Your monthly cycle and your weight, a week by week map of the month

The NHS explains that the average cycle lasts around 28 days, and that regular cycles from 21 to 35 days are normal. Its page on how the menstrual cycle works describes the phases in plain words. Below is a simple way to use them.

Week 1, the bleed itself

Many women feel tired and a little flat in the first days. Cramps can make cooking feel like a chore. This is a good week for easy, warm meals you prepared earlier, such as a lentil soup or a chilli from the freezer. Iron rich foods such as red meat, beans and fortified cereals deserve a place on the plate, because iron contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. If pain stops you working or sleeping, the NHS guide to period pain lists what to try and when to see someone.

Week 2, the lighter stretch

Energy often climbs as the bleed ends. Use it. This is the week to try a new recipe, plan a batch of lunches or add a brisk loop of Garth Park before the school run. Habits started when you feel good are easier to keep when you feel less good.

Week 3, the turn after ovulation

After ovulation, appetite can quietly rise and the body may hold more fluid. You are not imagining the extra hunger. A slightly bigger breakfast with protein and fibre, a proper lunch and a planned afternoon snack often stop the 4pm raid on the biscuit tin. Our snack ideas for busy days help here.

Week 4, the days before the period

Bloating, a heavier feeling and sweet cravings are common now. Salty ready meals can make the puffiness worse, so home cooked food helps. Sleep matters too, because short nights push appetite up further. Our guide to sleep and appetite explains the link.

Comparing like with like

A weigh-in in week 4 against a weigh-in in week 2 tells you very little. Compare the same point in each cycle instead. Weigh on the same day of the cycle, at the same time, before breakfast. Note the figure and move on. Over 3 or 4 months the real trend appears.

At the club on Churchill Road you are followed every day by coaches trained in nutrition, so a heavier week is read in its context and not as a step back.

When your GP should hear about it

Very irregular cycles, very heavy bleeding or weight that keeps climbing without any change in habits are worth a conversation with your GP. The NHS page on polycystic ovary syndrome is a good place to read about 1 common cause. Later in life the pattern changes again, as our article on menopause and weight explains. This article does not replace advice from your GP or another health professional.