Strength training for your cycle
We are often hit with bombarding messages about exercise and our cycles. While there arencomplexities surrounding this issue, it is safe to say that a loss of cycle or an anovulatory cycle is a good sign that something is going wrong.
Anovulation is actually the cause of infertility in about a third of couples attending infertility clinics, and polycystic ovary syndrome accounts for 90% of such cases. Anovulation happens when an egg (ovum) doesn’t release from your ovary during your menstrual cycle. Being overweight or obese has a major effect on the prevalence of anovulation in women with PCOS, and it is likely that insulin resistance, or, more likely, hyperinsulinemia, plays an important role in the cause of anovulation.
Exercise and, more specifically, strength training is essential for improving insulin sensitivity. Regular physical exercise can help promote an immediate increase in insulin sensitivity. Since insulin resistance plays a key role in anovulation, strength training can help improve your cycle and cycle regularity.
Strength training can also work to help improve your sleep which is also an important part of improving insulin sensitivity so again win-win. Resistance training for women is also an important part of investing in your future health, as it is a key part of maintaining muscle mass and bone mineral density, helping reduce your risk of sarcopenia and osteoporosis (both of which women are more at risk of as they age).
A good resistance plan in conjunction with the right dietary practices is one of the best ways to become or maintain a healthy weight which is essential for maintaining optimal female health. We want to avoid the classic pitfalls that many women are at risk of, which are drastically increasing their cardio or doing multiple HIIT sessions a week and dropping calories to extreme levels, both of which can work to increase your risk for more menstrual dysfunction.
Looking to manage your PCOS and insulin resistance? Sign up to our 12 Week PCOS Treatment Programme to learn everything you need to know about PCOS.