Every month, it’s the same story. The cravings creep in. Your appetite surges.
Suddenly, you’re elbow-deep in a chocolate bar or raiding the fridge like it owes you money. After spooning guacamole out of the container and finishing the last of the spaghetti, guilt kicks in…
Loud, heavy, and relentless.
“I have no control,” you think. “I’m failing.”
But what if the real failure isn’t in the craving, but in the shame we pile on afterward? And we pile on A LOT.
Let’s reframe this: We are not weak. We are not undisciplined. We are navigating our menstrual cycle, and our bodies are doing extraordinary work. Think about it.
During the luteal phase, the 10 to 14 days before our period, our metabolism actually accelerates. Studies show a slight increase in our metabolic rate, which means more calories burned.
Our serotonin also dips, progesterone climbs, and now our bodies (or brains) crave comfort and fuel. This isn’t a flaw; it’s biology.
Your hunger is a signal, not a betrayal. Okay?
Yet, diet culture has conditioned us to distrust our bodies. It demands we apologize for every extra bite, vilify our cravings, and equate hunger with some made-up moral failure.
It pits us against our own physiology, turning a natural process into a battleground. The aftermath? We shame ourselves for fueling up.
Here’s a new perspective: Your cravings are not chaos. Your appetite is not the enemy. They are your body’s way of saying, “I’m working hard. I need support.” Listening to those signals isn’t indulgence, it’s self-respect.
So, eat the snack. Savor it with intention, free from the weight of guilt.
You are allowed to nourish yourself, especially when your body is bleeding. You are allowed to be hungry and whole at the same time. You are allowed to exist beyond the confines of calorie counters and societal expectations.
Nourishment is never a sin, and guilt has no place at your table.
Think This
The next time a craving hits, you’re not ‘overeating.’ You’re responding. Your hormones are shifting. Your metabolism’s rising. Your brain wants serotonin. Your body wants iron, magnesium, calories, comfort. And you’re not broken for wanting more. You’re human for listening.
How do you navigate cravings or support others in trusting their bodies?
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Take care of yourself, boo boo.
—S
Share this post