What is Cycle Syncing?
The concept of cycle syncing is to understand the hormone fluctuations in your body and to use those to your advantage. There are normal fluctuations in your sex hormones not only daily but throughout the day.
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These fluctuations can affect your performance, appetite, moods, and even how well your exercising goes. This is a new concept in women’s health and there are few studies as of yet but it is gaining tractions.
The concept was invented by Alisa Vitti, a functional Nutritionist. She is the author of Women Code and the developer of the app, In Flo.
Why is it useful?
Every woman can benefit from cycle syncing. It helps you understand your hormones and your body better. For example, it is very common for women to reach for junk food and sugar during their period. But it they understand which foods will keep them satisfied and reduce those cravings then they will not reach for the bad foods. But it is especially helpful for those woman with:
PCOS
Infertility
Want to lose weight
Mood problems like low libido or anxiety
How do I eat for my cycle?
Hormone imbalance is triggered by eating bad foods. So understanding the how to eat the right foods for your cycle will fix your hormone imbalance. If you have a lot of digestion issues like bloating, constipation, or diarrhea then you may have a food intolerance. I would suggest you find the foods that trigger your symptoms. My autoimmune protocol will help you if you have an autoimmune disease.
| Phase | |
| Menstrual | Estrogen and progesterone levels are low. Add foods that will help with cramps and replenish the nutrients that are being lost during shedding of the lining. Teas such as chamomile, and avoiding alcohol, caffeine, fatty foods, and limit sugar. |
| Follicular | Estrogen and progesterone are on the rise.Incorporate foods that metabolize estrogen. Focus on fermented foods and sprouted foods like broccoli, kimchi,kombucha, or sprouted grains. |
| Ovulation | Estrogen peaks. Eat foods that support your liver so it can metabolize extra estrogen. Focus on anti-inflammatory foods such as whole fruits, vegetables, almonds, and fish. |
| Luteal | Estrogen and progesterone both surge and then decline at the end. Progesterone will be peak while estrogen and testosterone go down. You will be getting prepared for menstruation. Focus on foods that are rich in magnesium (dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, and spinach) to fight fatigue and low libido as those hormones decline. You should also add foods that boost your mood (serotonin) such as green leafy veggies, quinoa, and buckwheat. You should avoid red meat, alcohol, artificial sweeteners or flavors, added salt, because these will cause cramps to be worse during menstruation. Set yourself up for success during this week. |
How does the exercise I do affect my cycle?
The concept of cycle syncing and exercise is that the body performs at different levels depending on your phase. It is not a good idea to kill yourself at the gym all the time because it could be working against you. So understanding how your body performs will help you get the most out of your exercise without causing your body more stress (harm).
| Phase | |
| Menstrual | Light exercise if you feel up to it. Gentle yoga, stretching, or walking is a great option. Your body needs to rest. |
| Follicular | Your hormones are still low so need to focus on light exercise routines. Hiking, flow yoga, light cardio like dancing (endorphins, yeah). Your stamina and peak performance will be lower so do not overdo the exercise. Strive for the more intense options closer to ovulation. |
| Ovulation | Your hormones are peaking. Go for the GOLD! You can do high intensity exercise such as hot yoga, spinning, HIT classes, kick boxing, etc. You should have the most energy during this phase. |
| Luteal | As you prepare for menstruation, your hormones will fluctuate during this phase. Progesterone will rise and peak. While estrogen and testosterone will slowly decline. This is the time to focus on strength training. Your testosterone will decline over the phase and so decreasing your intensity is important. Pilates, bodypump, and TRX are good choices. |
How does cycle syncing help me get pregnant?
Cycle syncing helps you to understand your body and your hormones. If you are trying to conceive (TTC) naturally then you need to understand the phases of the menstrual cycle, how your body acts during them, and how to detect a problem. Trying to conceive naturally involves monitoring your BBT (basal body temperature), charting your cycles, and boosting your fertility.
If you want access to great information about testing and tracking your cycles, click on the image below.
