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Cycle Syncing: Best Foods & Exercises for Your Menstrual Cycles

By Jill Levy

November 27, 2024

Your hormones normally fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle and can sometimes trigger feelings of lower energy, outlook and appetite changes, occasional bloating and difficulty sleeping. A relatively new way to help tackle the physical effects of the menstrual cycle is called cycle syncing.

Simply put, syncing how you eat and move with the phase of your cycle may make a difference in how you feel, including potentially positively affecting normal pre-menstrual and period sensations. You may also choose to adjust other parts of your life, such as socializing, sleep habits and more.

Benefits of cycle syncing include helping you feel more in tune with your body and the monthly hormonal changes. (It can even help those who want to become pregnant and need to determine when the ovulation phase begins.) You may experience more mild premenstrual and period times and decreased stress levels.

For women still menstruating and haven’t entered perimenopause or menopause, let’s learn more about how to employ cycle syncing, including recommended foods, supplements and exercises.

As always, you should consult your healthcare professional prior to beginning any new dietary or lifestyle regimen.

What is cycle syncing?

When you adjust your routines around your menstrual cycle phases (of which there are four), you’re practicing cycle syncing. The premise is that you’re eating, exercising, sleeping and more in ways that are in tune with the typical fluctuations of your sex hormones.

While yet to be researched clinically, plenty of research has been conducted regarding how each phase of the menstrual cycle can affect outlook, appetite, activity levels and more.

For example, it’s common to experience food cravings before you get your period and perhaps feeling irritable or experiencing occasional bloating. Cycle syncing gets you to adjust your diet, workout and more to support your body during each phase.

The standard menstrual cycle is approximately 28 days and features four phases:

• Menstrual phase (days 0 to 7): The beginning of your menstrual phase is when you have your period. Bleeding occurs when the uterus (endometrium) sheds. Estrogen levels plummet, so energy levels can also fall.

• Follicular phase (days 8 to 13): Your estrogen levels increase, your uterus thickens and energy levels begin to return to normal.

• Ovulation phase (days 14 to 15): Only lasting around two days, your ovaries will release an egg while energy levels go to a higher level because both estrogen and testosterone levels peak.

• Luteal phase: (days 16 to 28): The released egg leaves a sac behind and produces progesterone. This process prepares your uterus to potentially receive a fertilized egg. You can still deal with premenstrual sensations near the end of this phase.

Many experts recommend that you track your cycle using an app and pay close attention to your body signals, such as mindset, energy levels, appetite, sleep and period sensations. Some women can have cycles as short as 21 days or as long as 35 days, for example.

Below we discuss how to sync your diet and workouts to your cycles, but you can also adjust your work and social life to your cycle. You may want to schedule less ambitious social and work tasks during or just before your period phase, but then take on much more during your middle part of your cycle.

Cycle syncing diet

Each phase of your cycle means slightly different nutritional needs, and certain foods and supplements can help support you. It’s recommended to stockpile certain foods for each phase so you have the right foods at hand when the more challenging phases, especially the menstrual phase, hit.

Note that these foods, nutrient and supplement suggestions are general recommendations. Consult with your healthcare professional for more information and also pay attention to how your body responds to each of these options.

1. Menstrual phase foods

When you get your period, you lose blood and that entails iron loss. In fact, it’s estimated that 30 percent or more of the world’s total population might need an iron boost. However, women in general need to be careful to get enough iron in their diet or through supplementation.

Therefore, iron-rich foods like lean red meat, legumes, leafy greens and seafood are important to have before, during and after this phase. While most multivitamins include some iron, you may also consider taking an iron supplement.

Ancient Nutrients Iron contains 18 mg (100 percent DV) of enzyme-activated iron and supports healthy fertility, renal and postpartum health, healthy sleep, blood health and cognitive health. It also helps reduce fatigue. Vitamin C is also included to aid in iron absorption.

As such, it’s a great idea to combine some vitamin C foods (like citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, red peppers) with your iron-rich foods because they increase absorption. For great menstrual phase meals, serve combinations like lentil soup and red pepper, steak and broccoli, and Greek yogurt and berries.

Meanwhile, calcium can actually block iron absorption so try to avoid combining dairy with your iron-rich foods.

Other foods worth eating include those rich in vitamin K, magnesium and omega 3s. Vitamin K foods like leafy greens, eggs, cheese and blueberries can help promote normal menstrual bleeding. Magnesium-rich foods like nuts, spinach and dark chocolate can help relieve occasional menstrual-related cramps. Omega-3 foods like wild-caught fish, flaxseed and chia seeds support healthy inflammation levels and can help reduce occasional cramping.

