Although women make up about 50% of the population, their unique needs in health and wellness are often overlooked or misunderstood. This oversight has led to a one-size-fits-all approach and doesn’t take into consideration the complex hormonal fluctuations women experience throughout their menstrual cycle. Cycle syncing is a no-nonsense practice that is changing how we approach women’s health. 

Cycle syncing allows women to align their lifestyle, including their exercise and nutrition routine, with their distinct needs based on which phase of their cycle they are in. This approach empowers coaches and trainers to create comprehensive training programs and nutrition plans that cater to the specific needs of their clients through each phase. By understanding and working with the body’s hormonal shifts, cycle syncing offers a path to enhanced performance, improved recovery, and overall well-being.  

Understanding the Menstrual Cycle

Talking about women’s needs while they’re in different phases of their cycle can feel personal and hard to discuss, but it’s important to remember that menstruation is a natural part of life for women, and ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. The menstrual cycle is split up into four phases; menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. Each phase incurs a shift in hormones, energy, mood, and physical importance, and trainers should understand what each phase entails.

• Menstruation: during this phase, estrogen and progesterone levels are low. Menstrual bleeding occurs due to the uterine line shedding and is accompanied by the possible side effects of low energy, fatigue, cramping, and mood changes.
• Follicular Phase: This is when ovarian follicles develop and the uterine lining begins to thicken again. Estrogen levels rise and women may feel an increase in energy, an improvement in mood, and an increase in libido. 
• Ovulatory Phase: During ovulation, the mature egg is released from the ovary, and estrogen and luteinizing hormone surge. This phase generally sees energy at its highest point during the cycle.
• Luteal Phase: This is when the uterus is preparing for potential implantation. Progesterone rises, and both estrogen and progesterone fall if the egg is not fertilized. Energy usually starts high and decreases as menstruation approaches. 

As each woman is unique, they will each have differences in how they experience the menstrual cycle including the intensity, the amount of days the phases last, energy levels, and side effects of the cycle.

What is Cycle Syncing

Cycle syncing refers to the practice of matching diet and exercise to the phase of the menstrual cycle. As the body experiences changes from phase to phase, the needs of each phase also shift. Cycle syncing takes into account the nutritional and physical needs associated with each phase. For trainers, this can be a powerful tool for optimizing training during each phase to help your client achieve their goals while listening to the needs of their body.

• Menstruation: This phase is best suited for low-impact workouts. Activities like yoga, walking, stretching, and pilates. Make sure your client is listening to their body and resting as they feel necessary.
• Follicular Phase: This is a great time to have your clients tap into their power. High-intensity interval training (HITT), running, strength training, and circuit training. Energy levels are generally very high here, so it’s the best time to work hard.
• Ovulatory Phase: The hormone changes that happen during this phase make it a perfect environment for energetic workouts. This can include HIIT workouts, cardiovascular-focused workouts, and activities like hiking and biking. 
• Luteal Phase: The luteal phase may leave your clients energized or a bit more worn out. The hormonal changes often result in energy fluctuations, so it’s best to check in with your client to see how they feel on any given day. Some workouts that are optimal for the luteal phase include strength training, yoga, low-intensity steady state (LISS), and low-impact classes like pilates and barre. 

Nutrition is also important for these phases as the body has different needs for each phase. If you are not a Registered Dietician or nutrition coach, it is out of your scope of practice to give a client a meal plan, but you can share baseline knowledge of their nutritional needs during each phase and you can encourage them to do research around the types of foods that support each phase.

Practical Application for Coaches

Discussing the menstrual cycle may feel uncomfortable if you’re not used to having conversations about women’s health topics. It can also feel personal and private for some people, so proceeding in a meaningful and respectful way will be paramount. Here are a few tips for approaching the conversation:

• Approach the topic professionally: Use scientific language, make sure you ask about their comfort level and respect privacy and boundaries. 
• Use an educational lens: explain the benefits of cycle-synced training for your client’s overall health, fitness, and recovery. 
• Encourage tracking: whether on their own or with an app like Wild.Ai which uses data-specific information to help women achieve all of their performance goals. This technology looks at indicators like which stage of the lifecycle a woman is and what hormonal cycle they are in to provide personalized health recommendations 

Leading these conversations respectfully and professionally opens up a world in which we take women’s health issues seriously and start training them to empower them in every phase of their cycle and every life stage. 

Final Thoughts

Cycle syncing provides the opportunity to take a significant step forward in not only taking women’s health seriously but optimizing training and nutrition around their needs in each phase of their cycle. By understanding and respecting the natural rhythms of the menstrual cycle, trainers and coaches take on the unique role of educating their clients about their bodies, helping to improve their physical performance, and promoting a holistic view of women’s health and wellness. 

Cycle syncing offers an opportunity to address a long-standing gap in women’s health and provides a more personalized approach to fitness that will leave your clients feeling more in control of their wellness. Embracing cycle syncing may set you apart in the field and allow you to bring a more comprehensive and competitive package to the table to address client needs. By having respectful and informed conversations about the menstrual cycle and its impact on fitness, we create a broader shift in how women’s health is viewed and addressed in the wellness industry.