Using Your Menstrual Cycle To Help Achieve Your Goals

Meet Maja!

Maja is a Holistic Health coach, Pilates Trainer and runs her own business The Hormone Collective where she helps women build a hormone-healthy lifestyle so they can thrive all month long.

Maja has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to using the menstrual cycle to help women optimise their workouts, nutrition, productivity and mindset. We highly recommend you having a read and implementing these hormone-healthy habits into your routine! It really is a game changer.

Achieve success in the New Year by working WITH, not against your hormones.

As 2022 comes to an end and we begin to think about what the new year might hold, many of us will begin to ponder on the goals we can set to achieve success in 2023. 

It might be hitting a new PB in the gym, getting started on a new business idea, or securing a promotion you’ve been working tirelessly towards. Whatever it is for you, it’s always a good idea to get your goals down on paper so you have a clear aim come January! 

But, what if you’re reading this and you’re feeling terrified by the thought of goal-setting because you know come the 1st of Feb you’ll have fallen off the bandwagon—lucky if you can even remember where you stored the piece of paper you initially wrote them down on... 

Sound familiar?  

Well, what if someone told you that as a woman you have exclusive access to a UNIQUE internal hacking system (within you) that could help you achieve your goals more effortlessly? 

This secret roadmap is more commonly known as the ‘Menstrual Cycle’. During this 28-day cycle (on average) your hormones (aka superpowers) are in a constant state of flux. They ebb and flow throughout the month which is why you might feel on some days you’re raring to go, wildly inspired and want to run 100 mph towards your goals whilst on others, you lack motivation, struggle with concentration and want to lay horizontal on your yoga mat in Shavasana. No two days are going to feel the same. 

The good news is that you’re normal. These natural shifts in mood, energy, concentration, appetite, creativity, strength and drive are a direct result of your hormones fluctuating throughout the month creating four specific phases. The better news—is that you can use these phases to your advantage by living, planning and goal setting in sync with your menstrual cycle so you are performing at your best all month long!

Unfortunately, today’s society is built around the 24-hour, 9 am-5 pm structure, which works particularly well for a man’s hormonal biochemistry, but fails to acknowledge the female cycle and its individual needs. This outdated structure has meant that women have placed unrealistic expectations on themselves to show up every, single, day, with the same consistency and intensity, no matter how they might feel internally. 

This can often lead to burnout, stress, fatigue, anxiety and a whole host of hormonal imbalances which are often the root cause of symptoms such as irregular periods, period pain, mood swings, bloating, skin issues and more. 

So, if you’re ready to take charge of your unique gift—that is your menstrual cycle and use it to your advantage to create sustainable and effortless success in 2023 then read below to discover the 4 distinct phases and what they might mean for your energy, focus and productivity.

Phase 1. Menstrual Phase

Day 1 -7 (depending on the length of your period)

Hormones: Estrogen and progesterone take a plunge causing the uterine lining to shed (aka your period). The decline in these hormones along with a drop in serotonin (the feel-good hormone) and a peak in inflammatory chemicals (prostaglandins) may cause the signs and symptoms many women experience in the lead-up and during their period.

Productivity: Give yourself permission to take your foot off the gas and focus on resting, reflecting and slowing down. The more time you rest here, the more vitality you’ll experience for the rest of your cycle. This is a great time to reflect on your goals and visions—is your intuition letting you know that something needs to pivot? Spend time writing, analysing or doing deep focus work and pushing interviews, presentations or launches until late in your cycle. 

Exercise: Work out smarter not harder. Energy levels are at their lowest so you may want to focus on lowering the intensity and instead try more restorative workouts like pilates, yoga or some simple mobility work. Take the pressure off yourself to ‘just do it’.

Nutrition: Focus on warming, nutrient-dense and iron-rich foods that have anti-inflammatory properties to support your body through the intense process of menstruation. Think bone broth, one-pot dishes, soups and stews. To help replenish the body of vital minerals like iron and zinc incorporate seafood, kelp and nori.

Phase 2. Follicular Phase

Day 7-10 (phase begins after period finishes)

Hormones: Hypothalamus located in the brain releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) which signals the pituitary gland to send FSH (Follicle-stimulating hormone) to the ovaries to stimulate the follicles, each containing an immature egg (oocyte) to develop and grow. Estrogen and testosterone are produced in growing amounts here causing energy to rise!

Productivity: Your mood, energy, and motivation are rising making this the time to set new goals for the month, brainstorm ideas and put yourself out there and try new things! Dating, important meetings, presentations, challenging assignments, and trying new hobbies are all excellent things to prioritise in this phase.

Exercise: Energy levels are rising and so is your motivation to get sweaty! If you feel up to it, dedicate this phase to HIIT workouts, cardio, testing out new studios and exercise that gets your heart rate up!

Nutrition: To help support the metabolism of estrogen in this phase eat more cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, kale and cauliflower. Add healthy fats like avocado, pumpkin, sesame and flax seeds to support hormone production and plenty of good quality protein sources like wild-caught salmon, chicken, and grass-fed beef to support blood sugar levels. 

Phase 3. Ovulatory Phase

Day 14  (depending on cycle length) 

Hormones: Estrogen peaks as the dominant follicle grows, this signals to the pituitary gland to release a dramatic surge of Luteinizing hormone (LH). This LH surge along with testosterone triggers the egg to release from the ovaries, causing ‘ovulation’.

Productivity: Due to hormones peaking to their highest levels, your confidence, motivation, strength and productivity are at an all-time high. You might feel more sociable, collaborative and assertive through this phase so take action on new projects, run presentations, launch your business and go after your goals!

Exercise: Go all out and focus on high-intensity and impact workouts! If you are aiming for PBs then this would be your time to try and achieve these as you're most likely to be at your strongest here. Spinning, weight lifting, HIIT, challenging pilates or yoga flows are all good options here. Whatever way you like to move, just up the ante!

Nutrition: Increase complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa and starchy veg to support ovulation and keep blood sugar stable. Fill up on veggies and fruits to ensure you are metabolizing and eliminating the surplus of estrogen efficiently to avoid any negative symptoms. 

Phase 4. Luteal Phase

Day 15/16 (depending on cycle length) 

Hormones: For the first few days you might feel as though you’re still in the ovulatory phase so ride the high for as long as you can! Once the egg has been released from the ovary, the follicle turns into the corpus luteum, a structure that promptly starts producing progesterone. Progesterone runs the show in the last phase as its job is to build and maintain a thickened uterine lining ahead of a possible pregnancy. Progesterone increases metabolism, and body temperature and acts as an anti-anxiety hormone by improving sleep and calming the nervous system. 

Productivity: This is a time of completion, much like you are wrapping up yet another menstrual cycle, you will also feel the urge to wrap up personal and professional projects. This is a time to turn inwards and focus on honouring your needs to spend time alone. Self-care is not selfish! Set clear boundaries to prevent yourself from burning out and becoming frustrated. 

Exercise: As you near the beginning of your period you might feel your body signalling to you to slow down. Pilates, yoga, walking  or anything that you love to do at a lesser intensity will be beneficial for your mind and body at this time. 

Nutrition: Although not normal, PMS is common in this phase, so try to increase protein and fats like avocado,  salmon, olive oil and nuts to keep blood sugar stable to avoid energy and mood crashes. To assist with PMS symptoms, increase foods high in magnesium such as spinach, dark chocolate, banana and pumpkin seeds. 

If this sounds like too much planning, then don’t sweat it! Start by choosing 1 or 2 small changes that you can implement and build from there. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day…