Cycle Syncing 101: A Guide to Hormone Awareness

In this episode, I break down what cycle syncing really means and how understanding your body’s natural rhythm can change the way you move through life.

I walk you through each phase of the menstrual cycle—what’s happening hormonally, how you may feel, and how to support your body through it.

Whether you’re dealing with mood swings, low energy, or feeling disconnected, this episode will help you build awareness and align with your hormones.

Your body isn’t working against you—you just need to learn how to work with it.

Thanks so much for listening! If this episode resonated with you, make sure to subscribe and leave a review. New episodes drop every Tuesday morning, and you can follow me on Instagram @Stephanie_Monge to stay connected and come along for the journey.

Transcript

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Hello and welcome back to Barefaced and Becoming podcast. Today I wanted to do a deep dive on cycle syncing. So this episode is definitely for the girlies. It's come to my attention that there is still so many people that don't have awareness around the different phases of a menstrual cycle and what that means. I think it is such a disservice that we are not educated on this as children and teenagers. I think the older I become, the more important it is for me to be in sync with my cycle. So today I wanted to kind of give just a little bit of knowledge on each phase of the cycle, what they are, what they mean in a really digestible way. It's crazy to me that this is the first time that I've talked about this on my podcast. We've talked here and there about hormone health and my struggles with it. But yeah, I want to do a simple and digestible rundown for maybe someone that doesn't know too much about it. I want to make this as simple so that it's not overwhelming because I think that something that I really struggled with when I started learning about this is there's just so much that I didn't know and so much to learn. It made me just a little bit overstimulated and overwhelmed by how much information it is. So I am going to try and make this short and sweet, shedding light on each phase, things that I do during each phase to help when I am in my menstrual phase, the science behind each phase and the emotions behind it too. It's all so intertwined. So, first of all, what is cycle sinking? So every woman knows that you have your menstrual cycle, of course, but there are actually four phases of your menstrual cycle. So the menstrual phase is when you're bleeding, which is obviously what every woman is aware of. But there are three other phases when you are not bleeding that really control how you feel. So, regardless of if you're bleeding or not, you are in one phase of your cycle. So if you didn't know, men actually operate on a 24-hour hormonal cycle. It restarts every single day, while women operate on a 28-day hormonal cycle, which is where the different phases come in. And cycle sinking is about aligning your lifestyle with those phases of the menstrual cycle instead of expecting your body to feel the same way every day. The hormones are constantly fluctuating with your progesterone and estrogen that affects our moods. Certain foods help us feel better to compensate for those mood swings. So our hormones are constantly shifting throughout the month. So our energy, our mood, focus, and even metabolism can change week to week. So when we are talking about routines and, you know, things that we want to stick to, I think this is really important to keep in mind because throughout the different weeks of the month, depending on what cycle we're in, we're not gonna be able to show up the same way. We're not gonna have the same energy, we're not gonna be able to work out the same. In fact, it can actually work against us. The less we know, the more frustrating it can be. If you're not understanding your body fully, it can just get confusing, especially if you are working against it. So we are going to start with the menstrual cycle since this is the cycle that everybody knows about. I do consider this the first phase of the cycle. So in your menstrual cycle, you have your menstrual phase, which is your period, you have your follicular phase, which is after you stop bleeding, your ovulatory phase, and then your last is your luteal phase. I love to correlate the different phases of the cycle to the different seasons. So your menstrual phase is your inner winter. Think of your energy is lower in the winter. This is when it's best to rest, reflect, and go inward. So slower mornings, more alone time. During your menstrual phase, your body actually burns calories faster. So you need to make sure that you're satiating yourself, drinking enough water, eating enough protein. This is the phase of your cycle when it's great to journal, process emotions, and very gentle movement. In the winter, it's correlated to hibernation, stillness, rest and reset, maybe being a little bit more introverted, spending time alone, making sure to stay off social media. I noticed during this phase, I really can get easily addicted to shopping and social media. So I try to do things that keep my hands more occupied and be more intentional about that. So maybe doing Legos or cooking more at home. And I really