So knowing this—can we create a lifestyle plan to match diet and exercise to our hormonal fluctuations? The answer is yes. And even though this particular post is for the females, cyclic training like I am describing is really great for all. This means that during the follicular phase you can tolerate more carbohydrates. Some expert trainers like Jade Teta recommend a 40:30:30 macronutrient intake (carbs:protein:fat). I tend to go a little higher on the carbs during this phase; just make sure they are plant-heavy carbs and not simple or gluten-containing carbs. Exercise at this time should be a little more cardio-focused, and this is the time to do traditionally cortisol-inducing activities like the crazy boot camp or CrossFit! You can do this three to five times a week for these two weeks of your cycle. The luteal phase is when estrogens are lower and progesterone is higher, so you are likely to be hungry. And studies report that we tend to eat more calories (anywhere from 90 to 500 more per day) during this phase. The good news is that you also burn more calories (3 to 12 percent more) in the luteal phase. Magnesium, dark chocolate, and omega-3s can help with the severe cravings in the days prior to your period. Fewer stress-inducing activities should be done at this part of the month. Think walking, yoga, or barre three to five times a week. If none of these appeal to you then a short burst session or HIIT would also work. If you are on a steady-state hormone birth control, this might be a little different for you. Some hormonal birth control doesn’t allow the estrogen and progesterone to fluctuate like with the natural cycle, so this plan is less applicable. I have tried this plan for myself and others and not only does it provide variety to your exercise and diet routine, but it forces you to get more in tune with your body. And that’s something we can all get behind! A cutting-edge nutrition deep dive taught by 20+ top health & wellness experts
