Day 72 of 100 Days Muscle Resistance Workout Challenge
Focus Topic: Training with hormones. Learn how testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone influence muscle growth, recovery, and energy
Learning Material: Training with Hormones
What do you imagine if someone asks what Training with Hormones is? When people say “listen to your body,” they usually mean paying attention to soreness or fatigue, but your body is also talking through hormones. Your hormonal system is basically a 24/7 chemistry lab, adjusting energy, motivation, strength, and recovery behind the scenes. Understanding how these hormones work doesn’t just make training smarter; it also makes it far more forgiving.
Let’s walk through the three major players that affect muscle training: testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone.
Key Insight
1. Testosterone — The Classic Muscle Builder (For Everyone)
Even though testosterone levels differ drastically between men and women, it plays the same key role in both:
- boosting protein synthesis
- supporting muscle growth
- improving training power
- increasing recovery speed
Women produce far less testosterone, which is one reason building muscle often takes longer and requires more consistency. But here’s the good news:
Women’s bodies tend to be more resistant to muscle breakdown, especially during endurance or fasted training, because they rely more heavily on fat as fuel.
Think of testosterone like the “contractor” in your internal renovation project:
- Men have a large crew.
- Women have a smaller team, but they work efficiently and cleanly.
2. Estrogen: The Silent Strength Booster
Estrogen tends to get blamed for everything from mood swings to bloating, but physiologically, it’s one of the most muscle-friendly hormones women have. It
- protects muscles from damage
- reduces inflammation
- supports recovery
- helps tendons stay more flexible
- improves stamina
This is why many women feel stronger or more energetic in the first half of their cycle, during the follicular phase, when estrogen is on the rise, and your body handles training stress like a pro.
Metaphor time:
Estrogen is like the supportive coach who doesn’t shout but somehow makes you stronger without you noticing.
3. Progesterone: The Calmer, Slower Counterbalance
Progesterone becomes dominant in the luteal phase (the second half of the cycle). It has a different personality:
- increases core body temperature
- raises breathing rate
- can cause fatigue
- slows recovery
- increases carb cravings
- may reduce strength for heavy lifting
Progesterone isn’t “anti-fitness”; it’s simply encouraging your body to slow down, recover, and conserve energy. This is why some women notice:
- lower motivation
- more soreness
- slower training pace
- better performance in moderate-intensity exercise rather than max effort
If estrogen is the supportive coach, progesterone is the “Okay, let’s not do anything dangerous today” parent.
How These Hormones Work Together
When you look at the entire cycle:
- High Estrogen (Follicular Phase):
Higher energy, better recovery, increased strength, perfect for harder workouts. - High Progesterone (Luteal Phase):
Fatigue rises, strength dips, and recovery slows, ideal for controlled tempo work, mobility, stability training, and lighter resistance days.
This is not about limiting yourself, but it’s about matching your training to your physiology so you work with your body instead of fighting it.
Key Insight #1 Your Training Doesn’t Need to Look the Same Every Week
Women often feel guilty when their motivation or strength fluctuates. But hormonally, this is completely normal.
Consistency doesn’t mean sameness.
Consistency means showing up, but adjusting intensity based on what’s happening internally.
Key Insight #2: Muscle Growth Is Possible at Any Age, With the Right Strategy
Women can gain significant muscle. It simply requires:
- slightly more reps
- slightly more volume
- slightly more recovery
- stable protein intake
- smart stress management
Men build faster because of testosterone, but women maintain their results longer because estrogen protects muscle.
Key Insight #3: Hormonal Awareness Reduces Frustration
Sometimes it’s not your mindset, effort, or discipline.
Sometimes it’s biology.
You’re not “lazy” on certain days; instead, you’re simply running on a different internal chemistry.
My Reflection
Today’s lesson felt surprisingly reassuring. I’ve always known I could lose weight when I committed to it, but keeping it off has been the real challenge, especially as I get older. Now I understand that the problem wasn’t just discipline; it was that I never focused on muscle mass from the beginning. When you lose muscle, especially as you age, your metabolism drops, and everything becomes harder in the long term.
This time, my focus is different. I’m paying attention to muscle first, and I can clearly see how sensitive my body is to daily habits. When my training changes and I get that familiar muscle ache, the next day my muscle mass usually goes up. But if I fall short on protein even once, my muscle mass drops immediately. It’s a stark reminder of how closely training and nutrition are linked.
Keeping my weight loss slow and steady has made a huge difference. I’m not starving myself, just being mindful. I eat during the day and avoid food after 6 p.m. Adding eggs and a simple morning salad has helped me preserve muscle while still losing weight.
I genuinely believe that this time I’ll reach my goal weight and maintain it. The fact that I’ve kept my previous weight loss for nearly a year and a half shows that my approach works; I simply paused my progress rather than regaining everything. Now, with a stronger awareness of muscle health, I’m setting myself up for success in the long run.
The most comforting part is realizing that muscle can be built at any age and by any gender. That gives me hope and motivation to keep going.
Biometric data
Change in Weight from Day 1:
Skeletal Muscle:
Muscle Mass:
Adjustment Ideas (Strategic & Realistic)
1. Add one recovery ritual depending on your cycle phase
For example:
- Follicular phase → add one extra strength set
- Luteal phase → add 5 minutes of stretching or slow breathing
2. Add a protein anchor to your day (non-negotiable)
Even one daily “protein ritual,” such as eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, or lean meat, helps stabilize recovery amid hormonal fluctuations.
3. Track your energy, not just your weight or muscle mass
Create a simple “3-word log” each morning:
Energy – Mood – Stress
This reveals hormonal patterns long before they show up on the scale.