Ashley Sondergaard has been doing periodic synchronization for about six years. It started when she was preparing for her second pregnancy. But it has evolved into a lifestyle. She aligns her exercise plan with her menstrual cycle to maximize her workouts.
Sondergaard — Twin Cities’ longtime yoga teacher, self-care coach, and host of the “Yoga Magic” podcast — has come to appreciate what she’s learned from paying attention to her cycles.
“It’s like my body is literally talking to me,” she said.
Monitoring her body can help her mentally prepare for intense training and recovery time, and help her understand why exercise feels more rewarding on certain days.
Kathy Wilder, Ph.D., founder of the Minneapolis Center for Integrative Medicine, said:
Cycle sync won’t help you adjust your cycle or treat your PMS symptoms, Wilder said.
“The way I like to focus and structure this is by optimizing who you are and how you feel throughout the month based on where you are in the different phases. “I honestly think that people of any age and menstruation can really benefit from this.”
Most people who practice cycle synchronization begin by tracking their energy levels and mood each day for several months. Note how they overlap. Menstruating people usually find that they have more energy during the follicular and ovulatory phases.
Sondergaard noticed that energy is often low during menstruation. During that time, she does gentle yoga and low-resistance training to respect her body. As she moves into her follicular phase (when a menstruating woman’s eggs mature), her energy levels tend to rise. and increase the intensity of your workout. During the luteal phase (when the lining of the uterus thickens), she returns to low-impact exercise classes and restorative exercises such as walking and yoga.
Talking about cycles
Allison Mosso isn’t surprised that cycle synchronization is gaining momentum these days. books likeroar” By Stacey Sims and National Influencers Alisa Vitti,Founder FLOLiving, popularized the practice. the term “cycle sync workout’ has been viewed 80.5 million times on TikTok alone.
” [wellness] Mosso said the industry as a whole is very good at tackling and optimizing trends.
But Mosso, nutrition counselor, personal trainer, and wellness speaker at Twin Cities, warns that sync isn’t one size fits all. It should be based on your experience and emotions.
“Rather than looking at someone posting blanket statements on Pinterest about what to do and what to eat for exercise, look at it from a personal perspective,” she said. There is no “should” to take an evidence-based approach,” she said.
She thinks the practice may benefit many women, but has yet to reach the point where she instructs her clients on how to cycle sync.
“I’m all for people who listen to their bodies and do what’s best for them, but I think they need more research before they go out and give advice.
start a conversation
Jillian Toren, a registered dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition, had a competitive run in high school and college. Her menses were infrequent and irregular due to too strenuous training and inadequate nutrition.
Now, Tholen feels strongly that young athletes should talk about their periods and recognize when their cycles become irregular.
“No one ever told me that missing a period was bad or that it might have long-term health consequences,” she said. The field and talking about the menstrual cycle like it’s normal has become something I’ve not only worked a lot with but started to feel really strong about.
In a culture that celebrates motivated, nervous, and capable adults, it can be hard to take a break without feeling guilty. Wilder observes that those who cycle-sync are more aware of when they need to slow down and may feel more comfortable doing so.
“They can realize that they’re not robots, they’re not superhumans,” she said. “At each stage of the menstrual cycle, hormones change and regulate mood in different ways.”
For example, Sondergaard finds the practice of cycle synchronization liberating.
“Get permission to say, ‘You can rest,’ because your body tells you so,” she said. “I think they feel the freedom, the permission, the feeling that comes when you listen to what your body is telling you.”
Mary Ellen Ritter is a student at the University of Minnesota and a Star Tribune commissioner.
