How Many More Calories Do You Need in the Luteal Phase?
November 4, 2026 · 6 min read
If you feel hungrier in the week or two before your period, you're not imagining it. In the luteal phase — the second half of your cycle, after ovulation — resting metabolism tends to rise[1], and women eat more on average[2].
Short answer: the research supports a modest increase. Women naturally eat about 168 kcal more per day in the luteal phase[2], and laboratory studies have measured rises in energy expenditure of roughly 7–9% in some women[3, 4]. For most women, eating about 100–200 extra calories a day in this phase is a reasonable, evidence-informed adjustment.
Why your metabolism goes up after ovulation
After you ovulate, the empty follicle becomes the corpus luteum, which produces progesterone. Progesterone has effects that add up to more energy use:
- It raises your core body temperature.In a study that measured women overnight in a metabolic chamber, core temperature was 0.27 °C higher and sleeping energy expenditure 6.9% higher in the luteal phase[3].
- It increases 24-hour energy expenditure. A classic calorimetry study attributed a roughly 9% increase in 24-hour energy expenditure to progesterone from the corpus luteum[4].
- It affects appetite. Reviews of food-intake studies consistently find intake is higher in the luteal phase than in the follicular phase[2, 6].
What the research found — including the limits
| Study | What they measured | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Benton et al., 2020[1] | Meta-analysis of resting metabolic rate (26 studies, 318 women) | Small but significant increase in the luteal phase |
| Tucker et al., 2024[2] | Meta-analysis of energy intake (15 datasets, 330 women) | About 168 kcal/day more eaten in the luteal phase |
| Zhang et al., 2020[3] | Sleeping metabolism in a metabolic chamber (9 women) | +6.9% energy expenditure, +0.27 °C core temperature |
| Webb, 1986[4] | 24-hour energy expenditure (10 women) | About 9% higher, attributed to progesterone |
| Bisdee et al., 1989[5] | 24-hour energy expenditure on a metabolic ward (8 women) | Increase across the cycle, not statistically significant |
Two honest caveats:
- The effect is modest and varies between women. In the meta-analysis, studies published since 2000 showed a smaller effect that was no longer statistically significant[1], and not every study finds a clear increase[5].
- Studies are small and define cycle phases inconsistently[1, 2]. It's a real effect, but we're talking about a snack's worth of calories, not a whole extra meal.
How to adjust your calories in the luteal phase
| Phase | Typical adjustment |
|---|---|
| Menstrual (days 1–5) | Baseline |
| Follicular (days 6–13) | Baseline or slightly less (about −50 kcal) |
| Ovulatory (days 14–16) | Baseline |
| Luteal (days 17–28) | About +100 to +200 kcal |
These are the adjustments Flama uses. If you don't know your baseline yet, start with how to calculate your macros.
What 150–200 extra calories looks like
- A bowl of oats with a banana
- Greek yogurt with berries and a handful of almonds
- Two squares of dark chocolate and an apple with peanut butter
- An extra portion of sweet potato or rice with dinner
"Won't eating more ruin my fat loss?"
No. If your body is burning a little more, adding 100–200 calories in the luteal phase keeps your deficitroughly the same — it just stops it from getting bigger at the exact moment your hunger peaks. That's usually what makes a diet sustainable instead of a cycle of being "good" for two weeks and then bingeing before your period.
You may also see the scale go up a little before your period. That's mostly water retention, not fat, and it usually drops once your period starts. Compare your weight to the same point in your previous cycle, not to last week.
When this doesn't apply
- Hormonal contraception (combined pill, hormonal IUD, implant) suppresses the natural rise in progesterone, so the luteal increase mostly doesn't happen.
- Irregular cycles make it hard to know when you've ovulated. Tracking your period (and, if you want precision, your temperature) helps.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause change calorie needs in their own ways.
The takeaway
Being hungrier before your period is biology, not a lack of discipline. Plan for it: eat a little more in the luteal phase, favour complex carbs and protein, and keep the rest of the month steady. For the full picture of eating in every phase, read our cycle syncing diet guide.
References
- Benton, M. J., Hutchins, A. M., & Dawes, J. J. (2020). Effect of menstrual cycle on resting metabolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE, 15(7), e0236025. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0236025
- Tucker, J. A. L., McCarthy, S. F., Bornath, D. P. D., Khoja, J. S., & Hazell, T. J. (2024). The effect of the menstrual cycle on energy intake: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Reviews, 83(3), e866–e876. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuae093
- Zhang, S., Osumi, H., Uchizawa, A., Hamada, H., Park, I., Suzuki, Y., Tanaka, Y., Ishihara, A., Yajima, K., Seol, J., Satoh, M., Omi, N., & Tokuyama, K. (2020). Changes in sleeping energy metabolism and thermoregulation during menstrual cycle. Physiological Reports, 8(2), e14353. doi:10.14814/phy2.14353
- Webb, P. (1986). 24-hour energy expenditure and the menstrual cycle. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 44(5), 614–619. doi:10.1093/ajcn/44.5.614
- Bisdee, J. T., James, W. P. T., & Shaw, M. A. (1989). Changes in energy expenditure during the menstrual cycle. British Journal of Nutrition, 61(2), 187–199. doi:10.1079/bjn19890108
- Rogan, M. M., & Black, K. E. (2023). Dietary energy intake across the menstrual cycle: A narrative review. Nutrition Reviews, 81(7), 869–886. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuac094
Let Flama do the math for you
Flama calculates your calories and macros, adjusts them to each phase of your cycle and plans your meals around them.
Try Flama free for 7 daysThis article is for general information and isn't medical advice. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or have a history of disordered eating, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing how you eat.