Do you ever feel like some days you crush your workouts or races and others you feel like you’re working so much harder and you just can’t? Well Maybe it’s time to consider the phase of your menstrual cycle and try to plan around it. 

The menstrual cycle is 28 days and affects women in their reproductive ages. It is the body’s way of preparing an egg to be fertilized, and if not, shedding the lining of the uterus to start over. There are many hormones that fluctuate to go through these phases to be able to complete these processes. 

This image below shows the two phases, follicular and luteal, and how the hormone levels change over the 28 day cycle. It also shows the Ovarian cycle and how the egg develops over the first 6 days over the 28 days. During Ovulation, between day 13-15, the most mature follicle bursts and releases its egg. The other follicles that did not burst degenerate with the help of estrogen. Then, the cell enters the luteal/ secretory stage where it undergoes physical changes and the cell turns into what is called corpus luteum which produces estrogen and progesterone to help develop the new lining of the uterine wall for the next cycle of menstruation. If the egg is not fertilized the corpus luteum degenerates too and progesterone and estrogen decrease. 

Because of these drastic changes in hormones throughout the cycle and what is happening in your reproductive system, it affects the energy levels and how your body responds to training.  

You have lower levels of hormones in your follicular phase (starting with your period) of your menstrual cycle and higher levels during your luteal phase. So both have a big impact on the energy you have when working, exercising or even just existing throughout the day.
With lower hormone levels during the follicular phase, the first TWO weeks of your cycle, your body is better able to access stored carbohydrates and will make you have greater benefits from the high intensity and strength training. This is a good time for maintaining or building strength. 

The luteal phase starts with ovulation, when you’re able to conceive, so your hormones (estrogen and progesterone) are higher making it harder to develop muscle capacity. This would be a good time to focus more on lower intensity exercises and allow more time to recover. And unlike the follicular phase, it is harder to get access to stored carbohydrates causing you to look to more food and water to compensate.

Within the last year i decided to switch over from panty liners and tampons and try the June cup. Not only is it a cheaper and more convenient alternative long term, but when it comes to running, I am a lot more confident that I will not be bleeding through my pants. You forget that it's in and don't need to replace it every 2 hours. So I can focus on the things that really matter. The runs, workouts, lifts and just life. Not if your undies are bloody or if anyone can see it. 

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