Why You're Hungrier During the Nurture Phase
Understanding Your Body’s Signals in Days 20–Period Start
It’s completely normal to feel hungrier during the Nurture Phase of your cycle — and your body isn’t working against you. It’s working for you. Here's the science behind it:
1. Progesterone Naturally Increases Appetite
During this phase, progesterone rises, which helps calm your body, supports fertility, and prepares for menstruation. But it also tells your body to store more energy — just in case you’re pregnant.
🔬 Science tip: Studies show your body can burn up to 250 more calories per day in this phase due to increased metabolic activity.
That extra hunger? It’s real. And expected.
2. Your Body Needs More Glucose to Make Hormones
Glucose (your body’s preferred fuel source) is required to make progesterone. This is why your cravings may shift toward carbohydrates — your body needs that fuel to build and sustain hormones.
🥚 Eat more of nature’s carbs: sweet potatoes, berries, beets, lentils, squash, quinoa.
Don’t skip the carbs. You’re fueling hormone health, not just hunger.
3. Blood Sugar Becomes More Sensitive
In the Nurture Phase, you become slightly less insulin sensitive, meaning your blood sugar may rise and fall more easily. This can lead to dips in energy, mood swings, and stronger food cravings if you don’t eat consistently.
💪 What helps: Eat every 3–4 hours and include protein + healthy fats with every meal to stay balanced.
❌ Why You Shouldn't Reach for Sugar or Junk Food
You may feel hungrier now, but this isn’t a free pass to eat cookies, pastries, takeout, or sugary snacks — even if they’re "gluten-free."
Here’s why:
❌ Refined sugar spikes blood sugar, which leads to a cortisol response — your stress hormone. This can actually block progesterone production.
❌ Processed foods increase inflammation just when your body is trying to calm down and prepare for your period.
❌ Excess sugar worsens PMS symptoms like bloating, fatigue, and mood swings.
🌿 What to do instead: Satisfy sweet cravings with nature’s carbs and hormone-supportive treats like:
A baked sweet potato with cinnamon and nut butter
Dark chocolate (70%+ cacao)
Homemade chia pudding with berries
You’re not giving up joy — you’re choosing hormone harmony.
✅ What To Do (Instead of Fighting It)
✅ Eat regularly — no fasting in this phase!
✅ Choose whole carbs over processed ones
✅ Hydrate + include minerals (magnesium-rich foods, sea salt, etc.)
✅ Add gut-healing foods (bone broth, sauerkraut, yogurt)
✅ Honor your hunger with nutrient-dense meals
🌟 Reminder: Hunger = Hormonal Intelligence
Your body isn’t asking for more food because you’re being "bad." It’s asking because it’s building, repairing, and preparing for a full-body reset.
Feed it wisely, and you’ll feel more balanced, calm, and energized.
💜 Trust the process. Your body knows what it’s doing.
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Shauna’s coaching goes far beyond food and exercise. She helped me understand my body, release emotional blocks, and reconnect with my intuition. With her guidance, I created sustainable habits that support my physical health and nourish my spirit.
This isn’t just about weight loss, it’s about healing on every level. If you’re ready to feel empowered, supported, and aligned, Shauna is the coach you’ve been waiting for.”
