Early this week I was having trouble springing out of bed and just felt aggressive and in a funk for no real reason. Now, I’m no rookie as this happens every month but yet I still don’t realize that it’s my cycle that’s making me feel like a total lunatic. When I looked at the calendar it made so much sense. No, not Daylight Savings Time, the full moon, or Friday the 13th… but my period was set to start at any moment. I’m trying lately to be more aware of my cycle, and adjusting to meet my hormonal and mood shifts throughout the month.

Each menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period, and ends when your next period begins. In that time you have a menstrual phase (period), follicular phase, ovulatory phase, and luteal phase. Your menstrual phase is actually a part of the follicular phase. Five major hormones are at play during your cycle and rise and fall over the course of the month: estrogen, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone. What you eat and the intensity of your movements can help optimize your energy as these hormones shift throughout your cycle.

While I’ve always listened to my body when it comes to how hard to push exercise, lately I’ve started shifting the foods I’m eating to match my cycle too. During your menstrual phase, estrogen and progesterone start low and then rise over the course of the follicular phase. Estrogen peaks during ovulation with testosterone and progesterone rising, and then if an egg isn’t fertilized the hormones start to decrease before the next cycle begins. Everyone has a slightly different timeline for this cycle, but it averages around a month.

I’ve found my energy maxes out during ovulation, and then falls right before my period begins. My surge in energy during ovulation would make sense with testosterone peaking so this is when I add my pre-Activation canyon hill runs into the mix on top of filming Studio LB workouts. This is where I (and you) can really push it with heavier weights, higher intensity and getting in every single rep since hormones are on your side! Leading up to and during my period, I focus more on stretching, yoga, and flow workouts to match my lower energy level.

As for food, you all know that my staples are rich in leafy greens, lean proteins and complex carbs. These foods make me feel good no matter where my hormones are at but I’ve started peppering in a few other ingredients to match my cycle. Directly after my period and during the remainder of the follicular phase before ovulation, I’ve learned that fermented foods can help metabolize estrogen. Adding kimchi, kefir, miso into the mix seem to help even me out during these weeks.

Then, just before my period during the luteal phase it’s normal to crave foods heavy on the salt and fat as we find them comforting. But some other serotonin boosting foods are said to be eggs, pineapple, and salmon. I’ve found cooking these up during PMS times helps curb the cravings for salty mac and cheese or some of Mars’s In-N-Out fries.

Finally, during my period I’m prone to iron deficiency (as are many women), so I add spinach to basically everything from salads to soups to eggs to smoothies. While I’m not a huge meat eater, during my period is generally the only time a filet mignon seems super appealing too.

I know that you guys also feel the push and pull on your appetite and energy levels throughout your cycle. I’d love to know any resources or books to look for to learn more too! Let me know on the hotline 424-327-5470