Cycle Syncing: Tailoring Exercise to Your Menstrual Cycle
By Chloe Jacob
Diet culture is a phenomenon that has swept the world for multiple decades at this point. From weight watchers to the keto diet to intermittent fasting, a myriad of solutions to lose weight have been tried and tested. The common denominator – most diets usually fail. According to Michigan Medicine [1], about 90% of people who lose a lot of weight regain all the weight they lost and then some. Women in particular are targeted by multitudes of programmes, weight loss tablets and teas, fad diets and so on – so how should one know how to get healthier when there are so many options with so many mixed reviews?
When I began my journey into weight-loss it was not an aesthetic choice – I did not want to be skinny, or to reach a certain weight, I simply wanted to feel healthier and stronger, to have more energy and more ability to live my life the way I wanted without my weight impacting me. In my journey, I have lost 15kg over a year and I attribute it to one thing – cycle syncing.
As a STEM student, I refuse to engage in diet culture phenomena that are not scientifically studied to be not only beneficial to weight-loss, but also beneficial to my mood, my energy and my happiness. I waned to set myself up for success. In my research I stumbled upon a study conducted on 60 women where half of the group followed a food and exercise programme that provided them with the correct levels of activity and nutrients for the corresponding time of their menstrual cycle, with the control group following the same plan but out of sync with their cycle [2]. The study was conducted over 6-months and the results clearly demonstrated two facts:
- Women who synced their diet and exercise with the correct point of their menstrual cycle were significantly more likely to finish the programme due to feeling that the plan correctly corresponded to their needs throughout [2].
- Women who synced their diet and exercise lost considerably more weight then the control group [2].
These two takeaways were paramount to my decision to try this method. I mean, simply on concept, it makes so much sense. I know personally that at different times in the month my energy fluctuates and typical workout programmes I had followed never accounted for this. Once I started I would feel great but as my energy dipped throughout the month it was so much more diƯicult to maintain a weekly programme which lead to failure frequently. Moving to a monthly programme felt like something had finally clicked – as if it was made for me.
So, if you are interested in the idea of trying to cycle synch, here is the basics:
There are four phases of the menstrual cycle [3]:
- Menstruation
The first day of your period, when the lining of the uterus is shed. This phase usually lasts about five days.
- Follicular Phase
This phase occurs from about day 1 to day 14 of the cycle. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels rise during this phase to help egg follicles mature.
- Ovulation
This phase occurs around day 14 of a 28-day cycle, but can vary depending on the length of your cycle. A surge in luteinising hormone (LH) and FSH levels causes the release of a mature egg.
- Luteal Phase
This phase occurs after the release of the egg, from about day 14 to day 28 of a 28-day cycle.
In the menstruation phase, your energy is typically lower, and cramps and pain due to periods can cause you to be more lethargic. Recommended exercise at this stage is low impact movements, like yoga or low intensity walks [3].
In the follicular phase oestrogen and progesterone start to increase and thus exercise such as resistive training and endurance training is beneficial as you gain your energy back. Hiking, and weight training are suitable in this phase [3].
In the ovulation phase, the LH surge gives you more abundance of energy and thus high intensity exercise is the most suitable in this phase such as high intensity interval training and spin classes [3].
In the luteal phase, you begin to lose your energy again and for individuals who struggle with PMS, mood swings and pain can make exercise extremely difficult. In this phase, your exercise is dependent on what your body is up for. If you still feel energised returning to weight training is a good idea or if you are struggling with pain reducing back to low intensity exercise is appropriate [3].
In summary, this method is a very freeing way to experience healthy living and is tailored to anyone who menstruates. While weight loss is never a requirement (once you are happy with your weight that is all that matters!), engaging in cycle syncing can revolutionise your life through finally accounting for such a significant aspect of our biological processes!
Sources:
[1] Runge, Marschall. 2017. “Why It’s Difficult to Keep Weight Off, Scientist Share Weight Loss Study.” https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/weighing-facts-tough-truth-about-weight-loss.
[2] Geiker, Nina RW, Christian Ritz, Sue D Pedersen, Thomas M Larsen, James O Hill, and Arne Astrup. 2016. “A Weight-Loss Program Adapted to the Menstrual Cycle Increases Weight Loss in Healthy, Overweight, Premenopausal Women: A 6-Mo Randomized Controlled Trial.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 104 (1): 15–20.
[3] Krupp, Allison. 2020. “How to Use Cycle Syncing to Connect with Your Body.” https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/guide-to-cycle-syncing-how-to-start#diet.
