period cycling: what is it and should you do it?

trying to break a new personal best after exercising outdoors this winter? campaigns by major athletic brands have suggested altering your workout routine to “harness the power of your menstrual cycle.” it’s called “period cycling” — and it claims that, if done the right way, you can use aunt flow to get the most out of your fitness training.the concept of “period cycling” was initially trademarked by alisa vitti, a functional nutritionist and founder of the floliving hormone center. period cycling suggests that individuals alter their nutrition and activities based on a 28-day cycle due to the natural hormonal fluctuations.the general idea sees women focusing on high-intensity workouts towards the beginning of their cycle, when estrogen levels are steadily increasing, and then tapering off to more relaxed workouts, like yoga or walking, during the second half.while not a new or unheard-of concept, there isn’t a lot of research that shows altering your activities based on where you are in your cycle will lead to better performance.“when it comes to exercise performance, i think the research is definitely mixed on this,” says jennifer williams, a phd candidate in the vascular dynamics lab at mcmaster university.a recent review of available studies looked at how athletic performance changes throughout the menstrual cycle. at most, it was found that performance might be “trivially” reduced right when menstruation begins. the effects, however, were not strong enough for the authors to recommend that exercise regimes be altered to account for the change.for whitney hills, a personal trainer and nutritionist specializing in women’s health, changing a workout routine to reflect changes in menstrual cycles should be addressed as needed, but isn’t the primary focus of training.“if a client gets really heavy periods that affect their abilities, of course we will modify their workouts,” says hills. “[but] my athlete clients have to be able to perform under all circumstances. dealing with a period while doing a 14-hour trail race in the woods — with bears! — is something that needs to be strategized around.”instead, hills balances any changes in energy or strength levels with nutrition.“i would pay more attention to altering a clients carbohydrate levels or calories based on where they are in a cycle, as energy levels can impact performance.”what may be more beneficial than sticking to general workout plans based on cycles is tracking your own symptoms throughout your cycle, williams says. then you can determine if you notice any differences in exercise performance throughout the month.“an increased awareness of one’s menstrual cycle is really important,” says williams, noting that “the menstrual cycle is very sensitive to changes and things like stress, for example.”
hills also agrees that attuning workouts to the individual is more beneficial in the long run.“everyone is so different, i…don’t necessarily think we need to follow a protocol based on menstrual cycle,” she says. “symptoms can also vary month to month, so it may be necessary to make modifications one month and not another.”although the scientific evidence doesn’t seem to back the syncing concept up, williams stresses that this is a personal choice. knowledge of how your energy and performance varies throughout the month — if it does at all — is important to optimizing your health.“if a woman feels that… [it] helps with her performance then i would say go for it,” says williams. “everybody’s cycle is so different, and their response is so different. we really should be taking an individualized approach when it comes to matching exercise regimens against the menstrual cycle.”emjones@postmedia.com | @jonesyjourndon’t miss the latest on covid-19, reopening and life. subscribe to healthing’s daily newsletter covid life.