Weight gain or bloating is one of the most uncomfortable symptoms of PMS. Read more about how much weight gain during PMS is normal.
Most women experience a bloated feeling a few days prior to their periods. The weight gain during this time can be greatly attributed to water retention in the body. Although, you may feel like you have piled up several pounds, in reality you only gain a few pounds (about 2 to 5). Weight gain during this period varies for every woman, while some women may not put on an ounce some others may gain as many as 12 pounds every month!
How Much Weight Gain during PMS is Normal
PMS and weight gain often go hand in hand. Weight gain is one of the most common symptoms of PMS. Most women experience some kind of bloated feeling a few days prior to their menses. Bloating makes it very difficult to move around and get on with your life as usual. You feel lethargic and stuffed all the time. Although the weight gain may not be noticeable to others, you may feel like you have gotten real big before your period is due. The feeling remains throughout your period and then when it ends, the bloated feeling vanishes as suddenly as it came. You may feel miraculously lighter and energetic a day or two after your periods end.
Weight gain during PMS is associated with many factors, some of them are nothing but misconceptions. One such misconception about PMS and bloating or weight gain is overeating factor. True, most women go on binge eating a few days prior to their menses, but, overeating in this case is often compensated with increased metabolism. Besides, sweet craving is also blamed for rapid weight gain during this period. However, one must understand that no matter how many chocolates you eat a day, the calories gained from them are never sufficient to bring about such drastic weight gain in short time.
Hence, the only valid explanation that you can give for PMS weight gain is water retention. Although, the reason why your body needs water and salt during this time of month is yet unknown, the entire water content in your body may force you to put anywhere between 2 to 5 pounds of water. Salt craving may increase the need for water in the body. The body tends to store water when it begins to face shortage of water to flush out sodium. When the body senses that it is not receiving adequate water to flush sodium, it may tend to use less water and store more water. As a result, sodium sits inside your intestines and needs even more water to flush it out.
What Can You do about PMS Weight Gain
Unfortunately, there is very little you can do about PMS weight gain. You may notice that no matter what you eat or how much you exercise, you inevitably put on some amount of weight. Nonetheless, these two measures can help you keep the weight gain under control. Besides, cut down your intake of salty foods which are rich in sodium. Foods such as lunch meats and soy sauce must be kept out-of-bounds for a week before your period. Most importantly, increase your water intake. That way, your body will always have adequate water to flush toxins and hence will not tend to store water. Also do not overeat sweet foods; if you must, make healthier choices between the sugar that you eat. Natural sugar must be preferred over artificial sweeteners.
Remember, weight gain during periods is a temporary phase and you will eventually lose all of it when your periods come to an end. Hence, do not fret over it too much, but make sure you do eat healthy and exercise regularly.
