Annie knows what it’s like to feel ruled by hormones. Learning her cycle changed everything, and now she teaches womxn how to do the same - with honesty, grounding and zero shame.

 

Name: Annie McCallum

Pronouns: she/her

Day job: Menstrual Cycle Coach and Yoga Teacher

Location: Bass Coast, Victoria

 

Describe your work in one sentence.

I help women say bye to PMS and period pain with education, yoga practices and simple lifestyle changes.

 

What’s the short story of how you got here?

Most people don’t know that I have a Bachelor of Commerce and majored in Finance. I worked at one of the largest global banks for years in a corporate role. Everyone kept telling me I was ‘killing it’, but inside I felt so alone and unhappy. I felt like I was just going through life, not really living. I studied finance because I was good at maths and took jobs that looked good on paper, but none of it aligned with who I truly was. When I was offered a permanent role at a global bank, complete with a corporate card and international travel, I realised no promotion could fix the feeling that I was climbing the wrong ladder. I turned it all down, booked a one-way ticket to South America and began the journey of listening to myself for the first time.

 

What inspired you to create Flow in Cycle?

Like many women, I used to feel controlled by my hormones. I felt exhausted, frustrated and in pain most of the month but didn’t know why. I used to say things like ‘I hate my period’. I felt completely disconnected from my body and my cycle, but had no idea where to begin. Each month I would take painkillers and curl up on the couch with my heat pack. I just wanted my period to go away. I tried talking to doctors who seemed to only have one solution: go on the pill. I wanted a natural solution but felt lost, alone and in pain.

Seeking answers, I turned to acupuncture. For the first time in my life, I was asked about the intricate details of my period – the colour, texture, length and symptoms – things I didn’t realise even mattered. Lying there with needles all over my body, I realised the problem wasn’t my period, it was my disconnection from it.

I was welcomed into the world of menstrual health. I tracked my cycle daily for two years, uncovering its patterns. Through research and self-exploration, I adjusted my lifestyle, diet and movement to support each phase, deepening my connection to my body. I knew myself on a whole new level and finally felt connected to my version of a healthy body.

I realised that for women to connect with their cycle, we need to understand how it works and how it affects everyday life. We need knowledge and tools to regulate our hormones so we can feel good all month long. Now I’m on a mission to provide exactly that to all women.

 

What does “flow” mean to you, and how do you stay connected to yours?

To me, flow means deep listening and connection. To flow is to connect with your intuition and move with your body and cycle, not against it. I track my cycle every day as a way to reflect and connect with it; to notice its unique patterns and how I move through each phase.

How does movement shape the way we experience our cycle?

Exercise is vital for our hormonal health. Not only does exercise, especially strength training and calming yoga, help to reduce stress in the body, but it also releases endorphins to boost our mood, which can drop the week before our bleed. Exercise also supports our liver function, which is important for eliminating hormones and keeping them balanced. Exercise supports our mental, physical and hormonal health.

 

Where do you stand on resting vs. pushing through?

Nothing in nature blooms all year. We are a part of nature and follow these cycles. I always say the more we rest in menstruation, the more we can shine in ovulation.

 

What does a period-supportive workout look like?

During our bleed, our energy is at its lowest. We want to honour this by moving slowly and allowing ourselves to rest. I like to do restorative yoga practices that focus on opening the hips. The psoas muscle, which runs through our hips, is deeply connected to period pain. When our psoas is tight, our period pain worsens. We want to open the hips, but in a way that is supported and grounded. We are more prone to injury in this phase, so use bolsters and props. I like to do a supported reclined butterfly, child’s pose over a bolster, supported legs up the wall and butterfly pose. These increase blood flow to the womb and reproductive organs, help release the psoas and allow our natural flow to move down and out.

 

What myths do you hear most about training on your period?

