Debunking Cycle-Syncing Myths

Heather Bedard, C.H.E.

Cycle-syncing has become a bit of a buzzword lately. I did one search on instagram and now my feed is full of influencers touting their programs to help women sync their lifestyle with their cycles. There's advice about honoring your luteal phase, lifting heavier in the follicular phase, or eating in alignment with your hormones. And honestly, I love that more women are getting curious about how their bodies work.

But if you’ve ever tried to actually follow cycle-syncing, you might’ve had a moment of:Wait… which phase am I in again? Am I doing this right?

Or maybe you’ve found yourself second-guessing your workouts or food choices because a chart told you your hormones weren’t “ready.”

I get it. And you’re not alone. That’s why I want to gently pull back the curtain on this popular approach — because while syncing your habits to your cycle can be insightful, there’s a lot more nuance to the story. And once you understand it, things start to feel a whole lot simpler… and a lot more empowering in my opinion.

What Is Cycle-Syncing, Anyway?

At its core, cycle-syncing is the idea that women can and should align their movement, food, and daily habits with the four phases of the menstrual cycle:

• Menstrual (your period)

• Follicular (the rebuilding phase after your period)

• Ovulatory (when estrogen peaks and you may feel more social/energetic)

• Luteal (after ovulation, often associated with PMS and lower energy)

On paper, this makes a lot of sense. Men have a different hormonal cycle than women. Women don’t have the same hormonal profile every day — so shouldn’t we change our routines accordingly?

In theory, yes. In practice? It’s not that simple.

Most Women Don’t Know What Phase They’re In

Let’s start with this: most women don’t actually know what phase of their cycle they’re in at any given time. And not because they’re not paying attention—but because it’s genuinely tricky to track.

Ovulation doesn’t always happen on day 14. It can shift month to month based on stress, illness, travel, sleep, and more. Unless you’re tracking your basal body temperature, or cervical mucus, you’re probably just estimating.

And here’s the kicker: if you misidentify where you are in your cycle (which is incredibly common), then all those “cycle-based” workout recommendations?

They don’t actually apply.

You could be adjusting your habits based on the wrong info — leading to frustration, confusion, or worse, the belief that your body just isn’t “working right.”

Let me say this clearly: your body isn’t broken. And syncing with something as fluid as a menstrual cycle requires more flexibility than the average Instagram post offers.

The Research Just Isn’t There Yet

Another layer to this conversation: there’s a serious gap in the research when it comes to women’s health.

For decades, women were excluded from clinical studies because our hormone fluctuations were considered too difficult. As a result, most exercise science, nutrition research, and even pharmaceutical data is based on male physiology.

A 2021 study published in Frontiers in Global Women's Health highlighted this very issue, stating that women are still drastically underrepresented in health research—even in areas that directly affect us.¹

So when people online say, “You should never do cardio during your luteal phase,” or “Only strength train in the follicular phase,” the truth is — there’s no universal research backing those rules.

Some studies show small changes in strength or endurance across the cycle, but results are inconsistent. And even when differences do exist, they’re usually not big enough to justify a total overhaul of your fitness plan.

So… Should You Ditch Cycle-Syncing Altogether?

Not necessarily. Cycle awareness can be really helpful.

Tracking how your energy shifts throughout the month can help you notice patterns, reduce burnout, and plan your workouts more intentionally.

But what I don’t want for you is another rigid system. One that tells you there’s a “right” or “wrong” time to move your body. One that makes you doubt your own experience. One that becomes another reason not to show up for yourself.

You don’t need a chart to give you permission to move. You don’t need to understand every phase of your cycle to eat well. And you don’t have to micromanage your hormones to be healthy.

What Actually Works

Here’s what I’ve seen work time and time again — both personally and with the women I coach:

• Start with how you feel. Are you dragging today or feeling strong? Let that guide your workout more than an app.

• Be consistent, but flexible. Show up regularly, but give yourself grace when your energy shifts.

• Use your cycle as context, not a command. It’s one piece of your health puzzle — not the whole picture.

There may be weeks where a walk feels better than a high-intensity workout. Other weeks, you’re lifting heavier than ever. That’s normal. And it doesn’t mean your hormones are “off.” It means you’re human.

Let’s not make this more complicated than it needs to be

Your body is already syncing — with your sleep, your stress, your relationships, your toddler’s nap schedule. You are adjusting all the time.

Yes, get curious about your cycle. Yes, learn about your hormones. But don’t let it become another thing to manage—or another reason to sit on the sidelines.

You don’t need to “get it right” to get results. You just need to keep showing up, and working with the body you’ve got today.

And that, mama, is more than enough.

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Sources:

1. Clayton, J. A. (2021). Applying the New SABV (Sex as a Biological Variable) Policy to Research and Clinical Care. Frontiers in Global Women's Health. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgwh.2021.662921/full