Maybe you’ve heard about it from a friend, skimmed an article about it on your favorite wellness publication, or even seen our quick Instagram class guide—cycle tracking and syncing is having a moment, and for good reason.
Introduced by functional nutritionist Alisa Vitti a decade ago in her book Woman Code, cycle syncing is her trademarked proprietary method, which helps women tune in to their biological rhythm. It considers the four periods of the menstrual cycle—the hormonally distinct menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases—and modifies an individual’s workouts, diet, and lifestyle routine to match their various needs.
In particular, some find it can be beneficial to adapt their movement routines to their cycles to tune in with their bodies, honor their energy levels, or better manage their cycles. (FYI, reduced PMS symptoms are often a reported benefit from those practicing.) And, it can also help build a more sustainable relationship with exercise.
To clear up some of the questions around cycle tracking and syncing—and show what it can look like in practice—we sat down with obé’s Senior Partnerships Director, Melanie Parke, who recently went all in on the method. Get her cycle tracking and syncing routine and insights below, plus scroll down to see her obé workout picks, preferred guides, and more!
How did you find out about cycle tracking? What made you want to try it for yourself?
I had decided to go off hormonal birth control about six years ago—which was a personal decision at the time. I’d wanted to do a reset, actually welcome and invite my hormones to the party, and see how that would feel for me after having been on birth control for 10 years, and feeling like it was no longer serving me.
I was on this journey for about two years where I wasn’t having a period. And I was concerned about whether it would ever come back, and what that meant for my body, hormonal health, and fertility in the long run. During that time, I started seeing a holistic nutritionist, and we started working on hormone balancing through a more holistic approach—including nutrition, supplements, and acupuncture—to see if that would help naturally bring my cycle and period back.
Eventually, I did get my period back, and that’s when I first discovered the importance of taking my basal body temperature to track how my body was changing and evolving throughout the month. From there, I started to feel more in tune with my cycle and body. To aid with this process, I started reading a lot of books like Woman Code and Period Repair Manual, which were so helpful in normalizing what I was experiencing. That’s about when cycle syncing started to pick up and become more mainstream. So it’s been on my radar for a few years, but I haven’t intentionally started to live my life that way until the past two months.
What are your main goals with cycle tracking and syncing?
A lot of it is around reducing and regulating my PMS symptoms and living in harmony with my hormones! I tend to have painful and heavy periods. Plus, I’ve been reflecting on how, societally and throughout history, we have been raised to think that periods are really messy, gross, and painful. Like, don’t look at me, don’t touch me for five days out of the month—plus the week leading up to that. And I’ve learned that’s not how it’s supposed to be! Yet, 50% of women struggle with some form of hormonal imbalance. By stabilizing hormones, we can achieve better sleep, elevated mood, optimized energy and focus, healthy weight, clear skin, healthy cycles, and increased fertility. So my main goals are helping to reduce my symptoms and generally feel more balanced and more in sync with the natural rhythm of my body!
You’ve been practicing cycle tracking and syncing for two months now. What does that look like for you?
I’m trying to do everything! Some of the lifestyle adjustments are difficult because sometimes you can’t control a commitment you have. But for the most part, I’m trying to let it inform what I eat to nourish my body, how I’m moving my body, what lifestyle choices I’m making, and what my mindset is. I’m also paying more attention to cues about general symptoms and how I’m feeling. The nutrition and movement pieces have been pretty intuitive. One of the most helpful tips I learned is to think about the four phases like the four seasons:
Your follicular phase is akin to spring. This is a good time to eat leafy greens, proteins, and healthy fats. You’ll find that your energy levels start to build and you may feel inclined to tap into social and creative endeavors.
Moving into ovulation, which is summer, that’s when your hormones peak. You’re peacocking—kind of like, I am woman, hear me roar. I’ve found that my skin looks clear and my hair feels super healthy. The vibe is: Go out, have fun. From a nutrition standpoint, I continue to consume the same foods as follicular, along with more cruciferous vegetables and fresh fruit to support liver detoxification.
The luteal phase post-ovulation, that’s fall, and it’s a time to wind down, organize your household, and get tasks done. I did my taxes in the luteal phase! And that was really effective for me. You’ll feel inclined to introduce more warm, fiber-rich foods that help reduce fluid retention and balance blood sugar. I learned that your caloric intake needs to increase by around 250 calories, that’s why a lot of women feel hungrier during this time.
And then of course, the menstrual phase is winter—and that makes so much sense for this feeling of hibernation, restorative energy, focusing on stretching and low-impact movement. Rest and replenishment are key!
Were you able to find your flow immediately or did it take a full cycle to get into it?
