Understanding Cycle Health
Know Your Body, Know Your Health
Understanding your body isn’t just about fitness or nutrition, it’s about recognising how your hormones, energy, and overall wellbeing shift throughout your cycle. When you tune in, you can work with your body, not against it.
Your menstrual cycle is more than just your period. It’s a key indicator of your overall health, reflecting how well your body is coping with stress, nutrition, and recovery. A healthy, regular cycle is a sign that things are functioning optimally. If your cycle is irregular, painful, or missing altogether, that’s your body sending you a message.
What Can Impact Your Cycle?
Your cycle is influenced by a range of factors, including:
Chronic stress (physical, mental, or emotional)
Under-fuelling or nutrient deficiencies
Overtraining without enough recovery
Hormonal contraception or medication
Poor sleep and high cortisol levels
Your cycle is sensitive to your lifestyle, and tracking it can provide valuable insights into what’s working for you, and what’s not.
What Can a Healthy Cycle Do for You?
When your hormones are balanced, your body functions at its best. A well-regulated cycle can:
Support metabolism and energy levels
Improve sleep and mood stability
Strengthen bone, heart, and thyroid health
Reduce PMS symptoms and hormonal imbalances
Help optimise training and recovery
By understanding how your body works, you can support it rather than constantly feeling like you’re fighting against it.
How to Start Tracking Your Cycle
There’s no one right way to track your cycle, find what works best for you:
Paper journal - A great way to reflect on symptoms, energy, and mood.
Apps - Clue, FitrWoman, Read Your Body, and WildAI can help log cycle data.
Body awareness - Noticing patterns in energy, cravings, and strength levels can be powerful.
Key signs to track - Cycle length, symptoms, sleep quality, and stress levels.
The more you track, the more patterns you’ll start to see, and that’s where the real benefits begin.
Three Ways to Track Your Cycle
Your menstrual cycle isn’t just about your period, it’s a blueprint for how your body functions. Understanding it can help you train smarter, fuel better, and support your energy throughout the month. There are three main ways to break it down:
The 4-Phase Breakdown
This method tracks each hormonal shift in detail:
Menstrual Phase (Days 1-5) - Low hormones, focus on recovery.
Follicular Phase (Days 6-14) - Energy increases, great for strength training.
Ovulation (Days 15-17) - Peak performance window.
Luteal Phase (Days 18-28) - Prioritise rest, steady-state workouts, and nutrition.
This approach is great for those who want in-depth cycle awareness and to plan workouts around hormonal shifts.
The 2-Phase Breakdown
A simplified way to look at your cycle based on hormonal dominance:
Oestrogen-Dominant Phase (Follicular & Ovulation, Days 1-14) - Higher energy, better recovery, increased strength. Ideal for high-intensity training and lifting heavier.
Progesterone-Dominant Phase (Luteal & Menstrual, Days 15-28) - Increased fatigue, reduced tolerance to stress. Best for mobility, low-impact workouts, and recovery.
This is a great option for those who want a big-picture approach to cycle-based training.
The Traffic Light System
A flexible approach based on how you feel rather than exact cycle days:
Green Light - High energy, great recovery. Ideal for lifting heavier and more intense training.
Amber Light - Moderate energy. Stick to steady-state training at a moderate effort.
Red Light - Feeling fatigued or off. Prioritise rest, mobility, and gentle movement.
This approach works well for anyone who prefers a stress-free, intuitive way to track their cycle.
There’s no one-size-fits-all method, so experiment and find what works best for you.
Training With Your Cycle: Work With Your Body, Not Against It
Ever notice that some weeks you feel strong and powerful, while others leave you feeling sluggish? That’s your hormones at work. Training in sync with your cycle can help you maximise strength, recovery, and overall wellbeing.
Phase 1 - Menstruation (Days 1-5)
Low energy, oestrogen, and progesterone.
Prioritise recovery, walking, yoga, or light strength work.
Movement can help reduce PMS symptoms.
Phase 2 - Follicular Phase (Days 6-14)
Oestrogen rises, energy climbs, strength peaks.
Ideal time for heavy lifting, HIIT, and intense workouts.
Faster recovery and better muscle-building potential.
Phase 3 - Ovulation (Mid-Cycle, Days 14-16)
Oestrogen peaks, you feel strong but ligaments are looser.
Best time for peak strength, but warm-ups and stability work are key.
Higher risk of ACL injuries, so focus on glute and hamstring strength.
Phase 4 - Luteal Phase (Days 17-28)
Progesterone rises, oestrogen dips, energy can fluctuate.
Shift to steady-state cardio, moderate weights, and higher reps.
Some may feel great, others may struggle, listen to your body.
Late Luteal / PMS Week
Oestrogen and progesterone drop, inflammation can increase.
Ideal for a deload week with mobility, walking, and lighter sessions.
Anti-inflammatory foods like omega-3s and leafy greens can help reduce symptoms.
What If You’re On Birth Control or Post-Menopause?
On the Pill? Your hormones don’t cycle the same way, but you can still adjust training using perceived exertion (RPE).
Post-Menopause? Strength training is key for bone and muscle health. Focus on lifting heavy, eating enough protein, and prioritising recovery.
Work With Your Body, Not Against It
Understanding your cycle and training accordingly is a game-changer. You’ll recover better, feel stronger, and actually enjoy your workouts more.
If you want to learn more, my Know Your Cycle course is your go-to guide for understanding your hormones, tracking your cycle, and optimising your training.
And if you’re looking for practical, feel-good ways to move your body at every phase, Feel Good Fundamentals will help you train in a way that feels good, works for your body, and fits into your life.
Ready to take control of your cycle and training? Sign up today!