Empowered by Menstrual Cycle Tracking

As a 43-year-old mom of three and an avid distance runner, I’m fairly in tune with my body and interested in learning about its rhythms. It’s so important to be aware of the fluctuations in my hormone levels and how that impacts my energy levels, training and ability to perform in workouts or races.

I’ve spent the last two months logging how I feel both physically and emotionally using the new Menstrual Cycle Tracking (MCT) feature in Garmin Connect. As luck would have it, I started my period the same week that the new feature was launched, so I am beginning my third cycle using the feature as I write this. In that short amount of time, I’ve already learned more than I expected. I love having this new information, and the ability to track it, right at my fingertips!

Logging my symptoms and keeping track of my cycles with MCT has shown me patterns and trends that help me know what to expect and a good idea of when to expect it. I really appreciate the educational insights given with each new phase. I love how they inform and connect with my training and other aspects of my health such as sleep, appetite and energy levels. It removes some of the guesswork from my training and eating, and honestly, puts my mind at ease. It’s nice to know that, when I’m not feeling great, it’s not because I’m losing fitness or getting sick.

I’m really looking forward to using this feature more, and I’ll encourage my fellow female athletes to do the same. Our bodies are always changing. And I feel like there’s a lot ahead of me! At 43 I’m done having kids and haven’t yet begun to feel or notice any signs of menopause. I know it will happen, and I want to give myself the best chance of feeling and performing as well as I can as I age. From what I understand, these changes will be subtle, gradual and possibly not much fun. I think tracking things will help me feel empowered to recognize the symptoms, instead of feeling blindsided or helpless when they occur!

Getting myself in the habit of tracking, keeping all the info in one place and seeing it side by side with my other health and training stats is so empowering. It is keeping me informed, making me more self-aware and educating me on my own body. Hormone fluctuations are sometimes SO hard to understand and deal with. But as I see the rhythm and trends and know what to expect, I realize it’s healthy and normal to feel the way I do, when I do. It has helped me relax and be more at ease with my choices regarding how I move and nourish my body.

–By Jessica Hofheimer

Check out the Menstrual Cycle Tracking in Garmin Connect blog post to learn how you can start tracking your cycle and symptoms and download the Connect IQ app.

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