Ever wondered why at certain times in the month you are full of energy and ready to smash your workout while at others you find yourself feeling rather sluggish?
As women, our complex hormonal cycles have a huge impact on a range of training related factors including; your metabolism, heat regulation, fatigue, and performance.
During each phase of the menstrual cycle, the female body is primed and prepped to respond to different kinds of exercise. Understanding these different phases and what’s happening in your body is therefore essential to being able to perform and feel at your best.
Let's take a closer look at how we can work with our bodies instead of against them in the gym.
Phases of our menstrual cycle
The first phase, which starts the first day that you get your period and lasts until the day you ovulate, is called the follicular phase. During this phase, oestrogen increases to stimulate follicle growth.
The first five days of the follicular phase are known as the menstrual phase, which is when the uterus sheds its inner lining.
The second phase is called the luteal phase. This phase starts after you ovulate and continues until the day you start your next period. During this phase your progesterone levels and body temperature will increase along with a slight increase in oestrogen which will all taper off if the egg is not fertilised.
In between these two phases is the ovulation phase, where the ovary releases a mature egg.
Menstrual phase (day 1-7) – Recharge
Day 1 of your period refers to the first day you start bleeding. During this phase, your hormone levels are at their lowest and often so too are your energy levels. Spend more time on muscular activation and managing inflammation. Focus on activities that feel restorative to you such as yoga, walking, low intensity strength training.
Nutrition - Focus on foods that add nutrients and restore. Warming stews and soups. Blood replenishing iron and zinc rich foods. Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune boosting foods. Stay hydrated.
Follicular phase (days 8-13) – Ramp up
In the first few days after you bleed has finished, your energy begins to rise again and it’s time to wake up the body. During this phase your body is better able to access stored carbohydrates making this an ideal time for high intensity training. It is also easier to build and maintain muscle, which means it’s a great time to work on those strength gains.
Nutrition - Focus on balancing rising oestrogen and nourishing growing follicles. Fresh, vibrant, lightly prepped foods (steaming, sautéing, raw) Plenty of fresh vegetable and lean protein sources and seeds. Energy sustaining grains and lots of avocados.
Ovulatory Phase (days 14-21) - Be strong and social
In this phase, oestrogen and testosterone are at peak levels, giving you energy to burn. This is a great time for you to crush your workouts and up those weights.
Nutrition - focus on protecting against muscle breakdown with protein. Support liver detox from high levels of oestrogen with fibre and left green glutathione rich foods. Lightly prepped foods. Lighter grains
Luteal phase (days 22-28) - Focus, prepare and self-care
During the first five days of the luteal phase, you still have elevated oestrogen and testosterone levels and progesterone enters the picture. You will still have a good dose of energy, but this is better suited to maximising lean muscle gains and a focus on strength training. As you begin to move towards the second half of your luteal phase, it is essential that you begin to taper off your training according to how your body is feeling. Be sure to remain hydrated and be mindful that your core temperature has increased.
Nutrition - Focus on preparing for PMS with food rich in b-vitamins, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, fish oils and fibre. Promote sleep inducing melatonin. Stabilise mood with leucine-rich protein and B vitamins. Curb cravings by eating a few more good calories.
It’s important to remember that everyone’s cycle is different and the trick is finding what works for you. Syncing your exercise with your cycle will be about experimenting with what feels good for you!
Torz & Sarah x
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