How does the menstrual cycle affect your diet and how you feel during workouts?

Your menstrual cycle isn’t just about your period, it’s a month-long process that affects everything from your mood to your metabolism. It consists of four phases: the menstrual phase (days 1–4), the follicular phase (days 5–17), ovulation (around day 17), and the luteal phase (days 18–29).

Understanding these phases can help you adjust your workouts and diet to support your body’s natural rhythms rather than working against them.

How to adapt your workouts to your menstrual cycle

As hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle can impact energy and performance, there are simple way to adjust your workouts to maximise your potential in each phase.

1. Menstrual phase: prioritise recovery and gentle movement
   
   Best workouts: light yoga, walking, stretching, or low-intensity strength training.
   
   During the menstrual phase, low energy levels and cramping might make intense workouts feel challenging. If you feel up to working out during your period, focus on form and technique rather than pushing for personal bests.
   
2. Follicular phase: go harder and build strength
   
   Best workouts: high-intensity interval training (HIIT), strength training, running, or cycling.
   
   During the follicular phase, rising oestrogen levels help to improve endurance and muscle recovery, so this is a great time to push yourself and set new fitness goals. Be aware that your oestrogen levels will rise slowly after your period, so it may take a few days for you to feel energised enough to tackle more intense workouts like HIIT, but this varies from person to person.
   
3. Ovulation: maximise performance
   
   Best workouts: high-intensity strength or cardio training, aiming for personal bests.
   
   Ovulation is a great time to go for personal bests in your training, whether you’re aiming to run faster or lift heavier. This is because both testosterone and oestrogen levels peak during ovulation, meaning you have greater muscle building (from your testosterone) and better muscle recovery (from your oestrogen).
   
4. Luteal phase: focus on moderate intensity and recovery
   
   Best workouts: low-to-moderate intensity strength training, Pilates, yoga, or swimming.
   
   During the luteal phase, higher progesterone levels can lead to fatigue and reduced endurance, and increased body temperature makes it harder to sustain endurance-based activities. If you’re weight training, you can adjust your reps, sets, weights, and rest period during this phase to a level that you’re comfortable with. The most important thing is to listen to your body and don’t feel guilty about slowing down - this is a great time for mobility work and active recovery.
   
   

Training fasted for women

Fasted training (working out on an empty stomach) is thought to help your body burn fat faster, as there is less sugar readily available in your body from food.

While this approach to training is popular, research has shown that fasted training may not be suitable for women as our brains are more sensitive to a low availability of energy than men’s. As a result of this, when we don’t provide enough energy to our body before a workout (e.g. if we train fasted), we are more likely to use our muscle tissue as fuel because our body will try to maintain our fat and carbohydrate stores.

For women, the recommended amount of food before working out is:

• 15 g of protein for strength-based workouts, OR
• 15 g of protein AND 30 g of carbohydrate for strength and cardio-based workouts

Of course, remember that all bodies are different, and if you struggle to eat a lot before your workouts, try a light pre-workout snack that is high in protein and carbohydrates, such as a small protein shake and a banana.

Tips for adjusting your diet in each phase of the cycle

Just like your workouts, your diet should align with your cycle to optimise energy and recovery.

1. Menstrual phase: replenish iron and hydrate
   
   During the menstrual phase, focus on iron-rich foods (e.g. spinach, lentils, red meat) to counteract blood loss. You might also benefit from eating warm, comforting, fibre-filled foods like soups and stews to support digestion, but try to avoid excess caffeine, which can worsen cramps.
   
2. Follicular phase: fuel performance and strength
   
   During the follicular phase, focus on lean proteins (e.g. fish, chicken, eggs) and complex carbs (e.g. potatoes, peas, oats) to support muscle growth and energy, and fermented foods (e.g. kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha) to support your digestion. Try to avoid highly processed sugars during this phase (e.g. cakes, sugary drinks), as these can cause blood sugar spikes.
   
3. Ovulation: support muscle growth and recovery
   
   During ovulation, focus on anti-inflammatory foods (e.g. berries, tomatoes, salmon) to support joint health, and lean proteins (e.g. fish, chicken, eggs) to help maintain your stamina. Also consider eating more foods that are high in zinc (e.g. pumpkin seeds, ginger root, almonds) or magnesium (e.g. cashews, buckwheat, kelp) to help with hormonal regulation.
   
4. Luteal phase: balance blood sugar and reduce cravings
   
   During the luteal phase, focus on magnesium-rich foods (e.g. cashews, buckwheat, avocado) to reduce bloating and cravings. Slow-digesting carbs like sweet potatoes and oats will help to keep blood sugar stable, but avoid excess refined carbs (e.g. white bread, pastries), which can worsen mood swings. If you suffer from cramps, you may find it helps to reduce your caffeine intake (or even cut caffeine out entirely).
   
   Your BMR (basal metabolic rate) will increase during the luteal phase, meaning your body may need up to 300 more calories per day. So if you’re experiencing cravings during this part of your cycle, this is likely your body telling you that it needs more calories and nutrients.
   
   

Conclusion

Your menstrual cycle is a powerful tool, not a barrier, to feeling your best. By adapting your workouts and diet to match your body’s natural rhythms, you can improve performance, reduce fatigue, and support your overall health.

Start by making small changes, such as tracking your cycle and scheduling reminders in your calendar to help you remember to adjust your workouts and diet as you enter each phase of your menstrual cycle. For example, you could set reminders to focus intense workouts during your follicular phase or to add more magnesium-rich foods to your diet in your luteal phase. Over time, you’ll find a routine that works for you, embracing your cycle rather than fighting against it.

So, next time you feel off during a workout or find yourself craving carbs, remember: your body isn’t working against you, it’s trying to tell you what it needs. The more you listen, the better you’ll feel.