Why I DON’T Recommend Intermittent Fasting
As a hormone health coach, I do not recommend intermittent fasting for people with periods. Let’s dive into the reasons why!
Factors to Consider When Intermittent Fasting for Menstruating People
🍭 The short and sweet version is that I don’t advise intermittent fasting is because:
- Our cycles are sensitive to stressors
- It isn’t recommended for people who menstruate and people who are TTC (trying to conceive)
- It can perpetuate food fear + restriction
Fun fact: most of the studies supporting the benefits of intermittent fasting have been conducted on men and women in menopause.
The Impact of Intermittent Fasting on People With Periods
People who menstruate are much more sensitive to stress and when we first begin fasting, we may love how we feel because of that kick of cortisol, stress response, and adrenaline, but as time passes that stress response can result in many more issues.
We’re often naturally doing somewhere around a 10-12 hour “fast” as is, between our last meal of the day and our first meal of the next day, anything beyond that may not be necessary and may have negative impacts (mentally, physically, emotionally).
We don’t have a lot of supportive studies pointing towards the benefits of fasting in people who menstruate during childbearing years. But lotssss of solid research for fueling our bodies well and consistently! 😉
Contradictions with Hormone Health and Fertility
Additionally, a common “rule” of IF states that anyone trying to conceive should not practice it due to the stress it can cause, its impact on our hormones, and its restrictive effects on our bodies. To me, this contradiction goes against the idea of supporting hormone health and our approach in this context… AKA supporting ovulation + fertility all the time (even if we don’t want to get pregnant).
It is also my personal opinion that if I can accomplish the same benefits (weight stabilization, blood sugar regulation, hormone balance, etc) NOT purposing to fast, why the hell would I do it?
lt can also impact us emotionally and mentally by adding to the stress, confusion, over-control, guilt, and restriction around food.
Embracing Hormone-Supportive Habits Instead of Fasting
With all of that, I don’t find it to be an effective tool to promote or use with my clients!
At the end of the day, we have to do what is best for us and what feels good. There will always be differences of opinion and we have to do what works for us but it isn’t something I practice or teach clients!
✨ If you’re wanting to learn how to nourish your body, support your hormones, stabilize your weight, and balance blood sugar WITHOUT fasting, I guide my clients through all of this inside of my course Hormone Bootcamp! 🩸🦋
What is Hormone Bootcamp?
It is an online program that breaks down the habits for a hormone-supportive lifestyle and teaches you how to implement them!
Why does Hormone Bootcamp work? Because our hormone balance (and gut health) are a reflection of our habits. and in the current world of diet culture and detoxes – supportive lifestyle habits are not something that we’re regularly taught or exposed to! So, it’s okay and common and normal to need support with this! (That’s how I ended up teaching this stuff because I had O idea how to do it myself years ago)
What does Hormone Bootcamp include?
- Comprehensive education on hormones, including how they work and how imbalances can affect your health
- A step-by-step program that includes video lessons, guides, and interactive activities to help you optimize your hormone health
- Access to a private community where you can connect with others on the same journey and receive support from your peers
- Personalized feedback and support from me to help you overcome obstacles and make progress
- Topics covered include nutrition, lifestyle factors, supplements, and more to help you naturally take charge of your hormones
- Easy-to-follow action steps that are designed to fit into your busy schedule
- Lifetime access to the course materials so you can revisit them as needed to continue improving your hormone health
- An opportunity to take control of your health and improve your quality of life by addressing hormonal imbalances.
Click here to learn more about Hormone Bootcamp (testimonials, FAQs, enrollment info, + more) >> CLICK HERE
🥰For more support, ask inside my Facebook community, DM me on Instagram, listen to the Get Cliterate podcast, read my blog, Or all of the above?! Hehe 💛
LET’S HAVE HEALTHY, HAPPY HORMONES! 👑🔥💫💖
Free resources:
- Join our *SECRET* Facebook Community
- Are My Hormones Imbalanced? Masterclass Learn how to identify hormone imbalances, where to start, + how to take charge of your symptoms!
- What Is Non-Hormonal BC? Masterclass Learn more about non-hormonal birth control options, effectiveness, & how to get started!
- Hormone Happy Grocery List: Your quick guide to hormone happy grocery shopping!
- Follow @caleeshea and @getcliterate on Instagram
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