woman to another, the most crucial issue is to get back to a healthy weight range.

2.  Breastfeed, whenever is possible

Breastfeeding can help women lose weight faster after they have given birth. Breastfeeding will bring many health benefits for both the mother and the baby.

For the baby the benefits include;

ü  Supporting the immunity of the baby as it contains antibodies that enable the baby to fight bacterial and viruses.

ü  Breastfeeding a baby helps in lowering the chances of the baby getting diseases such as skin conditions, obesity, lung conditions, and leukemia among other diseases.

ü  Provides vital nutrients to the baby that are required for growth and thrive within the first 6 months.

For the mother the benefits of breastfeeding include;

ü  Reduced chances of getting diseases such as type 2 diabetes, postnatal depression, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer.

ü  Helps the contraction of the uterus and getting back to normal size more rapidly after birth.

ü  Promotes weight loss by releasing hormones that help to flatten the belly by shrinking the post-baby uterus.

3.  Take more food rich in fiber

Foods rich in fiber, especially around the stomach, can enhance fat loss. Dietary fiber alludes to the parts of a plant that cannot be easily digested by the body. When fiber passes through the digestive system, water is absorbed which can improve the well-being of the bowel.

 

Because the body cannot digest the fiber, this carbohydrate can make people feel full without eating additional calories for longer.

4.  Choose food rich in protein

Protein included in your diet will increase metabolism, decrease appetite, and minimize the intake of calories.

Studies show that protein has a bigger thermal effect than other nutrients. This means that for the body to digest protein it requires more energy when compared to any other types of food, resulting in burning more calories.

Another protein effect is its ability to increase fullness hormones like CCK and PYY by limiting the appetite and similarly reducing the hormone responsible for hunger.

Some healthy sources of protein include eggs, legumes, lean meat, and dairy.

5.  Exercising for weight loss after pregnancy

Cardio, such as walking, biking, jogging, riding, and exercising at intervals, allows you to burn fat among many other health benefits.

Exercising improves the health of the heart, decreases diabetes incidence and severity, and minimizes the risk of many forms of cancer.

It’s important to note that exercising alone cannot help you in losing weight as it has to be combined with weight loss diets. Similarly, it’s the amount of aerobic exercise which is critical for fat loss and cardiac safety, rather than intensity. For this reason, going for a stroll is a healthy step to boost your weight and your wellbeing.

The time you take to start exercising depend on many factors such as your delivery mode, your fitness before and during pregnancy, cases of medical complication during delivery, and how you feel about engaging in physical activities.

6.  Don’t skip meals

It’s common knowledge that for one to lose weight there has to be a calorie deficit, that is, you consume less calories than you burn. When trying to lose weight you should avoid skipping food as this deficit can be created by increasing physical activities and reducing the number of calories you consume.

By skipping meals means you will be missing out on vital nutrients that are essential for both you and the baby after giving birth. Additionally, it changes the way your body process calories and may even slow down the process of losing weight.

7.  Drink plenty of water

The recommended amount of water per day for all is 1 liter. Studies have shown that those who follow this recommendation lose weight up to 2 kg per year. It is also known to reduce calorie consumption and appetite.

Drinking plenty of water for breastfeeding mothers enables the replacement of lost fluids during the production of milk. Also, it aids in weight loss by boosting your body's metabolism rate.

8.  Ask for help

It can be an overwhelming responsibility and a lot of work to be a new mother. Deprivation of sleep and stress can be overwhelming, and up to 15 percent of mothers experience postpartum depression.

Although it is important to achieve a healthy weight after pregnancy, this should not add unwarranted anxiety and stress.

In case you are feeling stressed or nervous, or simply unable to deal with it, don't be afraid to look for help. Ask friends and family for help with house chores such as, preparing meals or taking care of the baby for a couple of hours to let you get enough sleep or even just to do some exercise.

If you need more help, you can be offered support by your doctor, dietitian, family nurse, or psychologist.

Point to note

In a healthy pregnancy, gaining weight is normal. However, in some cases, one may find it hard to move back to a healthy weight range. One of the benefits of staying a reasonable range of weight during, after, and before pregnancy is the reduction of risks of health conditions like diabetes, obesity, and heart conditions.

A healthy and sustainable postnatal weight can only be achieved if one combines breastfeeding, a healthy diet for weight after pregnancy, and having regular exercise.