How to Get Rid of Cravings During Your Menstrual Cycle with ONE Nutrient

That time of the month can bring a whirlwind of changes. If you're following a keto diet, you might notice stronger cravings during your keto period.

You're not alone; many women experience this. It can be frustrating when you're committed to a low-carb lifestyle.

Let's explore the science behind these cravings. We'll also provide practical advice on managing them.

Why Do I Crave Carbs During My Period On Keto?

Even if you’re usually happy on the ketogenic diet, hormonal shifts can trigger cravings. As estrogen dips before your period, your body craves quick energy.

This often leads to cravings during period keto. It can lead to a desire for simple carbs or sugary foods, which can disrupt your eating habits and weight loss goals.

The Serotonin-Estrogen Connection

Serotonin, the "feel-good" neurotransmitter, also dips during this hormonal shift. This can cause mood swings alongside food cravings.

There's a correlation between serotonin and estrogen levels. Low estrogen often means less serotonin. Estrogen is made from cholesterol.

The ovaries have receptors that respond to the Luteinizing hormone. This hormone, produced in the pituitary gland, can raise cholesterol.

This then affects estrogen and can play a big role in cravings during period keto.

High stress could exacerbate cravings during the keto period. High levels of the stress hormone cortisol suppress estrogen.

This worsens cravings and intensifies everything. It's less likely that high levels of insulin and blood sugar are causing these cravings.

Cravings During Period Keto: Understanding Blood Sugar

The complex relationship between insulin and estrogen often contributes to more intense food cravings during your period.

You might have an increased appetite and crave simple carbs. Your blood sugar regulation on keto might usually help you feel full, lessening your appetite.

Suddenly experiencing intense cravings for sugary foods makes them hard to resist. However, resisting these cravings is crucial for maintaining weight loss on keto.

Giving in to sugar cravings can elevate blood sugar. This can lead to weight gain, similar to weight problems experienced on non-keto diets.

Managing Cravings During Period Keto: Actionable Tips

Let's discuss how to handle these cravings. Sometimes, cravings for keto arise from factors beyond hormonal changes.

Dehydration, such as after a workout, can trigger hunger. Insufficient electrolyte replenishment after exercise or due to high heat and stress can also affect the keto period.

Supplementing With L-Tryptophan: Your Serotonin Support

If cravings persist, consider L-tryptophan. This supplement may help boost serotonin production to ease emotional symptoms and support proper nutrition.

Prioritizing Healthy Fats and a Balanced Meal Plan

Healthy fats are essential in keto. They stabilize mood, provide lasting satiety, and play a vital role in your keto meal plan.

If your keto period isn't running smoothly, consider a daily multivitamin and magnesium citrate.

These can help manage calorie intake, which may help you stick to your keto meal plan more closely.

This also supports gut health. Gut bacteria can influence feel-good hormones and overall well-being.

Having a healthy gut supports your health and may also help you control cravings, making your meal plan more effective.

Managing Cravings During Period Keto: Lifestyle Strategies

Here are some additional tips for a smooth keto period and maintaining steady blood glucose levels.

Stress Management and Exercise Routine

Managing cravings goes beyond immediate needs. A proper exercise routine, adequate sleep, and managing daily calories have a positive effect on metabolic health.

This also contributes to overall well-being and hormonal balance, even during those periods you have extra sugary cravings.

Exercise and weight loss go together well when also supported by a proper keto meal plan. Consider working with a doctor or using a keto diet app or general diet app for assistance with sticking to a healthy eating plan.

The Power of Flaxseed and a Keto Meal

Lowered estrogen can exacerbate cravings. Including flaxseed and flaxseed oil in your diet can be beneficial and may also positively influence insulin sensitivity.

This could be a valuable addition to a keto meal and could improve your daily diet. For a comprehensive plan, consider exploring various meal plan options designed for the keto diet.

The ketogenic diet and insulin sensitivity often go hand-in-hand, so having a resource can make it much easier.

Using Keto Cycling to Manage Period-Related Cravings

For women on the keto diet, hormonal shifts during their period can intensify cravings, making keto adherence more challenging.

Keto cycling—alternating between keto and slightly higher-carb days—can be an effective strategy to help manage these cravings.

By strategically incorporating extra carbs when cravings are at their peak, keto cycling can support hormonal balance and reduce the urge to overindulge, helping you stay on track with your keto goals even during your cycle.

Conclusion

Managing cravings during keto period requires understanding their hormonal basis. Focus on balancing hormones, increasing satiety, and decreasing insulin responses for a smoother monthly experience.

Beating cravings shouldn't mean self-deprivation. Find keto recipes that incorporate healthy fats and create delicious low-carb meals.

Hormonal shifts and increased cravings can be frustrating when aiming for weight loss or body fat reduction. Be kind to yourself.

Armed with these strategies, you can overcome cravings, improve metabolic health, manage your body weight, and learn how to adapt.

Understanding hormones, adjusting your approach, and making steady reductions in body fat contribute to your health journey without sacrificing happiness.

It also helps manage certain health conditions associated with high blood and high blood pressure.

FAQs about cravings during period keto

Does being on your period affect ketosis?

Your menstrual cycle can subtly influence ketosis due to hormonal fluctuations, impacting cravings and blood sugar levels.

Staying strict with your carb keto diet is essential for maintaining ketosis. High stress and intense exercise can sometimes worsen cravings during period keto.

Maintaining a healthy balance will support stable blood sugar. This provides sustained energy throughout the day despite hormonal fluctuations during your keto period.

Consider adjusting net carbs with more high-quality good fats to satisfy simple carb cravings. Eating less sugar may help your overall metabolic health as well. It can also contribute to an effective and efficient diet plan.

Is it normal to crave carbs during your period?

Yes, increased appetite and sugar cravings during your period are common due to hormonal shifts.

These changes contribute to increased carb intake and fluctuating blood sugar. The key during keto period is managing net carbs.

Focus on good fats, especially from grass-fed animal sources.bThis approach promotes stable blood glucose levels during carb keto, making a strict diet easier to manage.

Instead of simply adding simple carbs, prioritizing quality food and tracking macros offers a better nutritional balance during your ketogenic cycle, rather than adopting a lenient diet plan combining carbs with keto.

Carb intake management is particularly helpful when focusing on weight loss through the ketogenic diet.

However, even for weight maintenance or better management of certain health conditions, ketogenic diets can still be preferable over vegan or carnivore diets as part of an ongoing healthy meal plan.

Why do I have cravings towards my period?

Hormonal shifts before your period trigger carb cravings, impacting insulin and cortisol production. These influence blood glucose regulation and can intensify sugar cravings.

Why am I having cravings on keto?

While keto typically reduces cravings, hormonal changes during your period can create exceptions.

Fluctuating estrogen levels and low serotonin can intensify cravings for simple carbs. Dehydration can worsen these cravings. Being mindful of your increased caloric needs is crucial during this phase.

Tracking macros and prioritizing quality fuel sources aids nutritional balance. Adapt your diet and fitness according to your monthly needs to mitigate hair loss and the likelihood of developing certain types of ovarian cancer.

An exercise routine alongside proper eating habits could also contribute to the effective control of blood pressure.