Running and periods: The myths about exercise and your menstrual cycle, debunked

Then, running, there are countless apps you can use to track your progress, but most of them don't take your menstrual cycle into account.He is now an elite runner and co-founder of Femmi Lydia O'Donnell has created an app for female runners to prove how they can make the most of their periods. Here she tells the Herald how taking control of your cycle can make you a more confident runner, and debunks some myths you've probably heard.

When you're suffering from painful menstrual cramps, the last thing you want to do is lace up your running shoes and jog around the block.

But for female athletes, it's part of everyday life. O'Donnell recalls being trained by a male coach who had no understanding of how the menstrual cycle worked and how it affected the body. And that negatively affected her performance and her overall health.

“They encouraged me to lose weight and told me I would be a better athlete,” she says.

A few years later, she and her friend and fellow athlete Esther Keown launched an app for the coaching platform Femmi. It's designed to help women exercise in a way that makes the most of their menstrual cycle, and wearing this pair will prove that your period doesn't have to hold you back. In fact, it can be your secret weapon.

What is feminist?

As a young athlete, O'Donnell trained with “multiple male coaches who knew nothing about female physiology.”

“Everything we were taught was based on male physiology,” she says. NZ Herald. “[They] “They treated me like one of the boys and encouraged me to lose weight… A male coach grabbed my stomach and told me I would be a better athlete if I lost it.”

Unsurprisingly, this led her down an “unhealthy” path, where she struggled with body image, disordered eating, and overtraining. As a result, she developed Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and lost her period, which she had been led to believe was a good thing. That's when “everything clicked” for her and she realized she needed to learn more about her menstrual cycle and hormonal fluctuations.

“It wasn't until we learned about our bodies that we realized we actually enjoyed the sport more and were able to reach the performances we knew we were capable of,” O'Donnell said of herself and how she faced similar struggles as a young athlete. Let's talk about the key on. .

Now coaches themselves, the pair want to share what they've learned with other women to help prevent them from falling into the same situation.

“I have a huge passion for keeping young girls and women involved in sport because we know what sport can do for their confidence. Movement and Exercise is one of the greatest tools and one of the most accessible tools we have to build confidence in ourselves,” she says.

How does the Femmi app work?

Femmi started as a one-on-one coaching service, using several different platforms to manually track cycles and create programs tailored to each individual. But the founders quickly recognized the need for a female-focused exercise app among the hundreds available.

“We know that very little technology in sports and exercise is actually built by and for women,” O'Donnell points out.

In early 2021, the pair began developing the idea for the app, and a “pretty crazy” 18-month journey ensued. Work on building the app itself began at the end of 2022, and it has now finally been released.

O'Donnell describes the app as a “menstrual cycle tracking and training tool” that allows you to enter information about your cycle and create a “running profile.” Whether you consider yourself a runner or not, and whether you want to build up your endurance, train for a marathon, or just want to be a little more active, we'll give you a personalized program to follow.

“We want to inspire not only those who are already into the sport, but also those who might get into it and get there.”

While the app was initially created for women with natural or “regular” menstrual cycles, O'Donnell acknowledged that menstrual cycles may be different, and may be used to help with birth control or hormonal balance. We plan to continue developing apps that can accommodate all types of menstrual cycles, including changes in menstrual cycles. stage of life.

What are some misconceptions about running?

O'Donnell hopes feminists can help break down some misconceptions about running that you've probably heard.

“Many women, and many people, have not received enough education about how to become better runners, feel better and enjoy their sport. There’s definitely this idea that you should just go out there and run as fast as you can all the time,” she says.

But when it comes to running, a sustainable and consistent routine is key.

“So the only way to make that possible is to balance the hard days with the easy days and focus on the recovery as much as the actual training,” she says, adding that the Feminist program helps women push themselves too hard. It is intended to help you avoid getting injured or burned.

“It's just important to take your time and be patient with your body.”

And while you may have heard that running is bad for your joints, O'Donnell says running can “actually be very beneficial to your bones and joints over time.” ” states.

“But it’s just that [about] The way he approaches training is very smart. ”

Manage your menstrual cycle

O'Donnell hopes the app will encourage women to manage their menstrual cycles instead of interfering with them.

“Everyone experiences menstrual cycles and hormonal changes very differently,” she explains.

“So we provide insight into why you have certain feelings during your cycle. We provide guidance on nutrition that you can incorporate depending on what stage of your cycle you are in. .This is something we think will help make sure you are in optimal condition for your training.”

O'Donnell says the feminist approach shouldn't be confused with menstrual cycle synchronization, the practice of adjusting your diet, exercise, and routine to match the four stages of your menstrual cycle. Although it's popular among fitness influencers, there's little scientific research to prove it's actually beneficial. It also doesn't recognize people who are taking hormonal birth control, are pregnant, going through menopause, or don't have “regular” menstrual cycles.

Instead, tracking your own cycles can remind you that your mood is normal, even if it's different from those around you.

“Before I started tracking my cycles and training according to my cycles, I would try to do a running session at the wrong time of my cycle, fail to reach intensity, and walk away from the session disappointed.” O'Donnell recalled.

“I lost confidence and felt like I needed to train harder or lose weight. And those two things, dieting and overtraining, were things I didn't need at that point in my cycle. Thing.”

Now, she wants to help other women find the confidence that comes from understanding their bodies.

“This can help you feel more in control and actually make the right decisions for your health and wellness needs.”

Bethany Reitma is an Oakland-based journalist who covers lifestyle and entertainment stories. herald 2019. She specializes in communicating. Kiwi real life stories, money saving hacks and Even things that have nothing to do with coffee.