BACK PEDALING

Just like any song, your body has a rhythm–one you can tune into to restore balance into your life. Menstrual cycle syncing goes beyond the physical, extending to mindful lifestyle adjustments to help regulate hormonal imbalance. Intensive, frequent cardio and weight training have been touted as the only route to achieving a healthy body for years. Diet cultures encourage women to limit themselves, eating only certain foods or amounts in order for their training to “pay off.”

The concept of cycle syncing has pivoted away from this harmful ideology, directing people who experience menstruation in a new direction, accounting for the vastly unique needs of all individuals.

Menstrual cycles typically last 28 days. The hormonal cycles of biological males typically only last 24 hours. People who menstruate have unknowingly been subjected to the workout and diet procedures designed for the wrong hormonal cycle. The menstrual cycle is broken up into four parts: the menstruation, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases. Each entails its own hormonal fluctuations, and the familiarization of these can help anyone who experiences menstruation find workouts and foods that work with hormones, not against them.

During menstruation, exercises like yoga, pilates and walking are best to allow the body the rest it requires at a low-estrogen phase. Recommended foods are warming, like soup, oats, and tea. It’s also advised to increase intake of magnesium and iron rich foods which provide essential nutrients.

Next is the follicular phase. Imagine this phase as spring: bright and full of energy. Intense cardio, swimming, stretching and eating cruciferous veggies and fibrous fruits make for a healthy cycle-conducive combination.

During ovulation, estrogen and testosterone levels are at their highest, so it’s best to use this burst of energy for your favorite hardcore workouts and consume plenty of leafy greens and protein.

The last phase, your luteal phase, calls for a period of nourishment. Rest, stretching, and maybe watching a rom-com while eating dark chocolate, will give your body what it needs to prepare for menstruation.

The benefits of synced workouts and eating habits include decreased period symptoms, mood improvement and reduced premenstrual syndrome. As we learn more about female anatomical structures, we are able to effectively cater to our own bodily systems and understand what they need to function. Cycle-syncing is not only about healing hormones, but also about balancing your mind and body. After all, it’s best to go with your flow.