Don't Diet in 2019 - Reason #22: Sex on a diet SUCKS.
Going on a diet? Invest in lots of coffee and lube…you’re gonna need it.
Extreme diets and yo-yo weight fluctuations are terrible for a woman’s overall health…but particularly so for your mojo and baby-making health. There are three main reasons:
Calorie-cutting messes up the balance between estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, and frequently leads to wonky cycles.
In a calorie deficit, your body starts shutting down everything but basic survival systems. Nature doesn’t want you to get pregnant during a famine, so those functions are often first to get the ax.
You might be skinnier, but you won’t feel like getting it on because you’re cranky, hungry, your hair is falling out, and your body doesn’t produce as much…um…natural lube.
Here we go again with my triathlon experiences…I trained for triathlons for about three years and was doing low-calorie and low-carb dieting at the same time. I was fit and about as lean as I would ever get (about 18% body fat, which is low for a woman), but I was so sick. Sex drive? Ha! Non-existent!
I was sick in my body, mind, and spirit. I lost my period during my second year of training. My body looked fabulous…and was fabulously infertile. It took over two years for my cycle to come back once I began eating normally and stopped training. TWO YEARS. Cautionary tale: if you mess up your hormones, it takes them a long time to re-regulate. My poor husband, bless his heart, stood by me through the “cold spell”.
So if you have a sex life, want a sex life, or want a baby, think twice about undertaking an extreme diet.
What you should do instead…
Anti-Diet Wisdom: If your diet makes you feel irritable, lethargic, and you haven’t “hit the hay” with your partner in three months…it’s time to rethink things. It’s not normal to have zero sex drive, it’s not normal to lose your period, it’s not normal to be tired and irritated all the time, it’s not normal to be dry down there.
Protect the delicate balance of your female hormones by never cutting calories too low or cutting out entire food groups. Don’t exercise too intensely or for too long, get plenty of rest, and manage your stress. Focus on health (not body size) and what makes your body feel good, and you’ll find yourself making libido-raising healthier choices!
Blog Author: Kelly Bailey, IIN certified holistic nutrition coach, and NPTI certified personal trainer
Learn more about the author here.