Hormones are usually blamed when we gain a few pounds. But, truth is, your hormones can also help you reach your weight-loss goals. That’s because they affect your eating habits and metabolism in ways that promote weight loss during certain weeks of your cycle. Once you know how to harness these pound-melting hormonal influences and how to overcome hormonal hurdles that have been blocking your slimming goals, you can finally be successful in dropping a dress size (or two or three)! Read on to learn how to take advantage of your body’s hormonal benefits and get past hormonal diet sabateurs each week of your cycle….

Week 1
First day of period to Day 7
Your slim-down hormonescope: Set your goals and get started!
As estrogen and testosterone rise this week, they boost optimism and inner strength, making you want to create and stick to diet and exercise resolutions. And it’s the easiest week to launch a new healthy eating regimen since progesterone-fueled cravings for sugary, salty, fatty and carb-rich foods that plagued you during the second half of your cycle vanish as this hormone makes a hasty exit. Plus, Tufts University research shows you’re eating 12% less now than you did during the second half of your cycle thanks to rising estrogen, which has a mild appetite-suppressing effect. While pep and endurance start out low in the first half of this week, they grow to full force by the second half.
Your Week 1 weight-loss challenge: If you end up caving in to temptation by eating a food on your no-no list, rising estrogen is giving your brain a bigger buzz from it, making it difficult to cut yourself off before doing real damage to your calorie count. Plus, rising testosterone is making you impulsive, so you may reach for a fat-packed munchie before you even realize what you’re doing!
To reach your weight-loss goal: Start by mapping clear, practical and attainable diet and exercise strategies—don’t let optimism-inducing hormones let you bite off more than you can chew or you’ll lose interest altogether. Then, take advantage of these low-craving days by eating lots of high-nutrient, low-calorie foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats if you’re a meat eater. Finally, monitor your eating habits (for instance, by eating mindfully or jotting down what you eat in a daily diary) to help you become more aware of when you’re about to go overboard with snacks or portion sizes. If you do tuck into your favorite munchies, use portion control dishes or dole out a small serving so you don’t accidentally eat more than you intended.

Week 2
Day 8 to Day 13
Your slim-down hormonescope: Take action!
Peaking estrogen and testosterone amp up the positives from last week—you’re still enjoying a slight-appetite suppressing effect, you have loads of energy and endurance, and your optimism keeps you motivated about reaching your weight-loss goals. These rising hormones also make you more open to trying anything new, including healthy recipes and workout routines.  This makes it a great week to amp up your efforts by joining a support group or exercise class, fitting in an extra workout and challenging yourself to swear off one high-calorie baddie altogether, like soda, ice cream or chips.
Your Week 2 weight-loss challenge: High estrogen and testosterone are also amping up all the negatives from last week—you may eat impulsively and, once you start munching, it may be difficult to keep calorie counts in check. What’s more, you may feel so overly confident about reaching your goals that, if you do overindulge in calorie-rich foods, you’ll try to convince yourself you’ll be able to make up for it by cutting back or exercising more the following day. You have one more challenge to your weight goal this week: Peaking estrogen makes your stress response more intense, which can prompt the production of stress hormones, like cortisol, that trigger food cravings and emotional eating.
To reach your weight-loss goal: Continue monitoring your portion sizes and keep stress levels in check by taking a walk, meditating, doing deep, slow breathing, or sipping chamomile tea at the first sign of tension. Also try decreasing your intake of caffeine, which can amp up your body’s stress response.

Week 3
Day 14 (or ovulation) to Day 22
Your slim-down hormonescope: Munchies vs. fat burn!
The excitement and confidence you had during the first two weeks of your cycle is replaced by fear and self-doubt. That’s because estrogen and testosterone are plunging, taking your confidence with them. What’s more, progesterone rises all throughout Week 3, and this prompts bloat by triggering constipation and water retention, making you feel like you packed on 10 pounds overnight. But, it’s not all bad news: Research shows that progesterone helps your body burn up to 30% more fat during exercise all through Week 3 and most of Week 4!
Your Week 3 weight-loss challenge: You may get suckered into thinking you blew your diet because of the one, two or three pounds you put on this week; the constipation and water retention are the likely culprits, which means the weight gain is temporary. However, this hormone is also triggering cravings for sweets, carbs, fats and salty foods, making them more difficult to resist when you go grocery shopping, to the movies, parties or anywhere else munchies may be within reach. What’s more, this sedating hormone is making your energy drag, so you may not feel like getting up off the couch to exercise.
To reach your weight-loss goal: Combat the diet blahs by shedding those extra progesterone pounds with high-fiber foods (such as whole grains paired with water, fruits and vegetables) to ease constipation and try natural diuretics (such as asparagus, melon and dandelion tea, as long you have no ragweed or rubber allergies) to eliminate water retention or sweat it out through exercise. Also, avoid salt, which exacerbates bloat. As for cravings, when the urge hits, go for a walk—research shows that just 10 minutes (about the time it takes to go around the block once!) will crush those hunger pangs. Finally, motivate yourself to move by reminding yourelf that your body burns 30% more fat during exercise! Then take advantage of this biological blessing by doing fun activities that get your heart pumping, such as hopping on a bike or dancing.

