The luteal phase occurs right after ovulation (when our ovary releases an egg). It lasts about 14 days and ends when we get our period. Listen above to learn how it influences the amount of calories your body is burning, how you feel and your ability to adhere to fat loss or leaning out plans. When we understand how our female body works, it's so much easier to work with it to maximize our health and fitness success!

In this episode, we dive into the nuanced connection between female hormones and fat loss, exploring whether aligning fat loss efforts with the menstrual cycle can be beneficial. Louise, a multi-award-winning women's integrative health practitioner, performance scientist, and one of the world's leading Exercise Physiologists specializing in active women and recreational runners, points out that while some emerging research backs this method, it's not a universal solution. Key takeaways include the importance of understanding your body’s unique needs and recognizing when to adjust your nutrition and training to avoid counterproductive outcomes like cravings, excessive hunger, inability to concentrate, muscle loss, poor sleep and hormonal imbalances.

Listeners are encouraged to listen to their bodies, particularly during the luteal phase when cravings and hunger might increase due to higher calorie burning. The episode also highlights the value of a personalized approach—whether it’s toughing out a fat loss plan because a girl's got a timeline to look her best by or adjusting for more realistic and sustainable results, depending on your goals and your unique body's response. This advice is especially relevant for active women looking to maintain or improve their physique without compromising their overall health, vibrance or performance.

Visit https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/ for a free nutrition guide, to book a FREE 30-MINUTE CONSULT & learn about our industry-leading 1:1 coaching program & results for active women age 35 & beyond.

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The specific research paper, one of the most robust studies to date, referenced in this podcast: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39008822/

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(2:22) The FAQ of syncing fat loss phases with the menstrual cycle
(5:10) Importance of quality research and the risks of following trends based on poor studies
(8:55) Managing fat loss during the luteal phase and listening to your body
(12:06) Balancing fat loss and endurance training
(18:57) Outro

Tune in weekly to "Maximizing Fitness, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for a simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!

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