Cycle Syncing 101: How to Eat, Move & Rest Based on Your Hormone Phases
If you've ever felt like your energy, cravings, and mood are all over the place throughout the month, you're not going crazy. Your body is actually following a natural pattern that most of us were never taught to understand, let alone work with.
That 3pm energy crash that hits like a brick wall? The week where you feel like you could conquer the world, followed by days when getting out of bed feels impossible? The sudden craving for chocolate that feels completely out of your control? These aren't character flaws or signs that you need more willpower. They're your hormones doing exactly what they're designed to do.
Instead of fighting against these natural fluctuations and feeling like there’s something wrong with you, you can actually use them to your advantage! That's where cycle syncing comes in.
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What is Cycle Syncing and Why Should You Care?
Cycle syncing is the practice of aligning your nutrition, workouts, and lifestyle choices with the four phases of your menstrual cycle. Instead of trying to maintain the same routine every single day (hello, that's designed for men's 24-hour hormone cycle, not ours), you're supporting the natural rise and fall of your hormones throughout the month.
When you understand what's happening hormonally during each phase, you can adjust your routine to support those changes rather than wondering why some weeks you feel amazing and others you feel like you're dragging yourself through mud.
And no I don’t mean you have to overhaul your entire life every week. Just making some small shifts in what you eat, how you move, and how you structure your time can make a big difference in how you feel. I've seen this be the tipping point for women trying to relieve their bloating, finally get control over their cravings, and actually have stable moods throughout their cycle.
Understanding the Four Phases of Your Cycle
Before we dive into cycle syncing 101, you need to know the four phases of your menstrual cycle. If you're fuzzy on this, don't worry, most of us were never taught this in health class.
Menstrual Phase (Days 1-7): This is when you're bleeding and hormones are at their lowest point.
Follicular Phase (After bleeding ends until ovulation): Estrogen starts rising as your body prepares to release an egg. Your energy and creativity typically increase.
Ovulatory Phase (Around mid-cycle): Estrogen and testosterone peak, then LH surges to trigger ovulation. This is often when you feel most social and energetic.
Luteal Phase (After ovulation until your next period): Progesterone becomes dominant while estrogen dips and rises again mid-phase. This is typically the longest phase, lasting about two weeks.
Each phase brings different hormonal changes, and when you understand what's happening, you can support your body instead of fighting it.
Seed Cycling for Hormone Balance
Okay so now that you understand the phases of your menstrual cycle, one of the easiest ways to start cycle syncing is through seed cycling. It's simple, affordable, and supports your hormone balance throughout your cycle.
Here’s how seed cycling works:
From your period to ovulation: 1 tablespoon each of pumpkin seeds and flax seeds daily.
From ovulation to your period: 1 tablespoon each of sesame seeds and sunflower seeds daily.
The seeds in the first half of your cycle support healthy estrogen levels and provide fiber for elimination. The seeds in the second half are rich in vitamin E and magnesium to support progesterone production.
Buy your seeds whole and grind them fresh, or find a source that grinds them right before shipping to avoid rancidity. Make sure they're organic, and store them properly once ground.
My favorite seeds are from Funk It Wellness because they grind and blend the seeds you need for each phase of your cycle and ship them right to your door! You can use code LEAH15 to get a discount on seeds if you want to give Funk It Wellness a try.
How to Sync Your Workouts With Your Cycle
One of the easiest places to start with cycle syncing is your workouts. Your energy levels and recovery capacity change throughout your cycle, so why not work with that instead of forcing the same routine every day?
Menstrual Phase: Rest and Gentle Movement
When you're bleeding, your hormones are at their lowest. This doesn't mean you should avoid all movement, but it's not the time to push for personal records either. Focus on gentle, restorative activities like yoga, pilates, stretching, or walks. If you want to continue strength training, try lower weights with higher reps.
Follicular Phase: Building Energy
As estrogen rises, so does your energy. This is a great time for cardio if you enjoy it, and your body is primed for building strength. You'll likely find you recover faster and can handle more intensity than during your period.
