I would be inclined to say water. How long ago did you buckle down on hydrating?
I wish I had something more concrete to offer. I struggle with very similar issues and an answer would be great. At least then I would know what to focus on to move past it.
Best of luck!
I have been doing 20:4 fasting for 2 years (1 year of actively trying to lose weight and 1 year maintenance). When quarantine began and I started working from home I decided to stop IF and try intuitive eating. I always weigh myself everyday right when I wake up and I didn’t stop when I was doing intuitive eating. I gained almost 10 lbs since March. So 2 weeks ago I decided to switch back to 20:4 and try to get back to my maintenance weight. I was still weighing myself everyday and scale wasn’t moving much, sometimes it was down and other day would be up again but all in all not much change. So what was I doing differently than the first time?
First thing I though was not moving enough. I used to get in 10,000 steps a day but now working from home I’m lucky if I hit 5000. Second thing was water. I used to chug a 64 oz growler of water in the office and go back for more. At home I was barely doing a glass a day. Terrible. Third was the foods I was eating. I don’t count calories but I can definitely tell you that I have eaten more potato chips during quarantine than vegetables. Also beer has replaced my normal diet coke with dinner. Not great.
Last week I implemented the changes and lost 3lbs already. I can also feel my jeans aren’t as snug as they were 2 weeks ago. Now I am not saying to weigh yourself everyday or to count calories but making small changes like drinking way more water than you normally do, going for a walk and being more mindful of what you’re eating during your window certainly wouldn’t hurt.
This is kind of random, but how is your sleep schedule? Do you get enough sleep at night, and is it at a consistent time each day? I have been listening to a few podcasts about fasting and they said when they weren’t sleeping well they gained weight even though they were fasting. It was the same for me too. When I made a sleep schedule, my weight loss improved a lot.
It could very well be water - since you said you took up running (using our muscles, esp cardio, can mean more water retention) plus week before period.
I would recommend using a tape measure rather than weighing yourself as I find our weight as women just fluctuate a whole lot more. (And maybe stick to weighing yourself once a month in the middle of your cycle).
If you are feeling better, then it surely means you’re doing the right things, and that means the weight will come off in time.
Most likely water, from exercise, drinking, and period. I won’t step on a scale for about six days a month because of that last one. Plus, you might be overdoing it. Remember to rest and refuel so your body doesn’t rebel.