Having a menstrual cycle can affect a woman's life in many ways. When trying to meet fat loss goals where you are within that cycle is an important factor to consider.

Water Weight Changes During the Menstrual Cycle

You can expect your weight to fluctuate due to your menstrual cycle. This is because:

Water retention or "bloating" peaks as the period starts.
Bloating then declines over menstruation until the mid-follicular phase.
The cycle begins again and bloating gradually increases after ovulation.

The reasons for menstrual cycle bloating patterns are not fully clear. It has been theorised that the change in hormone levels could influence bloating as estradiol and progesterone are lowest when it occurs.

It's important to note that weight is not a reliable measure of fat loss. The best way to measure fat loss on an ongoing basis is by checking your waist-to-height ratio (WHtR).

So while the diagram above discusses weight, don't get confused, your fat loss progress is not stalling if you find you've taken on water weight during your cycle.

Actionable Takeaways

While this may seem complex, you just need to remember these key points:

Expect bloating a week before and after menstruation begins.
Check your fat loss progression a week before and a week after menstruation. Not in between.
During these two weeks before and after your menstruation pay less attention to fat loss stall or perceived fat gain.

Need More Help?

If you find that you are still not meeting your fat loss goals and it isn't related to your cycle or need some more help, please contact us for further assistance. Leave your name and email, and one of our nutritional analysts will get back to you to help you on your fat-loss journey.

Source: White, Colin P., Christine L. Hitchcock, Yvette M. Vigna, and Jerilynn C. Prior. “Fluid Retention over the Menstrual Cycle: 1-Year Data from the Prospective Ovulation Cohort.” Obstetrics and Gynecology International 2011 (2011): 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/138451, Ketosource analysis.