Cycle Syncing?!?! - Late Follicular Phase

Okay ladies, we are moving into the follicular phase (post-period) of our cycle-syncing journey! This phase of the menstrual cycle is from ~about~ day 5 to day 13 (these are approximate because our cycles vary from each other and that is normal and okay!).

During this phase of our cycle, our basal body temperatures are lower, and our bodies are supporting the development of an ovarian follicle. The ultimate goal of our hormones (follicle stimulating hormone, estrogen, gonadotropin releasing hormone etc.) is to mature an egg to be released that can then be fertilized by sperm and implanted in the uterus. (That’s nature’s goal… I’m not saying you’re trying to get pregnant, okay? Okay).

Let’s bring back our fun diagram showing the hormones over the course of our cycle. You can see from day 5 to 13 there is a large increase in estrogen over time. Then right before ovulation, LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) peak… and then dramatically drop along with the levels of estrogen after ovulation.

Over the course of the follicular phase, women tend to notice higher energy levels, higher sex drive, less bloating, glowing skin, less mood swings and less fatigue related to their menstrual cycles. Women in the follicular phase are more likely to want to socialize and make plans, feel higher levels of confidence and even high levels of physical strength.

Basically, you’re thriving… but if our hormones are imbalanced and we have high stress in our lives, we won't reap the benefits that our hormones give us. Let’s talk about how to maximize these benefits of this phase through the same categories as last time: nutrition, exercise and mindfulness/meditation.

Nutrition:

To reap the benefits of glowing skin, higher energy levels and less bloating during this phase of our cycle, our food choices need to reflect similar goals. Focusing on nutrient dense foods that support cellular growth is important (especially if you ARE trying to get pregnant… but even if you aren’t… it is important for hormone balance).

Something to note: I am not a vegetarian. Everyone has their own reasons for specific kinds of diets. ***Diet refers to the kinds of food someone eats... it doesn't just mean cutting out food to be in a calorie deficit!***

If your reason for being vegetarian is because you think it is healthier, I highly encourage you to look into the research showing the benefits of animal products! They are more bioavailable, more nutrient dense and better support our bodies. It is all about sourcing your meat ethically and buying quality foods. Now, if it is about the animals or the environment… that’s a different story… Down with the factory farms!

Back to the point. Here’s some foods to focus on:

Vitamin B Rich Foods:

-       Maximize your energy levels by eating foods such as eggs, cheese, yogurt, beef, chicken, apples and avocados.

-       Supplement with magnesium- it works with Vitamin B to promote healthy functioning of the nervous system!

Healthy Fats

-       Salmon, almonds, avocado, flax seeds, cashews, edamame, peanut butter, olive oil and avocado oil

Protein!!!

-       Important for hormone balance, lean mass, essential amino acids for physiological functioning,

-       ***Tip for knowing how much protein you need below***

-        Take your weight in pounds, divide it by 2.2 to get to kg. This is how much protein you need in grams each day to maintain muscle mass!**** If you want to grow your muscle mass, multiply your number by 1.5-1.7.

-       Example: 120 lb/2.2= 54.54 kg  -> 54.54 g of protein to maintain OR 54.54 x 1.5= 81.8 g of protein to build lean muscle mass

-       Animal proteins are the most bioavailable, nutrient dense options. Be sure to choose grass fed, antibiotic free meats with minimal processing.

o   Beef, beef liver!! (there are supplements for this, I can share some good brands if you want me to), chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna.

-       Eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, soybeans and lentils

Complex carbs and Vegetables:

Focus your carb intake on more slow-digesting carbs that will provide you with energy rather than the quick carbs that spike your blood sugar and have minimal nutrient value.

-       Rice, steel-cut or rolled oats, whole-wheat cereals, sweet potato, regular potato, winter squash.

-       Fresh seasonal fruit

-       Onions, peppers, tomato, cauliflower, eggplant, mushrooms, cucumber

Remember, this was not an exhaustive list... but it is

a core group that you can make a huuugeee variety of meals with.

Exercise:

Studies show that women have the highest amounts of energy and highest amount of muscle mass during the late follicular phase of our cycles (Kissow et al., 2022). While there is still much research to be done in the field of resistance training optimized by a woman’s menstrual cycle, research is pointing to the concept that our bodies can better physiologically adapt to building muscle strength and mass during the follicular phase when compared to the luteal phase.

This is your time to maximize resistance training and lifting! With higher energy levels, you can even throw in a HIIT workout in. You just don’t want to be overdoing it on High Intensity Interval Training, because when overdone, it ultimately raises your circulating cortisol levels to a inhibitory state. When this stress hormone circulates at higher levels through your body, it makes it harder for your body to burn fat! People see more stubborn belly fat and feel like they are getting no results with their training.

