Your Cycle Guide

Your body changes every single month.

A gentle introduction to your four phases and how to nourish, move, and care for your skin in each one.

Most of us were taught very little about our cycle. We know it arrives, we know it leaves, and somewhere in between we try to live our lives wondering why some weeks feel effortless and others feel impossible.

For me this comes back to foundations. When you understand what your body is actually doing across your cycle, everything becomes clearer. The fatigue that arrives uninvited. The week you feel like you can take on anything. The skin that behaves differently for no obvious reason. There are answers to all of it. Consistency will always be the key to feeling well, but knowing what is happening beneath the surface allows you to work with your body rather than push against it.

Your body moves through four distinct phases every cycle, each driven by shifting hormones. Once you learn to recognise them, you stop wondering what is wrong and start knowing what is needed.

01. Menstrual

Days 1 to 5 - Your period, the reset.

Your period is not an inconvenience to push through. It is a signal to slow down, and your body is clearly asking.

Energy - Low and Inward

Both oestrogen and progesterone are at their lowest. Your body is doing significant internal work, which is why energy drops. This is not a weakness. It is biology.

• say no without guilt this week
• warmth helps in every form
• sleep more if your body asks for it

Move - Gentle is genuinely enough

Intense exercise adds stress to a system already under load. If you feel better by day 4 or 5, follow that.

• walking
• yin or restorative yoga
• rest is a legitimate choice

Skin - Ease back, not off

Your skin barrier can be weaker during menstruation. Your routine does not need to change completely. Ease back on actives and add extra hydration. Consistency is always the goal, just with a lighter touch right now.

Nourish - Warm and iron rich

Your body loses iron during menstruation. warm foods support digestion when prostaglandins are elevated. Soup over salad is a great choice, not just comfort.

• red meat, lentils, leafy greens
• ginger and turmeric for inflammation
• dark chocolate for magnesium and mood

02. Follicular

Days 6 to 13 - After your period, the rise.

Something shifts. The heaviness lifts. Energy returns. This is oestrogen rising.

Energy - Your window to start things

Oestrogen supports serotonin, improves mental clarity and makes motivation feel genuine. New habits, new ideas, difficult conversations. This is the phase to begin them.

• start new projects
• social energy is higher than usual
• creative work flows more easily

Move - Push harder, your body can handle it

Oestrogen supports muscle recovery and lowers perceived exertion. Things feel easier. This is the phase to lift heavier, run further, or try a harder class.

• strength training and HIIT
• running, swimming, tennis
• try something new

Skin - Back to your full routine

Rising oestrogen may stimulate collagen production and strengthens the skin barrier. Skin is thicker and better hydrated. Your actives work best and your skin recovers from them most efficiently. 

Nourish - Light, fresh, protein forward

Appetite is often lighter and digestion more efficient. Fermented foods support oestrogen metabolism. Vitamin C can amplify collagen synthesis.

• eggs, lean protein, leafy greens
• fermented foods
• berries and citrus

03. Ovulatory

Days 14 to 16 - Mid-cycle, the peak.

Brief, bright and unmistakable once you know it is there. This is your body at its biological peak and it shows in almost every way.

Energy - Magnetic and clear

Oestrogen peaks and testosterone surges briefly. Most woman feel their most confident and articulate at ovulation. Communication is easier.

• presentations and important conversations
• leadership moments
• your personal bests in and out of the gym

Move - Your performance peak

Pain tolerance is highest at ovulation, coordination is sharpest, muscle output is at its peak.

• peak cardio effort
• strength 
• group classes, social energy fuels

Skin - The glow is real

Peak oestrogen drives maximum collagen and hyaluronic acid production. Skin is at its thickest and most hydrated. Continue your full routine. Your exfoliant will show excellent results and your barrier is robust enough to handle it.

Nourish - Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant rich

Ovulation is physically demanding. Omega-3 fatty acids support the process and reduce inflammation. Keep alcohol low as the liver is processing elevated oestrogen.

• eggs, lean proteins, leafy greens
• fermented foods
• berries and citrus

04. Luteal

Days 17 to 28 - After ovulation, the settling

The longest phase and the most misunderstood. Nearly two weeks of a body that is quieting, completing and asking to be looked after.

Energy - Settling and finishing

Progesterone rises then falls. It raises body temperature slightly and shifts the nervous system toward rest. This phase suits completion over creation.

• finish what you started
• a quieter social calendar
• your body needs deeper sleep 

Move - Slow down, not stop

Progesterone slows muscle recovery so the same workout feels harder than last week. This is not loss of fitness. 

• pilates, yoga
• walks
• swimming

Skin - Ease back a little, keep going

Progesterone stimulates more oil production and slows cell turnover, creating conditions for congestion before your period. Keep your routine going. If skin feels more reactive than usual, ease back on actives and focus on hydration and barrier support. Breakouts here can be hormonal, not caused by your routine.

Nourish - Complex carbs and magnesium

The chocolate craving is your body asking for magnesium, which supports serotonin and reduces cramping. The carbohydrate craving is real too. Satisfy it with complex carbs that release energy slowly.

• sweet potato, lentils, brown rice
• dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds
• warming soups

Consistency is always the foundation. This guide gives you the understanding to make that consistency work harder for you. Use it as a reference, not a rulebook.

This is a general wellness guide only and is not medical advice. Every body is different. Always listen to yours and consult a qualified health professional for anything that concerns you.