Ovulatory Phase: Peak Performance
Estrogen and testosterone are at their peak, making this your natural time for high-intensity workouts and heavy lifting. If you're going to attempt that challenging workout class or try for a new personal best, this is the time.
Luteal Phase: Steady and Strong
Progesterone is now dominant, and while your energy might feel different, you can absolutely continue strength training. Focus on consistency rather than intensity. Lower weights with higher reps and more sets can be perfect here.
Cycle Syncing Nutrition: Eating for Your Hormones
Here's where cycle syncing gets really interesting. Your nutritional needs actually change throughout your cycle, and when you eat to support these changes, you'll likely notice improvements in your energy, cravings, and how you feel overall.
Menstrual Phase: Warming and Mineral-Rich Foods
You're bleeding, which means you're losing iron and other minerals.
Focus on iron-rich foods like:
grass-fed beef
dark leafy greens
and yes, even some dark chocolate!
Vitamin C-rich foods like bell peppers and strawberries will also help with iron absorption.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, cold brings pain while warmth relieves it. So this might be the time to skip the ice-cold smoothies and focus on warming foods like stews, bone broth, and soups.
If you're in summer and don't want hot foods, at least consider avoiding ice-cold drinks during your period.
This is also when your digestion might be more sensitive, so well-cooked, easy-to-digest foods are your friend.
Follicular Phase: Detox-Supporting Foods
As estrogen rises, you want to support your body's ability to process and eliminate it effectively.
Focus on cooling proteins like chicken, turkey, and white fish.
Load up on cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts because these contain compounds that support healthy estrogen metabolism.
Soluble fiber is huge during this phase. Think resistant starch from cooled and reheated potatoes, and plenty of sprouted foods.
Estrogen actually helps your cells become more sensitive to insulin, meaning you handle carbs better during this phase!
This is also a great time to experiment with finishing eating by 6:30 PM to give your body a nice long window for digestion and insulin clearance.
Ovulatory Phase: Anti-Inflammatory Foods
During ovulation, focus on anti-inflammatory foods. If you're sensitive to histamines, this is especially important as estrogen can increase histamine sensitivity. Load up on vitamin C-rich foods like:
Citrus
Kiwi
Colorful bell peppers
The nutrition during this phase is similar to the follicular phase, but with extra attention to anti-histamine foods and making sure you're supporting regular bowel movements as you head into the luteal phase.
Luteal Phase: Blood Sugar Balance
This is where blood sugar balance becomes extra important. With estrogen lower, you're less sensitive to insulin, making you more prone to blood sugar roller coasters. Focus on lower glycemic carbs like:
Lentils
Beans
Pumpkin
Squash
Warming proteins like beef and salmon work well here.
Magnesium-rich foods like dark leafy greens become especially important as progesterone can slow digestion slightly.
Ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric are also great to add to your meals during this phase!
How to Start Cycle Syncing Without Overwhelm
Here's the thing about cycle syncing 101…information is only useful if you actually implement it. Start small and keep building on it every month.
Step 1: Track your cycle. You can't sync what you don't track. Find an app that works for you and start paying attention to the four phases.
Step 2: Pick one area to focus on. Don't try to change your workouts, nutrition, and entire lifestyle overnight. Maybe start with adjusting your workouts for one full cycle.
Step 3: Layer in changes gradually. Once you've got workouts down, maybe add in the basic nutrition shifts like warming vs. cooling proteins. Then perhaps add seed cycling the following month.
Just pick one habit from this cycle syncing 101 guide that you'll start this month. Maybe it's switching to warming foods during your period, or adjusting your workout intensity based on your phase. Start there.
Cycle syncing isn't about adding more rules or restrictions to your life, it’s just about understanding your body and working with it instead of against it. When you start honoring your natural cycle, you might be surprised by how much better you feel!
Learn more about cycle syncing to support your hormones by downloading the free Painless Period Prep Guide!