Do you have hormonal symptoms, but still want to workout?
I know it can feel confusing at times knowing what to do for your workouts (in general, but specifically when you have hormonal symptoms) so that your workouts aren’t making your symptoms worse.
It is safe to workout despite your symptoms – like bloating, fatigue, acne, and painful periods. Working out can even benefit your hormonal symptoms when done intentionally for your body.
But it can feel very frustrating and daunting when it comes to your workouts and symptom flair ups. So, it’s important to listen to your body, how she responds to your workouts, and your own workout preferences when it comes to nourishing your hormones through your workouts.
What to Look for with Symptom Flair Ups Caused by Your Workouts
Before we dive into some signs from your workouts, it’s important to remember that not every workout is going to be a PR or feel like the best workout ever. In fact, most workouts are forgettable. And that’s okay!
It’s also important to sync your workouts to your energy levels. And it’s even more important to leave your workout feeling good most of the time – not super drained or like you had your butt handed to you, which can deplete your hormones more than nourishing them, causing more or worsening symptoms.
Here are a few signs that you over did your workout or need to scale back to make sure you do leave your workouts feeling nourished instead of depleted.
Symptoms to Watch for with your Workouts
Bloating after your workout
This is a sign that your body experienced a high level of stress during your workout.
If you experience bloating after your workout, focus on keeping your heart rate lower (think: zones 1 and 2), capping your workouts at 45 minutes max, and only working out 3 to 4 times per week.
It could also be beneficial to look at what you’re eating before your workout and what time of day you’re working out. For example, if you workout after work and you’re stressed from work, this could be why you’re feeling bloated. Or if you workout first thing in the morning, but aren’t eating, this can cause bloating afterwards.
Crashing in the middle of your workout
You start working out and feel really good, but about halfway through your workout, your energy drains, your strength decreases, and the remainder of the workout feels like a slog to get through.
We’ve all been there! And it’s hard not to feel bummed and disappointed with yourself, but the best thing you can do is stop your workout when you notice the energy dip and rest.
To prevent this, make sure you are taking at least 2 rest days per week, eating a snack or a meal before your workout (prioritizing carbs and protein!), and are properly fueled throughout the day (eating every 3 to 4 hours to keep your energy up).
Struggling to sleep at night
Whether it’s falling asleep, staying asleep, or not feeling super rested, this is a cortisol response.
To help with this, try to workout earlier in the day (if possible) or keep your heart rate lower during your workouts. Re-fueling with carbs post workout can help too!
Not seeing results from your workouts
If you’ve been working out and feel like you’re doing everything right, but still struggle to see weight loss, get toned, or hit PRs, I know how frustrating this is! But it’s a sign of hormonal imbalances too.
A few things to lean into are, making sure you are challenging yourself with your workouts, but prioritizing rest days and recovery; check in with your diet; and lean into stress management and sleep. Plus, take a look at your other hormonal symptoms. If you have very active symptoms, it may be time to scale back on your workouts.
Getting injured
Of course I don’t want to see you injured, but injuries do happen (especially around your late luteal phase and during your period).
Injuries can be a sign of improper form, not eating enough (aka, you need to eat more frequently!), and not allowing your body to recover (which is why monitoring the length of your workouts, rest days, recovery, and sleep are your top priorities).
Not motivated to workout
Motivation is fleeting. You won’t always feel motivated, especially during your luteal phase. So it’s important to adjust your workouts to your energy level or take a deload week and time off from your workouts so you don’t deplete yourself.
If you experience a lack of motivation for several weeks, it could be time to switch up your workouts or take a longer break before coming back to it. As long as you focus on your healthy habits, you will be okay if you skip a few workouts!
What to Focus on if you have Symptoms Because of your Workouts or in General
As a coach, I see a lot of crossover from what you focus on with your workouts and your hormonal symptoms. Whether you have symptoms because of your workouts or in general without working out (but want to start working out), here are a few reminders of what you need to focus on to nourish your body and get the most out of your workouts:
➡️ Make sure you get at least 2 rest days per week. Not active rest days either, actual rest day. This is non-negotiable for my clients!
➡️ If you have active symptoms of any kind, keep your workouts to 45 minutes or less and keep your heart rate in zones 1 and 2.
➡️ If possible, incorporate a couple cardio sessions a week. These have been proven to help period symptoms (like irregular periods, heavy periods, and cramps).
➡️ Eat frequently (every 3 to 4 hours) to ensure your body is properly fueled, have a snack before your workouts (prioritizing protein and carbs), and have a snack or a meal shortly after your workout to help with recovery.
➡️ Your workout is not your stress management! It’s a stressor on your body. If you are overly stressed or had a stressful day, it’s wise to skip your workout and focus on mindfulness to nourish your nervous system, not add to it.
➡️ Sleep is a non-negotiable with working out. If you have a bad night of sleep, you are more likely to get injured and will not recover fully. Skip the workout if your sleep is funky or you feel drained.
➡️ Remember that your workouts should be flexible and fluid. Feeling sick? Skip the workout. Have an event planned? Don’t worry about the workout. Feeling low energy in luteal? Take it easy or skip it. You don’t need to push through your workouts, but you do need to listen to your body.
In Conclusion…
Your workouts can help or hurt your hormonal symptoms.
If you have hormonal symptoms, you can still workout, but it’s important to nourish your body and listen to her so you aren’t making your symptoms worse.
If you feel like your workouts are impacting your symptoms and want to chat about hormone friendly workouts or hormone coaching, let’s set up a free Hormone Analysis Call!
