I’ve spoken before about the impact of stress on the female reproductive system—and closely related to that is the role of exercise. In today’s newsletter, we’re focusing on movement, specifically for women.
In my recent article for Natural Womanhood, I reviewed ROAR: Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong Body for Life by Dr. Stacy Sims, a Stanford-trained exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist who has dedicated her career to studying female athletes.
Diving into Dr. Sims’ work was a reminder of just how recent the rise of female-centered health, wellness, and fitness research truly is. Title IX—legally opening doors for female athletic participation—was only passed in 1972. And it wasn’t until 1993 that women were even required to be included in clinical trials. That means much of the fitness, nutrition, and health guidance available today is still evolving as research on the female body continues to grow.
Dr. Sims is helping lead this much-needed shift, recognizing that women have unique physiological needs, and that honoring our biology is essential for health and longevity.
As I’ve shared before, part of my own journey included realizing that the level of training I underwent as a collegiate athlete was seriously compromising my bone and hormonal health. For me—and maybe for you—it was easy to ignore the signs until I couldn’t anymore. A missing period seemed fine… until my bones started breaking and I couldn’t run.
As Dr. Sims puts it:
Women are not small men.
The more we understand our biology, the more empowered we are to train, recover, and live in ways that support our whole health.
🧭 A Note on Balance
When I find myself overwhelmed by the myriad of (often conflicting) exercise recommendations out there —like worrying that if I don’t start heavy lifting today, I’ll risk bone degeneration—I try to come back to my why.
Stewarding our bodies well, supporting mental health, and cultivating the discipline to endure challenges are just a few of the lasting benefits of movement. Exercise should help us offer more of ourselves, both physically and emotionally.
Some helpful questions to ask:
What do I need to do now to support healthy aging, minimize pain, and maintain independent living for as long as possible?
What physiological functions do I need to support in order to meet those goals?
Is my exercise honoring the whole of my womanhood—taking into account my current season of life, whether that’s trying to conceive, pregnancy/postpartum, or peri-/menopause?
Whether or not you’re actively training for something, moving in a way that supports your physiology is essential to long-term health. For women, this means keeping our unique hormone profile in mind without idolizing fitness.
⚖️ What Is the Quality of Your Movement?
The Goldilocks Principle is a helpful guide: aim for the “just right” zone between too much and too little. Movement supports cardiovascular, skeletal, muscular, and mental health—but more isn’t always better.
Your body’s threshold for stress—including physical stress—depends on your hormones, nutrition, sleep, and life demands. Pushing through workouts while ignoring your body’s cues can backfire, disrupting hormones rather than supporting them.
One prospective cohort study of over 3,000 women ages 18–40 found that vigorous physical activity was linked with longer time to pregnancy, while moderate activity had a modest positive effect [1].
A key part of achieving the Goldilocks Principle is understanding how exercise interacts with your hormones. One of the most powerful tools for this is charting your cycle using a fertility awareness method (FAM). FAM helps you spot early signs of hormonal imbalance—such as delayed ovulation—which are often linked to overtraining or under-fueling.
Every woman’s body responds differently to stress and exercise. What one woman can handle without disrupting her cycle may be too much for you.
Your workouts should never compromise your reproductive health. Cycle charting offers a way to stay attuned to what your hormones are communicating so you can move in a way that supports your whole-body well-being.
🔥 Key Insights from ROAR to Help You Exercise Well as a Woman
🌀 Train with your cycle for better results.
You’re likely to feel strongest in the first half of your cycle (follicular phase), when estrogen and progesterone are low. In the luteal phase, rising progesterone can reduce training adaptation, increase muscle breakdown, and lower carb storage. Try switching to lower weight, higher rep workouts. Ovulation offers a brief peak in strength, but increased joint laxity can raise injury risk.
💊 Hormonal birth control impacts performance.
Synthetic hormones blunt natural rhythms, reduce heart rate variability, and impair recovery—factors often overlooked in research and coaching.
🤰 Pregnancy and menopause call for adaptation, not avoidance.
You can and should keep moving during these stages, but your approach should shift. Postmenopausal women especially benefit from strength-focused training and higher protein intake to support muscle and metabolism.
🏋️♀️ Strength training is essential.
Women lose 3–5% of muscle mass per decade after age 30. Safe, heavy lifting helps preserve muscle and strength.
🥚 Avoid fasted workouts.
Sims strongly warns against fasted exercise for women. A 2022 study found 65% of female endurance athletes were at risk of low energy availability (LEA), with 21% showing signs of disordered eating [2] Fasted training increases stress on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, making women more susceptible to hormone dysfunction.
🥩 Fuel like a woman.
Eat a protein-carb snack before training. Have 15–20g of protein before hard sessions, and 25–30g within 30 minutes after. Active women should aim for 1.8–2.2g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
Hormone-aware training isn’t just for elite athletes—it’s for every woman who wants to feel strong while honoring and protecting her uniquely female body and fertility.
📣 Train Smarter, Not Harder
If you’re:
Burned out from workouts that used to energize you
Trying to conceive and wondering how fitness affects fertility
Curious about cycle-aware nutrition and training
👉 I’d love to support you. Message me directly or learn more about fertility awareness coaching and hormone support here:
💡 Questions for Reflection
What type of movement is most supportive for my body right now?
Am I in a season of training, or one of restoration?
How can I create a routine that supports my body, mind, and soul?
This likely includes a mix of resistance training, moderate cardio, and mindful movement to regulate your nervous system. It should also include functional movement integrated into daily life—like stroller walks or active play.
🔗 Further Recommendations for Exercising in Sync with your Body
Here are some resources I recommend:
Nourish Move Love – Free weight training plans and short guided videos
The Sculpt Society – 20–45 minute low-impact Pilates, sculpt, and full-body workouts
The Fertility Class – Exercise method for hormone balance and fertility
HypuroFit – Faith-integrated training focused on self-mastery
Adeleide Meadow – “Quit Exercising and Start Training” based on the female body
Dr. Kayla Borchers – Preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum movement designed by a physical therapist
Listen to her podcast episode on fertility-focused exercise here.
Dr. Stacy Sims interview with Andrew Huberman on female-specific exercise and nutrition.