A lazy Sunday turned even lazier last month when I woke up to find I’d started my period. My day was spent with a heating pad over my stomach, wrapped around my low back, sitting across the tops of my thighs, and basically any other part of my body between my belly button and my knees.
Wanting to get to the root of the problem instead of just covering it up with Tylenol and chocolate which, for the record, I’m not above, I wanted to look into more holistic approaches to nourishing and balance my body in a time it clearly needed it.
A wellness buzzword I’d seen scrolling through Instagram (shoutout @leefromamerica), the phrase “cycle-syncing” kept popping into my head, and because nothing in this world is coincidence, I knew I had to investigate further.
What is “cycle-syncing?”
Created by functional nutritionist Alisa Vitti and covered in her book “Woman Code,” Cycle-syncing is essentially a way to biohack your hormones to be your best you, no matter what time of the month it is. We know that as women our hormone levels naturally change throughout the cycle, but other than wanting to just nestle in with Netflix and a ratty pair of sweatpants, we don’t generally grant ourselves permission to leverage those waves, thinking we always needing to be at the top of our game to compensate those few days of the month we feel out of commission.
In her book, Vitti explains why it’s so important to balance these hormones, not just for the sake of feeling better. Viti describes that hormone imbalances begin as nagging symptoms, like mood swings, weight gain, excessive cramping, etc. but when left unchecked can actually create larger health issues.
There are a number of facets to cycle-syncing, like adjusting your diet, how you schedule your social calendar and when/how you take on new projects, but for all intents and purposes (mostly not wanting to be overwhelmed with a complete lifestyle overhaul), this post is dedicated purely to the effects of incorporating cycle syncing into my fitness routines.
What hooked me in to cycle-syncing is that there is no right or wrong, no guilt. It empowers women with information about their bodies to make decisions that helps them unlock things that may have otherwise been hidden as a “weakness.”
What happens in each phase of your cycle and how does it affect athletic performance?
Menstruation (3-7 days)
What’s happening: As your estrogen and progesterone levels begin drop to trigger menstruation, your energy levels drops with it.
Suggested Activities: Low-impact activities to keep you moving. Pilates, gentle yoga, and going for a walk are all great options
What worked for me:
- DAY 1: I took to my yoga mat for 45 minutes of slow flowing time-of-the-month yoga. Since I know I tend to cramp in my whole lower body, it was full of hamstring releasing forward folds, spinal twists and gentle hip openers.
- DAY 2: With an itch to go for a run but an even stronger desire to actually stick to this plan, I walked a few miles on the treadmill at our gym’s apartment. To my amazement instead of feeling bored and wondering, “why bother?” I actually felt nourished, challenged almost. Like maybe this is exactly what my body needed all along.
- DAY 3 + 4: I was back on my mat and day 4 was a full blown rest day.
Follicular Phase (7-10 days)
What’s Happening: Hormone levels start to rise as your brain releases FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). Follicles are created with the intention of releasing an egg for fertilization, which will increase estrogen and energy levels. Mentally you’re the most stimulated as well, so it’s a great time to take on a new activity or finally try acro-yoga.
Suggested Activities: Weights, HIIT workouts, Zumba, anything that might get you out of your comfort zone
What Worked For Me:
- DAY 5: I went to a HIIT/strength training class at a popular new studio opening up across the street from me. I’d signed up well before I knew I was going to be trying this cycle-syncing thing out so I’m very glad my body was in a space to be ready for more intense movements. This workout was still pretty tough (probably in part to the 30lb medicine ball I was left with to do Russian Twists since all the lighter weights were taken) but I could tell even after that workout that my energy levels were higher than they had been in the last few days.
- DAY 6-8: These days a combination of a speed workout, another HIIT class, and a slightly longer tempo run.
- DAY 9: A this point my body was ready to rest, not because of my energy levels but because I know I’d been working out more – and at a higher intensity – than normal.
Ovulation (3-5 days)
What’s Happening: After the rise in FSH, LH (luteinizing hormone) levels increase to signal to the newly created follicles that it’s time to release an egg. Ovulation begins when the follicle ruptures (don’t worry, that’s a good thing!) and the egg begins to travel to the good ol’ fallopian tube.
