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This year, I randomly decided that I was going to run my first half marathon (21.1kms) during the next Melbourne Nike Marathon Festival. (Hahaha, how good are breakups?!). Honestly, I found this a little difficult, considering there are almost two weeks out of every month when working out is the last thing I want to do, thanks to my menstrual cycle. However, I recently learned that if you train in alignment with your menstrual cycle, you can change that.
Yes, as your body goes through various hormonal fluctuations throughout the 28 days (the average cycle), you need to change a few things in your routine to get the most out of your energy levels.
How do I know this magical piece of information? Bc, I got help from Nike Run Trainer and complete legend Lydia O’Donnellwho explained to me how the different phases of our cycles impact your ability (and willingness) to exercise.
“By keeping track of your menstrual cycle and understanding the hormonal fluctuations that occur throughout the cycle, you can tailor your training/exercise to these fluctuations and get the most out of your female physiology,” explains O’Donnell. By doing so, you’re not only giving your body what it needs when it needs it, but you’re also building a more sustainable relationship between your body and exercise.
So first things first, what are the different stages of your menstrual cycle?
The follicular phase
According to O’Donnell, you’re likely to feel stronger and fitter during the follicular phase. It’s the first half of your menstrual cycle (day one is the first day of your period), and runs from day one to just after ovulation (which, for a textbook 28-day cycle, is around the day 14).
“The follicular phase is dominated by estrogen, and when the female sex hormone, progesterone, is at its lowest point. Estrogen is anabolic, meaning it helps build lean muscle and provides the body with the ability to more easily store glycogen,” explains O’Donnell.
This means that you will probably have more energy to burn and your body will recover faster and easier. During this phase of the month, you’ll feel like smashing all of your fitness goals, so try to make the most of it.
What type of exercise should you do during the follicular phase?
During the follicular phase, O’Donnell recommends making those workouts more challenging. “It’s a great time to push the body relatively hard. With the rise in estrogen during ovulation, we tend to encourage higher intensity workouts that allow you to get your heart rate up.”
So think about HIIT workouts, F45, boxing, AMRAP bodyweight sessions, sprint and safe runs, and other higher intensity workouts.
If you’re struggling with any persistent menstrual symptoms during the follicular phase, you can always opt for light activity in these early days to help ease cramps and improve period-related symptoms, O’Donnell explains.
The ovulation phase
Next is the ovulation phase, which is the stage of your cycle when everything feels nice and possible (not to mention hot). It usually takes place around days 12-15 and this is when ovulation occurs, so your estrogen levels peak and an egg is released. You also have a small spike in testosterone, O’Donnell explains, which means it’s a good time to build lean muscle and provide your body with the ability to easily store glycogen.
How should you exercise during the ovulation phase?
This phase is super beneficial for building strength, so if you’re someone who loves to lift weights, it’s your time to shine, babbbbbby. Focus on doing those strength and conditioning exercises.
luteal phase
Ah, the luteal phase (my least favorite). The luteal phase can be one of the most difficult to exercise, this is because it is dominated by progesterone, which can make us feel much worse and more exhausted than the other parts of our cycle. This is the part of your cycle where your premenstrual symptoms start to show up as cramps.
“Progesterone is catabolic, meaning it breaks down muscle instead of building it. Progesterone levels can vary up to sixfold between menstruating people, and progesterone levels can affect the severity of premenstrual symptoms (PMS),” explains O’Donnell.
How should you exercise during the luteal phase?
Given this part of the menstrual cycle where PMS hits hardest, chances are you’ll feel ZERO motivation to exercise, and that’s okay.
Still, it’s particularly important that during the luteal phase, you focus more on rest and recovery, says O’Donnell. “As progesterone drops, our energy levels can also drop, and to get the most out of our body in the follicular phase, it’s important to slow things down a bit in the luteal phase.”
This isn’t to say you can’t work out, but focus more on low-intensity workouts like pilates, hot girl walks, and yoga.
Personally, I think a lot of us struggle with the rest and recovery part of our cycle instead of embracing it. We’re so used to the routine of health and fitness that we stop listening to our bodies, which can lead us to exercise too much.
So does it really work?
Since learning all this super helpful information, I have been on a 12 week training program that aligns with my cycle to prepare for the half mara. I can honestly say the difference is amazing.
By looking at what stage of my menstrual cycle I am in and choosing workouts that align with that phase, I noticed a massive change in the way my mind and body respond to workouts. I’m slowly learning that you don’t need to work out like an absolute devil every day to see better overall fitness. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I am leaner, more muscular, and in better shape now than I was 10 weeks ago. And I really enjoy working out during my luteal phase, where I used to take the human form of a potato for two weeks.
the Melbs half mara less than two weeks to go (you can still sign up hereif you want to join me) and I really feel like it’s humanly possible to do it, despite being in my luteal phase.
If you’re already someone who loves to exercise, why not change it up to align with your menstrual cycle and see if it makes a difference for you? I can’t hurt.
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