Ovulation is a super important stage of our menstrual cycle. During ovulation, your pituitary gland releases follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), which prompts your body to release a mature egg down the fallopian tube. The coolest thing that comes out of that phase is the chance of conception! That mature egg has the chance to be fertilized, implant, and produce life.
However, there are a lot of other things that happen during ovulation too as a result of this important reproductive process. Women may experience ovary or abdominal pain, breast tenderness, and increased sex drive. But, what about weight gain and bloating? We definitely feel it, but is it true that ovulation can make you gain weight?
That’s the question I am going to help you answer today!
Do You Gain Weight During Ovulation?
Some women do gain some weight during ovulation. Luckily, this is temporary weight gain, usually because of increased water retention. This weight gain is due to hormonal fluctuations, like high estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol. Later in the menstrual cycle, these hormones stabilize, and the weight gain and bloating resolves itself. As long as your periods are regular . . . you can trust that your weight will return to normal.
That said, we know that ovulation with medical conditions like PCOS can be less predictable. In fact, lots of Cyster’s experience irregular hormone shifts that can prevent their bodies from ovulating at all. That can increase the chances of chronic bloating, as well as other common symptoms like ovarian cysts, infertility, swollen breasts, and absent periods. And since our menstrual cycle is essential to hormone regulation, these symptoms can persist—including that pesky water weight!
However, hormone imbalances aren’t an isolated issue. PCOS root problems like insulin resistance further contribute to the irregular hormone levels. As blood sugar levels rise, so do androgen levels (male sex hormones.) When this happens, our body stops prioritizing reproduction. This can lead to fluid retention throughout your period, including during ovulation. So, both underlying hormonal issues and metabolic issues must be addressed to ditch the extra weight.
If you’re unsure if your bloating and weight gain is due to ovulation, track it! Yes, I know that can be hard with polycystic ovarian syndrome, but it can be done. Reading your basal body temperature (BBT), taking ovulation tests, and paying attention to cervical mucus are all reliable ways to map ovulation. Learn more about it in this post about tracking ovulation with PCOS.
How Much Weight Do You Gain During Ovulation?
We can gain 1-5 lbs during ovulation. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough to make you notice the way you feel and the way your clothes fit! Luckily, by targeting insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances throughout the month, we can have a healthy ovulatory cycle and these extra pounds shouldn’t be there for more than a week or so.
How To Avoid Weight Gain During Ovulation?
Stay hydrated.
If your issue is water retention, you may be asking: “Why would I drink more water?” But, actually, our body retains water when it fears being dehydrated, sort of like how our body packs on weight when we don’t eat enough calories. So, by staying hydrated, you can actually reduce water retention and push more fluids out of your body.
Exercise regularly.
Exercise can increase circulation, which can prevent fluid from building up to begin with. On the hormone side of things, certain types of physical activity, like lifting weights, can help you bring down cortisol (stress hormone) levels that can prompt your body to retain water. It also helps you create more muscle, which will improve your cells’ metabolism and ability to process carbs. This is important because if we can’t process carbs effectively, then we have high blood sugar, which leads to water retention.
You can find all the right PCOS-friendly workouts on The Cysterhood app!
Reduce sugar intake.
I know this can be hard when you have PCOS because it’s almost like sugar cravings are in control of you. I get it, I’ve been there too! Taking an inositol supplement can help you reduce cravings for high-sugar foods, and therefore reduce your glucose intake. Of course, also be mindful of processed foods, sweetened drinks, candy/chocolate, and baked goods.
Eat more protein and fiber.
Protein is great for weight management! It helps us feel fuller longer, to prevent us from overeating and consuming too many carbs or other stuff. Plus, it helps us burn more calories and actually regulate some of our hormones having to do with the metabolism. If you struggle to add protein to your diet, consider a PCOS-friendly protein powder.
Fiber has a lot of the same effects as protein as far as helping you feel full and burn carbs. However, it can also improve gut health, which is great for reducing bloat. Fiber-rich foods include avocados, bananas, broccoli, brussels sprouts, oats, chia seeds, quinoa, legumes, almonds, and even dark chocolate.
Take Inositol Complete 40:1.
Try Inositol Complete 40:1, a well-researched supplement for women with PCOS. It features a 40:1 ratio of myo- and d-chiro inositol, a combination that studies show supports hormonal balance. Many people experience improved hormone regulation when taking it.
Inositol Complete 40:1 can also help improve egg quality and ovulation, making it a great option if you’re struggling to ovulate due to PCOS. By helping your cells respond better to insulin, it allows your body to process carbs more efficiently and keep blood sugar steady—something that can also help reduce water retention. In fact, one woman shared that Inositol Complete helped her cut down water retention so much that her feet went down a shoe size! Take a look:
Take other hormone-balancing supplements.
Nutrient deficiencies prevent our bodies from functioning optimally. So, giving our bodies the support they need using supplements can be a great way not only to manage water retention during ovulation, but to reduce menstrual cycle and PCOS symptoms overall!
Here are the top supplements to prevent weight gain during ovulation:
- B Vitamins: These can help with weight gain by improving your energy metabolism, regulating estrogen levels, reducing cortisol levels, and improving detoxification! All of this helps improve metabolic health and reduce water retention.
- Vitamin D: Vitamin D can help stabilize blood sugar levels, promote appetite control, and reduce inflammation. This can help prevent weight fluctuation during ovulation.
- Iron: An iron supplement can improve your metabolism, hormone balance, and overall endocrine function.
- Magnesium: Magnesium actually absorbs water in the gut, which can inhibit water retention.
- Berberine Advanced: Berberine is a natural GLP-1 booster that can help lower insulin resistance for hormone balance and improve metabolic functioning.
- Probiotics: Probiotics are supplements specifically for gut health! Since poor gut health can lead to bloating and water retention, keeping a health balance of gut bacteria can prevent pesky ovulation weight gain.
What are the best supplements for PCOS?
Walking down the supplement aisle at the grocery store can make you feel overwhelmed! Why are there so many different multivitamins? As we crafted our own, we wanted to understand what makes a multivitamin higher in quality too. It turns out, they need to be third party tested (NSF certified) to guarantee that what’s on the label is exactly what you are consuming. They also need to be highly absorbable, and that’s how we designed our Metabolism Plus bundle, which includes a PCOS multivitamin.
Understand that gaining 1-5 lbs during ovulation is normal!
It’s normal for your weight to fluctuate throughout your menstrual cycle. Don’t sweat it! However, if you want to prevent this weight gain next time you ovulate, try these tips and consider beginning PCOS supplements right away to help with insulin resistance and water retention.