For Parents
Understanding Her Cycle
For parents of a female athlete, the one part that stays her-specific.
If your athlete is a girl, once she starts menstruating her energy, strength, and needs shift across the month, and that is completely normal, not a weakness or an excuse. You do not need to track her cycle for her. You just need to understand it enough to support her: to make sure she is fueling and resting through it, and to know the one red flag that really matters.
Normalize it. A period is a sign of health, not something to be embarrassed about. The more matter-of-fact and shame-free you are, the more she will come to you when something is off.
Do
- Treat periods as a normal sign of health. Keep the conversation open and shame-free.
- Make sure she is eating enough, especially in the week before her period, when she needs more fuel.
- Learn the basics alongside her (see the Cycle Syncing lessons).
Don't
- Treat her cycle as an excuse, a weakness, or something awkward.
- Ignore changes, or brush off her telling you something feels wrong.
Watch for, important
- Irregular, late, or missing periods, or none by her mid-teens, are a RED FLAG for under-fueling (RED-S), not a sign of fitness.
- It means she needs MORE fuel and rest, and a doctor's visit. Never push through a missing period. Getting her cycle back is a sign of health and strength.
Educational content for healthy athletes and active people, not medical advice. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace care from your own doctor. Check with a qualified provider before starting anything new, especially if you are pregnant, managing a condition, or taking medication.