Suggested Activities: With both rising estrogen and testosterone levels you’ll have energy to burn. The increase in testosterone may inspire you to kick it up a notch with high impact workouts while the estrogen makes you crave community. This is the perfect time to hit up a spin class, bootcamp or bikram yoga.
What Worked For Me:
- DAY 11: As luck would have it, these “high-energy” days coincided with Thanksgiving, my sister coming to town and the kickoff to general holiday craziness. I truthfully didn’t make my workouts much of a priority (other than an obligatory Thanksgiving Turkey Trot) but I could feel every part of my body craving movement.
- DAY 14: With my sister working on homework and ClassPass credits burning a hole in my account, I jumped at the chance to get out for a hot yoga class.
- DAY 16 + 17: By days 16 and 17 I was using that last surge of energy to crush some interval treadmill runs. And crush them I did.
Luteal/Pre-menstrual Phase (10-14 days)
What’s Happening: We’re in the home stretch, folks. Progesterone and estrogen, both responsible for thickening the uterine lining levels, are at their peak for most of this phase. Just before the festivities begin and Aunt Flow comes for her visit, progesterone, estrogen and testosterone all levels fall to their lowest levels. This quick drop can account for some of the acne, insomnia and moodiness we know all too well.
Suggested Activities: With hormone levels being at their highest in the beginning of the phase, try slow strength training or intense yoga classes. As you get closer to the start of your period, listen to your body and tone it back with more restorative, gentle movements.
What Worked For Me:
- DAY 19 + 23: I headed to a new gym in town for a slower strength training class. A runner for 12 years and a soccer player for 8 before that, I don’t exactly have the most developed upper body. 5lb weights and I were besties. But with my newfound faith in this cyclesyncing method, I decided to opt for something a little heavier. I was SHOCKED when I could lift the 10lb weights in each hand like they were the wine bottles I’d be cracking open that night.
- DAY 26: Ready to brave the cold and get a little cardio in, I headed out for a run Mentally prepared for closer to 6 or 7 miles, my body was *fully* done at 3.5. I was cramping from basically the start and felt like I couldn’t maintain my breath despite a couple walk breaks. Lightbulb moment: Maybe this is that time the app was talking about when your hormone levels were going to plummet?
- DAY 28: I originally thought I was going to do a 90min hot yoga class but after the previous difficulty running just a few miles, I knew toning it back to the 60min would serve me best.
- DAY 29: Despite knowing better, I signed up for another HIIT workout. I knew my body was physically able to but nothing in me was there for it. I gave it a go for the sake of science but it was clear this was NOT the workout meant for my body that day.
How do I know where I’m at in my cycle?
All of this can be tracked in the extremely convenient MyFLO app. Not only will it tell you which phase you’re in so you can plan accordingly, you can plug in your symptoms any day and it will give you instant feedback on ways to combat them. Every day there are new mental, exercise, and nutrition prompts to keep you on the right path as well as a way to sync a reminder to your calendar to schedule that yoga class or add extra good fats to your diet – as if I needed a reminder to eat my avocado toast.
Do I recommend cycle-syncing?
Let it be known I’m not a doctor, just a girl with a blog and curiosity for unlocking her own body’s potential. All I know is what I experienced in my body. That said, I definitely see the benefits of incorporating cycle-syncing into your wellness routines. Besides my workout just feeling more in sync, I noticed a significant decrease in the number and severity of symptoms. My cramps were minimal, my emotions more stable, and my hormonal acne slightly calmer. That might be a job for celery juice.
While your needs may vary, the physiological changes can’t be denied and there’s something extra beautiful in respecting the natural energy changes of the female body.
After all, our bodies were designed to create, carry and nourish life – no small feat. So often we forget to nourish our own bodies and give it the respect it deserves for all the things it goes through in a month. Next up, cycle syncing my diet. Stay tuned!
For more on cycle-syncing, this post from Bulletproof.com and this one from @LeeFromAmerica’s blog are extremely helpful resources. If you’re more of an audio learner, this Almost 30 podcast and this one from Lacy Philip’s Expanded podcast And of course, going straight to the source with Alisa Vitti’s wide range of online resources for all things related to women’s health, from ways to naturally heal from PCOS, endometriosis, and how to conquer your libido.
Ready for more wellness goodness? Check out some of my other blog posts below or follow along on Instagram at @tighthips.openheart.
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