want to highlight here the fact of gentle movement because for me, if I do high-intensity workouts during this phase or lifting really heavy, anything that's intense, it makes my cramps so bad. So things like walking, stretching, meditating, gentle yoga, or like a stretching and mobility class, things like that, that would be great here. And that's really, really important because your body is just really sensitive during this phase. Your mind is really sensitive during this phase. So I try now to think of myself as like taking care of myself. Like, okay, she's sensitive. How can I care for her? And actually, your body does run cold during this phase. So it's really important to be eating warming foods, soups, and drinking tea. I have a tea that I get online. I will link it in my shop my and it has like raspberry leaf tea and herbalist. Created the tea specifically for your period. So I like doing that. I also have a cycle soothing spray from Primely Pure that I love. Eating bananas a couple days before my period helps me with my cramps, and I notice a huge difference. So making sure to stay away from anything cold because the body's already running cold. So, like no salads or smoothies. And it's such like a simple tweak, but it really does make a huge difference. Knowing what your body needs and being able to fuel it in that way. During the menstrual phase, your body is losing a lot of blood and iron, obviously. Think grounding and mineral-rich foods. So anything that is iron-rich, so leafy greens, beef, like I said, soups, teas, and then also healthy fats are great here. And going inward and prioritizing rest and then gentle movement is the most important. After your menstrual phase is the follicular phase, this is when you stop bleeding. Your energy begins to rise during this phase, and this is when you start to feel creative. So this would be considered your inner spring. Your creativity sparks. This is when it's good to try new things, and beginning to feel a little bit more social and getting back into routine, beginning to move the body a little bit more, not having to be as gentle. So since follicular is your inner spring with foods, the focus is think light and fresh. Your estrogen is rising during this phase, so your body responds better to lighter detox supportive foods. So think fresh fruits like berries, citrus fruits, fermented foods are great here. So yogurt, kimchi. I love to do pickled onions and put that like on my eggs in the morning, and like a leaner protein. So think fresh and vibrant, but still clean foods. Again, going with spring for the follicular phase, you're starting to feel lighter and your energy is a little bit more motivated. So this is a great time to start rebuilding your routines, start moving the body a little bit more, not having to be so, so gentle because your body is just not as sensitive during this phase. And you begin to start feeling a little bit more social, planning out the weeks, maybe planning out the months, thinking about being more creative. This phase allows you to be more organized and strategic about your routines and your plans. Think new beginnings. After the follicular phase is the ovulatory phase. So this would be your inner summer. This is your peak energy. Unfortunately, this is one of the shorter phases of the cycle. You begin to feel super confident. It's great to socialize, communicate, feel expressive. This is the best times for you to go to events, maybe network, create content. Think of just vibrancy. So when you're ovulating, obviously, this is the time where your body is wanting to make a baby. So that's why you feel outgoing because you want to feel sexy, because obviously that's how you make a baby, you mate. So it kind of just goes in tune with what makes the most sense naturally. During this phase, your estrogen peaks, which is what's boosting your mood and confidence. And then your testosterone actually slightly rises, which is increasing your libido, your motivation. This is when you are thinking super clearly, your communication is at its best. For foods, think hydration and glow. So this is when it's great for smoothies or fresh juices, eating super colorful produce for high antioxidants, fruits and veggies that have high water. So cucumber, watermelon, things like that. When you're ovulating, your energy is at its highest. This is the best time for really hardcore workouts. Think high intensity, more heavy weightlifting. This is the time to build your personal PRs. Doing more high-intensity Pilates or workout classes. And then after ovulation is my least favorite phase, which is the luteal phase, which I am trying to love a little bit more. This is your inner fall. So this is when your progesterone rises. Your body needs more steady energy and blood sugar support. During this phase, it's really important to eat more complex carbs. So sweet potatoes, oats, brown rice. Magnesium-rich foods are so important during this phase. Dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds are a great source for that. I find myself being the most hungry during this phase. Your metabolism actually speeds up slightly. So you burn about 100 to 300 more calories per day. So I feel so, so hungry during this phase, which is then where also the cravings come in. And if I'm not satiating enough