WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT COACHING & TRAINING WOMEN

Nutrition and Menstruation Cheat Sheet

DAY
1

Most women know their cycle changes how they eat. They may always
want chocolate when they’re on their period, but crave popcorn when they
experience PMS symptoms. Or whatever they craved last month may be
completely different than this month. Or they might feel hungry all the time
for several days. For many women, it’s “just a weird thing that happens.”

But despite the fact that many women recognize the change, many
experience a disconnect as to why their cycle changes their eating patterns.

Instead of seeing these eating changes as a normal part of their cycle, they
may instead think of it as a personal shortcoming or lack of willpower.
Maybe they feel it’s somehow their fault for not being disciplined enough,
or maybe they feel guilty and beat themselves up for eating that extra piece
of bread (or that whole bag of Cheetos).

But it’s not that your clients are weak or lack willpower. The reality is that
hormones have a very real impact on how our bodies feel, what they crave,
and how many calories we’re eating. They change our point of satiety, mak-
ing us more or less likely to eat big meals during certain parts of our cycles.

Nutritional Considerations With the Menstrual Cycle

If your client brings up frustration or disdain about what she’s eating or ate
while menstruating, one of the best things you can do as a coach is to simply
acknowledge this information, talk about it if she wants to, and reassure her
that this is completely normal.

There is nothing wrong with her or her body if she experiences

fluctuations in cravings, eating habits, and hunger signals throughout

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 Day 1: Nutrition and Menstruation Cheat Sheet

her cycle. In fact, your big opportunity here may be to help your client
shift away from a good-or-bad, pass-or-fail, all-or-nothing narrative.

For example, 60-year-old Hilary Milsome, a personal trainer, group fitness

instructor, and GGS-1 grad, has seen a marked difference in her clients by
helping them stop judging their food choices as “good” or “bad.”

Hilary says, “I’ve encouraged clients to see all food as just food, neither good
nor bad, and I’ve noticed their change in language and attitude if they’ve had
a ‘big weekend.’ They no longer seem to try to apologize for what they used to
view as being ‘bad.’”

Jennifer Kleist, a 40-year-old nutrition coach and GGS-1 graduate, puts it

this way: “GGS-1 gave me the tools to help guide women to make kind choices
for their bodies without restrictions and guilt.”

Your takeaway here? Help your client understand why she’s feeling the
way she’s feeling, and encourage her to make her own decisions without
guilt or judgment. The results? Total game changer.

That said, if your client is concerned about overeating at certain times

during her cycle, here are some recommendations you can give her
that might help her manage the hormonal changes:

o Eat slowly to help increase the feeling of fullness and avoid

overeating.
o Try to get seven to nine hours of sleep a night.

o Be prepared for hunger and cravings by planning meals and having

nutritious food on hand. Also prepare by having some of your
favorite delicious foods on hand and plan to eat them slowly and
savor them.

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 Day 1: Nutrition and Menstruation Cheat Sheet

o Track morning body temperature regularly; a jump in temperature

signals the phase in which women tend to eat more calories, which
can help her feel better about her increased appetite and understand
her body actually needs the extra energy.

How to Help Your Client Manage the Effects of Hormonal

Changes on Her Eating Habits
Many women know that their cycle changes how they eat, but many
experience a disconnect as to why.

Put simply, menstruation brings with it a ton of hormonal changes. These

hormonal changes have a very real impact on what women want to eat
and when they get full. This is a biological change that women do not have
control over, and yet many women beat themselves up for it. They may
worry they aren’t being disciplined enough or feel guilty when they give in
to the cravings.

The best thing you can do as a coach is simply acknowledging this

information and talk about it, if appropriate, with your client. Reassure
them that this is normal.

There is nothing wrong with her or her body if she experiences fluctua-
tions in cravings, eating habits, and hunger signals throughout her cycle.

Our team at Girls Gone Strong developed this quick tip sheet to help you
help your female clients manage the effects of hormonal changes on her
eating habits.

(If you want to learn even more about how menstruation affects nutrition
and training, in addition to a ton of other detailed information about
coaching women, consider signing up for our GGS-1 Certification course.)

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 Day 1: Nutrition and Menstruation Cheat Sheet

TIP #1: EAT SLOWLY TO HELP INCREASE THE FEELING OF FULLNESS AND
1 AVOID OVEREATING.
For example, encourage your client to set a timer and take 20 minutes or
more to eat her meal. This might feel painfully slow, but it helps increase
the feeling of fullness and can help prevent overeating. (We also encourage
clients to practice this regularly, not just during that time of the month!)

2 TIP #2: TRY TO GET SEVEN TO NINE HOURS OF SLEEP A NIGHT.

Sleep deprivation tends to lead to overeating. If you can encourage your
client to get more sleep, not only will she feel more energetic in her work-
outs, but she will be less likely to overindulge. It’s a great way she can make
things a little easier on herself.

3 TIP #3: BE PREPARED, LIKE A GIRL SCOUT.

Help your client plan for what’s coming. There are multiple simple tricks
that she may find useful. For example:

• Keep nutritious food on hand to snack on.

• Eat from smaller plates or with smaller utensils.
• Plan out meals and grocery shop accordingly.
• Avoid buffet-style or all-you-can-eat mealtimes (put the proper
servings out in advance and make it a little more difficult to get
seconds — this can help her avoid mindless eating).

However, make sure you don’t go overboard on this, though. The goal isn’t
for your client to restrict her energy intake or avoid all the foods she’s crav-
ing. It’s simply to give her some tools she can use to manage her hunger
and cravings according to her personal goals. If she wants some chocolate
or ice cream or pie or whatever other food she’s craving, she should eat it!
But encourage her to eat it slowly, savoring every bite so she feels satisfied.

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 Day 1: Nutrition and Menstruation Cheat Sheet

I’m sure most of us have tried white-knuckling our way through a craving —
it rarely goes well. Planning is typically much more helpful than abstaining.

4 TIP #4: TRACK MORNING BODY TEMPERATURE REGULARLY.

A drop in estradiol (one of the hormones that play a part in hunger and
satiety) is related to an increase in body temperature. It also makes it take a
little longer to reach the point of satiety. Put simply, a jump in temperature
signals the phase in which women tend to eat more calories. If she knows
her temperature in the morning, it can help her feel better about her
increased appetite and understand her body actually needs the extra
energy. This is helpful for women who want to know exactly what’s going
on with their cycle.

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