I fell into it pretty quickly, but I do feel like I’m more on autopilot and not referencing guides as much in month two. Following this cycle has been, frankly, almost like a relief. Because it just feels intuitive, and it makes sense for how I’m feeling right now. The lifestyle stuff—on the other hand—is a little bit more challenging because you can’t always control when you have a friend’s birthday, a work commitment, or an outing in New York.
What does your movement routine look like with cycle tracking?
Generally, I love to mix obé with studio time and going outside on runs or walks as it’s been warming up. For instance, right now I’m in the follicular phase so on Sunday I went for a run, Monday I did a Strength + HIIT mashup with Ana and Dorian because I felt like lifting some heavy weights but also getting some cardio through HIIT. Tuesday, I went to a neighborhood studio for an Inferno Hot Pilates class, which has some high-intensity interval actions to it. Wednesday, I did power yoga. And this morning, I did Dance and Strength on obé. During this phase, I’m craving movement every day—craving a sweat, getting my heart rate up, and doing high-intensity workouts. I’m also trying to mix strength training with cardio.
On the other hand, when I’m in my luteal and menstrual phases, I find myself craving longer walks, doing more yoga classes at the studio, trying out Sculpt or Pilates on obé—or maybe just Express classes. I don’t feel I need the full 45 to 60 minutes those days, and sometimes I just go for a 10-minute core, arms, or a nice stretch. During the menstrual phase, it’s more about yoga, I crave stretching. And I’ve thrown in a few Ride classes when I’m feeling good!
Do the types of workouts you do feel intuitive? Is it easier to show up because they match your energy levels?
Yes. I sometimes do something (like a super long run) and look back and go, oh yeah I felt so good because I was in the ovulatory phase on this day.
It also makes it easy to beat any kind of decision fatigue you may get from thinking about what you should do to work out. Following this method has made it so easy because you know exactly what you’re going for. If you’re in the luteal phase, you know to go for something low impact so that narrows down the choices. I’m only picking from 3-5 class types instead of 25. It aids my decision-making process.
And it’s kind of a relief because you don’t have to do a HIIT class when energetically you’re not in the mood for one!
How have your nutritional habits been affected by cycle tracking and syncing?
One of the biggest things for me was shifting to eating a nutrient-dense breakfast within an hour of waking and not having caffeine on an empty stomach. I’m a morning workout person, so I get up and go. It’s hard for me to fit breakfast within an hour, so typically it’s maybe more in the 90-minute window. But, I usually have a banana or a handful of nuts on the way to my workout to get something in my system, and I make breakfast immediately upon return. And I have that before I take my sip of coffee, or I have it with my coffee. From a blood sugar and digestion perspective, it seems like it’s been helping.
I’ve also been paying attention to the caloric intake and natural hunger you feel ramping up in your luteal and menstrual phases. I allow myself to indulge in that and not try to judge myself for my natural change in hunger. Especially in those latter two phases, I’ve been eating warmer foods, introducing things like bone broth, sweet potatoes, and yams. But I’m in no way changing any food groups that I’m allowed to eat, it’s simply a guide to consider.
I also started drinking decaf coffee leading up to my period and during it to reduce PMS symptoms.
What resources have you used to support your journey?
I use a cycle syncing guide made by Hormone Health Coach Lauren Chambers. And like a lot of people, I’ve read The Woman Code by Alisa Vitti of FLO Living, I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts, too. And I also follow these three sisters, Balanced Beyars—they have great infographics and snapshots.
As someone trying this for the first time, what are your top tips for other women who want to start cycle tracking and syncing?
I think the reason I was able to dive headfirst into cycle syncing—plus feel and see progress so quickly—is because I had that baseline of understanding my cycle through tracking my basal body temperature. If you are someone who’s not on hormonal birth control, and you have a period, but you don’t know where you are in your cycle, getting a sense of that is a good starting point. Then, there’s a lower barrier to entry.
I would also say is if changing everything at once—like nutrition, movement, and lifestyle—is overwhelming, just pick one that’s most important to you. I started with nutrition first. And then the movement piece fell into place pretty easily. You don’t have to do everything perfectly. Start with what your body is telling you to do.
Melanie’s Cycle Syncing Picks:
obé Workouts:
- Follicular:
- Ovulatory:
- Luteal
- Menstrual
Nutrition:
A few favorites from the author of the 28-Day Hormone Reset Plan I’ve been following!
- Hormone Balancing Smoothies (I love the Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie and Best Green Smoothie Ever!)
- Turkey Avocado Burger Bowls
- Salmon Pesto Pasta
- Blended Overnight Oats
- Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter PMS Brownies
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One response to “Cycle Tracking Q&A: Movement, Nutrition, and Lifestyle on Your Cycle”
Yay, love this! So glad you’re finding the guide helpful.