How Does Exercise Affect the Menstrual Cycle? (Episode 500)

Full Transcript: Episode 500

Lisa:
And I’m so excited to be here today with Brooke. Brooke is a current member of the class of 2023 FAMM, and at the time that we’re recording, we have been together for a complete program—a complete nine-month stint. We actually had our last official class a week or two ago, so it’s really fun to be able to be here with you, especially at this time, kind of coming full circle. So welcome to the show, Brooke.

Brooke:
Thank you so much, Lisa. It’s such a privilege to be here. I’m really excited to come and share my story and get to talk with you today.

Lisa:
Yeah, I’m so thankful for you to be here, and I’m really excited to get into everything with you. And before we do, share a little bit about your background. Let us know what you do for a living. And then also my favorite question that I always like to ask—how old were you when you had your first period? And then maybe take us through what led you to jump into the FAM program.

Brooke:
Yeah, absolutely. I’m happy to share a little arc—a timeline of my story from a personal lens and then also professionally, and how it led me to this amazing world of fertility awareness. It’s kind of a long and winding path that started from a young age.

When I was younger, I had a small understanding of this nebulous thing called hormones. As a young girl, I watched my mom go through very debilitating migraine headaches. There were days she couldn’t function. I remember nights when my siblings and I were woken up and had to go to the ER with my mom so she could get medication to take her out of her pain. At a young age, I associated hormones with pain and suffering.

At the same time, I was really curious about how our bodies work. In middle school, my mom gave me the American Girl book The Care and Keeping of You. That was my textbook. I read it over and over and thought I was so prepared for when my period would come.

When it did, I was 13 years old. My mom got me a bouquet of flowers and a card that said, “Welcome to the wonderful world of womanhood.” It was so sweet—but sadly, my welcome to my period was not welcoming at all. I had really painful, really heavy periods. I remember thinking, If I have to deal with this every single month, life as I know it is over.

My mom took me to the doctor, and I was advised to wait it out and take ibuprofen. Looking back, I’m grateful I wasn’t put on the pill, because eventually my periods did normalize, though I still dealt with cramps at times.

As puberty progressed, I started noticing changes in my body. I was getting curves, and that was difficult. I had three skinny brothers who grew tall, and I wanted to be tall and skinny too. I ran long distance, ran my first half marathon at 15, and paired that with restrictive eating to manipulate my body size. That was my relationship with my body through high school.

I was always curious about physiology and wanted to help people, so nursing felt like an obvious choice. Nursing school was very stressful. I worked in a birthing center, attended births, had disrupted sleep, and studied at all hours. Looking back, that stress manifested physically—I developed a rash and had positive antibody testing suggestive of an autoimmune issue.

I graduated nursing school at 20 and worked in a women’s center doing labor and delivery, postpartum, special care nursery, and OB/GYN surgical care. Over five years, I was exposed to so much women’s pain and suffering—infertility, painful periods, pregnancy challenges—which fueled my curiosity about hormone health.

That led me to train as a board-certified nurse coach and study functional and integrative medicine. I learned how foundational lifestyle factors affect hormone health. Coaching became a natural fit.

In my own health journey, I’ve learned to slow down, let go of perfectionism, become more embodied, and listen to my body’s signals. I’ve healed my relationship with food and embraced nourishment in a balanced, non-restrictive way. I’m not perfect, but I’m in a much better place than I was.

Lisa:
Thank you so much for taking us through that. It’s amazing how this question can take us through decades of someone’s life so quickly. One thing that stood out is that you’ve never used the pill, correct?

Brooke:
Yeah, that’s right.

Lisa:
And you had such a gentle introduction to your cycle—your mom was supportive, you had education. Getting your period at 13 is very different than getting it at 10. Even so, you still dealt with pain. It shows how even with support, periods can be a bittersweet experience.

Brooke:
Yes, exactly. Both things can be true. I was prepared emotionally, but I didn’t have enough practical tools.

Lisa:
That really struck me—how we often focus on emotional education for teens, but not enough on tools to reduce pain. We need both.

Brooke:
Absolutely. There could have been more tools in my toolbox.

Lisa:
You also talked about navigating body changes and running. Now that you’re charting and working with clients, how has fertility awareness changed your relationship with your body?

Brooke:
Learning to chart my cycle gave me context. Tracking cervical mucus, basal body temperature, and symptoms connected physiology to lived experience. I realized I wasn’t eating enough protein, started prioritizing nourishment, and saw that reflected in my cycle. That embodiment helped me move away from body manipulation and toward health-focused goals.

Lisa:
That shift—from body-focused to health-focused—is huge.

Brooke:
It was gradual. One spark of curiosity led to another. Cycle tracking helped me reject diet culture messages and focus on what helps me feel well.

Lisa:
You also work in healthcare, which is demanding. How did that intersect with your cycle awareness?

Brooke:
Charting helped me see how stress impacted my cycle. Over time, I realized I needed a less intense role. I shifted jobs to support my health and my growing fertility awareness practice.

Lisa:
I’ve seen many clients recognize that connection once they see it on their charts.

Brooke:
Absolutely. My cycle improved as my stress levels decreased.

Lisa:
As we wrap up, can you share about your experience in the FAM program?

Brooke:
It exceeded my expectations. The program is evidence-based, high-touch, and practical. Weekly calls, chart reviews, real-life case scenarios—it built my confidence. I feel equipped to work with clients, even knowing there’s always more to learn.

Lisa:
That means so much to hear. Any encouragement for practitioners considering FAM?

Brooke:
If you’re curious, follow that curiosity. The program is intense but efficient. It adds fertility awareness into your practice without years of instructor training. It’s incredibly valuable.

Lisa:
Where can listeners find you?

Brooke:
You can find me at coachingfrombrooke.com, on Instagram at @coachingfrombrooke, and on Facebook. I work one-on-one with clients using the symptothermal method to support hormone health, body literacy, and natural birth control.

Lisa:
Thank you so much, Brooke. It’s been such a pleasure talking with you.

Brooke:
Thank you, Lisa. It was a joy to be here.