This week’s episode is one of those episodes you will want to share with your girlfriends! Ciara discusses why one of the most popular weight-loss trends, intermittent fasting, does not work for the majority of women, those who have a menstrual cycle. Worse, it can backfire and cause hormonal disadvantages, decreased insulin sensitivity and undue stress to the body. Ciara also dives more into how counterproductive restrictive eating is, how understanding our cycles informs our fitness decisions, and how important it is to find what works best for you.
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In this episode, you will learn more about:
- Women are much more sensitive to stress than men due to the menstrual cycle.
- Energy levels, strength, and metabolism all fluctuate based on the menstrual cycle, which impacts the effectiveness of fasting.
- Your metabolism goes up after you ovulate.
- So many of the positive effects found in studies for intermittent fasting in men is the exact opposite for women.
- It’s important to know what your body considers stress and how it raises cortisol levels.There is no one-size-fits-all for bodies; each person is different. This is why Ciara loves using the DUTCH test for creating an optimal plan for clients.One of the main reasons Ciara does not recommend intermittent fasting is because of the unhealthy relationship it creates with food and your body.
- When you deny your body calories during the day when you need energy, it often leads to binging later in the day and especially at night.
- Over time, restrictive eating will cause a major slowing of your metabolism and deterioration of muscle mass.
- Overnight fasting can be beneficial as long as we finish meals early in the evening.
- The very few studies that have being done on cycling women concluded that intermittent fasting can cause hormonal disadvantages, worsen insulin sensitivity and cause undue stress to the body.
- Many women are experiencing infertility issues because of the stress put on their bodies.
- Most of the studies done on intermittent fasting, or any scientific studies, are done on men or postmenopausal women.
- Cortisol’s main job is to balance and maintain blood sugar.
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