About a month before discovering The Agenda, I was introduced to the idea that women’s cycles impact far more than just their periods. It opened my eyes to a truth I hadn’t considered before: most diet and wellness advice is built around the biology of men—not women. That hit hard.
I’ve known for a long time that diets don’t work—and that it’s primarily women who feel like they’re constantly “failing” at them. But this new layer brought everything full circle.
When I came across The Agenda’s work—helping women live in alignment with their cycles—it added even more depth and clarity. The emotional rollercoasters, the off days, the times when willpower seems impossible… they’re not personal flaws. They’re physiological shifts. And yet, we’ve been taught to ignore them.
How Diets Fail to Recognize the Power of Your Cycle
Women are constantly told to follow strict food rules, push hard every day, and “stay consistent.” So when they find it difficult to stick to rigid diet plans or intense workout routines, they blame themselves. They feel like they are the problem—not the unrealistic expectations or plans that were never designed with their bodies in mind.
Our energy, hunger, and physical needs naturally shift throughout our cycle. Your body is working exactly as it was designed to. There’s nothing wrong with you and nothing you need to “fix.” Understanding that most diet plans are modeled on the male body, with its steady hormones and predictable energy, can be a game changer. This kind of knowledge has the power to shift your entire approach to health and self-care-and I talk more about that in this blog post on intuitive eating after dieting.
The Missing Piece: How to Work With Your Cycle, Not Against It
What if instead of fighting your body, you worked with it?
What if your cycle could be a guide—helping you know when to push and when to rest, when to give yourself grace for increased hunger and cravings, when to plan ahead with meal prep, and when to keep things simple without guilt?This is part of what I help my clients learn—how to stop overriding their bodies and start tuning in. Understanding how your cycle affects you during the four phases—menstruation, follicular, ovulation, and luteal—while unlearning the harmful messages of diet culture, could be the missing piece you’ve been searching for to live a more peaceful, fulfilling, and happy life. If this resonates and you want support, reach out to me here- Got Questions? Let’s Chat!
Hi! I’m Jen Harris—non-diet coach and certified personal trainer. I help women ditch food guilt, stop obsessing over their bodies, and finally feel at home in their skin.
