October 19, 2024, 1:17 pm | Read time: 7 minutes
Do you have one on your cell phone? We’re talking about apps that help us track our menstrual cycle. But why should we do this at all? Why invest time that most of us don’t have anyway? What’s the point? And what does it have to do with sport? Cycle coach Steffi Platt answers all these questions and many more in an interview with Carmen Dörfler.
A woman’s menstrual cycle not only influences her physical health, but also her mental state and performance in everyday life and sport. Despite its enormous importance, the menstrual cycle is often underestimated and overlooked, both in medicine and in everyday life. This can lead to women not fully understanding their bodies and overlooking important signals that could indicate an imbalance.
Steffi Platt is a hormone coach
Steffi Platt is one woman who deals intensively with this topic. She is a former competitive middle-distance athlete, two-time German champion, and European Cross-Country bronze medal winner with the team. In 2019, she founded the “Fierce Run Force” initiative, which focuses on coaching for women’s health and running training. She is also an ambassador for “Rethink – The Female Health Forum,” a platform for women’s health from Garmin and Merrell.
As a coach for hormone, menstrual cycle health & running training, and cycle-appropriate training, Platt shares her expertise here and explains why it is so important for us women to understand our own cycle and live according to our cycle.
A healthy cycle is more than just menstruation
The menstrual cycle consists of different phases that are characterized by the ups and downs of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. These hormonal fluctuations can have an impact not only on physical performance but also on emotional well-being and health.
“A healthy menstrual cycle is the basis for cycle-appropriate training,” explains Platt. However, in order to be able to start with cycle-appropriate training, it is first necessary to check whether your own menstrual cycle is healthy. Many women suffer from hormonal imbalances. This includes estrogen dominance, which can sometimes be triggered by impaired liver or bowel function. It is important to look at the body as a whole and to take this into account for sport and training.
Cycle tracking plays a decisive role here. By specifically observing and recording the menstrual cycle over several months, patterns can be identified and symptoms better understood. “It not only helps to uncover possible imbalances but also to better manage personal performance in sport and everyday life,” says the expert.
Living in harmony with your cycle means working with your body, not against it
Many women notice that their performance fluctuates over the course of their cycle. These fluctuations are not random. Instead, they are related to the hormonal changes that occur during the different phases of the cycle. In the first phase of the cycle, the so-called follicular phase, the hormone estrogen dominates. In relation to sports, this supports the build-up of muscle cells. “We can take advantage of this. During this phase, we can usually train more intensively, and we often require less recovery,” says Platt.
After ovulation, the hormonal situation changes. The hormone progesterone takes over, leading to a more ‘catabolic’ state where the body breaks down rather than builds up. This phase, the luteal phase, can require an adjustment in training. “Here it’s more about maintaining what you’ve achieved, not about high-intensity training,” Platt continues.
Pain or PMS is not normal
Many women feel a drop in energy or experience symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) during this phase. “These are by no means normal or have to be endured, but they can be positively influenced by light activities such as yoga or meditation, going for walks or adjusting the intensity of routine sport can then be helpful to give the body the regeneration it needs without putting it under additional strain or overloading it,” says Platt.
The expert also emphasizes that a healthy menstrual cycle should be pain-free: “Every menstrual cycle is as individual as every person, but certain parameters serve as a guide. However, pain is never normal and does not have to be accepted.”
Cycle tracking: The key to well-being
A healthy balance of hormones is not only important for athletic performance but also for general well-being. Platt emphasizes that a cycle-appropriate lifestyle can not only prevent injuries but also ensure a more constant energy level and fewer food cravings. The main aim here is to create a healthy menstrual cycle that is free of symptoms or to break down complaints if they are caused by illnesses. By consciously adapting their diet, sleep, and stress management to their individual needs and taking their menstrual cycle into account, women can improve their long-term health and prevent diseases such as osteoporosis.
Regular cycle tracking enables women to develop a deeper understanding of their bodies and use their energy more efficiently. “If we know our cycle, we can be more self-determined and adapt our decisions better to our needs,” explains Platt. This applies not only to sports but also to everyday life and work. Women can better align their tasks and commitments with their personal energy levels, which leads to greater productivity and well-being.
Tracking your cycle takes time and energy – but it’s worth it
Although there are still many taboos surrounding the topic of the menstrual cycle, Platt emphasizes the importance of education. Many women only deal with their cycle when they experience problems such as PMS, a missed period, or hormonal fluctuations. However, Platt advises women to be proactive and integrate their own cycle as part of a healthy lifestyle. “You have to realize that this takes time and commitment,” she says. The first step is to start tracking and observing what symptoms and patterns occur in your body to find out what characterizes your individual menstrual cycle.
Cycle tracking can be done with the help of apps or diaries, which help to keep track. However, it is important to take a long-term approach and not hope for immediate results. “It’s a process that develops over months, but the positive effects are seen in the long term,” emphasizes Platt.
Prevention through cycle-synced living
Cycle-friendly living should be seen as a preventative measure. By working consciously with their own bodies, women can recognize health problems at an early stage and take targeted preventative measures. Platt also sees this as an important task for the healthcare system: “Preventive action is often lacking. We need to better understand how the menstrual cycle works and how it can be integrated into everyday life in order to have a positive influence on menstrual health and prevent absences from work, for example.” As a survey by the health app FitrWomen and Strava shows, one in three women has been unable to go to work due to menstrual cramps, while ten percent of women regularly have to miss work as a result.
One example of the preventative effect of a cycle-appropriate lifestyle is bone health. Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone play an important role in maintaining bone density. As we age, hormone production decreases, which increases the risk of diseases such as osteoporosis. Cycle-appropriate training can help to counteract this process and promote bone health, for example.
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The female cycle is, therefore, much more than just a monthly menstruation. It can affect all aspects of a woman’s life if it is not in balance – from her physical and mental health to her performance in sports and at work. Through cycle tracking and a cycle-friendly lifestyle, women can develop a deeper understanding of their bodies and support them in the best possible way.
Steffi Platt sums it up aptly: “Our menstruation is not a limitation. The more we know about our body, the more power we have over it.” Cycle tracking is a simple and effective way to better understand your own needs and increase your well-being in the long term. By seeing their cycle not as an obstacle but as a valuable guide, women can live a more self-determined, healthy, and balanced life.