07/08/2026
Perimenopause plateaus are REAL — and they’re not a sign you’re doing something wrong.
Irregular cycles mean unpredictable hormone shifts, water retention, and cravings that can mask real fat loss on the scale.
👉 Track your weekly average, not daily numbers
👉 Notice body signals (soreness, cramping, bloating) as data — not distractions
👉 Prioritise protein + cruciferous veggies around these shifts
Your body is still responding. The scale just isn’t the full story right now.
Here’s the science behind it 👇
A 2023 study in the American Journal of Human Biology tracked 42 women twice a week across their menstrual cycle. Body weight was measurably higher during menstruation compared to the first week of the cycle — and it was linked to a rise in extracellular water, not fat. Estrogen and progesterone shifts directly affect how much fluid the body holds onto at different points in the cycle.
DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23951
A longitudinal Swiss study followed 127 perimenopausal women for 13 months and confirmed what many of you already feel — estrogen and progesterone don’t decline in a smooth line during perimenopause. They fluctuate unpredictably, person to person, which is exactly why the scale can feel so inconsistent during this stage. DOI: PMC8712488
Your body isn’t broken. It’s responding to hormones that are doing exactly what hormones in perimenopause do — fluctuate. Trust the weekly trend, not the daily number.
