HOW YOUR MENSTRUAL CYCLE CAN AFFECT YOUR WORKOUTS
Wait a minute. Aren’t you a guy?
Yep, 100% man 😇
What the hell is a bloke writing a blog post about a women’s monthly cycle? 😠
Well.....
I pondered that for many, many months, with questions like.
Who am I to write a post about women’s things when I’m a bloke and never have, or will experience it.
Would any women other than me mutha and me wife actually read this?
Do I know enough about the subject to write this article?
Then a client sent me this in a message.
I’m not quite Mel Gibson from ‘What Women Want’ (if you haven’t seen it, its a must watch!) Its just I’ve read lot, and worked with enough female clients over the past 20 years that I sometimes know what stage they are at their cycle. My wife on the other hand 🤷♂️
You’d be surprised to know that there’s a lot of women out there haven’t got a clue what goes on in their body, or how it affects them each month.
I’ve spent the time to personally learn 🤓 about the subject because a large amount of my client base is female.
I’m not female, and will never experience a monthly cycle (although certain times of the month I can’t stop eating. Is there a male version? 🤔) so please don’t think I know how it feels or knows your body better. I’m just here to give some advice that hopefully will help you.
Plus, to be honest I’m not very manly. Ok, I lift heavy lifts 💪 and love an action film 🎥 . Once you read the following you’ll realise I’m more of a hybrid 🤣
I hate all sports! 😴
I love musicals, on stage or in he movies. 🎭
I own a smart car. OMG look at how cute it is!
I look good in tights (ok that’s debatable but come l to look at that photo earlier, hot as hell)
There’s nothing better than watching chick flicks and a tub of ice cream
I love a cuddle (in fact I give the best hugs) check out me giving my dog a big squeeze. See he love it 😊 IMAGE OF ME HUGGING HUGO
I can pick up when most people have had their hair done or have a new gym outfit
My taste in music 🎵 has far too much Whitney Houston and N’Sync
I’ve got a man-crush on Chris Hemsworth. Look at him, he’s soooo pretty 😍
I could go on but best not eh 😬
Ok enough of that down to business.
Ladies, understanding what goes on in your body can help you lose weight, train harder, eat better and cope with life every month. Sticking your head in the sand and ignoring it won’t make it go away. It comes and goes like the seasons.
Before I start talking about how your Menstrual Cycle (MC) can affect your training and nutriton first we need to understand what goes on each month.
Follicular Phase and Menstruating (Days 1-13)
The Follicular Phase starts on the first day of menses (blood and other matter discharged from the uterus at menstruation. AKA the start of menstruation) and ends the day before ovulation starts.
Note: I’m basing all of this on a 28-day cycle. Some of you out there may have different lengths of cycles but hopefully, the points made will still be relevant.
The Menstrual Phase is considered part of the follicular phase and lasts five days on average. At this point, estrogen increases, while progesterone and body temperature stays the same
This stage, especially the beginning, can cause issues for some women ranging from mild discomfort to bending over in pain. I’m sure there are many women out there that have experienced severe pain leading to missed workouts due to nausea, headaches etc.
Cramps are caused by the abdominal and uterine muscles contracting to help rid the body of menstrual fluid. Headaches and nausea could be caused by anything from the pain of cramping to vitamin or mineral deficiency, to fluctuations in hormones.
Ovulation Phase (Day 14)
During Ovulation phase a hormone is secreted causing the egg to be released. This may differ from women to women as not all cycles are the same, and ovulation might occur on a different day of your cycle.
During this phase, some women will experience mild to sharp pain on one side of the lower abdominal wall. Women may experience pain just before, during, or after ovulation.
Luteal Phase (Day 15-28)
This last phase in the cycle ends with the onset of menses, which marks the onset of the next cycle and it all starts again.
You may feel your body temperature increase and your energy expenditure rises too. Sticking to a calorie restricted diet can super tough at this stage.
So what does this mean for working out? 🤔
I’ve broken down each phase and given recommendations for exercise and nutrition.
Follicular Phase (Days 1-13)
This is a great phase for progress, so train hard!
Your body has a higher pain tolerance, generating force and increasing levels of endurance.
Your body is primed to use muscle glycogen (carbs) and can handle a slightly higher carbohydrate intake (this doesn’t mean you can eat more chocolate 😜).
Ovulation Phase (Day 14)
Best phase for hitting a PB 💪
Strength levels will still be high from the follicular phase
Although you can hit more PB’s you are also at a higher risk of injuries. As estrogen skyrockets to its highest point during this phase, it can impact collagen metabolism and also influence your neuromuscular control. Meaning joints aren’t as strong and your balance/coordination is a bit iffy.
Your metabolic rate increases burning more calories so beware you may get hungry 🤤. Adding that extra chocolate bar to kerb your cravings may not affect your weight as much during this stage. Women can use this to a weight loss advantage and use the extra calorie burn to reduce body fat.
Luteal Phase (Day 15-28)
Workouts in this stage will feel harder for most. There's a high chance you’re going to feel like you’re going backwards for a bit. This is normal so don’t be hard on yourself when workouts almost feel pointless.
Your body temperature will be higher so you may experience some fatigued when working out. Build up the intensity and be careful to monitor your exhaustion levels.
You may find you are retaining more water than usual. Probably not the best time to take measurements 😬
Your metabolic rate will be the highest at this stage so watch those cravings.
Your body will be shifting to rely on fat more so as a fuel source instead of carbs.
Your serotonin production will be lower so you could be more irritable 😠 Eating foods such as turkey, soybeans, or pumpkin seeds can combat this.
If you’re wondering where the hell to start 😳 Here’s a quick guide
Record the first day of menses
Each day monitor how you feel. Here’s a list to get you started.
Your mood
Your energy levels in and out of the gym
Hunger levels
Cravings, include what you’re craving
Track from start to finish
Look back over the past month a plan for next month
It’s not going to change the fact you have the month cycle or even more it easier but it will help you deal with the ups and downs. Helping you understand why you may be feeling not so great in and out of the gym.