Exercising on your period can come across as a bit of a “hush .. hush” topic to discuss openly but the question comes up quite often in some of our trainings with clients. We’ll break this down into three categories:
1.History
I don’t think I have to explain to you that men and women have different bodies which are designed for different tasks. My Bachelors in Exercise Physiology has shown that the impacts of exercise, both strength & endurance, create various reactions from our bodies. This being everything from muscle soreness after a great workout session, to some seriously sweat soaked clothing after a long endurance run.
So how does exercising on your period effect what you should be focusing on? Up until the 70’s, women were not even included in sports science research. They weren’t even considered to be on a level playing field compared to men at the time. Lyle McDonald states it best when it came to this era’s mindset towards females and fitness:
“It was simply assumed that women were just… little Men”
Thing was.. these “little men” were actually mature ladies who’s bodies were cycling through hormones that men themselves don’t have to focus on as much, if at all. The two main hormones can be seen below:
2. Hormones
To keep things simple and easy to understand, we’re only going to focus on the two main hormones involved in your monthly period. These being Estrogen and Progesterone. Knowing and understanding these two hormones, as well as how your body uses them, can be crucial when it comes to achieving your fitness goals:
Estrogen: Want increased metabolic rates, leptin control to help manage hunger cravings, or just a boost in energy from carbs? Look no further than to estrogen. Some studies have even seen estrogen hold some anabolic property by helping the muscles better repair and grow throughout training cycles
Progesterone: Feeling a bit hungry? Have some muscle soreness, or just that yucky / lethargic feeling? Then progesterone could be the culprit. Don’t get me wrong as it’s a necessity within your cycle to get your body ready for a baby, but performing large amounts of exercise have been shown to decrease progesterone levels. Possibly leading to overall fertility impacts.
3. Your Period
Can I be real for a moment? Okay, menstrual irregularities are not uncommon in exercising women. HOORAY!! This means that you’re far from alone if you yourself are experiencing some cycle changes throughout your fitness journey. This can make exercising on your period a bit more challenging due to the inability to plan. Educating yourself on the process can only help you meet your fitness goals. We’ll further break this section down into two easy to understand parts of your menstrual cycle:
- Follicular Phase: Day 1-14
Start of your Menstrual Cycle – Estrogen will begin to rise throughout this entire phase. This means that your body’s pain tolerance and muscle recovery get a much desired BOOST! Now, if you’re one of the lucky ones to not be experiencing any cramping / PMS symptoms, here’s the time to hit and lift those heavier weights. Think HIIT & Bootcamp-style exercises as well as possibly reaching out for that next Personal Best! : ) As you veer into the window of ovulation, many say you could start feeling a bit HOT, and we’re not just talking body temperature.. Your body is getting ready to make a freaking baby, so it makes sense to be getting those positive vibes..
BONUS: In this phase, your body is predominantly running on carbs. Feel free to indulge in a little something special like extra veggies / rice / yams / sweet potatoes, especially AFTER your workout
- Luteal Phase: Day 14-28
Starts at the tail end of ovulation – Some would refer to this phase as a “Roller Coaster”. Your estrogen levels dip slightly after ovulation. Then rise again slightly towards Day 22 or so along with increased levels of progesterone to prep your uterus for an embryo. If pregnancy does not occur, both hormones begin to dip throughout the remainder of your full cycle. Now when it comes to your feelings, this is where the real roller coaster comes into light. Think potential mood swings, strange cravings, or the occasional snappiness
BONUS: In this phase, your body is predominantly running on fats. Now that doesn’t mean you can ramp up cheeseburger production, but right now, exercises like longer endurance / cardio can really kickstart weight loss journeys! That is, if your body is feeling up to it.
Conclusion
Side note, if you’re currently on the pill, your body may be impacted a bit differently due to synthetic hormones that put ones body into almost a pseudo pregnancy state. Sleep is also going to be quite important to ensure your hormones have the best chance at following a cycle and give your body proper healing time. Lastly, exercising on your period can really become a game-changer by boosting both your physical and mental health. Something I’m sure we could all use a bit of help on from time to time!
Love you guys!
Thanks for stopping in, leave your thoughts below, and let’s WIN YOUR RACE together!
