Managing your menstrual cycle tips Part 1 🩸

Managing your menstrual cycle and staying on track with your fitness and nutrition can be a challenge. This is something that has always interested me and even more since I've started training other women. 

The trouble is what happens for one woman doesn't for another. Symptoms vary from woman to woman and even month to month, so research in this area is difficult.

What I definitely recommend you do is start tracking your cycle. Whether you can set your clock by it or not, track it.

Some of the things to make a note of are:

🩸what day of your cycle you're on

🩸what symptoms you're experiencing

🩸how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally

🩸what you're eating/craving

🩸If you're in to the gym make a note of the weights you're lifting and how it feels 

This will help you to understand your capabilities and why you're feeling the way you do. I know this is a tall order but the more you get to know your body the more you can help it.

There are a few other things you can do as well to stay on track with your diet and your fitness goals. This will take some trial and error, again what works for me may not work for you.

If you don't already, start tracking your diet on MyFitnessPal or any other calorie counter that works for you. Try to stick to a certain amount (I always say 100 either side of that number is fine) each day. If in the luteal phase you crave sugar, as a lot of women do, you can increase your carbohydrate intake by 50g for the 3 days leading up to your period. Then on your period, take them back down to your regular amount. And then for 3 days after you reduce them by 50g. This is giving your body what it needs when it needs it, after your period we are stronger and can afford to cut a little bit.

If your body is crying out for more it is ok to consume more! I'll repeat that... If your body is crying out for more it is ok to consume more. If you allow yourself some extra complex carbs when you need it, you'll be more satiated and less likely to reach for the sugar.

This is all for now but stay tuned because I'll be back with more tips you can try around your menstrual cycle. ❤️