While in ketosis on the ITG Diet as well as dealing with menstruation and all the issues that may go along with it, here are some things to expect. One thing to keep in mind: your period is still your period.

For the most part, your period is going to be your normal period while you're in ketosis. You might have some cravings, you might cramp, you might be light or heavy or early or late. All the same stuff you dealt with during menstruation pre-diet and you will probably continue to deal with now that you've changed your food lifestyle. That being said, there are a few issues we do see pop up from time to time and I will address them, in no particular order.

Be Realistic and Eat When You're Hungry

Right after ovulation the body ramps up production of estrogen and progesterone, both of which can cause your body to feel hunger. The bottom line is that, as we all should know, our menstrual time is a stretch of a few days where hormones are out of whack. We might be tired, we might be cranky, and we will probably be hungry. All of that is perfectly normal and you are not expected to sit and starve on top of it all. And those chocolate cravings...oh my! I can remember that I would drive to the grocery store, buy several chocolate candy bars, and have them eaten by the time my car hit the driveway! ITG has so many chocolate options for you, so grab one of them to satisfy that craving.

Bloating, Puffiness and Inflammation

I wish I had better news, but being on the ITG Diet doesn't cure period bloating. It's just a part of the hormonal process and is due to massive surges in estrogen during the pre-menstrual part of your cycle. Estrogen can cause quite a bit of extra water to be retained, so you tend to bloat or experience puffiness and inflammation during menstruation.

Gaining Weight Before and During Menstruation

Don't berate yourself the week of your cycle. You may not lose weight that week or gain. As long as you stick to the plan, don't sweat your weight and any added pounds from bloat that will go away once you're done.

Blood Sugar Fluctuation

Experiencing new highs and lows for blood glucose readings during menstruation is common. The reason for it is the massive fluctuation in your hormones during this time of the month. Have you noticed that hormones keep popping up as the cause? That's because your period hormones can actually cause your insulin sensitivity to fluctuate during this week, so if you've noticed a surge or drop in blood glucose during that time you should know it's not uncommon in general, is natural, and it should subside as soon as your hormones drop back off to normal levels.

The Estrogen Cycle

Many women will initially experience some odd stuff when it comes to their period after they go into ketosis. It might be lighter or heavier, it may be oddly spaced or more or less frequent than normal. Again, it's the hormones; however, it's not just attributable to the normal fluctuations around menstruation. Estrogen, the main culprit for many menstrual woes, is actually both stored and produced by your body fat.

The estrogen cycle is enhanced because the more fat you have on your body, the more estrogen is being produced which in turn encourages the body to store more fat, which produces more estrogen, and around and around we go! To top that excitement off, all those fat cells then store excess estrogen and other sex hormones.

When you start burning body fat you will simultaneously decrease the body's estrogen production and release the stored sex hormones back into the blood stream. So all kinds of hormone weirdness can occur and it might take a little while before balanced is achieved. This is also why some people experience some initial moodiness along with elevated or decreased libido when they go into ketosis. However, you should know it is completely normal and once your body compensates for it things will return to normal.

If you're very concerned about your irregular menstruation or are experiencing serious pain, clotting, etc., you should go see your doctor.

Menopausal and Pre-Menopausal Still Have Some Problems

Since there are hormonal irregularities that fat loss can cause, you might experience some bloating, cramping, excessive hunger, spotting, or you might even experience a full period after going into ketosis.

When in doubt, go see your doctor. Otherwise, due to the hormonal fluctuations that can occur when you burn off body fat you might have some symptoms you thought you were over and done with, and that's okay. As with the issues above, once the body figures out how to compensate homeostasis will return and things will go back to normal.

The following important statement is also on the ITG Health Status Intake Form:

Please note - Rapid weight loss may cause an increase in the level of estrogen in the bloodstream. This in turn may possibly affect menstrual cycle regularity, change PMS symptoms, and/or increase fertility. Please contact your OB-GYN if you have any concerns or questions. It is recommended when on the plan to use an alternative birth control method if on oral contraceptives.