One of the fitness industry clichés is “no pain, no gain”, but experts are now encouraging women to listen to their bodies.
“Cycle Sync” means synchronizing your exercise program with your menstrual cycle to maximize fat loss, muscle building and cardio.
Energy levels are highest when a woman is away from her period due to increased blood circulation and increased female hormones.
During menstruation, the loss of blood a woman suffers makes her more tired as less oxygen circulates around her body.
The diagram above shows how to synchronize your menstrual cycle with your exercise regime. Fitness instructors say it’s important to rest at least two days a week.
Nashville, Tenn.-based fitness coach Kylie Churnetsky (left) is one of those who encourages women to coordinate their exercise with their menstrual cycles. Ashley Sondergaard, a yoga instructor from Minneapolis, Minnesota and mother of her three children, says the practice has “made quite a difference” in her exercise routine. One person.
Tennessee-based fitness coach Kylie Chernetsky spoke to DailyMail.com in support of this fitness hack. .
“But once you start paying attention to your menstrual cycle, you can put the pieces of the puzzle together.”
She continues:
“But you were never prepared to succeed in that way.”
There is scientific evidence that cycle synchronization helps women lose weight.
This includes American Journal of Clinical Nutrition We followed 31 women for 6 months.
According to the paper, women who synchronized their diet and exercise with their cycles lost about 14.3 percent of their body weight and 1.1 inches from their waists.
On average, women who followed a diet and workout plan and didn’t sync to their cycles lost 8.3% of their body weight while losing 0.61 inches in their waists.
There are also suggestions that aligning a woman’s diet with her menstrual cycle may also help, as it can help boost your mood and make you feel more energetic.
Experts at Anglia Ruskin University, a UK sports research center, say the measure may help women lose weight and indeed stay fit, but it’s much more difficult due to the natural changes in the cycle. of people struggle with this technology.
They are conversation: “First, most studies on the effects of the menstrual cycle on fitness assume that the menstrual cycle is a regular pattern of 28 days.
“However, 46% of women show fluctuations in cycle length of about 7 days, and a further 20% show fluctuations of up to 14 days.”
They also said that progesterone and estrogen levels fluctuate differently each cycle, affecting how much energy you have and how you feel.
The Anglia Ruskin team concludes:
Cycle synchrony advocates encourage women to engage in high-intensity exercise during the follicular and ovulatory phases of the cycle, usually between days 8 and 15.
During the follicular phase, a follicle develops and matures into an egg in the ovary, which is released at ovulation.
During this period, estrogen levels rise and reach a peak when the egg is released, increasing a woman’s energy levels.
Fitness instructors say it’s a great time to tackle more strenuous activities like cycling, running, CrossFit, and high-intensity training.
Women can also focus on lifting weights during this time. Perhaps even lift heavier weights or try more sets and repetitions than usual.
Kim Perry, a fitness instructor in New York City, recommends synchronizing her cycle and says she was even able to train twice a day.
From about days 16 to 28 of the luteal phase, the egg travels through the fallopian tubes to the uterus.
Progesterone and estrogen levels also rise, boosting energy and building the uterine lining, but then begin to drop prematurely.
On average, during menstruation (days 1 to 7), the lining of the uterus sheds, reaching a low point when a woman begins menstruating.
During this period of low energy levels, fitness instructors recommend gradually focusing on low-intensity workouts such as: It could be yoga, pilates, a light swim, or just a walk.
They also told DailyMail.com that it’s essential to get at least two days of rest each week, regardless of what stage of the cycle someone is in.
Rest days are essential to restore, repair and strengthen the cells strained during your workout.
Women who exercise to cycle and now vow to practice include Ashley Sondergaard, 36, a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based yoga instructor and mother of three.
“It’s pretty transformative when you’re in that stage of life as a mother,” she said.
“It’s like my body is literally speaking to me. I’ve found that I can maintain my energy better and actually enjoy the experience of my cycle.
New York City fitness coach Kim Perry also elaborates on the benefits of cycle syncing.
She said on the podcast “You’re Glowing” that this method even allows you to do two intense workouts a day during the follicular and ovulatory phases.
She recommends this method:
“But when my period comes on the fourth day, my body doesn’t want it and tells me to rest.”