Life rarely goes as planned—and your workouts are no exception. Whether a day of poor weather spurs you to hit the treadmill instead of the open road, or a bout of illness makes you opt for a restorative yoga class over a challenging lifting session, you have to roll with the punches. And recently, people have started syncing their exercise routines to a different piece of personal data: their menstrual cycles.
The concept of cycle syncing, or adjusting how you eat and exercise based on the phases of your menstrual cycle, was introduced by integrative nutritionist Alisa Vitti in 2014. More recently, it gained traction on TikTok as a method for optimizing your training. Users shared that they felt more energized when they scheduled trying workouts during ovulation and restorative-based movements when menstruation began.
But how important is it to match your effort to your body’s ever-fluctuating hormone cycles? Does this mean opting out of a trail race or a once-in-a-lifetime backpacking trip just because your period started?
