Your Hormones And Body Fat Are Connected—Here’s How To Gain Weight In A Healthy Way For Healthy Hormones

Chances are, your cycle has been irregular at least once in your life. Sometimes it can seem like a total mystery why one month you’re in agonizing pain and your period comes late, but the next month your period comes right on time with no PMS to speak of. Our endocrine system is complicated, so there can be any number of reasons why our hormones are sometimes out of whack. But one thing is for sure: Having enough body fat plays a huge role in maintaining healthy and regular menstrual cycles. 

Read on to see if you have enough body fat, how to gain weight in a healthy way, and how to change your mindset so you can embrace your feminine curves. 

Fat and the Female Body

First, let’s break down why fat plays such an important role in the female body. To put it simply, sex hormones – including estrogen – are stored in the fat layers of the body. When women have a low Body Mass Index (less than 18.5), they sometimes produce less estrogen, which can result in abnormal or absent menstrual cycles. 

It’s no secret that the Body Mass Index (BMI) scale is sometimes considered a poor measurement of body weight because it doesn’t take into account muscle and fat distribution. This is a valid criticism, but knowing your BMI is at least a starting point for determining whether or not your weight is healthy. That said, your body can give you some clues as well. For a more accurate and personalized evaluation of your weight, consider this: 

At a healthy and manageable weight, you should:

• have healthy menstrual cycles (i.e., strong signs of ovulation every month and regular, tolerable periods).

• have a strong pulse and healthy body temperature.

• maintain a generally happy and steady mood.

• easily maintain regular sleep cycles. 

• maintain a healthy libido, strong digestion, and steady energy levels.

If any of these aren’t clicking, that may be a sign you need more body fat. 

Whether your BMI is low because you’ve been purposely restricting your food choices or because you’re just naturally thinner, being underweight can be as harmful to your hormonal health as carrying too much weight – especially as a woman. But needing to gain weight doesn’t mean you should camp out at your local Baskin Robbins or gorge yourself on junk food. Here are some ways to gain body fat in a way that is healthy and nourishing for your body and your hormones.

Change Your Mindset

If you grew up in the early 2000s, you might be inclined to think that the only way to be healthy is to be lean. And to some extent, that mindset is understandable – especially when you consider the unhealthy obsession society had with thinness and weight loss during our impressionable preteen years (I’m looking at you, Slim Fast and Special K diet). It’s really no wonder our ideal picture of health looks more like flat bellies and toned thighs than consistent menstrual cycles and happy hormones. 

In response to the thin-obsessed culture of the early 2000s, the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction in recent years. Don’t even get me started on the equally problematic “body positivity” movement. But before we go any further, let’s make one thing clear: Having an optimal body weight is an issue of health, not aesthetics. Instead of trying to look a certain way, focus on nourishing your body and making sure your systems are balanced and running on all cylinders. 

Now let’s be real for a moment: Everyone wants to look good. But the thing is, a confident and nourished woman with some curves is always sexier than an underfed, calorie-restrictive woman with a perfectly flat stomach or six-pack. That’s because, generally speaking, when your hormones are balanced, you feel better both physically and mentally. And we all know that when you’re feeling good, you’re automatically way more attractive.

Eat Enough (and Eat Often)

This one sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s surprising how many “health-conscious” women aren’t eating enough to actually support their body’s natural functions. If the thought of eating more calories, more often freaks you out, then check in with your mindset – remember that food is an ally for health, not an enemy.