Hey Friend,

We’re going to get into some fun things today that are very near and dear to my heart. I struggled with hormones imbalances for most of my life, only menstruating a handful of times in my life (without being on a pill) until I was finally diagnosed with PCOS when I was 28. As a high-level, low body-fat athlete, every doctor assumed it was just due to high levels of activies and chose to just put me on the pill, as if that was a solution. I hated the pill and inevitably just took myself off of them when they put them on - or, as I got older, just refused in general.

Once I was diagnosed, I dove into blogs and journals and talked with experts, and I started really exploring how nutrition, mindset, and exercise are the pillars of hormonal health.

And then I met my husband and we wanted to start a family. I still didn’t have a cycle, so we went to doctors. I went on every prescription and took every supplement my doctors recommended, and no one could get me to ovulate - so I wasn’t a candidate for any medical procedure to help us conceive. The meds and stress put a good 10 pounds on me, and I felt like crap - which is not a way to create an environment to grow a baby in, anyway. So I quit all of the drugs, found an amazing therapist/coach, and I did all the research and work. We got pregnant naturally. On our own.

And now, two babies later and nearing 40, I have completely normal cycles. And because I take advantage of those cycles, I feel amazing. I’ve got goals and want to drop some more body fat (just like many of you share with me) and since the two knee replacements, I’m working my tail off to rebuild muscle, but I can truly say I love each phase of my cycle.

Which brings us to today’s topic: cycles. Periods. Week-to-week, and year-to-year, our cycles change and shift, and so do our hormones.

I wholeheartedly believe that we can perform our best no matter what stage of our cycles we’re in. We may need different support or nutrition depending on the day/date, but countless female athletes have broken records at all stages of their menstrual cycles.

Aaand, we can harness the power of our cycles to optimize our hormones and make the most of our regular training sessions, designing our lives (and lifestyles) in alignment with our hormones. And once you do that, you’ll feel like a dang goddess, yall.

So let’s start here - what is Cycle Syncing?

Defining Cycle Syncing

Cycle syncing is, in it’s most basic form, adjusting our training plans to take advantage of the hormonal changes that occur throughout our menstrual cycles. While there is no “bad time of the month” for performance, we can train in accordance with our cycles in order to leverage when our bodies are most primed to respond positively to stress.

That means understanding our cycles, and tracking them.

Okay great. What are the menstrual cycle phases, and what should I do during each phase?

I’m so glad you asked…

Menstrual Cycle Phases

The first day of your period (the first day of menstruation) is the first day of your cycle, or Day 1. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days, though up to 35 days is totally normal. Menstruation and Ovulation are the two indicators of phase switches.

A longer cycle just indicates a longer follicular phase. It is pretty consistent that a period starts 14 days from ovulation, so just note that the luteal phase follows ovulation, and the follicular phase is from Day 1 until ovulation.

I love this image from Dr. Stacy Sims’s work with Tonal:

I also like to use her verbiage and explain the first half of our cycles (the follicular phase - menstruation through ovulation) as the low hormone phase, and the second half (the luteal phase - ovulation until the end of the cycle) as the high hormone phase. In the first half of our cycles, we respond in the ways we would expect from studies done on males, or according to more traditional thought-groups on training and nutrition.

In the second half, we need a bit more support. In the high hormone phase, we’re building a uterine lining, which increases our metabolic rate, so we need more calories and approximately 12% more protein. Our bodies also shift to increase our fat-burning and fatty acid availabilities, so we’re great at endurance during this phase, and we’ll need a few more carbohydrates for high-intensity activities in order to keep carbs available for our muscles (and to avoid sarcopenia). We just don’t use or store carbs as effectively in the second half of our cycles and we do in the first half.

Cool. So what do I do with this information?

How to Cycle Sync

For the sake of simplicity, let’s break the typical 28-day cycle into 4 weeks. You’ll adjust this for yourself, based on your own cycle length, knowing that ovulation is the kick-off to Week 3.

Week 1

Early Follicular Phase - Menstruation Starts - Start of the low-hormone phase.

What’s going on: Your body is adapted to handle stress. Estrogen and progesterone drop when menstruation starts, making your body primed for heavy training. Nutritionally, your body accesses carbohydrates well in this phase, so fuel as needed to recover well.

Workouts to focus on: Always, always listen to your body, but even if you have heavy bleeding and don’t feel well while menstruating, you are strong and your hormones are well-suited for heavy lifting and high intensity workouts - even on Day 1. I love a heavy, slow deadlift day on Day 1, but anything you can do (even just a few sets of something) will be amazing for you. Workouts also boost growth hormone and trigger anti-inflammatory responses, so don’t be afraid to workout on your period. It just might help you feel better.

Week 2

Mid-Follicular Phase - Includes Ovulation - Low hormone phase.

What’s going on: Stress adaptation and nutrition needs are the same as in Week 1, but you’re probably feeling amazing this week. You’ll also feel a bit better in a lower carb intake state once menstruation ends, just make sure to up the fats as you lower the carbs. Take advantage of this time and unleash that athlete, girl.

Workouts to focus on: Heavy lifting, high intensity workouts… get after it.

Week 3

Early Luteal Phase - Includes Ovulation - High hormone phase.

What’s going on: The first couple days of this week will feel a lot like Week 2. Many people feel incredible the day after ovulation, so pay attention to your body and adapt accordingly. After ovulation, hormones start to rise, reducing our stress resilience and making us a little more pro-inflammatory.

Workouts to focus on: Moderate lifting and steady-state cardio are going to feel right for your body in this phase and help you optimize your hormones. Carbs and protein should dial up a bit this week, too, so make sure to lower your fats to accommodate the shift.

Week 4

Mid-Luteal Phase - End when menstruation starts - High hormone phase.

What’s going on: The 5-7 days before menstruation is also the pre-menstrual phase. And though I think that the phrase PMS comes with a lot stigma, thinking of it this way can be helpful. This is the phase right before your period starts. You might experience bloat, cramps, lethargy, and more. Your hormones are the highest right now, and your body is preparing the uterine lining to either support growing a baby, or to menstruate, so there’s a lot going on 😅 

Workouts to focus on: If there was a week for recovery, this is it. Mobility work (yoga class, anyone?), functional strength, work on your form, breathing exercises, etc. are all good training options in this phase.

Also, the PMS cocktail works wonders for headaches (I used to get migraines right around the start of each cycle, and then I found this) and bloat, and can also help curve heavy bleeding and cramps. Check out my instagram post here for details.

Want More?

I’m kicking off my 40th trip around the sun with a fun program I’m creating called 40Forty. This program will provide personalized guidance and support to optimize your workouts and nutrition throughout your cycle, helping you achieve your goals and feel your best! Reply to this email with “40Forty” and I’ll add you to the interested list!

Even more? If you’re ready to take control of your health and harness the power of your cycle, let’s chat. I’m offering a free assessment and consultation to my Rooted Wednesdays crew to discuss how I can help. Reply to this email or DM me on Instagram and we can hop on the phone (or stay in the DMs, if that’s your thing ❤️ ).

And lastly, if you just want to read more and apply it on your own, check out my blog for my latest on cycle syncing and living the ✨ SHINE✨ life.

With love and strength,