Try to avoid hormone-affecting foods like ultra-processed foods (like chips and pizza) and sweets.

2. Follicular phase foods

During this phase you want to eat foods that support hormone balance and provide energy. All three macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats and protein) are important.

You want to include healthy fats in your diet to support healthy hormone production, such as olive oil, avocados, fatty fish, coconut milk, coconut oil, ghee and grass-fed butter. It’s important to include such fats at meal times to trigger the release of hormones and help you feel satisfied.

Protein is vital for hormone balance because it affects the release of both leptin and ghrelin, the two hormones that influence your appetite and food intake. Foods high in protein that work well include fish, eggs, chicken meat and legumes.

Carbs also have a role to play, in particular supporting already healthy, normal blood sugar levels and cortisol levels. Fiber-rich carbohydrates — like whole fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and seeds — are good choices because they don’t convert to sugar in the blood very easily. Fiber also helps to regulate levels of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.

Meanwhile, you want to limit nutrient-poor food choices, such as high-sugar foods, processed carbohydrates and refined vegetable and seed oils.

For example, avoid oils high in omega-6 fats (safflower oil, sunflower, corn, cottonseed, canola, soybean and peanut), and instead consume rich sources of natural omega-3 fatty acids instead (wild fish, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts and grass-fed animal products).

Supplement-wise, consider Ancient Nutrition's Women’s Hormones Capsules, which feature a combination of organic mushroom and adaptogens to help support overall hormone balance. These provide targeted support for female reproductive health, healthy energy levels, a healthy response to stress, a positive mindset, mental clarity and restful sleep.

Ancient Nutrition also produces Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC™) Women's Hormones capsules — the first-ever ROC™ women’s hormone health supplement packed with five powerhouse superfoods to support your hormone balance — and Women's Vitality capsules, a female-specific blend of 13 organs and glands to support women’s health, reproductive health and healthy hormones.

3. Ovulation phase foods

During this short phase as your body gets ready for ovulation, it’s key to get in foods that support cell growth and energy. You also want to eat a balanced macronutrient diet, including with fiber-rich foods that can boost gut health and help promote healthy estrogen levels. Choose fiber foods like broccoli, legumes, apples and pears, berries and sweet potatoes.

To feel energized throughout the day, it’s also important to maintain healthy levels of micronutrients. Although it’s ideal that our diets provide all the nutrients we need to thrive, for many Americans, the diet consumed isn’t nutritionally adequate.

Ancient Nutrition’s Women’s Multi is formulated specifically for women under 40 and contains 100 percent or more Daily Value (DV) of 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12 and other B vitamins to support healthy energy levels. It also supports healthy fertility, and prenatal and postpartum health.

4. Luteal phase foods

This approximately two week phase is when your uterus prepares for a possible pregnancy. When that doesn’t happen, menstruation occurs when this phase ends. You might experience occasional mood swings and food cravings among other signs that your period is coming again.

It’s key to eat foods that are nutrient-dense, high in antioxidants and fiber, and that support healthy inflammation levels. When you eat your carbohydrates, make them a complex variety like whole grains, leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables to help curb food cravings.

Go with foods, including healthy fats, that support healthy inflammation levels. Foods like oily fish (salmon), avocados, olive oil and nuts.

Rather than indulging in sweets, choose fiber-rich fruits and magnesium-rich dark chocolate.

Cycle syncing workouts

When your hormones fluctuate, so can your energy levels and mindset. And depending on what part of your cycle you’re in, you can expect to have differing levels of energy.

For example, in the midst of your luteal phase and about a week before your period, your energy is typically lower. Here’s some general guidance about how to approach exercise and syncing with your cycle.

1. Menstrual phase workouts

The first phase of your cycle usually means less energy, so go with low-intensity exercise like walking, bicycling or Pilates. You probably won’t want to exercise every day and that’s okay.

2. Follicular phase workouts

As your hormones estrogen and progesterone begin to pick up, so do your energy levels. Your body will be ready for cardio, even serious cardio, as well as weight training. Spin classes, sport league games, power yoga and other options are open to you.

3. Ovulation phase workouts

It’s only a couple of days, but your energy should be peaking during this phase. You also may feel more alert. It’s time to star in your fitness class or sports match.

4. Luteal phase workouts

As your period approaches, you may want to slowly wind things down. Moderate cardio and strength training can still work, but don’t overdo it.

You may also find that it takes longer to recover from a serious workout, and some pre-period sensations may make it less comfortable to work out. You also may occasionally feel a little “down,” so choose fun exercises, such as in a group setting or with a friend.