While the 3-8 days of your period undoubtedly changes how you feel in regards to your food and workout choices, we’re often led to believe this stage of the menstrual cycle requires a complete overhaul of your existing healthy habits. So is this accurate, or is the noise distorting the simple truth: your period doesn’t require too much deviation from your normal day-to-day activities after all? Let’s find out, and bust some of the more common myths around eating and exercising on your period.

You should take a break from exercising.

Many people believe that you should take a break from all exercise while you’re on your period… This is a myth! While you may need to adjust the intensity or type of movement you choose while you’re bleeding more heavily, exercise can actually be a really beneficial tool to help you manage your periods.

In fact, exercising on your period can relieve common symptoms including cramping, bloating, pain, mood swings and irritability, fatigue and nausea. Plus, at the same time you’re producing endorphins (your “feel good” hormones), helping to reduce any anxiety or depression you may be experiencing, and improving your mood at the same time. Let’s face it, life can feel a little more bleak or tough when you’re on your period, so anything that can help reduce or relieve these feelings, and the associated unwanted symptoms that often accompany a period sounds like a very good thing… 

Instead of ditching all movement while you have your period, consider switching to lower-intensity or lighter styles of movement. And you don’t have to move strenuously every day to reap the physical or mental benefits either.

For some people with a heavy or difficult flow, the first one or two days of your period may be a little difficult to exercise, or you might find at-home workouts more suitable and comfortable. Take it slow, modify as you need, and rest if your body is calling out for a break. After you get through the initial heavy flow, the following days are a great time to enjoy lower intensity movement, including going for a walk or a light jog, swimming, gentle strength training (using lighter weights than normal), stretching, yoga, Pilates or cycling.

Use this time to change up your workout routine to help you avoid a plateau in your progress, and to honour your body’s needs while still providing it with the physical and mental relief and benefits that exercise offers - no matter where you are in your cycle!

You have the lowest energy levels during your period for training.

On the whole, this is largely a myth. Studies have not been able to show any difference in energy levels or ability to exercise for most women during their period. While endurance or long durations of activity may feel more difficult, regular or shorter sessions should be doable for most women.

There is some truth to this statement however, though only for the first couple of days of your bleed. For the very first two or three days of your period, you may experience lower energy levels than normal due to changes in your hormone production. At this point in your cycle, oestrogen and progesterone levels are at their lowest, meaning you might feel more lethargic or exhausted. However, these hormones begin to increase over the first few days of your bleed. At around days three to five, your oestrogen production should have risen enough that you feel adequately energised to workout - even if it’s a lighter or shorter session than you might normally do. These hormones continue to increase throughout the first half of your cycle, which is why many women feel the most motivated and energised to smash out high intensity or heavy strength sessions at around the midway point of their cycle.

But compared to the end of your cycle, before your period begins, you’re actually likely to have more energy once you start bleeding, as this is essentially the “turning point” where your hormone secretion starts to pick up again, bringing with it your energy levels and motivation to move your body.

You should never do strength training on your period.

Along with the idea that women are weaker while they’re on their periods has come the myth that you should avoid strength training and heavy lifting during this phase of your menstrual cycle. This is yet again false.

While you may experience some bloating, cramping and other physical symptoms, these don’t translate to significant decreases in your strength or physical performance. The truth is, there’s no evidence to support the idea that heavy lifting is harmful or dangerous during your period. While some women may prefer to avoid heavy strength training at this time if they are experiencing pain or lower energy levels or motivation, if you’re someone who enjoys strength training and doesn’t want to give it up for a week of every month, by all means continue with it!

You’re not going to be weaker or less able to perform on your period. While your oestrogen levels won’t be at their highest during this time, meaning you might not be lifting your PBs for every rep, you’re more than capable of continuing on with whatever type of training feels good for you. The key takeaway is to listen to your body, honour its needs, and pull back on your training if needed. But if you feel fine on your period, then go ahead and continue your workouts as you would any other day during your menstrual cycle.

Exercising can disrupt a healthy menstrual cycle and period.

Exercise, when done in moderation and with positive intentions, will not disrupt your period or menstrual cycle regularity. If you’re exercising within normal parameters, including rest days and low-intensity movement in amongst your higher intensity, heavier strength sessions, and you’re tuning into your body and honouring its needs, exercise has a plethora of health benefits, and can actually help regulate your menstrual cycle and reduce PMS symptoms before and during your period.

Of course, it’s important to pay attention to how your body feels at all stages of your cycle. If you’re low in energy some days, pull back on the intensity and duration of your movement. Then, on days you’re feeling energised and motivated, go for it! 

However, more is not always more when it comes to movement. Exercising for long periods of time or at high intensities every day can interfere with healthy hormone production and menstrual cycles. If you’re creating an environment of ongoing stress for your body, pushing yourself too hard and avoiding adequate rest and recovery, this can become a problem. Particularly in women with low body weight, or who are over exercising, disrupted menstrual cycles are an indication that it’s time to rethink your intentions behind your chosen movement, and the volume of exercise you’re participating in every week.

