Even though I know my body, I still don't like this pattern!
My pattern of weight loss has been, forever, to hold steady after my period starts until ovulation hits and then a few days after ovulation, a big WHOOSH!
I know this. I've experienced it for the last two years and in weight loss attempts before. So, why do I still hope it will change this month?
I'm feeling it especially this month as I joined that Biggest Winner Contest at the gym. I have 3 other gals on my team, plus the personal trainer rooting us on.
While I know that I will not see a loss this week and probably not next week, how can my teammates really believe me that I'm eating right and exercising right if the scales don't reflect it? They are also post-menopausal, so they don't have those monthly hormones interfering. I think my personal trainer sort of gets it (as she said that all women who cycle see fluctuations in their weight loss according to their cycles), but I think I'm an extreme case.
I haven't heard of many women (any?) who don't lose weight for 2 plus weeks every. single. month. and then have these incredible whooshes after ovulation for a bit more than a week. every. single. month. Well, what used to be every. single. month.
What is getting more frustrating to me is now that I'm peri menopausal, I cannot predict like clockwork when ovulation will hit or if it will hit. I have now had two months where I skipped a period (and a cycle) and during those times I don't have those stall outs and big drops, but I can't know when I'm going to have those months as my body doesn't tell me what it's doing.
So, in my head, I'm all "well maybe this month I will see a drop this week as maybe I won't ovulate at all or will ovulate later." I watch the scale, hopeful that it will drop. When it doesn't, then I get a bit worried, "maybe I'm not working hard enough?" "Maybe I'm eating more than I think I am?" "Or is it not dropping because I'm gearing up for ovulation?" Ack! The mind games!
Though I know all I can do is just keep plugging along. Some part of me wants to be able to do something about it, but I am eating right (mostly - did a head smacking mistake yesterday of unknowingly drinking a can of regular soda!) and exercising daily. My caloric intake is close to ideal and my exercise is close to ideal. All I can do is just see how it plays out for the month, but I would so love it if my body could speak to me. Maybe have a little print out that gives the agenda for the month? In this day in age where we try to plan and control everything, I'm wanting to have that same control over my body which is, of course, impossible.
Needless to say, the scale has held steady the last few days. Well, that's not true. It's gone up a few tenths of a pound. Please just let it be hormones!
ETA: After writing this all out - I decided to make this my blog post for today too!
Last edited by berryblondeboys; 01-18-2013 at 09:34 AM.
Although I am not as extreme a case as you, my body does the same thing. I get about 1 to 2 weeks of weight loss for the month. I get one 3 pound woosh after my cycle starts and then a one pound after ovulation.
Keep on trekking, that's all you can do. Hang in there!
I can understand that frustration of comparing your weight loss and even body patterns to others. I'm 24 and although I can't really speak to menopause or peri-menopause I can understand the hope that every month might be different and that feeling of unpredictability.
I am a controlled person who likes patterns, routines, and predictability and without that I feel out of control and it hurts my positivity and overall outlook on my successes and failure.
Have you thought about taking any herbal supplements that have been shown to regulate hormones in pre menopausal or menopausal women? (Again, I don't know much)
All I can say is, its so hard to be doing the right thing and yet not have results on the scale and even worse unpredictability. Just keep chugging along as you said and I'm sure you'll see results. I wish the best of luck to you and hope your team does well at your gym Biggest Winner contest!
Yep... Though I think a better name would be 2 copperpennyboys as they are more the color of copper. You would never guess their mom was a dark blonde/light brown and dad had black hair (though dad has a copper colored beard).
I am your twin. Except you are much further along in the weight loss story. But I have the same issues. Especially the last couple of weeks where my TOM decided to come back after disappearing on starting the IP diet. Two weeks of PMS, binge desires and depression that I never experienced so strong (and long) before and now whoosh, 6 lbs gone practically overnight (the ones I gained during those two weeks, not new losses). I guess the only thing to do is to stick with the diet and exercise and ignore the scale for most of the month. In particular exercise motivates me to push on. That is where I see tangible results the most. No hormonal ******ation of muscle build up there. I dug myself in. Not going to let go. You are 3/4 to your goal. That is almost done. Just a tiny bit further.
Great picture of your son! He looks a lot like you.
Hang in there and vent anytime! I feel your pain. I do think that when you do woosh, you'll regain any credibility that (I doubt) you lost. I think the weight loss is steady but tgw scale just doesn't show it because of water retention. Maybe try to really cut out salt or other water retaining foods that week? Regardless it will come. Great idea to do the team project!
I lose weight like that too; although I'm on birth control so I guess I don't really ovulate, haha. But, my weight will fluctuate between the same 3 pounds for the first half of the month, then the week before my period I get stupid cravings and so my weight will either stall completely or shoot up a bit, then my period comes and all my weight for the month falls off within the week or 2 after my period. I wish I had more steady weight loss too!
My weight losses have been doing the same thing as well! I only very recently started writing down my daily weights so I could figure out the pattern. I truly believe my losses coincide with ovulation time. I easily have two week stretches where I don't see any movement on the scale. I haven't hit menopause yet but I'm sure it's not too far down the road. Hormones are not fun!
I so relate. I'm almost 43, premenopausal. my menses is about to end. I dropped in a wooosh format (this time) about 4 pounds but since put 1.2 back, in water I suppose.
I guess we just need to be more patient w/our bodies when hormones can wreak such havoc. I hope things get easier for you soon. I think it might also be a plateau, have you possibly tweaked your routine and/diet? I think at times it can break through scale stalls by doing that.
Last edited by avalonmoon; 01-20-2013 at 04:50 PM.
Reason: my age, forgot and tried to a yr younger. lol
Yes I have just tweaked and I have had a couple of weeks losing, this week has surprised me as it would normally be one of the weeks I gain or stay the same as TOM arrived ( a week late) but I have lost 2lbs so maybe it has had an effect...I think as you say I just need to be a little more patient and see what happens
23 years old here, and my weight loss is the same as the OP's. I hold steady for 2 (sometimes 3) weeks out of the month, then get my monthly weight loss the other 2 (or 1) week. It's a nice drop, but those other weeks are so discouraging that I've nearly stopped weighing during them.
Looking forward to my big drop this weekend though!
Even though I know my body, I still don't like this pattern!
that has to be frustrating to deal with! I'll keep my fingers crossed your system cooperates with you 
