My Philosophy for Training & Nutrition with Female Physiology in mind

So, what does training with your menstrual cycle even mean?

 

The goal of this approach to training (and nutrition) is to work WITH your body, rather than against it. Put simply, we’ll plan things like recovery weeks with slightly less intense sessions when you need them, and train hard when you feel good.

One thing I want you to remember is this:

You are strong and capable at any time of the month. Adapting your training just makes it a little easier to get through those tougher days!

Here’s 3 of the pillars that form the basis of my coaching method.

  • Understanding your body

    It all begins with a greater understanding of your own body. I can teach you about the physiology & science (like how estrogen and progesterone fluctuate across the menstrual cycle, and how that might impact you), but only YOU know your body best.

    This is why I’m such a big supporter of tracking your menstrual cycle and/or symptoms so you can recognize patterns and make changes based on your own ‘data’.

  • Methods backed by research

    As a Master’s student and future researcher, my coaching is grounded in scientific evidence. I keep up to date with the latest research and will teach you everything you need (or want!) to know about female physiology.

    I believe in an evidence-based approach, which means combining the latest research with my coaching experience and your personal preferences/experiences to get the best result.

  • A collaborative approach

    This means we’ll work together to decide what strategies we’ll use to get you the best result from your training and nutrition.

    We might match your training to your menstrual cycle phase (this can be particularly helpful for those with endometriosis), tailor your nutrition plan to help reduce period pain or other symptoms, or even work on getting better quality sleep to reduce the impacts of the luteal phase on your recovery.

    Maybe you’ve hit menopause and need a compassionate approach to your body suddenly ‘being stubborn’ and not responding to your usual efforts.

    No matter your individual situation, we’ll take a collaborative approach to our action plan.

What if I have a menstrual disorder/condition?

 
pcos

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Resistance training (lifting weights) has proven beneficial in some preliminary research, and anecdotally I’ve seen it be particularly helpful in regaining regular cycles, somewhat due to its positive impact on insulin sensitivity.

If you have PCOS we’ll work alongside your GP or specialist’s recommendations and use lifestyle methods (ie training & nutrition) to help you achieve your goals.

 

Endometriosis (endo)

As endometriosis is an inflammatory based condition, we want to manage your training load so you have enough recovery and rest when needed, while still making progress toward your goals. Matching training intensity to menstrual cycle phase is a very helpful tool in our toolbox for this!

General dietary improvements and vitamin/mineral supplementation can be beneficial for some individuals as well.

With such little research on what genuinely makes a difference for those with endo, we’ll focus mostly on your experiences and what you know works for you, alongside some new ideas where appropriate.

Sound like the kind of coach you’ve been looking for?

Click the link below to get in contact with me for more information or to book a FREE 30min consult.

Whatever your unique situation with your periods (or lack of!), I’ve got the knowledge & experience to help you succeed.

A quick but important note: Female physiology refers to those who are biologically female, but I understand that not all females identify as female!

The information on this page also applies to all menstruators. Please know you are welcome here! If you are interested in working with me, just mention your preferred pronouns in your email so I can get it right. :)