THE GIRLS GYM: Designing a Cycle-Synced Fitness & Nutrition App for Women
Standing Out in a Crowded Market:
How THE GIRLS GYM Empowers Women Through Knowledge, Movement, and Nutrition
Contributions
Product Manager
UI/UX Designer/Researcher
End-to-end Delivered FInal Producct
Overall
THE GIRLS GYM is a women-centered digital wellness platform that combines cycle-synced training, nutrition planning, and expert education in one cohesive experience. Built with the understanding that women’s bodies change throughout the month, the app personalizes workouts and nutrition based on hormonal phases, helping users train smarter, eat better, and feel balanced.
Business Context
The founders — a team of female fitness experts and me — saw that most mainstream fitness apps are designed with a male physiology in mind. Women’s unique hormonal cycles were ignored, leading to burnout, plateaus, and frustration.
Our user research with 20+ women work work out revealed a massive opportunity: women want fitness and nutrition plans that evolve with their cycles, not against them. THE GIRLS GYM was built to close that gap — using science and empathy to reframe how women approach health.
Design Goals
Make Science Feel Supportive: Simplify cycle insights into friendly, actionable guidance.
Build Trust: Highlight experts and evidence-based content throughout the journey.
Drive Retention: Encourage daily engagement through dynamic cycle tracking and expert tips.
Empower, Don’t Pressure: Replace the “no pain, no gain” tone with empathy and education.
Product Flows
Onboarding
Splash Screen:
Purpose: Build instant recognition.
Design Choice: The GIRLS GYM logo on a dark, textured background, signaling elegance, confidence, and warmth.Welcome Screen
Purpose: Quickly communicate value.
Design Choice: “Get Started with THE GIRLS GYM,” with a real woman smiling mid-workout, creating connection and authenticity.Sign-in Flow
Purpose: Make joining frictionless.
Design Choice: Mobile, Apple, Google, or Facebook — with mobile as the primary CTA for accessibility.
THE GIRLS Pass Subscription
Purpose: Encourage long-term commitment.
Design: A visually rich paywall screen featuring two tiers (monthly & yearly), with transparent value explanation:
Cycle-aware training and meal planning Exclusive nutrition programs
Access to certified female coaches
Copy Tone: “Invest in Your Flow.”
Home Dashboard & Discovery
Purpose: Centered around “Today’s Phase.”
Dynamic content changes by hormonal stage:
Cycle Phase Indicator:
"You’re in the Luteal Phase (Day 19)"
This section contextualizes the user’s day in their cycle so the app can tailor training, nutrition, and wellness advice accordingly.
Training Focus
Three cards suggest training recommendations suited for this phase.
Nutrition Focus of This Phase
Evidence-based nutrition recommendation.
e.g.: Highlighted Card emphasizes the need for “Higher Protein” during the phase. During the luteal phase, rising progesterone increases protein breakdown, so the body needs more protein to maintain and repair muscle tissue. The image of a steak reinforces the idea visually.
Educational Section: Female Health
Features expert content by Dr. Stacy Sims, a well-known exercise physiologist specializing in female physiology.
Expert Profiles
Purpose: Build confidence through transparency.
Design: Each expert (e.g., Dr. Stacy Sims) has a full profile — featuring credentials, focus areas, and linked articles.
Result: The experience feels backed by science, not algorithms.
Content & Education
Purpose: Inspire informed self-care.
Design: Magazine-style article pages. The “Add to Favorites” button lets users curate their learning journey — turning the app into a personal wellness library.
Outcome
Built a mobile-first experience that empowers women to approach health holistically, from workouts to meals to mindset.
Delivered high-fidelity designs that honor women’s natural rhythms and cycles.
Created a platform that listens to women’s bodies, redefining fitness as a journey of alignment rather than resistance.
Visual Identity & Color Choice
The design language communicates warmth, confidence, and calm:
Rich Browns & Copper Accents: Evoke groundedness and feminine strength.
Soft Neutrals: Keep the UI approachable, balancing premium aesthetics with comfort.
Dark Mode Aesthetic: Feels intimate and immersive, perfect for both early-morning or evening use.
The palette and typography intentionally diverge from the cold, hyperactive fitness aesthetic. It feels like a trusted health companion, not a competitive app.
Impact
To validate the design, I conducted prototype testing with target customers in Boston, and early prototype testing among 25 women showed powerful emotional and behavioral validation:
Relevance: 92% said the cycle-synced nutrition felt “game-changing.”
Ease of Use: 95% rated onboarding as “effortless and intuitive.”
Trust: 90% said expert profiles made them feel safer sharing health data.
Retention Potential: 85% said they would continue daily use for at least one full cycle.
Quotes:
“It finally feels like an app that understands my body, not just my goals.”
“The nutrition changes each week make me feel supported, not restricted.”
Giving Back to the
Figma Community
This design is inspired by general delivery app workflows, luxury app aesthetics, and Pommy Sourasith’s glowing interface design and tutorials. If you’re part of the Figma community, feel free to reach out and draw inspiration from my design for your own unique app. Let’s make an impact together as product designers!
Problem
Women experience four distinct hormonal phases every month — each affecting energy, metabolism, recovery, and cravings. Yet most fitness and diet plans ignore this, offering rigid programs that often backfire.
Users described feeling:
“Guilty” for low-energy days
“Confused” about what to eat and when
“Frustrated” that traditional apps didn’t reflect their real bodies
Target Audience
Primary: Women aged 25–45 who want sustainable health, not quick fixes — including professionals, mothers, and health enthusiasts.
Secondary: Women navigating hormonal transitions (postpartum, perimenopause).
They value data-driven guidance, emotional wellbeing, and personalization.
Core Differentiation
Unlike traditional fitness platforms, THE GIRLS GYM adapts to each phase of the menstrual cycle:
Follicular Phase: Build strength & power. Recommend HIIT workouts and higher-carb meals.
Ovulatory Phase: Peak performance. Suggests heavier training and lean-protein meals.
Luteal Phase: Recovery & nourishment. Promotes mobility work and nutrient-dense, warming foods.
Menstrual Phase: Rest & reset. Encourages yoga, walking, and iron-rich meals
By syncing workouts and nutrition, the app helps women stay consistent — not despite their hormones, but in harmony with them.