Daily Check-In
3
Your Four Phases (tap to expand)
Menstrual Phase
Days 1-5 · Your inner winter
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Low oestrogen
Low progesterone
Heightened intuition
Rest needed
Your uterine lining sheds and both oestrogen and progesterone are at their lowest. Your brain is processing and consolidating information. This is why many women feel more introspective during their period. Blood flow to the analytical part of your brain increases. You are not emotional. You are perceptive.
Iron-rich foods, dark leafy greens, red meat or lentils, warming soups, dark chocolate, omega-3 fish. Your body is losing iron. Prioritise replenishing it.
Gentle yoga, slow walks in nature, stretching. Rest is productive. A five-minute hip-opening stretch does more for cramps than pushing through. Lie on your back, soles together, knees falling open. Breathe into your belly.
Reflection tasks, journalling, reviewing and evaluating, solo deep work. Avoid big presentations or high-stakes pitches. Your clarity is inward right now, not outward.
Try tonight: Warming lentil soup with spinach and turmeric. Anti-inflammatory and iron-rich. Heat therapy, castor oil packs and magnesium baths also support your body this week. More in the Cycle Kitchen guide.
"I used to push through my period like it was an inconvenience. Now I treat day 1 as a reset day. Everything that feels overwhelming on day 28 looks completely different on day 6. The clarity is real."
"My body is releasing what no longer serves me. Rest is my most radical act."
Follicular Phase
Days 6-13 · Your inner spring
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Rising oestrogen
High serotonin
Sharp focus
New beginnings energy
Oestrogen begins rising as your ovaries prepare to release an egg. FSH is active and your energy, mood, and motivation start to lift. Your brain's serotonin receptors are more sensitive now, making you naturally optimistic. You want to plan, start things, be social. This is biology working for you.
Eggs, fermented foods, flaxseed and pumpkin seeds, lighter fresh foods, sprouted grains, citrus. Your rising oestrogen is supported by seed cycling and gut-friendly foods.
Build intensity gradually. Running, strength training, dance, hiking. Even 10 minutes of bodyweight exercises will feel easier this week. That is oestrogen working for you. Use it on purpose.
Plan projects, brainstorm, learn new things, start new initiatives. Schedule your most ambitious meetings and presentations here. Your brain is at its sharpest for new thinking.
Try tonight: Smoked salmon with fermented kimchi on sourdough. The omega-3 supports rising oestrogen, fermented foods feed your gut. Try something new this week, your palate is more adventurous now. More in the Cycle Kitchen guide.
"This is when I film most of my TikToks. My energy is up, I feel like myself again. Knowing this phase is coming is what gets me through the hard days of luteal. I schedule everything ambitious for this week."
"I am full of possibility. This is my season to begin."
Ovulatory Phase
Days 14-16 · Your inner summer
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Peak oestrogen
Testosterone surge
High confidence
Most magnetic
Oestrogen peaks and triggers a surge of LH which releases the egg. Testosterone also peaks briefly, giving you a noticeable boost in confidence and charisma. Research shows women's voices become more attractive to others during ovulation. You communicate better, you are more persuasive, you radiate. Use it consciously.
Anti-inflammatory foods, fibre-rich foods, quinoa, colourful veg, light proteins. Your body metabolises efficiently right now. Feed it clean fuel and you will feel it. Avoid excess alcohol.
Your peak performance window. HIIT, heavy lifting, group classes, competitive sports. Push yourself now. Whatever you have been avoiding, your body can handle it this week. Muscles also recover fastest in this phase.
Presentations, pitches, difficult conversations, negotiations, public speaking, job interviews. Your communication is at its peak. Schedule what matters most here. You will thank yourself later.
Try tonight: A big colourful salad with quinoa, roasted veg and tahini dressing. Connect with people this week. Date nights, social plans and photos you will actually like. Say yes more than usual. More in our Cycle Kitchen guide.
"I used to schedule difficult conversations whenever they came up. Now I wait for ovulation. I am clearer, calmer, and more persuasive. I have negotiated things during ovulation that I would have bungled in luteal. This knowledge is genuinely practical."
"I am magnetic, clear, and fully myself. This is my season to connect."
Luteal Phase
Days 17-28 · Your inner autumn
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Rising then falling progesterone
Dropping oestrogen
Heightened sensitivity
Completion energy
Progesterone rises after ovulation then falls sharply if no fertilisation occurs. Oestrogen dips too. Your nervous system becomes more sensitive. You notice things more acutely, process emotions more deeply, and your tolerance drops. This is not a malfunction. Your brain is more perceptive. In early luteal you feel productive. In late luteal the inner critic gets louder. Both are normal. Both will pass.
Magnesium-rich foods, dark chocolate, leafy greens, complex carbs, turkey. Reduce caffeine and alcohol. Seed cycling: sesame and sunflower seeds. Your cravings are information, not weakness.
Slow movement is not lazy movement. A 20-minute walk with deep breathing will do more for your mood than forcing yourself to the gym. Pilates is perfect now. Let your body wind down with intention, not guilt.
Complete existing tasks, edit and refine, admin, detail work. Avoid launching new things or making big decisions. Protect your diary. Your perception is sharp but your resilience is lower.
Try tonight: Sweet potato and black bean chilli with dark chocolate. The complex carbs and magnesium are exactly what your brain is asking for. Early bedtime, warm baths, reduced social plans. More in our Cycle Kitchen guide.
"Luteal used to feel like I was failing at life. My patience was gone, everything felt harder. Now I know what is happening hormonally, I protect this phase. I cancel things. I say no. The feelings are still there but they do not scare me anymore."
"My sensitivity is my superpower. I honour what my body needs to complete its cycle."
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