Luteal Phase Workouts: Balance vs Burnout

Kayla Hilhorst
Jun 29
2 min read

Why pushing through your workouts before your period might be doing more harm than good

You ever push yourself through a HIIT workout in your luteal phase, only to end up bloated, moody, and completely wiped out? Yeah. That’s not weakness, babe—that’s biology.

A woman in a yoga pose on a mat in a bright room with large windows. She wears olive activewear, with a calm and focused expression.

The luteal phase (aka the ~10 days before your period) is not the time to try to smash personal bests or squeeze into a “summer body.” It’s a time to shift. To support. To slow burn. Because when you force high intensity during this phase, you’re not getting fitter—you’re flirting with burnout, bloat, and a cortisol crash.

Let’s break down how to move with your hormones instead of against them—so you get the strength, the sculpt, and the sanity, without frying your system.

What’s Actually Happening in Your Body

During the luteal phase, your hormones are in full swing:

Progesterone rises, which increases your core temperature, slows digestion, and makes you feel more sluggish or puffy.
Estrogen drops, so energy, confidence, and coordination often dip too.
Your stress response is heightened, and recovery slows down—making intense workouts feel harder and less effective.

And yet, most women try to push harder here, when the body actually needs support, stability, and restoration.

So… Should You Stop Working Out?

NOPE. You don’t have to stop moving—you just have to move smarter. This is your strength-building and stability phase. Think: grounding, functional workouts that maintain muscle, support your nervous system, and prep your body for your period—not deplete it.

✅ Best Workouts for Your Luteal Phase

Functional strength training (think slow, controlled reps with longer rest periods)
Pilates or Barre for core, glute, and stability work
Walking or light incline treadmill sessions
Aerial Yoga or deep stretch for lymph flow, digestion, and relaxation
Breathwork + slow flows to calm cortisol and soothe the nervous system

🚫 What to Avoid Right Now

Fasted workouts or skipping meals after training
Intense HIIT or back-to-back cardio sessions
Under-fueling before or after movement
Ignoring your energy dips (girl, rest is productive)

Your Body Isn’t “Being Lazy”—She’s Being Wise

You’re cyclical. You’re supposed to move through phases. When you honor that, your fitness results actually improve. Muscle builds faster, recovery feels easier, and your mood stabilizes like a freakin’ miracle.

Want Your Workouts To Work With Your Cycle?

Grab my Harmonizing Your Hormones eBook—it includes a full breakdown of what to eat, how to move, and how to feel like yourself in every phase.

Guidebook - Complete Guide to Harmonizing your Hormones

Buy Now

Join Workouts That Get It

My online fitness classes are built around your cycle: strength when you can handle it, softness when you can’t. We move with your energy, not against it.👉 Book your classes or become a member

3 Pro Tips for Your Luteal Workouts:

Up your carbs slightly—your metabolism increases in this phase, and under-eating leads to burnout.
Focus on form—slow down, control each movement, and engage those stabilizers.
Include breathwork post-workout—this is your cortisol recovery secret weapon.