Week 4
Day 23 to the end of cycle
Your slim-down hormonescope: Final stretch!
Okay, so cards on the table: This may be the hardest week of your cycle when it comes to sticking to your diet. That’s because plunging estrogen drags down the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, which can make you feel like you somehow failed in your weight loss efforts and/or that you don’t see any positive changes in your body. If you can get past those negative feelings and not let them sabatoge your goals, you can actually use Week 4′s hormones to help you slim down faster. That’s because progesterone is still making your body burn up to 30% more fat during exercise up to two days before your period!
Your Week 4 weight-loss challenge: To make up for your lack of serotonin, your body will push your toward comforting carbs (such as cookies, bread, cake, pizza, etc.), because they boost serotonin levels back up. (Ever notice how grouchy people get while doing low-carb diets? Mystery solved.) Plunging estrogen is also making you more sensitive to aches and pains during your workout and driving down your pep and endurance. As a result, you may tire out easily or find it harder to do you usual exercise routine.
To reach your weight-loss goal: When you get a hankering for carbs, remind yourself that “simple” carbs (like sugar and white flour) aren’t the only serotonin-lifters around—healthier carbs (like whole grain bread, brown rice, nuts and beans) also boost flagging serotonin back up. Even better, they’re filling, so you’ll naturally eat less at meals. Also, consider eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acid, such as fatty fish (like tuna and salmon), flax seeds and walnuts since this nutrient has been shown to help overcome down moods and anxiety that trigger emotional eating. You’re still experiencing bloating and constipation due to progesterone, so continue with Week 3′s tips for combatting both. And, finally, if you feel like giving up altogether on your weight-loss goals, just remember it’s simply due to plunging hormones. Try journaling your emotions or calling a friend for support. If you keep up the forward momentum, you’ll see in just a few short days you’ll be feeling optimistic and renewed about your waist-whittling efforts once again.

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[photo: D Sharon Pruitt]

Tend to blow up like a puffer fish during Week 3 when rising progesterone triggers water retention? Try nibbling watermelon! This summery sweet treat is a natural diuretic that helps your body shed excess fluid.

[photo: D'Arcy Norman]

If your diet isn’t high in fiber and water, you’ll probably be struggling with constipation during the second half of your cycle as progesterone slows down your digestive tract. For quick relief, try nibbling rye bread. A new study in the Journal of Nutrition reveals it works more effectively than laxatives and probiotics at relieving constiption thanks to a type of fiber that ferments in the intestine and triggers contractions that move contents along. What’s more, it does the job without cramping or other uncomfortable side effects.

[photo: Grongar]

A report in the Archives of Internal Medicine that analyzed over 10 years worth of data shows that a daily intake of 1,200 mg. of calcium and 400 IU vitamin D (the equivalent of about four servings of skim or low-fat milk, fortified orange juice or low-fat yogurt) can reduce your risk of developing PMS symptoms—such as food cravings, mood swings and bloating—by 40%. The reason? “These two nutrients may vary during the menstrual cycle along with estrogen and progesterone,” theorizes lead author Elizabeth R Bertone-Johnson, Sc.D. So adding them to your diet may help balance things out.

[photo: Sanja Gjenero]

In a recent study, PMS sufferers who popped 40 mg. of this herb daily during the second half of their cycle had 20% less breast tenderness, bloating, irritability and other premenstrual woes, reports The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Credit goes to flavonoids in Ginkgo biloba that reduce inflammation, improve blood flow and reduce the stress hormone cortisol.

[photo: jam343]