How to incorporate cycle-centric exercise into your routine, and why you should
I have a confession to make: As an ex-competitive runner, I used to think running almost daily was necessary to maintain fitness (thanks a lot, high school cross-country coach lol). So naturally, I incorporated a lot of high-intensity workouts into my exercise routine…all the time.
While I’ve always enjoyed exercise and being active, I spent many years thinking I was getting more value than the type of activity that was actually helpful to my body. The truth is, a lot of fitness “rules” were made by and for men. Women’s bodies—hormonally, physiologically, cyclically—are VERY different and have different needs.
In fact, exercising at a high intensity or for long durations without taking into account our hormonal fluctuations can sometimes cause undue stress on our bodies. The cortisol spike we naturally get from exercise can be counterproductive and lead to weight gain vs. fat burning. Or, very intense exercise can sometimes cause women to lose their ability to ovulate and menstruate altogether.
I used to think that sticking to a training schedule was paramount in order to be able to compete well, but I realize now how flawed that mentality is. It’s important to listen to our bodies and support it accordingly. Muscling through a workout has less merit if our body and hormones are trying to tell us we need something different.
Syncing your workouts to your fertility cycle
Luckily, there is a solution that can be extremely beneficial for women: Syncing your workouts to your fertility cycle. This "work smarter not harder" approach takes into account our bodies' needs, and allows us to lean on our natural energy levels, endurance, and muscle-building capabilities. Here’s a couple of images to illustrate:
The female fertility cycle
Understanding the natural ebb and flow of our hormones and how it impacts us can help us use exercise to boost our mood, amp up our metabolism, decrease stress, and support overall health. This is what that might look like:
Follicular phase: This is when our energy is gaining momentum after our period as our estrogen levels begin to rise. This is the time to capitalize on your natural energy with more upbeat, intense exercise. Also, this is the time of your cycle when your body is prime to burn fat and build muscle, aided by the testosterone that also rises in our bodies during this time. Workout suggestions: weight lifting, interval sprints, HIIT, biking, dance, or hiking.
Ovulatory phase: This window of fertility is when you are at your peak energy level, as estrogen and testosterone are at their highest. Similar to the follicular phase, this is the time to incorporate more intense workouts, like interval training and speed workouts. Workout suggestions: weight lifting, interval sprints, HIIT, biking, dance, or hiking.
Luteal phase: Coming down from your peak hormone levels at ovulation, you'll have more energy at the beginning of this phase, but as estrogen drops and progesterone rises, your energy will begin to wane. During the first part of this phase, you can still do more upbeat exercise, though less intense than previously in the cycle. Towards the latter half of this phase, listen to your body's need for rest and accommodate accordingly. Workout suggestions: Early luteal: weight lifting (lighter, more reps), fartlek runs, swimming, biking; late luteal: walking, slower runs, pilates, stretching, rest days.
Menstrual phase: This is when your hormone levels are at their lowest, and so is your energy. Any high-intensity exercise at this time will backfire by turning on fat storage, causing your muscles to waste, and putting stress on your cardiovascular system. Restorative, gentle movement is the best thing you can do for your body during this time. Stretching, especially in the hips, can feel amazing! Workout suggestions: walking, pilates, light stretching, rest days.
It’s important to note that everyone’s body is different and has different capacities. Think of cycle syncing as a lever, which you can shift upward during your energetic follicular and ovulatory phases, and lower during your luteal and menstrual phases. That means that everyone from the competitive triathlete to the postpartum woman just getting back into regular exercise can use this cycle knowledge to accommodate to their own unique fitness level.
Hopefully, incorporating cycle-centric exercise to your routine will not only make your workouts more enjoyable, but also aid in your fitness and health goals. This was a game-changer for me, try it out to see if it’s the same for you!
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