Remember, a regular, healthy period is a great indicator that you’re in good health, your body is functioning optimally, and your hormones are well-balanced. An absent or highly irregular period is not something to aim for - it’s a sign you’re either exercising too much, or not fuelling your body adequately to support its function and health. So listen to the signals your body gives you! While generally, exercise shouldn’t interfere with a healthy cycle and period, and should actually have the opposite effect, if you’re overdoing it with your movement then your period may well suffer as a result.

Pain is a normal experience on your period.

While not strictly specific to training or nutrition, the idea that severe pain is normal and to be expected while you’re on your period each month is also a myth - and one that can very much affect your subsequent nutrition and workout choices during this time too.

While light cramping, bloating, and associated symptoms can be relatively unconcerning, if you’re experiencing debilitating pain each month when your period arrives, this is not normal, nor do you need to accept it and suffer in silence. If the pain you’re feeling is compromising your quality of life, your ability to exercise even lightly, your motivation to get out of bed, or your ability to accomplish day-to-day tasks, this is an indicator it’s time to seek help. Speak to a health professional about your symptoms, and advocate for your right to relief and care. Excessive pain may be an indicator of a preexisting health condition including endometriosis or PCOS, and if so it requires further investigation and treatment. But even if there’s no sinister cause behind the pain, you can find ways to manage and reduce your monthly pain, and improve your quality of life in the process.

Never settle for the idea that pain is normal and natural, and something you have to tolerate. You can improve your experience of pain during your period if it’s causing concern for you - and in doing so, you can enhance your ability to workout, make positive nutrition choices and continue to enjoy your life even while you’re bleeding!

Calories don’t count on your period.

There’s also a common misconception that, because you’re “burning more calories” during your period, you can eat substantially more, or include less nutritious foods in your diet and they simply “won’t count”. Meaning that no matter what you eat, it won’t have any changes to your body composition or weight.

This is simply not true. While your basal metabolic rate (or the energy you burn even while at rest) may increase very slightly in the week before your period, the research surrounding your metabolic rate during your period has not conclusively determined that you burn more energy during this phase of your cycle. Even in the lead up to your period, women burn around 100 calories more per day, or the equivalent of half a cup of cooked rice or one apple. And if your metabolism is elevated during your period, it’s likely to be even less of an increase than this.

The plain truth is this: evidence shows that most women don’t experience increased energy needs during their period.

So the idea that you can throw caution to the wind and eat whatever you want without compromising your health and nutrition goals is false. You may experience increased cravings and hunger in the lead up to and the first few days of your period, and you can absolutely give yourself permission to satisfy these cravings. Just don’t go overboard on portion sizes, and continue to include nutrient-dense foods too - in other words, don’t ditch the veggies for a diet of chocolate and McDonalds each time your period hits!

However, a sneaky tip… Dark chocolate is rich in magnesium, which means it can help with cramping and other symptoms linked to your period. Plus, it’s a good way to satisfy your sugar cravings without going overboard and bingeing due to its richness. So by all means, enjoy some dark chocolate on your period, but again be mindful of the amount you’re eating, because calories do still count while you’re on your period.

You should avoid or prioritise certain foods during your period.

Many people are under the impression that you should avoid “pro inflammatory” foods including dairy, caffeine, alcohol and sugar during your period to reduce its severity.

On the other hand, many women are told they should increase either their carbs or protein intake to manage symptoms and reduce the severity or duration of their period.

Neither of these ideas are based on scientific evidence. While for some women, caffeine, alcohol or sugar can worsen their period symptoms, there’s no single food or food group to eat or avoid in order to reduce bleeding or period length.

And prioritising carbs or protein, depending on which myth you’ve been fed, overlooks the importance of including healthy fats. Healthy fats are essential for facilitating healthy hormone production and balance - which is critical when navigating your period and looking to mitigate the symptoms you may be experiencing. In fact, healthy fats such as those found in oily fish like salmon and mackerel, and avocado, have been linked to reduced cramping and bloating during your period.

The truth is, instead of increasing a certain food group and eliminating another, the key focus during your period should be on eating a nutritious, balanced diet. There is evidence to suggest a Mediterranean diet or eating pattern can support menstrual cycle length regularity and symptoms. This includes making room for carbohydrates, proteins and plenty of healthy fats, as well as allowing foods like dark chocolate - which may contain sugar, but is also high in magnesium and iron making it a great food to enjoy on your period. There’s no “one way” to eat on your period, so give yourself permission to tune into your body’s needs, honour your cravings (in moderation) and fuel your body and hormones with nourishing, nutrient-dense foods.

As you may have noticed, the main thing to remember about your period is that it doesn’t demand much change from your regular routine or day-to-day activities, especially in terms of your nutrition and training. While you should always be sure to pay attention to your body’s needs and honour them accordingly, you don’t need to eat or move in a significantly different way to what you normally would when you’re not on your period. Instead, focus on nourishing your body with nutritious foods, allowing yourself to satisfy your cravings if they arise, and moving your body with the intention of feeling good, pulling back on intensity and volume as needed. Your period shouldn’t be a huge inconvenience to your normal lifestyle, so if it’s causing you excessive pain or discomfort, or disrupting your day-to-day activities, consider speaking to a health professional and getting the support you deserve today.