with protein, my cravings are off the charts. So your body wants more fuel and stability. Your energy here is slowing down. I find it most important during this phase to protect my energy. So this means more alone time, setting my boundaries, limiting overstimulation. I'm very easily overstimulated during this phase, wrapping things up. You have a very limited amount of energy. So being really selective about where you're choosing to focus that energy on, think more grounding, preparing, and letting go. I find myself really wanting to tend to my home during this phase, organize the house, just definitely be super introverted during this phase. I feel like once I leave this phase and restart it, so going into the menstrual phase again, I feel like usually I have to prioritize rest more during my luteal. And then when I actually start bleeding and enter my menstrual, I can be a little bit more sociable and handle more. Like my luteal for me is the most difficult, but it's really differentiates from person to person how you feel. And again, I've said this in a couple of other podcasts, but I do have PMDD. It's premenstrual dysphoric disorder. So it's pretty much like I have PMS on steroids. My body is more susceptible to the changes in hormone fluctuations. So kind of the negative effects during my luteal, I can get really depressed. But some people, it is menstrual that this happens. So also really important to really listen to your body here as well. I think the different phases and how they correlate to seasons and the foods are pretty universal. I think the thing that can kind of fluctuate from person to person is their menstrual and luteal phase, which one they pretty much feel worse in. So just to give a breakdown again, menstrual cycle is your period. This is your inner winter. Follicular phase is your inner spring. When you stop bleeding, your energy begins to rise. Your ovulatory phase is your inner summer. You are at your peak energy and your luteal phase. This is your inner fall and your energy starts declining. A book that I have read that really has helped me to digest this a little bit better is called In the Flow. I highly recommend. I also think it's really important to track your period so you can see if you are regular, if it is lasting the same amount of time. I really enjoy my aura ring because I can notice the different habits of my cycle and it helps me understand when to expect it. So for me, my body temperature starts rising about day 16 or 17 of my cycle, and then it always drops significantly on the first day of my bleed. So if I notice I'm on like day 25 and my body temperature still hasn't started raising yet, then I know okay, I'm probably gonna be late this month. And it's normal for me because, like I said, I have the PMDD, so it also makes my period fluctuate a lot. But just being able to understand your cycle, it's really insightful to how healthy your body is. Most adult cycles fall between 21 to 35 days. The length of each cycle for menstrual, usually it's about three to seven days. Follicular phase is about seven to ten days, ovulatory is three to four, and then the luteal is the longest. It's 10 to 14, which is why I'm trying to enjoy it more because it's the longest one. So I want to learn to love it so that I can be a happier person. I try and kind of spoil myself during the phases that are more difficult for me. So if I'm in my luteal phase, this is when I'll try and romanticize my life a little bit more because it's when my energy, motivation, and mental health start to decline. And the follicular and ovulatory phase, you know, my energy is naturally more higher and I'm a more positive person in general. But during my luteal, like I said, since my mental health is starting to kind of get a little bit more difficult and complicated and sensitive, I try and kind of give myself things to look forward to. So planning like a nice night in, doing a little bit more self-care, a dessert at the end of the week that I really wanted and I'm really excited for a night in with my girlfriends, just coloring, something like that. That's still in theme with what my body needs. So, like soft and slow, but just kind of a treat too that I can look forward to. The aludeal phase specifically is really difficult for me to have life balance because my body gets so fatigued that I like to sleep a lot. So trying to get in bed earlier, maybe starting a new project that gets me excited that has nothing to do with work. So a Lego project or something in the grandma hobby category is really important. And this is something that I've been learning about, I would say maybe three or four years now, and I'm still learning how to better show up for my body and understand it every single day. It is such a blessing to have a cycle. Embracing it has been something that has really helped me appreciate being a woman more and how I perceive my cycle and trying to have a more positive outlook on it has in turn actually really helped me enjoy it more and lean into the different phases more, romanticizing them. And actually, it has helped my PMDD so much. This last period, I did not have any crimps, which was crazy to me. Oh, something I really wanted to mention is like I said, I've been thinking about this and working on it for years now. And so this last