From adolescence, periods are a part of many of our lives. But have you ever wondered how they actually work?

In this post, you’re about to find out. The infographic below describes the various phases your body goes through as you work your way through the cycle. It explains why sometimes you look and feel great while, at others, all you want to do is curl up and go to bed.

The menstrual cycle begins soon after your period finishes. Biologists call this the follicular phase. During this phase, your body starts to produce more estrogen which prepares your ovaries to release the egg. As a general rule, those of us at this stage tend to have a positive mood, increased energy and better skin. It’s the good part of the menstrual cycle.

Once estrogen and other hormones, such as follicle stimulating hormone, reach a certain point, the egg is released and we enter the ovulation phase. This stage is characterised by higher sex drive, growing confidence and skin that looks positively lush. For many, it is the best part of the menstrual cycle.

However, unfortunately, it gives way to the luteal phase. Hormone changes mean that your energy levels start to lower and your skin becomes oilier and more congested.

Lastly comes the menstrual phase. Many women have period pain for between two and five days at this stage.

Want to learn more?

The following infographic shows all of the stages of the menstrual cycle, as well as the hormones associated with each one. Check it out below:

Exercise is fun, and most of the time it will bring you a lot of joy. In addition to all of this, you may be somewhat anxious about seeing results. Everyone has different fitness goals, and this is great, but if you don’t feel as though you are seeing the results you are personally seeking, then this will work against you. If you want to find out more, then take a look below.

Your Goals are Not Clear Enough

If you have hit a workout plateau but you have no idea why, then the first thing that you have to do is take a look at the goals you have set. A lot of common mistakes that people and exercisers make is that they set goals that are too high or simply out of reach. This can lead to a lack of motivation, and it can make it much harder to get to where you want to be. A good example of a target goal would be that you want to become stronger. How are you going to measure this goal? Is your goal to do two more push-ups than your current limit? Maybe it is for you to try and double the amount you can lift right now. Either way, you have to set measurable goals as this will help you to get the results you want, and it will also help you to take steps in the right direction. Using supplements can help, if you are struggling with your physique. Take a look now to find out more.

Your Goals are Not Realistic

Most of the time, you might not believe in yourself to achieve the goals that you want to achieve. That being said, sometimes people take things to the extreme and they set the bar way higher than it needs to be. They then end up getting knocked down and they end up experiencing a huge amount of disappointment. If you want to avoid this, then you need to try and avoid any unrealistic expectations. You also need to try and avoid throwing in the towel altogether and if you are not careful, this is what will happen. One good way for you to work around this would be for you to try and look at the goals you have achieved in the past. If you have a strong running background then setting yourself up for half a marathon could be wise, but if you have no experience in running at all then doing this could work against you.Self-care is also important, so don’t beat yourself up too much if you do not achieve the goals you have set.

You Don’t Know how to Monitor Progress

Setting goals that are attainable starts with being able to measure them. The next step for you to take would be for you to see the best way to monitor your progress. If you do not set small milestones for yourself, then you may find that you end up struggling overall, and this is the last thing that you need. 

To sum up, your fitness plan should include specific, realistic and achievable goals.  You should also egularly monitor your progress and tweak your plan as and when you need to.

Until next time

Zoe 

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