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SOCycle syncing is the idea of modifying your exercise, nutrition, and other lifestyle habits with the phases of your menstrual cycle. With regards to exercise, it involves altering not only the type of exercise you do but also the intensity, and the concept pushes the notion that everyone who menstruates should modify their workouts in the exact same way at certain phases of their cycle.
Of 5 review papers examining the relationship between menstrual cycle and exercise performance, all of them emphasized the prevalence of low-quality studies, poor methodological practices, and small samples.
Most notably, Colenso-Semple et al. 2023 concludes: “The development of [resistance exercise training] prescriptions based on cyclical hormonal changes is not an evidence-based approach.”
Some problems with the concept of cycle syncing workouts include:
➡️everyone will feel different at different phases of their menstrual cycle - whereas one person might feel lethargic and weak, someone else might be at their strongest
➡️even for one individual, symptoms can vary from one cycle to the next
➡️even cycle phase length can vary within individuals from one cycle to the next
➡️sleep, stress, nutrition, and other factors may have a bigger impact on how you feel for a workout than your menstrual cycle phase alone
Your exercise plan and efforts should be tailored to you as an individual. Adjusting your workouts based on how you feel on any given day - not specific to hormonal cycles - is called autoregulation, which everyone should be practicing!
Tune into the latest episode of the @allorsomethingpodcast, where I talk about other topics including body dysmorphia, perfectionism, food freedom, and why I no longer believe in all-or-nothing fitness. From food habituation to controversial takes on “junk food” and health, this conversation breaks down the grey area of wellness that most people ignore.
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