Weighing scale
The weighing scale is quite an obsession with most health enthusiasts who are either at the start of their health journey or are at a point where the incentive is drawn from a history of success on the scale.
Updated : June 23, 2023 11:52 AM IST
The weighing scale is quite an obsession with most health enthusiasts who are either at the start of their health journey or are at a point where the incentive is drawn from a history of success on the scale.
The weighing scale provides easy validation and checks health practices and routines. But for women, there comes that time in the month when the scales zoom out of focus without a seeming purpose, and that’s when the periods are around the corner or the doorstep.
This is during the last stage of the month's menstrual cycle, called the luteal phase. Here the rise in progesterone causes a spike in the hormone aldosterone. This causes an imbalance in the sodium-potassium balance, resulting in water retention and weight gain.
For those watching the scales to validate their health practices against results, this may throw them off track. Not giving them the right picture.
Hence, when one approaches her period (which could vary between 3-4 days before the period to the day of the period) until two days after one has stopped using a tampon/ pad/ menstrual cup, it’s best for a woman not to weigh herself.
The best time to weigh is two days after the periods have ended when the water retention would have abated.
Drink enough water and do not have too much salty food, including pickles, cheese and pappads.
Hot ferments over the tummy may relieve discomfort due to bloating.
Bananas, potatoes, spinach, avocados and broccoli could be added to the diet for better sodium-potassium balance.
Remember that the weight gain during periods is natural and has nothing to do with an increase in base fat levels, and that must not concern those regularly weighing themselves to mark their weight loss journey. What may be more effective is to mark the weight from period-period (month to month), and if that shows a downward trend, you know you are on the right track.