We should avoid movement altogether. This is not true. A 2018 study found that people who exercised for 30 minutes, three days per week, for eight weeks had less menstrual pain than those who did not. They concluded that exercising during and before a period may reduce symptoms. We need to keep moving, just shift to a slower, more supportive style of movement and not overdo it.

 

Is syncing movement to your cycle phases actually worth it?

Yes. I practised this for two years and feel more connected to my body than ever. Our energy changes with our hormones, and so do our endurance and recovery. The frequency and intensity of our workouts should be given more weight than the type of exercise we do. I believe you should find a movement you love and adjust the intensity and frequency instead. For me, that’s yoga. I built a yoga program for every phase of the cycle that supports our change in energy and strength throughout the month. 

 

How important is open chat about periods, hormones, and pelvic health?

As someone who grew up in a household that didn’t talk about periods, it is extremely important to me. I grew up without any education or understanding of my cycle, which led me to believe something was wrong with me when I didn’t feel the same each week of the month. This knowledge is power and helps women show up in the world more confident and compassionate towards themselves.

What shifts would you love to see in how society views menstruation?

Menstruation is not dirty. I wish society would see it as the natural process it is – a vital part of women’s health and something that should be discussed by everyone. It is also not holding women back. When we learn how to harness the phases of our cycle, we accomplish so much without burning out or feeling like we’re constantly behind. 

What’s your go-to ritual when you’re bleeding? What does period self-care mean to you?
Womb oil massage every time. It’s a beautiful way to ease cramps, bring circulation and blood flow to your womb so your period flows smoother, and a great way to connect to your body in a loving way. Instead of staring at your lower belly with disgust, we nurture her with love, care and gratitude.

 

What tools or products help you feel grounded across your cycle?

I love womb oil, herbal teas and cuddling my dog to stay grounded during my bleed. I also swear by period undies. They are the best. They don’t leak, they feel supportive and they don’t mess with our vaginal health.

 

Do you track your cycle, and how has it changed things for you?

Yes. I have tracked my cycle for years and it has to be the simplest yet powerful tool. I learnt that one week before my period I can have trouble sleeping, so I need to prioritise my sleep routine. I learnt that my stress also increases in that week, so I need to prioritise self-care and walks in nature. I learnt so much about my cycle and exactly how to support my body through every phase.

 

What’s one thing everyone should know about their cycle?

The pill does not fix your cycle. It only blocks the symptoms while you are on it. As soon as you come off, they return, sometimes worse than before. The only way to heal your cycle is to go to the root of the problem and understand how to live with your four phases.

 

Why do you think periods still feel taboo?

Period blood is still considered dirty and shameful, when it is a natural process of the body, just like breathing. The difference is that it is only experienced by women, who still experience oppression and inequality in most cultures.

 

If you had every womxn’s attention for a minute, what would you say?

PMS and period pain are common, but they are not normal. You can make simple lifestyle changes to say bye to both.

What are your hopes for the future of period talk?

For all women to be empowered with knowledge about their cycle so they can remember how powerful they truly are. My hope is to see women’s yoga taught openly in all yoga teacher trainings and studios. For all women and girls to be able to talk about periods without shame, to buy pads and tampons without embarrassment or hiding them, and to feel proud of their bodies and the amazing miracle of having a period.

 

MY CYCLE

• My period in 3 words: Slow, grounded, release
• Period self-care toolkit: Womb oil, restorative yoga, period undies
• Favourite herb for hormone balance? Not a herb, but magnesium glycinate is my ultimate hormone balancer
• What’s your ultimate period outfit? Anything Indigo Luna
• Contraception of choice: Fertility awareness method
• On day 1, we'll find you: Sleeping in, moving slowly and loading up on warm nourishing foods
• Fave period comfort food? Beef bourguignon with beetroot and mashed potato
• Best period movement? Slowly and intuitively. A restorative yoga practice that focuses on releasing the hips and lower back
• Scarlet pick: Scarlet Period High-Waist Brief