Week 1 – period bleed week.
Hormonal environment – when there’s no pregnancy get rid of the endometrial lining, body needs to scrap it and make a new lining.
When you look at the hormones that are there, estrogen is low, progesterone is on vacation, luteinising hormone is not there, testosterone is very low as well.
The only hormone that is really active is during your bleed week is something called follicular stimulating hormone (FSH)
FSH stimulates the follicles – this is where you have potential eggs inside them and FSH is going to be driving the maturation of that just one egg that will be released.
Estrogen starts rising towards the end of this week.
Week 2
The week before ovulation, estrogen reaches her biggest apex of the entire cycle.
Testosterone also rises. It is the most abundant sex hormone.
Week two is horny, sexy and flirty, your interest in sex should be high – however if you have no peak, maybe your testosterone may not be working correctly?
Luteinising hormone helps to pop the egg out of the follicle. (awkward person – comes in and goes right away).
After we ovulate day 14/15 – but the whole main event it’s about ovulation.
Week 3
The 2nd phase luteal phase – we start secreting progesterone.
Immediately after ovulation testosterone comes down and so does estrogen, and progesterone and estrogen around the middle of the third week start to rise again.
Progesterone is up, she is like the cool hormone where everything slows down and everything is chilled, slows down your bowel, stimulates your appetite, helps with great sleep so you will often find the best sleep of your whole cycle happens towards the end of week three or the beginning of week four. You will get the best deep sleep and tracking devices may see this.
Progesterone and estrogen are up there trying to drive that healthy sleep.
Week 4
The week before period, about halfway through (typical 29 days), if there is no fertilized egg, progesterone drops, estrogen drops, serotonin drops and other vitamins and minerals also drop.
Cells die and then lining sheds and we start the bleed.
- Tracking your period is a great way to see how you are going.
Calendar of cycle and eating:
Week 1 bleed week
- Low progesterone and controls appetite.
- You may feel crampy or be tired the first day or so and then once you’re in the flow.
- This is a good time to work more on a ketogenic diet or fasting (24 hour) because the hormone that is responsible for driving up your appetite is not there.
- Play with those parameters within this week, more fats and maybe a 24hr fast?
Macro focus: 70% fat 20% protein 10% carb
Week 2 (toward end of 1st week)
- Extroverted week – sexy, flirty – this is the week where testosterone peeks, it’s at its highest level.
- Increase your protein to coincide with the testosterone apex – (you can build muscle two ways, 1: is mechanically, mechanical stimulus through resistance training at the gym, and 2: through your diet.)
- When you are increasing your protein intake in your diet (getting enough amino acid – leucine) you drive your muscle protein synthesis (it is synthesising muscle protein).
- Super important at all ages, building muscle and more lean muscle helps brain health, movement, longevity, metabolic rate.
- Work with resistance training and diet to focus on protein week.
Macro focus: 40% fat 40% protein 20% carb or 50% fat 30% protein 20% carb
As you up your protein you up your carb to get the anabolic effect that both proteins are going to give along with the carbohydrate.
Week 3 after ovulation
- Secrete progesterone
- Need more ketogenic style with starches (potato or green banana flour)
- Body is more insulin sensitive therefore starches are safe
Macro focus: 50% fat 30- 40% protein 20 – 10% carbs
Week 4 prior to period
- Half a week of the apex of progesterone and the apex of estrogen and we have cravings.
- Body will be lower in Vitamin B, D & serotonin.
- Lower amino acids (protein) lower glucose and free fatty acids due to building endometrial lining.
- Time to relax with calories and you need to increase because you are building an organ.
- Increase 10-15% of regular intake, so a bit more protein, carbs and
Macro focus: 40% fat 40% protein 20% carbs
Support emotions…
- Recover phase at the end of the week to help the body..
- If you refuse to recover your body will hold onto your fat like an insurance policy. It will not let it go.
- Please ensure you have active recovery, walking, cleaning like you’re having a guest over (well bad example atm).
- No sprinting as it’ll drive up cortisol and not allow your body to release body fat.
Examples of your month:
Week 1 : 70% fat 20% protein 10% carb (MORE KETO)
Cook in Olive oil : 2 egg & 1 egg white omelette with ½ avocado & sautéed vegetables
Drizzle Olive oil or hemp oil over steamed vegetables
Roast vegetables in olive oil
Coconut milk/cream chia puddings
Coconut milk/cream or almond milk smoothies
Grilled Chicken thighs, pork belly, fats on meats such as steak or sausages.
Best to keep rice, bread or pasta out of diet
Limit fruit
Nuts as snacks or added to meals
Week 2 : 40% fat 40% protein 20% carb or 50% fat 30% protein 20% carb (FOCUS ON PROTEIN)
Focus on Protein this week – increase your protein value.
Poached eggs on sourdough or sweet potato slices with smoked salmon
Smoothie bowls (less coconut milk/cream) add frozen mango/banana or avo for creaminess with fruit
Yoghurt with berries
Oven baked white fish or chicken (not so much pan fried)
Leaner Steaks or lean roasts
More water based smoothies for snacks and no nuts
Add fruit
Some rice OR sweet potato or sourdough not too much
Week 3 : 50% fat 30- 40% protein 20 – 10% carbs (INCLUDE A CARB IN ONE MEAL A DAY)
Chia puddings or smoothie bowls
Protein shakes for snacks
Scrambled eggs on sweet potato or sourdough
Lots of eggs frittata with roasted vegetables
Bunless burgers, stirfrys, curries with cauliflower rice.
Cauliflower based pizzas
Less fruit
Starchy carb week – rice, potatoes, corn week.
Week 4 : 40% fat 40% protein 20% carbs INCREASE 10-15% CALORIES (INCREASE ALL MACROS)
Be careful not to have heaps of fat this week.
Protein focused meals, more meat.
Chicken and vegetable soups
Beef stews or curries
Beef soups
Bone broths
Egg and bacon frittata
Zucchini slices
Protein shakes
Add fruits
