Cycle syncing is aligning your lifestyle habits to support what menstrual cycle phase you’re in.

We have four phases throughout our cycle – menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal.

Our hormone levels and physical/mental needs are different in each phase.

Not only learning about these but how to lean into them will both help tune into your cycle and feel better mentally and physically.

The big three when it comes to cycle syncing are diet, exercise, and lifestyle.

From there you can start paying attention to all aspects of your mental and physical health in each phase and support what you need depending on where you are in your cycle.

To start you need to know where you are in your cycle.

If you don’t already track your cycle I can’t recommend it enough. Even if it’s just noting when your period is, and how long your cycle is. (If you want to learn how to chart your cycle check out my course)

*Note* As you go through a few cycles you might realize your needs in a particular phase don’t match with what’s recommended for that phase.

Alter your cycle syncing needs based on your unique cycle.

Hormonal birth control can impact how you experience your cycle and phases.

As I go through each phase I’ll give a quick breakdown of what’s happening and therefore what we need. Then I’ll share diet and exercise recommendations.

Menstrual Phase

This is viewed as the start of our cycle, Day 1 begins with our period. (Premenstrual spotting doesn’t count.)

The menstrual phase lasts around 5 days. Yours may be shorter or longer.

If the egg from our last cycle wasn’t fertilized, our body sends a signal that it’s time to shed the lining of our uterus (our period) and prepare for the next cycle.

Both estrogen and progesterone are low in this phase, which can cause us to experience PMS symptoms.

Since we’re losing blood we need to focus on iron-rich foods such as whole grains, spinach, broccoli, tofu, eggs, red meat, liver, and fish. (If you’re anemic consider a supplement like Blood Builder by MegaFood)

Magnesium will help with cramps and mood. Spinach, avocados, bananas, black beans, dark chocolate, seeds and nuts. (You can also get something like Calm or a magnesium spray to use before bed)

Warm things feel good on our periods. Hot teas, warm soups, hot baths, heating pads, etc.

Other helpful food during our period – healthy fats, root vegetables, and water-rich fruits and vegetables. Some examples of these are avocados, cheese, dark chocolate, eggs, and nuts (for healthy fats). Onions, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and garlic (root vegetables). And watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, oranges, cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers, and celery (water-rich foods)

And then of course more water, less alcohol, caffeine, and salty/fatty foods.

When it comes to exercise, less is more in this phase. Rest is necessary and probably what your body is asking for. You can try low-intensity exercises like walks, yoga, stretching, and easy strength/cardio. They say gentle exercise can help with cramping.

Follicular phase

Our follicular phase technically starts with our period and lasts until ovulation (around 14 days). But for today we’ll say it’s from CD 6-10. After our period estrogen, progesterone, and FSH rise to get things going in our ovaries prepping the next batch of eggs.

You’ll notice more energy, feel more vibrant, and have a higher libido.

Estrogen dominates this phase so we want to balance it out. Sprouted seeds and grains. Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, olives, tempeh and miso. Then foods like oats, broccoli, carrots, artichokes, avocados, lemon and limes, pomegranates, legumes, seeds, and nut butters.

Keep it chill with jogs, hiking, easy cardio, and strength training. You can increase intensity as you notice more energy.

Ovulatory phase

Our shortest phase. There’s a spike in LH and FSH which triggers the release of the egg. It then has 24ish hours to meet up with a sperm or it “dies” and is reabsorbed into the body or heads the to uterus to be expelled during our period.

I like to look at my “fertile window” as my ovulatory phase which is the lead-up to ovulation and when you are most fertile, aka have egg white cervical fluid. So this will be more around 5-6 days, and CD 10-15 or 16.

We want to keep estrogen moving through the body so it doesn’t build up. Fresh fruits and veggies as well as fiber-rich foods. There’s quinoa, asparagus, bell peppers, brussel sprouts, spinach, tomato, cantaloupe, coconut, raspberry strawberries, lentils, nuts and seeds.

We’re at our most energetic and vibrant during ovulation, and our fertile window. So, this is when you can push yourself and do those high-intensity workouts.

Luteal Phase

This is the last two weeks of our cycle before we get our next period. If there’s a fertilized egg then that process begins (pregnancy).

Estrogen is still rising, and the corpus luteum (follicle that releases the egg) starts producing progesterone. With the combo of estrogen and progesterone, the lining of our uterus thickens.

With no fertilized egg, estrogen, and progesterone decrease, the lining will shed (our period) and a new cycle begins.

You may start to notice some of those PMS symptoms – change in mood, bloating, acne, drop in libido, change in appetite, etc.

We want to eat foods rich in B vitamins, calcium, and magnesium to help with mood swings and premenstrual symptoms. Greens and grains, brown rice, cabbage, cucumber, garlic, ginger, onion, pumpkin, radish, squash, sweet potatoes, apples, dates, peach, pears, chickpeas, nuts and seeds.

Less alcohol, red meat, dairy, sweet and salty foods.

For the first week of the luteal phase, you can keep up with more moderate exercises, strength training, and cardio. But the last week take it down a big notch back to yoga, walking, and chilling out. Really listen to your body in this phase and what it needs.

Overall, there’s so much you can do by just listening to your body in each phase. The more you do it the more you’ll notice.

What changes have you made to align your lifestyle to your cycle?