The journey to achieving your fitness goals involves quite a lot of hurdles. It may seem easy at first as fitness gurus tell you to just eat whole foods, avoid processed junk, cut out carbs, or run on the treadmill for hours at a time. However, it’s a lot more complicated.
As a woman, you also have the added hurdle of understanding your cycle and the hormonal shifts that have a heavy impact on your physical and mental health. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you attempt to master your fitness goals. linkhouse
1. Your Body Isn’t the Same Each Week
You may feel like you’re a powerhouse in the gym one week, and feeling bloated, fatigued, and emotional the next, on edge and ready to cry or snap at someone. You might want to consider syncing your workouts with your cycle.
During your follicular phase, which is right after the period starts, your energy naturally increases. This is a great time to take up heavier weights or newer, complicated exercises. During the luteal phase, after ovulation, you might want to consider lighter movement through yoga, walking, or low-impact strength training.
Avoid being too hard on yourself when you’re experiencing heavy bleeding and cramps. Treat it like any other illness and give yourself enough time to recover, regardless of external judgments. You know your body best!
2. Avoid Drastically Cutting Calories and Undereating
You may think you’re eating enough, but have you compared those calories to your BMI? Have you observed your portions and checked whether you’re taking the right amount of protein, vegetables, carbs, and fats for a healthy and balanced diet?
Your body needs fuel to function, especially if you are working out. Chronic undereating often leads to fatigue, muscle loss, and hormonal imbalances.
Eating habits must align with your workouts. If you are pushing heavy weights or doing intense cardio several times a week, your body needs carbs, protein, and fat. Prioritize protein (at least 1 gram per pound of goal body weight), and eat carbs around workouts. Don’t shy away from healthy fats!
Pro Tip: If you’re unsure, consider reaching out to a registered dietician or a personal fitness trainer who understands women’s health and nutrition.
3. Don’t Overdo the Cardio
Cardio has its place in the world of workouts, like all other kinds of physical activity. Yet some women may tend to overdo it since it’s the go-to for weight loss. Your time on the treadmill may begin to feel like an endless cycle of punishment before you know it.
What we require is a healthy and much-needed shift to strength training. Don’t worry. It’s not going to make you bulky. It’s great for strength and the after-burn effect (EPOC) from strength training is going to keep your metabolism elevated long after the workout ends.
4. Stop Comparing Yourself to Everyone
Social media can be brutal, especially for women. The perfect angles, filters, and six-packs can make your progress feel miniscule. This unavoidable comparison trap kills your motivation and sets highly unrealistic expectations.
Instead of focusing on the outside world, consider tracking your own progress and having small milestones that make you feel good about yourself. Take photos and record how much you’re lifting. Pay attention to how you feel inside, in your own skin. Your journey doesn’t deserve a comparison against someone else’s highlight reel. It is beautiful in of itself and much more real.
5. Don’t Go Through It Alone
You must balance work, social obligations, and family while trying to maintain or transform your physique. It can often get hard if you don’t have a good support system. It is easier to give us when no one is holding you accountable.
Start building that support system. It can start with a gym buddy, an online group, a personal fitness trainer, or your friends and family. The bottom line is that you don’t need to go through it all alone.
Final Thoughts
A woman’s body works in beautiful, mysterious, and drastically different ways than a man. We have our unique challenges and equally admirable goals. We deserve a fitness plan that celebrates our physiology.
Be kind to yourself as you walk through this journey. Surround yourself with people who lift you up and let go of those that put you down. Keep showing up for yourself, again and again!