Fed up of feeling exhausted? Struggling with your mood, energy and motivation to lose weight?
It’s not always as simple as calories in vs calories out…we have the menstrual cycle and other stresses to consider.
Things to consider when you want to feel your best.
1. Calorie cycling
It’s a good idea to increase/decrease calorie intake depending on the time of the month. If you struggle with cravings around your period and want to eat every bar of chocolate in sight, it may be worth increase your calorie intake around that time to help you adhere to your dietary protocol in the long run. Don’t beat yourself up in this section of your cycle if you fancy more calories as it’s normal to do so
2. Cycle training volume/intensity
Again, considerations need to be made depending on what stage you are at during the menstrual cycle. I suggest when energy and motivation starts to dip, taper down the training volume and intensity. This is not being lazy, but being smart and playing the long game.
3. ‘Female supplements’
The priority is to ensure your diet is in check and that you have implemented good habits into your daily routine that aids optimal sleep and mental health. Once those are in place, supplements like vitamin b12, iron, folic acid, magnesium and Inositol can make a big impact on your overall well-being. I highly recommend getting a comprehensive blood test getting certain blood markers checked like oestrogen, estrdial, vitamin b12, folate, thyroid and iron. If your feeling energised, you’re in a better position to adhere to the diet and train hard.
4. NEAT
The most overlooked part of losing weight…NEAT (Non exercise Activity Thermogenesis). NEAT is low impact and low intensity, which is crucial when you’re looking to keep energy output high while feeling tired.
Keep moving, take the stairs, walk the dog, whatever it is stay active. You don’t have to be in the gym all the time to lose weight. I highly recommend tracking your steps daily but investing in something like a fitbit to keep yourself accountable. Remember, a habit of walking 10,000 steps a day expends roughly 400-500 calories, that’s 2800-3500 calories a week.
5. Getting enough sleep
Sleeping a minimum of 7 hours is non-negotiable.
Getting the most out of your diet, work, exercise and overall happiness is highly dependent on getting enough sleep. It can be hard with kids, shift work and the way society works in general, but it’s still important to make an effort.
Sleep is one of best investment you can make with physical and Mental health
Prioritising your sleep is essential for health and longevity. Sleep is often overlooked, with Nutrition taking centre stage. But I would argue that sleep is just as important. Lack of sleep causes
- emotional stress
- hunger
- less motivated to exercise
- poor food choices
- Fatigue
- Decision-making capacity declines dramatically
- x4-x5 more likely to get sick
- More likely to struggle with anxiety and depression
- Diabetes (200% more likely with 4-5 hours of sleep)
- Obesity (55% more likely to be obese if you sleep less than 6 hours a night
6. Staying hydrated
Hydration plays a very important role, and can often be forgotten when considering ones nutrition. This should be at the top of the list for anyone to be on top of their game in everywhere, including mental health, physical health, wellbeing and performance.
Staying hydrated isn’t just for athletes or people in a dieting phase, it’s for everyone. Its great for your skin, brain function, energy levels and much more so always try to have a bottle by your side throughout the day and stay hydrated.
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