First of all – what is your luteal phase? Your luteal phase is the second half of your menstrual cycle. Your luteal phase begins immediately after ovulation. This phase involves the peak then fall of estrogen + progesterone. Your body is preparing your uterus for pregnancy, if a pregnancy does not happen – your period then starts. The luteal phase can range from 11-17 days, with average being 12-14 days.
A lot of women start to feel kind of crappy during their luteal phase. This is where the idea of “cycle syncing” and adjusting your workouts often comes into play. During your mid-luteal phase, when progesterone is highest – it can lead to some crappy symptoms. You might notice worse recovery and poor sleep. Then, in your late luteal phase as hormones fall – we see the greatest associations with negative impacts on performance. Your hormone levels begin to fall, and this may have minor impacts on muscle function and performance. We also see serotonin levels impacted, which may decrease our pain tolerance and mean that we are not able to tolerate intense workouts as readily, or may decrease our intensity.
With all this being said – you may not have any symptoms with your luteal phase and that is great! Adjusting your workouts to how you’re feeling is not cycle syncing, it’s smart training. We are not just our hormones. We are sleep quality, nutrition, the sum of everything. Auto-regulation is so important for allowing us to adjust in the gym. If you feel shitty, adjust. You have permission to do what you need to do. Good training programs allow for you to meet yourself where you are at.
If you are someone who unfortunately feels crappy during your luteal phase – here are some tips to help meet yourself where you are at.
- Elevated progesterone MAY slightly increase muscle protein breakdown, so bump up protein slightly (if you already eat adequate protein, likely no need) 10-15g can help.
- Have some sort of protein in your body before training and immediately after if possible.
- May be beneficial to have carbs closer to training window, and may be useful to add in intra carbs. Some studies indicate that performance decreases go away with being fed for your training sessions.
- Bump up overall calories a little bit during your luteal phase (200-300 per day)
- May have a harder time regulating body temp – drink more fluids + electrolytes. Activate cooling protocols if moving in heat. Adjust your pace accordingly!
- Sleep might be negatively affected with increased progesterone – focus on pre sleep routine, pre sleep cooling, increase AC, cool shower before bed, no screens!
- Supplements – tart cherry juice (increases natural melatonin, decreases inflammation), fish oil (inflammation)