FIVE things to help you get a handle on your hormones whilst having a strong and mobile body!
Its no surprise that with a billion-pound diet industry it is still so confusing to know what actually works to help you have the body you feel fabulous in. It almost feels like a constant struggle for women with so many pressures to look good as well as working, looking after children and a home!
Then as we start to get closer to our 40s we may notice suddenly that the exercise and the way we’ve been eating don’t serve us any more, and we have no idea why. Our body composition changes, we retain weight around our belly, we feel tired, demotivated and often grab the wine as a way to relax!
Let me tell you that all of this is normal and a quote I adore that really resonates with every woman I work with is “Women are Not Small Men” as said by the fabulous Dr Stacy Sims, who has taught me so much.
Our hormones influence so much within our bodies trying to maintain homeostasis! As a woman we have a number of bigger life stages/moments, from puberty to menopause, and then every month we have a natural cycle, of an average 28 days.
So here are a few tips to help you get you thinking, get a handle on your hormones, now and during peri menopause and adapt to a more cyclical way of exercising & living.
1. Realise you are Not a Small Man!
This is powerful so read on.
A mans rhythm is typically 24 hours. A man will wake up in the morning with testosterone at its highest and it gradually tapers off during the day. The same pattern repeats itself day in day out.
A woman however, has fluctuations of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone over the course of a menstrual cycle which could vary between 23-40 days. How can we be expected to be the same day in and day out, living, exercising, working like a man!
2. Get to know your Hormones
A woman’s menstrual cycle is divided into two halves.
FOLLICULAR PHASE
Day 1-14 (based on 28 day cycle). Oestrogen is the dominant and rising hormone during this phase, then LH & FSH surge to release the egg at Ovulation. During this phase you may notice how your energy levels are likely to increase, peaking as you reach ovulation, your mood may become more motivated and optimistic, and you may be feeling more happy in your body, due to the rising Oestrogen.
LUTEAL PHASE
Day 15-28 (again based on a 28 day cycle). Progesterone comes into play after ovulation and we have rising levels of both oestrogen & progesterone, until they both drop off sharply before your period starts.
During this phase you may notice your energy levels tapering off with a desire to retreat and go inwards, as you get closer to your bleed. You may notice you experience PMT symptoms, from bloating, cramps, cravings, disturbed sleep to increased anxiety towards the middle of this phase due to the rapid drop off of oestrogen & progesterone.
This is a text book example when you have a 28 Day cycle. These phases can vary in length for each of us and can change considerably in Peri Menopause, varying cycle length, flow and the onset of anovulatory cycles and then none once we reach menopause. But I have a beautiful way to maintain a cyclical approach to your life still.
3. Your menstrual cycle is an indicator of your health
Every cycle is unique, we all have our own experience during our cycle and when we bleed. But struggling with heavy periods, headaches, bloating, anxiety, fatigue to name a few, can all be signs that something is out of balance with your health/lifestyle.
The best way to start to fully understand your cycle and any symptoms you may be experiencing is to gather your own individual data.
To do this you simply track your cycle, you can do this on an app or use a good old fashioned diary or paper tracker.
You start by recording the length of your cycle and adding additional data, such as your mood, energy levels, cervical fluid changes, Basal Body Temperature, appetite and cramps to name a few.
From here you can start to notice patterns and trends.
4. You don’t have to exercise hard all the time
All to often women come to me with the misconception that they need to exercise for longer and eat less! Its counterproductive and can send cortisol to high levels.
Once you get to know your cycle there is a rhythm that you can bring into your exercise routine that flows with your hormones, working in sync with them.
Im a big advocate of choosing movement that you enjoy, as you are more likely to form a regular habit nut there are a few types of movement that really help promote muscle development.
During our Follicular phase we can dial our training up, we can lift heavier, do more HIIT, run faster and use plyomemtic training.
In the Luteal phase we dial it down, focus more on skill-based movement, linked to goals doing more restorative types of movement like Pilates & mobility.
Remember as we mature it becomes harder for us to build & maintain lean muscle each decade. Then with the absence of Oestrogen & Progesterone once we reach menopause, its even harder, so any muscle that we can build before this transition is great.
5. Is it too late to start Strength Training
No, its never too late and strength training is great for women to help build lean muscle mass and shift belly fat, which we know both become harder to maintain as we mature.
Start at your own level, and if that’s body weight, begin there and nail the technique.
Some basic moves are squats (I like Sumo/Pile with toes turned out to work the inner thigh), reverse lunges, lateral lunges and deadlifts – all of which can be safely built up from body weight to using weights and working the arms & legs at the same time.
A Final Note
The biggest thing that changed so many of the women I work withs health and life is becoming aware of their menstrual cycle. They feel stronger, fitter, empowered, energised, calmer and uplifted and no longer beat themselves up for not working out hard all the time
Exercising and living in alignment with your cycle can start from today. Its not only good for your health, it will touch many elements of your life from helping your relationships to how you go about living and transition into menopause.
Sending you lots of love on your journey, and if you want to join a number of women who want to learn how to implement this approach reach out, drop me an email to receive my latest tips and motivation. I also run a Cycle Syncing Strength Academy, next intake is September.
It’s a powerful 12 week programme – no quick fixes though!
Love
Jem