This week’s question is a good one because it connects directly to what we’re building with “What Is My Body Trying to Tell Me?” Question “Why am I starving before my period? Does my body actually need more food, or am I just craving things?” First: the science in plain English What: There is credible evidence that food intake can increase during the luteal phase—the portion of the cycle after ovulation and before the next period. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis in Nutrition Reviews analyzed 15 datasets involving 330 women. Average energy intake was about 168 calories/day higher during the luteal phase than the follicular phase. Why: Estrogen and progesterone fluctuate considerably across the cycle and may influence appetite, energy expenditure, food reward and other systems involved in energy balance. But the research does not support reducing this to something like “progesterone makes you hungry.” Think of appetite more like a mixing board than an on/off switch. Hormones are one slider. Sleep is another. Training is another. Stress, calorie restriction, food composition and individual biology are others. So what: If hunger consistently increases before a period, that experience may be physiologically meaningful rather than simply a failure of discipline. But—and this is important—the meta-analysis included a relatively small and narrow population: participants were 18–45, generally BMI 18.5–25, without disordered eating, and the researchers identified methodological inconsistencies between studies. So 168 calories isn’t a prescription. It is a group average. Your increase could be larger, smaller or nonexistent. What now: Instead of automatically fighting increased hunger, collect evidence. For 2–3 cycles, track: cycle timing + hunger + sleep + stress + training + symptoms Then ask: “Does my hunger actually rise repeatedly during the same part of my cycle—or does it track more closely with sleep, training or stress?” That’s much more useful than assuming every woman needs a predetermined “luteal-phase diet.”

Daily trigger: Ever skip training because you don’t have a full hour, so you end up doing…nothing? This weekend, we’re killing that all-or-nothing rule. Your challenge: 20 minutes of resistance training That’s it. Pick 4 movements: - Squat/lunge pattern - Push - Pull - Hinge or core Do 3–4 rounds, work hard, and go live your life. Why this matters A new 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis pooled 126 studies involving 4,019 women and found resistance training significantly improved strength in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. It also improved functional mass and reduced fat mass. The strength improvements were remarkably similar between pre- and postmenopausal groups. That doesn’t mean 20 minutes is some magical prescription—the review included many different training programs. The point is simpler: Resistance training works for women across the lifespan. And a shorter workout you actually complete beats the perfect 60-minute workout you keep postponing. 🐐 GOATGETheR Take Your body doesn’t know whether your workout looked impressive on paper. It responds to the stimulus you actually gave it. This weekend we’re practicing consistency, not perfection. Finish your 20 minutes and comment DONE + what you trained. 🧬 Friday Peptide Spotlight: Survodutide We’ve talked about retatrutide. Now meet another investigational metabolic drug you may start hearing more about: Survodutide. Instead of targeting three receptors like retatrutide, survodutide is a dual glucagon/GLP-1 receptor agonist being studied for obesity and metabolic disease. What did the human research find? A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial enrolled adults ages 18–75 with overweight or obesity without diabetes across 43 centers in 12 countries. Participants were randomized to placebo or different once-weekly survodutide doses for 46 weeks. Importantly, randomization was stratified by sex. At 46 weeks, the estimated average body-weight changes were approximately:

PERIOD POOPS ARE REAL — BUT ARE PROSTAGLANDINS THE WHOLE STORY? Ever notice your period starts and suddenly your stomach decides it wants to participate too? Cramping. Bloating. Nausea. Looser stools. More bathroom trips. Most explanations stop at: “It’s prostaglandins.” That explanation isn’t wrong. But after looking deeper at the research, I think it’s too simple. 🟢 WHAT WE KNOW WITH THE MOST CONFIDENCE A 2025 systematic review examined biomarkers found in menstrual fluid from women with dysmenorrhea—painful periods. 15 studies. 223 participants. Eight studies consistently found higher prostaglandin levels in women experiencing dysmenorrhea, and seven studies found that NSAIDs reduced prostaglandin concentrations. So the pathway: prostaglandins → stronger uterine contractions → menstrual pain has meaningful biological support. Evidence tier: 🟢 ESTABLISHED / MODERATE-HIGH CONFIDENCE The evidence isn’t perfect—the underlying studies were generally small—but the same biological mechanism has been investigated for decades. BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR BOWELS? This is where the evidence gets more interesting. A study of 156 healthy premenopausal women found that 73% experienced at least one gastrointestinal symptom before or during menstruation. During menstruation, 28% reported diarrhea. Another prospective study found stools were significantly loosest during menstruation compared with other cycle phases. So menstrual-related GI changes absolutely occur. But… A separate study followed 53 women for three menstrual cycles. Stomach pain and nausea were associated with uterine cramping. But: diarrhea, constipation and stool characteristics were NOT significantly associated with how severe the cramps were. That’s important. Because it tells us that the relationship may be more complicated than: more prostaglandins = worse cramps = more diarrhea. 🧠 IN PLAIN ENGLISH Think of prostaglandins like your body’s group text for inflammation and contraction. When menstruation begins, these chemical signals help the uterus contract.

ASK BOBBIE WEDNESDAY “Why am I suddenly STARVING before my period?” Ever have a week where your normal meals are fine…and then suddenly you feel like you could eat everything in the kitchen? First: you’re not imagining it. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis pooled 15 datasets involving 330 naturally menstruating women ages 18–45. On average, women consumed about 168 more calories per day during the luteal phase—the phase after ovulation and before the next period—than during the follicular phase. (PubMed⁠) What might be happening? Think of your body like an engine whose idle speed gets turned up slightly after ovulation. Progesterone rises during the luteal phase, body temperature increases slightly, and research suggests resting energy expenditure may rise a little too. A meta-analysis of 26 studies involving 318 women found a small increase in resting metabolic rate during the luteal phase. (PubMed⁠) A newer systematic review found increases generally around 30–120 calories per day, or roughly 3–5%, although results weren’t consistent across every study. (PubMed⁠) So yes—your body may actually be using slightly more energy. But here’s where we need some nuance. A newer controlled study published in 2026 followed 18 women and found no significant difference in appetite or food intake between late-follicular and mid-luteal phases. (PubMed⁠) Translation? The average pattern exists. That doesn’t mean every woman experiences it every month. 🐐 GOATGETheR TAKE If your hunger increases before your period, don’t immediately label it: “I have no discipline.” Instead ask: “What is my body telling me?” Your cycle may be part of the answer. But so can: Poor sleep. Harder training. Stress. Eating too little earlier in the day.

Before we rush into another week, let’s pause and collect some evidence. GOATGETheR isn’t about having a perfect week. It’s about becoming more aware of what strengthens you, what drains you, and what your body may be trying to communicate. Answer these three questions: 1. What was your biggest win this week? It can be physical, mental, personal, or professional. Small wins count. 2. What was your biggest struggle? No judgment and no pretending. Awareness gives us something to work with. 3. What did you learn about your body this week? Think about your energy, appetite, sleep, mood, stress, training, recovery, pain, or menstrual cycle. Your answers don’t have to be polished. The goal is to start noticing patterns and building evidence about yourself. I’ll go first in the comments. What did this week teach you? — Bobbie My biggest win: teaching My son a new skill My biggest struggle: being consistent with being present What my body taught me: my body taught me I love being in masculine energy because it pushes to to accomplish my goals . I have to accept that about myself One small action I’m carrying into next week: being the version of myself that requires me to get out my head