Boost your Metabolism - Eating for the Menstrual Cycle

4/29/2021

The female body has various stages (5 to be exact) that influence metabolism as we flow through the menstrual cycle. Eating right during these phases helps women gain less fat, reduce night binging, and avoid drops in energy as they go through this monthly journey. There are two main hormones' at work: progesterone and estrogen and both have huge effects on the metabolic fuel sources the body prefers.

Estrogen influences insulin sensitivity, which means that your body is more efficient at burning fats. Higher insulin sensitivity means the body has a harder time gaining fat when eating carbs, since the body is processing carbohydrates into fuel at a faster pace.
Increased progesterone make the body less sensitive to insulin, causing an increase in the ability of the body to store fat. Lower insulin sensitivity make it harder to convert carbs from the diet into energy, thus these carbs are more likely to be stored as fat.

Menstruation - Days 1-6

The Physiology:
Progesterone and estrogen are low - so there's no impact on what the body chooses as fuel. Higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol and inflammation may cause the body to use more carbs as fuel. It's generally harder to bun fat efficiently during this time due to stress hormones, so the body usually burns more carbohydrates.

Adapt Your Nutrition:

Fuel up on Iron Rich Foods: menstrual bleeding increases the body need for iron, so add on spinach, red meats, dark chocolate, liver, and lentils. Eating vitamin C containing foods helps absorption. Avoid dairy and caffeine within 2 hours of eating iron rich foods as this decreases iron absorption.
Eat Slow absorption Carbs: Cortisol increases and it may dysregulate your blood sugar affecting your appetite. Eat slow acting carbohydrates like beans, lentils, whole grains, fiber filled fruits like peaches and apples to help reduce night binges.
Boost Antioxidants: This helps reduce free radicals that cause cell damage which may make menstruation symptoms worse. Flavonoids in green veggies, red cabbage, berries, green tea, and sweet potatoes help mitigate and relieve menstrual pain.
Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods: At this time, the uterus is producing more prostaglandins which causes inflammation and pain. Balance inflammation by consuming foods rich in polyphenols and omega fatty acids like nuts, ginger, turmeric, seeds, and olive oil. Try to avoid simple carbs and processed sugars which may cause inflammation to worsen.

Estrogenic Days 7-13

The Physiology:
The body is more efficient at burning body fat, and tends to use more fat as energy. The body decreases the amount of energy it needs, thus fewer calories are burned, so you may want to shrink portions. Progesterone decreases while estrogen increases which makes the body more efficient at burning body fat due to an increase in insulin sensitivity.

Adapt Your Nutrition:

Eat Carbs Before Dinner: Higher estrogen makes you body more efficient and burning fat, due to increased insulin sensitivity To enhance your fat burning mode, eat the bulk of your daily carb intake before dinner to allow your body to go into fat burning mode overnight.
Focus on Healthy Fats: The mitochondria of the cell, is most efficient using fat as fuel during this phase, so make sure to pic healthy fats high in omega 3 and 9 fatty acids. This can be found in salmon, seaweed, avocados, eggs, and pure cacao.
Overnight Fast: Since you are primed to burn fats, increasing your fasting window (the time you stop eating at night) is important. Consider using at least a 12 hour window to fast. As mentioned earlier, eat good quality carbs (and you can eat more) just do it earlier.
Fasting & Insulin
- Your insulin sensitivity in increased which means you will burn the carbs you are eating quicker.
- It also means your body is less prone to convert the carbs into fats during this phase.
- Use this time as an opportunity to eat more carbs early in the day like fruits, grains, nuts, etc. to give you body the fuel it needs (and wants).

Ovulation Day 14

The Physiology: On this day, the body may find it hard to efficiently burn fat and will tend to use carbs as its main fuel source. The body increases slightly in its energy needs/metabolic rate, which means the body will burn a few more calories than normal. This day progesterone increased and estrogen decreases which means it will be harder to burn fat, and will thus rely on carbohydrate for fuel as the decreased insulin sensitivity sets in.

Adapt Your Nutrition:

Focus on Slow Absorption Carbs: Since fat cells are releasing more Adipsin, a horomone that stimulates fat deposition, its important to try to prevent insulin spikes. Eating whole grains, oatmeal, barley, peas, beans, can help slow the insulin spike, which will lead your body to gain more energy from these carbohydrates versus processed carbs or sugar filled foods.
Adipsin Horomone: Fat cells release more adipsin which is a horomone that regulates storage of body fat. This increase in the horomone means women may gain fat more easily when too many carbs are consumed during this stage than what the body needs.

Post-Ovulation Days 15-23

The Physiology: Progesterone and estrogen are on the rise, which means the prediction in how your body reacts and the metabolic shifts with foods is a bit harder to predict. As estrogen increases you are better at burning fat and increases insulin sensitivity. As progesterone increases, it inhibits estrogen and causes a decrease in insulin sensitivity. Thus, the unknown metabolic imbalance.

Adapt Your Nutrition:

Drink lots of water: Rising progesterone levels increase the body temperature which may cause sweat and increased water loss. Aim for 85+ floz per day!
Eat Slow Absorption Carbs: Since the decline in insulin sensitivity occurs, you aren't burning fat as fuel and may experience lower energy and increased cravings. Picking slow carbs helps reduce these energy dips and swings. Try chickpeas, yogurt, fiber filled fruits, and legumes.
Eat Protein Rich Foods: Higher progesterone means a breakdown occurs in the muscles protein. Try to get 20-25 grams of protein with each meal through lean sources like meats, poultry, cottage cheese, yogurt or fish.
Eat More Fiber: Since fat cells release less leptin, hunger may be increased. Fiber foods (like vegetables) help to keep your stomach feeling full.
Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods: This may help you to alleviate premenstrual symptoms, so why not pile on superfoods like salmon, avocado, radishes, olive oil, and green leafy veggies.
Understand your horomones: The fat cells and small intestine are releasing less leptin in this phase. Leptin is a horomone that reduces hunger, which is why so many women struggle with cravings and hungry signals during this time.

Pre-Menstruation Days 24-28

The Physiology: Progesterone and estrogen are decreasing, which means its hard to burn fat efficiently and the body will burn carbs for fuel, due to an increase in insulin sensitivity. Fat cells continue to release less leptin, which means increased hunger and poor appetite regulation. Cortisol, a stress horomone increases, which can lead to mood shifts and makes the body less efficient at burning fat as fuel.

Adapt Your Nutrition:

Sleep More: Serotonin, a horomone that is involved with sleep, appetite and mood regulation decreases. Foods higher in tryptophan help balance this and may lead to better sleep. Eat more turkey, sesame seeds, bananas, milk, and spirulina!
Eat More Frequently: Since cortisol is increased, it impairs the body's ability to shift to fat-burning modes during fasting. Avoid extended fasting, eat every 3-4 hours to fuel your body!
Eat Healthy Fats: These help you stay feeling full especially when paired with fiber and protein!
Eat Protein Rich Foods: The food cravings can lead to snack attacks, so make sure to pile on protein with fat and fiber to keep hunger at bay (and hydrate). Try snacking on cheese, yogurt, edamame, nuts, or chia pudding!
Eat More Fiber: Cravings hit hard during this time for processed foods, so reduce them by eating fiber filled volume dense foods like fruits, grains, and vegetables.