Harmonious-Hormones

Category: Nutrition & Fitness

Explore workouts and meals designed to work with your hormones, not against them.

  • Cycle and Diet

    Hey girlie on this post I showed the various hormones that are at work in our bodies with each phase of our cycle, now the building and functioning blocks of these hormones come from our diet. Cholesterol and amino acids build hormones then vitamins and minerals help in the functioning of the hormones i.e. they help enzymes do the work of creating and activating hormones. See below table summary for each hormone source and role it plays.

    Nutrients That Support Hormone Health

    Energy Levels and Food in Each Cycle Phase

    So, from the above table the nutrients listed are to be considered in your diet. Another things is the energy levels in our cycle phases, on this post I have explained in depth the energy levels in each cycle phase so in the phases where your energy is low you need to boost this with carbohydrates and girl I don’t mean go ham in burgers and fries I mean healthy carbohydrates. If you notice during luteal and menstrual phases we tend to have craving personally I crave cakes sweets and KFC so my body is signaling for high energy giving foods and during follicular and ovulation phase we have high energy this is where you focus on protein intake because your are the most active with workouts and activities you are busy as a bee these are high energy days.

    Don’t get me wrong both proteins and carbohydrates are required in all phases do not say I won’t take proteins because I am in luteal no, take all the nutrients but be aware what your body needs more in each phase also let’s not forget mineral and vitamins this is from vegetables and fruits take this daily. You need fiber too for proper gut health and probiotics for healthy bacteria..

    The Gut–Hormone Connection

    Gut health is really, and I can’t stress this enough crucial for our hormones. Our gut is the control center. below I have shown how gut health connects to hormones

    Hydration and the Liver

    Let us not forget hydration is crucial for your gut. Your water intake should be amazing, and I recommend the classic two liters per day. Excess sugar and processed food harm the gut flora

    the liver is also crucial because it detoxes excess hormones like estrogen. If it becomes sluggish, especially from processed foods, stress, or alcohol, these hormones can build up and cause PMS, bloating, fatigue, and mood swings.

    Alcohol and Hormones

    When it comes to alcohol, I know someone who drinks will not want to hear this, but alcohol is genereaally not good for the gut and liver and the brain chemicals because it disrupts the serotine and cortisol, wine is good for the gut but one too many isn’t . I also need you to be  aware that during luteal and menstrual cycle alcohol can be  a huge disruptor because it  increases PMS coz, I have mentioned it affects cortisol and serotine and can increase cravings. When it comes to alcohol just reduce consumption and none is even better

    Enjoy Your Food: My Approach

    When you read all this, I am sure like this diet sounds restrictive and not enjoyable, but food should be enjoyed and not feel like a punishment . personally, for me what works is the Mediterranean diet. It hits all my nutrients spots and it’s enjoyable but what I would say is food depends on you and its personal so below I will give some sources of nutrients mentioned and pick what you like

    also please keep in mind to not undereat when you trying to lose weight or over eat when you trying to gain , quantity of food is also essential

    To also make it easier on what to put on your plate always think rainbow your meals should look like a rainbow where it has vegetables protein carbs and fruits see below the pic that can guide.

    All in all hope this helps you in your diet journey and improves your body girlie

  • Cycle and Workouts

    Lifestyle: working out

    Ladies we are always conditioned to workout thinking of calorie deficit, surplus or maintenance which is okay depending on your fitness goals. However, one thing that as women we should consider is our hormones. Hormones affect our energy levels in each phase of the cycle, so this post focuses on how to plan your workouts accordingly. From this post about the phases in our cycle (see link here), I’ve explained in depth what hormones are at play in each phase and how this manifests in our bodies.
    Each phase comes with its own energy levels because of the hormone changes, which is why it’s important to work out according to where your body is at.

    Menstrual Phase: Sloth Mode (Go Slowest)

    Think sloth: slow, still, grounded. Go slowest.
    Hormone levels are low. Both estrogen and progesterone drop here.
    This is when your body is in pain, bleeding and your hormone levels are low so generally you are moody, tired and unmotivated. Do not feel the pressure to go hard in this phase because you are doing more harm than good to your body. When you are in the menstrual cycle prioritize low impact calming workouts. Go for a walk in nature or park, if you have a house with a compound walk barefoot to ground yourself, do yoga, pilates. It’s not the time to be increasing and lift weights of 50kgs, just light weights. Also girlie it’s not time to just do nothing. When you are in pain rest, but on the 3rd day to 5th when the flow is low prioritize gentle movement.

    Follicular Phase: Bunny Mode (Step It Up)

    Think bunny: alert, energetic, playful. Step it up.
    Estrogen is rising and brings energy and motivation.
    The follicular phase is when estrogen levels start to rise and now you can go heavy with the weights that you are using. You can now focus on taking your workouts to the next level from gentle to strong. Best time for HIIT, resistance training and moderate cardio.

    Ovulatory Phase: Gorilla Mode (Go Hardest)

    Think gorilla: strong, powerful, unstoppable. Go hardest.
    Estrogen is high and testosterone may give a strength boost.
    The ovulatory phase is when now with the hormones you are at your peak, the energy levels are the highest and this is when you can do the heaviest weights. Do more strength, the highest level of your workouts should be here. The body has greatest energy for movement so the hardest routines of your workout are best done here. Lift heaviest, stairmaster, hiking depending on which you find the most challenging.

    Luteal Phase: Cat Mode (Slow It Down)

    Think cat: do not disturb, move at your own pace. Slow it down.
    Progesterone is rising and your energy starts to dip.
    The luteal phase is now the body is slowing down and your energy is beginning to go low. This is when you start slowing down and incorporating the low intensity classes: the yoga, pilates, barre. It’s the best time to do them. You can still include strength and cardio but not at your challenging levels but at your best. For example, you know you lift let’s say 50kg easy, you can maintain that or run at your highest speed. Basically no new challenging workouts but more of maintain as you slow down.

    Final Thoughts

    With all these guidelines in mind I promise you your workouts will not affect your hormones. I have been there where I go to the gym then my period starts going irregular because the hormones are not taken into account when I workout. Your workouts and hormones should be a team, not against each other. So if you notice your cycle isn’t regular anymore or your hormones are imbalanced when you are working out (see how to tell from this post), use the above guidelines in your workout routine to get them on track.
    As you now know, working out without considering your diet is working hard, not smart. See this post also that gives a guide on hormones and diet. I have included an infographic to further illustrate workouts with the hormones


    In conclusion, a good workout and good diet that keeps hormones in mind is the best thing for your body.