Often we are told that moving more and eating less is all it takes to lose body fat. Yes, in its simplistic form, sometimes that can be the case. You will certainly reap the benefits of moving your body more and eating less junk food. Let’s not complicate things if we don’t have to.
It is based on outdated science that eat less and move more is often promoted. Therefore, the majority of fat loss research was conducted on male college athletes. Have you ever tried doing a weight loss program with your husband and he just fell off the scales? It makes sense, since men have a less complex hormonal system.
It makes me want to throw my phone right at that young male trainer who is just telling you to go into a calorie fucking deficit, especially if I am about to start PMS.
Yep, nice one mate, theoretically, that could be as simple as that! You try maintaining a calorie deficit when you have two small children running around at your feet, a household to maintain, and that’s before you consider the monthly visit of ‘shark week’!
According to Stacy Sims Ph.D., author of the book Roar: How to Match Your Food And Fitness To Your Female Physiology For Optimum Performance, women’s bodies are so different from men that we need to train and eat differently. Women know the feeling of being tired, hungry, with zero motivation, and cravings out of control during the week leading up to their period. After that, you feel like crap because even with all of your willpower, you have to battle with yourself to maintain the holy grail of the calorie deficit, and that is so damn hard and hard to do.
That’s not so simple!
What if you could improve your knowledge to be more effective in burning fat and building muscle? By using your hormonal strengths, you can also manage hunger, energy, and cravings. You can use those pesky hormones to your advantage so that you can begin to work with your body instead of fighting it constantly?
That would be pretty cool, wouldn’t it?
Instead of battling natural fluctuations, I decided to stop fighting my body, to stop hating it, and instead start nurturing, loving and looking for ways to work WITH it instead.
As you see, mainstream diets rarely discuss this subject. Since I started tracking my own cycle more closely in the last few years, I have become more aware of this. As your cycle progresses, your hormone levels fluctuate. Consequently, we can adapt your training and nutrition to match your natural cycle. Due to hormonal fluctuations and the way your body is built, you are far more sensitive to stress than a man, so you should approach health and fitness differently too. I am going to keep this as simple as I can for you to understand since microbiology is quite complex.
The 28-day cycle is an example of a textbook cycle. Some women, however, have shorter cycles, while others have longer ones. We are also affected differently by hormone fluctuations. There are some who have more severe symptoms than others, and you should always use any information as an invitation to tune into your body as an individual. It is also important to point out that if you have really painful periods, that can be a sign of health issues that may need more attention As a result, we will talk about a 28-day cycle, though you should track your own cycle, symptoms, energy, and cravings so that you can adjust according to your own body.
The menstrual cycle is characterized by shedding of the uterine lining and bleeding. Progesterone and estrogen levels are low. Low estrogen levels can result in fatigue and depression.
During the follicular phase, the first day of a period precedes ovulation. The level of estrogen increases. When estrogen levels rise, so do your energy levels, motivation, and ability to build muscle and burn body fat. It is during this phase that you can exercise more, burn more calories, and cope with higher levels of stress.
Ovulation is the release of the egg from the ovary during a cycle. Hormone levels peak just before ovarian ovulation and then decline shortly afterward.
Between ovulation and your next period, the luteal phase is when your body prepares for conception. Progesterone levels spike and then fall during this phase. Our progesterone levels are higher when we’re stressed, so training too much or not getting enough sleep can trigger cortisol more easily. Carbs generally cause us to feel less anxious and to tolerate them less well. The end of the luteal phase brings with it an increase in cravings. The focus should be on recovery, maintenance, and getting an optimal amount of sleep.
The luteal phase is when I have experienced the most difficulty. When your energy levels are down, you have more cravings, and this is where a huge shift can happen when you know that you don’t have to fight it.
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Training & Nutrition Suggestions
Hopefully, now you have a better idea of what exactly is going on with your body. Let’s dig a little deeper now and explore what this means for your training and nutrition strategies in order to complement and work with your body’s natural ebbs and flows. I have taken this recommendation from Dr. Jade Teta.
You are most susceptible to cravings prior to your period and are likely to feel unmotivated towards training during this period. You are also most sensitive to stress during this period. During this time, higher cortisol can cause an increase in hunger, so it is ok to back off a little.
Diet Less, Exercise Less are the two weeks leading up to your period. For you to manage your stress, reduce your exercise load, and move a lot (walks, hobbies, breathwork, yoga, time outside), this is the most critical time. During this time, you should aim to eat fewer calories and focus on returning to 3 main meals.
Utilize this time for recovery (more movement and stress-busting activities, less food, and less exercise).
A stroll through a park is a relaxing activity. Taking an Epsom salt bath is relaxing. Have a supportive conversation with your best friends, cuddle with your pets (as long as they are not stressing you out,), naps, quality sleep, time at the spa, and every other activity that lowers stress hormones and allows your metabolism to breathe.
In addition to increasing your body’s adaptability, this rotation also keeps it metabolically flexible. As we are changing both the activity levels and calorie intake, you are less likely to hit plateaus.
In addition, you will notice your energy, estrogen levels, and carb toleration will peak the week after your period. When you are in a better mood, you can handle carbs more effectively, and you are less prone to stress.
The Eat More Exercise More phase will feel more aligned with this phase. Aiming to achieve your personal bests by training harder.
Therefore, start tuning in to your own cycle to see if you can use it to boost your training and physique goals.