The Menstrual Cycle and How it Effects Hunger and Exercise Performance

Why might many ladies always feel hungry and feel so demotivated or go to the gym just before their period?

The menstrual cycle can have a huge effect on appetite, exercise performance and scale weight. Understanding ‘why’ will help you be ready to enable you to plan ahead and not undo any progress.

There are 3 three Stages to the Menstrual Cycle:

Follicular Phase (1st Day of your Period)

Ovulation

Luteal Phase (This follows ovulation and ends just before Menstrual Cycle begins all over again)

During the later part of your Luteal Phase the hormone progesterone is increased, which leads to a higher BMR. (Basil Metabolic Rate), meaning you might start craving anything up to an extra 300 calories each day. This often the time women will crave high energy dense foods, like chocolate!

This is because the hormone Progesterone has a stimulating effect on appetite, increases hunger and can cause insulin sensitivity. Therefore, some women may start craving sweet sugary foods to get a ‘quick fix.’ 

The hormone Oestrogen can cause some women experience fluid retention or bloating around this time meaning heavier weight on the scales and which may feel like weight gain. 

Some of my clients find it useful allowing themselves an extra 2-300 calories for those days in the Luteal part of their cycle. Dark Chocolate is a great way to reduce cravings whilst satisfying the sweet tooth!

If you like to go to the gym be mindful that performance and strength may decrease in around that time and use that week as a de-load week. So that time could be used to focus on lower intensity training or stretching exercises.

This doesn’t reverse progress but actually improves performance the other 3 weeks or so of the month!

Was the helpful? Let me know what you think and if you have questions!