"Move with Intention: How Exercise Supports Hormones and Mental Wellbeing"
Move with Intention: How Exercise Supports Hormones and Mental Wellbeing
Have you ever pushed through a workout and left feeling more depleted than energized? Or wondered why your usual routine suddenly feels like it’s working against you instead of for you?
If you’re navigating hormonal shifts, fatigue, anxiety, or gut issues, you’re not imagining things—your body is trying to tell you something.
As a Traditional Naturopath and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® Practitioner, I help women understand the deeper connections between movement, hormones, and mental clarity. Exercise isn’t just about calories or muscle—it’s a powerful tool that, when used wisely, can restore balance to your entire system.
Let’s explore how to approach exercise as a form of nourishment, not punishment—especially in the context of your hormonal rhythms.
How Exercise Impacts Your Hormones and Mood
Your hormones act like internal messengers, guiding everything from your metabolism to your mood. When these messengers are supported, you feel more energized, focused, and emotionally steady. But when they’re constantly pushed beyond their limits (often by stress, under-eating, or over-exercising), the whole system starts to unravel.
Here’s how exercise can influence key hormonal systems:
Cortisol (your stress hormone): Moderate, mindful exercise lowers cortisol. But intense workouts, especially during high-stress or low-energy phases of your cycle, can spike it and trigger fatigue, insomnia, or anxiety.
Insulin (your blood sugar regulator): Exercise improves insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammation and supporting stable energy and weight.
Estrogen & Progesterone (your reproductive regulators): Movement helps modulate estrogen dominance and supports ovulation—but only when timed with your natural rhythms.
Serotonin, Dopamine & Endorphins (your mood boosters): These rise with consistent, appropriate movement and can buffer anxiety and depression.
So yes, exercise is medicine—but only when applied in a way that honors your body’s current capacity and phase.
A Smarter Way to Move: Syncing with Your Cycle
Your body isn’t designed to perform at 100% every single day. In fact, cycling hormones mean your energy, recovery needs, and mental focus change week by week. By aligning your workouts with the four phases of your menstrual cycle, you can move with more ease, reduce stress, and get better results.
Fun Fact:
Women burn fat more efficiently during the follicular and ovulatory phases of their cycle thanks to rising estrogen levels—which means timing your workouts with your cycle isn’t just smart, it’s scientifically strategic!
Your hormones are basically your built-in personal trainer!
1. Menstrual Phase (Days 1–5)
Keywords: Rest, reflect, renew
Hormones are at their lowest. You may feel tired, introverted, and slower.
Best Movement: Rest, gentle stretching, walks, breathing exercises
Why: Overexertion here taxes your adrenals and delays recovery
2. Follicular Phase (Days 6–13)
Keywords: Build, create, energize
Estrogen is rising, and your energy and mood lift.
Best Movement: Strength training, dancing, light cardio, trying new fitness classes
Why: Your brain is more adaptable, and you’re more resilient to stress
3. Ovulation (Days 14–16)
Keywords: Peak, power, perform
Estrogen peaks. You feel outgoing, strong, and physically capable.
Best Movement: HIIT, heavy lifting, group workouts
Why: This is your performance window—but still listen to your body
4. Luteal Phase (Days 17–28)
Keywords: Soothe, stabilize, prepare
Progesterone rises, and energy starts to dip.
Best Movement: Resistance bands, walking, Pilates, cycling
Why: Prioritize lower-impact movement and recovery to avoid burnout
Note: If you’re in perimenopause or your cycles are irregular, we use other markers (like basal temperature, mood patterns, and lab data) to guide movement rhythm.
Personalization with Purpose: DNAlife Sport & Hormone Testing
While syncing with your cycle is incredibly effective, every woman’s baseline is different. That’s where functional and genetic testing comes in.
I often use DNAlife Sport and DNAlife Hormones with clients to reveal:
Your unique recovery capacity
How your body metabolizes estrogen and stress hormones
Your predisposition to inflammation or injury
Whether HIIT supports or stresses your system
How efficiently you detox hormones through the liver and gut
These insights help us craft a movement strategy that matches your biological blueprint, not just a fitness trend or what worked for your best friend.
Why This Approach Matters Now More Than Ever
We live in a culture that tells women to push through—but your body was never designed to run like a machine. You were designed with rhythms, sensitivities, and seasons.
Understanding your body’s signals is not weakness. It’s wisdom.
When you start working with your cycle, your genes, and your nervous system, exercise becomes a form of restoration—not depletion. It becomes a way to reconnect to your inner strength, not override it.
