We Asked a Nutritionist How to Sync Your Nutrition With Your Menstrual Cycle

This content was created by Girlboss in partnership with Atkins.

When I’m on my period, I turn into a little gremlin who’s a bottomless pit of carbs and sweet treats. I want to eat every kind of comfort food in sight—from cookies to chips to burgers. There is nothing wrong with enjoying what your body craves, in moderation. But after chatting with Colette Heimowitz, M.Sc., Atkins’ nutrition advisor, I learned that it’s important to tweak your eating habits during your period to support your fluctuating hormones and loss of iron. Below, Colette breaks down all of your nutrition-related questions about adding more protein and fiber into your diet and managing those late-night sugar cravings.

What are the best foods to consume during my period?

The most important thing is upping your protein intake. “It will help regulate your blood sugar because it’s the one macronutrient that is the most effective at controlling appetite,” says Colette. That means less sugar cravings and feeling fuller and more satisfied for longer.

Some ideas:

Protein: poultry, fish, meat, nuts, seeds, and eggs
Dairy: cheese, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt
Protein shakes and snacks if you have to skip a meal or need a mid-day pick-me-up

According to Colette, you should look for anti-inflammatory food or supplements with turmeric the week before and during your period. For example, foods that are rich in:

Omega 3 like salmons, sardines, tuna, walnuts, or flax
Magnesium like spinach, almonds, and pumpkin seeds
Vitamin B6 like poultry, fish, and bananas

You also can’t forget about fiber! Did you know that an estimated 95% of American adults and children do not consume the recommended amounts of fiber, according to the National Institutes of Health? You need 35 g per day, according to Colette. “Fiber keeps the digestion system going and creates healthy bacteria in the gut,” she says. Things like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, peas, and lentils are packed with fiber. You can also get a fiber supplement to add to your morning smoothie, and Atkins offers high-fiber bars (up to 12 g each!) for snack time.

Another key to maintaining your energy levels even when you’re feeling blah? Eating small, frequent meals. If you wait to have one big meal mid-day (say, you accidentally skip breakfast and your first meal of the day is 2 p.m.), it can be hard on digestion and it won’t supply you the energy to get through the day, says Collete.

How can I manage those late-night cravings?

POV: You’re in bed, doing your nightly TikTok scroll, and you come across your favorite food influencer filming a mukbang of Crumbl Cookies. And now, that’s all you can think about.

Look, cravings are normal! Everyone gets them. And it’s more than okay to enjoy your favorite treats in moderation. But if you want to indulge in sugary or fatty foods, it could be a sign that you’re still hungry—either you didn’t eat enough protein during the day, you skipped a meal, or you went too long between meals.

When your body is going through a stressful event like shedding its uterine lining, “your body will automatically produce more insulin, even if you aren’t having sugar, to buffer the effects of the stress hormone,” says Colette. So, that’s why it’s crucial to consume more protein and eat more frequent meals to help steady your blood sugar.

Your body will automatically produce more insulin, even if you aren’t having sugar, to buffer the effects of the stress hormone.

If you’re craving fatty foods… opt for healthy fats like olive oil, a few pads of grass-fed butter, avocado, and nuts, and make your own fast food alternatives like crispy air-fried chicken tenders or french fries made from sweet potatoes or parsnips.

If you’re craving sugary foods…opt for natural sugar alternatives, and make your favorite sweet treats with Stevia, coconut sugar, monk fruit, dates, maple syrup, honey, or agave syrup. Sweet-tasting fresh fruit like cherries, cantaloupe, and berries are a great option, especially if you eat them with protein like cheese or nuts, says Colette. If you are going to have high-sugar fruits like pineapple, mangoes, or grapes, enjoy them in smaller amounts. Atkins also has delicious-tasting bars, candies, truffles, clusters, and gummy bears to satisfy that sweet tooth.

“You don't have to sacrifice that urge for something sweet, but you should avoid the spike in blood sugar,” says Colette.

Any supplements I should be taking during my period?

Omega 3: A fish or krill oil supplement (1,000-3,000 mg per day) if you don’t eat a lot of fish
Vitamin B6: Helps with water retention and bloating
Turmeric and curcumin: Anti-inflammatory benefits that can ease menstrual cramps and other PMS symptoms like breast tenderness and bloating, help stabilize mood, improve iron levels, and regulate your menstrual cycle.
Ashwagandha: A staple in Ayurvedic medicine for stress relief and bringing down cortisol levels
Vitamin C with bioflavonoids: Helps with iron retention—a good idea if you have a heavy flow
Multivitamin: A one-and-done supplement to meet your body's daily vitamin needs

The TL;DR: Focus on upping your protein, fiber, and healthy fats intake during your period and eating more frequent meals to help steady your blood sugar. And remember that food is not one-size-fits-all. Consult your own nutritionist or a trusted healthcare provider before taking any new supplements or making drastic changes in your diet.

“But isn’t Atkins a weight loss brand?” Yes and no. While the Atkins diet had past roots in weight loss, it’s evolved to be more about finding an eating approach and lifestyle that suits your specific goals and needs. So, maybe you want to try a low-carb diet for health reasons. Or, maybe you love snacking but want to find snacks that will give you more energy throughout your day. Or, maybe you’re happy with where you’re at right now, but just need meal-planning help to save time during your work week. All of the above is a-ok, and Atkins wants to help empower you with the resources you need to take control of your diet and lifestyle.

Discover Atkins’ free tools—like meal plans and 2,000 recipe ideas—and their delicious products.

Expert: Colette Heimowitz, Nutrition Advisor at Simply Good Foods Company USA Inc.

Colette Heimowitz, M.Sc. works directly with medical professionals, health influencers, and consumers to educate them about a sustainable way of doing a well-constructed low-carb diet to promote health. Heimowitz is a New York Times best-selling author and brings a wealth of nutritional knowledge and experience as the Vice President of Nutrition, at Simply Good Foods Company. She has 25-plus years of experience as a nutritionist, which includes the time she spent with Dr. Atkins as Director of Nutrition at The Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine in NYC.

Heimowitz is involved in the medical community, attending a variety of events and conferences to keep up with the latest research and meet other experts in the field. She sits on the Science Advisory Board at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York and speaks to students on the importance of controlled carbohydrate nutrition. She is also an advisory board member of the Industry Nutrition Forum Advisory Panel of AHA, a member of the advisory panel for Health Core, and sits on the Corporate Advisory Panel Dept. of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at the University of Missouri. In addition, she has created a research library of scientific research studies that demonstrate the impact nutrition has on health issues such as weight loss and weight management, heart disease, prediabetes, and diabetes. As a nutrition expert, she has been featured on national television networks such as NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC. Heimowitz also regularly contributes her nutritional expertise to the print media.

Previously, Heimowitz was the Director of Nutrition at the Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine. Prior to her role at the Center, she directed nutritional departments at several medical practices, including World Health Medical Group (New York City) and Integrative Medicine Center (New York City). Her clinical contributions include creating and directing patient-specific routines and designing modified sports nutrition programs. That experience included setting up nutrition departments in physician offices, creating educational materials and dietary plans, as well as providing individual consultations.

She earned her Masters of Science (M.Sc.) from Hunter College in New York, New York.