Welcome to How to Love Your Body - on today’s episode we are talking about Intuitive Eating on your period or during PMS. That’s right, we are going there today. We have seen many women post about feeling guilty with the cravings and amount of food they eat during PMS or while on their period.  We first want to say we are not experts in this area - if you have irregular cycles, PCOS, endometriosis, etc - this is not a replacement for professional guidance. There are amazing resources you can find which we will link - one of those being an expert in anti diet and PCOS, @foodpeacedietitian - Julie Duffy Dillon.  If you do struggle with something in this area we recommend finding an expert who can help you - especially someone who is anti diet.  That being said if you live with the question - should I be eating this much during PMS or during my period? I feel so hungry! I want to eat all the chocolate! Etc … this is what we re going to address in this episode. This episode is for EVERYONE - just know if you do need extra support in this area to outsource - but also know listening to your body and eating intuitively during your period is what your body wants. IE is just the way you live, it doesn’t need to change when your period comes along, it’s a part of the ebb and flow.  Tips to Intuiting Eating when you feel like you want to EAT ALL THE THINGS during PMS or during your period:  #1. DO IT. EAT. Whatever your body is craving and the amount it’s craving that is what your body needs. The less judgement you have in what you eat and how much you eat, the more likely you will get the amount that feels good to your body. Judgement will cause mental restriction which will lead to overeating and bingeing - of course there is nothing wrong with eating past fullness or bingeing but the more you allow the food, the craving, the desire, the more you’ll be able to listen to your body and eat the amount that feels good.  #2. There are 4 phases during your cycle- this means there is an ebb and flow to what our body is signaling to us - it does not matter so much what the phases are - the point is that if you are craving something on your period that you don’t necessarily crave as much when you aren’t on your period, there is a reason for that. Our body is speaking to us and by listening, without any diet rules, just pure tuning in- We will be able to give our body what it needs and wants. Remind yourself through each phase our body may require something different, we can trust that, and not judge it. If you do not have any concerning issues with your cycle, let your body lead you. If you want to get further educated and take a deeper dive into it all we recommend finding an anti diet expert on menstrual cycles/ etc. If you aren’t interested in that, continue to intuitively eat and allow yourself to ask your body questions without judgement and then answer the signal.  Intuitive Movement on your period:  #3. Our bodies go through different phases and in each phase we may have more or less energy to move. The point is to listen to your body. If it’s asking for rest. REST. If it’s asking for something gentle, do that. If it wants something upbeat and sweaty, do that. The point is that our bodies naturally ebb and flow between our 4 phases so just because you had a really strong/ heart pumping workout one day, doesn’t mean that is what your body needs every single day. There are days when our bodies don’t have as much energy and need to rest - this is why we don’t need to force our movement. It really is about listening to your body and doing what feels good - and what feels good may look very different throughout each month.  Long story short - if you think you need to counteract your cravings or hunger levels during PMS or your period just know that this is not intuitive. Whether the reason is hormonal c