Episode 285: Cycle Syncing 101: How to Eat, Move and Rest with your Hormones
Cycle Syncing 101: How to Eat, Move, and Live in Sync with Your Hormones
Balancing Hormones Naturally Podcast with Leah Brueggemann
Okay, so here is the thing about cycle syncing: it is not just another wellness trend to add to your already overflowing to-do list. It is the actual tipping point. The thing that finally helps your last bit of stubborn weight come off, your cravings calm down, your moods even out, and your energy stop crashing at 2 p.m. every single afternoon.
In this episode, I am breaking down cycle syncing 101: how to use nutrition, workouts, and lifestyle to support the natural rise and fall of your hormones through every phase of your cycle. Because here is the truth, you are not built to run on a 24-hour male hormone rhythm. You have a beautifully designed 28-ish day rhythm, and once you start working with it instead of against it, everything starts to click.
How interesting, right?
What You'll Learn in This Episode
• Why cycle syncing is the missing piece for stubborn weight, mood swings, and cravings
• The four phases of your menstrual cycle and what is happening hormonally in each one
• Menstrual phase: the iron, mineral, and vitamin C rich foods to prioritize while you are bleeding, plus the Chinese medicine principle of warm versus cold foods
• Why beef liver is a powerhouse during your period, and the chili hack that makes it taste good
• Follicular phase: cooling proteins, cruciferous vegetables, resistant starch, and why this phase is a goldmine for insulin sensitivity
• Ovulatory phase: antihistamine support, chia seed pudding, and the eleganic acid in berries that helps neutralize estrogen quinones
• Luteal phase: low glycemic carbs, warming proteins, magnesium-rich foods, and why blood sugar balance matters even more here
• How to adjust your workouts through every phase without sacrificing strength gains
• Seed cycling 101: the exact seeds, amounts, and timing to support estrogen and progesterone
• What to do if your cycles are irregular, if you are postpartum, or if you are on hormonal birth control
• How to actually start cycle syncing without overwhelm (hint: one habit per cycle)
Quick Cycle Syncing Cheat Sheet
Menstrual Phase (Days 1 to 7, bleeding phase)
• Hormones: at their lowest
• Vibe: rest, reflect, gentle movement
• Workouts: yoga, Pilates, stretching, walks, lower weight with higher reps
• Foods: iron-rich, mineral-rich, potassium-rich, vitamin C, warming foods like stews, chili, bone broth, sweet potatoes, ginger, wild rice, beef liver
• Skip: ice cold drinks and smoothies (cold brings pain, warm takes it away)
Follicular Phase (post-bleeding, estrogen rising)
• Hormones: estrogen rising, testosterone starting to climb
• Vibe: creativity, planning, networking, new projects
• Workouts: cardio and weight training, this is when you get strong
• Foods: cooling proteins (chicken, turkey, white fish), cruciferous veggies, sprouts, soluble fiber, resistant starch (cooled potatoes), liver support
• Bonus tip: finish eating by 6 or 6:30 p.m. to support insulin sensitivity overnight
Ovulatory Phase (estrogen and testosterone peak, LH surge)
• Hormones: estrogen peaks, testosterone peaks, LH surges
• Vibe: magnetic, outgoing, empathetic, perfect for hard conversations and big projects
• Workouts: high intensity, heavy lifting
• Foods: antihistamine support (vitamin C, nettle), berries (eleganic acid for estrogen detox), colorful peppers, kiwi, citrus, chia seed pudding
• Non-negotiable: pooping daily heading into luteal
Luteal Phase (ovulation to period, progesterone dominant)
• Hormones: progesterone rising, estrogen dipping with one mid-phase bump
• Vibe: reflective, slower, checking things off your list
• Workouts: strength training continues, lower weights and higher reps, Pilates, walking
• Foods: low glycemic carbs (lentils, beans, chickpeas), warming proteins (beef, salmon), magnesium-rich leafy greens, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, well-cooked everything
• Critical: blood sugar balance matters more than ever, especially if you deal with PMS or pre-period anxiety
Seed Cycling Made Simple
Period to ovulation: 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds + 1 tablespoon flax seeds daily
Ovulation to period: 1 tablespoon sesame seeds + 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds daily
Buy them whole and grind before eating (they go rancid fast), or grab them pre-ground from Funk It Wellness, where they are ground right before shipping. Use code LEAH15 to save.
Your Homework
• Pick ONE habit from this episode and start it this cycle. Just one. That is how this works.
• Share this episode with a friend and invite her to do it with you. Send it and say, hey, I love you, do you want to do this with me?
Episode Sponsors
Eversio Wellness Mushrooms
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Visit eversiowellness.com for 10% off the Starter Set, and stack code LEAH for an extra 15% off.
Funk It Wellness Seed Cycling
Organic, freshly ground seed cycling kits delivered on subscription. Use code LEAH15 to save.
Want to Go Deeper?
Grab my free hormone training and learn my 3 secrets to balancing hormones naturally at freehormonetraining.com
Ready to actually reset your hormones, get your cycle back, and stop guessing? The Hormone Reset Program is where we walk you through cycle syncing step by step with recipe guides, Pinterest boards, custom workouts from Coach Katie, and full team support. Book a free consult call with Alexis at bit.ly/hrpfreecall
Connect with Leah
• Instagram: @leah_brueg
Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, supplement routine, or lifestyle, especially if you are pregnant, postpartum, taking medications, or managing a medical condition. Leah Brueggemann is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P) and is not a licensed medical doctor. Results vary from person to person.
The recommendations presented in this podcast are not a substitute for medical advice from a qualified doctor. Before making any changes to your diet and lifestyle, please consult with your healthcare provider.
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