When I finally came around to the idea of cycle syncing, I found the approach to it a bit confusing. How can you keep straight what you should be doing in every phase? That is, until I started using the seasons to cycle sync.
When I teach women about their cycles and how to approach cycle syncing, I compare them to the seasons. This isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s effective.
- December to February is your menstruation season.
- March to May is your follicular season.
- June to August is your ovulatory season.
- And September to November is your luteal season.
Like every season, each phase in our cycle feels different and should be approached differently if we’re looking to optimize our hormones, reduce symptoms, and feel amazing in our skin.
In each season of our cycle, our hormones are fluctuating, causing our energy to also fluctuate. And if you practice a form of cycle syncing, your approach to how you move your body, how you eat, and your lifestyle may also fluctuate based on your energy levels.
Let’s break down cycle syncing in seasons!
MENSTRUATION / WINTER SEASON
MOVEMENT
Because your hormones are at their lowest, your energy levels will also be low.
This is a great time to focus on reducing volume (either lessen your sets and reps, lighten your weight, or shorten your workout time and take longer rest periods or more rest days), do more restorative workouts (like yoga and walking), or take the week off as a deload week.
It could be hard to pull back at first – I know, I was there too! – but it’s worth it and you’ll feel better and see physique changes by matching your workouts to your energy level instead of constantly pushing through, despite low energy.
NUTRITION
The goal for fueling your body should be focused around replenishing your iron loss (hey, period!) and supporting your energy levels. Implement iron-rich foods to replenish and vitamin C to help absorb iron, as well as magnesium and omega-3s to help reduce inflammation that causes cramps and supports your mood.
LIFESTYLE
If you’re anything like me, you are drained during your period. Instead of pushing through, making plans, and saying yes to everything, your Winter season is a great time to say no, rest, and reflect. This also tracks with wanting to hibernate, making Menstruation as Winter easy to remember.
FOLLICULAR / SPRING SEASON
MOVEMENT
As your hormones begin to rise again, your energy levels will also increase.
Your follicular workouts will be full of energy, you’ll feel more driven to workout, and you’ll recover well. Because of this, focus on lifting heavy, running longer miles or at quicker speeds, and challenge yourself.
This is also a great phase to grab your friends and do a group workout – which statistically are more high intensity – or try a class you’ve had your eye on for a while. You’ll fill your social bucket and your workouts will feel great!
NUTRITION
The goal for your Spring / Follicular season and nutrition is to fuel your energy and support hormone production for ovulation. If you’re trying to get pregnant, focus on fueling your body for a healthy ovulation in your follicular phase.
To do this, you’ll want to prioritize foods with B vitamins for energy and mood regulation, zinc for ovulation support and immunity, vitamin D for your mood and immunity, and complex carbs to help sustain your higher energy levels.
LIFESTYLE
Just like Spring, your follicular phase is a great time for new beginnings and growth. Take what you’ve reflected on in your Winter / Menstruation phase and start making plans in your Spring / Follicular phase. You’ll feel more social, more creative, and more productive. This is a great time to start projects, hang out with friends, go on dates, and apply for new jobs.
OVULATORY / SUMMER SEASON
MOVEMENT
During ovulation, your hormones are peaking and you have even more energy! You feel absolutely unstoppable this season.
You can mirror your Summer and Spring seasons, with one difference… If you’re in your ovulatory phase and lifting weights, this is a great time to go for a PR. If you’re running, this is a great time to increase your pace or distance. If you’re taking a class, this is a great time to challenge yourself – take the level up class, try a move you haven’t before, maybe even go to a class you have always wanted to, but thought would be too difficult.
NUTRITION
Because you have your highest energy during your Summer / Ovulatory phase, your nutrition should support your energy levels, as well as maintain hormone balance and ease any ovulation symptoms.
Prioritizing antioxidants will help reduce your inflammation and support egg health, while fiber flushes our excess estrogen post-ovulation. Magnesium is great to support your energy and muscle tension (especially if you get ovulatory symptoms). And protein will support your energy and repair your muscle from all the activity you feel up for.
LIFESTYLE
Your Summer / Ovulatory season is when you feel your best mentally and physically. Just like the Summer months, you likely feel more social, have more confidence, and have higher energy. Because of this, this is a great time to go to social events, collaborate with others, and ask for a raise at work!
LUTEAL / FALL SEASON
MOVEMENT
In your fall season, your hormones begin to decrease to prepare for the winter season (aka, your period starting). Over this season, you’ll have to pay attention to your energy levels.
At the beginning of your luteal phase, you may still feel a lot of energy and feel like you can continue doing the activities you did during your follicular and ovulatory phases. But that energy will decrease, so your volume and workouts should also begin to decrease with your energy levels.
You could be tempted to keep with the higher intensity workouts, chasing the endorphins you had during your Spring and Summer phases, not wanting to give up momentum. But this is where we end up depleting our hormones, so it’s important to decrease the volume of your workouts – similar to your Winter season workouts – when we are cycle syncing.
NUTRITION
As your hormones start to deplete to prepare for your Winter / Menstruation seasons during your Fall / Luteal season, the goal is to use your nutrition to ease PMS symptoms, support your energy changes, and stabilize your mood. Prioritizing foods with magnesium, calcium, and B6 helps reduce bloating and PMS. Complex carbs will stabilize your blood sugar and help reduce your cravings. And omega-3s help reduce inflammation and support your mood.
LIFESTYLE
Just like fall is a time for us to prepare to hibernate in the winter, your Luteal season is about winding down and preparing for rest. Complete last minute tasks and get organized early in your Fall / Luteal season. Then self-care is the name of the game! The more you focus on self-care, the less you will feel depleted, which helps with mood swings, cramps, and more!
Ta-da! And there you have it! Syncing your cycle like seasons!
Your approach to every season will be different than mine, than your friends’, than anyone else’s. And that’s okay! And also important! How you customize your approach to syncing your movement, nutrition, and lifestyle to your cycle should be based on YOU, your cycle, and your preferences.
I’ve found that using the seasons on the calendar and comparing the phases of your cycle helps you remember how to approach each change of your natural energy so that you’re optimizing your hormones, not depleting them!
And if you’re looking for more support, education, and customization to your cycle, SHECycle is a do-it-yourself membership that helps you biohack your natural energy, support your hormones, and feel amazing in your skin.
