Cycle Syncing Guide: How to Adjust Your Diet and Workouts to Your Menstrual Cycle
As women, our hormones fluctuate daily, affecting our mood, energy levels, appetite, and much more throughout the month. Hormone fluctuation is a natural function of our bodies, but too much variance can hinder living a balanced and happy life. For this reason, functional nutritionist Alisa Vitti coined the phrase "Cycle Syncing" and registered a trademark on it.
Cycle Syncing consists of changing lifestyle habits like your diet or exercise routine to match the phases of your menstrual cycle. When this method is applied, women can experience a wide range of benefits, ultimately leading to a happier, more balanced, and more fulfilling life. To begin to learn how to cycle sync, we must understand the four phases our bodies go through.
Menstrual Cycle Phases
Phase 1: Menstrual
The menstrual cycle is the phase you are most likely familiar with. This phase indicates the beginning of a new cycle and can last anywhere between 2-8 days. In this phase, your energy and hormone levels are low, and your uterine lining is shedding, causing you to bleed.
Phase 2: Follicular
The Follicular phase comes right after your menstrual phase. This is when your hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, start to rise, and you will feel much more energized. This phase generally lasts about nine days.
Phase 3: Ovulatory
Hormone levels peak during the ovulatory phase leading to a spike in testosterone and a surge in energy levels. Additionally, ovulation occurs during this phase, making you most fertile for the 3-5 days it lasts.
Phase 4: Luteal
Lastly is the Luteal phase, where hormone levels begin to drop. As your body prepares for the beginning of the next cycle and another menstrual phase, you will start to feel less and less energized and begin to experience the symptoms of PMS. This phase will last about ten days, depending on the person.
Now that you understand better the different phases that your body goes through and what is happening to make you feel the way you do, let's find out how Cycle Syncing could be an option to help you balance your body better.
Benefits for a Better You
This method will help you give your body what it needs, whether proper exercise, food, or rest. By understanding what your body can handle and needs at various points within your cycle, you'll begin to reap the benefits.
The benefits you may experience include:
Feeling more energized
Feeling more balanced
Fewer mood swings
More effective workouts
Decreasing period symptoms such as cramps and headaches
Improving mood
Lowering stress
Some women have even experienced weight loss as an extra benefit of this method. Another benefit that many women will find helpful is tracking fertility. Whether you're trying to conceive or not, it's beneficial to know the different phases and track which phase you're in based on your symptoms.
The benefits vary from person to person, but most women will feel an improvement, whether it be energy levels or mood. The specific types of people that can benefit the most from a hormone-balancing method like this one are women with PCOS, a hormone imbalance condition, or people who simply suffer from fatigue and extreme mood swings. Even if this doesn't sound like you, Cycle Syncing is zero risk and a very high reward, so why not try it and see if you can get more in tune with your body?
How do I Cycle Sync?
The first thing you need to do to cycle sync is know where you are in your cycle. You can use any period tracking app to track your symptoms and determine which phase you are in. Once you know where you are, you can start incorporating the diet and exercise that your body can handle and needs.
Cycle Syncing in the Menstrual Phase
Exercise: The menstrual phase is when you are at your weakest, and your body needs the most rest as it is already under much stress. If you’re feeling weak, don’t feel guilty. Take it easy and rest up. Your body needs it. A little bit of exercise can help alleviate the symptoms of your period, so doing easy yoga and going on walks can also be beneficial.
Food: You will want to eat iron-rich and magnesium-rich food since your body lacks those nutrients. Add meat, nuts, green leafy vegetables, and whole grains into your diet.
Cycle Syncing in the Follicular Phase
Exercise: Energy levels start to rise again in this phase, making it an excellent time to get back into exercise after a more restful period. Cardio and resistance training (using weights, bands, or body weight as resistance against gravity) are good options for exercise that your body will excel at in this phase.
Food: During this phase, opt for foods high in fiber and zinc, such as dark chocolate, avocados, and citrus fruits. To maintain a healthy balance, avoid excess alcohol, sugar, and caffeine.
Cycle Syncing in the Ovulatory Phase
Exercise: Your body is at its peak energy during this time, so you'll want to take advantage of that. HIIT workouts, CrossFit, and more intense strength training are good ideas of things you can do to make the most of this short phase. Now is the perfect time to push your body to its limits and do as much as you desire.
Food: You'll want to incorporate anti-inflammatory foods such as whole fruits and vegetables and fatty fish during this time. These foods help support your liver while your hormones are at an all-time high.
Cycle Syncing in the Luteal Phase
Exercise: Finally, in the luteal phase, hormones decrease again, and your body prepares for another period. Your energy will decrease over time, so you might be able to exercise a ton initially and then need more rest later. Do whatever your body tells you, but some good suggestions are yoga, pilates, and lighter strength training.
Food: In terms of food, you want to include heart-healthy fats such as walnuts, sweet potatoes, avocados, or beans. Some more foods you can try are chicken, eggs, veggies, seeds, and salmon.
Cycle syncing can be an excellent option for many women looking to be healthier and lead more balanced lifestyles. Most women notice results within two to three months after starting their cycle-syncing journey, so give it a try, and don't be discouraged if you don't see results right away.