Ready to Move with Intention and Clarity?
If you're:
Frustrated by fatigue, anxiety, or hormone chaos
Feeling “off” even though you're exercising regularly
Ready to stop guessing and start knowing how to move in a way that supports your healing...
Then let’s connect.
In our work together, we’ll uncover the hidden stressors impacting your hormones, explore the role of exercise in your healing, and personalize your movement rhythm using lab data and lifestyle wisdom.
You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Let’s create a wellness rhythm that reflects your design—and brings you back to the woman you were created to be: whole, strong, and at peace.
Book a consultation today, and let’s begin that journey—step by step, cycle by cycle.
Follicular & Ovulatory Phase
Glow Up Green Goddess Pre-Workout Shake
Light, creamy, and energizing—your go-to shake to fuel high vibe workouts and glowing skin during your power phases.
Why it works:
Estrogen is rising, so your body is more carb-sensitive and insulin-friendly. This shake gives quick, clean energy without weighing you down.
Ingredients:
1 frozen banana
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 big handful spinach
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp almond butter
½ tsp maca powder
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 scoop clean plant protein (pea or pumpkin seed)
A few ice cubes
Optional: 2–3 fresh mint leaves for a cool twist
Instructions:
1. Toss everything into a high-speed blender.
2. Blend on high for 30–60 seconds until smooth and creamy.
3. Taste and adjust—need it colder? Add more ice. Sweeter? Add a Medjool date or a splash more vanilla.
4. Pour into your favorite glass or shaker and enjoy immediately!
Mood: Radiant, refreshed, ready to slay your workout
Pairs well with: Cardio bursts, strength training, or dance sweat sessions
Glow from the inside out—because you’re in your prime phase, sis! ✨
Luteal & Menstrual Phase
Warm Lentil & Root Veggie Bowl with Maple Tahini Gravy
Comfort food meets hormone support in this soul-soothing bowl—rich, cozy, and made to help your body rest, restore, and renew.
Why it works:
During your luteal and menstrual phases, your body needs grounding nutrients—iron, B vitamins, magnesium, and anti-inflammatories—to replenish lost minerals and soothe your nervous system.
Ingredients (serves 2):
For the bowl:
1 cup cooked green or French lentils (rich in iron + fiber)
1 medium sweet potato, cubed
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup Brussels sprouts, halved
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika
For the Maple Tahini Gravy:
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp garlic powder
2–4 tbsp warm water (to thin)
Instructions:
1. Roast the veggies:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Toss sweet potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika.
Spread on a lined baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes until golden and tender.
2. Make the lentils:
If not already cooked, simmer lentils in vegetable broth with a bay leaf and pinch of thyme until tender (about 20–25 minutes). Drain.
3. Whisk the gravy:
In a small bowl, mix tahini, maple syrup, tamari, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic powder.
Slowly add warm water until it’s a creamy pourable sauce. Taste and adjust (more lemon = tangy, more maple = sweet).
4. Assemble your bowl:
Layer lentils first, then roasted veggies.
Generously drizzle with the maple tahini gravy.
Top with fresh parsley or a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds for extra zinc and crunch.
Mood: Warm, grounded, deeply satisfied
Pairs well with: Restorative yoga, stretching, journaling, or just being.
This bowl is your edible hug—it loves your hormones as much as you do.
Citations:
1. Effects of Exercise on Hormonal Health
Title: The Effects of Exercise on the Endocrine System
Source: American College of Sports Medicine
Link: https://www.acsm.org/blog-detail/acsm-certified-blog/2020/11/03/the-effects-of-exercise-on-the-endocrine-system
2. Cycle Syncing and Hormonal Fitness
Title: How to Exercise Based on Your Menstrual Cycle
Source: Cleveland Clinic
Link: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/exercising-on-your-period
3. Hormones and Mental Health
Title: How Hormones Affect Your Mood
Source: Harvard Health Publishing
Link: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/how-hormones-affect-your-mood
4. Functional Testing for Personalized Fitness
Title: DNAlife Sport
Source: Nordic Laboratories / DNAlife
Link: https://dnalife.health/products/dna-sport
Title: DNAlife Hormones
Link: https://dnalife.health/products/dna-hormones
5. Hormone-Supportive Exercise for Women
Title: Working Out with Your Hormones
Source: Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)
Link: https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/working-out-with-your-hormones/
Blog Disclaimer
The health information on this blog is for general educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making any health-related decisions.
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