TOM question

[Its Tessa]

My 17 yo daughter, has about 20 pounds to loose. She has just finished attack, and has lost 4.5 pounds, and yesterday was her first day of cruise. I made her carrot cake Ddukan muffins, and a vegetable stir dry fry etc. This morning there was a look of total disappointment on her face, as there is a slight gain on the scales. Then she tells me her period has started. Now being of an age (very early menopause) where I don't have the "monthly's", I have no experience of weight gain, due to this. ( I don't think I ever had any problems with it). Not wanting to dishearten her, I gee'd her on, saying that there is water retention with TOM, and feeling a bit happier she's gone to school, with the promise I would ask on this forum and find out a bit more. So what is the normal pattern, can she expect a whoosh and a good drop in poundage? - and why is there water retention when TOM occurs?

Many thanks,


Tessa

 

[Jade25]

Tell her not to worry most people get a bit of a gain when starting cruise, it'll soon drop off again!

 

[locket]

There will be gains on this diet, even when it's not TOM. She really shouldn't get disheartened though because, inevitably, the weight will come off, your daughter must just stick with it. It certainly helps that she has such fantastic support. I wish someone would make me some Dukan carrot cake muffins.
There are so many reasons why she could have gained a little, TOM is the most likely though. Keep an eye on the salt intake as well as dairy (some of us tend to overindulge on yogurt). Check if tolerated items are being consumed and cut them out if they are.
Chances are though that she will drop it again in a few days.
I'm just totally blown away by the incredible support you give her. You are a fabulous mother.

 

[Atropos]

In the last 7-10 of the menstrual cycle the level of progesterone in the blood rises, and peaks on the first day of bleeding.
This triggers a whole range of changes - including water retention.

My own weight use to vary by as much 7 lbs over the course of the month, all of it water - so a very small gain at this time would indicate that your daughters underlying weight is actually falling.

 

[Atropos]

Oh - I should add, while I was on cruise my weight would seem to stall for as long as 12 days - when I took progesterone (I have early ovarian failure) - then would fall like a waterfall, 6 lbs at a time, once my period started.

It's nerve wracking, but you just have to grit your teeth and go with it.

(PS - remember that at 17 your daughter is still growing, and her brain is developing. Make sure she is taking her vitamin pills - and perhaps some fish-oils as well?)

 

[Sander23]

Slight gains at TOM are expected, as are slight gains on PV days, keep up the good support and try to manage her expectations - this will be a great experience for her if she succeeds and she will have the skills and knowledge to maintain her weight as an adult. Second the recommendation for a good vitamin supplement and fish oil!

 

[Its Tessa]

Many thanks for this. Her hormones are raging at the moment, talk about being stroppy. I will get her some omega 6's....she has evening primrose oil as well. Oily fish has never been a problem for her - eating that is. She loves mackerel, so will do a fish dip tomorrow and veggeis to dip.
The carrot cake muffins are wonderful. (today did them without the carrot, but lots of ginger and cinnamon), and did a little .2% fat free cream cheese with vanilla. She can't believe it's diet food.

So now thats 3 of us in this house on Dukan. My husband is 3lbs off goal. Why are men so better at loosing ?

any how thanks girls for the advice.

Tessa

 

[Atropos]

So now thats 3 of us in this house on Dukan. My husband is 3lbs off goal. Why are men so better at loosing ?

I think TOTM is one of the reasons - they lose in straight lines, all the way downward, we lose in graceful curves as our hormone levels change day by day.

 

[kazzamce]

The whole TOTM/water retention/not being a bloke thing is a total bu**er!! Men have NO idea what we are up against do they?!! I think they get off lightly with a few days' narkiness from us - we should be a lot meaner to them really!! LOL!

 

[xehorus]

it's tessa when my TOM comes I gain about a kilo on the scales so roughly 2 pounds, It is normal. I don't like to weigh myself around that time... I usually wait until i am on day 4 at least.