PMS Weight Gain: How You Can Prevent it Naturally

Of course there are over the counter products that can help you with the bloating and temporary PMS weight gain that you experience in the week or so prior to your period. But, as you know, whenever possible, it's preferable to go the natural route. Here are some simple, practical tips to help you steer clear of PMS weight gain the all natural way:

1. First of all, to prevent PMS weight gain, be sure to continue your regular exercise routine.

Sometimes the hormonal fluctuations that you experience during PMS can make you feel pretty crummy. And of course when you don't feel well, it's particularly difficult to motivate yourself to exercise. However, it is a very good idea to give yourself that extra little push to stick with your normal exercise routine for a number of reasons.

For one thing, in addition to experiencing PMS weight gain, your self esteem can also suffer during this time of the month. But when you stick with your usual exercise schedule, your body will produce more of the "feel-good" hormones known as endorphins. As you may know, PMS also causes many women to feel depressed and anxious, so not only can exercising during PMS keep you in shape and help you prevent PMS weight gain, but it can also keep your mood and self-image elevated naturally.

So, when you consider the facts that continuing to exercise during PMS can help you counteract PMS weight gain while simultaneously keeping your spirits up, it's easy to see that simply sticking with your normal exercise routine is a great way to win the battle against some of the more frustrating symptoms of PMS.

2. Pay close attention to what you eat to avoid PMS weight gain.

During PMS, many women report experiencing craving for "junk foods" that are not terribly good for them, especially salty foods and sweet foods. As you know, these are precisely the foods that can cause the greatest weight gain, not only during PMS, but at any time. What causes us to experience these cravings? Well, once again, it all comes back to the usual hormonal fluctuations that your body typically goes through during this time of the month.

To fight these cravings for "naughty foods," make sure that you are consuming enough fiber and calcium, both of which have been clinically proven to help balance your hormone levels (and reduce many unpleasant PMS symptoms in the process), including PMS weight gain. Consuming enough fiber, such as the fiber found in whole grains, vegetables and fruits, makes you feel fuller faster, causing you to eat less. Also, by making you more "regular" fiber also helps you to "flush out" toxins from your system on a more consistent basis, which always makes you to feel "lighter" and more energized. Also make sure to consume the recommended dosage of all your vitamins and minerals at all times, perhaps especially when you are undergoing PMS.

3. Use natural stress reduction techniques to reduce your stress level significantly during PMS.

There are many different relaxation techniques to consider trying, including Yoga practice, meditation and special breathing techniques designed to relax you. Many people like to use these techniques early in the morning (to set a positive tone for the rest of the day) or before bedtime, to help them relax and get a better night's sleep. As you can well imagine, feeling more relaxed and sleeping well can also help you ward off PMS weight gain, as well as PMS depression and anxiety.