[Keika]

Originally Posted by knoxie

I love the thread title!

Can I ask y'all - how far in advance of your period starting do you find you retain water or your weight loss stalls? Mine grinds to a halt about 7-10 days before which seems kinda long to me

Hi knoxie! For me, I retain a lot of water during ovulation, which begins two weeks before the first day of TOM. Everything will grind to a halt for that week, and sometimes ticks up a little. Then, the week between ovulation and TOM, I have an incredible WHOOSH, where the water weight disappears and shows off the combined fat loss of two weeks of work. But then of course TOM shows up and slows everything down again. :P That's okay though, because I get a second whoosh the week after TOM... though smaller, because I seem to retain a lot more water during ovulation than I do during TOM itself.

So, to answer your question in a nutshell, I start being incapable of losing anything on the scale about 14 days before TOM appears, but I've learned not to stress over it. If you're still working, you're still losing fat, even if it doesn't register on the scale until TOM is over.

[knoxie]

Thanks so much for sharing! I don't really get a woosh because during the time TOM is actually here I eat ALL THE THINGS. The hunger is like no other. Luckily having PCOS I don't get them all that often (blessing in disguise perhaps!)

[bloominbutterflies]

Hey knoxie, just out of curiosity I got on the scale last night. It was 4 days away from the last pill in my pack. Anyway I got on the scale and almost fainted =_=, I think the bloating might be starting already for me...maybe it's the salt in my diet.

[brd88]

TOM is due tomorrow and I am not looking forward to the bloating or cravings. I hope I can power through. I tend to do the same as you, knoxie, and eat everything in sight. I went to the grocery store today to make sure everything in sight is a good choice.

[brd88]

Ugh my period is freaking delayed. It better come today so I can get it over with and stop being so damn constipated!

[bloominbutterflies]

Officially checking in to club TOM for another water retention monitoring. I am 1 day away from the last pill of the pack. My stomach feels huge. I did not not do a good job controlling myself this weekend. I probably ate a little too much today and had the mega munchies yesterday where I literally ate a second lunch lol.

Will be on best behavior now, can't wait to see some weight drop off.

04/10: 166.6 (last pill in pack)
04/11: 165.2 (shocked at such a huge drop early on)
04/12: 165.4
04/13: 166.2 (Got 4 different weights this morning (including 163.8 made my heart flutter), this tried to reset it by weighing my bag of lotion and after it stuck on 166.2. Surprised in a bad way, also reminds me of a very similar incident when my scale was sticking on 166.2 a short while ago. Dealing with this a second time, I did decide to pony up for a eat smart scale today online . Time to return this old clunky model from yesteryear to my older brother who forgot to take it when he moved out years ago xD).
04/14:

[brd88]

I was supposed to go to my first wedding dress appointment on Thursday, but I will have to reschedule. I don't want to be on my period during that. So annoying. It was supposed to be here Saturday and over by Wednesday. I'm also horribly uncomfortable with this constipation! I don't know why it hasn't come yet (I'm not pregnant)!

[brd88]

It finally decided to rear its ugly head today. It has been much lighter than normal, which is VERY odd. I am usually very, very heavy (like fill up an overnight pad in less than 2 hours heavy).
Speaking of which, what products do you ladies use? I have been using the Diva cup for a few years now but recently came across the Lunapad in Target on clearance. Any reviews?

[bloominbutterflies]

Tracking my water weight again, if anyone wonders/cares what happened during the last period is that I realized my scale was really inaccurate and fluctuated way too much. I got a new scale from eatsmart and it says I'm about 1.5 lbs more than I thought all this time, which sucks. I suppose I'd rather know the truth though then pull out my hair with the crazy old scale. Since then I've lost about a lb since purchasing the new scale.

05/01: 166.2 (last pill in pack)
05/02: 165.0
05/03: 164.8
05/04: 165.4 (had very salty soup & frapp w/ bestie)
05/05: 165.4 (got hauled out to the restaurant again w bf and friends out of town) *le sigh*

[Keika]

I have a question for you guys. I've noticed that as I lose weight, my periods have been significantly (but not worryingly) lighter, and my cramps have gone from "debilitating pain" to today's "totally absent." Have any of you guys experienced this? I'm not complaining about either of these things at all, but do you know if this is a sign that my reproductive innards are healthier, or are they getting starved?

[yazzyfresh22]

I just started my TOM today and I am super bloated I don't like to weigh myself until after my period is over.