High cortisol also assists in the development of other health problems, such as muscle weakness, anxiety, high blood pressure, rounded fac, irregular menstrual cycle… ugh! (See article by Cleveland Clinic, 2021). Cortisol is a necessary stress hormone, but when found in too high of levels, our bodies stay in that fight or flight mode.

A review I read on HIIT training reminded me that the guidelines for physical exercise are 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise, or 70-150 vigorous intensity exercise (Atakan et al., 2021). If you’d like me to do a whole post on breaking down our exercise, let me know! But for now, here's what a week of training may look like for you during the follicular phase of your cycle! (the listed days are according to the approximate day of the cycle you are on).

Day 6: weightlifting- lower body and stretch

Day 7: regular yoga flow + walk in sun

Day 8: weightlifting- lower body and stretch

Day 9: recovery day- 45 min walk

Day 10: weightlifting- upper body and stretch

Day 11: HIIT circuit- 45 min

Day 12: weightlifting- lower body

Day 13: weightlifting- upper body

I like to separate my lifts into upper and lower body. Some people even incorporate “push” and “pull” days according to movement patterns and separating the front and backside muscle groups of the legs. I’m keeping it simple people. Don’t overcomplicate it from the start. Be intentional and go into the gym with a plan. Intimidated on how to make a plan? Let’s chat! I’m a certified personal trainer and can help.

Mindfulness/Meditation:

Mindfulness is important to practice every phase of our cycles. The ~minimal~ research on this subject shows that women feel more social and creative during this phase of our cycles (Galasinska et al., 2021). This is our time to shineeee! Here’s some suggestions for practicing mindfulness/meditation during this phase:

-       Journaling

o   I still like to start my day reading from my Bible, journaling and brain-dumping. Whether it be 2 sentences or 2 pages, getting in the flow of journaling is shown to decrease stress and help us materialize thoughts and ideas (Smyth et al., 2018).

o   I also utilize it as a record of my growth! I look back at old entries and I’m like “Wow! I can’t believe how far I’ve come from then. I don’t worry about that anymore!” There are no “good” or “bad” feelings in journaling, just sitting with your thoughts and dumping them on paper. In my experience, they make the scary thoughts feel less scary.

-       Creativity and Crafting

o   Whether it be crafting with yarn, wood, candle-making or even crafting through food… try something new!

-       Socialize

o   Catch up with friends, prioritize people in your life that add value to your life and do something meaningful together.

o   Girl’s night in? Dinner and a show? Long sunset walk on the beach? I’m here for it!

-       Self-Affirmations! I know I said these last time… but while we are feeling are best is the time to build that confidence that will carry over and speak truth into our lives when we are feeling low-energy and higher anxiety.

§  “I am beautiful”

§  “I am capable”

§  “I am loved”

§  “I am strong”

The theme of the follicular phase is Create and Energize through physical activity and feeding off energy of others when you are feeling social. What did you find helpful? What do you want more information on? Comment below!

References

Atakan, Muhammed Mustafa, et al. “Evidence-Based Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on Exercise Capacity and Health: A Review with Historical Perspective.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 18, no. 13, 5 July 2021, p. 7201, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8294064/, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18137201.

Cleveland Clinic. “Cortisol: What It Is, Function, Symptoms & Levels.” Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, 12 Oct. 2021, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22187-cortisol.

Galasinska, Katarzyna, and Aleksandra Szymkow. “The More Fertile, the More Creative: Changes in Women’s Creative Potential across the Ovulatory Cycle.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 18, no. 10, 18 May 2021, p. 5390, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105390.

Hackney, Anthony C, and Elizabeth A Walz. “Hormonal Adaptation and the Stress of Exercise Training: The Role of Glucocorticoids.” Trends in Sport Sciences, vol. 20, no. 4, 2013, pp. 165–171, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5988244/.

Kissow J, Jacobsen KJ, Gunnarsson TP, Jessen S, Hostrup M. Effects of Follicular and Luteal Phase-Based Menstrual Cycle Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Mass. Sports Med. 2022 Dec;52(12):2813-2819. doi: 10.1007/s40279-022-01679-y. Epub 2022 Apr 26. PMID: 35471634.

Mayo Clinic. “Cushing Syndrome - Symptoms and Causes.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic, 30 Apr. 2021, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cushing-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351310.

Smyth, Joshua M, et al. “Online Positive Affect Journaling in the Improvement of Mental Distress and Well-Being in General Medical Patients with Elevated Anxiety Symptoms: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial.” JMIR Mental Health, vol. 5, no. 4, 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6305886/, https://doi.org/10.2196/11290.