Last week, we dove into the beautiful mess of menstrual cycles and how they affect our emotions and behaviours. For this week, how about we explore some practical tips for navigating and exercising throughout our cycles?
The yoga expert and teacher Kirsty Gallagher says:" Women go through their natural cycle every month, and every single day we're different - our hormonal levels are different, and our energy levels are different" — HELL YEAH, SIS. I couldn't relate more to this: some days, I feel like Wonder Woman, waking up early Saturday morning to attend my CrossFit cult and hitting those sweaty twerks on the dance floor by night. Other days, I don't even recognise that girl, burying myself into blankets, Netflix and yummy comfort food. No matter how aggressively energised or chilled down my hormonal ladies are, moving has always helped me to cope with the different stages of my cycles.
It's no news that regularly exercising has innumerable physical and mental benefits. But what about those days of the month when even the faintest mention of effort makes you "grr" and wanna go back to bed? Well, physical movement could still be good for you, queen. Hear me out, in a recent study carried out on women aged 18-25 over eight weeks, those who exercised regularly noticed a significant reduction in PMS symptoms. The results were so impressive that exercise can now be used as a treatment for PMS.
Of course, listening to your body is the most important thing, but exercising can be just the mood boost you need to get through it. Have you ever thought of keeping track of your cycle with an app? It can be a great way to fine-tune your workouts and munchies to match what your body's up to—especially for gals who ride the hormonal rollercoaster more intensely.
Now, let's break down how to better exercise based on the different stages of the menstrual cycle:
- Period
How you're feeling:
How we sail through our periods varies a lot from body to body: some women feel energised and not bothered at all, but statistics have proven that this ain't the case for 84% of us: headaches, heavy legs, fatigue, abdominal cramps and pain are just some of the physical symptoms that can knock on a girl's door when they're on their bleed — which can be intensified as a result of dehydration or low iron levels. Plus, anxiety, discomfort and fear of leaking are some of the biggest worries that prevent girls from exercising during their period. Swimming is not even considered a possibility: are you joking? Relax, hun, POM's got your back! Our gym-resistant menstrual underwear and bikini will get you covered, no stress.
How to cope?
Taking a step back and resting might be exactly what your body needs, especially during the first days of your period when your energy levels might be lower, and everything else feels harder. That being said, what about a "natural pain-killer": exercising releases endorphins — the brain's feel-good neurotransmitters — which increase the general feeling of well-being. Adjusting your regular workout to favour low-impact movements like light cardio, a walk, or a gentle yoga session can do you great. We've prepared a little pyjama yoga flow you can do without getting out of bed. Check it out below and let us know what you think about it:
- Follicular Phase
How you're feeling:
During this phase, you get a shot of oestrogens, and your levels rise significantly as you prepare for ovulation, when you get a tiny spike of testosterone. Women usually don't have a lot of testosterone, so that small sample is enough to make you want to do those extra burpees—the Wonder Woman effect I mentioned before. Some girls feel motivated to improve their fitness and take up new challenges, such as going for a PB or dancing the night away.
How to cope?
This is the perfect moment to push yourself further in physical activities. Adding weight, hitting extra sets and reps, or going for a long run could be just what your body is craving. Crossfit, boxing, power yoga, or anything that makes it harder to breathe and easier to sweat sounds just about right for those crazy hormones.
- The Luteal Phase
How you're feeling:
Right after ovulation, the luteal phase smooths its way in bringing you the calming and ever-lovely progesterone, well known for its relaxing effects. Meanwhile, oestrogen is still present but at lower levels than in the first half of the cycle. For many women, the luteal phase means a chance of intensity since they are feeling more chilled due to its beloved anti-anxiety magic.
How to cope?
In terms of fitness, that drive to go hard may start to gently fade away, but your endurance to go on longer runs, swims, bike rides, and dancing sessions could take over. When it comes to digestion, progesterone can make your body slow down and struggle to digest salty and processed foods. This could be accompanied by side effects like constipation or bloating. There's also more sensitivity in the body to changes in blood sugar, which can lead to food cravings or mood swings. Keep an eye on your diet, eat regularly (ideally healthy snacking every three hours), sip water throughout the day and c'est la vie!
How you're feeling:
Well, here we go, not the most fun moment of the cycle, not gonna lie. Massive drop-off of both oestrogen and progesterone, basically hitting the bottom, which is quite literally how PMS could make you feel. There's some hope, though; let me share with you a little anecdote. When I was younger, precisely one day before my period would drop, I used to become this sort of hateful little creature. While chatting with my sister yesterday, she confirmed it: Lord have mercy, but you were TERRIBLE! To be fair, I really was. It felt like something had possessed my body, and I couldn't recognise myself: hormones, or in this case, the lack of them. Over the years, however, I stopped feeling like this, and I firmly believe there's a lot to do with my regular yoga practice. That doesn't mean I'm immune to all those PSM-driven tearfulness or low self-esteem. Still, that exercise constancy has taken away that imposter-mad behaviour from me, making me feel more like myself.
How to cope?
Exercising can be especially beneficial at this stage when you urgently need a mood-booster. But, at the end of the day, it all comes down to listening to your body, doesn't it? The best exercise to do during your cycles is the one you feel like doing.
All in all, staying in tune with your body can be so beneficial. Allowing you to make sure you are not too hard on yourself when it comes to hitting or not hitting those PBs. As well as giving yourself relaxation time, and knowing when to change up your workout to help you through the tougher phases of your cycle.