Getting to grips with your cycle
Most women only really pay attention to their cycle when they’re looking to start a family. In the years leading up to this, and the years after, it’s just an annoying monthly occurrence, right?
Wrong.
Your cycle is so important. This post is only going to scratch the surface of why you should be tracking and monitoring your cycle. But don’t worry, I’m currently geeking out on this topic so I’ll be posting more intricacies in the future!
WHAT YOR CYCLE SAYS ABOUT YOU
The whole point of our menstrual cycle is to reproduce. Sure, this is a factor vital for the survival of the human race. But it’s not something that you as an individual can’t survive without.
Your period is a key indicator for your overall health. If you’re too stressed, under-eating, over-exercising, not getting enough sleep or experiencing some other health condition yet to be detected, missing a period, period irregularity or losing your period altogether may be the first sign that something isn’t quite right.
A regular* cycle is a sign that things are working nicely on a biological level. Your hormones are cycling as they should and your body is quite happy to allow you to make babies (should you so wish)!
To explore the benefits of tracking your cycle it’s important to understand the different phases.
Phase 1 – Early follicular phase (menstruation)
The first day of your period is the first day of your cycle. As you’ve likely experienced, during this time you may notice feeling a bit more tired than usual, maybe a bit grouchy and crampy too.
Oestrogen levels are at their lowest at the beginning of this phase but as the days go on, levels start to rise which means you’ll start to feel a bit sharper and brighter.
Phase 2 – Late follicular phase
Your period has by now stopped and levels of oestrogen continue to climb meaning you’re hopefully feeling full of energy, confident and motivated.
When it comes to your diet and exercise, oestrogen is actually an appetite suppressant so hunger and cravings should be at bay. Evidence suggests that your body is better able to utilise carbohydrates for energy at this point in your cycle meaning you’re primed for higher intensity exercise, hitting new PBs and perhaps even experiencing better recovery. Just be a bit careful as in this phase there is also increased laxity in the joints so the risk of injury is higher - ever noticed a niggle that comes and goes? If you tracked your cycle you may find that this is connected to being in this second phase!
Ovulation
All of the hormonal activity in phases 1 and 2 were to get you to ovulate.
Phase 3 – Early luteal phase
If you have a healthy cycle and you do successfully ovulate (release an egg), levels of oestrogen begin to decline while progesterone increases and eventually reaches its peak.
The benefits of progesterone include a sense of calm, better sleep and reduced anxiety. However during phase 3 your digestion may slow down meaning you may experience constipation, bloating and a general sense of lethargy.
In this phase your metabolism much prefers fat for fuel (rather than carbs) so you may wish to switch up your training style to focus on endurance exercise now. It has also been reported that co-ordination and motor control is poorer at this point so if you feel a little more clumsy than usual, this could genuinely be explained by your cycle!
Progesterone is an appetite enhancer so this is when the cravings and hunger may kick in. There is also evidence that during the luteal phase your BMR (the amount of energy/kcals you need to survive) increases slightly – some experts suggest you may require an extra 150-200kcals per day!
Phase 4 – Late luteal phase (pre-menstruation)
Providing you haven’t conceived, hormone levels take a steep dive now to prepare once more for menstruation. This can cause a broad range of symptoms including fatigue, mood swings, irritability, bloating, anxiety, feeling emotional and/or headaches.
WHY DO I NEED TO KNOW THIS?
As above, having a cycle is a sign of optimal health. Tracking enables you to detect unexpected or irregular patterns meaning you can look at your lifestyle and address any imbalances (stress, sleep, diet or exercise) if necessary to get things running smoothly again.
Having a record of your cycle also makes talking to your GP about any issues much easier should you have any concerns.
Finally, monitoring your cycle helps you understand why you’re feeling a certain way - it explains mood, hunger and energy fluctuations – which means you can begin to develop habit cues or self-care practices to help yourself through the different symptoms.
Stay tuned! I’ve only just touched upon how your cycle can affect your hunger and energy levels. I’ll cover these areas in more detail in the next few posts so that you can take control and make your cycle work FOR YOU when it comes to your health and fitness.
*Information sources refer to a ‘regal’ cycle being 28 days. Note that only 13% of women have a ‘regular’ cycle. By tracking you can see what is regular for you.