Food, fitness and your cycle

Have you ever noticed that your mood, energy, and appetite seem to shift throughout the month? You are not imagining it, and you are certainly not alone. These changes are a normal part of the menstrual cycle, driven by natural hormonal fluctuations that affect how your body feels and functions from day to day. (1) One week you may crave chocolate, another week you may need extra rest. Both are your body’s way of asking for support.

Because no two cycles (or bodies) are exactly the same, researchers are beginning to look more closely at how the different phases of the menstrual cycle and the hormonal changes that accompany them can affect nutritional and exercise needs. (3,7) While the research is still developing, early results provide some exciting insights.

Read on to learn what cycle synchronization is and how tuning into your cycle can help you better understand and support your body.

What is cycle synchronization?

Cycle synchronization first gained attention in 2014 when a functional nutrition practitioner introduced the idea of ​​aligning nutrition, movement and workload with perceived energy changes across the menstrual cycle. (8) At its core, it has a great foundation: encouraging women to become more aware of their cycle and giving them permission to tune in to how they feel.

But as with many things that have good intentions to begin with, social media has spread false hope and misinformation about this trend that can do more harm than good.(2) That’s why we’re here to set the record straight. There may be benefits to cycle synchronization, but not all of them are relevant to every woman. It’s more about awareness and personalizing it to your cycle, not following a fixed set of rules.

Benefits of synchronizing your diet and exercise to your cycle

Research is pretty sparse when it comes to the clinical benefits of syncing your diet and exercise to your cycle. But just because the data isn’t quite there yet doesn’t mean that becoming more aware of your cycle and how you’re feeling isn’t powerful. (3, 7) Keep this in mind when considering cycling sync for yourself.

Some health professionals suggest that adjusting your nutrition and exercise to your cycle can provide benefits such as: (1,3)

• Improved mood
• Reduced intensity of common menstrual symptoms, such as cramping and bloating
• Better utilization of phases with higher energy
• Greater clarity about when to prioritize rest over pushing harder
• More conscious nutritional choices during periods of increased cravings

Understand the phases of your cycle

The menstrual cycle is complex, but that doesn’t mean it has to be confusing. Head of Nutrition at MyFitnessPal Melissa Jaeger RD, LD shares, “Understanding what’s going on in your body can make these shifts in energy, cravings, and appetite feel much more manageable. (1)” To simplify things, we break the cycle down into two phases: the follicular phase and the luteal phase.

By understanding the hormonal changes that occur in each phase, you will gain clearer insight into why your energy for exercise and your appetite may vary throughout the month.

Phase 1: Follicular phase

The day your period starts with ovulation, when an egg is released from the ovaries, is called the follicular phase.

Sources: (1,3)

What to eat during the follicular phase

• During your period:
  • Consider energy-dense foods that are high in iron to help replenish blood loss during menstruation, like dark greens with vitamin C to help increase absorption and lean animal proteins.(1)
  • Try adding omega-3 fats like salmon, nuts and seeds to help with inflammation and cramps.(1)
• Late follicular phase:
  • Consider energy-dense foods to support increased energy (and possible increased exercise). (1) Whole grains and lean proteins can help supply glucose and support muscle repair. (9)
  • Consider focusing on fiber-rich foods, like cruciferous vegetables and whole grains, to help balance high estrogen levels. (1.4)
  • Try to reduce your intake of added sugar. (1.4)

Follicular phase training

• During your period:
  • Energy may be low, so you can’t be up for a strenuous workout. Tune in to your body and lean into rest and recovery, which can mean slow walks, low-impact movements like yoga, and gentle stretching and rest.(1,6)
• Late follicular phase:
  • Hormones begin to rise when your period ends, which can lead to higher energy levels. If this is the case, consider benefiting from more intense movement, such as running, group fitness HIIT classes, and other cardio exercises.(1,6)

Key point to remember

Research suggests that energy intake may decrease during this phase, but it’s still important to eat enough nutrient-dense foods to support your activity level.(5) Logging your meals in MyFitnessPal can help you spot trends and understand how well you’re meeting your daily nutrient needs.

Phase 2: The luteal phase

When ovulation ends, your luteal phase begins until your next period starts.(1,3)

Sources: (1,3)

What to eat in the luteal phase

Increased cravings are normal during this period, and research shows that some women tend to eat more calories during the luteal phase due to hunger. (5) Keep these nutritional points in mind when planning your meals:

• Use the rule of 3: protein, fat and fiber. Making sure your meals and snacks check a box from each of these nutrients is key to keeping you satisfied and full with meals.
• Complex carbohydrates help support satiety and manage hunger pangs. (10) Lean toward those with natural sugar sources, like sweet potatoes, bananas, and oats.
• Consider magnesium-rich foods to help balance water retention, like a handful of pumpkin seeds on your yogurt parfait.

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Luteal phase training

Your energy levels may be a little off, so tune in and plan your workouts accordingly. Some days a moderate-intensity cardio day may feel good, while other strength training may be a priority.(6) Interestingly, a small difference was found among those exercising between follicular and luteal phase.(1,3)

Key point to remember

Balance and moderation are key. Focus on building the base of your meals with healthy, nutritious foods, leaving some flexibility for fun foods, like a piece of dark chocolate.

Bottom line

Knowledge really is power, and cycle synchronization can be a helpful way to better understand your body throughout the month. Just remember that there is no one-size-fits-all playbook. Every cycle is different and your needs may change from month to month.

Even experimenting with cycle awareness for a short time can help you see patterns in your energy, hunger, cravings and exercise, insights you can use to support your long-term goals. Tracking your cycle with a calendar or app, paired with logging your food in MyFitnessPal, can help make these patterns easier to see. You can start spotting trends in energy, hunger, cravings, and exercise so you can make smarter, more supportive choices that move you closer to your long-term goals.

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