cycle, I wanted to test some stuff out. I was really late for my period, but I was doing all the things. I was using my cycle soothing spray, I was drinking my tea, I was eating lots of bananas. So I actually did not have any cramps, which is so unheard of for me. Usually I would get really debilitated by my period cramps that sometimes I can't even stand. I can't drive, I throw up, I can't go to work. It's super inconvenient and painful. So for me not to have any cramps was absolutely insane for me. And I was like, okay, which was crazy. Cause I feel like for me, like when I actually start bleeding, it's almost like a release for me. I just know, like, okay, I just have to take care of myself. Like, she's hurting, like making sure I have my heating pad, my night lotions that smell yummy, candles, like kind of just pampering myself the little extra. But other than that, it was like fine for me, which is crazy for me to say. But yeah, this last one, I had absolutely no cramps, but I had been switching to pads, which I used to be the type of person that was like, Ayo, I can never use pads, like it's so gross and all these things. But recently it just has been making more sense to me. Like when your body is bleeding, it is a release. Your body's getting rid of an egg that didn't get fertilized because you're not pregnant. So your uterine lining is shedding and your body's detoxing that blood. But then you put a tampon in and you're keeping inside your body, not only keeping it in, but clogging it, what is trying to get out. So I'm like, wait, that kind of doesn't make sense. Let me try using pads. So I've been switching to pads, also, so important. The pads and tampons that you use don't have any inks or dyes or bleaches. Some companies bleach it and it's just so bad. Of course, like that is the most sensitive part of your body. And like, I just hate that we have to go the extra mile to think about these things, but I mean, it is what it is. I like the brand Real R A E L. I'll also link it down below. Okay, so I've been using the pads and I had no cramps. So surprised. I'm like, okay, let me put a tampon in and see how I feel. And I got the absolute worst cramps ever. I was actually in a yoga class. It was a two-hour yin class, and the first 30 minutes, I could not take it, especially since I was sitting still. Because when you have cramps, usually it's because your blood is clotting. So that's when you want to kind of do cardio walking and getting the blood to flow so that you don't get any blood clots or anything like that. I could not sit still. I was dying. So I went to take out the tampon and it still was hurting so bad. So I ended up having to leave the class and I went and took a walk around the plaza and it took like 30 to 40 minutes, and then I finally felt better. I think it's crazy that our body's trying to detox and then we're like keeping everything up. I don't know, it's just crazy. So pads have been my best friend. I am switching over now completely. And yeah, I just wanted to share that. But those are all the cycles, those are some of the things that help me live more in sync. The tools that I utilize to understand my body more. I don't want anyone to get overwhelmed with this. I think when you think about cycle syncing, it's not necessarily about adding more rules. It's more so just living in sync with the cycle, understanding your body when you give it the rest that it needs, then when you're in your ovulatory phase, you can perform even that much better. And just honoring the different phases of the cycle and what it means to be a woman, it is a blessing that our bodies are so complex because our bodies are made to hold babies and create life. And that is such a special thing. So I think until I get to that phase of actually using obviously my uterus for what it is intended for, I want to make sure that I am taking care of it and how it affects my mental health and the time being. And just being aware and from that awareness, building the routine and the lifestyle and a version of wellness that actually works for you. Your body already knows what it needs. It's just about learning how to listen. The more knowledge we have on this, the better we'll be able to actually be intuitive and understand our body. Psycho syncing really is just about awareness. And once you understand your patterns, you can start to support yourself in a way that actually makes sense for you. Remember, everybody's body is different. So just starting to pay attention, noticing how your energy shifts and what your body might be asking for. Of course, like always, the goal here is not to be perfect, it's just to be more in tune with yourself. The more you start working with your body instead of against it, the more everything else starts to feel easier. I hope this gave you a new way to look at your body and your routine. If this episode resonated with you, feel free to share it with someone who needs it. Remember to take it one step at a time. It is really a lifelong journey. So for me, it's the most important not to get too overwhelmed with it and just learn a little at a time. Thank you so much for listening. New episodes now every Friday, and you can find me on Instagram at Stephanie underscore Mongi. Thank you so much for listening. I will see you next Friday. Bye.