Cycle Syncing align your workout routine with your menstrual cycle
When it comes to syncing your workout routine with your menstrual cycle you can reclaim your feminine energy flow and learn to balance your hormones! This practice is called cycle syncing and the goal of it is to maximize fitness while listening to your body.
To begin, we must quickly break down the 4 phases of a women’s menstrual cycle.
1. Menstrual Phase
This is when you are menstruating/bleeding for 3-7 days and your estrogen and progesterone are extremely low.
2. Follicular Phase
Estrogen and progesterone are beginning to rise and you are regaining your energy levels.
3. Ovulatory Phase
Estrogen peaks. Testosterone and progesterone rise. This is when you are most likely to conceive.
4. Luteal Phase
Estrogen and progesterone levels are high. If the egg does not fertilize, hormone levels decrease and the menstrual cycle starts again.
Sync Cycling Menstrual Phase:
Since estrogen and progesterone are low, this is your body’s “winter’. A time to go inward and reset. This is a great time to listen to your body if you are feeling fatigue or experiencing common PMS symptoms such as headaches and cramping. Exercises that are excellent during this time are not high intensity but rather restorative yoga, stretching and even long walks.
Sync Cycling Follicular Phase:
As your energy begins to rise and you start to feel more like yourself this is a great time to start implementing some moderate intensity workouts. This is a great time to burn fat and build muscle so as the days go on in your Follicular phase you may begin to amp up your workouts with pilates, HIT, running/hiking and strength training.
Sync Cycling Ovulatory Phase:
Your estrogen is now peaking so your sex drive and energy are now amped up. Take advantage of your high energy levels with cardio, hot yoga, and whatever high intensity workouts you enjoy!
Sync Cycling Luteal Phase:
In the beginning of this phase your energy levels are still quite high so you may continue the most intense workouts you enjoy. As this phase begins to end as you head toward your menstrual phase you will feel the effects of your estrogen and progesterone lowering. Now is a great time to start implementing lower intensity workouts like pilates, yoga, and walking.
Takeaways
When we listen intuitively to the signs and signals of our bodies we are able to find more harmony in our state’s of being. It is crucial to not push our bodies in activities that are not currently aligned with our energy levels. By cycling our workout routines with our hormonal levels we can find a deeper connection with our sense of selves and feel more balanced in our everyday lives.
